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Jazz Bass or Precision Bass, and why?

Jazz Bass or Precision Bass?

  • Jazz Bass

    Votes: 162 70.7%

  • Precision Bass

    Votes: 67 29.3%
  • Total voters
    229
  • Poll closed .
#23
You could not pay me to buy a Precision (unless it was reaaalllyyyy cheap). IMHO, it is a one trick pony, e.g., it has one sound due to one pickup and one tone control. While I understand that a lot of people like them and happily use them, I just can't justify adding a bass to my collection that I can only get one sound out of.

I also don't like the necks. They seem like tree trunks to me, but hey, to each his/her own.

All this being said, I acknowledge the Precision's place in bass history. If Leo hadn't developed/invented it, we might all be still struggling with how to amplify an upright (not a bad thing, but....).

For me, a Jazz is much more versatile, and you can get P-Bass tones out of it as well. Don't believe me? Turn off the bridge pickup, and leave the neck pickup on. Play it. Get a P-Bass, and play it. Compare to the J-Bass with the neck pickup-only on tone. No difference, IMHO.

Again, to each his/her own.

Alan
 
#24
P's are good basses but I much prefer the jazz. The sound is beautiful and it's versatile. I like to have a variety of sounds at my fingertips when playing live. The only P I've ever played that I fell in love with is the American Deluxe.
 
#25
While someone earlier mentioned that they did not like the P-J, I very much enjoy my Fender Power Jazz special (17 years old and still going strong). I find that I can obtain a wide range of tones easily by varying both finger position and pickup toggles...and I have no buzz - go figure.

Jay
 
#29
Precision. For me it is the definitive bass tone, feel and look.

I've gone through 28 years of bass swapping...a myriad of top notch stock and boutique basses, but I've finally come to my senses and came back to the first bass I ever had, the P-Bass.

It sounds too good as is. Simple, pure and unrefined. A true Bass player's bass.
 
#31
Like many, I have both :smug:

I have to say, I just put a set of SD Antiquity IIs in my jazz bass (one of the newer models with the S-1 switching). Hit the S-1, roll back the tone knob by about 1/3 and BOOM - major PBass tone. IMHO anyways - the thing absolutely kills. Of course, I get great traditional jazz bass tones, too. If I could only have one bass - this one would certainly be it (except maybe for the Sadowsky I've been GASing for...)
 
#35
I only really ask because I have a Brice Jazz 5-string fretless but since I traded my other Jazz for a Roscoe Beck 5 I'm not really sure how much I will be playing fretless. I think I may need to learn the instrument more in order to really make use of a fretless. I am thinking about selling it and adding an SX P/J to my arsenal. I'm thinking Badass 2 bridge, Dimarzio Model P/J pickup combo, new pots and wiring, shield the whole thing... it could just yield up a great bass.
 
#38
SMASH said:
The bridge will add nothing but weight, and the pots I had on an SX I had, while cheap, had nothing wrong with them and did not need replacing. Just FYI - seems a waste to save money on a bass and spend nearly as much on stuff that won't change a thing.

P or J ? I'd take J because I prefer the look and the wider sound spectrum (Ps are usually too middy for me) and I love to mod which is more of a J thing, but the Ps I have work for me just as well.

Best P pickup? I've tried several and I liked the Bart 8S. Pretty dark, but for me it was just the solution to cure the middy P focus I don't really care for. Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders are great too - good fat lively tone.
Click to expand...

So you wouldn't replace the SX bridge? I'd have to do the pots because I like a solid tight feeling to the knobs with no crackle. I know what you mean about the middiness of the P, but I can't get that classic middy bass sound with my Jazz. Maybe I can, though. The Roscoe has dual coil "Jazz" pickups which give a parallel/single coil/series option with mini-switches. Would the neck pup sound like a P if I soloed it in series and boosted the mids on my amp?
 

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