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Are P Basses really better than J Basses for studio recording?

Sean775

Sean775

Mar 19, 2015
469
141
New Jersey, USA
#1
I've read that before, and if so, I think I'm going to sell my Jazz and buy a Precision. I've been considering doing that for awhile now, and since most of my playing now is for my recordings, I want to make sure I have the best equipment options available.
 
#2
It's not true, just someone's opinion.
Wanna solve the issue AND get a new bass?
Try a P/J
upload_2017-10-17_22-27-16.jpeg
 
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#4
I've recorded with both, and can't say one is any better than the other.

Different yes, but better no.

I would say the p bass gets a good rep because it's a relitively easy bass to get a good sound from that most can find a place in a mix for.

On that note though, some of my best recorded sounds were produced with the five string jazz in my sig picture, so both are great to have at a recording session if you can bring them.
 
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#9
Yes, but neither is as good as a Stingray:hyper:
In all seriousness, it depends on the sound you are looking for. If you want a Jamerson sound, probably a P is best. If you want a Flea or Geddy sound, likely not. Same with anything. Is an overdriven Les Paul with a slide better than a clean Strat? Depends if you want to sound more like Duane Allman or Mark Knopfler. Is a Dodge Viper better than a Ford F-250 4x4? If most of your time is spent towing a horse trailer on country roads, probably not.
 
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#10
If you can afford just one bass, I'd get a jazz. It's more versatile in creating tones. The P also sounds great but it has a signature sound without as wide a pallet of possibilities of a J. This won't sound exactly like a P, but if you put a J neck pickup full on, put the bridge pickup about 75% on, boost the lower mids a touch, and play over the neck pickup ... it will be close.
 
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#11
Sean775 said:
I've read that before, and if so, I think I'm going to sell my Jazz and buy a Precision. I've been considering doing that for awhile now, and since most of my playing now is for my recordings, I want to make sure I have the best equipment options available.
Click to expand...

Why not rent or borrow a P and try it first before you commit?

While it's true that a P bass often does sound great and has been used on countless recordings across almost every conceivable genre since the inception of modern electrified music, there is no magic single answer that works in the studio 100% of the time. The best bass to use on any recording is the one that sounds best in that particular situation.
 
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#14
Sean775 said:
I've read that before, and if so, I think I'm going to sell my Jazz and buy a Precision. I've been considering doing that for awhile now, and since most of my playing now is for my recordings, I want to make sure I have the best equipment options available.
Click to expand...

For your own recordings, the P may be better. I don't think many people read that part.

Reason is that the P is a very easy bass to mix. The J is a little trickier. In terms of best equipment, they are both classics. I think the question to ask yourself is if you are having problems getting the tone you want with the J, or having issues mixing it. If not, then you are good with the J.

You are not giving us much to go on here, so I am not sure what the issue is. Can you give more detail?
 
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#15
I've got a friend who owns and operates his own local studio and has recorded/mixed/mastered tons of local bands albums. I get that he's not a big time professional, but he does some stellar work. I have recorded with both a passive Precision and an Active Deluxe Jazz with him. He actually prefers the Jazz over the P-bass. When he's recording someone with a bass that he just doesn't like the sound on, he'll call me and ask about my loaning the Jazz. Or increasingly often (shhhhh!), he'll ask me to come in and re-record the lines for someone else on the DL using said Jazz.
 
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#16
No. It just matters on the flavor you NEED for a particular song/style.

I've used both P and J basses in studio and live, and have experienced exactly that- a style might call for the J funk, while a more traditional rock bass line might scream out of the P thunder!

Then again, I've also used an old Aria SB down-tuned in a death/punk rock project- it creamed both the P and J for a particular song!

See what fits and go with it.
 

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