G&L Tribute JB2 4-String Electric Bass

Comments about G&L Tribute JB2 4-String Electric Bass:

You absolutely cannot go wrong with this bass. It's VERY light, VERY easy to play, the action and setup straight out of the box was AWESOME. The tone is excellent, clean and clear, well-defined. The neck is much smaller than my Jazz. Before we bought this for our church, we used my Fender Jazz Deluxe 5-string active Squire. (Which I really liked BEFORE we got this). The Jazz is really heavy and not anywhere near as easy to play. (although it IS a 5-string the neck is much thicker, and the action out of the box is not anywhere as good as the JB-2. I can't say enough good things about this bass. The only down sides: the only things I would change about is it would be great if it came with at least a soft carry case. And with the tone knob maxed out for highs it can be a little noisy, but I can back off of it a little and the noise is gone, which is understandable. And it would be nice if it came in a few more finishes, but I like the 3-tone Sunburst. I would trade my Squire Jazz Active Deluxe in a SECOND!

Comments about G&L Tribute JB2 4-String Electric Bass:

I strongly recommend this bass. It's a fabulous value for the money; for under $500 you get a very high quality instrument, better than many basses costing a lot more. It's very light (approx. 6lb, vs. 8-9 lbs for most others), and has a lovely, smooth, highly-playable neck. The workmanship and body finish are very nice; the bridge and pickups (same as on the more expensive US version) are first-rate. With a 1.5" nut width, it's great for players with small hands/shorter fingers. The rock-solid bridge and body wood produce great sustain - - you'll be amazed at how long a note rings! Not having played one before I got mine,I expected it to be a bit short on low end, but using the neck pickup and the tone control you can get it to sound just like a P-bass and shake the room. Perhaps the best testimonial I can offer is this: After owning a JB-2 for almost two years, I sold mine when I got an Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (at least twice as expensive). Despite my love for the Sterling, I now regret selling my JB-2 and am thinking of getting another as my backup bass - - it's that good.
Now for some nitpicks (and that's all they are). 1.The neck's contour is a tad flat for my taste, but this is largely subjective and the neck is super-playable as is. 2. As you'd expect in a moderately-priced instrument, the pots and cavity wiring are where the manufacturer cut corners. I'd recommend having your luthier check the cavity wiring/shielding when you take the bass in. The pots' weakness - - common to almost all budget instruments - - is that the tone/volume adjustment is not smooth and linear as you turn the knobs; you get very little change for a while, then suddenly get a big jump. However, you become used to this pretty quickly. (Moreover, replacing the pots is inexpensive.) Due to these nits, I'd give the JB-2 four instead of 5 stars on an absolute scale. For the money, it definitely deserves five stars.

Comments about G&L Tribute JB2 4-String Electric Bass:

This bass is great! It feels great, sounds great, and looks great (I got mine in sunburst)! Of course it's not perfect, but what do you expect from an Indonesian built instrument? However the pros FAR outweigh the cons. If you're looking for a solid, but unique bass for rock or jazz or anything in between, this is it. The only cons are just a few little things that can be easily and cheaply fixed. Out of the box, the frets on mine caused a little discomfort for my playing hand, but that's nothing a file can't fix. The neck itself isn't the most comfortable neck I've played, but still feels great. With the tone knob all the way up, it's a bit too much "pop" for my tastes, but just turn the tone down a bit and it's just right. The last thing is there is a slight neck dive (really you can't even call it a neck dive. If you let go of the neck you don't have to worry about it hitting the floor or anything, but it will fall a few inches). However that's nothing a weighted strap can't fix. I've had this bass for over a year now and I have no regrets whatsoever. I bought this based on youtube reviews alone. Never even played it until the day it arrived. One whole year later this is still the only jazz bass I'll ever need.

Comments about G&L Tribute JB2 4-String Electric Bass:

The set up on this bass was remarkable. The action was low, the fret finish is flawless, no buzzes, intonation was spot on. I still don't believe this is an under $500.00 instrument.

Comments about G&L Tribute JB2 4-String Electric Bass:

I ordered this bass based on reviews thinking it might be manageable for a back up to my USA G&L bass. First the two pieces of wood they used for the body were so far off with the grain pattern that it looked like junk with the clear finish. Second the nut was cut so deep on the E string I couldn't even tune it from the fret buzz. Third the bridge didn't even have two screws screwed all the way down to the body. Same with the pickups. The screws were up from the pickups at least a 1/8 of a inch. Fourth turned the bass over two screws that joined the neck to the body looked like they were run in crooked. This bass was shipped new in original packaging. Pathetic quality control. Didn't even bother plugging it in. Handed it back and asked for my money back.

Comments about G&L Tribute JB2 4-String Electric Bass:

Great set up out of box. No major adjustments needed. No major flaws only one little spot that you really have to have a critical eye to find near a pick up under the strings. A scratch is this least of my worries for an instrument meant to be played. Very good quality and finish on the neck and body. Great sustain and tones with the bridge and 6 bolt design. Very pleased with product and will find an excuse to buy another one.

Comments about G&L Tribute JB2 4-String Electric Bass:

I got this bass as an early Christmas present from my wife. It arrived on time and was well packaged. The finish on the guitar is much better looking than the photos, I got the 3 color sunburst, the center color is more of an amber than what the picture shows, I think it has just the right amount of red, and the black is perfect. I love it. The setup was spot on, everything measures in spec. The neck has a sealer on it, but looks like it is bare wood. The frets protrude a little bit from the neck, not sharp, but noticeable. All the Asian basses I have are a little sharp so no big deal, 20 minutes with a fret finishing file and it is just how I like it. It plays better than my Jazz bass, my Stingray, or my Ibanez. I think it is going to be my favorite guitar! The only reason I gave it 4 stars is the back of the thing was scratched, like someone played it with a belt buckle on. Not what I would expect from a new guitar

Comments about G&L Tribute JB2 4-String Electric Bass:

I bouth the JB2 after having a "partscaster" jazz bass for almost a decade. The feel, pickups, sound, neck and everything were such an upgrade I can't believe I thought I had something serviceable for so long. The weight is not bad for a jazz bass. The pick ups almost seem like active pick ups. They are hot and loud. The neck is smooth and fast. I can't recommend this instrument enough.

Comments about G&L Tribute JB2 4-String Electric Bass:

I only play 5-6 bass gigs a year, but my old rig was worn out and too heavy. I aiways thought I preferred Precision type necks, but this Jazz style was affordable, lighter, plays and sound like a dream. G&L has hit a homer in my opinion.

Comments about G&L Tribute JB2 4-String Electric Bass:

Very good tone, very good Factory setup, hot Pickups. Very easy and smooth action/playability. The only negative thing I could say is the quality/ performance of the pots, especially the Master Tone control on mine. I will replace them soon with higher quality pots.