Is The P-Bass Thing Altering Your Brain?

[crucislancer]

It is mine.

Not in a good way.

Every time I think about bass playing or basses nowadays there is this sort of demonic entity that scoffs at me because I haven't yet bought one......

When I'm relaxing and minding my own business.....I hear a growly voice out of nowhere say:-

"P-bass-P-bass-P-bass-P-bass-P-bass...Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!!"

Then I think "Fender or Squier?"

But then it says " Puppa Puppa Puppa Puppa P-Bass!! Bwahahahahahahahah!!"

and then:- "Fender-Squier-Fender-Squier- gotta buy'er-gotta buy 'er- Bwahahahahahah!!"

This happen to you?

I had the same problem. "P-bass" rattled around in my brain for months. I'm thinking "why? I play Jazz basses! I don't need a P bass!". Finally broke down and bought one. I love it, and it's the one that works best for me and my style of play. Of course, I find that there's an imbalance: I have one Precision, and two Jazz. That will not do! Thanks to untimely car repairs, I have to wait. So now I hear "You need another P bass!" going through my head on a daily basis. I need one for the heavy rock work (the one I have, actually) and one for the thump.

Totally out of balance here. Need another Precision.

And, I think I'm going F'n nuts. But in a good way.

 

[GIBrat51]

Nope; not at all. Got my '78 in the summer of '89, and have had it ever since. Having one is like a shot for the plague or something; keeps you safe, and you don't ever really need a booster shot. Some TBers seem overly cautious, though, and have several...

 

[Thumper19605]

You need both! No one has only a flat head screwdriver, you need a Phillips too!
After you get that you will want a Torx set, umm Stingray!

 

[jd56hawk]

For the longest time I never wanted a Precision bass, never even wanted Jazz bass.
Then one day three or four months ago I walked into a music store to buy some strings and I saw this.

It was calling my name.
When I plugged it in, after nearly walking past it figuring I couldn't afford it, I knew there was no way I was leaving the store without at least putting a deposit on it.
Now, just in case I ever get invited to a "P Bass Only" party, I'm set.

 

[circuitspore]

So I found a bass that had 2 P's, 24 frets, passive, and a 2x2 head. Now I'm happy.

Which bass would that be?

 

[ExaltBass]

They multiply like rabbits! Beware! They even cross-breed...

 

[AndreasK]

I was very happy with my MP Jazz, which I can get pretty close to a P. But of course I had to get a P.

My wall

• AndreasK
• Feb 18, 2015

Also had to go tort and flats.

Matt Freeman

• AndreasK
• Apr 27, 2015

Flats, tort

I blame TB! But I´m not complaining

 

[Quilbert]

It is mine.

Not in a good way.

Every time I think about bass playing or basses nowadays there is this sort of demonic entity that scoffs at me because I haven't yet bought one......

When I'm relaxing and minding my own business.....I hear a growly voice out of nowhere say:-

"P-bass-P-bass-P-bass-P-bass-P-bass...Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!!"

Then I think "Fender or Squier?"

But then it says " Puppa Puppa Puppa Puppa P-Bass!! Bwahahahahahahahah!!"

and then:- "Fender-Squier-Fender-Squier- gotta buy'er-gotta buy 'er- Bwahahahahahah!!"

This happen to you?

Its like a wooden security blanket. I think i'll call mine 'blankie' from now on.

 

[chris_b]

P basses altered my brain when I was 15. I've owned one since 1969 and now play a 5 string Lull version.

I played several other great basses in between but now I seem to have book-ended my playing career with P basses. Result!

 

[Jughead6]

No, my brain is nicely pickled without a P bass. But thanks for asking

 

[johnnyhaggis]

P-Basses and Jazz basses are fine, but in terms of visual design they're so ubiquitous that I'd almost be embarrassed to be seen with either of them...

I'm superficial like that.

 

[Watchootognbout]

No.
Not unless Fender decides to make a six or seven string in natural wood.No pickguard.
Even then.Likely not.
Other brands have long since beat them to the punch.

Besides.
Alembic altered my brain patterns well before I started playing.(Stanley Clarke)

 

[Admiral Akbar]

Nothing sits in the mix like a good pbass. When I find the need to simplify what I'm doing musically - just get it down to the raw basics, pick up my pbass. Pbass I'm feeling: Jamerson, Duck Dunn, Carl Radle.

It kind of resets my brain when I play one... Then back to the 6-string!

 

[96tbird]

I was very happy with my MP Jazz, which I can get pretty close to a P. But of course I had to get a P.

Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. You've done the right thing friend.

 

[bssplr]

It is mine.

Not in a good way.

Every time I think about bass playing or basses nowadays there is this sort of demonic entity that scoffs at me because I haven't yet bought one......

When I'm relaxing and minding my own business.....I hear a growly voice out of nowhere say:-

"P-bass-P-bass-P-bass-P-bass-P-bass...Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!!"

Then I think "Fender or Squier?"

But then it says " Puppa Puppa Puppa Puppa P-Bass!! Bwahahahahahahahah!!"

and then:- "Fender-Squier-Fender-Squier- gotta buy'er-gotta buy 'er- Bwahahahahahah!!"

This happen to you?

I Know exactly what you mean, I have played a Jazz Bass for over 35 years. I have tried just about every major make and style and always come back to the jazz. I know that I don't need a P-Bass, in all my years of playing no one has ever complained about my tone, no one has ever said "Hey you now that song would probably sound better with a P-bass instead of the Jazz".

No one except me! And it's been only over the last year or so that the voice keeps edging me ever closer to buying one.

I'm blaming TB

You guys get out of my head

 

[joel406]

I had the same problem. "P-bass" rattled around in my brain for months. I'm thinking "why? I play Jazz basses! I don't need a P bass!". Finally broke down and bought one. I love it, and it's the one that works best for me and my style of play. Of course, I find that there's an imbalance: I have one Precision, and two Jazz. That will not do! Thanks to untimely car repairs, I have to wait. So now I hear "You need another P bass!" going through my head on a daily basis. I need one for the heavy rock work (the one I have, actually) and one for the thump.

View attachment 637018
Totally out of balance here. Need another Precision.

And, I think I'm going F'n nuts. But in a good way.

You need to switch those pickguards around on those jazz's.

 

[mikeyjm2]

This happen to you?

Nah, I have a coupla three Ps now. I just did what the voices in my head told me to do.

 

[shawshank72]

Will medication help?

No, just buy more P Basses.

 

[EmptyCup]

I am new to Talkbass but have been a long time reader and have learned much from these pages. I am just having a hard time wrapping my head around why people would care what someone else plays and enjoys. Someone please help me. When I see an Ibanez thread I don't even go into it. Why? Because I don't play Ibanez. Now that I am a member, I would never go in there and tell them Ibanez basses are garbage and they should immediately play a P or Jazz bass. I could care less what's popular or what anyone else plays.

^
Well said... Just play bass. We are all kindred spirits no matter what you play.

 

[petrus61]

The cool thing is that TB is only representative of a small segment of actual players and P basses will still be loved and used long after TB cares or not. What you might see here on TB is a venomous backlash, even from some owners, by people who are just tired of the constant attention and forum space they seem to occupy, but hey, it's an open forum. All troll threads aside, the reason there are so many P threads is because they are wildly popular. As another poster mentioned, there have been times when it wasn't the P bass at the top of the heap here.

I'm basically trying not to drag out the same old "because the P bass just works" argument, but that is also pretty hard to deny. I think we'll have to live with it for now. My Precision will still be cool, whether TB thinks so or not in 5yrs. Can't say the same about some other brands that have been along.