J with Rounds vs. P with Flats - An audio comparison

[-=DanAtkinson=-]

Tonight I was laying down a bass track for a tune my guitarist came up with, and I decided to record it once with a J+rounds, then again with a P+flats. Have a listen.

J+rounds

P+flats

90% of the time I reach for a P with flats, but on something like this, I gotta say I think the J with rounds works better.

UPDATE: As requested, here is a J with flats (TI Jazz):

J+flats

 

[PikeoftheLake]

Great playing. Gotta respectfully disagree, I love the p with flats on this.

 

[pasta4lnch]

Yeah I kinda like the P too, but by an inch. Seriously great playing!! Great clips as always Dan!!

 

[lowendgenerator]

P with flats sounds surprisingly good. Sits right where it should in the mix. What kind of flats, and did you apply any EQ to either track?

 

[dtsamples]

Hmm, first one sounds better, but judging by some of your past threads, I wouldn't put it past you if they were both the same bass

 

[BassBob1]

I think I also like the P with flats but just by a hair. While you're at it why not try a J with flats?

 

[Epidrake]

Great playing. I agree with you though. The Jazz with rounds sounds better and shows off your skills a bit more. I listened with high end headphones that have great bass detail, not computer speakers, to give it my best opinion.

 

[JimB52]

Kind of a toss-up for me. The first track's bass tone seems a little more articulated, which works better with the riff.

 

[-=DanAtkinson=-]

P with flats sounds surprisingly good. Sits right where it should in the mix. What kind of flats, and did you apply any EQ to either track?

DR Hi-Beams. My new favorite flats!

Each track was EQ'd and compressed exactly the same. For the EQ, all I did was rolloff everything below 60Hz, to avoid stepping on the kick. Compression was about -3db with a 3:1 ratio.

 

[cassius987]

It's a real toss-up. I think the P is a little more to my liking but I get what's to like about the J with rounds. Maybe a P with rounds? You never said how you set up the pickups on your J though--that's a big deal.

 

[ST-Growler]

Those basses are your own creations or from some other builder (Fender, Sadowsky, etc...)??
What's the P-Bass pickup?

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I still like the P bass. Great playing either way.

 

[JSK5String]

I listened to both with headphones & they both sound excellent, well done...

 

[BassBob1]

I wouldn't have guessed those were high beams on the P bass. They defiantly didn't sound as bright as when I tried high beams. I'm a J bass kinda guy and i still like the p bass better. Although next i'm sure you'll tell us it was jazz bass with the neck pick up soloed . Either way i'll stick with my jazz with flats.

 

[-=DanAtkinson=-]

Those basses are your own creations or from some other builder (Fender, Sadowsky, etc...)??
What's the P-Bass pickup?

My own creations.

You never said how you set up the pickups on your J though--that's a big deal.

Both pups on full. The pickups are Nordstrand NJ4SE (split-coils).

I wouldn't have guessed those were high beams on the P bass. They defiantly didn't sound as bright as when I tried high beams. I'm a J bass kinda guy and i still like the p bass better. Although next i'm sure you'll tell us it was jazz bass with the neck pick up soloed . Either way i'll stick with my jazz with flats.

Funny, I found the Hi-beams very mellow out of the package. That was what drew me to them. The consensus on TB was that they sounded "broken in" right from the start.

And I promise there were no funny tricks on the clips.

 

[lowphatbass]

They both work.

 

[SVE]

I like the P with flats. Solid playing!

 

[steve_rolfeca]

Both tones are good, but I like the track for the playing and the phrasing more than for the respective sounds of the two basses, to tell the truth.

And if it had been me at that session, I think I would have put rounds on the P-bass. Go figure!

 

[Spaldo]

Damn. Audio won't work....

 

[UnfortunateTony]

The P with flats track was good, but it doesn't sound like you had a tort guard on so it could be better.






Kidding, I much prefer the J track, being a J guy