My Biggest Problem With Fender Jazz Basses

Today we talk about the biggest problem that I have with my Fender Jazz Basses, which is versatility. Jazz basses are known for their versatility of course but my problem with them is their pickup selector circuit. Compared with a Musicman Bongo Bass, they are not smooth panning and that takes a lot from their versatility. I've tried to demonstrate that in the video.
Hope you enjoy it!
You can join my channel and get access to all my bass courses, with additional perks at;
/ @bassseries
For notation, backing track, or private lessons;
/ umutaksoy
You can hire me for session work;
www.fiverr.com...
Facebook
/ umutaksoymusic
Instagram
/ umutaksoymusic
Twitter
/ umutaksoymusic
www.bassseries...
[e-mail]

[@michaelanthony9068]

YES !!! I’ve been complaining about this issue for years ! Thank you.

[@ziggysartstudio7266]

Dude you are so right. I literally got an Elite delivered yesterday. You can’t really blend them they way I want them to. I think a 3 way toggle would give the same result. Interesting point. Kinda numbs me out actually

[@astronorthwet636]

You’re right. The three knob setup isn’t versatile. That’s why I got the deluxe active jazz bass. It has one volume, sweep between bridge and neck pickup, and has a two level bass and treble, and separate midrange. It can do the traditional sounds and the active as well.

[@BlackRootsAcademyOfSoul]

I really think the Fender Jazz Basses are very versatile 🤔 Certainly the Active ones are. 👍🏿 Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿❤️

[@KaltOhm]

„You are not versatile“ - Jack Stratton

[@BassSeries]

you caught that huh :)

[@KaltOhm]

@@BassSeries 😅

[@6strngbass]

😂

[@ThomasDaley100]

lol first think i thought of. YOU"RE not versatile sure i know how to play in different positions and with different plucking and fretting techniques, all very important to know and implement, but the active electronics really fills out the 63 year old pickup wiring design STOP GOVERNMENT HANDOUTS FOR ACTIVE BASSES

[@stevedixon8567]

Vlance Armstrength agrees

[@poltergeist3194]

I run a John East preamps in my Jazz basses. No solder drop in replacement and can go passive if need be. Get volume/ blend stacked knob, bass/ treble boost/cut stacked knob and a passive tone knob with push/pull active bypass.

[@WilDBeestMF]

I am about to drop a J-Retro into a Tokai Jazz and I think it's the best move for it. Those pres sound great.

[@derPaul76]

That's why I swapped the controls with a toggle-volume-tone configuration; easy to handle! For versatile sounds I take my Sire V7 with active preamp

[@BassSeries]

Passive jazz being just one pickup at a time makes it extremely easy to use IMO, but I like the active type of preamps more just like your sire, or my elite jazz.

[@stevenordstedt2535]

It all depends on what you play. For Rock I love my Fender American Jazz. But I couldn’t stand the pick ups. Very Noisey. So I changed out the Stock Fenders for New EMGX noiseless pick ups. I’m still experimenting with them but our band says they cutt thru and sound Great. I also changed the stock crappy bridge to a Babicz. But I’m still lacking the sustain I want.

[@devorator724]

Probably the nut, maybe upgrade to bone

[@McDoinky]

I find it confusing that this is the only video that openly discusses this. Every demo has some guy claiming you can “blend” between the pickups when very clearly you CAN NOT. Its either soloe’d or both on.

[@BassSeries]

People either claim that they can blend just fine, worked in a music store as an instructor for years but I’ve never seen a single Fender doing that, or ppl fighting me over those are the only tones that I need anyways. No one speaks this even guitar makers, that kinda blows my mind.

[@McDoinky]

@@BassSeries I own a PJ and a fretless J and and they both have just 3 clear modes. My luthier seems to be the only one I know to verify this. 3 modes is a lot, sure, but there’s no blending past that at all. Just a myth, like people who never talk about short scale strings.

[@devlintaylor9520]

@@BassSeries There is a big jump so it isn't "linear" But there is a clear difference between 50% neck pickup and 0% neck pickup. Think of the knobs as 3 way switches.

[@ToddBrittain1963]

They'll blend as long as you don't have both volumes at maximum, and there are some good tones to be had, however it's an issue on stage because the output drops significantly, which is why you'll usually see jazz bass guys playing through big amps. Jazz basses are unbeatable for recording though.

[@McDoinky]

@@ToddBrittain1963 if it’s that situational, then the payoff isn’t worth it, especially if no video says so

[@UAMartin7]

For passive pickups, it really needs an ungrounded dual deck MN100K blend pot to make it work. MN250K also works but the useful blend sweep range is cut by half.

[@georgebradley1672]

I converted my American Elite Jazz Bass to passive only with the Richter JB-VBT Passive Control Plate with Solderless Connections. I like the Volume-Blend-Tone setup.

[@atquinn1975]

Well this makes me feel even better about the 3-way switch in my Tony Franklin bass 😂.

[@mindcave]

My Passive Fender Jazz has very distinct tonality change when I dial out one of the pickups. I wonder what the difference is?

[@cenkogulcankoc5630]

Hi! It happens if you turn either all the way up. Tone locks itself into the maximum knob. However, if you try to diminish the maximum knob, you will see that you can blend them. The main thing is not to turn %100

[@bryanhenderson8807]

I play an American Performer P bass which gives you the split pickup in the top and a jazz pickup in the bridge, so you get the best of both worlds. There is also the American Ultra P Bass with the p and J pickup configuration and a 3 band eq. It also has active circuits.

[@hillerm]

I’ve owned a Jazz Bass for years and didn’t realize this until now.

[@BigFlexy007]

You didn't realize anything.. there is a world of different between potentiometers.. linear and audio.. let's see someone pull up a sadowsky bass and complain about the same things.. Will Lee never had an issue with blend control..

[@BigFlexy007]

Also, didn't want to come across heady.. I just meant different quality pots(manufacturer).. as well as K values.. jazz basses still rule.. 👊

[@BassSeries]

People think about Fenders when a Jazz Bass is mentioned. Boutiques brands or cheap J basses are not included :)

[@bassworship50]

Good video. I've played fender basses for 40 years and thanks to you I now understand why I love David @ Audere.

[@FlaviuFpv]

How come you don‘t have any hum on the fender when only one pickup is active? I thought all single coils are humming when soloed

[@BassSeries]

There is a hum but its not that dramatic. Amount depends on how close you are to a power source or your ground quality etc. Elite has a noiseless single. Close to Zero noise there no matter what.

[@CldGtt]

Have you tried changing the volume potentiometers to linear? It should help a lot

[@BassSeries]

Nope. Care to elaborate what that means?

[@ABukartas]

​@@BassSeries The potentiometer taper describes how much the resistance of the potentiometer changes along the travel of the potentiometer. Linear taper potentiometers are one particular type of potentiometer tapers, which has constant resistance increase throughout all of the travel. Each time you want to double the volume you need to increase the power roughly ten times, if I remember correctly. This behaviour is replicated in logarithmic potentiometers, which has logarithmic taper. They are widely used as for example volume controls in audio applications, and they work very well in that regard (volume pots in the basses are logarithmic). But whenever you deviate from a simple volume control situation in a passive schematic, the interactions between all of the elements gets increasingly more complex, which you exactly see for yourself. Also, there may be other variations of the "blend two pickups" schematics, each with their own quirks possibly, which you could use to your advantage.. Why it works in Music Man, is that it has active electronics. The schematic of the controls are designed specifically to avoid this volume control interaction, which you also easily see. If you would retrofit your passive basses with active circuits, designed to isolate both volume pots, you would get same results. It is not the fault of the bass itself, it is just the way these passive circuits works. ;)

[@BassSeries]

Thanks for the elaborative explanation dude :) The reason why elite jazz bass does not have that type of blend control is probably because it has a passive switch and it messes with that setup I would guess after reading this.

[@asepsetiapermana]

@I M linear taper. yes, the one that use as a tone pot. use only linear pot for both volume and tone..

[@ralphhenderson7270]

The best Fender I own is the Squier Deluxe Active jazz bass in all black that came stock with a phenolic fingerboard and high mass bridge. It it even has a shape or 'slap switch' incorporated into the active onboard preamp. If you can find one,...grab it.....You won't regret it.

[@BassSeries]

Yea i know that bass. Amazing design. Best fender for you not being a fender is kinda hilarious 🤣

[@HaldunKaraman]

pasif baslarda ses simetrik olarak düşmez. logaritmik olarak azalır. ses kontrol düğmesini tabir caizse saat 12 ile 10 kısımda kısıp arttırırsan istediğin ayara ulaşabilirsin. musicman de sadece biraz daha detaya inebiliyorsun fark o. bende de jazz bass var ve çok minimal hareketlerle istediğim ayara ulaşabiliyorum. hiç bir problem olmuyor.

[@paultraynorbsc627]

I have the Fender Jazz two Stacked knobs which i prefer

[@jrbass62]

I have mine like early jazz concentric pots (2 knob) I like it better, but jazz pickups are still lacking to me...

[@BassSeries]

only difference is it has 2 seperate tone controls with each pickup i suppose

[@jrbass62]

@@BassSeries if u do it as originals, there are resistors in circuit

[@preciseaudioblog]

Wow! I had no idea! Thank you! Btw, I think you could avoid that with an active Jazz Bass

[@bruceday8464]

I'm building a lap steel guitar with Strat pickups and no-holes covers using the basic wiring diagram for a Fender Dual-6 lap steel. It has master volume, master tone and a blender pot. I'm using Jazz bass knobs, with the small knob being the blender knob. I don't see why this wiring configuration wouldn't work with a Jazz bass. I wired my Les Paul and SG copies with 3 pickups using individual volume controls and master tone control. 3 way switch is the same, with the third pickup added in. There are 7 pickup combinations. I don't see any reason why someone can't rewire their guitar to be what you want it to be.

[@BassSeries]

Yea it can be done for sure. I am not gonna tweak my work horse for a passion project though, risky 😄

[@7thday878]

Ummm depends on the Fender Version. My Fender 62 CS & vintage 75 have smooth audio pots to fine tune tone. Fender does skimp on some other models. Point well taken. Active is def better in general.

[@grabslide]

Linear volumes should be smoother, what about blend pot?

[@airworthy777]

That MusicMan Bongo is a Beast!

[@CorvetteCoonass]

Honestly in order for pickups to blend properly you need an active blend control. The buffer in the blend control insures that there is no on/off effect when going between pickups.

[@BassSeries]

So that means Musicman basses have that but Fender's dont?

[@CorvetteCoonass]

@@BassSeries Most likely. A high quality preamp usually has it's blend control integrated into the preamp circuitry rather than using a passive blend pot. Some say linear taper pots can achieve blend on a passive bass, but that's debatable.

[@BassSeries]

@@CorvetteCoonass Gotcha. Thanks for the info.

[@draswolnir]

I got a Fender jazz bass (active) with a blend between the two pickups, and I can easily shape my tone with it, without having one pickup at 100%.

[@BassSeries]

Which year is that. Is it smooth like musicman’s?

[@ziggysartstudio7266]

See I’m noticing the same thing. I have an Elite and the pickups seem to just shut down once you go passed center. I can’t blend in any bottom to my bridge pup. It’s active so I can up the bass. But it doesn’t blend.

[@BahasaDrum]

@@ziggysartstudio7266 Isn’t it because of the type of the potentiometers? I am not a bass player but i saw a video about this. Hope this helps kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJXJeo17d5elmq8

[@BigFlexy007]

Actually the difference may lie in what pots are used for each control knob.. audio vs linear taper pots.. huge difference.. especially with 250k vs 500k pots.. just sayin'..

[@BigFlexy007]

Also.. it's not really what "setup" you have.. it's really ^^^^^

[@BassSeries]

Yea the answer is the type of pots on fenders

[@strannikr9497]

PJ style works really good with one balance pot.

[@BassSeries]

What do you mean by good? Is it smooth like musicman's ?

[@DrewKane]

Your complaint is about the taper of the tone pots.

[@mashilmy]

Jazz bass is good for studio recording, but for live playing it'll be really sucks 🤣 That treble is really annoying tbh and in fact not really versatile enough, especially for slow or ballad music. I usually only use the neck pickup with a slight tone cut when live playing with JB. For live playing, i still prefer MM Stingray or PJ bass.

[@riogrande163]

Flatwounds fix that, smooths out the bright nature of the jazz bass and brings out the warmth of the neck pickup.

[@colindavis2113]

What about the player plus??

[@BassSeries]

Did not try that, probably the same

[@colindavis2113]

You should try it! The electronics are a different on those. I played one yesterday’s and sounded good. I’ll look out for the tone blending problem next time.

[@BassSeries]

@@colindavis2113 let me know how it goes

[@colindavis2113]

@@BassSeries will do!

[@blop-a-blop9419]

The Sire jazz basses do have a pickup blend know, which works in passive mode as well as active. And they're a whole lot cheaper ! Fender basses are overrated right now.

[@BassSeries]

No, I wouldn't go as far as saying overrated. There is a lot to a high quality bass than a smooth pickup blend. I agree on the quality of the Sire's though. Good price/performance.

[@jaime.27.CBR.]

I'm 90% guitarrist but I made my own wirings to everything. Your problem is in your POTS !!! You have linear taper pots in volume, change it for logaritmic taper pots (same values, don't change the values, if is 250 or 500k use the same but logaritmic). In volume our ear hear the logaritmics change in volume as linear. If we use some linear pots we hear as nothing happens from 1 to 4... I have changed all the pots in my guitars. This is a FACT, ask any competent luthier, they will say the same. For any reason, it doesn't work the same in the tone pot, we hear linear as linear. But in volume, always use logaritmic, cos the problem is not in the bass, is in our ears.

[@bramvanmelle5130]

Passive j bass pots are what they are. All the taper is in the first bit of travel. So just turn the knobs a little bit. Like a car with a good accelerator, small movement = big difference. Active basses are different animals.

[@Munchable420]

This is a cheap pot issue and not a jazz bass issue.

[@danielsalinas9124]

setup the selector pot that wires it in series

[@GamingwithGamerGirls]

I just sent my Fender Select Jazz Bass in for repair because I thought the volume knobs were not functioning correctly. We'll see what the repair shop has to say about it.

[@BassSeries]

They are probably going to send it back saying this is how it is supposed to work.

[@realobama1100]

Ive never enjoyed fender maple necks, they feel too sticky.

[@BassSeries]

Newer series like ultra has satin finishes on them. You should check them out.

[@SanNjig]

So many strings on that Toilet Seat. The neck looks like a runway

[@BassSeries]

you'd be surprised to see how comfortable that neck is

[@destianpatrianagara1119]

@@BassSeries Bongo 5 is one of my dream basses, people said it looks like toilet seat but to me it looks cool.

[@BassSeries]

It actually looks cool and people always give compliments when i play it live. Dont worry about other ppl, hope you ll get it

[@cesarrajagukguk]

For those fender JBs, maybe because both are maple fretboard? Have u compared with JBs with rosewood?

[@BassSeries]

Yes, I've tried them all. It's an electronics issue, nothing to do with wood.

[@bboykhun]

Wuw wow thank you to teaching me

[@CliffHuxtableSweater]

And when you’re finished make sure you do the vid on how Ken Smith basses aren’t versatile enough. After that attack that wanna be music man, woody punch sound that’s in every Warwick bass. You ever think that people who buy basses from the largest and most successful manufacturer of bass guitars ever might actually want that very sound/tone you consider not versatile?? People who buy prius cars know what they’re getting: gas efficiency and a reliable car with a small eco print. They don’t complain that there isn’t enough room in the backseat to help their daughter move into her college dorm like the “very capable Ford f150”… What is this video about bro?😂😂😂😂😂

[@son0fsocal]

Great point , my Ultra JB has a great Blend knob, they re-Did the active EQ that allows overall better headroom , I purchased a stingray 5 , I exercised my rerun policy with ZZOUNDS and exchanged it for the JB ULTRA, I did not like that top end snap tone , I much prefer that sweet smooth JB tone.

[@squeeps78]

People that spent 2k+ on the “most versatile bass ever” are so butthurt that they can only achieve two tones that don’t sound like a kazoo and one of the two doesn’t work in a live setting 😂😂😂😂

[@christocr]

I use Fender Jazz basses for the exact opposite... because the ARE versatile. As for the Bongo, it's like being married to a very nice mule. The mule may be the sweetest in the world and run the fastest and ride the smoothest and give you a big sloppy kiss every time you feed it... but it is still the ugliest thing on the planet. Honestly, I love Music Man basses, but the Bongo has to be the ugliest bass ever put into mass production. By the way, your comparison is totally unfair. You are comparing a bass design from 1960 to a bass with modern electronics. Compare that Bongo to a Fender Ultra jazz sometime.

[@BassSeries]

I actually laughed loud at the mule metaphor. Nice One..I actually like how bongo basses look btw. Personal taste i assume.. Of course jazz basses are versatile. That's not the point of the video. Point is showing a design shortfall of the 60s. It doesn't necessarily mean modern basses are better than the vintage. It means they are different. My elite jazz bass is my main bass, and I demonstrate it on the video, which has almost the same electronics with the ultra, same circuit design anyways. Acts just the same with vintage ones. Probably for the sake of passive switch. It 's intentional I would assume. Somebody explained on the comments why those basses act this way in electronics terms. Check that out if you are interested. Cheers.

[@evzzs]

I’ve learned that every bass is different. Even the same make and model.

[@BassSeries]

Because of wood mostly, how the electornics work has to be the same.

[@asepsetiapermana]

use only linear pot for both volume and tone 😎😎😎

[@BassSeries]

You’ve changed it?

[@asepsetiapermana]

@@BassSeries yes, i did. for every guitars and basses. it did the job very well. just like in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIqyaHinqMt1arc and by the way, Steve Morse use linear pots for volume and tone on his MusicMan signature guitar.

[@SevanStick]

You genious. There is 3 sounds in the jazz: back/front/both. You don‘t need anything else than this. Never ever. The slight changes you make on your bongo doesn‘t effect anything in a band. I own most music mans including a bongo and can honestly tell I‘m using either both pick ups or either one, never a mix. But something else: I can hear a gradual mixing in my jazz basses although not through the full range of the pots that‘s true. (American prof. 2 and american standard). Have you ever tried other jazz bass models? (even my old fretless one does gradually mix)

[@BassSeries]

No, You don't need any more tones than this, saying never ever is an overreach, you don't know what kind of a musical environment other people are in. And as i have said in the video, jazz bass is my main bass. Meaning I am comfortable with those tones alone as well. Though i would probably prefer bongo style blend, never owned a jazz or fender like this, so can't tell for sure. I've of course tried every bass I could get my hands on, including some vintage models, never came across a smooth blend myself. Or did not notice in a loud musicstore environment. Point of that video is creating a conversation point and further investigating the reason behind. If you go through comments, an electronics engineer explained the circuitry design in Passive electronics. Even learning that justifies the time and effort I've put in that video. So relax and enjoy the video / other peoples comments.

[@SevanStick]

@@BassSeries oh I know exactly what musical environments other people are in. Don‘t worry. I‘m living of it. Relaxe and take it in.

[@hunpisi8829]

That’s why I like P bass. Simple tone control. I’ve got a Fender player p bass and I thinking to add a J pickup in it.

[@BassSeries]

Love p-basses, can't get wrong with them, works with every genre.. I would just get a J bass or PJ and do not damage the simplicity of that P.

[@hillerm]

@@BassSeries If I got a PJ, do you think I’d be able to blend it Bongo style?

[@BassSeries]

@@hillerm No, it is about their potentiometer choices. Not pick-ups

[@hillerm]

@@BassSeries Could that be easily fixed via modification?

[@BassSeries]

@Phanto Not sure if it is easy, you need the change the inner circuit, fitting in the battery is a problem with a lot of brands so you need another compartment drilled for that. I would not sweat it if that's the only gain you are after.

[@ArmandosecoMr]

Jazz bass is not a bass it's a guitar

[@davenatale850]

Turn everything up and let your fingers do the talking.

[@BassSeries]

I take that as a compliment

[@davenatale850]

Glad I was able to make your day! My rule of thumb is to leave everything up and adjust your plucking position to achieve different tones. If you want a more bassy sound, play closer to the fingerboard and if you want more definition, play closer to the bridge. My '66 jbass (signed by Rocco and Garibaldi) remains my go to instrument for almost every situation. Bass is the place! Keep up the good work.

[@BassSeries]

Love 60s basses, nothing matches their fingerstyle tone. Man, I wish I had that bass 😄

[@llnn5112]

This video is pure nonsense.

[@DrewKane]

Says "volume" with a W and "works" with a V. Should be the other way around. NEVER use V for W, or W for V. These letters sound nothing alike when spoken. Vork is not a word, and neither is wolume.