Fender Neck Swap

[marchone]

I have a 60th Anniversary Precision Bass that is the most resonant bass I have when unplugged.

Through an amp, its pickups, hardware, build quality, tone, everything is top notch with a classic, deep P-bass sound.

I want to put a Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass neck on it.

What resonance and/or tonal effects can I expect?

Is it going to change the sound for the worse? Will it sound thinner?

 

[Gorn]

I think it’ll sound ever so slightly different but your expectations and what you read here will sway you one way or the other as far as how good you think it sounds relative to how it was.

 

[marchone]

It’s all right if the answer is subjective. I know that the question speaks of how important the neck vs body wood is to tone and that’s a can of worms I really don’t want to open. Still, a Jazz Bass neck has less mass than a Precision neck.

But if no one comes in here screaming “Don’t do it!” I’ll probably get it done.

 

[Lex P.]

Are they both maple/maple necks?

 

[marchone]

Are they both maple/maple necks?

Yes. But one has more mass and vice versa.

 

[Gustopher]

I am going to take a guess and say it "might" feel/sound different unplugged but once amplified you won't be able to tell a difference at all. This is based on nothing scientific and only by me playing my own basses after swapping things around.

 

[CallMeAl]

1) the best sounding bass is the one you’re most comfortable playing.

2) quick, easy and reversible.

I found hardly any tone difference in my P-to-J neck swaps. I say do it!

 

[Grinderman]

There's only one way to find out to be sure.

 

[marchone]

And like @CallMeAl said, it’s reversible.