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I’m looking at the Gibson EB, Fender Precision, and Fender Jazz. The Gibson has an appealing look and I also like its smaller size. Many reviews complain of the muddy sound, though I really dig how Andy Fraser of Free made it sound. I played a Squier Precision the other day, which I found a bit overwhelming size wise. I’ve yet to try a Jazz.
Any thoughts and recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
When you say "smaller" you're probably referring to scale length, or the length of the strings as measured from the nut (at the end of the neck/fretboard) to the bridge (at the tail end of the body). A Fender or Squier Jazz Bass has the same scale length as a precision, but usually a thinner neck, particularly on the lower notes. Another option for a short scale bass would be a Fender (or Squier) Mustang bass.
It can be hard to judge what your bass is going to sound like in comparison to what we hear live and on records due to the enormous amount of processing available to musicians. If all goes well your first bass won't be your last and your sound will change over the years. At this stage in the game I would lean toward playability and a music store guy may be the most helpful, provided he is a bass player. Having said all that, thanks for introducing me to Andy Fraser!
I can't really give recommendations for specific instruments, other than to say that it seems pretty hard to go wrong with the choice of a Fender or Ernie Ball/Music Man. (My brother has an original series SUB.)
But what I really want to do is to encourage you in your interest in playing bass. There are about a bazillion guitar players out there, but finding a good bass player, who really wants to play BASS, can be pretty difficult. In trying to find a bass player, I've encountered many guys who'd say, "I play guitar - and bass.", then proceed to make it clear that they'd never be content to play bass in my band. Finding that dedicated bass player isn't easy.
If I knew back when I got my first bass what I would be doing with it now then I would have started with a 5 string model. I would suggest having a strap and standing while trying out your bass to see which feels best rather than balancing it on your knees while trying to hear the difference on an amp not dialed in for your preference
Good luck in your search for a suitable instrument. Please let us know what instrument (and amp) you end up getting.
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