John-Paul Jones Gear Deep Dive | Led Zeppelin & the Fender Jazz Bass

Some musicians really don’t need an introduction and for us, John-Paul Jones is one of those icons. He’s a true behemoth of 20th-century music, not only for having formed Led Zeppelin with Jimmy Page in 1968 but for his contribution to the world of 60Hz and above having started well before the world had clipped ears on Good Times Bad Times, the opening track from Led Zeppelin’s eponymous 1969 debut record.

John Paul Jones’ Career

At only twenty years old, J-PJ was arranging some of the best-known hits of the era, including Donovan’s Mellow Yellow, Jeff Beck’s Hi-Ho Silver Lining and a clutch of Yardbirds numbers. In the two years before founding Led Zeppelin, John-Paul Jones had arranged for or played with some of the biggest names in music as a vaunted session player, including Etta James, Burt Bacharach, and Tom Jones, to name just a few. 

John Paul Jones’ Bass Gear

The Basses

In the first half of his Zepp days, Jones was a Fender Jazz stalwart, using a 1962 Fender Jazz bass on nearly all the band’s tracks up to 1975 – six of their nine studio albums. This includes the vast majority of their biggest hits, Whole Lotta Love, Stairway To Heaven, and Immigrant Song. Jones can be seen playing his sunburst Jazz in the live music video below.

He has also been seen playing the likes of the Fender bass V, Telecaster bass, and the bass VI into the fold – the first of which he described as “the ugliest bass guitar in the world”.

Further down the line J-PJ went on to use Alembic basses, notably a Series II four-string. You might be able to pick that one up on Nobody’s Fault But Mine and Achilles Last Stand, in particular, both from Presence (1976).

If you’re hunting for that John-Paul Jones look and sound, you can’t go wrong with a pre-CBS Fender Jazz. Realistically, however, there are so many superb 60s reissue Jazz basses available – from the highly-regarded MIJ JB-62 Jazz bass to the custom shop releases. Here’s one we LOVE, that Candy Cola paintwork just shows the sublime, asymmetric body off to a tee.

(2012) FENDER AMERICAN STANDARD JAZZ BASS Serial Number US12274152 Year 2012 Colour Candy Cola Body Finish Gloss Body Wood Alder Neck Finish Satin Neck Wood Maple Fretboard Maple Frets 20 Scale Length 34’ Weight 9lbs/4kgs Electronics Passive Pickups Fender J

Facts and Links about the Fender Jazz Bass

1. The shape of the instrument is called the “Offset Waist Contour” by Fender.
2. Designed by Leo Fender and debuted in 1960 – see this guitar on Youtube
3. See how JPJ used the Fender Jazz Bass in the creation of Ramble On, with Rick Beato
4. Take a look at the ultimate sorcerer of bass, Jaco Pastorius, again with Rick Beato
5. And for those of you that want it deep and low, check out the five-string version

The Amps

From our research his amp rig followed in the footsteps of most bassists in the early 70s and toured with the legendary – Acoustic 360 bass amp. This is the signature sound used by a host of musicians – Jaco Pastorius, Bobby Vega, J-P J, and so many more – and pioneered bass amplification during the 1970s.

He moved to a Gallien-Krueger GMT 600B from 1975 onwards, perhaps in transition from the Fender Jazz to the Alembic. These days he uses a host of TC Electronic amp heads and cabs.

The Bass Lines

We could write a thesis on the many innovative compositions penned by Jones. His upbringing as a multi-instrumentalist and organ player clearly imbued him with a profound musical understanding that continued through into the heavy rock trappings of Led Zeppelin. 

Good Time, Bad Times

As a debut track you can’t really go wrong. It’s such a powerful track that drives throughout, with Jones developing several etudes over the course of the song and helping to elevate the overall track. 

We’ve highlighted the verse for a few reasons. One – it’s just awesome. Two – it’s the first major theme of the song and one of the first Led Zeppelin bass lines anyone would have heard. Have a play along to the provided notation below.

Ramble On

Another iconic track and a super creative bass line that serves as the song’s introduction. This folk-infused rocker draws lyrical inspiration from The Lord of the Rings trilogy and it’s really interesting to see how Jones has taken the concept and sought to emulate the feeling of a rambling journey through woodlands and trails.