Fender Jazz or Precision bass: Which do you prefer and why?

[tothemax]

I picked up a new Fender Tele style "P" bass a year or so ago. It's a love hate relationship, it plays great, sounds great, but weighs a ton and is not a contour body. It has a great stage look, so it has become my gig bass. The model is no longer available, but I'm sure there are some used ones around. My recommendation is to play them first, through a similar amp that you will be using. Only you will know what fits you right, and that might take some time.

I've always loved the ZZ Top, Dusty look and this Tele was only available online so I took a chance. I usually like thin necks, but this one has a baseball bat and love it. It will stay in my collection, though I may order parts to build a similar bass with my own specs (lighter and contoured body).

Good luck on finding your next axe...

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/fender-standard-telecaster-precision-bass-limited-edition

 

[Standalone]

Mids are where it’s at, as a starting point. P. But I love the new Jazz Bass 6er I just came home with.

 

[Gorn]

Jazz body with a precision neck.

 

[retslock]

Passive Precision. Simplicity of function. The sound I want to hear. The body shape. No nonsense work horse. No need to go any further.

 

[Tim Schnautz]

Jazz body with a precision neck.

Donald 'Duck" Dunn always preferred them the other way around

 

[rickwebb]

I want to LOVE Precision Basses. I really do. As we all know, they are pretty much the Industry Standard, the Swiss Army Knife, etc.
But i can't get past the single pickup. The chunkier neck is not to my liking either. Having said that, a Jazz Bass with a P-Pickup in the front position would be ideal for me. Just my opinion.

 

[Frndmoretti]

I picked up a new Fender Tele style "P" bass a year or so ago. It's a love hate relationship, it plays great, sounds great, but weighs a ton and is not a contour body. It has a great stage look, so it has become my gig bass. The model is no longer available, but I'm sure there are some used ones around. My recommendation is to play them first, through a similar amp that you will be using. Only you will know what fits you right, and that might take some time.

I've always loved the ZZ Top, Dusty look and this Tele was only available online so I took a chance. I usually like thin necks, but this one has a baseball bat and love it. It will stay in my collection, though I may order parts to build a similar bass with my own specs (lighter and contoured body).

Good luck on finding your next axe...

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/fender-standard-telecaster-precision-bass-limited-edition

I play a Tagima bass with the same configuration.. It's a great cheap bass. I put EMG GZR pickups on it, though, because I had them around and they sound perfect to my ears. The original pickups were fine, though, and it's a great mod platform.

EDIT: The body is also contoured.

 

[JimmyM]

Most of my P's are PJ's, but I leave them on P most of the time. I prefer a J width neck, but I have two with J profiles and two with P profiles and I'm fine with both.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Super Jazz V active/passive & Pbass with TI Flats.
All I need . And I need both . But if one had to go it would be the Pbass.

 

[Vinny_G]

A choice is missing in the poll.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Having said that, a Jazz Bass with a P-Pickup in the front position would be ideal for me. Just my opinion.

Have you ever had the chance to sample a Fender Reggie Hamilton Jazz? Just my opinion, too, but I feel they really nailed it when it comes to placing a P-pup on a J-body.

 

[rickwebb]

Have you ever had the chance to sample a Fender Reggie Hamilton Jazz? Just my opinion, too, but I feel they really nailed it when it comes to placing a P-pup on a J-body.

I've only seen pix of the Reggie Hamilton Sig, sadly.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

... Which do you prefer, the Fender Jazz or Precision bass? ...

Neither and both: P with a maple bound and blocked J neck.

 

[Auspuff]

Neither and both: P with a maple bound and blocked J neck.

"P with a maple bound and blocked J neck."

 

[someguyfromNC]

I have to throw this little bit in too since I play other instruments. Gigged with a guitar for 20 years and played keyboard and drums off and on for around 5 years. When you are playing another instrument and the bassist has a pbass it always sounds right. Just adds this fatness to everything and has its own space. While a jazz bass is great it can a lot of times fight other instruments in the mix. The good players know how to eq and play around other instruments to get around this. Precision's on the other hand are somewhat idiot proof. It took me awhile to get it but I finally understood why a lot of band leaders and studios prefer p basses.

 

[dabbler]

I haven't read much of this thread, and while it's an interesting discussion, the question is about preferences, which are affected by individual people... and the music they play.

That said, I will probably always have one of both, but my preference is J. I put series/parallel mods on all of my passive Js, which makes them cover an awful lot of ground. And in addition the P's almost inability to clash with the rest of the band, my favorite P is a rosewood fretless that ALSO has a series/parallel mod on its split pup, in parallel mode it does a WONDERFUL acoustic approximation (and yes, I know that it doesn't have the bloom but ahhhh the TONE!).

 

[bobyoung53]

Why no "I like both" choice?

 

[WoodyJ]

I like them both equally, which one is the best depends on the song.

 

[Brassmonkey71]

J-bass wins any day. Ric 4003 is a fine complement, but the straight neck is a challenge for Fender (and Gibson) players. There's much talk about the horse-shoe pickup that finger-players need to ditch, but the real issue is the neck. Once you get used to it, the 4003 is the perfect companion to a J-bass.

 

[Rnr..........4]

Rickenbacker 4003 does what Jazz can do, but better... in my opinion. Fender Precision for me.

This is the right answer!