(he’s playing in to a SVT-CL 
)
Microtubes Infinity also has lots of tonal options, not just clank
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My take is the best thing to do is find a bass that someone you like plays. For instance, I like a lot of bands where the bass player just happens to play a Fender Jazz Bass. So players such as, John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Geddy Lee (Rush), Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix Experience), and John Entwistle (The Who) — used Jazz Basses extensively early on.
Also I love 80s & 90s. So guys like Bruce Foxton (The Jam), Simon Gallup (The Cure), Kim Deal (Pixies), Krist Novoselic (Nirvana), Mike Watt (Minutemen / fIREHOSE), Dee Dee Ramone (Ramones), and Peter Hook (Joy Division / New Order) all used a Fender Jazz Bass extensively.
So I gravitated towards that instrument. My own take on it was to get J style bass guitars from other manufacturers. So while I have two Fender Jazz Basses a 1993 and a 2019 both made in Japan, I also have a Seymour Duncan Traditional J-style bass. It was made in Japan in the ESP factory. It’s super heavy and I only use it at home. But I love it. And I recently picked up a Made in USA, Starr Guitars custom made J-style bass. Not sure why someone would sell a bass they had made custom for themselves, but I lucked out on A Flash Flood of Gear and scored big time. It’s a gorgeous thing with a metallic gold burst. And it’s so creamy and smooth, it’s my #1 bass now.
I also went off script slightly and bought a Schecter Riot-4. It’s got it’s own unique shape. No one famous plays one, so that’s kind of cool. And it comes stock with EMGs. So its my only bass with active pickups. It’s a Made in Indonesia product. But, that doesn’t keep it from being as silky smooth and thundery as the MIJ and MIA basses I have. There is clearly something wonderful going on in Indonesia. In fact, as far as I know, my Schecter was made in the Cort Factory along with Ibanez and many other brands.
Also, the only new guitar on my list is the Schecter. But, I bought it at a steep discount as it was a floor model at NAMM. Normally they are $1299. Delivered, I paid $908. My most expensive bass was the Starr J Bass. I paid $1400 delivered. I feel used is the way to go for the most bang for the buck. And they all have some “relic” on them from use. Still blows my mind people pay big bucks for new guitars that are relic’d.
No, he didn’t 
He was primarily using a Yamaha BB1200S, and his second most used instrument was his Eccleshall Viking.
I don’t remember him ever using a J. Do you have an example?
In fact out of all of those ‘80s alternative folks you listed I do not remember any using a J? Dee Dee was famously a P-bass, Mike Watt was (IIRC) a P or an EB-3, Krist was Gibsons, Kim Deal a P-bass or a Stingray, etc.
What made you think they used J-basses?
Actually if you are looking for an artist that DID use a Fender J back then, Steve Severin (Siouxsie) did. But he was kind of unusual for that style - I don’t think anyone you listed there from the ‘80s did, at least not as mains.
I’m a super fan of the SR’s
Ibanez necks play like a dream for me as I like thin necks and as low action as possible. Not too heavy either and easy to find on the second hand market at really good prices.
The only thing is Fujigen made instruments have been hit or miss for me lately. Had to return two post 2020 prestige electric guitars due to QC issues. Something almost inconceivable pre covid.
Recently got a second hand 2009 SR5000 at good price and it’s a superb bass. Not an expert tho as I haven’t played bass for too long, I come from a guitar background.
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Wow that’s unfortunate- every Fujigen I have played was fantastic. Wonder what’s up.
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He used a few basses over the years but primarily stuck with a P bass or Thunderbird.
Thunderbird
Thunderbird mainly when he was younger but also P basses. His Reverend signature bass is a P bass that you can select regular P or reverse P and has the neck humbucker from the Thunderbird. The first version is a regular P bass (I have this one).
In no universe did Hooky use a J bass. Early on, when they were poor starving musicians (when they recorded Unknown Pleasures), he used an Hondo Rickenbacker clone, a Gibson EB-0, a Yamaha BB600, then a Yamaha BB1200. Their gear got stolen in New York in 1980 and he had to run out and buy a new bass that day. They sold him a red Yamaha BB1200s (active P bass) and that’s the one he’s most most famous for using. When the 1200s’s went out of production he bought 7 or 8 of them. When Yamaha came to him in 2018 to make a signature bass, it was a red BB that merged the features of the 1200s and the BB734. I have one being delivered in about 12 hours.
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Maybe old school workers retirements? Or just the enshitification of everything arrived to Fujigen 
One of the guitars I returned was a super obvious QC problem as the floyd rose nut (original Edge bridge) was not centered at all, like clearly visible at first sight. Couldn’t believe it even made out of the factory.
That’s what I get for asking ai who all played a Jazz Bass. Way to set that robot mofo straight!
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Yeah. That would be my pick as well, if the funds are there. Or a Mercalli (bolt-on instead of set neck).
That would allow you to get more bite or more thump with easy pickup sweep.
Reverend makes sexy basses. Super light. Sound great. Nice necks if you prefer a bit thicker.
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Tone wise, how does the Mercalli / Thundergun compare to the Thunderbird? I’ve been looking for something Thunderbird-y without the neck dive for awhile. I’ve kinda targetted the Dingwall D-Roc, Sandberg Forty Eight, or a custom McGrath with the neck thumper. The Reverend’s are half the price and I love the couple I’ve owned, and for whatever reason, hadn’t considered one as an improved t-bird.
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It might be almost too refined sounding. The raw aggression of the thunderbird is the thing I’m after (think Kim Gordon). I’d have liked to hear more pick and higher gain or fuzz.
Yeah I’m a big fan of knowing stuff, rather than using AI search and propagating more uninformed bollocks.
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Yesss!!! This 
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I don’t think you’re getting that sound without a pick. EQ also factors in.
I’d look for other reviews to see what it sounds like then.
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That’s the aggressive rock T-Bird tone in general really. Pick for the attack and EQ the mids and low mids way up. Sounds good on any bass.
That’s also it’s problem (as opposed to, say, doing this on a P-bass), it risks becoming indistinct and muddy if you do it wrong.
Hey watch it with the aggressive nonsense Barney. This isn’t the place for it. And it’s gutless online.
I’m joking @tony.castelluci but really just post stuff you definitely know and you avoid the problem.
Let’s try and avoid posting turbo bollocks (like that so completely incorrect list of Jazz bass players you ‘wrote’ further up in the thread).
I mean you don’t have to be a Ramones super fan to think ‘what bass?’
P Bass
He was so famous for not playing a Jazz bass that Fender released a signature P Bass model.
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