New bass or change the strings

[Jeff K]

My guess (as others have also said) is that the pickup height under the D & G strings isn't at the optimal height. My Classic '50s P is even across all the strings, and sounds killer with flats (wearing 3 or 4 year old Chromes now). I think these basses were made to wear flats...

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by slobake

Thanks Rob, I'll check that tonight. Are you guys sure you don't want me to buy a new bass?

Of course we want you to buy a new bass! This is TB!
Rule: You can never own too many basses!

On the other hand, strings are cheaper even though new basses are more fun!

[P. Aaron]

I had flats on my 2002 Precision for about 3 days...K Jung recommended DR Low Rider Nickels which I have been using for about 4 years now on my 2002, and my Precision V.

Love them. Nice tones all around and they old their life surprisingly long.

[SpectorDetector]

Originally Posted by GM60466

new strings rotos 66

+1

[petrus61]

I think some stainless flat sets can be fairly unbalanced, especially if the R and A are seeing more play. It may just be a case of those two strings breaking in before the others because you spend more tome on them. GHS Precision flats are my favorite Stainless flats but I find nickel to be more balanced string to string. Have you considered trying Thomastik Jazz Flats? Output and clarity are very even from top to bottom, meaning the tone will be more even. Worth every penny, IMO.

[unclejane]

Originally Posted by RobJ

Yes, the magnetic pull can be strong enough to interfere with the string's vibration and dampen it if the sting is too close to the pickup. While I'd heard of this I only ran into it on the used G&L L-1500 fretless I bought a few years back. The pups sounded super weak and it was only by accident after buying the bass that I tried lowering the pups and discovered the bass started to open up and actually sounded much better. I mentioned this to Mike Lull when I took it to him for a board levelling and he confirmed it does happen.

Agreed, my L2K is super susceptible to this since it has 2 of those MFD's in it. I use the bridge PU as a poor-man's ramp and, if I raise it too much it very quickly starts to sound horrible. The effect is a "chorus" like warble to the tone that makes it really hard to intonate.

My Carvin Bunnies have the same problem so I have to keep the PU's away from the strings as much as possible.

Meanwhile, there's nothing shocking at all about a vintage Fender that you can only hear one or two strings on, though, so it may be fixable or it may not (only the E string was ever audible on my '70s jazz bass). Instead, I'd suggest getting a new Fender before putting more than a red cent into the vintage one. If you want to gig with it, that is...

LS

[slobake]

Thanks everyone, didn't get a chance to check pickup height last night. Need to make the time to do this tonight. I play every Sunday in a small movie theater we convert to a church and then back to a movie theater. It is long and narrow with a lot of wood on the walls. When we got a sound guy who knew what he was doing he told me my tone was way too muddy. I use a GKMB115. People here suggested I turn the treble and bass completely down so I did that and put my amp in a stand. It really improved my overall tone but I am wondering if this is also affecting the tone on my D and G strings. Either way I am going to test out the pickup height and changing the strings and now check out my EQ as well.
I have also been drooling over this. I think it is too high for a used bass though. I can get a new one for almost the same price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Ameri...90755424783%26

[capncal]

Both. Try rounds on your P AND get a J!

[jlepre]

Originally Posted by petrus61

I think some stainless flat sets can be fairly unbalanced, especially if the R and A are seeing more play. It may just be a case of those two strings breaking in before the others because you spend more tome on them. GHS Precision flats are my favorite Stainless flats but I find nickel to be more balanced string to string. Have you considered trying Thomastik Jazz Flats? Output and clarity are very even from top to bottom, meaning the tone will be more even. Worth every penny, IMO.

[Codydwagner]

Maybe give Rotosound Solobass strings a shot, they are in between the full flat and round, they are really warm, but you don't lose the twang of flats.

[Fuzzbass]

P-bass with flats versus J-bass with rounds is classic "apple versus orange". You need to figure out why you prefer the tone of the J: is it the different pickups, the roundwound strings, or maybe both?

As mentioned, a set of strings is cheaper than a bass, so try new strings first. But also as mentioned, a P-bass won't duplicate the sound of J-bass even if the strings are identical.

Originally Posted by capncal

Both. Try rounds on your P AND get a J!

Heh. I'd leave flats on the P and add the J!

[petrus61]

Originally Posted by jlepre

iPhone mishap...E

[slobake]

I wanted to have an R string, would that come before the A string on a six string bass? I hear R strings are very resounding.

[Solarmist]

Originally Posted by slobake

Thanks for the recomendations, I'll check them out. Which one would you try first?

Try the XL's nickel rounds first; they're real cheap, and sound pretty good. If you want to go even brighter - then try the Prosteels. If the XL's are too bright for you - maybe try the Halfrounds which are a little less bright, but brighter than the flats.
In any case nickel rounds are a great place to start.

[slobake]

Saw this ad on Craigslist:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/msg/3549768556.html

This guy is probably walking distance from my house.
Would Fender 7150's be a good choice?
thanks,

[slobake]

Checked the pickup height it was 4/32 at the G string so I left it alone. Put the new stings up and it definitely bought the D and G stings to life. It's going to take some time to get used to the different tone and feel though. Get to rehearse on Friday with the band in our rental studio. Playing on Sunday. I'll give it a couple of weeks before I decide. Maybe getting the Jazz and putting the flats back on the Precision is the way to go. Or maybe some of the other strings people have suggested here.

[Figjam]

Another option is to add a jazz pickup in the bridge position on your bass. It would be cheaper than a whole new bass.

This sounds like an issue that can be changed with small tweakings. P basses do not have weak D and G strings.

[slobake]

Tried some Fender 7150's on my Precision I didn't like the tone or the feel that much. Put some D'addaro heavy half rounds and that did the trick, bought my whole bass back to life. I love these strings.

[slobake]

Great the new strings bowed my neck, not too bad just enough that I notice the difference anywhere past the 5th fret or so. On my 50's P I have to take off the neck to get at the truss rod. I'm playing on Wednesday, I think I'll wait to after then to work on it. This is my only bass.