Is a P bass necessary?

[mongo2]

would rocky road be a P-bass with marshmallow and almond modifications?

With any luck it plays like Buttah Pecan.

 

[GregC]

A lot? Not in my experience. But I see it once in a while on TB, and I have recently. Perhaps you're not familiar, JT, with the elitist stylings of a certain Drozd fan/P-bass hater here. Oh, it's nothing worth reporting, IMO. I haven't seen personal attacks--just general ones. But--again, IMO--those posts are just as close-minded as the "Jaco only needed four" nonsense.

The funny thing is that his arguments are equal, but in opposite direction from the typical anti-boutique threads.

The funny thing is, that's exactly what I said.

Somehow it's perfectly acceptable to bash his basses (and they do) but everyone calls foul if he does the same to your bass.

Who said it was perfectly acceptable?

 

[BassAgent]

I always denied I needed a P, but I couldn't resist. So I bought a Squier VM Precision.

 

[ysand]

I always denied I needed a P, but I couldn't resist. So I bought a Squier VM Precision.

EXACTLY the same thing with me
Now i can say that i love it as much as my non-p basses!
It IS useful, but i wouldn't say necessary.

 

[MMcC]

I had no idea this thread would be a 10-pager. Not to spoil the conversation in any way but my original intention was this: for people with a jazz bass, doesn't the soloed neck pup get close enough to the point where you don't really need a P, basically 2 basses in one in terms of sound.

That point has been discussed, sure, but for all the posts of "yes, they're cool," and "who cares, play whatever you want", those posters may have misunderstood.

 

[Korladis]

would rocky road be a P-bass with marshmallow and almond modifications?


oh I got more:
Conklin-Neopolitan
Fodera-Spumoni

I could do this all day....

In your original post comparing basses to ice cream flavors... Rocky Road is Rickenbacker

A traditional flavor, yet... different.

 

[cassanova]

my original intention was this: for people with a jazz bass, doesn't the soloed neck pup get close enough to the point where you don't really need a P, basically 2 basses in one in terms of sound.

Then in case I misunderstood, my answer is yes it does get close enough.

 

[IbanezATK]

For me, yes.

Right now all I have is an Ibanez ATK... his name is Stalin.

In the works is a Warmoth Jazz in Fiesta Red with a rosewood fretboard on a maple, Basass II bridge, and Nordstrand pickups ... her name is Reannon.

After that comes a Warmoth P... black with maple/maple neck and a Badass II bridge and Nordstrand pickups... her name will be Molly.

I don't think I'll gas for a bass again once I'm done with the Warmoths. I'm a pretty basic guy, I think between the Warmoths and the ATK I'll be set. Amps, cabinets, and effects... that's another story.

But... if I win the Powerball... oh my god the basses and guitars I own. The first will be an ALEMBIC!

 

[spade2you]

Who said it was perfectly acceptable?

It's just the way it is. Put it this way, 70-80% of positive comments come from non-musicians. As far as I can recall, virtually 100% of cheap shots towards my gear has been from musicians. Some newer musicians typically dig the stuff, but sometimes I get the thousand-yard-stare from veteran musicians and those who think they're big time musicians. At stores, I generally hear decent comments, although I typically hear though the grapevine what they said after I left.

Fortunately, most boutique players (ya know, the ones who play 'em, aren't just collectors, know how to play actual music, etc) are a pretty resilient bunch. I mean, if we didn't believe in what we were doing, we wouldn't spend the dough and most likely sell 'em when the stereotypical comments roll in.

 

[PsyDocHill]

I had no idea this thread would be a 10-pager. Not to spoil the conversation in any way but my original intention was this: for people with a jazz bass, doesn't the soloed neck pup get close enough to the point where you don't really need a P, basically 2 basses in one in terms of sound.

That point has been discussed, sure, but for all the posts of "yes, they're cool," and "who cares, play whatever you want", those posters may have misunderstood.

...some owners of whoppingly XXXL egos (always compensatory for problems in serious realms of life--always) have also used your thread as a platform for heaping scorn upon various musical genres, bass-instruments, musicians they dislike (virtually all), and for sowing the usual bad seeds of elitism and the oh-so-boringly-familiar "I was a god in xyz city doing abc--not that this should in any way influence your opinion (and not that I can prove it)--but here's my lofty opinion nonethless, and watch out, because it's offensive, full of nasty imagery, and generally offputting for most open-minded, non-jaded people."

Whew. Short visit, but what a ride. Bye. Hostiles: Stay away please or the Bass Police will be called immediately.

 

[john turner]

let's not attack any posters, shall we? people are entitled to their opinions, and they don't owe anyone an explanation for them.

if one is offered, take it at face value, respectfully.

 

[PsyDocHill]

let's not attack any posters, shall we? people are entitled to their opinions, and they don't owe anyone an explanation for them.

if one is offered, take it at face value, respectfully.

And that was my point. Coming upon this thread, I read a few that left me gaping in disbelief and that takes a lot. So I respectfully submit that people in this or any other thread, forum or what-not should not condemn disdainfully the art of fellow musicians: Does that not by-definition constitute attacking? It takes only one or two wholesale-dissings of genres etc. for many subscribers to rightfully feel that they have been attacked. For many here, music is a number 1 passion. They spend hours performing, practicing, recording, etc., in various orders and permutations.

How about being considerate toward them? As musicians we are familiar with constructive and destructive criticism. We (on good days) appreciate the former. We (on all days) abhor the latter, because it constitutes an attack on a major aspect of our identity and so on.

So I'm perplexed: Am I being ID'd as "attacking?" I did not name anyone, nor did I slam the art of anyone, let alone their aspirations. Instead, I identified an upsetting phenomenon that I hope you agree constitutes prima-facie "attacks" on "posters...," precisely.

This upset me to the point where I had to say something about this. So I did with more civility than I expected.

 

[MtManiac]

oh, well, pardon me then. i read the words there and took them at face value. i'll not do that next time.

btw, what was it then, if not an attack?

I didn't see it as an attack, btw.

Be happy!

 

[PsyDocHill]

But that's the way things tend to be for most of us.

I assumed that my posting (please don't tell me that I was 'projecting') was viewed as an attack on posters I did not name who disdainfully shot down entire genres and even lines of instruments. Genres and instruments are mere things, but just about anyone who spends any time on this talkbass site is seriously committed to playing the bass, so ridiculing genres and various instruments past an intuitively redline level of ferocity to me equates "attacking."

Perhaps, then, I was attacking attacking. Multiply two negatives and you get a positive. This is not just a cutesy statement: It's a reality inherent in what I wrote here and below. And this is the only time I've ever posted on talkbass claiming to have a clue about a "reality." But there are a few and they're intuitive to most all of us.

I think I need to get back to my reports.

 

[MtManiac]

I tend more towards the "set it and forget it" mode of playing, so for that reason I find my P bass fits me best - we play a wide variety of covers, from rock to blues to country to traditional/Celtic. With a P bass, I can play a 4-hour set without making any adjustments to my bass or my amp, and get lots of tonal variety with just my fingers and the strings, or in the case of one song, a pick. I find taking the set it and forget it approach causes me to focus more on what my fingers are doing and less on what my gear is doing. So for me, a P bass is necessary - but everyone is entitled to whatever floats their own boat.

 

[PsyDocHill]

I didn't see it as an attack, btw.

Be happy!

Thanks BillMason, regardless of whether you were even writing in reference to my blurb.

"Be happy" is a very good Rx, and a definite antidote to putdowns. I'll take it with a glass of water momentarily.

Happily,

Hill

 

[MtManiac]

I think we all have to be a lot less sensitive! It's just the internet folks, not your real world. I hope.

 

[john turner]

i'm having a hard time understanding why someone saying that the majority of pop music was crap, and that the music industry was a festering cesspool, would upset you so much.

and someone not liking a genre, or even "wholesale dissing" it, is not attacking participants in that genre, or fans of it. it certainly does not warrant retaliatory strikes - frankly nothing does. an eye for an (apparent) eye don't fly here, guy. .

 

[MtManiac]

Thanks BillMason, regardless of whether you were even writing in reference to my blurb.

"Be happy" is a very good Rx, and a definite antidote to putdowns. I'll take it with a glass of water momentarily.

Happily,

Hill

I was actually referring to Savit's post a few pages back. I'm not up on your beef with JT yet, but I think I'll stay out of it.

Be happy nonetheless.

 

[PsyDocHill]

I was actually referring to Savit's post a few pages back. I'm not up on your beef with JT yet, but I think I'll stay out of it.

Be happy nonetheless.

I've got no beef with JT or anyone here. This is one of the virtual places I visit from time to time for some peace or vegetarian cuisine max--no beef.

I commented on something that "got my goat" and that was followed by the Moderator's comment, so I assumed that I was perceived by him as having posted an attack. But I think that was all.