I Like J Basses Better Than P Basses

[Hevy T]

I prefer J basses, but also love the P bass sound. I put a series parallel switch in my Jazz and it works quite good I must say. Plus my go to for a P is a Yamaha BB 434m I just works for me

 

[VeryTallBassist]

One of my Spectors with a 40P5X can sound more like a P bass than most P basses I've played. Coming in a close second is my Bongo 5 with EB Cobalt flats. Muggy be why I haven't really bothered getting a P. It'd be strictly for the look.

 

[Gyver]

I'm not convinced...

 

[TreySonagras]

I like my hammer better than my pliers. But sometimes I prefer wrenches. LOL

 

[Danny O Danny]

I like both.

 

[HMZ]

I have a love hate relationship with Jazz basses. I hate the two volumes and I hate the noisy pickups. I even installed EMGs which are much quieter but even with them, if I have the volumes all the way up there is a slight noise from the preamp. My P bass and everyone I ever owned was always super quiet and I love the one volume knob.
That being said I do love the sound of a Jazz bass. If I’m playing alone at home I prefer a Jazz, if I’m playing with a band I like a P bass.

 

[dougjwray]

I go back and forth.
I'm really a P person, but, for me, the Jazz is great for recording, and for filling space with that scooped sound, when playing live.
To me, the P is more visceral -- when I play it, my chest gets rattled (in a good way), while the Jazz seems either too weak or too sleek and fussy-- "fusiony."
On the other hand, when I've gotten compliments on my sound, I've more often than not been playing a Jazz.

 

[sleddogn]

Not me, love me some P. Never was a fan of lower bout shape on the J's, looks kinda sad...

 

[skycruiser]

The aquatic kind or the caramel pecan kind?

My post was a ref to this extremely old viral video. Can't believe this was 16 years ago!

 

[LetItGrowTone]

"Only a Sith deals in absolutes." - A. Einstein, famous Relativist

 

[fourstringburn]

I like J's especially with a series /parallel switch played in series!

 

[bluesblaster]

Mostly a Jazz bass guy but I do love my old Precision bass with well worn LaBella DTF's. Makes me want to play funky old soul music on that thing.

 

[TN WOODMAN]

I don’t.

 

[andare]

Well, they look cooler, the necks are generally a little quicker. And without looking, they sound the same. Unless you’re dimed on the bridge and playing right over the metal I have never met a bassist who can tell a P from a J on a commercial recording. I know I can’t.
So if they fit your hand better it’s a better bass for you. Well done.

They're so easy to tell apart unless the J is played on the neck pickup soloed

 

[ics1974]

to all the Jazz bass players. Do you usually dime both the neck and bridge pickup or do you do something else?

 

[butterfingers1]

10 pages in a few hours.

 

[butterfingers1]

to all the Jazz bass players. Do you usually dime both the neck and bridge pickup or do you do something else?

Bridge always down, 50-75%.

 

[jdwinva]

I like prefer blondes and brunettes and redheads.

 

[Spectre Gunner]

I like P's,J's and PJ's and have at least one of each. There, I said it.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

to all the Jazz bass players. Do you usually dime both the neck and bridge pickup or do you do something else?

I do. I know other people say they do one pickup at full, the other at 90% or whatever. I don't hear a difference between 90% and off as soon as you start turning the knob a little. This is on a passive instrument. Those with active buffers like Audere or John East, I can hear a difference.