are there any Bass guitar players who play jazz on this board?

W

walkinbass

New member
I tried last night to ask a question of bass players that play a bit of jazz.... but something got lost along the way.... I'll try again.

I'm shopping for a 5 string fretless..... any suggestions of brands.... things to look for, things to avoid.....? I like quality gear......
thanks.
 
Hi,

Personally, I do most jazz on my double bass, but I have an exellent MusicMan Stingray5 fretless which does the trick as well. I bought this instrument 2nd hand, but was told afterwards it's difficult to find a good fretless MM. Indeed, when checking with other MM fretlesses, it seems I'm a lucky bastard.

Jazz doesn't *have* to be fl though. Any bass'll do.

Oh yeah, I recall playing a Pedulla Pentabuzz once.. sweet


Herwig
 
I have a Peavey Fretless that is a nice little unit...lots of tone options. I'm normally not a huge Peavey fan, but $125 for a barely used American made Peavey I figured I couldn't be going wrong, and I wasn't...it's a good guitar.

Deadpoet has a very good point though about it not having to be fretless for jazz. I was recently in Vegas and saw these two guys playing at the Golden Gate, a pianist and a bass player with a little Hartke-single 10" amp. I don't know if it was his pickups, or his amp settings....but this guys bass guitar sounded more like a doublebass than any guitar I have ever heard before. He was playing a Fender, but I didn't get close enough to see what type.
 
Yep. A friend of mine plays a Jazz bass (70ies) through a Peavey amp (I so do not like Peavey amps), and man, I was drooling all over the place, he had that Jaco growl going on on his fretted bass. Incredible!!


Herwig
 
just eat a little fried chicken and dont wash your hands, just wipe them. Set the mids a little voicey and pick up the low end a little, turn it up and you got it.
 
I know there wasn't much of a response to my question.... Don't know if there aren't many jazz / fretless types hangin around here or perhaps the question didn't make sense....

anyway....

for the record

I got a picked up a used Roscoe.

It's in near perfect condition. It's not only a beauty but it plays plays plays ....


now.... practice, practice, practice!!


Intonation, intonation, intonation....

(and... hmmm ... then there might be a bit of work on some of those nasty habits I've picked up playing a fretted bass.....)
 
If you mean by a 'used Roscoe' the Fender Roscoe Beck signature bass (5str passive if I'm right ??)... nice piece of bass indeed.

Regarding intonation: a lined fretless is always easier to study on, while having a fretted and (unlined) fretless version of the same bass helped me a lot (musicman 5).

Personally I think it's a shame most bass players I know look down on proper left-hand technique or technique in general. An electric bass has a lot to do with classic guitar imo, and you'll always benefit from good hand position, shifting, fingering, etc.
I mean, listen to guys like Victor Wooten or Adam Nitti, you may or may not like their music, but you have to admit, these guys aren't hindered by any lack of technique.
I know it helped me a lot with playing *and* intonating on both fretless and upright bass.


Herwig
(ps I've got 3 books for you: Bach cello suites, Parker omnibook and Hannon technical piano studies)
 
Toki987 said:
just eat a little fried chicken and dont wash your hands, just wipe them.
Click to expand...

I actually bought my first bass (a Jap squier for $80 @musicgoround)
a month ago and did the Jaco fried chicken thing last night.

I obviously wouldn't do it with a nice bass but always wanted to try so I figured this bass would be my only chance. It was pretty much how you'd expect. felt like I'd palmed a dominoes pizza.
 
I had a Cort fretless a number of yrs ago. I did the fried chicken thing too. Jaco was right, if you wipe your hands really good but not wash, it don`t come off your fingers and onto the strings as bad as other stuff does, softens your fingers, but its smooth enough your fingers don`t burn when you "zip" a string.

p.s. Bach's 4th prelude for unaccompanied cello is a good practice...
 
Walkinbass,

While Jazz and fretless bass is my favorite style to listen to I don't feel qualified to call myself a Jazz player. I don't know any of the standards or read music...just a self taugh bass guitar player who loves jazz. I ended up building my own fretless froma Carvin neck and fingerboard but that is another story.

What I wanted to tell you about is an outstanding teaching video on fretless bass guitar by Steve Bailey. I believe he plays for the Yellow Jackets and countless studio work.

His video is well worth the money for developing tone, "growl" and intonation.

I bought mine at a locally owned Music Store but I believe Musicians Friend, Sam Ash etc stock them.

Buy one now and thank me later! :D

May the warm growl of the fretless bass be with you.:D
 
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