What's the deal with all the P basses?

[elbeau]

For me it was by chance I started playin a p bass. I had a peavy fury 2 with active electronics that cut out all the time. I went to GC and bought a scratched and chipped squire p as a cheap replacement and fell in love. Since I've had a MIM P, 51 re issue Squire, American standard P that have all felt at home. I'm currently gathering parts for a frankenstein JP. P neck and pups, jazz body with the bridge pup left in. I like the look of a jazz but the feel and sound of a P. We'll see how it comes out.

[KeithKlaxwell]

Originally Posted by f64

1) Right now P's are necessary with young female singers doing 60's and 70's tunes. They were used back then and it's easy to repro the sound.

There are extra perks to bringing a P on these gigs including snacks (like a mom after her kid's weekend sporting event) and thank you cards.

[RaginRog]

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

I'm sure a lot has to do with my guitarists EQ too...

Good point. My Jazz fits very well, and gets close to P bass thump, but it is in part to the fact that both guitarists (in my band) play Fender 2x12 combos that don't have much low end. Rarely do the get in my eq range.

[chef wong]

I played a Precision a couple days ago after not handling one for some time. It was really uncomfortable. I wish Fender would come out with a Precision bass featuring a Jazz neck and additional J bridge pickup. I'd want it with just the two volumes..no tone knob. So many bassists have a desire for this. Why can't Fender U.S. do it, or have they already?

[BuffaloBass]

No, but many others have done it. Lots of P/J bases from Ibanez, etc floating around.

I sold mine and went back to a J, as a J thru 8X10 is still pretty nice! Having said that I am rigging my Valenti J5 as a P / J config.

Gosh flats are in vogue? Always thought a P strung with rounds and run thru a tube amp was the king of low end. Flats are too sticky for me anyhow.

Many grew up on songs that were picked Pbass. Think pop Am radio circa 1970.

[AuntieBeeb]

Originally Posted by chef wong

I played a Precision a couple days ago after not handling one for some time. It was really uncomfortable. I wish Fender would come out with a Precision bass featuring a Jazz neck and additional J bridge pickup. I'd want it with just the two volumes..no tone knob. So many bassists have a desire for this. Why can't Fender U.S. do it, or have they already?

You could always try a Schecter Model T - two Duncans in a P/J configuration and a much thinner neck. Slightly wider fingerboard though, and you still have the tone knob, but I'm sure that's not the end of the world.

[your idol]

Originally Posted by chef wong

I played a Precision a couple days ago after not handling one for some time. It was really uncomfortable. I wish Fender would come out with a Precision bass featuring a Jazz neck and additional J bridge pickup. I'd want it with just the two volumes..no tone knob. So many bassists have a desire for this. Why can't Fender U.S. do it, or have they already?

Plenty of P/J Pbass bodied with Jazz profile necks out there.. And i mean plenty since i played this exact combo of setup for years almost exclusively. The vol pot mod would be super simple.

[chef wong]

Blending the two pickups would be enough for any desired tone, I would think. Plus, it wouldn't change the look of the bass(except for the extra J pickup).

[georgestrings]

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

What kind of music do you play?

I find that in my rock band, a P sits better in the mix than a J. That's not to say that I don't love my J and gig it very regularly, but when I bring a P it's just perfect. My band mates all agree.

I'm sure a lot has to do with my guitarists EQ too...

With me, it depends on which band - in the 2 guitar rock/modern rock/metal band, my Jazz basses in series work better for me than my P bass does - in the 1 guitar band side project bands, the P bass seems to work better...


- georgestrings

[Din Of Win]

Originally Posted by chef wong

I played a Precision a couple days ago after not handling one for some time. It was really uncomfortable. I wish Fender would come out with a Precision bass featuring a Jazz neck and additional J bridge pickup. I'd want it with just the two volumes..no tone knob. So many bassists have a desire for this. Why can't Fender U.S. do it, or have they already?

You're pretty much describing a G&L SB-2.


I would die without a tone knob!

[AMJBASS]

Originally Posted by TimWatson

Because in a live mix the P rules.

In a studio mix as well. They just have a sound that slots perfectly in the mix with minimal tweaking. Its a sound that doesn't get in the way of other instruments, and fits perfectly with the kick drum.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by georgestrings

With me, it depends on which band - in the 2 guitar rock/modern rock/metal band, my Jazz basses in series work better for me than my P bass does - in the 1 guitar band side project bands, the P bass seems to work better...


- georgestrings

Interesting...my main band is a power trio.

[Herrick]

Originally Posted by IPA

I own 2 P-basses (plain ole MIM and sting) and I love them. The simplicity, the sound, the feel. Great basses.

Bought a Jazz a couple of weeks ago after wishing for one for a while, and I really don't care for it. It sounds like someone burping or dirbbling a basketball.

Ha ha! I've never heard someone describe a musical sound like that before. Good one

[Din Of Win]

Even if it's not a straight-up FENDER PRECISION BASS, i have always gravitated towards P-type basses...

If i look at my 5 most played basses over the years, it looks like this:

1. Fender P
2. Fender Musicmaster
3. Peavey T-20
4. Harmony P
5. Peavey T-45


It's just "that tone". Even if it's not the split coil, that pickup position just works so incredibly well for everything i have done (from punk bands to musical theater).

[nomeX]

I started out on a Harmony P-bass copy. I got a VM Jaguar P/J, and now I've got a fretless P/J, Yamaha 800AF. I keep wanting to throw a Mity Mite fretless neck on the Harmony, since the 15th fret has started buzzing. That thing weighs a ton, though. I prefer Jazz necks, maybe that's what's keeping me from going fretless on that Harmony.

[Stilettoprefer]

To the guys complaining about the necks, J necks are a direct fit on P basses

My P does everything I need it to, is light and looks good. And it has a J neck on it, so it's super comfortable.

[awilkie84]

Originally Posted by chef wong

I played a Precision a couple days ago after not handling one for some time. It was really uncomfortable. I wish Fender would come out with a Precision bass featuring a Jazz neck and additional J bridge pickup. I'd want it with just the two volumes..no tone knob. So many bassists have a desire for this. Why can't Fender U.S. do it, or have they already?

With all the "experience" you throw around with Fenders on this forum, how have you NOT played a P/J?? Fender's been making these for YEARS, both in MIM and MIA.

Also, the Split-P NEEDS a tone knob, or it becomes as muddy as a Gibson EB-0.

[Alex1984]

A P can be a bit bland on its own, but in the mix, there's nothing like it. I didn't fully appreciate it until after a year of experimenting with other basses. It fills in the voids and makes the song sound so much fuller, which in my mind is one of the main roles of the bass in a band.

Leo got it right the first time.

[awilkie84]

Originally Posted by Alex1984

A P can be a bit bland on its own, but in the mix, there's nothing like it. I didn't fully appreciate it until after a year of experimenting with other basses. It fills in the voids and makes the song sound so much fuller, which in my mind is one of the main roles of the bass in a band.

Leo got it right the first time.

2nd time. The hiss from a single coil P can be a bit much sometimes.

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by awilkie84

2nd time. The hiss from a single coil P can be a bit much sometimes.

But still, there's something very special about a single coil P. I play mine as much as the split.