Almost Time to Order: Help Me Choose?

[Gyver]

The answer, always, is "P Bass."

 

[pcake]

It sounds like you want a Fender (a "true" Fender, not a Squier), and you want a P/J to have the option of dialing in some bridge burp.

If the headstock is important, and you're already considering the Player Precision and Jaguar at $700, I will second pcake and suggest you find a couple hundred extra and look at the Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ: https://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/fender-special-edition-deluxe-pj-bass/h96715000004000. They street for $900 and check all your boxes; a passive P-bass with additional tonal options, a quality build, a respectable badge on the headstock, and styling that won't get laughed off a country stage.

On the topic of Yamaha brand snobbery in Texas, I gigged a Yamaha TRB the other day in Arlington, and didn't hear a peep about playing a "student instrument", not from fans, not from other players. Yes, my TRB's a step above the BB series, but it's not even close to the $3000 MIJ lines you see showcased as examples of "professional" Yamahas used by the big names. In my experience, the gear you play is much less important to your bandmates and audience than how well you play it, and among your peers in the music biz, those who have been in the game for a while will have a pretty good handle on the quality of your gear, and quite separately on you as a player, and can sort the pros from the posers fairly quickly using a lot more variables than just the name on your headstock.

The current BB series are not quite my cup of tea aesthetically, but they are right in Yamaha's wheelhouse of putting a more modern spin on traditional design aesthetics, and as others have said, Yamaha hits well above its weight class in terms of value for dollar. You get a very well-made instrument with excellent attention paid to QC, that will do its job day after day, night after night as long as you own it. They may not pack as much into the feature list as some other brands at the pricepoint (*cough* Ibanez *cough*) but you can trust the instrument and everything they put on it, and what they give you at each pricepoint will be far more than you can expect from other well-known brands. Case in point, it is by far the least expensive instrument of the three you're looking at, has exactly the same feature set as the Jag Bass, and I'll just bet you the neck will be a lot more stable when set up than a Fender neck, especially the slimmer Jazz sticks they commonly put on P/Js, without being chunkier or harder to play.

isn't the linked bass in your post the one i posted about earlier in this thread or am i missing something.

again, it's my favorite p bass of all time.

ok gang here is one of my first replies. i hope i don't screw it up too badly. i think i can provide a little input on this one. i love j basses but really like the p bass sound. i do have a g&l LB100 and love it but not what the OP is into. i agree with all of the above regarding the yamaha basses. i have three ('90's rbx650, 2010 TRBX505, and a 2017 BBNE2 Nathan East 5 string) and they are incredible instruments that punch WAY above their weight. the RBX and TRBX have many gigs on them, have never let me down and sound great in virtually any setting. i am primarily in a rock/pop cover band. (i use a G&L JB for musical theater work and occasionally an ibanez fretless as well)
one bass you might want to think about is a fender aerodyne. I love mine. made in japan and has a fantastic P pickup with lightweight body and fast J neck. the stock bridge J pickup was a little thin so i replaced it with a Duncan hot stack and although it still doesn't have quite the output to match the stock P pickup it really sounds great. easy to play night after night as the basswood body is fairly light, looks cool, has the fender logo (although play what moves you, not what others think you should play) easy to get parts for, and reasonably priced.
good luck with your decision, have fun with your fathers day gift!

yeah, the aerodyne - good thought, that. very sexy look, great PJ tone. OP, i suggest you look closely at that one unless you have a yen for the P bass look. that very shiny black body with the subtle binding -

Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass - Black

after playing a few, the aerodyne became my dream bass for a while till a shoulder injury put paid to playing a full sized J.

 

[RickyRocknRoll]

Get a P bass and you will both live happily forever after. Seriously.

 

[Liko]

isn't the linked bass in your post the one i posted about earlier in this thread or am i missing something.

It is, you must have missed that I was seconding your suggestion.

 

[howardf]

Whichever way you go, I recently learned through TB that Sweetwater prices are negotiable. Call to place your order and haggle. Or just order online if you don't want to deal with that.

 

[pcake]

Whichever way you go, I recently learned through TB that Sweetwater prices are negotiable. Call to place your order and haggle. Or just order online if you don't want to deal with that.

i have never found that sweetwater prices are negotiable - after 3 reps, i only got them to budge on a single thing, and it was a return and it was a tiny amount, so small i bought it elsewhere new in manufacturer box for less.

sam ash gives deals if you contact them direct, and of course, MF and GC will give 15% off for holidays - call or talk via chat to get discounts on the items not included for the sales (fathers day sale is almost here), and will sometimes give discounts even off holiday if you call.

 

[Low Down Brown]

Whichever way you go, I recently learned through TB that Sweetwater prices are negotiable. Call to place your order and haggle. Or just order online if you don't want to deal with that.

For real. I haven't paid list price at Sweetwater in 10 years. I use the same rep every time and he takes care of me.

Oh, and +1 to the Yamahas. The BB734/735 are great basses and punch well above the price. Great pickups and electronics, IMO. Very versatile basses. I'm sure the 400 series is great too.

 

[cnltb]

Don't buy until you know what bass suits you(r needs) best.
Especially if it is a 'want' rather than a 'need' situation.

 

[Misterbasser]

Preface: I don't have a big box music store closer than three hours away, so playing all of these before I buy is just not going to happen.

What I want: A mostly P-bass sound. I don't mind having a little more tonal variety optionally. I've owned Fender and I like them, but read on. I want this to be a passive bass.

The Front Runners: Fender Player Series Precision Bass. It sounds like a P-bass, obviously. Drawback is it only sounds like a P-bass and I don't know if I'll fall in love with the neck
Fender Player Series Jaguar Bass. It can sound close to a P-bass (I mean, can it?) I have some tonal variety if or when I want it with the J-bass bridge pickup. I also played a Jazz extensively for years and know I like the necks. Drawback is it might not be quite as punchy as I might want it compared to a P-Bass.

Darkhorse: Yamaha BB434. It is a PJ setup. No idea how close I can get it to sound like an authentic P-bass. I would have some tonal variety. For the money, this bass has more ammentities for almost a third less money; string through, 2-way truss rod, D'Addario strings, and the neck sounds like something I'd like. Drawback is it's a Yamaha. Name on a headstock might matter to some possible gigs locally. People seem to think of Yamaha as a student instrument down here. Also, will it sound as punchy as a P-Bass or at least, close enough for me to be happy?

Also, if anyone has experience (I know a lot of folks do) with either Sweetwater and or Guitar Center, would you recommend one or both? Looking for a liberal return policy in case i am unhappy. Does Sweetwater's 55-point inspection really do what they claim it does? Checking each instrument twice, making sure it's in spec, checking everything for function (like the truss rod), etc?

I'll be ordering at the end of this week if I can get a deal below MAP pricing by calling in and asking. It is a Father's Day present after all! Thank you for your time. Please note I am not currently interested in G&L, Sterling MM, or other options, just the three listed. Thanks so much!

 

[Swampish]

My main basses are my Fender American Performer Precision (PJ) and Fender Aerodyne (also, PJ, but swapped original pups for EMG GZRs). Tone-wise, the Performer takes the prize for me, BUT and this is a big but (haha), the Aerodyne is a joy to play. So lightweight with a very fast neck, plus the GZRs give it a real edge and with both basses, the PJ combo gives you a fair amount of tonal versatility.

 

[Bass V]

for a classic and easily accessible P bass there's the awesome $100 Samick / Silvertone LB11

gotta shout out for my infriggincredible Epiphone Thunderbird IV I just got for $250
NBD - a kool Korean Epiphone Thunderbird IV

 

[Misterbasser]

Sweetwater is great. You can pick out your exact bass, which is important if is not a painted bass. My exact bass arrived with a perfect set up. Additionally they are the first people I go to when I need something. My rep usually calls just to make use everything went well.

 

[Swampish]

ok gang here is one of my first replies. i hope i don't screw it up too badly. i think i can provide a little input on this one. i love j basses but really like the p bass sound. i do have a g&l LB100 and love it but not what the OP is into. i agree with all of the above regarding the yamaha basses. i have three ('90's rbx650, 2010 TRBX505, and a 2017 BBNE2 Nathan East 5 string) and they are incredible instruments that punch WAY above their weight. the RBX and TRBX have many gigs on them, have never let me down and sound great in virtually any setting. i am primarily in a rock/pop cover band. (i use a G&L JB for musical theater work and occasionally an ibanez fretless as well)
one bass you might want to think about is a fender aerodyne. I love mine. made in japan and has a fantastic P pickup with lightweight body and fast J neck. the stock bridge J pickup was a little thin so i replaced it with a Duncan hot stack and although it still doesn't have quite the output to match the stock P pickup it really sounds great. easy to play night after night as the basswood body is fairly light, looks cool, has the fender logo (although play what moves you, not what others think you should play) easy to get parts for, and reasonably priced.
good luck with your decision, have fun with your fathers day gift!

100% agree! My Aerodyne is my #2 bass and the GZRs really give it a nice aggressive tone. Also, that weight can't be beat!

 

[lowendrachel]

Yamaha

 

[BB Brian]

I really appreciate all of the comments and suggestions thus far. I've narrowed it down to the three I listed in the OP pretty firmly. I really did appreciate the suggestion of that passive special edition deluxe P-bass from GC/MF because I didn't know it existed and it's pretty clearly something very similar to the basses I mentioned. That said, it's $200 more and aside from aesthetics it seems an awful lot like the Player Jaguar except for the high mass bridge, which is just a $55 upgrade. I was already considering that upgrade down the line on the Jaguar or Precision if I felt like it would benefit me. If there are other differences I am missing (tuners, electronics, etc.), please let me know!

Some people are talking about tone, where to sit in the mix and I should know what I am looking for. Thank you for the concerns. I know exactly how a P-bass sounds and exactly how a J-bass sounds. I have played both, and owned, recorded and toured with a Jazz bass. I know a PJ won't sound exactly like a Precision or exactly like a Jazz. I am hoping it can get pretty close to a Precision and asking opinions about that more than anything. I play all genres. I don't currently have a band. I know what tone I am shooting for and if I can get close to that and have the option of adding the bridge pickup for some tonal variation when or if it is needed/wanted, I'll be very happy.

 

[CallMeAl]

I know a PJ won't sound exactly like a Precision or exactly like a Jazz. I am hoping it can get pretty close to a Precision and asking opinions about that more than anything.

If you haven’t seen this thread it’s worth a look:
P vs P in PJ set --- Can You Tell Which Is Which?

In my mind, this busts the myth that having a J pickup in the circuit alters/corrupts the “pure P bass tone.” If you want that, just roll the J to 0 and be on your merry way. IME when I had the same strings on my P and PJ, I couldn’t tell the difference.

EDIT of course pickup placement is a factor. The Aerodyne for example has its P pickup slightly north of the traditional P bass “sweet spot,” which will have an effect. IDK if the Jag’s P falls in the sweet spot or not....

 

[BB Brian]

If you haven’t seen this thread it’s worth a look:
P vs P in PJ set --- Can You Tell Which Is Which?

In my mind, this busts the myth that having a J pickup in the circuit alters/corrupts the “pure P bass tone.” If you want that, just roll the J to 0 and be on your merry way. IME when I had the same strings on my P and PJ, I couldn’t tell the difference.

EDIT of course pickup placement is a factor. The Aerodyne for example has its P pickup slightly north of the traditional P bass “sweet spot,” which will have an effect. IDK if the Jag’s P falls in the sweet spot or not....

Thanks for that link. That is very helpful. As fr pickup placement, using the ultra scientific method of pulling up the basses on Sweetwater's sight and using a ruler to measure distance from the top of the bridge to the Precision pickup in the Precision and Jaguar, they are pretty darn close. I didn't measure from the neck. The Jaguar keeps looking better. I think that Tidepool would look sexy with a black pickguard...

 

[sonojono]

P bass P bass P BASS!!

 

[Relayer71]

Yamaha's BB series are nice basses, forget the name on the headstock.

I've used Sweetwater a few times and had good experiences. You can see the actual instrument you're buying if they have them in stock (multi angle pics), so you can choose the one you prefer (if dealing with figured tops and such), and they list the weight. They do an inspection before shipping. You can also have them plek and set up your instrument if you want.

And they ship pretty quickly.

 

[AndyPanda]

What I want: A mostly P-bass sound ....
Darkhorse: Yamaha BB434. It is a PJ setup. No idea how close I can get it to sound like an authentic P-bass.

I haven't had that specific model BB434 in my hands --- but I have a number of the older BB Yamaha basses ... both in PJ and P only form. When you solo the P pickup, the sound is very much vintage Fender P. Now mine are all older BB basses with alnico pole pieces. I don't know if the new models are still like that but from YouTube demos I've seen they seem to still have that classic sound.

As far as build quality and value for money, you can't beat a Yamaha BB - killer basses for reasonable prices.

Here's a terrific YouTube video where he compares the 424 to the 1024 and 2024. The 424 with classic style alnico pole pieces rather than blade is the sound I want from a P.