Best PJ for the money

[LetItGrowTone]

My first bass was the Ibanez TMB30 short scale PJ. With a lot more perspective now, I can tell you for sure that this is good, solid instrument.
The 34" scale TMB100 is probably comparable, and is about $250.

 

[trseal]

I’m looking for a P/J in the price range of "high quality but not won't break the bank". (In other words, no $5000 Warwicks.)
Here are the ones I’m considering. Curious to see if anybody has any opinions.
(Note - If you know of any others, let me know.)
All things equal, I prefer slim necks, passive electronics, and balance knob (instead of 2x volume).

ESP LTD Surveyor 1987

Yamaha BBP34

Lakland Skyline 44-64

Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision

Well, don't know what "breaks the bank" but Fender American Performer is great. I have one and, as much as love my more "specialized" basses, If I were to have to pare down to one, that would be the one I'd keep. I think the only box (yours) it doesn't check is the lack of a balance knob. It does have Fender's "grease bucket" tone knob which is not to everyone's liking. When you say "slim," do you mean like a modern Jazz bass or just NOT like a P bass. One of my favorite parts of the Am. Perf. is it does NOT have a typical P bass neck. It's what Fender calls "modern C" shape but it is significantly thinner (depth) than traditional P's. It's just 1/8" wider at the nut than a Jazz at 1.625". OEM pups are Yosemites which are good but I put a PV63 P pup and a PV62 J and the thing is a BEAST.

But you could also go budget by buying a MIM PJ or even a Squier and change the pups to your liking and still have a great ax.

Tim

 

[dabbler]

For straight up value this gets my vote:

Harley Benton Enhanced MP-4MN Natural

Electric Bass Style: PB, Ergonomically shaped body made of swamp ash, 6-Bolt Canadian Hard Rock Maple neck, Fingerboard: Maple, Fingerboard inlays: Black blocks, Neck Profile: Modern "C", 22 Medium Jumbo Blacksmith stainless steel frets, Black TUSQ...

www.thomannmusic.com

They are not light, however. Mine is a 5 string (on the right below)... even more value.

 

[fretlessbass]

A Reverend Decision—-I love mine!

 

[thisheregiraffe]

If you can find a used Godin Freeway 4, they’re great instruments that tend to be quite cheap.

I picked these two up a few weeks ago and I’m super happy with them:

A Godin Shifter Classic 4 is also a very solid PJ that you could probably find used for a fair price. I’ve had one a few years now. I like it a lot. But now that I have the above Freeway 4’s, I don’t like the Shifter quite as much as before.

New: Godin Passion Passion RG-4.

I also think you cannot go wrong with the Yamaha BBP34.

 

[chadhargis]

I voted for the BB. Of course, I'm a little biased....I spend my money on one.

 

[GR7G5TER]

I purchased a new Fender American Performer P with a satin neck. If you like passive basses, I can tell you this has become my #1.

Well, don't know what "breaks the bank" but Fender American Performer is great. I have one and, as much as love my more "specialized" basses, If I were to have to pare down to one, that would be the one I'd keep. I think the only box (yours) it doesn't check is the lack of a balance knob. It does have Fender's "grease bucket" tone knob which is not to everyone's liking. OEM pups are Yosemites which are good but I put a PV63 P pup and a PV62 J and the thing is a BEAST.



Tim

Agree with both. If prefer passive this a great bass and is my go to bass in nearly all situations.

I'm swapping out the pickups for some Fralins in the new year and rewiring it to VT 3 way rotary selector. (I need to buy another bass to drop the yosemites into!)

The Areodyn basses look very cool and play great are you can get great prices on the 2nd hand market.

 

[Fourstrfury]

Sire P7 hands down

 

[Clark Westfield]

Those are all nice bass guitars, but Yamaha BBs are always winners in bang-for-buck category.

Regardless of what BB series, the Yamaha is the clear winner here.

The BBP is the top series and is stunning. Flawless and perfect!

The cheap 200 series is stellar as well.

My main gigging bass is a 234 and I use it at dive bars with no trade in tone, feel or playability.

Phenomenal instruments.

 

[ClassicJazz]

I know that.

Your bass is what I'd recommend, far superior.

IIRC, in the 80's the Jazz Bass Special was never referred to as "The Boxer Series".

If you look at the old Fender Japan catalogs from the early to mid 80's they have the Boxer series. I forget which year but the Jazz Bass Special is in there. I do not believe it was called that at first then they changed to Jazz Bass Special. I actually had a real one, an 1984 fretless model.

The photo of the reissue and the real one.

 

[doctone]

Sorry folks... OP is considering a BBP and you are recommending Harley Bentons?

 

[Isaac_James]

If you can find one of the Fender Japan reissue of the Jazz Bass Special aka Boxer, awesome basses. High quality Japanese build, plus unlike most PJ these pickups are wired in series which gives you a fatter tone. You can find used ones on eBay and Reverb.

View attachment 7077939

I played one of these at a local shop a couple years ago and it was REALLY hard not to walk out of there with it. I didn't know about the series thing, but I've added that mod to one of my PJ basses and it sounds great.

I've also got a BB735 that I love playing, and had a chance to play a friend's P35 once when she brought it to a gig - that's an amazing instrument, I think I might recommend that over the Boxer bass but they're both great choices.

 

[moon-bass]

G&L SB-2. The USA models can be had (used) for great prices nowadays.

 

[Basta-bass]

Sire p7 in "bang for the bucks" is kind of unbeatable... 2nd gen Sadowsky metro express are also very likable.
And of course you can't go wrong with the yam BB .
There's plenty of great basses nowadays...
Wish I had access to that kind of gear when I started playing!!!

 

[ClassicJazz]

I played one of these at a local shop a couple years ago and it was REALLY hard not to walk out of there with it. I didn't know about the series thing, but I've added that mod to one of my PJ basses and it sounds great.

I've also got a BB735 that I love playing, and had a chance to play a friend's P35 once when she brought it to a gig - that's an amazing instrument, I think I might recommend that over the Boxer bass but they're both great choices.

I actually have another awesome sounding PJ bass which I use quite a bit. But a bit of a rare bird and not for everyone!

My 1979 Kramer DMZ 6000B

 

[jimkelly]

Also keep an eye out for a Fender Zone or Precision Lyte

 

[Isaac_James]

I actually have another awesome sounding PJ bass which I use quite a bit. But a bit of a rare bird and not for everyone!

My 1979 Kramer DMZ 6000B
View attachment 7078162

I had a bandmate/friend back in high school whose dad owned one of these. He let me borrow it for a band practice one day when I broke a string, that aluminum neck is crazy heavy! Talk about neck dive! But it did sound good, I'll give it that.

 

[sethlow3]

Other.
A P and a J each. Two distinctly different basses for good reason.

However, if you must do the P/J thing, I’d say an older Yamaha BB (fill in the blank).

 

[Gervais Cote]

I’m not a fan of PJ's in general but if ever I was, the Yamaha would be my choice hands down.

Extremely versatile, comfortable , robust, very high quality and trouble free for years.

OTHO, if you are a rocker more than anything else, a Spector with EMG pickups is worth a try.

 

[ClassicJazz]

I had a bandmate/friend back in high school whose dad owned one of these. He let me borrow it for a band practice one day when I broke a string, that aluminum neck is crazy heavy! Talk about neck dive! But it did sound good, I'll give it that.

They often get associated with being heavy and bad neck dive.
I actually have two Kramers, both are a tad heavy for a four string. They weight around the same as my ash body P-Bass and my 5 string Fodera.
As far as neck dive, no issues at all. Especially with the NeoTech straps I use. Sitting down without a strap, yea you get neck dive.

I had a Thunderbird type bass and an Epi SG type that were allot worse!