Another Precision Bass vs. Jazz Bass Question

[JakobT]

I honestly dont think a P neck is any harder to play than a J.

Just a little different.

Lately Ive been playing more PB than anything else, so maybe I'm biased.

Agreed. I actually like both.

 

[Nedmundo]

Since you want a Fender, try the Player's Plus Precision, which is an active/passive P/J. It doesn't have a 1.5" J nut width, but it does have a flatter 12" radius fretboard. I've developed a strong preference for flatter fretboards, which, for me, produce more effortless playing. So, if you're the same way, you might find a P neck with a flatter fretboard plays about as easily as a J neck.

Also, take seriously the recommendation to install a series/parallel switch on a J. When wired in series, the tone fattens up like a P-bass.

All that said, I don't think it makes much difference in most contexts, through most rigs, etc. I generally prefer J-basses, but I've used P and J basses almost interchangeably for many years. (My current "P bass" is a G&L SB-2, which is not exactly a typical P-bass--in part because it has a J neck. )

 

[fhm555]

I checked the Fender website before I posted and didn't see any current model Precision basses with a jazz width nut.

Which is why I mentioned it's a few years since I've looked at new basses.

Here's one like I had only a different color. These came with 1.5" nut width.
2010 Fender Deluxe P-Bass Special - Blizzard Pearl | Reverb

Or you can just buy any four bolt MIM or MIA Jazz neck and put it on any four bolt MIM or MIA P bass body.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I like the jazz width neck but don’t like the goofy jazz body shape. Plus “to me” jazz is cleaner but lacks that big low sound.

 

[micguy]

There are a buttload of models of P basses (made by Fender and others) that you can get with a J width neck. What I wish is that there were as many J basses that came with P width necks - those of us with long fingers actually play faster on a wider neck - to me, wide = fast.

If a P width neck isn't narrow enough for you, you'd really hate my 5's with 1 7/8" necks

 

[FRoss6788]

P width neck

I think you meant J width..

 

[micguy]

I think you meant J width..

Caught in time to correct - thanks

 

[Hounddog409]

I'm sure this question is often asked, but here's my dilemma. I'm a big guy, but I don't have long fingers. I am heading to the intermediate level. I LOVE the sound of the Fender pbass, but I like the jazz bass well enough. Playing the wider neck on the pbass is very challenging, and I lean to the playability of the jazz bass--I also like the look. I'm only interested in Fender basses, so what are my options? Can a jazz bass really work in a band or church setting? I often hear that the pbass is the way to go for almost all situations.

A jazz bass can be used in any situation. There are no genre limits on any bass.

There are nobs on your amp and bass. Turn them until it sounds good.

 

[rokcstar]

my take as someone who has similar jbass preferences. get the jazz and put flatwounds on it. adding a graphic eq will get you even closer.

 

[mr_musica]

It's not necessarily harder, but it is more fatiguing if gigging with it.
Felt like I was wrestling with the bass by the end of the night.

Check for instrument setup. I have a 4 string P that is really comfortable to play after gigging with any of my other two 5ers... Maybe a low action could let you go several hours before feeling fatigue, if you have enough headroom to not require excessive force plucking and fretting...

However, any J would fit great in church band setting quite similarly, just pan >= 80% into the neck pickup over the bridge pickup and you will get a quite decent round tone.

 

[Vanheusen77]

I love both of these bass sounds but the reality is that either sound would work equally well (for all kinds of music). Get the one that’s most fun to play for you!

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I'm sure this question is often asked, but here's my dilemma. I'm a big guy, but I don't have long fingers. I am heading to the intermediate level. I LOVE the sound of the Fender pbass, but I like the jazz bass well enough. Playing the wider neck on the pbass is very challenging, and I lean to the playability of the jazz bass--I also like the look. I'm only interested in Fender basses, so what are my options? Can a jazz bass really work in a band or church setting? I often hear that the pbass is the way to go for almost all situations.

Get a pbass with a jazz neck. If you have a pbass, put a jazz neck on it

 

[GIBrat51]

I'm sure this question is often asked, but here's my dilemma. I'm a big guy, but I don't have long fingers. I am heading to the intermediate level. I LOVE the sound of the Fender pbass, but I like the jazz bass well enough. Playing the wider neck on the pbass is very challenging, and I lean to the playability of the jazz bass--I also like the look. I'm only interested in Fender basses, so what are my options? Can a jazz bass really work in a band or church setting? I often hear that the pbass is the way to go for almost all situations.

Well, you could buy a used Fender P-Bass, and put a Jazz Bass neck on it - like many people have done. Or, you could do what I did, and find an older Fender P-Bass with the "A-option" neck. Which is basically a Jazz Bass neck with dot fretboard markers, and a "Precision Bass" decal on the headstock. I've owned mine for 35 years now; and no, you can't have it...

 

[kmon]

Can a jazz bass really work in a band or church setting?

A jazz bass can work in a band. I've seen it happen.

I saw bigfoot once too.

 

[Cleezmo]

OP, if you know you like a Jazz neck, stick with it. Lots of comments on here saying you can go back and forth, anyone can play a P neck, etc. And if that works for those posters, great. If you know what you like, no reason to switch to a wider neck...

The way I look at is this: Can I play a P neck? Of course I can, I've been playing for over 30 years, I can get around on anything. Am I more comfortable with, play cleaner on, be less fatigued after a gig, and in general like a J neck better? Yes, 100%. Just because I 'could' adapt to a P neck, with soooo many option out there, and knowing what I like, why would I compromise and do that?

 

[Baker69]

Going back to the OP’s original question of which is the better suitability for use in church, a P Bass or a Jazz Bass;

I own both a CIJ Fender P Bass and a Fender USA Professional Jazz Bass and I play them both in church.

Both of them work very well, however in my personal opinion the Jazz Bass works better for me and I feel it is more suited? With the Jazz I like the option of being able to favour the bridge pickup on certain songs so it is worth considering this. I do still play my P Bass in church on occasions but it is mainly the Jazz that I choose.

I have small hands and although the P Bass has a wider neck I don’t find it an issue at all, the Jazz definitely has a more comfortable neck, but it does also have a very nice satin finish over my P Bass’s lacquered neck.

 

[MDBass]

Both the PB and the JB can be used interchangeably in virtually any music setting. You can also easily install a JB neck on a PB body or vice versa if you prefer the the body and pickups of one but are more comfortable playing on the neck of the other model. It’s a fairly common modification that only requires a Phillips screwdriver and removing and reinstalling four screws to accomplish.

This is literally all that needs to be said

 

[Topkat13]

Practice more.

 

[2thAche]

My fave bass is a P body with PJ pickups and a Jazz neck. Get it how you want it, thats the nice thing about Fender Shaped Objects

 

[Mark Ambler]

A Jazz-style bass works just fine. I’ve never been asked to play something else besides it.

I have a Jazz-style and a Precision-style bass (both Mike Lulls, admittedly both have the same 18mm string spacing. Both 35”). I also have a Stingray Special 5H. All kinds of gigs and/or services.


I play the one that hits me on that particular occasion.

AFAIK The precision pickup on the Aerodyne is in a different place than a regular P bass, it doesn’t sound the same.