Help me not buy a bass

[jetgraphics]

As others have pointed out, a PJ won't sound like a P. The reason is that all components in a circuit interact. The only way around that is to have a cut-out switch that disconnects the J pickup so only the P (split coil) feeds the jack.
There's a whole encyclopedia of tweaks one can do with complex volume and tone circuits.
One video of a Peavey T40 owner, setting it up to emulate other basses, demonstrates some of the quirks of components that affect the overall tone, even when dialed down. (T40s had a coil blend tone control that gradually changed a pickup from single coil to dual coil. Lots of tweaks in that, for sure.)

 

[MrNige]

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?

I own a 1983 L2000 and I've always owned P basses. I love feel of the neck on the G&L it's slimmer profile etc. I agree the new design by Leo gives loads of options but you need both. Original or as they now call vintage P bass with flats muted has a sound that cannot really be found on the L2000.
Close but if your recording forget it.

 

[FollowMeDown]

I have never understood what people see in Fender basses at all, much less how they seem to have a mythical status when the reality is so different,
and I say this as an ex-Fender employee.
I know tone is a highly subjective issue, but to me, Fender basses are at best tonally very average and P's especially are only relevant if you're playing vintage Motown/70's and maybe country. Bass guitar tech has come a long way since the 50's but Fender's basses haven't changed hardly at all in 70 years. I've seen first hand how Fender's idea of innovation is limited to charging an extra $500 for mostly just a new paint color. I've also seen first hand how their build quality sucks for the money even on the highest end basses. so many coming back with warped necks etc just because Fender are using too-green and cheap wood. The company is not the same old Fender anymore. They've become a marketing company that thinks of basses as the red-headed stepchild. They are trading on history, and are now primarily targetting beginner players, so for both reasons see no need to put any effort into making good basses at all. Also because there are still enough people keeping an unjustified myth alive that enough newcomers buy into it to sell more product, at least the first time round. It seems to me analogous to Harley Davidson. Overpriced, actually quite low quality products trading entirely on brand culture rather than fundamental product quality.
The one upside of Fender basses is that they tend to sit well in a mix straight out of the box, but IMHO I think most any bass can, just with some basic EQing.

 

[Doug P]

I own P, J, & PJ’s. I can make them all sound different by string choice ( I guess, I only use Roto 66’s ) and rolling off some of the bridge pick up volume on the J & PJ.
Everyone has a different ear and a sound they are looking for. So…. Buy a used one or rent one and try it out
They are like a SVT or Marshall 1/2 stack.. there will always be a player looking for one I guess??
Again, buy a good used one in a classic colour and no “big” mod and hold on to it. It might not be “the one” but you can show up at an audition or jam with it and no one will give ya a look….. well maybe depends on the gig.

 

[58kites]

I have never understood what people see in Fender basses at all, much less how they seem to have a mythical status,
and I say this as an ex-Fender employee.
I know tone is a highly subjective issue, but to me, Fenders (especially P's) are at best tonally very average and only relevant if you're playing vintage Motown/70's and maybe country. Bass guitar tech has come a long way since the 50's but Fender's basses haven't changed hardly at all in 70 years. I've seen first hand how Fenders idea of innovation is charging an extra $500 for a new paint color. I've also seen first hand how their build quality sucks for the money even on the highest end basses.
Their one upside is that they do tend to sit well in a mix straight out of the box, but IMHO I think any bass does, just with some EQing.

So....you're saying you didn't get that raise you asked for?

Tonally standard (tonally average) is generally what producers in recording studios want.
The Fender Precision bass is what got used in a million hit record recording sessions for 4-5-6 decades (and at live gigs) and became the standard.
I don't think a Fender branded P Bass is necessary but a bass with a split P pickup in it at the correct location, is a good idea to own for any bassist.
For a P bass, I prefer old USA made Peavey Fury Basses because of their fantastic necks.
I also very much like some Yamaha P type basses....BB Series, and their Attitude basses.
I think Yamaha delivers more bang for the buck than Fender and many others.

 

[Jeffery Axthelm]

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.

I had a Fender Precision Special, Jazz Neck, P/J set up. I never used the J pickup. I sold the bass, loved the look, the sound, but the necks don't work for me. I play Spectors and yeah, you can't get a P sound from them!

 

[Geddaric]

My answer

 

[TJL]

I am the wrong guy to ask. I have no discipline when it comes to buying another bass.

 

[slam dunk]

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?

I’ve owned both and in my opinion you can find a sound to fit any situation with the G&L. That’s not always true with a P-bass in my experience/opinion. If you want the G&L to sound something like a P-bass, try neck pickup, series, and passive to start. It’s totally subjective but why settle only for a Precision type sound? Use your ears and experiment, let that be your guide.

 

[MrLenny1]

Time for another bass. Lol

 

[RitterSport]

Hey, OP here. You all failed. I'm probably going to pick up a Bruce Thomas Signature when it becomes available.

 

[Mark Ellis]

Seriously? You think you are a bass player and don't own a Precision Bass? How is that possible?
Go buy yourself an Fender Precision American Performer with PJ pickups. If you buy it used and don't like it you can sell it again without loss. The classic Bass sound with the versatility of the PJ pickup set.
You can see from my profile photo I have experience with a PJ Precision. I bought mine used but in excellent condition.

 

[bottomzone]

You should try both a P and a P+J and buy the one that speaks to you.

 

[amper]

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?

Don't bother. You have an L2000, a vastly superior instrument to any Precision Bass.

 

[amper]

I thought you had to own at least one P-bass just to log on to TalkBass...

I've been here since Dec 2002, coming up on 20 years on TalkBass, playing bass since 1994, I think, so 28 years. I've never owned a Precision Bass, and never will. I have zero interest in P basses.

 

[BadSanta1281]

I've been here since Dec 2002, coming up on 20 years on TalkBass, playing bass since 1994, I think, so 28 years. I've never owned a Precision Bass, and never will. I have zero interest in P basses.

Cool.

 

[amper]

You don't need it, IMO, you can play pretty much play anything with an L2K. People chasing some kind of "standard" tone and pegging it to a P are IMO misguided. In most settings, including the studio, nobody's going to notice or care if you're playing late Leo or an early Leo.

But if you want a P, knock yourself out.

I'm not gonna try to talk you out of buying a bass. This is sacrilege to some but, a precision is not the penultimate bass. Nor is the jazz or PJ. This is just one person's opinion. Mine. With the amps, cabs, active electronics, eq's, and all the other tone shaping options available there is no reason to have a particular make/model of instrument.

This and this.

There are many, many, many best-selling albums and artists out there which do not feature and who do not play Precision Basses. The P is not essential unless you are working for a particularly anal-retentive producer who refuses to use anything other than a P Bass on a session. Things are different when you are a hired gun. For most musicians, it's far more important to develop your own sound.

 

[amper]

There are two things I like about the P Bass: the sound and the neck width. The P neck width is simply more comfortable for me to play than the narrow J neck, which is why I would put a P neck on a 4-string J every time (5-strings are different), and why I like my StingRay (similar neck width to a P).

But, even though I think the P Bass pickup/placement sounds good, it's not the be-all/end-all of good bass tone. I think the J Bass pickup set sounds even better and is more flexible. The J Bass neck pickup soloed sounds similar to (but not quite exactly like) the P Bass pickup, and the sound of both J Bass pickups is a sound a P Bass will never be able to achieve, not even if you have a P/J set. And of course, the StingRay pickup and preamp provide tones that neither the P, J/J, or P/J pickups can make.

 

[Jinobass1]

Gotta have the P!
It’s what Leo Started with and then J’s for a different Tone and U have the GL2000 that’s like Stingray/Sabre w/Jazz Neck So Get it ,Have Fun !
U won’t regret It!

 

[Mij]

Get a single pickup P bass. I used to think it was better to have more pickups, but now I don't think so. Having additional pickups and more electronics changes the sound. You're building a circuit with more components, resistance in parallel and all that.
I really like the sound of the traditional precision. And even with that, there are choices. Underwound, overwound, single coil (rather than split coil). Lollar even makes a P90 split coil. Go to the Lollar site and check out the descriptions of the sound each pick up outputs.
I have an L-2000 and I am glad that I have a p bass as well. Can't go wrong with Fender, but I have a Japanese p bass copy from the ’70s that is phenomenal (1979 Fernandes FPM-80). Some of the old Japanese p basses have DiMarzio pickups that sound amazing.
Play some p basses and see what you like! Personally, I like old instruments rather than new. Don't be afraid of bumps and bruises.
EDIT: Oops! I forgot the FPM-80 is a two pickup bass. I just select the neck pickup and it sounds very p bassy to me.