Jaco Pastorius — Portrait of Tracy (1976)
“I’m the greatest bass player in the world.”
(true story)Jaco Pastorius, to Joe Zawinul
What gear does it take to get this tone?
Cheat SheetFor Vol.03
Jaco Pastorius
A 1962 Jazz Bass, the “Bass of Doom.” He pulled the frets himself and coated the board with boat epoxy. Rotosound roundwounds, the back pickup only. Two Acoustic 360s on stage; in the studio, straight in with no amp.
이 페이지의 일부 링크는 쿠팡 파트너스 활동의 일환으로, 이에 따른 일정액의 수수료를 제공받습니다.
If you’re a pro
The original is fretless. Still, I recommend a fretted Jazz Bass first, and fretless after that. The set budget is based on an original pre-CBS Fender and leaves out the amp: the Acoustic 360 is used-only.
Total budget약 ₩4,110만~$31,000+
- 1BassPre-CBS Jazz Bass · Jaco signature (fretless)
- 2StringsRotosound RS66LD
- 3PickupsBridge 100% · neck 0
- 4EffectsDigital delay · on one amp only
- 5AmpTwo Acoustic 360s
- 6HandsTwo fingers · over the bridge pickup
- 7Tone knob10%There’s no record of Jaco’s tone knob. I start at 10%.
Setup in 3 lines
- Connect
Bass → cable → DD-8 → two amps: one clean, one delayed. To record, go straight in with no amp. Jaco said himself he didn’t use an amp in the studio.
- Knobs
Bridge pickup all the way up, neck at 0, tone at 10%. Start with the amp’s bass all the way up: Jaco said he used only the back pickup and filled in the lows with the amp. Keep the delay short and quieter than the clean amp.
- Finish
For harmonics, rest a finger lightly right over the 12th, 7th and 5th positions and pluck near the bridge. Jaco said Rotosounds have pure harmonics like no other string.
Fender Jazz Bass, pre-CBS (1960–1964)Fender Jazz Bass, pre-CBS (1960–1964)Vintage · an all-original 1960 sold for about $30,000약 ₩2,780만~4,080만$21,000–30,800A real Fender Jazz Bass made before CBS bought Fender in 1965. Jaco’s fretted Jazz Bass was from this era too. An all-original 1960 stack-knob sold for about $30,000. Convert it to fretless like Jaco did? A luthier’s price list puts the work at a few hundred dollars, but that would be insane. The moment you pull the frets, the value of the original is gone. For fretless, go with the signature.
See on eBay
Fender Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass (Fretless)Fender Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass (Fretless)Fretless · made in the USA₩3,694,000$2,299.99A US-made fretless modeled on the Bass of Doom: sunburst, coated pau ferro board. The difference from the original is the strings. It ships with flats, but Jaco used rounds. If you want that sound, change the strings first.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
Fender Custom Shop Jaco Pastorius Relic Fretless Jazz BassFender Custom Shop Jaco Pastorius Relic Fretless Jazz BassCustom Shop · fretless relic약 ₩815만$6,150The Custom Shop’s Jaco relic fretless, right down to the wear. It costs more than twice the signature. You’re paying for the object more than for a difference in sound.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
Rotosound RS66LD Swing Bass 66Rotosound RS66LD Swing Bass 66As Jaco did · roundwound약 ₩29,000~36,000$22–27Rotosound Swing Bass 66, the roundwounds Jaco used, at .045–.105. His exact gauge isn’t firmly documented. Roundwounds groove an uncoated fretless board, and a worn board can affect resale value. That’s why Jaco coated his board with epoxy.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
Boss DD-8 Digital DelayBoss DD-8 Digital DelaySplits clean and delay outputs약 ₩26만$197.99Jaco is said to have run an MXR digital delay into one amp and kept the other clean. That MXR is long discontinued. The DD-8 can send the clean signal and the delay out separately, so you can copy that setup as is.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
Acoustic 360 / 361Acoustic 360 / 361Discontinued · buy used——The amp Jaco ran two of on stage. He said he liked the Acoustic because it never distorts. It’s discontinued now, so used-only. It’s big and heavy; for home, the smaller amps in the tiers below are plenty.
See on eBay
If your budget has room
The bass doesn’t have to be American. A Mexican Fender or a Sire V5 is plenty. Here too: fretted first, fretless after.
Total budget약 ₩285만~$1,420+
- 1BassFender Jazz Bass · USA or Mexico
- 2StringsRotosound RS66LD
- 3PickupsBridge 100% · neck 0
- 4EffectsA touch of delay
- 5AmpAmpeg RB-110
- 6HandsTwo fingers · over the bridge pickup
- 7Tone knob10%
Setup in 3 lines
- Connect
Bass → cable → Carbon Copy → RB-110. To record, use the XLR direct out on the back of the amp.
- Knobs
Bridge at 100%, neck at 0, tone at 10%. On the RB-110, set the bass high and start mid and treble at 12 o’clock, then adjust to the room. Keep the Carbon Copy mix low so the clean tone leads.
- Finish
Rest your right thumb on the bridge pickup and pluck with your index and middle fingers. Jaco said he played with his first two fingers too.
Fender Vintera II ’60s Jazz BassFender Vintera II ’60s Jazz BassMexico · ’60s specs₩1,989,000$934.99A ’60s-spec Jazz Bass made in Mexico, and my first pick in this tier. Two pickups, three knobs: the layout Jaco described on his fretted stage bass. Just change the strings to Rotosounds.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
Fender American Vintage II 1966 Jazz BassFender American Vintage II 1966 Jazz BassUSA · 1966 specs₩4,092,000$2,699.99A 1966-spec Jazz Bass made in the USA, the priciest in this tier. Once it fits your hands, it’s an instrument you’ll keep for a long time. What Jaco played on stage was a ’60s Fender Jazz Bass too.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
Fender American Professional Jazz Bass (2026)Fender American Professional Jazz Bass (2026)New in October 2026 · fretted약 ₩252만~$1,899.99~The new American Professional Jazz Bass, released in October 2026. It’s the easiest to play. The pickups are modern and clear, so you may need to roll the tone down further. There’s no fretless in this series yet.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
Fender American Professional II Jazz Bass FretlessFender American Professional II Jazz Bass FretlessFretless · made in the USA₩3,111,000$1,939.99Once you’re comfortable on fretted, this is next: a US-made fretless. The new American Professional has no fretless, so I listed this previous generation. Stock is shrinking.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
Sire Marcus Miller V5 Alder 4Sire Marcus Miller V5 Alder 4Sire · also comes fretless약 ₩79만$599The Sire Marcus Miller V5: alder body, Jazz Bass layout, well built for the price. The same model comes in a fretless version too, which makes the later move easy.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
MXR M169 Carbon Copy Analog DelayMXR M169 Carbon Copy Analog DelayOne pedal for short delay약 ₩21만$159.99Jaco’s was digital, but for a short, light delay this analog pedal is enough. With only one amp, keep the mix low so it sits just behind the clean tone.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-110Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-110Home-friendly size₩620,000$299.9950 watts, one 10-inch speaker. Just right for home. Set the bass high like Jaco, and bring it down only if the room booms.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
If you’re just starting
This is probably where most of you will look. I don’t recommend fretless for beginners; you’d spend all your energy just finding the pitch. Get the bridge-pickup sound into your hands on a fretted Jazz Bass first.
Total budget약 ₩57만$470
- 1BassSquier Jazz Bass (fretted)
- 2StringsStock strings
- 3PickupsBridge 100% · neck 0
- 4EffectsNone
- 5AmpRumble 15
- 6HandsTwo fingers · over the bridge pickup
- 7Tone knob10%
Setup in 3 lines
- Connect
Bass → cable → Rumble 15. That’s it.
- Knobs
Bridge pickup volume all the way up, neck at 0, tone at 10%. Rumble 15: bass high, mid and treble at 12 o’clock to start.
- Finish
Harmonics work the same on a fretted bass. Rest a finger right over the 12th fret and pluck near the bridge.
Squier Affinity Series Jazz BassSquier Affinity Series Jazz BassBass only₩434,000$369.99The Squier Affinity Jazz Bass. What matches the original is the shape and the pickup layout. Turn up only the bridge pickup, roll the tone down, and you’re pointed toward that round sound. The pack with an amp is hard to find right now.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazz BassSquier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazz Bass’60s Jazz Bass style₩637,000$529.99One step up from the starter model. Alnico pickups and the look of a ’60s Jazz Bass. Just switch to Rotosounds and it’s the closest you’ll get at this price.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
Fender Rumble 15Fender Rumble 15A small amp for home약 ₩13만$99.9915 watts, one 8-inch speaker. Just the right size for practice at home. Bass high, everything else at center to start.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
Fingerboard care
Roundwounds wear an unfinished board faster than flats (Fender). On a fretless the strings sit right on the wood, so even more so. A grooved board can affect resale value. Coated boards, like the one on the Jaco signature, hold up better.
MusicNomad F-ONE Fretboard Care Kit (MN125)MusicNomad F-ONE Fretboard Care Kit (MN125)Kit · oil, cloth, brush, scraper약 ₩27,000$19.99Oil, a microfiber cloth, a fretboard brush and a scraper in one box. Brush and wipe the board every time you change strings. Use the oil only on unfinished boards.
Official site네이버 가격비교쿠팡
The last step is your ears
Even with all the gear right, your first sound won’t match. That’s normal. Switch between the record and your own sound, and find your case below.
You can’t find the note positions on fretless
Put small dots with white correction fluid on the back of the neck, where your hand touches. Nobody else sees them; only you know they’re there.
You’re not sure by ear if you’re in tune
Check with PITCH in Standard Tools for Vocal. It shows in cents whether your note is above or below the target. It’s built for voice and reads from C2 (about 65 Hz) up, so use it on the D and G strings or higher up the neck.
vocal.thestandardgroove.com →It sounds sharp, not round
Roll the tone down to 10% and check the neck pickup is at 0. Jaco used only the back pickup and filled the lows with the amp’s bass.
The harmonics don’t ring
Don’t press: just let the finger touch the string. Exactly over the spot, and pluck firmly near the bridge. The newer the roundwounds, the better they ring.
The delay smears the sound
Make the delay shorter and quieter than the clean tone. If it still smears, turn it off. The body of Jaco’s tone is the clean tone.
The record is the answer. When your ears say “close,” that’s the right setting.
In all three: the bridge pickup and two fingers.
Prices: US retail, 2026-10-23.
If “Portrait of Tracy” is too hard, start here.
For Vol.03: Fretless and Free. Like Late-1970s Jazz Fusion.
Standard Letter
Don't miss the next Practice.
We'll let you know about the next update by newsletter.
Sources
- Steve Rosen — Portrait of Jaco (1978 interview: back pickup only, amp bass up, Rotosound, digital delay, two fingers)
- Clive Williamson — Jaco Pastorius interview (1978: studio direct, two Acoustic 360s)
- Guitar World — Jaco Pastorius 1983 interview (Poly-Poxy on the neck)
- Rick Suchow — Rebuilding the Bass of Doom (Kevin Kaufman)
- Mixdown — Rig Rundown: Jaco Pastorius
- Fender — Artist signature specs: Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass
- Fender — Bass strings 101 (flats wear fingerboards less than rounds)
- KCRW — Jaco Pastorius: great musician, sad end (meeting Joe Zawinul)
- Equipboard — MXR M-113 Digital Delay (one amp delayed, one clean)
- Andy Baxter Bass — 1960 Fender Stack Knob Jazz Bass, all original (£22,995, sold)
- M&M Guitar Bar — 1962 Fender Jazz Bass pre-CBS
- The Twelfth Fret — repair rates (De-Fret Bass, 2013 list)
- Wikipedia — Portrait of Tracy
- Fender — American Professional series (2026-10-13)
- Prices — Sweetwater, Fender US, Chicago Music Exchange, M&M Guitar Bar, The Music Emporium, The Music Zoo, Equipboard, 뮤직포스 (2026-10-23)