J Neck on a P Body. How'd You Get There?

[Bassinthemudd]

Over at the J Neck P Bass Club, I've recently learned that there are more Jazz necked P Basses coming off the Fender factory line than I'd previously been aware of.

I'm curious how everyone has achieved this combo.

For the sake of simplicity, let's keep it to Fender and Fender compatible parts.

 

[Texican]

Here's one that took on many forms and neck swaps. Red Classic Vibe Fiesta Red body, with a player series jazz neck. I sold it to a guy name Skip here in San Antonio… wish I had kept it.

 

[Hot Rats]

In 1987 I ordered a Warmoth catalog by mail. Then I ordered a double P bass with a jazz neck. Swamp ash body, birdseye maple neck and an ebony fretboard. 1988 was the year it all came together.

 

[Iridescentone]

I did it the lazy way, I just bought them in that configuration.

These Glaub P basses were available with a P neck (ala '64 Fender), or a jazz neck like this white one.

This Maru from Poland has a jazz neck. And a 3-band Delano pre for the helluvit!

 

[GIBrat51]

Over at the J Neck P Bass Club, I've recently learned that there are more Jazz necked P Basses coming off the Fender factory line than I'd previously been aware of.

I'm curious how everyone has achieved this combo.

For the sake of simplicity, let's keep it to Fender and Fender compatible parts.

Well...
Way back when, Fender offered P-Basses with a variety of different necks. Most of them - the B, C, and D necks - were the usual P-Bass nut width, but differed in their contours. The A neck, though, was basically a Jazz Bass neck, but said "Precision Bass" on the headstock, and had the P-Bass dot inlays instead of the Jazz Bass's block inlays. The vast majority of them, though, had the B contour neck; when Fender stopped offering a choice? The B neck became the standard P-Bass neck. My lefty '78 has an A neck; which is the primary reason I bought it, in 1988. And, it's why I still have it. So...
Is it a Jazz Bass neck on a P-Bass body? I'll let you decide. But, my hand sure thinks it's a Jazz Bass neck...

 

[kodiakblair]

Voted "Other", had no choice in the matter.

Mid 80s Peavey bean counters decided it was cheaper to run one style of neck and use it for all their bolt on neck basses.

They opted for a slim jazz style. Only my 1st gen Fury and Patriot had proper P-bass necks, my 2nd & 3rd Furys have the slim neck.

Not a fan of slim necks so those Furys never get played.

 

[HowieD72]

My parts build. Squier by Fender body with wenge jazz neck. I just put it together with various parts I like.

 

[godofthunder59]

I usually use a J neck on my P builds, I'm a Thunderbird player mainly and I love a 1.5 nut width. Here's a build I've been using recently loosely based on 60s spec. it's made to replicate the hippie refin vibe. It started of with a Roadworn J neck but it was a bit squirrely so I just swapped it for a rosewood Player II Jazz neck.

 

[Bodeeni]

I have had several 1.5" jazz width necks on P basses. One of my favorite P basses had a 1.5 tele style neck that warped. I bought a reliced jazz neck on sale from Fender. It is working out great. I really only notice the nut width on the first 3 or 4 frets, but I am enjoying these narrow nut widths these days.

 

[CallMeAl]

I voted Fender neck on a Fender body, though technically it's a Squier body! Seymour Duncan SPB1 pickup.

 

[BruceG68]

A few years ago I bought a Fender Deluxe Active Precision in Sapphire Blue exclusive to Sweetwater.It had the 1.5" Jazz nut width and PJ configuration with the pickups.

 

[BassBrass]

Other-explain, so, bought someone's ideal parts bass, a Moses graphite jazz neck on a Squire P body, redburst black with mat black pickguard, the neck is black too so it's sharp looking, with EMG P/Js and a new vintage style ashtray bridge cover, which is handy for using a foam mute. Strung EB cobalt flats. Only negative is it's heavy, but it stays in tune for weeks it's so stable. I've considered getting a lighter body, but it just looks so good as is, and it's far from a priority, being like a 3rd string bench player (I usually like a single or double humbucker sound) I play it sitting only, usually with just the P pu. It sounds like an ideal P with clear highs and lows and great sustain. To get rid of it I'll have to sell privately or give it away. It's worth more for the parts, the neck is desirable alone.

 

[MCS4]

I built a parts bass using a loaded MIJ Fender P body/electronics and a Fender-licensed J replacement neck from Allparts. Works flawlessly.

 

[brianrost]

when Fender stopped offering a choice?

Fender first showed the "narrow neck" option for the Precision Bass in the 1970 price lists, it's still in the 1978 lists but absent from the 1979 lists. It was available for right or left hand, fretted or fretless.

BTW, all modern Fender 5 strings use the same necks. My AmStd J5 has the same neck dimensions as the AmStd P I used to own.

 

[staurosjohn]

 

[SeaDunk]

Just bought a cheap Squier Sonic P

 

[bylar13]

Bought an American Standard P- bass and then a 2019 Jazz neck. Sold the P-bass neck.

 

[natbers78]

I really just wanted a cost effective way into getting a fretless. I had an another P bass laying around that wasn't seeing much playing time, so I spec'ed out a nice fretless neck from Warmoth and put on that body. It turned out great. Feels and sounds awesome. I've slowly transitioned to playing 5s mostly now, so I don't really play it anymore. That bass is now for sale in the classifieds

 

[micguy]

I built my own, using Warmoth wood. But in my case, it was a P neck on a J body. I have big hands, so skinny necks are slower for me. Add in a bit better sustain, and less of a tendency for dead spots, and a P width neck is what works best for me. I'd actually prefer it if they made 1 3/4 width necks, not those "in between" 1 5/8's ones.

Complete disclosure: I have since moved on to 5's with even wider and thicker necks - 1 7/8 wide fits my hands very well - with even more sustain and almost no sustain reduction in the "dead spot" area of the neck, I'm very happy.

 

[JJR58]

I used to love the old 60's wide necks.
With time and age I started moving over to the J neck, and J basses in general.
With this modded '71 P.
I sold the original neck, was a B shape, to huge, even for my big hands.
Also my fav neck ever is the MIJ Geddy Lee necks with that wonderful slim C shape.
So I picked up this Allparts neck, shaved down the profile.
Although I couldn't go as far as a slim C, I got pretty close.
J necks always for me now.