Hybrid P/J or 1 P & 1 Jazz, help me decide...

[jbird]

I'm looking for input from you guys that gig on a regular basis. I'm fairly new at bass & finally found a band that plays classic rock. I know that style calls for a P bass much of the time however there's still a place for a Jazz. I've read thru some threads on this here at TB but I'm still looking for help. I'm trying to decide between owning both a P & a Jazz bass & switching between songs or just owning a hybrid combo like the Sadowsky HPJ. I know I can't be the only one that's wrestled with this, and I'm hoping some of you with experience gigging can give me your 2 cents.

 

[nysbob]

I determined many years ago that the foundation of my sound needs to incorporate a P pickup. I like the option of being able to dial in a bridge pickup for a little more bite and presence, so I have been a user of P/J style basses for the past 20 years.

I know there are plenty of of purists that say this isn't the way to go, but for my purposes, it is.

 

[pickles]

The Hybrid is a great do-it-all bass. The range of tones is amazing, and the three most important ones are there in spades: Full P-bass (with a bit of modern shine), center panned crispy scoopy NYC tone, and slightly bridge-panned jazz punch with a little bass boost (and even a little VTC for roundness).

I love Ps and Js as well though, and Sadowskys do not sound like Fenders.

 

[Mushroo]

Hi JBird, for me, I like to keep things as simple as possible live. The fewer variables, the less that can go wrong, right? I think switching basses between songs is kind of a pain. I am a big fan of PJ basses (unless it's a Fender, for some reason I prefer Fender Ps that are "pure" without the added J), and find it to be a versatile setup.

But, to play devil's advocate, the nice thing about having 2 basses on a gig is that you have a backup in case something goes wrong. Also, shopping for basses is so much fun, and with 2 basses, it's twice the fun!

So I guess I really don't have an answer to your question, sorry! I can see both sides of the argument.

 

[Rich Williams]

There's no way around it, everyone should own a P-Bass. A good ole regular P-Bass. Also, watch eBay, the hybrids cost way more retail and sell for way less resale. Get you a P-Bass and go from there.

 

[simongpaez]

P/J's are great I had 3 in the past and love them (hope to have one soon)

Put for my the J/J tone on a Jazz is it and the P bass alone will do great the P tone, so I will go with 2 basses, honestly with this 2 you may not need any other bass ever.

 

[timo1999]

I think if your band is going to play a lot of gigs, you will be much happier if you only have to lug around one bass. If the gigs are really spread out and you have a lot of time for setting up and getting your sound down, then bring your second bass along for the ride.

I think the hybrid is the best way to go personally, because of the different tones you can get from a single bass, and the ease of just bringing one bass to a gig. After all, only you and MAYBE 2 other people in the crowd will hear the difference in tone...