I've got a stingray and been asking myself the same thing. I think when I have the money I am going to get one, but tbh with the neck pickup on my 'ray I get pretty close.
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Do I need a Precision bass?
- Thread starter Larry Mal
- Start date
When you start asking yourself if you need a P-bass, that's the moment when you start to need one, because there's no other way to find out.
Ajapses
Gold Supporting Member
You've got to have at least one. Fun to play and fun to listen to. If you don't have any rhythm, it will magically infuse some into your body. Besides, if you don't get one, all your bass-bros out here will be wondering if your mama dropped you on your head when you were a little kid.
The 50's has the single coil and the 60's and 70's have the classic split coil, but if you like the idea of the jazz pickup, the VM PJ is really outstanding.
Now, I know I want one. They're nice basses and all. I'm just wondering if I'd have any real sonic territory that was new if I bought one.
Here's what I have these days, a nice Stingray Classic:
And I know that doesn't sound like a P Bass. I guess I'd want to know if the necks felt a lot different, I've played P Basses and don't remember. I always thought the Stingray had a wide neck at the nut, but I look at specs online and Fender and MusicMan are saying the P Bass is quite a bit thicker there. Is that really right?
But anyway, I also have these nice G&Ls, a JB, so I've got my Jazz Bass covered. But what I wonder is about the L1000. If there's any instrument I have that I think would cover the P Bass action it's this one. And I've had it for 20 years, I love it, it'll be with me when I die.
But what do you think? Would buying a Precision Bass really open any new doors for me, whether sonically, or in terms of playability? Or am I just spending money to be spending money.
I was at a similar point not long ago. I'm mostly a Stingray player, and then Jazz. I have others, but that's 95% of my playing time.
However I started developing an itch for a Precision, and I kept finding beautiful funky bass lines on Precisions...
I ended up buying a Classic 50s series Precision, in fiesta red. The neck is perhaps a tiny bit wider than the Stingray, but it feels very familiar, and I love it. It feels great and sounds hmmm... delicious.
Since I got it, ALL my gigs have been with the Precision.
It will not substitute the others, I love the Jazz and the Stingray, but this one has a very interesting flavour too that I can't believe I was not using until now.
the bass I have owned and played the longest? yep it's a P. a MIA E-series 1984 that I have owned since 1989. All original sounds amazing. love my other basses and routinely swap out who is my primary but ever not have my P? no that's just wrong
D
That's the beauty of a good P - they are fine just stock.
The Squier CV50 is the old single coil bass. A different animal from the standard Precision with a split coil humbucker.
The CV60 is a fantastic bass. The neck is slimmer than most too, wide, but shallow. Really good bass.
I had one briefly.
I prefer the Fender Classic 50, which despite the name and the Squier CV50, is a standard split coil bass. Maple fingerboard (which I prefer, and Squier, sadly, did not offer at the time), slightly bigger but very comfy neck, and it just feels and sounds better to me. But the Squier is really good anyway.
The VM is nowhere near as nice.
When all of time stops and the cosmic alignment is fulfilled, the celestial voices will keep one bass intact: the P. As it was in the beginning, so it shall be in the end.
D
I agree with the above. I would recomend you A/B your L-1000 with a precision. The L-1000 gets very close to a P, but gives you a few more options. I would also recomend trying a few sets of different strings
devnulljp
Supporting Member
Quite interesting to see this thread: I'm exactly in the same place as the OP. I don't need another bass, but I want a P. I've got all my needs covered with my upright and my L-2500 (which, I think, can get fairly close to a P tone on the neck PU), but lately I've been GASing for a passive 4-string P-type. I'm really fighting the urge to run down to my local store and take an LB-100 for a test drive. My L-2500 has been my only electric bass for the last 15 years, so maybe I'm just curious to try something else and add another bass to the stable.
I think what I'll end up doing is rent a Fender P and live with it for a week or two, take it to a few rehearsals and/or gigs and see if I like it. If I do, there's a LB-100 in my future.
I think what I'll end up doing is rent a Fender P and live with it for a week or two, take it to a few rehearsals and/or gigs and see if I like it. If I do, there's a LB-100 in my future.
Everyone has covered this in the previous posts, but smart aleck me says, "Why of course you need a P. Boost the economy and get another bass!" I have a Lull with a jazz neck and 1.5 nut. Love IT! Not my primary 4, but is now solidly part of the fleet. It is great fun taking it out for a cruise. Did I mention the Fender flats that are the cats meow on it?
I added a Matt Freeman Squier P with flats (chromes) just to have a "P with flats" in my stable, and right now, it is getting the most play time with my current band. More than my Ric (which i love and will never part with) as the P just "fits" better with this band.
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
You don't need one. I suggest you buy a new Am Std P and if you don't feel like you need it, send it to me. Happy to help out.
mark beem
Wait, how does this song start again??
I couldn't hold back... Picked up one of these today..
Fender AVI '63 Precision in Sonic Blue.
Fender AVI '63 Precision in Sonic Blue.
