P Bass Pick Players!

[paf77]

I'm just curious to see where all of you P Bass players like to pick when you use a pick (if you do at all). I see people play most by the bridge and above the pickup closer to the neck. I like both sounds, but can't decide which is a more usable sound in a live setting. Playing by the bridge definitely seems to cut through better, but it seems to take away some of the bottom end. What do you guys think?

[idoru]

Do whatever the song calls for.

c-

[paf77]

Originally Posted by idoru

Do whatever the song calls for.

c-

Yeah for sure. Just curious what other people are doing though and what sounds they're liking. Also anyone that's tried the sansamp bass driver di with a P Bass, how do you like the tone? I wanna try one out to get some nice growl and grit for my tone.

[thirtypoint87]

+1 to idoru

This strikes me as question that's best answered in the practice room and on the gig rather than by a bunch of us opinionated fools <like me!> and our computers.

LOTS of P-Bass players play with a pick. You're allowed to do that; it helps add some definition to an instrument that can be a bit (relatively) murky. As for where on the string to pick? That answer is one you'll have to come up with yourself.

Good luck on the search!

[sweetwillyp]

Originally Posted by paf77

Yeah for sure. Just curious what other people are doing though and what sounds they're liking. Also anyone that's tried the sansamp bass driver di with a P Bass, how do you like the tone? I wanna try one out to get some nice growl and grit for my tone.

I use a Sansamp RBI with a Custom P-bass that has a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder...IMHO It sounds EXCELLENT.. I play in a Pop-Punk Tribute to ELVIS though so opinions on tone are like......

[paf77]

Originally Posted by sweetwillyp

I use a Sansamp RBI with a Custom P-bass that has a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder...IMHO It sounds EXCELLENT.. I play in a Pop-Punk Tribute to ELVIS though so opinions on tone are like......

Well as soon as I get some more money, I'm gonna pick one up. Seems like a P Bass plus a sansamp would just be awesome tone. For the most part everyone seems to love the tone they get with the sansamp.

[Joey3313]

For me it depends on the speed of a song. The faster, the closer to bridge I wind up playing as it gives me the definition for each note, whereas on slower songs I play closer to the neck to get that thick, full sound.


It still blows my mind how versatile Ps can be.

[paf77]

Originally Posted by Joey3313

For me it depends on the speed of a song. The faster, the closer to bridge I wind up playing as it gives me the definition for each note, whereas on slower songs I play closer to the neck to get that thick, full sound.


It still blows my mind how versatile Ps can be.

Thanks for the input! That sounds like a great way to get the right sounds for the right songs. And P's blow my mind too

[JimmyM]

i pick between the neck and pickup, except when i use strings that start with a .045..then i'm right up on the neck. anywhere else and my hand starts to cramp up. people think it's really muddy to pick there but it's really not, and plus you can un-muddy it with eq if it really bothers you. i find it better to end the night without having to stick my hand in an ice bucket than to play by the bridge.

[RestInPieces]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i pick between the neck and pickup, except when i use strings that start with a .045..then i'm right up on the neck. anywhere else and my hand starts to cramp up. people think it's really muddy to pick there but it's really not, and plus you can un-muddy it with eq if it really bothers you. i find it better to end the night without having to stick my hand in an ice bucket than to play by the bridge.

Pretty much same technique for me although I don't play with a pick so often. It's usually almost on the last fret. I just think it sounds the best there. When I started practising in that position it felt pretty awkward at first because the strings tend to flop more when played on the neck but I soon got the hang of it. And just like JimmyM said that it isn't muddy at all, I think that when you go over to the pickup or almost on the bridge there is just a huge twang when you play there and it just sounds plain stupid. When you play on the neck there is enough deepness in the sound + fret clank of course increases and it gives a good grind to the sound.
And I have always wondered how some players can pick while the side of their palm is on the bridge, there's a huge curve in their hand when they play.

[JulienJeff]

Originally Posted by Joey3313

For me it depends on the speed of a song. The faster, the closer to bridge I wind up playing as it gives me the definition for each note, whereas on slower songs I play closer to the neck to get that thick, full sound.


It still blows my mind how versatile Ps can be.

+ 1

[mccartneyman]

Anywhere between the neck and the bridge, depending on what sound you want.

[panazza]

Originally Posted by RestInPieces

And I have always wondered how some players can pick while the side of their palm is on the bridge, there's a huge curve in their hand when they play.

me too... how can they do that? my hand hurts!

anyway, when I had a P bass I liked the way it sounded picking halfway between bridge and pickup.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by panazza

me too... how can they do that? my hand hurts!

they can't. oh sure, they might be able to do it for a couple minutes at a time, but any more than that and most people's hands start cramping up. palm muting with a pick sounds cool, but it's a very bad thing to do to your hand.

[paf77]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

they can't. oh sure, they might be able to do it for a couple minutes at a time, but any more than that and most people's hands start cramping up. palm muting with a pick sounds cool, but it's a very bad thing to do to your hand.

Yeah it's definitely not easy on the hands, but playing by the bridge seems to fit some of my bands songs pretty well. I tend to rest my hand on the bridge area and after a song my hand doesn't feel too awesome. It's a good thing I only like that sound for one or two songs.

[thobbinghotrod]

I pick between the pickup and bridge, very close to the pickup.

[Chewiem]

i feel like Frankenstein with a pick, i am so not used to it, its like writing left handed, so i play at the bridge were the least movement is required, but i only really pick when my fingers are really raw or blistered, or if i am playing some like, protopunk.

[adamrobertt]

I use a pick. I play a P bass. The two aren't necessarily related, though...

If I want a more muted tone I palm mute. Why's that so weird?

[XtheDeadPawn]

I play a Yamaha RBX170 a PJ bass but, it seems to suck at emulating a true P bass tone it sounds hollow so I pick more towards the neck to give me a sort of MoTown bass sound that I can use for most rock style but, having played real P's I like the sound towards the sweetspot (Middle) myself.

[paf77]

Originally Posted by adamrobertt

I use a pick. I play a P bass. The two aren't necessarily related, though...

If I want a more muted tone I palm mute. Why's that so weird?

Haha that's not weird to palm mute. Palm muting can give a very cool sound for sure.