This may be a long shot but here it goes. Are there any short scale basses, (30.5") that sound tonal wise close to a P Bass? I bought a Gibson SG and been having a blast with the short scale and fast neck. I am looking to add another SS scale bass to my herd but want to get the P Bass sound. Looking to spend around a grand, give or take a little. There is so much experience here in TB, I thought I would draw on it for some recommendations. The first thing that comes to my mind is a Mustang bass but have no idea of what type of tone it puts out. Thanks. EDIT: Also would like it to be made in USA cause we need more jobs here.
Squier Jaguar. Maybe not quite as low on the bottom end as a real P. But with a set of flats and some amp EQ settings it gets the job done for me. Its the only P bass I need, or own.
Birdsong: www.birdsongguitars.com/ Fender Mustang but they may well now be manufactured in Mexico, I do not know provenance.
Wow. Never heard of them before. I checked out their website. Cool stuff. I would guess they are more expensive than my budget.
Mustangs have a P bass vibe on the attack but with a little shorter decay. I never had any problem getting a good P tone with a little EQ.
The Fender Precision Bass Junior. Actually a little shorter than the normal SS bass. Full size P bass pick ups. No longer made but you can find them used. They were MIM and made between 2003/2004 I think, but I'm sure a used dealer or someone selling in the US needs the cash. Set up right (mine are) they play really great. Light weight, fun, punchy, and a great all around bass. I'm really happy with mine. Also a used one should be well under a grand. I tried the Mustang and couldn't get the punch out I wanted. Squire ones are made in Indonesia I think, and the Fender Mustang is a RI CIJ.
I bought a vintage ('77 USA) 'Stang whose previous owner replaced the pickup with a Fender P-bass p.u. This is as close to the sound of a P-bass as you can get without playing a 34" scale. Should you go this route, you'll probably need to get a qualified repair person to rout out the body and install the P pickups. Of course this means they'll have to send a pickguard tracing to a company like WD so they can make you a custom pickguard with the overall shape for a Mustang but with a cutout for the P pickup. I know what you're thinking: expensivo. But sometimes I see inexpensive used American Mustangs on eBay. And you can search the TB Classifieds as well. BTW, I owned a 1969 Gibson EB-0 for 20 years. I inquired on this very site as to how to modify it to achieve the Fender sound I yearned for. Some good person gave me some GREAT advice, which I followed: I sold it and got my Fender Mustang bass instead.
