I misread the title and missed that you were looking for a jazz specifically, this is a PJ, please disregard.
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Looking For Recommendations on a Quality Jazz 5 String
- Thread starter Federighi
- Start date
I'd just grab a Fender Professional II Jazz V that will run $1899 or $1999 and that's in the middle of your initial comfort budget and your stretch budget. If you decide to sell, being a Fender, it will hold its value pretty well.
There’s a nice Carvin SB500 spalted top jazz style bass on eBay for a little less than $1000. Not mine, but if I played 5’s I would have grabbed it.
carvin sb5000 spalted maple top 5 String bass. USA with carvin g&g hsc. Pristine | eBay
carvin sb5000 spalted maple top 5 String bass. USA with carvin g&g hsc. Pristine | eBay
G&L JB-5. What makes the difference for me is the 1.77" nut width. Also very competitively priced with good wood options. Here are mine, pine on the left and alder on the right.
Pretty slim pickings' in the classifieds, but here's a couple basses I'm potentially interested in.
Super sweet but little more than I'd personally like to spend.
moollon-j-v-daphne-blue.1629504
Not sure if it has the pre bypass
fender-american-deluxe-fmt-jazz-v-bass.1624643
JB-5 is an excellent recommendation, I'll look into what's available used. I guess I'm looking for something more traditional in design / function. I mostly play jazz, blues, funk, pop music, etc.
I'm ok with a P/H or J/H style configuration. Really hoping a Roscoe shows up or maybe a Precision deluxe 5 would be ok too.
Super sweet but little more than I'd personally like to spend.
moollon-j-v-daphne-blue.1629504
Not sure if it has the pre bypass
fender-american-deluxe-fmt-jazz-v-bass.1624643
JB-5 is an excellent recommendation, I'll look into what's available used. I guess I'm looking for something more traditional in design / function. I mostly play jazz, blues, funk, pop music, etc.
I'm ok with a P/H or J/H style configuration. Really hoping a Roscoe shows up or maybe a Precision deluxe 5 would be ok too.
Smooth_bass88
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- Oct 31, 2006
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This one is reasonably priced and judging by the serial number plate appears to be from earlier in the production run. Nice neck grain. One thing I really like about the JB-5 is that you can go without the pickguard since unlike Fender their production method doesn't require routing a hole on the front of the body.
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/GL/JB5-Electric-Bass-Guitar.gc
I'm surprised that individuals, many retailers, and even some manufacturers (at least in their advertisements) often don't specify string-spacing at the bridge on five-string (and six-string) basses. It's more variable than on four-string basses, and at least for me is a list-topper when it comes to preferences. I can work with a lot of other variables, but put more than four strings on a bass neck and the spacing of them becomes a very important "variable". IMO anyway.
I have a 92 Jazz Plus, with a few minor changes and the right strings, it’s everything I ever dreamed of. I use a Kalium equal tension string, a set of Dimarzio Area J pickups, and a Stealth string retainer on the B. It has a passive switch and feels quite like a standard J. If you choose to go down that path, watch for the notorious “B string crack” near the tuner.