Help me choose my first P-Bass!

[Lowendchamp]

I started on the Yamaha version of a P bass back in ‘93 and it was an awesome first bass but didn’t have the “Fender” sound associated with a P bass. Fast forward to 2020 and I now own four and a Jazz. I appreciate the various manufacturers for their craft, but if it is the sound and feel you are after I would say get a MIM Player P bass and spend the rest of your budget on something more high end so you get the best of both worlds. If it were me I would get the MIM and then get a Lakland.

 

[Dbassmon]

As an owner of 6 or so Pbasses, I will tell you that $3000 gets you some things; like really top-of-the-line hardware or a 70's vintage instrument, or a USA-made Precision with a cool top.

As has been pointed out, you do not have to spend big bucks to get a great Pbass. Currently, my favorite Pbass is Mexican Player $700ish. It sounds like a Pbass. The modern C neck is way more comfortable for my hands than chunky necks on my 70's Fender USA basses, and it also sounds better.

You could spend $4300 on a Fodera P bass but in a rhythm section, you very well may not be able to distinguish it from a Player P, or an American Professional, or a G&L or Lakland...etc.

 

[pbass2]

I would also add, seriously consider going used and look for a MIJ Fender. There's one in the classifieds right now (no affiliation). They are usually great basses, often better than their US counterparts.

 

[REV]

A P bass is about sound and feel. You've been playing a long time and you probably have an idea about the neck width and profile that you like. Start there. Fender P basses typically have three basic widths "A" "B" and "C". The A width is like a jazz bass 1.5 ". The B width is 1.625" and C is (I believe) 1.75". The neck shapes are basically a "C" shape or a "U" shape. the U shape is a little thinner front to back and flatter in the back. The C shape is a rounder profile. Go out and play a bunch of P basses to get a better idea of what this means. I think G&L offer some additional profiles as well. Another aspect of necks is the fingerboard edge. A well used bass may have a rounder fingerboard edge that may be more comfortable. Newer basses don't tend to have this although some Fender's do. Another consideration is weight. If you like lighter basses you may have to search awhile (or you might get lucky). I think that the way a bass sounds unplugged is really important. Some P basses are bright and spanky and some are dull and thuddy. It all depends on what you want. Everybody is looking for"THE ONE". Some find it right away some spend years looking and some never do. The search is half the fun. If you have the skills to build one you may be part of the way there but it's still a crap shoot. There are so many pickup choices out there that it's a whole separate subject. You really need to know what it is you want from you bass before you go down that rabbit hole. If color is really important to you it may be a factor in your decision making process but (to me) you don't play the paint. 3K could potentially buy you a lot of bass but there are many options out there for a lot less money that may get you right where you want to be. The beauty of a P bass is it's simplicity but it's not always easy. I wish you luck. Enjoy the ride.
P.S. I have a good friend who plays a MIJ P bass copy that he bought for something like $200. He gets a great sound out of it and the only thing he has done to it was change the pickups to Seymore Duncans. He has played this bass for something like 30 years and he plays consistently most every week.

 

[pbass2]

As an owner of 6 or so Pbasses, I will tell you that $3000 gets you some things; like really top-of-the-line hardware or a 70's vintage instrument, or a USA-made Precision with a cool top.

As has been pointed out, you do not have to spend big bucks to get a great Pbass. Currently, my favorite Pbass is Mexican Player $700ish. It sounds like a Pbass. The modern C neck is way more comfortable for my hands than chunky necks on my 70's Fender USA basses, and it also sounds better.

You could spend $4300 on a Fodera P bass but in a rhythm section, you very well may not be able to distinguish it from a Player P, or an American Professional, or a G&L or Lakland...etc.

IMHO, with passive P's and J's, the sound is mostly about the pickups, and the strings. I have a very early US Lakland Glaub that is probably in the $3-4k neighborhood now, and a MIM 70's special edition reissue Fender that I got for around $1k. The Glaub is a thing of beauty - the fit and finish, the feel. But with the same Lindy Fralin pickups in them both, live for sure they both sound equally great, and recorded they are very close, the biggest difference honestly just being different strings.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

$3K ? Nice amount! Something hand made. Or USA Fender and killer amp setup. How is your amp situation? New used? I will lean toward used. Because if the neck is going to freak out it will do it in the 1st few years. It happens regardless what you pay for it. Used? Check for a return policy.

 

[Paul New]

A P bass is a P bass.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

As long as it's brown sunburst and tort, everything will work itself out


Shouldn't have any issues with that kind of budget, happy hunting!

 

[jimmydean]

I would go with a Lakland or a Nash (heavy relic).......you did ask .

 

[bobyoung53]

I would buy the best Fender P/J bass they make. (as in most expensive)

There's a nice Tony Franklin fretted bass on Reverb right now, great sounding basses.

I have no connection with the seller

Fender Tony Franklin Fretted Artist Series Signature Precision Bass 2011 | Reverb

 

[Jugghaid]

For that money, a nice used Lull.

 

[Pocket Dave]

My first P was a Schecter spare parts bass I got back in 1984 when Schecter parts were well regarded.

This time, I went a different route, and not one I'd probably recommend unless you've got the patience. I hit the "open box" sale of MIM Player Series P's at a local high-volume independent shop. It took some narrowing down of many less-than-desirable examples to find one I thought I could probably work with, and then spent most of the next morning on setup and intonation.

After working on pickup height for almost an hour that afternoon, I gave up after realizing that the best height choice for tone did not match the best height for uniform volume across the strings. I ran to GC and grabbed a set of QP's, which I had in place in time for that night's gig. The Quarter Pounders are flexible enough to sound good at a wide range of height settings, and seem to pair well with mt Ampeg bass amp DNA.

After all that, it's turned out to be a solid, comfortable workhorse P that sounds great without spending much.

I know you've got a high budget. At times, so have I, though I've just never been into spending more than I needed to. Just my $.02

 

[JDA04OSU]

I’d advise against building a G&L after my experience. I spent about $2k on an option-order LB-100. They put the incorrect headstock logo on it and forgot to solder the ground wire. Their customer service is lacking. Took a while to get a response and some accountability. To make up for their mistakes, they sent me an extra pick guard that came blemished and did not fit the bass, as well as a sweet Leo shirt that literally fell apart at the seams the 3rd time I put it on. Too many similar stories out there regarding QC of their option-order builds and lack of responsiveness from customer service (which is really just one dude from what I can tell).

 

[coy garcia]

So many options with that budjet...I'd say 70's original but I have 2 and 1 is way better sounding than the other so....maybe have one made with the features you prefer. I do believe the thick baseball style neck is key to it's tone so I would not go for a slimmer neck profile.

 

[Burwabit]

Fender American Vintage II
TI Flatwounds
Moody strap

 

[CochinoBass]

Its your money, but I personally wouldnt spend $3k on a P bass and I love mine. There are too many great options, including used, for half that. I would play as many as you can get my hands on until you find one you really like.

 

[DrBnz]

Now I'm a P-bass lover .... and I love a PJ even more. But before you go buy anything, go find / hold / play a G&L L1000 w flats. It does a better P sound than my P-bass does.

 

[Wesley R]

A Lakland Duck Dunn with the tapewounds

 

[_Obra_]

If I need to put 3k in a P bass, it would be one of those - in this order:

-Fender Custom Shop Postmodern
-Fender AVRI 62 from the begining of production '82, '83
-Fender Precision oldest You can get used (all original, 3k= 1974-1977)
-Sandberg California VS Passive
-Maruszczyk Jake C

I played or owned all of them, and a lot more.

Regarding old vs new, it's a whole different subject. For 3K, it doesn't matter if You buy to play it, not for collecting.
In any case, if the resale price is important to you, in case of a P bass, IMHO Fender will always have a higher price than any brand that copies a P bass.

 

[groovaholic]

Last year I picked up a 1983 Ibanez Roadstar II for $80 and an 1983 SQ series MIJ Squire for $90 off Facebook Marketplace. Both of these are insanely good p basses.

I bought my ‘83 MIJ Squier for $90 too…but that was over 16 years ago.

Plenty of people have offered me money for it in those 16 years.

GREAT basses, not just “for the money” - great basses, period.

To OP; just go play a bunch of them and see what appeals to your ears and hands.

Report back, and that additional information will help us make better recommendations than everyone just shouting out their favorite.