Fender P vs Fender PJ bass

hharda9791 · #1 01-20-2013, 09:05 AM

I have been taking bass lessons for 1 year. I just bought a squire j bass and started taken lessons.

I feel the bass sound I like is the fender p bass. I have been going to stores and playing both the MIM fender p and the MIM pj basses.

I would like to know what are peoples opinions on both.
How do you feel about buying it from craigslist.

Lastly I have held off from buying anything because the better I get the better my bass sound. Should I continue to wait and keep practicing?

Howard

davedblyoo · #2 01-20-2013, 09:11 AM

If you keep playing bass long enough, there's an excellent chance that you will find yourself with both a P-bass and a Jazz in your arsenal.

There's nothing wrong with buying an item off craigslist as long as you know what you're buying. Would recommend a local sale, though.

And you can never practice enough.

dbd1963 · #3 01-20-2013, 09:12 AM

Yeah, they are both killer instruments. Their tones are iconic and between them you've covered just about any situation.

My main axe now is something different, but I wouldn't hesitate to use either of these exclusively.

hharda9791 · #4 01-20-2013, 09:13 AM

Thanks.. When you say local sale. Do you mean a local store?

Mixnulty · #5 01-20-2013, 09:15 AM

I would recommend saving until you can afford an american made bass. may as well cut out the mim middle man. you can find good deals at used.guitarcenter.com. you can buy a good american made bass used for the price of a new mexican bass

VerryBerry · #6 01-20-2013, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hharda9791

Thanks.. When you say local sale. Do you mean a local store?

Local sale means buy it from a seller that lives within driving distance of you so that you can go see the instrument and check it out. You should visually inspect it and play it to see if the bass is worthy enough. I wouldn't recommend buying anything from Craigslist sight-unseen.

Check out the electronics. Check out the neck and fretwork. You could end up with a neck that has too much relief yet the truss rod is at its maximum, making the bass unplayable - stuff like that. If you don't have a good idea of what to look for, is it possible to have a more knowledgeable person accompany you?

snyderz · #7 01-20-2013, 09:37 AM

Many of us (not all) end up with a few (or a lot) of basses. That's just how it is. You will learn how to shop and buy with experience. I've had numerous Ps and Js, and have mostly settled on PJs.

Bassamatic · #8 01-20-2013, 10:00 AM

I agree - the P sound is wonderful and the most useful, overall, but there are times that you want a bit more aggressive sound, and that is what the Jazz is for. A pretty good compromise is a P/J. You can dial in a little more bite if you need it.

I have a couple of 80's Squier P Bass Specials - P/J with Jazz neck - and really like them. PLUS they are very inexpensive.

slick_tu · #9 01-20-2013, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hharda9791

...How do you feel about buying it from craigslist...

Don't forget the TB Classifieds. A good, safe place with bargains. I have P's and J's.

Dredmahawkus · #10 01-20-2013, 11:02 AM

I agree with mix....save till you can get an american. Its 100xs better! even a used american is only a couple hundred more then a new mexi. I live in MA where it goes from humid to dry in the winter...(like most states in the country!) and my mexi I bought in october the neck twisted like a pretzel! They are replacing the neck now. my MIA deluxe 2011 model is straight as can be! and feels 100xs better. I wouldnt buy a mexi again...It even feels cheap compared to the MIA....its worth the couple hundred more to find a good used one. I am pissed I wasted 600 on it!

bassplayer8953 · #11 01-20-2013, 11:11 AM

I'm going to go against the flow here, and state that although I've owned (and still own) MIA Fenders, the MIM's are no slouches, and offer great value compared with MIA. Biggest thing these days, going for MIA, is resale value, IMO.

I definitely prefer the different sounds/combinations of tones that can be produced by a PJ, as opposed to a standard P. PJ's are a bit different sounding than a standard J; you can dial in the standard P chunkiness, then roll on just enough J-snap to put a smile on your face...

ih8law · #12 01-20-2013, 01:00 PM

One thing to consider in buying a Fender P/J is that the nut width will be narrower than a regular P bass (it's the same 1.5" as a jazz bass). That is a huge plus in my opinion, and the reason I recently bought an MIM P/J. The quality is absolutely fine, in my opinion, and it sounds great. Also, the MIM Fender P/J has an active preamp, so it is not passive like most other Fender basses.

I made a short demo video if you want to hear what the MIM Fender P/J sounds like in comparison to a Fender Modern Player Jazz: http://youtu.be/SqIWHVx2N9Q

That Sustain · #13 01-20-2013, 01:17 PM

You'll probably get the best deal on Craigs. Definately buy a used U.S. Fender instead of a new MIM. Unfortunately, Fender U.S.A. won't give us a Standard Precision with a J neck. That's probably due to a patend of some sort, dunno.

A Fender Precision bass is a wonderful thing. It's even better with an added J pickup at the bridge. Hopefull your hands will get used to the fat neck.

Joe Louvar · #14 01-20-2013, 01:27 PM

I have Fender P, J, and PJ basses and they all feel and sound different from each other and I like all three. Buying from Craigslist is ok if you know what to look for (damage, hairline cracks, after market parts, etc). Anyway, I think you should wait and keep learning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hharda9791

I have been taking bass lessons for 1 year. I just bought a squire j bass and started taken lessons.

I feel the bass sound I like is the fender p bass. I have been going to stores and playing both the MIM fender p and the MIM pj basses.

I would like to know what are peoples opinions on both.
How do you feel about buying it from craigslist.

Lastly I have held off from buying anything because the better I get the better my bass sound. Should I continue to wait and keep practicing?

Howard

Bongolation · #15 01-20-2013, 09:42 PM

To answer the question, I have numerous examples and generally find P/Js unsatisfactory because of the bad compromises manufacturers usually make with the selection of the inherently dissimilar P and J pickups trying to make them less so, as well as the typically terrible V/V/T Syndrome P/Js have when rigged in that configuration that makes mixing and volume control so awful. P/Js should use real P and J pickups and have them switched, rather than mixed -- like the Fender Tony Franklin. Then the problems vanish.

I hate Craigslist. At least where I live, the sellers are almost uniformly stupid and dishonest -- hick grifters trying to sell some crappy gear with hidden problems for more than I can get it for brand new with some shopping.

Seriously.

hharda9791 · #16 01-21-2013, 07:32 AM

Thank you all. This site has been a wealth of information.

tdub0199 · #17 01-21-2013, 07:46 AM

one of my personal P/J favs. is a Schecter Model T.....

HuntYouDown · #18 01-23-2013, 08:12 AM

I say buy a used MIM P on CL, install a better P pickup for 70.00 and you have anice bass!

AdamR · #19 01-23-2013, 08:29 AM

I have 2 Fender P/Js. Bought them both here on Talk Bass.

bass_thefish · #20 01-23-2013, 08:34 AM

Don't be tempted by the low prices of the MIM the reason they're always available on CL is because people are always trying to get rid of them.

I'd say wait it out and check CL every day for a good price on an American. You could probably find a highway 1 p or j for under 500 bucks. They're better quality than anything mexican but still don't match up to american standard in my opinion.