J&D PB Bass ('63 vs Normal)

[jordannola]

Hallo, Ich bin einen Amerikaner und wohne jetzt in Köln. still learning German so I'll switch to english. I have with me just my Telecaster from America, but want a bass to play on and record with, as i really enjoy bass too. I have a really nice bass in America that I'll get when I'm visited at the end of this year to bring back with me. Untill then, I thought about a cheaper bass and then sell it when I get my P-bass from the states. Pretty open on bass options but would like the standard P-bass style. The Music store here in Köln has a cheap brand that doesn't get too bad reviews. J&D. I see they have the standard p-bass and a 1963 version but aside from color, spec seem the same. does anyone know whats the difference? Or any reviews of the 1963 cause I can't seem to find any.

normal:
https://www.musicstore.de/de_DE/EUR/Jack-Danny-PB-WH-White/art-BAS0004191-000

1963:
https://www.musicstore.de/de_DE/EUR/Jack-Danny-PB-Vintage-1963-VWH-Vintage-White/art-BAS0007155-000

also, should I just go with harley benton or are these the same level?

Danke im Voraus!

 

[Cadfael]

Hi Jordan,

The 1963 has nothing to do with 1963 Precisions ... Loads of faults ...
A straight instead of rounded neck end? A white pickguard for a white bass? (Should have been Tortoise)
The bridge has nothing to do with 1963 +++ ...

The "Standard" looks a bit like a 1970 Precision (famous by Dee Dee Ramone) ...

Harley Bentons are same level.
In this "budget class", there are good and not so good basses ...

I would recommend to drive to the Musicstore (or Uli's Musik for a used bass???) ...
As you have the skill to judge if the bass is worth the money or just crap, you should take the bass into your hands and judge THIS SPECIAL BASS. Also try a cheap Jazz Bass? Cheap JBs often have the same neck dimensions as "modern Precisions" ...

Some years I tried three low budget basses in Brilon. One was crap, one was okay and one was really good.
So, try cheap basses and judge on your own.

I am a Telecaster guitar fetishist too ...
I would wait until 5th June to get this Harley Benton: https://www.thomann.de/de/harley_benton_pb_50_sb_vintage_series.htm
It's based on a 1955 Precision bass, which is the "big brother of the Telecaster" ...
It has d'Addario stings which don't have to be changed (despites you like flatwound sound). But the single coil sound of the P51-56 is not everyone's cup of tea. The P57+ Split Coils are the more common (and noiseless) bass sound.
The HB bass has a basswood body (like my Fender Aerodyne). But the 700 bugs Fender Aerodyne surely has the "better grown" (more slowly) basswood ...

So, go to the Music Store or other shops in Cologne, test the basses and let your heart (plus brain and feelings) decide!
Or if you would pefer a P51-56, wait until it's available at Thomann ...

(native German and my parents raised up in Cologne - but I have a lot to deal with English speaking people ...)

Cross my fingers and press my thumbs (as we do in Germany) for the right/best decision!
--- Beiträge wurden zusammengefasst ---
Oh!!!

The Standard has D profile, the 1963 has a C profile!!!
As Telecaster player you might perfer the C profile (like I do) ...

 

[jordannola]

okay so basically, it's just a different color and neck shape. perhaps a different voiced pickup but it doesn't specify! Yeah, I've seen the pb-50 but the more 60's style p-bass was always more my style than the 50's. although i do like the 50's, but yeah i'd change the strings to flats anyway. so what strings they come with aren't my concern. I've considered j-basses but if i could get away with a p-bass then I'd choose that model. just preference though. I'll check out Uli's, i would actually rather get a used bass, since I can get a better bass for the same price as a cheaper new one. I've checked ebay and such but used instruments aren't as easy to come by here like in America, but america has such a bigger population so its no wonder why.

BTW, what Tele do you have? I got a mexi 60's reissue that i recently re-painted in a seafoam green and did a few more mods to, it's like my number 1 baby now.

 

[Cadfael]

Short Off Topic ...

I have a self built Rockinger 1985 HH Telecaster with DiMarzio X2N at bridge and a DiMarzio PAF at the neck.
Rockinger was a famous German guitar builder in Hannover, Germany. They also built guitars for the Scorpions and others! Comparable with Warmoth. My Rockinger Tele is heavyer than many basses! Heavy alder body and slowly canadian OPM neck.

I have a Fender Mex Nashville Telecaster (SSS) in Honey Blonde too. Also alder and OPMN.
And two cheap 80 Euro Telecaster guitars ...

BASS:
If you prefer the split coil P ...
Look for a used P in guitar shops in Cologn ...
But used basses are not as cheap as in the USA ...

It might be best to look for a SELF SELECTED J&D Precision at the Music Store.
You are able to grade the wood / sound / building quality. So, it is easy for you to see if the 109/119 Euro are okay ...
Moulin (member in this forum) has played bad Fender Custom Shop basses but also top Custom Shops. It's the same with J&Ds. Only the level of expectation should be lowered ...

The pickups are "not important" ...
And I would not spend 70 Euro for better pickups for a J&D! Buy a better bass then ...
But the strings are important! Not only flatwound/roundwound/half round ...
Also the brand and series. But this is a matter of taste! La Bella, Fender, d'Addario flatwounds?
If you have already found your perfect flatwound brand, buy these flatwounds for your J&D.

 

[jordannola]

sick! i've been wanting another Tele to throw humbuckers in, or gretsch pickups. I actually only ever own single coil guitars so it would be nice to one day have another option, although i tend to do alot of clean/reverb soaked stuff.

Yeah I noticed the price difference already, mainly on the Fender stuff. But i guess Monday I'll head out to Uli's and Musicstore to check what they have, I won't change pickups because in November I'll have my good p-bass from America again, so just something to last till then. I will put some decent flat wounds on it though. For me I don't think the pickups make the biggest difference. but strings do. I swapped my old stock p-bass pickup in my American standard a few years ago with a '62 reissue pickup .... the biggest difference I heard was that the vintage PU was lower output. Not exactly worth the upgrade. Althrough I didn't dislike the stock pickup, just saw a vintage reissue PU on sale and thought I'd change it.

 

[Cadfael]

Hi Jordan,

sadly, the "little bitch" (Cabronita) was no success for Fender and Squier basses/guitars ...
If you see a Cabronita in a pawn shop in the USA, try it - and maybe buy it ...

I am also a "Fender history freak" and the Cabronita is one of the few "novel Fender ideas" I think Leo Fender would have liked.

Tell us, what you chose in the end!

 

[TheBug]

Go for the 63, i had one (gave it to my guitar Player who teaches guitar and bass also and needed an Instrument to teach on) and itÄs really a decent Instrument! as a backup for bass noodling and a bit of recording, this will totally do the trick

 

[jordannola]

Okay, I've made a trip out to the Music Store to check what J&D's were in stock. As far as the PB models I was interested in, there was a white 63, two black 63's, and a white with the black pickguard. I was initially interested in the white 63, when I saw it in person something seemed odd. The pickguard was a slight different shape that the online pictures, looked at the two black ones, one had the same pickguard while the other had one like shown online. the neck on the white one had some buzz, i think a high fret. the black with the better (more like a fender p) pickguard had not so much of a good paint job. some waves in it. paint on the others was good. that one weighed more too. the white pb with the black guard was really good though. If I had to buy one today, I'd pick that one. But ill sit back and sleep on this. maybe i buy one online and chance it. I want to customize it a bit with a vinyl sticker i get printed out. with some pattern and put it over the pickguard, so color on that doesn't matter. Want to make a cheaper Decoboom style pickguard.