when to buy a new Bass

Welcome ham! I will let you know now, the bass players forum here can be a little slow. The great news, there are several very talented and knowledgable low-end-thumpers here. I am not high on that list, but I'll try to help as much as possible.

So, you have been playing for a year and you are getting the urge to buy a new bass. Anything wrong with yours? Have you played some others and really enjoyed those? Can you afford to buy a new one or would you trade yours?

Some will say, wait. I say go ahead and get another bass if you can afford it. If you are keeping your jazz, I suggest getting one with a different pick-up configuration.

Yah that would work. An actual Fender is still a pretty sweet piece of gear, but if you can afford it, go for something else - probably something in the same price range maybe, but really different from the jazz; like some sort of 5 string maybe; an Ibanez or one of those higher-end Rondos to start with.

But in the meantime, keep the JB; it's sort of a standard 'classic' in the way it's built and plays. Maybe get a new setup on it and change over to flatwound strings while you explore a new 5-string; you know, get a broader ranges of tones.

I probably (personally) would never go to a six or 9 or 11 string bass because those mostly don't go much below the low B string you'd get on a 5; they go 'up', and, well, you can do that by moving your hand up the neck ;)

Maybe a fiver of some sort. Roundwounds on the 5, flatwounds on the JB.

Hope this helps.

Well, other than we all like to help you spend your money, I have to ask - why do you want a new one?

As above, I'd recommend a different style, a 5-string, or a fretless, or a Rickenbacher...

Demo - flats on a Jazz - for shame! Hah!

Well, other than we all like to help you spend your money, I have to ask - why do you want a new one?

As above, I'd recommend a different style, a 5-string, or a fretless, or a Rickenbacher...

Demo - flats on a Jazz - for shame! Hah!

Wait! It gets worse! I've got the thin Roto .040-.090s on my Squier Jazz!

Well, other than we all like to help you spend your money, I have to ask - why do you want a new one?

well...i kinda feel like ive outgrown this bass, dont get me wrong, i love it, and its my baby, but i got it as a gift and i never really felt "at home" with it.

My birthday is coming up, and the holdays, so i can afford to get a new one, ive been looking at the fender jazz bass 24... even though its a jazz bass it has a "slap switch" which seems pretty unique, and it has 24 frets something not common on the fenders. I am a fender man though, so switching companies would have to be because of an incredible bass...

thanks for all your help so far :)

edit: im using ken smith half-rounds on the bass, and im gettin a kick ass sound, althogh i am thinking of switching over to full rounds since im getting into slapping, and i heard those are better?

-Dan

Well, maybe you can have one jazz bass set up with half rounds and the other with full rounds, then get a third bass with flats!!!! I have one short scale bass with a humbucker that has flats. I have 34" with two humbuckers and flatwounds. Then, my third bass is 34" scale and has rounds and one P and one J pickup