Ash Alder You're not going to hear much difference, honestly. All the differences in frequency response and generation between those two woods are up in the high end and the attack response of an instrument is very much dependent on how you're playing it, so fingerstyle on a bass lol both those woods have very similar low end waveshaping and regeneration characteristics. If you want to hear something contrast in basses as tone woods go full passive and try a koa bass next to a maple, see what happens. And if you have your preamp on all the time then you may as well just go for the lightest wood that can handle the tension/stress well, because it literally doesn't matter - your guitar is just another control surface now. But, correct in this case - moving the pickups is going to change the timbre of this instrument quite significantly. I was actually surprised it wasn't more pronounced since it was the bridge pickup that moved inward. Thought of the day: *I mean, shouldn't basswood be the ultimate wood for basses? ONE WOULD THINK*
@@russellzauner I'm not feeling very argumentative today, but you're not seriously implying that a preamp negates any influence wood might have in the sound? Your signal has to go through a preamp at some point, even if you have a passive setup, its just gonna happen at the amplifier
I can't say "better" but the 70s spacing definitely gives more treble snap to my ears. I guess you could just dial it back for songs you don't want it so much so I would say 70s spacing for me. Both sound great!
I like the FGN. As the owner of a couple of 70s Jazz Basses I was suprised at the difference in sound and actually thought the Fender model had the 70s pickup spacing; it sounds harsher!
The pickup spacing on the 70's era Jazz Basses is 4" center to center. The spacing on the 60's as well as current models is 3.6" center to center. Since the neck pickups are both mounted in the same spot, that puts the bridge pickup of the 70's spacing 0.4" closer to the bridge (not quite 1/2" closer). Result is definitely a brighter sound with the placement of the bridge pickup closer to the bridge. I bought a 1965 Jazz in 1966. I played it throughout high school, some college, and toured with it for 3-years. After coming back off the road, I played weekend gigs. Then in 1976 the house where we were staying was burglarized and they took all of my touring gear including my '65 Jazz. Took me almost 10-years to find another Jazz with that 60's Slim C-shape neck using a 7.25" radius. Everything else was too fat and then in the mid-80's they flattened out the radius to 9.5" from 7.25". In 1985, I bought '82 Jazz that was in mint condition and have been playing it ever since. My '82 definitely has a brighter sound than my '65 did and a LOT more sustain too. I credit that pickup spacing for the brighter sound and the all-maple neck for the better sustain. The non-70's Jazz basses don't come with an all-maple neck. They come with a maple neck that has a rosewood fretboard, which many bass players say also makes a Jazz sound a little darker. I don't think this makes a lot of sense to say this is a pickup spacing comparison though when you are not only NOT using the original Jazz pickups that came with the standard Jazz, you are also not using the bent metal bridge that the Jazz came standard with. So you're not doing an apples to apples comparison. You are comparing your two Geddy Lee-type Jazz basses but they are not typical of 60's and 70's Jazz Basses. I know because I've owned both. I can tell you from experience that I loved my '65 Jazz and I'd love to have it back. But even if I did get it back, my '82 Jazz with its white-bound all-maple neck and 70's pickup spacing would continue to be my primary bass. It just sounds better than my '65 did To give you a clue about what amps/cabs I'm using, I use either Eden amps or a DNA.-800 amp. Both were designed by David Nordschow and I run both of them into either my DNS-210 cab (use it for all indoor venues), or my DNS-410 (use it for outdoor venues and music festivals). The sound from these amps and cabs is clean, clear, articulate and warm with a tightly focused bottom end. On my Eden amps, I run the EQ flat except for a slight boost in the low mids. I'll typically select the low-mids at 250Hz and boost it up to 1:30 for playing live. For recording I'll select 550Hz.. My DNA-800 has a simpler 4-band EQ and the low-mids are centered at 550hz. I use the same amount of boost with it. I also need to boost the Bass EQ on it to 1 o'clock to get the same sound that I get out of my Eden amps. That's because the Eden amps use a Bass shelving EQ set at 30Hz and my DNA-800 has the Bass shelving EQ set at 35Hz. I run the V, V, and T controls on my bass all the way up (dimed). Another thing you should do with the basses you have is to move your plucking hand around and listen to the difference in the sound. You pluck the strings right over the neck pickup. Move your hand about an inch or so towards the neck and you'll hear a deeper warmer sound. Then play over the bottom of the neck for an even deeper and warmer sound. Now go back to plucking over the neck pickup and then move your hand back to pluck over the bridge pickup. You'll hear a LOT brighter sound when you pluck the strings there. Now really dig into the strings over that bridge pickup and you'll hear your Jazz Growl. Both basses will do it but the 70's pickup spacing does it more easily. Again, a movement of your plucking hand an inch or so towards or away from the neck will make a noticeable difference in your sound. Pickup spacing is a major difference, but so is where you pluck the strings on each one.
Hold your fire was one of their lowest selling albums. However. It is the album that got me into rush as a 16 year old living in 1987. Some great song structures and some of Geddy most challenging bass lines. But it’s like Rush ‘Lite’ lol. Lock and Key was my fave.
It's Wednesday, and I think I like the FGN a little better because it's a little warmer. But tomorrow, I might like the Fender better. Really, they both sound great. (FWIW, I too like the FGN neck finish better.)
@@albundy2239 not where I am. Sires aren't as good of a value in Canada. Still good basses and worth the money, but they aren't a steal like in other countries, plus they are kinda hard to get your hands on in the first place. But yeah the V5 and the V7 vintage are solid 70's jazzes. Other ones that come to mind are the Classic Vibe, Vintera, Geddy Lee, American Original and maybe some FSR stuff. That's just from fender at least. But there are sooo many 60's jazzes.
The luthier changed my bridge pickup position for the 70's because my Fender MIJ 75 reissue had 60's spacing. Check the tone comparison: ruclips.net/video/DzkhIojg0MU/видео.html
Lucked out and bought an excellent condition 2007 CiJ for $750 because of some of the quality chatter ...Wow, its amazing paired with the Sansamp MP40 limited. (which svcked when paired with an active pickup Ibanez SR500)
I'm more into the 70s spacing sound, even because I mostly play my jbass with both pickups open. Both are great basses and look awesome too. One of the best reviews so far!
I think... you're an awesome bassist. Loved all those licks! I love FujiGen, but that Fender sounded good too. The pickup position does make a different in tone.
The Fender model has more of the clank and aggressiveness that I love (when using both PUPs). Although, for bridge PU only playing, I would take the 60’s spacing because the bridge tone isn’t nearly as harsh.
I got super excited when you put "(and one YES)" on screen. My dad's a big fan of that band! Also, I'm pretty preferential when it comes to 70's spacing, especially when the pickups are wound like they were during that time period. I'm a sucker for the "burpiest" of bridge tones (lol), which is why I really like the sound that one can get from the 70's position, just from the base passive tone.
The FGN with the 60's spacing sounds much more like what I'm going for when I pick up a Jazz bass. It sounds rounder with a slight more of an inverted tone. I can hear the sound of those 60's era rock bass players.
Put me solidly in the “both” column ! The 70s has more attack and is that sound I find myself with most often but man the 60s would sound so good on those classic R&B numbers. Thanks for the comparison 👍 …..and, thanks for inspiring me to learn Distant Early Warning lol
Yeah! This is the video that I was waiting for Thank you Lobster 😍😍 I personally prefer the 70's jazz bass tone than anything else, that tone to me is like home since I use a lot of thumbing technique That's why I chose the Sire V7 vintage just to have that 70's jazz bass slap tone 😊
I prefer the Fender, which surprised me. Aside from my 83 American P Bass I haven't been highly impressed by many modern Fender. The FGN sounded compressed a bit, and seemed to let through less of the transient, particularly above 4k or 6k.
As usual, great video. Both sound good. The thing with Geddy is he attacks the strings so hard I don't think in his hands you'd notice the difference between the 60's and 70's bridge pickup placement. I do think the 70's placement gives more.... how would you say... grit? I look forward to your review of the Fender Geddy... I've read mixed stuff about the quality control. I'm sure the FGN quality is excellent. IIRC FGN factory is one of the ones Ibanez uses and may have made the really under rated 80's Road Star series that came out during the post "lawsuit" era.
Personally, I preferred the tone of the FGN with the 60s spacing better. However, if I were playing in a Rush tribute band I would choose the Fender with 70s spacing, the brighter tone sounded a lot more like Geddy's sound to me.
@@ProfessorGroyper He did use the bridge pickup but it was faulty when recording Moving Pictures, so its output was quite low in comparison to the neck pickup. He since had it fixed and you can hear both pickups on full blast from Counterparts onwards.
Lobster. While you played classic rush tracks, only Tom Sawyer was recorded with the J bass. That said, Geddy played the Jazz extensively through the latter 90’s-“the end”. Just using my ears, the Fender has better “throaty-ness” to it. Also cuts through more in the highs. They are both good sounding but in this case I would say the fender. I purchased one of the early GLee fenders from the first year run in 1998. The CIJ’s were excellent, at least mine is. The neck profile is soooo thin and fast, the CIJ’s came with Vintage ‘62 pickups. That said, I played a US GLee a few years back and did not like it at all. The neck was a baseball bat. Anyway, I like your MIM. Edit: Both pickups on, I like the Fender. But..... solo’d the 60’s bridge position rocks. A lot “thicker” sounding.
Thank you! I lusted (and still lust) over a nice clean CIJ/MIJ Geddy. They had the unique neck profile, and seemed much more special. The MIM feels a bit more mass produced, hard to describe. It's not a bad bass by any means, but definitely harder to justify the $1100 price point.
@@LowEndLobster CIJ’s are over 1000 now? (I know they aren’t produced any longer) Wow. I lucked out with mine. I ordered it in either April or May of 1998 from Musicians Friend for $620.00 Still had to wait to the end of June 98’ to receive it. I never planned to let it go, so at some point I stripped the paint off and my buddys auto shop shot it with a pearl(very little sparkle) white. I then added a tortoise shell pick guard. The bass is all Geddy but the white with red pick guard is an homage to Alex Lifesons Gibson 355.
@@secretjourney4815 Yup, that $629 price tag haunts me to this day hahahah. Dude, that mod sounds killer! Please share pics on the discord server or via talkbass or email :)
70's much better for both pickups on, but 60's is just as better for bridge only The solution is a humbucker in the bridge positioned in a way the north coil is in the 60's position and the south coil is in the 70's position, and have a split switch for both coils
Nice choice of songs, Distant Early Warning is one of my favourites. With only the neck pickup both basses sound very similar, but when the bridge pickup comes in everything changes. For me and my tone preferences, the FGN is much more suitable.
@@secretjourney4815 That's the main drawback of the 70s spacing, it sounds awesome with both pickups but the bridge is a little too far back to sound good solo.
@@57precision I agree. MyFretless has the bridge pickup in the 60's position. I favor that pickup more than the neck.That fretless just oooozes mm mm mmmm goodness all over the place with nice bartolini J pickups
I prefer the sound of 70s spacing, the midrange and snarl of the tone sounds more musical and sweet to me than 60s spacing. However, the 60s spacing does have more substantial sounding bass, a little more definition.
What we need is a Grabber style pickup that would allow you to slide the pickups around. That would be super interesting on a two pickup bass to have them both moveable.
@@LowEndLobster I've seen photos of Leo Fender's test bench when he was doing G&L stuff so he could try different pickups and placements really quickly, and that would be really cool to mess around with.
Woah! Distance Early Warning, Xanadu and Tom Sawyer riffs makes me wanna cry it sounds so good and makes me miss Neil! Well done! Oh then Roundabout, YES YES!! Big differences and I distinctly like FGN for some songs and Fender for others....can't keep up though when switching pick ups....keep up the great work....
Another good thing to note is that 99% of 70s inspired Jazz Basses have pickups wound with plain enamel wire, which is where a lot of the tone comes from too. In your example, you used the 70s pickups (Tom Brantley) in a bass with 60s spacing. (Sounds excellent though)
@@LowEndLobster i LOVE hearing the Tom Brantleys though. So much more defined and punchier than the stock Fender. And at $152 it’s a great value for money.
Very cool. Personally, I liked the sound of the FGN with both pu's over the Fender. I like the sound of the Fender's Bridge pu over the FGN. I felt the bridge was pretty close on both basses. Great video!!!
I prefer the FGN tones. Overall, I thought the tones here had more depth and warmth than the Fender. Notwithstanding, the Fender in an isolated setting would obviously be able to be 'warmed up' with EQ. I suppose finally for me anyway, the choice would come down to playability. It was an interesting comparison between the 60s and 70s pickup spacing. I'm looking for a jazz and FGN is yet another name I'll have to investigate. Thanks for the review - much appreciated.
Thanks Lobster. I'm a fan of 60's spacing because the bridge pickup is slightly less "honky" sounding - if that non-technical term can be used. I know that wood choice in the body makes a tiny bit of difference tone-wise, with swamp ash being a little more 'scooped' in the attack as opposed to alder. Nevertheless, 60's placement sounds a bit rounder overall to my ears. That FGN is making me drool a little. Cheers!
Hard to judge, my 2012 MIM Geddy sig sounds nothing like that one, but I use heavy gauge strings that are completely dead. Even Geddy says none of his own personal signature models sound the same, especially his original.
I'm a big fan of FGN bass's, but that 70's spacing on the Fender has got the sound! The closest I have to a 70's Jazz is my Ash bodied Harley Benton. It's a beast for what it is, but the spacing is kind of right in between a 60's and a 70's spacing. I love that bass, especially for what it cost, but it doesn't quite have that 70's sound. I think the slab of alder I have hanging around may just have to become a 70's jazz bass.
I own the US Geddy Lee. I prefer 70’s pickup placement , alder bodies, and maple fingerboards . Pearl blocks for me too!!🎶❣️ . Both of those are nice jazz basses. Sometimes it’s the sum total of the bass not just the pickup placement .
There’s just a slight difference. when you play in a band, you don’t hear this differences anymore, because of all the other sounds you hear from other instruments. And when you add some tube distortion (or sansamp) they will sound practically the same. Thanks for the comparison and nice playing!
The pickup wire also changed from 60s to 70s as well as spacing. I’m guessing the Fender bass has era correct pickup wire(?) because it makes a huge difference. I was also fairly sure that Geddy’s bass was made from ash and not alder. Odd thing to overlook considering the attention to detail Fender have had on other Mexican made artist models
Good point! The FGN is running the Brantley pickups which still should be 70s spec but pickup construction is absolutely a factor. Yeah it seems there's a few details that they miss the mark on with these mass production instruments
Geddy 72 bass was alder. It’s documented enough if you dig. The pickup spacing was the “70’s”. Ash was indeed used in the 70’s. I believe that ash was used more on sun bursts and clear coats than solid colors. The grain is more striking.
@@secretjourney4815 that’s interesting, I wonder when they switched from alder to ash. I had a black ‘74 jazz bass which was ash and most of the other jazz basses from this era I’ve seen have also been ash so to hear that Geddy’s was alder is a real revelation. In a recent interview Steve Harris’s tech said his mid 70’s P bass was made from maple and weighed an absolute ton, so I guess Fender just used whatever was available
Great comparison! I really prefer de 70's position, with both pickups makes a huge difference in tone that it's a lot more to my liking, that's why I recently bought the Sire U5, being the bridge pickup in that position sounds a lot more similar to a jazz bass than a typical PJ. Cheers!
I actually liked the Fender better. I have used MC strings before, however, you should consider using Rotosound's Swing-66 stainless steel strings like Geddy does. I have a MIM Fender Jazz Bass -Warmoth neck (5A flame maple with Indian Rosewood fretboard)- Seymour Duncan Custom Shop Weather Report (Jaco Pastorious) Pick-ups-Custom 920 prewired harnesses w/Orange drop cap-Period correct 60s bridge-Roto Swing 66 45-105. I'm hoping you did a review on SD Weather Report pups. They are F.I.N.E! Cheers
Both are fantastic and sounds beautiful. A Jazz Bass is a Jazz Bass! IMHO, I think the 60s are a little more versatile, and playing with just the bridge pickup open sounds better. (Maybe because I'm a super Jaco fan, lol) I would say the 60s are better for pizzicato and fretless basses, and the 70s are better for slap and play with a pick!
Hmm. The neck pickup in the FGN sounded better, though that might also be ash vs alder. For the Geddy/Squire sounds, the '70s spacing on the Fender won out. And here I was trying to convince myself that my P bass was enough for now...
I never realized just how close the Mighty Bass looks to an original Fender body shape - holy crabclaws if not for the headstock they may as well be clones.
Actually that pickup positioning explains why we're getting some extra boom out of the FGN. Moving the bridge pickup in modulates the top end subharmonics a bit and brings it a little more thiccness and a bit less chonk on fingerstrikes, but just enough. I could still take a pick and grab stupid pinch harmonics out of either of those bad bois, it's actually a fun thing to do - and ash nor alder is going to suck up those upper multiples so they should be squortchy and rich with noisy dithered goodness without being overtly scrapey on your cochlear bits
I preferred the 70’s tone a lot more when playing the bridge pup only. Any other time the Fender had too much clank for me. I think the action is a touch too low.
Both sound good. I don't know that I could pick a favorite. Maybe the Fender for the slightly "drier" tone. But both have that great J-bass burpy tone. I guess the verdict is that I need both (I have a 70s spacing Fender Jazz). Perhaps the contrast would be a bit more distinct with, say, a 60 reissue Fender Custom Shop J-bass. Don't know. But I do know that is what I have my eye on for my next bass--Fender CS 60 RI relic in sparkle blue. Yummy...
Nice comparison. Personally if I had to choose one spacing to be my only bass I'd get the 60s spacing jazz. It hits that nice overall mid range that I like in my own tone. However I'd say if I were to add a jazz to my existing collection I'd go with the 70s style jazz. The 70s spacing had a more unique tone that distinguishes itself a bit more (not to mention the now classic 70s bridge pickup tone)
I feel that the pickup sound between the FGN and the Fender is too distinct for the bridge pickup placement to make a noticeable sound difference. Maybe the tone is a little brighter with the 70s style placement, but the pickups on the Fender are brighter in general.
Great review. I like them both. Will you consider doing a review on a Yamaha TRB6JP2 John Patittuci signature? I know your not into 6 strings much but there really isn’t a quality review out for this bass. Thanks
I still have my 2007 CIJ Jazz. Love it apart from the neck needing constant adjustment and you gotta take the neck off to adjust it. Still love it but I do need those Tom Brantley pickups. I prefer the 70s spacing a little better. A bit more natural grit and clarity.
The FGN sounds brighter (at least in my speakers) with both pickups running, but once you started to isolate neck and bridge pickups the sound of both became pretty similar. I think i prefer the Fender.
(late to comment) - There's a perceivable tonal difference, but what I noticed the most is that the Fender is way noisier in the clips, probably because of better shielding in the FNG electronics and pickups. I'd say that'd be the most evident giveaway in a hypothetical blind test, lol Personally, I think I like the FNG tone a bit better, regardless of buzz, at least in a solo test. To me it sounds understandably warmer given the pickup position, yet it still cuts through enough. I'm willing to bet the pickups are a tad better too. What are your thoughts on this comparison as of now in late 2022? Cheers and good video as always! :)
FGN for the F-NG win. Fender sounds good but I like the 60’s scoop much better. You could change my mind if you did the same shootout with 5 strings. I have an inkling that 70’s is better for a 5.
In a mix things could be very different but as they are, I think I prefer the 60s spacing of the FGN. Less stringy metallic sound and somewhat fatter and more present growl.
I think the different sound basses was more of a factor then placement in this case . I'm going to try it myself I have. 70s vintera and a player jazz bass go the with fender strings.
hey Lobster I watched again Later ( with better speakers ) the Geddy model seemed to growl a little more . I liked the Fender better. when you only used the bridge pickup the Geddy was much brighter. i liked the 70s spacing better I tried it with my 70s Vinterra J bass and my 75th anniversary bass and the basic tones of the basses were too different to judge the difference between 60s and 70s spacing.
Hey @lowendlobster ws wondering if the FGN Neo CLassic pickguards were Fender interchangeable or different shapes? I haven't one here to compare but want a tortoise guard for my Neo Classic Jazz, like this Geddy.
The two of them are so close I am sure with very slight changes to the setting you could get them sounding more similar. Not to say that they would have the same settings in fact just the opposite, different settings might get you more similar results. I in my admittedly biased opinion, prefer the FGN 60's tone.
70's position for is my usual preference, though the pickups in your FGN sound way better. It's especially noticeable when soloing the neck pickup. My MIJ Geddy Lee doesn't sound as thin as the MIM in this video
Overall, I like the FGN better. However, if I was recording, I suspect I would like to have both of them. There are some tones in the Fender that I preferred. (Note, so that I'm not misunderstood, nothing is wrong with either one.)
‘70s all day. The US Geddy Jazz is the best Fender I’ve ever played by MILES, and I desperately want a US Geddy neck for my fretted ‘Jazzcision’ (‘87 Japanese Jazz Bass Special neck on a flamed maple over alder Warmoth Dinky J body with an EMG GZR-P pickup and hipshot ‘A’ bridge). When I think about a Jazz Bass, I think about a ‘70s-spaced ash body maple fingerboard with blocks. That’s ‘the’ Jazz sound for me. Way punchier and more in-your-face, more defined, too. I’m a US Music Man Sterling kinda guy, so of course I like the brighter, more aggressive-sounding one, haha!
Thanks Jim! I've been talking to a dude who has CIJ and MIA Geddys that I'll hopefully be able to borrow so we can revisit this as a four way comparo! :)
@@LowEndLobster The Japanese Geddy basses are pretty odd, with the weirdo noodle-neck profile and everything. They play just as well as the US ones, they just feel a little different from the US and Mexican models. I used to have a Japanese one, solid instrument.
With the start of the "Age of Funk" when I Started playing in the early 70's, I'd have to go with the 70's Brother, the 60's version wasn't as Versatile imo. @LowEndLobster
Surprisingly I like the FGN better-- both sound & looks. However I have a real soft spot for the 70's Fender decals (LOL). Both are great, but that's my pick. I'm actually in the market for a budget friendly Jazz, so this is helping ;)
Always prefferred the 60's spacing for a rounder tone. But that 70's spacing does resemble the rick tone so i get why people like it.
Yep gets the Ricky sound for sure,
Fender cuts thru better
I prefer the 70s Jazz Bass spacing and the tone it creates. The 60s pickup spacing doesn’t sound as appealing to my ears, especially with overdrive.
Still a bigger difference than tonewood
#roasted
I like you
@@LowEndLobster 😉😉
gottem
Ash
Alder
You're not going to hear much difference, honestly.
All the differences in frequency response and generation between those two woods are up in the high end and the attack response of an instrument is very much dependent on how you're playing it, so fingerstyle on a bass lol both those woods have very similar low end waveshaping and regeneration characteristics.
If you want to hear something contrast in basses as tone woods go full passive and try a koa bass next to a maple, see what happens. And if you have your preamp on all the time then you may as well just go for the lightest wood that can handle the tension/stress well, because it literally doesn't matter - your guitar is just another control surface now.
But, correct in this case - moving the pickups is going to change the timbre of this instrument quite significantly. I was actually surprised it wasn't more pronounced since it was the bridge pickup that moved inward.
Thought of the day:
*I mean, shouldn't basswood be the ultimate wood for basses? ONE WOULD THINK*
@@russellzauner I'm not feeling very argumentative today, but you're not seriously implying that a preamp negates any influence wood might have in the sound? Your signal has to go through a preamp at some point, even if you have a passive setup, its just gonna happen at the amplifier
Hard to pick one, but to my ears, 70's spacing gives more clarity. Awesome video. As a Rush fan I enjoy so much.
I can't say "better" but the 70s spacing definitely gives more treble snap to my ears. I guess you could just dial it back for songs you don't want it so much so I would say 70s spacing for me. Both sound great!
Thanks Mark!
Yes. You can roll the tone back on the 70's to cut some treble, but can't turn up the tone anymore on the 60's.
I like the FGN. As the owner of a couple of 70s Jazz Basses I was suprised at the difference in sound and actually thought the Fender model had the 70s pickup spacing; it sounds harsher!
The pickup spacing on the 70's era Jazz Basses is 4" center to center. The spacing on the 60's as well as current models is 3.6" center to center. Since the neck pickups are both mounted in the same spot, that puts the bridge pickup of the 70's spacing 0.4" closer to the bridge (not quite 1/2" closer). Result is definitely a brighter sound with the placement of the bridge pickup closer to the bridge.
I bought a 1965 Jazz in 1966. I played it throughout high school, some college, and toured with it for 3-years. After coming back off the road, I played weekend gigs. Then in 1976 the house where we were staying was burglarized and they took all of my touring gear including my '65 Jazz. Took me almost 10-years to find another Jazz with that 60's Slim C-shape neck using a 7.25" radius. Everything else was too fat and then in the mid-80's they flattened out the radius to 9.5" from 7.25". In 1985, I bought '82 Jazz that was in mint condition and have been playing it ever since. My '82 definitely has a brighter sound than my '65 did and a LOT more sustain too. I credit that pickup spacing for the brighter sound and the all-maple neck for the better sustain. The non-70's Jazz basses don't come with an all-maple neck. They come with a maple neck that has a rosewood fretboard, which many bass players say also makes a Jazz sound a little darker.
I don't think this makes a lot of sense to say this is a pickup spacing comparison though when you are not only NOT using the original Jazz pickups that came with the standard Jazz, you are also not using the bent metal bridge that the Jazz came standard with. So you're not doing an apples to apples comparison. You are comparing your two Geddy Lee-type Jazz basses but they are not typical of 60's and 70's Jazz Basses. I know because I've owned both. I can tell you from experience that I loved my '65 Jazz and I'd love to have it back. But even if I did get it back, my '82 Jazz with its white-bound all-maple neck and 70's pickup spacing would continue to be my primary bass. It just sounds better than my '65 did
To give you a clue about what amps/cabs I'm using, I use either Eden amps or a DNA.-800 amp. Both were designed by David Nordschow and I run both of them into either my DNS-210 cab (use it for all indoor venues), or my DNS-410 (use it for outdoor venues and music festivals). The sound from these amps and cabs is clean, clear, articulate and warm with a tightly focused bottom end. On my Eden amps, I run the EQ flat except for a slight boost in the low mids. I'll typically select the low-mids at 250Hz and boost it up to 1:30 for playing live. For recording I'll select 550Hz.. My DNA-800 has a simpler 4-band EQ and the low-mids are centered at 550hz. I use the same amount of boost with it. I also need to boost the Bass EQ on it to 1 o'clock to get the same sound that I get out of my Eden amps. That's because the Eden amps use a Bass shelving EQ set at 30Hz and my DNA-800 has the Bass shelving EQ set at 35Hz. I run the V, V, and T controls on my bass all the way up (dimed).
Another thing you should do with the basses you have is to move your plucking hand around and listen to the difference in the sound. You pluck the strings right over the neck pickup. Move your hand about an inch or so towards the neck and you'll hear a deeper warmer sound. Then play over the bottom of the neck for an even deeper and warmer sound.
Now go back to plucking over the neck pickup and then move your hand back to pluck over the bridge pickup. You'll hear a LOT brighter sound when you pluck the strings there. Now really dig into the strings over that bridge pickup and you'll hear your Jazz Growl. Both basses will do it but the 70's pickup spacing does it more easily. Again, a movement of your plucking hand an inch or so towards or away from the neck will make a noticeable difference in your sound. Pickup spacing is a major difference, but so is where you pluck the strings on each one.
They're both fantastic for different reasons. I love the snap of the Fender, and the warmth of the FGN. Great playing by the way.
I totally agree, the FGN was far superior, but I enjoyed the Fender snap more than I thought I would. Excellent playing as always Lobster!
they are both great for sure. i love the sound of the bridge pickup on the 60's but the slap on the 70's it's so iconic
I loooove me some Rush man. Especially "Hold Your Fire" material. Such a good album and so rarely mentioned.
Keep up the good stuff!
Thank you!
Hold your fire was one of their lowest selling albums.
However. It is the album that got me into rush as a 16 year old living in 1987.
Some great song structures and some of Geddy most challenging bass lines.
But it’s like Rush ‘Lite’ lol.
Lock and Key was my fave.
It's Wednesday, and I think I like the FGN a little better because it's a little warmer. But tomorrow, I might like the Fender better. Really, they both sound great. (FWIW, I too like the FGN neck finish better.)
The FGN sounds miles better to my ears. More consistent note to note volume, less clack on the attack.
Thanks much for this video. There were previously no good videos answering this age old question.
It's sad there aren't as many options when it comes to 70's spacing. 60s dominates the market :(
The FGN is the one I like best , both were good though
Sire has models with 70s spacing as well. They aren't even expensive. 😉
@@albundy2239 not where I am. Sires aren't as good of a value in Canada. Still good basses and worth the money, but they aren't a steal like in other countries, plus they are kinda hard to get your hands on in the first place. But yeah the V5 and the V7 vintage are solid 70's jazzes. Other ones that come to mind are the Classic Vibe, Vintera, Geddy Lee, American Original and maybe some FSR stuff. That's just from fender at least. But there are sooo many 60's jazzes.
The luthier changed my bridge pickup position for the 70's because my Fender MIJ 75 reissue had 60's spacing. Check the tone comparison:
ruclips.net/video/DzkhIojg0MU/видео.html
@@bakkhertz ye same in usa. They seem much cheaper and plentiful in teh UK. I find their headstock so ugly though
The Geddyzilla sounded better to my ears (on a good sound system here). Nice work once again maestro!!
They both sound good, 🦞. I’m a 70’s spacing in ash, 60’s spacing in alder preferences. Great video, again.
Thank you Ozzie!
LOOOOOOVE my MIJ Geddy. I've heard that there are substantial differences between MIJ and MIM Geddy series instruments. Enjoyed this one, Lobster!
Thanks man! The MIJs are the Geddy holy grail IMO, and I think the rising prices of the MIM's will only lead to rising prices for the superior MIJs!
I own a MIJ and have played the MIM , There is a difference !
Lucked out and bought an excellent condition 2007 CiJ for $750 because of some of the quality chatter ...Wow, its amazing paired with the Sansamp MP40 limited. (which svcked when paired with an active pickup Ibanez SR500)
60's spacing for me. Great video!
Definitely the Fender. But I am a bit bias since I play a real ‘72 Jazz! Mine is loaded with Nordstrand NJ4SV pickups.
Nice! I'm thinking of getting the BigMan to replace my SUB's pickup
I'm more into the 70s spacing sound, even because I mostly play my jbass with both pickups open. Both are great basses and look awesome too.
One of the best reviews so far!
I think... you're an awesome bassist. Loved all those licks!
I love FujiGen, but that Fender sounded good too. The pickup position does make a different in tone.
The Fender model has more of the clank and aggressiveness that I love (when using both PUPs). Although, for bridge PU only playing, I would take the 60’s spacing because the bridge tone isn’t nearly as harsh.
Enjoy your way of playing 2 cool lovley basses
I got super excited when you put "(and one YES)" on screen. My dad's a big fan of that band! Also, I'm pretty preferential when it comes to 70's spacing, especially when the pickups are wound like they were during that time period. I'm a sucker for the "burpiest" of bridge tones (lol), which is why I really like the sound that one can get from the 70's position, just from the base passive tone.
The FGN with the 60's spacing sounds much more like what I'm going for when I pick up a Jazz bass. It sounds rounder with a slight more of an inverted tone. I can hear the sound of those 60's era rock bass players.
Both sound great and have their place. Personal preference id the FGN, a bit warmer sound, more my style.
Thanks Quincy!
Put me solidly in the “both” column ! The 70s has more attack and is that sound I find myself with most often but man the 60s would sound so good on those classic R&B numbers. Thanks for the comparison 👍
…..and, thanks for inspiring me to learn Distant Early Warning lol
Yeah! This is the video that I was waiting for
Thank you Lobster 😍😍
I personally prefer the 70's jazz bass tone than anything else, that tone to me is like home since I use a lot of thumbing technique
That's why I chose the Sire V7 vintage just to have that 70's jazz bass slap tone 😊
Thanks EJ!
I prefer the Fender, which surprised me. Aside from my 83 American P Bass I haven't been highly impressed by many modern Fender. The FGN sounded compressed a bit, and seemed to let through less of the transient, particularly above 4k or 6k.
I like the sound of the Fender, seamed more piano like.
I've owned and loved my FGN neo-classic jazz for 13 years now, but I have to say I REALLY like the tones from the Fender.
Red alert! Red alert!
I think I prefer the FGN with the 60's spacing,
thanks LowEndLobster for another great video!!!
As usual, great video. Both sound good. The thing with Geddy is he attacks the strings so hard I don't think in his hands you'd notice the difference between the 60's and 70's bridge pickup placement. I do think the 70's placement gives more.... how would you say... grit? I look forward to your review of the Fender Geddy... I've read mixed stuff about the quality control. I'm sure the FGN quality is excellent. IIRC FGN factory is one of the ones Ibanez uses and may have made the really under rated 80's Road Star series that came out during the post "lawsuit" era.
Personally, I preferred the tone of the FGN with the 60s spacing better. However, if I were playing in a Rush tribute band I would choose the Fender with 70s spacing, the brighter tone sounded a lot more like Geddy's sound to me.
Funny because Geddy doesn't use the bridge pickup.
@@ProfessorGroyper he used a Rickenbacker for all of their albums before 84', so it might be that it sounded more like that
@@ProfessorGroyper He did use the bridge pickup but it was faulty when recording Moving Pictures, so its output was quite low in comparison to the neck pickup. He since had it fixed and you can hear both pickups on full blast from Counterparts onwards.
Lobster. While you played classic rush tracks, only Tom Sawyer was recorded with the J bass.
That said, Geddy played the Jazz extensively through the latter 90’s-“the end”.
Just using my ears, the Fender has better “throaty-ness” to it. Also cuts through more in the highs.
They are both good sounding but in this case I would say the fender.
I purchased one of the early GLee fenders from the first year run in 1998.
The CIJ’s were excellent, at least mine is. The neck profile is soooo thin and fast, the CIJ’s came with Vintage ‘62 pickups.
That said, I played a US GLee a few years back and did not like it at all. The neck was a baseball bat.
Anyway, I like your MIM.
Edit: Both pickups on, I like the Fender. But..... solo’d the 60’s bridge position rocks. A lot “thicker” sounding.
Thank you! I lusted (and still lust) over a nice clean CIJ/MIJ Geddy. They had the unique neck profile, and seemed much more special. The MIM feels a bit more mass produced, hard to describe. It's not a bad bass by any means, but definitely harder to justify the $1100 price point.
@@LowEndLobster
CIJ’s are over 1000 now? (I know they aren’t produced any longer)
Wow.
I lucked out with mine. I ordered it in either April or May of 1998 from Musicians Friend for $620.00 Still had to wait to the end of June 98’ to receive it.
I never planned to let it go, so at some point I stripped the paint off and my buddys auto shop shot it with a pearl(very little sparkle) white.
I then added a tortoise shell pick guard. The bass is all Geddy but the white with red pick guard is an homage to Alex Lifesons Gibson 355.
@@secretjourney4815 Yup, that $629 price tag haunts me to this day hahahah. Dude, that mod sounds killer! Please share pics on the discord server or via talkbass or email :)
70's much better for both pickups on, but 60's is just as better for bridge only
The solution is a humbucker in the bridge positioned in a way the north coil is in the 60's position and the south coil is in the 70's position, and have a split switch for both coils
Nice choice of songs, Distant Early Warning is one of my favourites. With only the neck pickup both basses sound very similar, but when the bridge pickup comes in everything changes. For me and my tone preferences, the FGN is much more suitable.
I agree about the bridge pickup solo’d. FGN is fat sounding
@@secretjourney4815 That's the main drawback of the 70s spacing, it sounds awesome with both pickups but the bridge is a little too far back to sound good solo.
@@57precision
I agree. MyFretless has the bridge pickup in the 60's position. I favor that pickup more than the neck.That fretless just oooozes mm mm mmmm goodness all over the place with nice bartolini J pickups
I preferred the way the Fender sounded but both sounded great. Thanks for the comparison Lobster! 🦞
Love that Alder! More growl and a bit more edge. Cool comparison Low.
I'm feeling the 70's spacing. It's just a little more bassy? Both should great! Thank for the comparison!
YESSSS sorry I'm late but this is awesome because rush is my favorite band and Geddy is one of my favorite bassists!
Thanks Cardo! Yeah man, Geddy rules :)
I prefer the sound of 70s spacing, the midrange and snarl of the tone sounds more musical and sweet to me than 60s spacing. However, the 60s spacing does have more substantial sounding bass, a little more definition.
Thanks Dino!
What we need is a Grabber style pickup that would allow you to slide the pickups around. That would be super interesting on a two pickup bass to have them both moveable.
I was just thinking about this and some sort of modular design.
@@LowEndLobster I've seen photos of Leo Fender's test bench when he was doing G&L stuff so he could try different pickups and placements really quickly, and that would be really cool to mess around with.
Sadowsky does a double pickup with both 60 and 70 placement for exemple.
Woah! Distance Early Warning, Xanadu and Tom Sawyer riffs makes me wanna cry it sounds so good and makes me miss Neil! Well done! Oh then Roundabout, YES YES!! Big differences and I distinctly like FGN for some songs and Fender for others....can't keep up though when switching pick ups....keep up the great work....
Thanks Joe! Always great to see your name in the comments :)
That is so funny...I live in the same town as Tom Brantly. Dude is a legend.
That's awesome!
@@LowEndLobster Your's and Bully Tha Kidd shows are awesome...coffee, bass and...bass😂😂. Thank you guys!!!
I enjoyed watching you play those riffs. I like both but kind of like the snap and growl of the Fender.
Another good thing to note is that 99% of 70s inspired Jazz Basses have pickups wound with plain enamel wire, which is where a lot of the tone comes from too. In your example, you used the 70s pickups (Tom Brantley) in a bass with 60s spacing. (Sounds excellent though)
Thank you Jaxon!
@@LowEndLobster i LOVE hearing the Tom Brantleys though. So much more defined and punchier than the stock Fender. And at $152 it’s a great value for money.
That fgn is my kinda jam! Love it!
Thank you my friend!
I am a Seventies guy. The bridge pickup soloed featured that brighter Seventies tone. My Geddy is US made version.
Very cool. Personally, I liked the sound of the FGN with both pu's over the Fender. I like the sound of the Fender's Bridge pu over the FGN. I felt the bridge was pretty close on both basses. Great video!!!
The 70s spacing definitely gives more of the Rush sound but both sound amazing, good to have both for different uses!
I prefer the FGN tones. Overall, I thought the tones here had more depth and warmth than the Fender. Notwithstanding, the Fender in an isolated setting would obviously be able to be 'warmed up' with EQ. I suppose finally for me anyway, the choice would come down to playability. It was an interesting comparison between the 60s and 70s pickup spacing. I'm looking for a jazz and FGN is yet another name I'll have to investigate. Thanks for the review - much appreciated.
Thanks Chris! Glad you enjoyed this :)
I gotta Tell ya, i love Both of them, they are very differnt but i like the differnce, Very Nice color scheme on the FGN
Thanks Lobster. I'm a fan of 60's spacing because the bridge pickup is slightly less "honky" sounding - if that non-technical term can be used. I know that wood choice in the body makes a tiny bit of difference tone-wise, with swamp ash being a little more 'scooped' in the attack as opposed to alder. Nevertheless, 60's placement sounds a bit rounder overall to my ears. That FGN is making me drool a little. Cheers!
Hard to judge, my 2012 MIM Geddy sig sounds nothing like that one, but I use heavy gauge strings that are completely dead. Even Geddy says none of his own personal signature models sound the same, especially his original.
I'm a big fan of FGN bass's, but that 70's spacing on the Fender has got the sound! The closest I have to a 70's Jazz is my Ash bodied Harley Benton. It's a beast for what it is, but the spacing is kind of right in between a 60's and a 70's spacing. I love that bass, especially for what it cost, but it doesn't quite have that 70's sound. I think the slab of alder I have hanging around may just have to become a 70's jazz bass.
The TONE of the Fender, is to my ears, killer. I like both basses here, but the 70's spaced bass sounds much better to me.
I own the US Geddy Lee. I prefer 70’s pickup placement , alder bodies, and maple fingerboards . Pearl blocks for me too!!🎶❣️
. Both of those are nice jazz basses. Sometimes it’s the sum total of the bass not just the pickup placement .
Mr. Lobster, I have a M.I.J. Geddy and I Think those basses Amazing.
There’s just a slight difference. when you play in a band, you don’t hear this differences anymore, because of all the other sounds you hear from other instruments. And when you add some tube distortion (or sansamp) they will sound practically the same.
Thanks for the comparison and nice playing!
The pickup wire also changed from 60s to 70s as well as spacing. I’m guessing the Fender bass has era correct pickup wire(?) because it makes a huge difference. I was also fairly sure that Geddy’s bass was made from ash and not alder. Odd thing to overlook considering the attention to detail Fender have had on other Mexican made artist models
Good point! The FGN is running the Brantley pickups which still should be 70s spec but pickup construction is absolutely a factor. Yeah it seems there's a few details that they miss the mark on with these mass production instruments
@@LowEndLobster I’d really like to try mixing the two, 70’s pickup winds in 60’s spacing or visa-versa
Geddy 72 bass was alder. It’s documented enough if you dig. The pickup spacing was the “70’s”. Ash was indeed used in the 70’s. I believe that ash was used more on sun bursts and clear coats than solid colors. The grain is more striking.
@@davidlovellbass4761
I’ve got a warmoth j bass with 70’s spacing and Aguilar 60’s j pickups. The bridge pickup kills!
@@secretjourney4815 that’s interesting, I wonder when they switched from alder to ash. I had a black ‘74 jazz bass which was ash and most of the other jazz basses from this era I’ve seen have also been ash so to hear that Geddy’s was alder is a real revelation. In a recent interview Steve Harris’s tech said his mid 70’s P bass was made from maple and weighed an absolute ton, so I guess Fender just used whatever was available
Great comparison! I really prefer de 70's position, with both pickups makes a huge difference in tone that it's a lot more to my liking, that's why I recently bought the Sire U5, being the bridge pickup in that position sounds a lot more similar to a jazz bass than a typical PJ. Cheers!
The Fender is brighter with more definition. I like the Fender sound.
I actually liked the Fender better. I have used MC strings before, however, you should consider using Rotosound's Swing-66 stainless steel strings like Geddy does.
I have a MIM Fender Jazz Bass -Warmoth neck (5A flame maple with Indian Rosewood fretboard)- Seymour Duncan Custom Shop Weather Report (Jaco Pastorious) Pick-ups-Custom 920 prewired harnesses w/Orange drop cap-Period correct 60s bridge-Roto Swing 66 45-105. I'm hoping you did a review on SD Weather Report pups. They are F.I.N.E! Cheers
Both are fantastic and sounds beautiful. A Jazz Bass is a Jazz Bass! IMHO, I think the 60s are a little more versatile, and playing with just the bridge pickup open sounds better. (Maybe because I'm a super Jaco fan, lol) I would say the 60s are better for pizzicato and fretless basses, and the 70s are better for slap and play with a pick!
Thank you Leonardo!
Didn’t find either bass very impressive sounding, but Great video and review..I really enjoy your stuff
Thanks Adrian :)
Have the Geddy with Tom's pups excellent 👍
Love the 70s tone.
Hmm. The neck pickup in the FGN sounded better, though that might also be ash vs alder. For the Geddy/Squire sounds, the '70s spacing on the Fender won out.
And here I was trying to convince myself that my P bass was enough for now...
Wow! I like BOTH! But for fingerstyle and slap; 70’s ALL THE WAY! 60 is good for old school R&B or POP! IMHO. But that FGN does sounds cool.🤨🎶👍🏾
Thanks slick :)
Excellent Lobster cheers 👍
0:00 unrelated: sweetwater just dropped announcement clip they've got Sire on their brand list now.
also, I'd like to put them against the Vintage Icon Series relic'd black jazz bass (clearly Geddy's, as they also have Jaco's)
I never realized just how close the Mighty Bass looks to an original Fender body shape - holy crabclaws if not for the headstock they may as well be clones.
Actually that pickup positioning explains why we're getting some extra boom out of the FGN. Moving the bridge pickup in modulates the top end subharmonics a bit and brings it a little more thiccness and a bit less chonk on fingerstrikes, but just enough. I could still take a pick and grab stupid pinch harmonics out of either of those bad bois, it's actually a fun thing to do - and ash nor alder is going to suck up those upper multiples so they should be squortchy and rich with noisy dithered goodness without being overtly scrapey on your cochlear bits
I have the Japan Geddy Lee signature. Awesome bass.
I preferred the 70’s tone a lot more when playing the bridge pup only. Any other time the Fender had too much clank for me. I think the action is a touch too low.
Both sound good. I don't know that I could pick a favorite. Maybe the Fender for the slightly "drier" tone. But both have that great J-bass burpy tone. I guess the verdict is that I need both (I have a 70s spacing Fender Jazz). Perhaps the contrast would be a bit more distinct with, say, a 60 reissue Fender Custom Shop J-bass. Don't know. But I do know that is what I have my eye on for my next bass--Fender CS 60 RI relic in sparkle blue. Yummy...
The difference was much more stark than I thought it would be. I liked the FGN much better overall.
Nice comparison. Personally if I had to choose one spacing to be my only bass I'd get the 60s spacing jazz. It hits that nice overall mid range that I like in my own tone. However I'd say if I were to add a jazz to my existing collection I'd go with the 70s style jazz. The 70s spacing had a more unique tone that distinguishes itself a bit more (not to mention the now classic 70s bridge pickup tone)
I feel that the pickup sound between the FGN and the Fender is too distinct for the bridge pickup placement to make a noticeable sound difference. Maybe the tone is a little brighter with the 70s style placement, but the pickups on the Fender are brighter in general.
Great review. I like them both. Will you consider doing a review on a Yamaha TRB6JP2 John Patittuci signature? I know your not into 6 strings much but there really isn’t a quality review out for this bass. Thanks
Thanks Ralph! I'll do my best, though those are a bit pricey.
@@LowEndLobster yes they are. From what I’ve heard so far, they sound so Hi-Fi that I’m curious to know more.
I still have my 2007 CIJ Jazz. Love it apart from the neck needing constant adjustment and you gotta take the neck off to adjust it. Still love it but I do need those Tom Brantley pickups.
I prefer the 70s spacing a little better. A bit more natural grit and clarity.
The FGN sounds brighter (at least in my speakers) with both pickups running, but once you started to isolate neck and bridge pickups the sound of both became pretty similar. I think i prefer the Fender.
Really liked both but to my ear the FGN was clearer and had better clarity. I will add that the difference was subtle but it was there.
Both nice basses. I prefer the sound and finish on the FGN. I think the Fender does a better job capturing Geddy Lee’s sound.
FGN! Like it👍
Thanks Ralph!
Specifical sound coloration given by bridge pickup location seems , to my opinion, more evident to ear on rosewood fingerboards !
(late to comment) - There's a perceivable tonal difference, but what I noticed the most is that the Fender is way noisier in the clips, probably because of better shielding in the FNG electronics and pickups. I'd say that'd be the most evident giveaway in a hypothetical blind test, lol
Personally, I think I like the FNG tone a bit better, regardless of buzz, at least in a solo test. To me it sounds understandably warmer given the pickup position, yet it still cuts through enough. I'm willing to bet the pickups are a tad better too.
What are your thoughts on this comparison as of now in late 2022?
Cheers and good video as always! :)
FGN for the F-NG win. Fender sounds good but I like the 60’s scoop much better. You could change my mind if you did the same shootout with 5 strings. I have an inkling that 70’s is better for a 5.
In a mix things could be very different but as they are, I think I prefer the 60s spacing of the FGN. Less stringy metallic sound and somewhat fatter and more present growl.
I like the FGN sound better. Good comparison!
I think the different sound basses was more of a factor then placement in this case .
I'm going to try it myself I have. 70s vintera and a player jazz bass go the with fender strings.
Thanks Michael :)
hey Lobster I watched again Later ( with better speakers ) the Geddy model seemed to growl a little more . I liked the Fender better. when you only used the bridge pickup the Geddy was much brighter.
i liked the 70s spacing better
I tried it with my 70s Vinterra J bass and my 75th anniversary bass and the basic tones of the basses were too different to judge the difference between 60s and 70s spacing.
Hey @lowendlobster ws wondering if the FGN Neo CLassic pickguards were Fender interchangeable or different shapes? I haven't one here to compare but want a tortoise guard for my Neo Classic Jazz, like this Geddy.
Heyo! I'm not sure honestly. I believe they're standard J sized as FGN did used to produce some of the MIJ stuff for Fender (maybe still do?)
The two of them are so close I am sure with very slight changes to the setting you could get them sounding more similar. Not to say that they would have the same settings in fact just the opposite, different settings might get you more similar results. I in my admittedly biased opinion, prefer the FGN 60's tone.
I agree; and I also agree.
70's position for is my usual preference, though the pickups in your FGN sound way better. It's especially noticeable when soloing the neck pickup. My MIJ Geddy Lee doesn't sound as thin as the MIM in this video
Overall, I like the FGN better. However, if I was recording, I suspect I would like to have both of them. There are some tones in the Fender that I preferred. (Note, so that I'm not misunderstood, nothing is wrong with either one.)
Thanks Matthew!
‘70s all day. The US Geddy Jazz is the best Fender I’ve ever played by MILES, and I desperately want a US Geddy neck for my fretted ‘Jazzcision’ (‘87 Japanese Jazz Bass Special neck on a flamed maple over alder Warmoth Dinky J body with an EMG GZR-P pickup and hipshot ‘A’ bridge).
When I think about a Jazz Bass, I think about a ‘70s-spaced ash body maple fingerboard with blocks. That’s ‘the’ Jazz sound for me. Way punchier and more in-your-face, more defined, too. I’m a US Music Man Sterling kinda guy, so of course I like the brighter, more aggressive-sounding one, haha!
Thanks Jim! I've been talking to a dude who has CIJ and MIA Geddys that I'll hopefully be able to borrow so we can revisit this as a four way comparo! :)
@@LowEndLobster The Japanese Geddy basses are pretty odd, with the weirdo noodle-neck profile and everything. They play just as well as the US ones, they just feel a little different from the US and Mexican models. I used to have a Japanese one, solid instrument.
With the start of the "Age of Funk" when I Started playing in the early 70's, I'd have to go with the 70's Brother, the 60's version wasn't as Versatile imo. @LowEndLobster
The tone is great on both , subtle differences but the FGNs are a bit quieter.You seem to get more fret clang on the Ged.
Surprisingly I like the FGN better-- both sound & looks. However I have a real soft spot for the 70's Fender decals (LOL). Both are great, but that's my pick. I'm actually in the market for a budget friendly Jazz, so this is helping ;)
Going with the shirt, the Fender cuts through better. The FGN was sweet but I thought it was a little brittle.
FGN FTW!
Think both the bridge and neck pickups sounded fuller and warmer
Any chance of doing a tonestyler vid? As caps change the tone so much having many on one knob can be very nice.
I bet a tone styler would be cool for the bridge pickup. Could fatten it up or thin it out
The mexi-ged was noisy as heck! As for preferred sound... I was shocked that I liked the 60s best. I fully expected to prefer the 70s sound. Oh well.
Yep, MexiGed is a noisy boy. Zero shielding!