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Fender Jazz or Precision bass: Which do you prefer and why?
- Thread starter Dardas92
- Start date
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,614
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
I like growl. I also like the way the Jazz responds when played finger-style or slap, and how varied it can sound, especially when made active with a Sadowsky pedal.
It gets huge, and can be skanky.
It gets huge, and can be skanky.
I know it would be less in count but a J for me. But my only Fender branded J is in San Diego
I have 3 Jazz style basses, but my 1973 P bass has been played the most. The slim neck on the Jazz is nice, but the P ( fat neck ) helps to play cleaner. Performing - you have volume / tone, enough to worry about playing a serious gig. With that said, I was enjoying my Sire V7 today. I have a serious Love / Hate with that Bass !
You should look into a Fender Jaguar Bass. It's a PJ styled pup with a jazz neck. Unfortunately they only made an overseas version, no american model. The body style is also a jazz though not sure if that's a deal breaker for you
Believe it or not, I have a thread discussing my options and currently the Player Jag is top of my list!
You want to know something odd? I have a 2009 Fender American Deluxe Precision that I really like. It’s lightweight and comfortable and its Double-J bridge pickup sounds absolutely great—not quite like a Stingray, but very punchy and bubbly/burpy and terrific. I like it in combination with the P pickup, too but not if the blend is great than 50% in favor of the bridge pickup. However—and this is the kicker—the neck P pickup soloed does not get me that distinctive “P” tone. I wonder if the thing that keeps me from getting there is the presence of the active preamp.
So even though it's a P-Bass and I like it, it actually lacks the quintessential thing about a P-Bass most folks are looking for in a P.
So even though it's a P-Bass and I like it, it actually lacks the quintessential thing about a P-Bass most folks are looking for in a P.
Too many replies to read through tonight so I'll just belt this one out!
I prefer the Jazz body and neck as the foundation for all of my basses. Everything else that goes into it…pickups, electronics, hardware, etc…comes second. It matters little to me what customizations or modifications have turned it into a completely different animal (sonically speaking), I'm all about that slim neck and sexy, offset body shape.
I prefer the Jazz body and neck as the foundation for all of my basses. Everything else that goes into it…pickups, electronics, hardware, etc…comes second. It matters little to me what customizations or modifications have turned it into a completely different animal (sonically speaking), I'm all about that slim neck and sexy, offset body shape.
I'm a P bass guy at heart. My first bass was a late 80s Squier II P bass that had a thick neck with a gloss finish, maple fretboard, and small frets. That sound and feel became ingrained into my DNA.
I actually used to hate jazzes, but over the last couple years I've learned how to get some good tones out of them. Even though I voted P, my Geddy jazz is my number one.
I actually used to hate jazzes, but over the last couple years I've learned how to get some good tones out of them. Even though I voted P, my Geddy jazz is my number one.
Jazz basses sound better to me. Plus the fact that you can get comparable sounds out of a J by soloing the front pickup but definitely can not from a P. It’s just overall a more versatile instrument IMHO.
Hiya,
I chose "other" as for me, I only play Jazz necks and I tend to have more P or PJ pickup instruments than Jazz type. Also, I do have more "Leo designed instruments" than Fender brand ones.
Tom
I chose "other" as for me, I only play Jazz necks and I tend to have more P or PJ pickup instruments than Jazz type. Also, I do have more "Leo designed instruments" than Fender brand ones.
Tom
To me it doesn't matter. I like em both.
Both. My P is fretless and J fretted though, so they`re very different beasts. I`m in the beginning of the honeymoon with my first own J, but i still like to use it simple way, both pickups maxed and rest done with the tone knob. I`d freak out with a multi-pickup active knob forest.
With a Precision you just need to play couple of notes to feel in another dimension. The Jazz is an amazing musical tool.
Said that, I use P if I need to relax, to just close the eyes, strike a note, feel the sustain as much as I can and the shake of the body on my ribs.
I use the Jazz, to create, experiment, improvise, have a great time.
So, yeah...both are great.
Said that, I use P if I need to relax, to just close the eyes, strike a note, feel the sustain as much as I can and the shake of the body on my ribs.
I use the Jazz, to create, experiment, improvise, have a great time.
So, yeah...both are great.
Jazz. A P Bass is great for some people, but it's just not for me. I think Jazz is more versatile.
I have variants of both- a Sadowsky Metro PJ and an American Standard Jazz upgraded with Nordstrand pickups and an Audere preamp. Both get plenty of use, (as does my lighter SR 500) but the PJ with flats is more my sound and lighter. The Jazz is better for roundwounds (to me) and for the rare times I slap, and I prefer the thinner J neck.
