SR5HH position 2 or 4 Jazz-like?

[shakinbacon]

I posed a question a while back about if a Bongo HH can be made to sound like a Jazz bass with its (the Jazz basses') two pickups on full.

It occurs to me looking at the schematics that both the SR5HH (and the Sterling 5HH) have switch positions with two single coiled in parallel (SR5) or series (Sterling) by splitting the coils

My question is, can either of these basses be made to sound close to a jazz bass with either of these settings?


(yes, I know I could just by a Jazz bass, but I'd rather buy a Musicman)
(yes, I also know I should try myself which I plan on doing)

 

[MK Bass Weed]

The OUTER coil settings on my Ray HH 4 and 5 are pretty much what I use most of the time...and boy do I love that sound...Jazzy to me..

 

[MattOfSweden]

Well, the outer coils would be the closest thing, but it's definitely got more of its own vibe going than being a jazzsound IMHO. If in jazz you mean the classic passive single coil sound. The HH in position 2 does have an airy quality that's really cool though.

I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Big Al 4sss, didn't get it to be a jazz or a P but I'd expect a 4sss to be closer to a jazz with the outer pu's in passive than a Bongo/SR HH could ever be.

It's all good though.

 

[cellkirk74]

The OUTER coil settings on my Ray HH 4 and 5 are pretty much what I use most of the time...and boy do I love that sound...Jazzy to me..

+1
the outer coils give a great modern Jazz tone while the inner coils sound more aggressive, almost like a P.

To me both settings have more punch than a JB and both sound good.

 

[MK Bass Weed]

The beauty of the HHs and that switch...

 

[Norm66]

I use the outside coils probably 75% of the time. I like the cut of the bridge and the boom of the neck coils working together. It sounds awesome in my band situation. Jazz bass-ish? Yea, maybe a little bit. I think it's more of a unique tone than that though.

The inside coils remind me more of a P-bass tone than a J, but still unique.

 

[Movielife]

HS has a nice J ish tone...I also love the single S.

Lets not forget the BEST tone....the classic H.

 

[cheezewiz]

Although a Ray 5 HH has all it's "own" sounds, I tend to think of the positions like this:

1 Ray
2 Jazz
3 everything all on
4 P
5 p plus

 

[ivbenaplayin]

definitely position 2 with a little eq-ing for Jazz Bass sound... i've been able to get a very good Jazz Bass tone with my 20th SR5 HH - don't know how much of a role the mahagony tone block plays in this though...

 

[Rano Bass]

Yea, maybe a little bit. I think it's more of a unique tone than that though.

What he said.

The pickups are totally different in construction to a J pickup, and the EBMM preamp has its own sound.

I guess you could say it sounds like a very modded jazz bass