Choosing a new bass - help?

[jchan75]

I currently play a Blacktop P-Bass (Mexican made with double humbuckers). I'm looking for a new bass as a backup or possibly as a main bass. The Blacktop is great but there are a few issues that I'm not comfortable with.
1. I like a "round" sound , so I usually play with the tone pot closed or just barely open. Sometimes this sounds a little dull, but opening the pot up too much makes the bass "bark" too much for my liking
2. My right hand technique is "heavy handed". I play fingerstyle and tend to really dig in.
Would a regular Precision bass be more suited to my preferred tone and playing style?
How would a maple neck affect the sound of the bass?
Are there any other considerations I should take into account when choosing a bass?

 

[Jim Carr]

The instrument (nice bass) you have is more like a Jazz bass, tonally, than a P-bass. Would you like a P-bass better? Only you can tell.
Get a P-bass and try it. You might consider moving to a somewhat heavier string gauge (but don't over do it).
You have not described your amp. Might it be part of the problem?

 

[jchan75]

I love the P-bass neck and I like the round sound with the tone all the way off.
Amps - Acoustic B200H and Sunn 1200S, depending on the size of the venue
cabs - Acoustic 4x10 and Crate 1x15
I don't really have access to a P-Bass to try, though I am considering driving a bit to try one.
I was just wondering about the tonal differences between the Jazz and P basses. I've also been considering a Deluxe P that has both pickups. I have an older Yamaha bass that has both, but it sounds really crappy compared to my fender.

 

[static0verdrive]

Based on how you describe the sound you like, you prefer a P over a J. Be warned though that playing a P with the tone knob down in a band will likely end up with you having a very hard time hearing yourself. That is my experience with a P with the tone knob UP for crying out loud! Even my jazzes with the tone down starts to get lost in the mix a bit.

Bedroom solo tone is very very different from band tone, just so you know. The J bass bridge pickup adds a lot of the bark you don't like, but it's what really helps you to be heard without having to crank up your amp (which makes your attack too loud compared to the rest of the band). Also, try turning up your tone knob and playing closer to the neck - over time you should be able to learn how to get tones you want with your hands instead of from tone knobs and EQ.

 

[armybass]

What kind of strings do you you use?

 

[static0verdrive]

To be clear: Precisions have a warmer tone, Jazzes have a brighter tone. I never used to like bright tone by myself, but once I was playing with others (especially if there's any distortion on the guitars or they're tuned lower) brighter = cutting through.

 

[darthplagis]

P basses move air like no others, and blend with a kick drum better than any other bass.

Jazz bass cannot do that. You blend with the snare more as its a more snappy toppy tone.

Musicman is in the middle but with a distinct punch unlike a P but in the same area (if hou know what i mean).

As for strings drop to 40's and you will learn a lighter touch, yet still have the attack you want (i did this a few years back)

 

[jchan75]

I only roll the tone off because the humbuckers in my Blacktop are so hot. When running through a P.A., I have to turn my d.i. level way down because of the output of my guitar. It's almost as hot as an active bass. I now use an MXR Kerry King EQ pedal for some headroom. My bass cuts through very well in all of the bands I play in. I pretty much run my eq flat with just a hair of extra highs. I use Rotosounds. I've tried other strings and Rotos are perfect for me. I'm definitely leaning toward a P-bass for punch and warmth, I am just unsure of how the tone pot colors the sound on P-basses. I know Jazz basses aren't for me at this point. I've played on many of them and the bottom just isn't warm enough for me.
As far as hand technique, I'm heavy handed - I've gotten better at controlling it and I'm able to get different sounds just by using a different attack. For example, one night I may play classic country and the next night, 80's music. With a change in technique and a 1/8th turn of my tone knob, I can achieve the 80's tone I need. In the end though, I like playing somewhat aggressively and I want a guitar that I can do that with without sounding too wiry or growly.

 

[placedesjardins]

I currently play a Blacktop P-Bass (Mexican made with double humbuckers). I'm looking for a new bass as a backup or possibly as a main bass. The Blacktop is great but there are a few issues that I'm not comfortable with.
1. I like a "round" sound , so I usually play with the tone pot closed or just barely open. Sometimes this sounds a little dull, but opening the pot up too much makes the bass "bark" too much for my liking
2. My right hand technique is "heavy handed". I play fingerstyle and tend to really dig in.
Would a regular Precision bass be more suited to my preferred tone and playing style?
How would a maple neck affect the sound of the bass?
Are there any other considerations I should take into account when choosing a bass?

Round sound? No one cares about your tone. Just kidding.
What is your budget?

 

[Joe Nerve]

If you're loving the round sound, I'd check out some Gibsons. There's a great Gibson thread happening currently that you could use for inspiration. I'd link to it but I'm on my phone and I'm celluarly challenged. It's the "why no Gibsons thread". Or something to that effect.

 

[Jim Carr]

P basses move air like no others, and blend with a kick drum better than any other bass. Jazz bass cannot do that. You blend with the snare more as its a more snappy toppy tone. Musicman is in the middle but with a distinct punch unlike a P but in the same area (if you know what i mean). As for strings drop to 40's and you will learn a lighter touch, yet still have the attack you want (i did this a few years back)

I think this is a little off the mark. The signature low-midrange of a P-bass has no more inherent "air moving" than any other instrument. The movement of air, i.e., sound you refer to is dependent on many variables, the most significant of which is the amplitude of the waveform in the air. In other words, a P-bass is not inherently "louder" than any other bass. Sorry.

 

[darthplagis]

I was speaking from my own experiece, my jag bass is a snare territory sitter while my sandberg and yamaha (both P+MM) are most definitely in the kick drum area, through the same amp same settings, all active/passive the P equipped basses move more air, maybe its the emphasis on certain frequencies because of the humbuckers though i have stacked vintage basslines in jag.... So it has to be the jazz style pickup that is the culprit.

 

[Jim Carr]

I was speaking from my own experiece, my jag bass is a snare territory sitter while my sandberg and yamaha (both P+MM) are most definitely in the kick drum area, through the same amp same settings, all active/passive the P equipped basses move more air, maybe its the emphasis on certain frequencies because of the humbuckers though i have stacked vintage basslines in jag.... So it has to be the jazz style pickup that is the culprit.

Are not these simply aesthetic opinions based on the tuning of the drums and your amp? I play a lot of different instruments. I have never considered instrumental timbre to be so fixed. Not only can you change the tone color by how you play (fingers), but your settings on the instrument and your amp have dramatic impact on the final waveform. However, I don't doubt you honestly hold your opinion. I just dispute what has formed them.

Instruments are not so fixed in character. I play upright, P-bass, Jazz bass, P/J, active modern soap-bar equipped, MM passive, and others. Beside those, I've owned a lot of instruments and played many borrowed ones during the last few decades. I urge you to open your mind to the idea that a given instrument is not somehow chained to an emphasis on a given frequency band, as you have described above.

 

[Antisyzygy]

I currently play a Blacktop P-Bass (Mexican made with double humbuckers). I'm looking for a new bass as a backup or possibly as a main bass. The Blacktop is great but there are a few issues that I'm not comfortable with.
1. I like a "round" sound , so I usually play with the tone pot closed or just barely open. Sometimes this sounds a little dull, but opening the pot up too much makes the bass "bark" too much for my liking
2. My right hand technique is "heavy handed". I play fingerstyle and tend to really dig in.
Would a regular Precision bass be more suited to my preferred tone and playing style?
How would a maple neck affect the sound of the bass?
Are there any other considerations I should take into account when choosing a bass?

As other's noted that blacktop is not going to be a real P sound. It's got two normal humbuckers (not split) in Jazz positions. I don't know if they're wired series or parallel but either way, I don't think it's going to sound like a P bass or a Jazz bass either.

P basses are known for having a nice thumpy, low-end sound. They can growl a bit if you play aggressively, or get punchier playing closer to the bridge. Jazz basses are know for the brighter, mid-scooped sound. They can growl, bark or snap and pop but they still have the low end (just missing some low mids). However, Jazz basses can also make some different sounds if you favor one or the other pickup, even rolling a bit off one makes a huge difference.

You didn't really describe which pickup you favor, or if it's both. The bridge pickup can add some bark. A lot of beginners on bass keep their volumes at 10 and don't try to play with the balance, or even favor one or the other pickup. Give it a shot if you haven't already.

I think everyone should own at least one P or PJ bass, but I'd suggest trying basses out and seeing which you like. You can still order the bass online, but it's nice to hear and feel a real version in person.

 

[placedesjardins]

My bass gets a really round (or low) sound from the neck humbucker, Yamaha BB series Billy Sheehan-ish signature model. The split-p pickups are more treble-ey and less round. The bass is discontinued. But there's a neck humbucker in the Gibson SG bass that, I'm guessing, can give a low or round sound too.

 

[Jughead6]

What happens if you play less aggressively? I happily play punk music with a relatively light hand and light strings, so I find it odd that you need to dig in so much playing country and 80's music.

 

[darthplagis]

Oh no, dont get me wrong... Im not rubber stamping them with EQ and technique there are obviously the myriad tones from every bass, just in my experience i have found it hard to get a jazz equipped bass to thump with the kick the same way a P equipped bass does almost be default (you dont need flats, mutes and the hook to cop that thump in most cases just play at the neck), and my P equipped basses always seem to have that low mid thump even when played at the bridge and obviously cannot get that honk from a jazz bridge pickup.

Its more the physical aspects of the instruments TBH, a strong bucker in "that" position on the string will give more grunt, where a skinny jazz pickup in "that" position will not have the same tone..... These aspects cannot be ignored otherwise we would not have millions of variations of P and J and MM, thunderbird, EB, variations of such pickups with piezo and stereo options.............
Pickup type, placment and body shape all contribute to the tone, just as much as technique and amp/eq. That cannot be argued..... or are we all just fools and jaco played wet noodles on a 2x4?
To say pickup types do not have a specific tonal emphasis is not correct.

 

[Rattfink]

I know what you mean about digging in to hard on a p bass, it can get clanky. Rather then rolling off your tone, have you considered using flats? If your still to punchy with flats I would consider a different bass. Try a Gibson or Epi T-Bird, if you try and Epi stick with the Classic Pro, it has the most Gibson sounding pickups. Tbirds are warm, and low without so much mid (I would say MM, Pbass, and jazz all have more mid tone then the TBird)

 

[sikamikanico]

id also say try flats... and/or, higher action - it allows for some different playing styles and reduces some harsh sounds (strings banging on frets)

it's possible you don't need a new bass, but i'd try a good P...

 

[Rmackner]

I'd start first with what kinda of amp this guy is using. Drop the treble up the bass on the amp and play lightly near the neck to loose all that "bark". I can get tons of different tones out of my stingray HH on the bridge pickup just by EQing the amp.