Everyone wants a P Bass!

[BC8705]

I look at the P and J as two separate entities. I own a MIM P (I find MIM p basses better than MIM J basses) and a MIA Jazz bass and I couldn't imagine parting with either, it's a sort of yin and yang thing with me. Now to contradict I bit, I dont like mixing the two sounds by putting a jazz pickup on the bridge position on a precision or a precision neck on a J (like Tim Commerford). I did not look at some of these later pages but you really should ask when is their going to be a Renaissance with the "real" original single coil Precision bass?

 

[LowBSix]

I look at the P and J as two separate entities. I own a MIM P (I find MIM p basses better than MIM J basses) and a MIA Jazz bass and I couldn't imagine parting with either, it's a sort of yin and yang thing with me. Now to contradict I bit, I dont like mixing the two sounds by putting a jazz pickup on the bridge position on a precision or a precision neck on a J (like Tim Commerford). I did not look at some of these later pages but you really should ask when is their going to be a Renaissance with the "real" original single coil Precision bass?

That's kind of what this is about... There's an uprising in P's right now....

 

[BC8705]

Eh I'm not seeing a reason to believe the hype. Denton has always been about p-basses. Jazz basses are less common here in rock/indie groups but I'm just fine by that

I will say though that the reason I gig more with my Jazz bass is because of the neck and mine has an S-1 switch. I don't know why people didn't like them, buy one bass and in a sense you get two. Precisions with maple fretboards do create a fantastic presence though.

 

[MtManiac]

...they have always seemed a very simple instrument to me, not capable of the range of expression other basses have. Very playable and usable, yes, but versatile? Anyone else have thoughts about that?

I've never had any difficulty being versatile with a P bass. Wonder if all the upright bass players have that problem with their one upright bass? I suspect not.

 

[KsPiNeSh]

I most certainly do not

 

[JEDI BASS]

I got my first "real" P bass just a few weeks back. Been playing for 20 years, and never got a good one because I never liked the solo'd P sound or the wide neck width (at nut).

Strangely, my first bass (a Sears catalog order) had a P/J config. When I got a Peavey Foundation w/ Super Ferrites, the band said "Ah, we like the sound of the Sears better". I was young and stupid, I liked the skinnier neck of the Peavey so I never looked back. Got a brand new Rick in '92 for a whopping $775 w/ HSC. Went to 6ers shortly after that, moved down to 5ers a few years ago, and now I've recently bought a few 4 bangers. Haha, never thought I could do without the extra strings .

Anyways, my Lakland Skyline Dunn w/ Fralin pup has been the chosen bass by a fusion trio that I jam with. It's been A/Bed against some US Lakie non-Ps and it's what they like best.

Hmm, took me 20 years to learn the P bass lesson.

Here's what she'll look like once I get the headstock refinished and the new pickguard and cow catcher installed. I traded the original blocked n bound Dunn neck for a Glaub neck... I wasn't digging the look of the blocks.

 

[Rosebud]

I'm on the P bass bandwagon! Don't own one at the moment but SO regret selling my parts p bass with 70's neck. P is all I need.

 

[ExaltBass]

That's a BEAUT!

 

[Diogenes]

... It's like a girl with a nice fat ass....You catch everyone playing with one sometime.

Maybe not fat but certainly substantial and round.

I've never had any difficulty being versatile with a P bass. Wonder if all the upright bass players have that problem with their one upright bass? I suspect not.

VERY good point!! Invalid Link Removed

 

[ljazz]

I've never had any difficulty being versatile with a P bass. Wonder if all the upright bass players have that problem with their one upright bass? I suspect not.

Agreed. While there is not a wide range of tones available on a P, the tone it has works with darn near everything. You can't get much more versatile than that.

 

[JEDI BASS]

That's a BEAUT!

Thanks! Can't wait to get her finished.

 

[mongo2]

Very nice.

 

[bh2]

Yes... not bad at all for a copy.

 

[mongo2]

Yes... not bad at all for a copy.

Yep, anything but a FMIC P is just a copy.

 

[Aspidites]

Maybe not fat but certainly substantial and round.

I just lost my appetite.

 

[fenwickbacker]

My first bass was a CIJ Fender P. As I played more and got better - I needed a "better" bass (first GAS episode, we've all been there) as this "P" was "limited" - not enough knobs and gadgets!

So I "moved up" to a active jazz style 5-er - had enough of 9v batteries and then moved to Fender Jazzes (which I still have and play), and recently bought a Fender AV P - strung her w/ Labella flats and DAMN it's sweet!! I use that bass on 75% of my gigs, rest are the jazzes (mostly Geddy). 5-er is long gone, and no active basses.

I've seen it on here before - the P w/ flats may not sound great as a "solo" instrument - but it sits in a band mix better than any other bass I've had.

I love the simplicity - one p'up - volume knob - tone knob - DONE!

 

[wshines1892]

I've always hated having too many controls. Even moving up to two volumes and a tone knob is pushing it for me because I hate having too much to work with. The P bass gives me that one pickup in just the right position to where I can dramatically change its tone just by playing closer the the bridge or further up. I don't see how they aren't versatile. Its one of my favorite basses and has taught me to be more dynamic with the way I pluck a string in order to get a certain tone, and I go from a jazz group to a church worship group to a rock group. I think it catches a bad rap because a lot of the starter basses use the p bass design, but that's only because it is freaking hard to mess up a p bass. Even a 60 dollar pawn shop p I was playing once only really needed a new pickup and it sounded great.

 

[JEDI BASS]

Yes... not bad at all for a copy.

I won't take offense to that.

Yes, Dan Lakin, Roger Sadowsky, probably 90% of builders took Leo's designs too the next level, or copied them (depending on how you wanna word it). Heck, even Leo did it when he started G&L. He also felt that MM basses were a step up from his Fender designs.

Personally, I love Fenders, check out my Hot Rod Jazz owners thread. But, I DO prefer the Lakland necks and fretwork over all other builders.

 

[LowBSix]

I want a P5, 34" scale that sounds as good as my LAKLAND Skyline Bob Glaub with flats that I traded for a Fender P5.

I guess I'm a snob... I've been looking for a LULL P5, but they're all 35" scale and so is the LAKLAND Bob Glaub P5....

I'm praying that Brian Barrett at The Low End Bass Shop makes a P5 soon. I'd sell everything I own but the LEJ5, LEP5 and a Fretless that I have. LEJ5's have the most amazing sounding 34" 'B' string I've played or heard yet. His necks play and feel great.

Forgive the rant. I like 34" 5's and that's the way I'm gonna keep it.
Thank you.

 

[west*coast*bass]

I love, love, love my P-Bass...1970 and can go from thump to funk!