Help me not buy a bass

[RitterSport]

I have a G&L L2000 that I adore. I've never owned a Precision or PJ. Everyone talks about how great the Precision sounds.

The L2000 has tons of flexibility, and all the buttons and knobs don't bother me.

I'm starting the think maybe I should get a Precision or a PJ (or a non-Fender version) so I can see what the fuss is about. Or, maybe you all can help.

Can someone who owns both help be dial in a P-Bass sound with the G&L? Say, a P-Bass with the tone knob all the way open, halfway, and all the way down? Is that possible?

 

[Timmah]

Neck pickup in series with the EQ all the way off, or maybe 20% on both bass and treble, is about as close as you're gonna get. It's not that close.

Gotta get a P.

 

[RitterSport]

While I wait for a more encouraging answer, if I were to open the wallet, wouldn't I be better with a PJ? All of the P and some of the J if I want it?

I'm a reformed keyboard player, so I love knobs and switches.

 

[Clark Westfield]

Yea, you need to just buy another bass.

Having just one is sacrilege on TalkBass.

 

[CletusMarley]

I second the need for another bass. You need to buy two more just for asking.

 

[RitterSport]

Haha! Well, I also have a Yamaha TRBX 604 and a Peavey Foundation from the early 90s.

 

[ToddB1963]

Actually, you need to buy TWO more basses, a Precision *and* a PJ, but the latter's got to be a Yamaha, and because you like knobs, make it the BB734a.

 

[Timmah]

While I wait for a more encouraging answer, if I were to open the wallet, wouldn't I be better with a PJ? All of the P and some of the J if I want it?

I'm a reformed keyboard player, so I love knobs and switches.

Some of us (myself included) find that adding a J pickup to a P bass (making it a PJ) can detract a little from a P while also not sounding like a J. But if you want the flexibility and enjoy exploring, I'd say it's close enough that the neck pickup will certainly register as identifiably "P bass."

Oh, and if you want to maximize the amount of knobs and switches, look into the Sire P7. 5 knobs (two of which are stacked for a total of 7) and a switch, all on one PJ bass.

EDIT: None of this is a slight to your G&L- I had one for a while and they're wonderful instruments. They're just voiced a little bit more aggressively, more modern. Replicating a P bass with one of those is like trying to haul hay bales in a Corvette. I quite liked both pickups in series for a MONSTROUS sound that sits somewhere between a Jazz bass and a Wal.

Enjoy the hunt, and never, ever expect Talkbass to recommend against getting a new bass.

 

[Wfrance3]

First off, no, you have to buy another bass. Here's why:
The P Bass is it's own thing. I had been an other than P bass person for years (and years). I ended up with a p bass a couple years ago because it was a good deal at guitar center of all places. The bass was nice looking, had a tort pick guard (i'm a sucker for tort). The bass was light, but not too light. Off the wall at GC the setup was carp, but I could see the potential. So I took it home, put some flats on it and gave it a complete setup and now it plays perfect. Don't get me wrong, I like the notion of having some J bass via a second pickup to give you some tonal variety, but, if you go there, it's not a P bass tone. It could be a great sound that sits well in the mix with that J pickup, but it's just different. I don't know what the mojo or the magic is about that one pickup bass, but it has both. There is just something great about the simplicity of having 1 volume, 1 tone and that's it. It's like, it limits you in one way, but via that limitation, it opens options in another. - I'm doing a terrible job of explaining this. Just trust that P bass is a thing, and you can't legitimately get there any other way.

 

[SterlingArcher]

I also just bought an L-2000. I tried selling another bass to fund the purchase, but ended up with a pbass as a trade. You need the pbass. Sorry. I love the L-2000 way more, but having a pbass that's just a pbass without constantly fiddling with the controls is nice.

 

[TDR1138]

I see no reason not to have both and everything in between.

 

[RitterSport]

So jealous...

 

[sonic 7]

I read the title to this thread and thought wow, this person is in the wrong place asking the wrong people the wrong question.

 

[devnulljp]

 

[Dust2Dust]

What the heck?!!!

Are you really questioning buying a SECOND bass?!!!


You go buy a P bass right now! That's an order!

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Just say "No."

 

[ebo]

My number #1 is an L2000. I love it. I don’t own a Pbass. Let’s go down together and get a deal on a couple of them. We’ve avoided the inevitable for too long.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I have a G&L L2000 that I adore. I've never owned a Precision or PJ. Everyone talks about how great the Precision sounds.

The L2000 has tons of flexibility, and all the buttons and knobs don't bother me.

I'm starting the think maybe I should get a Precision or a PJ (or a non-Fender version) so I can see what the fuss is about. Or, maybe you all can help.

Can someone who owns both help be dial in a P-Bass sound with the G&L? Say, a P-Bass with the tone knob all the way open, halfway, and all the way down? Is that possible?

No

 

[Krizz]

Help me not buy a bass

At TB?

Now that’s out of the way,

Get a P for simplicity, a PJ for options, and a J for the trifecta

 

[Relsom]

Lemme get this straight..... you only have 1 bass? Don't even wait for tomorrow. Find a way in to that GC store, grab your P-Bass and leave your credit card at the counter on your way out. They'll understand.