Don't know what it is. I keep selling every P bass that I have ever owned, but then I see a P bass that I just have to have. What's wrong with me?
I never really cared for them until I actually sat down and played one. I always had the thumpy, slow, thick-necked image of a P-Bass in my mind. I just bought my first one, a Highway 1, and I couldn't be happier.
I just got an SX P a few weeks ago. I'm in love. I totally dig the tone, even stock, and it plays great after some adjustment.
nope. Too many other good basses out there. I think it's kinda funny that there are these people that STILL think the P is the best bass around...what about Alembic, Warwick, Wal, Warrior, Pedulla, Curbow, Elrick, do I need to go on? There have been so many developments in the past 20 years or so. And don't tell me 30,000 recordings can't be wrong. Back in the day, the P bass was the ONLY choice...unless you wanted to play upright. To me it's like owning a VW Beetle and saying that it's the best car out there. sheez.
No need to get huffy. The P-Bass was what I was looking for in a bass. If you you want to have an Alembic with 90 knobs and three pickups, hey, go to town. I could care less. That's not what I would like to have, though. (For now, in any case. )
Im with Super Duck. Its not that anyone is saying its the best you can get. I have a P and a Stingray. I leave the P at my practice space because I use it for the band and I have the Ray at home for practice and I miss the P when its not there for me to play. Old and new designs both have their merits. Always comes back to the same thing, different people like different things.
Please, I didn't mean this to start an argument. I just find it interesting that when I have a P bass, I end up selling it. When I don't have a P bass, then I find myself wanting one. It isn't about what is the best bass. In fact, I would argue that there is no such thing as the best bass. Any bass is just a tool to express yourself musically. Whichever bass does that for you is great. It just amazes me this attachment that I have to P basses. I have some great basses sitting behind me, but I still have this craving for a P.
The simple fact is that the basses you mentioned are different, and not better. Just as flatwounds are different from roundwounds, fretless is different from fretless, active is different from passive, neck-thru is different from bolt-on. Which is "better" is nothing more than opinion. No reason to come in here and playa-hate, dOOd.
Yep. I got P fever, so I bought an SX P copy. Nice little bass, sounds just like a Fender. Had some issues with fretwork, but I fixed that. I don't play it as much as I thought that I would, but I take it out on an oldies gig once or twice a month.
I feel your pain. I have a beutifull Zon sonus but for some odd reason I long for a nice well used (but still in great condition) Precision.
Yes, believe it or not, I used to despise Fenders, but mostly for their use in the punk scene, that they were too mainstream, until I really sat down with a P-Bass, I first fell in love with a '77 P cause I dig vintage instruments, then I'm like hey, this guy's selling a P with EMG's and case for a hell of a deal, and I bought it, and fell in love with P's. Now I want a five string P-bass and a couple more fours, and a fretless, and a couple vintage, and a cowpoke, and a P-bass special...
Part of it is what music you play. The P bass is still the classic tone. For putting down a groove, it is wonderful (and nothing on it is wasted). But if you are soloing, use lots of effects and need the high end, the tone will limit you (there is a reason studio players bring more than one ax to sessions).
I had P-Fever in May of 2002, and I bought a MIM P off eBay (yeah yeah I know, not the best route...) but this bass ended up being my favorite fender that I had ever played. Even when my (ex)band was gigging last year, I chose my P-bass over my Fender Marcus Miller and my Modulus Quantum 6! Its the sound and feel, man! As for slow and thumpy, put a Bad Ass II on and you won't be saying that for long!
Well, not only can 30,00 Rock & Roll & Motown recordings not be wrong, but it still seems 9 out of 10 concerts I have gone to in the past year, it's still a P bass up on stage. There's nothing like a P bass cranked up, massaging your colon.
Imo the P is like the Smallblock Chevy. Been around since the 50's, simple and affordable, almost everyone has one, parts for them can be bought just about anywhere, and its still the standard that most are compared to. And me being the Chevy nut I am, its no wonder I own nothing but P Basses.
Shouldn't this read "1337"? Nah, I tell ya, I would love a P, tried a MIA in a gorgeous orange flamed top colour, sounded sweet...but the neck is not to my liking. So maybe a couple of basses down the line I might get hold on a nice P.
I played a P-bass for about 50 minutes today. It was a Squier, so I knew I wasn't going to get a better sound out of it, but it cut THE HELL through my rock band than my Jazz with the J-retro ever did! I'm going to be ordering a SX p-bass for christmas (or sooner ), and hopefully if I get any money left, drop a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder.
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