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Help me choose my first P-Bass!

#85
Bassheart365 said:
Yes that Le Fay Singer in my Avatar is my primary bass. After I acquired it and played my first gig I almost had an orgasm. I immediately sold every other bass I owned. I can get a jazz and MM tone out of it but it’s obviously not designed to emulate a P bass.
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Same experience here.
I ended up with my Le Fay 6 string, a backup for the Le Fay (Dingwall) and a P bass.


So what I was trying to get across was that a Fender CS or the other FSO boutique P basses somewhat feel like they fall short of the mark when your fingers are used to a Le Fay - the P bass thing does have its merits, but any old regular P bass will get you that.
 
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#86
pbass2 said:
IMHO, with passive P's and J's, the sound is mostly about the pickups, and the strings.
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If you listen to 10 different Pbasses, all with different stings and pickups, different manufacturers, in a mix, you might not really be able to hear any significant differences. Said a little differently, they sound way more alike than do differently.
People have preferences for sure, but is when someone says it sounds more like a Pbass than a Pbass, I have to chuckle. Ahhh, no.
But hey, judge for yourself. (Thank you, Ed Friedland for excellent videos)

Bass isolated


Bass in the Mix
 
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#87
Dbassmon said:
If you listen to 10 different Pbasses, all with different stings and pickups, different manufacturers, in a mix, you might not really be able to hear any significant differences. Said a little differently, they sound way more alike than do differently.
People have preferences for sure, but is when someone says it sounds more like a Pbass than a Pbass, I have to chuckle. Ahhh, no.
But hey, judge for yourself. (Thank you, Ed Friedland for excellent videos)

Bass isolated


Bass in the Mix
Click to expand...

I'm just saying the pickups and the strings are the biggest differences, more than say body wood or maple vs rosewood neck. Of course at the end of the day, in a mix, a P does that P thing.
 
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#90
Two things, expectation and price. If you've never played one nor a passive bass then ur in for a bit of shock. You gotta coax the tone from a P bass...as they can sound dull and lifeless otherwise.
Second. They are the simplest stringed instruments on the planet and they all pretty much sound the same. You dont need to spend much for the vibe, but what a vibe, once you got it there ain't no going back.
 
#91
Coax tone? Want traditional tone, don't over play the strings, don't over Eq it. Hi pass the eq and roll off some low end, use your tone control and roll off some top to taste. What sounds dull, dead and lifeless to you, next to your amp, sounds warm and articulate 10 feet away from the amp. Set up a digital recorder out in front and you will discover that the sound definitely needs some distance to develop. There is a reason PBasses are on so many recordings. They sound great in a mix.
To me, this is the easiest bass to get a great live or recorded tone. This is why I own so many Pbasses.
 
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#92
tvbop said:
Two things, expectation and price. If you've never played one nor a passive bass then ur in for a bit of shock. You gotta coax the tone from a P bass...as they can sound dull and lifeless otherwise.
Second. They are the simplest stringed instruments on the planet and they all pretty much sound the same. You dont need to spend much for the vibe, but what a vibe, once you got it there ain't no going back.
Click to expand...

I may be wrong, though it seems what you consider coaxing tone from a P bass, others may consider just going with the flow.

'Course it depends on styles, a P wouldn't be my first call for slap, though with the right eq and a maple fretboard it's doable. An active J style would give you more options for that.
 
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#93
el murdoque said:
Same experience here.
I ended up with my Le Fay 6 string, a backup for the Le Fay (Dingwall) and a P bass.


So what I was trying to get across was that a Fender CS or the other FSO boutique P basses somewhat feel like they fall short of the mark when your fingers are used to a Le Fay - the P bass thing does have its merits, but any old regular P bass will get you that.
Click to expand...
Yes, I understand "boutique P bass" is an oxymoron. But I have grown to appreciate quality instruments. BTW, my second bass is also a Dingwall.
 
#94
In response to my use of the word "coax". Im speaking from 42 years experience. When I was 18 and bought my first P bass I could never get a nice tight mid range tone...it always sounded, soft, flabby and mushy and within a couple yrs I got a Stingray and to some extent never looked back. OP plays active and hasnt had to think about this.
Now my Squire P wears dead flats with a light touch just on the back edge of the PU and Ive got punch and slam for days.
 
#95
Bassheart365 said:
Yes, I understand "boutique P bass" is an oxymoron. But I have grown to appreciate quality instruments. BTW, my second bass is also a Dingwall.
Click to expand...
Maybe etsy has stickers that say "My other bass is a Le Fay", which would be nice on a basic P bass and a bold statement on a Dingwall.

If I wanted something luxurious that can catch a P vibe, I think I'd look at Fbass.
 
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