A question for the bassists (means you, Heket) :laughing:
What made you choose the precision bass over the jazz?
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A question for the bassists (means you, Heket) :laughing:
What made you choose the precision bass over the jazz?
I have the best of both, Sergio... A P/J bass!!!
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h1...EDB7696858.jpg
It's not a Fender unfortunately, but a FSO (Fender Shaped Object). A 1988 Aria Pro II P/J Bass.
Nice bass Alex!
I chose the P-bass because I wanted the P-bass tone. That's pretty much all there is to it. The P-bass has a very specific tone that no other bass can replicate, but it will always have that tone so lacks versatility somewhat. It's still one of the most classic bass sounds you will hear and is always identifiable. There is no "one better than the other" thing with the P and the J, they're just 2 different animals. Most bassists you talk to will tell you you'll need both, along with a Musicman Stingray.
Check out this video - classic P-bass tone by the bucket.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgzD3vcrExE
I am not much to say I am ONLY a Jazz Guy - or P guy
I likes me a good instrument. I think lately, a Roadworn Jazz and a Yamaha BB2000 are my go-to's.
Versatiliy of a Jazz or P-J is great. I have gotten to play so many high end instruments - and well setup ones, I have a clue what should be what. I like a nice setup, med/low or Med hi depending on the instrument.
I have a P Bass with a thin J neck, a P deluxe, a Roger Waters P with WIDE neck and a knockoff PJ. I have a Jag a couple of Jazz'z and a P Junior too.
I think I would narrow it down to the Road worn J if I could keep one, and the BB2000 if I could keep two.
I know - that is blasphemy to a purist - but I never claimed to be pure.
I had a chance to play with Bob Margolin, David Bromberg, Chris Duarte, Mike Zito, Victor Wainwright - Bryan Lee , Moreland and Arbuckle, and a few other nice folks - and luckily - none complained about the instrument I used. Whew! Now about me and my playing ...... a different story!
In all seriousness - I think peoples get too caught up in this sometimes. you have to play what talks to you, what moves you, and brings the soul of what you are playing out of you! I mean........ Its in you and its got to come out! Let that child Boogie-Woogie!
I mean - thats just my feeling on it.......
ymmv
I prefer a P myself, not to say I don't like J or other basses. What drew me to it IS its simplicity. 4 strings, two knobs, one pickup, and one asshole standing behind it... :D Maybe I'm too stuck in my ways, but for what I do, a P bass and an Ampeg are "it" for me. I can get most all the tones I want from that setup. Don't have to fiddle much with knobs or settings. I vary where I play, left and right hand, to change my tone. If I need "grind" or "that" tone, I use a pick. Don't let anyone tell you you aren't a "real" bass player if you use one! If that were true then I guess John Paul Jones and Sir Paul McCartney better just pack it in...
I do like a J neck on my P bass tho, I got little girl hands and the P neck doesn't feel as comfy to me. With that said, most important is to find a bass that speaks to you. My #1 has a Squire body, go figure! But it sounds and plays great, so who cares? No one in the audience, or the band for that matter, has ever complained. In fact, it's quite the opposite, I get asked why I didn't bring the blue one! LOL If they only knew how much of a Frankenstein that bastard bass actually is!
As a guitarist who plays only a little bit of bass, I bought an MIM Jazz Bass back in 1999. I knew I wanted the sound of a Jazz and bought the best playing and sounding MIM Std the store had.
I Put flatwound strings on it and it's been a great bass though it could use better pickups.
A few years back, when I bought my MIA Jazz Bass, I was really torn between which to get.
I love the Jazz Bass, but I also want a Precision, so one of these days.
I wanted a bass for when buddies dropped by and we decided to jam a bit. While I like both the Precision and Jazz Basses, I opted for a J-bass to provide more sonic versatility and easier fretting due to its slimmer neck. So I put this '66 clone together, based on a MIM Standard in Lake Placid Blue......
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...BlueBass01.jpg
A bound-and-blocked rosewood neck from Allparts replaced the stock furniture and repro Fender/Schaller paddle tuners keep the Rotosound strings in pitch. Pickups are Fender's CS 62's with the standard J-Bass wiring configuration. Chrome covers provide a vintage vibe.
I picked up the 1988 Aria Pro 2 pictured above (Post #2) for AUD $150. It didn't really work - The pots were scratchy, the wiring was like a can of worms, the active circuit was fried... So I ripped the guts out and wired it passively like a normal guitar and added a kill switch where there was a spare toggle, and it sings now... Not bad for $150 and change???
Roger - I LOVE that thing!!!
Oooh, I didn't realise how nice a bound neck with blocks could look on a Fender bass. I love the pickup/bridge covers too. Actually I pretty much just love that bass. I prefer transparent colours myself, but I definitely wouldn't say no to that one.
The P-bass neck on my American Special is a little wider than on my SUB Ray but it's not really affected my playing, although I don't generally play at the dusty end. I didn't like the Classic Vibe Squiers or any of the other more classic spec ones, they were too wide. My hands aren't huge and I have arthritis to boot. I hear a lot of people love the necks on the American Specials.
I re-read my post - didn't like how it sounds.....not how I meant it at all. Just meant that you should be able ot play just about anything and still sound pretty good, coax good sound out ........
good thing it wasn't an active vs passive thread!
I dunno, Kenny......
I've heard your playing, remember? I suspect you'd sound great playing a cigar-box bass with rubber-band strings through a Behringer micro-sized pocket amp.
Ultimately, it's all about proficiency and skill -- and you got plenty, sir.
:salud:
I prefer the body and electronics of a Jazz.
But... I can't play those thin necks. My hands cramp up in about 5 minutes of playing.
I like the P-bass neck.
Problem is, I can't find what I want from any manufacturer short of going full custom. Plenty of P-bass bodies with J-necks, but not the other way around.
So I had to build my own - bought the jazz body and precision neck, finished and assembled myself.
I may soon vacate my position as rhythm guitarist in our band and scoot over to the bass. I'll be spending a lot of time with the Jazz Bass.
I "fretted" over not having a P bass, but damn the Jazz is such a versatile instrument, and I can almost, almost get the P thump that I like so much.
Oh hell, I love them both so much.
Jazz bass owner here.....but have owned "P"'s over the years....either one is an excellent boom maker....I just like the "feel" of the Jazz better.
Squire P
http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4dac6809.jpg
Peavey "p" style
http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4e8300de.jpg
The THUNDERBIRD OF DEATH and the MIM Jazz
http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...ps730bf554.jpg
And the HORNY bastard---Jack
http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...psc508e9a2.jpg
Get a bass they are FOOKIN awesome! ;)
Love the thump of the P and the fat neck.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...psfbehoouz.jpg
I love Jazzz bass. It touches my heart more
I think a good bass is a good bass.
My only two basses over the years were a 99 Hot Rod P and a 00 MIM Jazz that I modded pretty heavily with active EMGs and a BA bridge. But when the time came to sell one off I let go of the P, mostly because the buyer was NUTS for Sunset Orange.
I prefer the feel of the Jazz neck though, and the replacement bridge really helped its playability and resonance. Only thing left to do is replace those EMGs (suggestions?) and pick up a short scale Gibson at some point.
Depends on your budget, I'm guessing you want to go more "traditional" tone wise? Fender, Fralin, Duncan all make good pickups at reasonable prices. You can probably get a used set for a good price. Should be able to get a set for around $100.
You can go up from there too, Nordstrand, DeLano, stuff like that will set you back more.
I've had great results from the Duncan Antiquity line, they're consistently good across the models. They don't get mentioned much on the forums anymore, but they're great pickups! They do cost some $ though, so I'd definitely be on the lookout for a used set.
Hi Chuck, yeah, I wanna go back to passive for whatever a couple hundred or so can get me. Was thinking the custom 62s but I've also had recommendations for Basslines Quarters. I miss the basic P sound, to the extent the Hotrod could get it, so anything that can warm up and bloom a poplar Jazz would be welcome.
Quarter Pounders are very aggressive and "in your face", I would not put them in something that needs some "sag". Honestly, try the Custom 62's. I've played a couple CS J's, and I think that's what's in them. Sounded really good to me. Or, you can always call a custom winder and tell them what you need.
Gardgarshadangitall, this thread is skyrocketing my desire to get a P bass. There's just nothing like that thud.
I borrowed one once for a recording session at MTSU, a late 70s model, and CBS or not, it was sweet.
Now I've been listening to recordings of known P bassists. I'm pretty obsessed.
I've been eyeing the P for the last 4 years, ever since I made the choice to get a Jazz Bass. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my JB, but I love P basses equally.