Definitely Jazz bass for me. The reasons, it is more comfortable to me, has a more articulate, midrangey and versitile tone that cuts through the mix way better than a P-Bass in my opinion. Also, I think they look cooler. However, the P-Jazz pickup setup is a good option as well. Ultimately it should be what you want but I vote overwhelingly, Jazz bass.
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Jazz or Precision Bass
- Thread starter huffmandude86
- Start date
This thread got me thinking... I made a special trip over to the GC to play some P's and get a fresh feel.
PLugged them into a 4PRO and GB 410 and had at a wall full of P's and J's. The guys haven't seen me for a while so it was good to visit.
when just playing a bass sitting on a throne, I use a keyboard throne as a practice chair... The Jazz sits just right, the Precision sits to the right several inches more due to the body style.
As far as cutting through the mix goes... Ahhhh... I played one of those PJ specials with P and J pickups... Ahhhh, no big difference heard.
Pulled down the geddy and even though an idiot set this one up, I still like the neck better.
It was fun to play an E-A-D-G four string again, been a while... I may buy a P just to have one. But in this scenario there wasn't a lot of difference between all 5 basses I played. Just setup and general feel. SO I think they are all the same, ha and Fender is a Fender, well modern ones anyway.
This Geddy was nice, hey do they make any AMERICAN GEDDY"S? or are they all MIJ?
BOB
PLugged them into a 4PRO and GB 410 and had at a wall full of P's and J's. The guys haven't seen me for a while so it was good to visit.
when just playing a bass sitting on a throne, I use a keyboard throne as a practice chair... The Jazz sits just right, the Precision sits to the right several inches more due to the body style.
As far as cutting through the mix goes... Ahhhh... I played one of those PJ specials with P and J pickups... Ahhhh, no big difference heard.
Pulled down the geddy and even though an idiot set this one up, I still like the neck better.
It was fun to play an E-A-D-G four string again, been a while... I may buy a P just to have one. But in this scenario there wasn't a lot of difference between all 5 basses I played. Just setup and general feel. SO I think they are all the same, ha and Fender is a Fender, well modern ones anyway.
This Geddy was nice, hey do they make any AMERICAN GEDDY"S? or are they all MIJ?
BOB
Precisions are great "Meat & Potato" bass, very rich thick sound. But if you need to cut through or if you slap the bass, you better make it a Jazz Bass. I have 3 Jazz Basses and 1 Precision.
I like the P&J set up the best, but that's not an option in this poll.
I like the P&J set up the best, but that's not an option in this poll.
So far as I'm concerned , there are exactly two kinds of basses.
P basses... and everything else.
I've tried a lot of different basses since 1982 when I stated, but have always had a Precision. A P has ALWAYS been my "go to" bass. Never , as in not once, ever have I thought to myself. .. "self, you could use some bridge pickup sound here". Nope, not even once.
The P is the only bass that matters. (required IMO)
P basses... and everything else.
I've tried a lot of different basses since 1982 when I stated, but have always had a Precision. A P has ALWAYS been my "go to" bass. Never , as in not once, ever have I thought to myself. .. "self, you could use some bridge pickup sound here". Nope, not even once.
The P is the only bass that matters. (required IMO)
I like the "boom" of the P Bass better then the J bass. I like the neck better on the P then on the J.
P bass ........i hate J necks, also i play pick style and i think the P is best for that IMO. Based on looks i think there equal i like the j bass offset.
A jazz bass with a P neck is a beautiful thing , that fender needs to offer someday.
As for now i'l take a P bass with no tone knob.
A jazz bass with a P neck is a beautiful thing , that fender needs to offer someday.
As for now i'l take a P bass with no tone knob.
I think it's funny that they put the bigger neck on the smaller body Precision, and the thinner neck on the big body Jazz. Maybe it just balances out karma wise? LOL
Franken P with J neck (Mighty Mite) made one myself, and i like it, with Fender flats, sounds great, totally different than the 75 RI MIJ
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I think those two things were coincidence.
I think when Leo (it was Leo I assume) created the Jazz bass he wanted to improve on his first basses.
And those two things (neck size, body size) are unrelated.
Neck: skinnier, smaller string spacing... like said many times before easier for guitarists wanting to play bass.
Also I think that the bass guitar (and people playing it) gained more respect as a worthy instrument. A desire from people in the music world that more technical things could be played more easily.
Making the bass guitar moreso a bass version of a (regular) guitar. To be in the same league.
First Jazz Basses were called "Deluxe" in regards to a Precision Bass IIRC.
Body: maybe a myth or maybe not...
Bigger body usually means better more defined tone. When the wood is the same.
And the offset waist was just aesthetic. To make it look more sleak.
Same can be told about pickups and their configuration. Being captain obvious here: two is more versatile than one.
Because of two single coils can do hum cancelling, there was no need anymore for a split-single coil.
It was not the engineering goal to make a distinct sounding new pickup... but to everyone ears the jazz pickups sounded different.
So: thinner neck for better playability, larger body for better tone. In theory.
That all being said... my perception of it, I still prefer a precision bass.
P's cut thru fine, just listen to Steve Harris in Iron Maiden. His P cuts through 3 guitars, Nicko's drumming and Bruce's voice.
I voted for the Jazz, because I think my Geddy is the single, most awesome bass ever made for a player like me! It's low output pickups allow the player to be in charge of the instrument, and the extra thin neck is good for my small hands. I know I can take it to any jam/ gig/ audition and it will sound good, as do all my Fenders..
That said, I have 2 PBasses, a Paisley '54 (single coil PU) and '62 Re Iss, both MIJ. I teethed on a real '61 PBass in the early 80's, and like the wide, flat neck. I work out parts on the P's and play live with the Geddy.. Or play one of the P's..
Hey! They are all good Basses, with many strong points and lesser weak points. I do have Roto's on all of them
That said, I have 2 PBasses, a Paisley '54 (single coil PU) and '62 Re Iss, both MIJ. I teethed on a real '61 PBass in the early 80's, and like the wide, flat neck. I work out parts on the P's and play live with the Geddy.. Or play one of the P's..
Hey! They are all good Basses, with many strong points and lesser weak points. I do have Roto's on all of them
I used to think that I hated Precisions, mostly because of the neck. After finally trying them out again I am quite impressed. They sound awesome and feel great. I'm fine with either a Jazz or Precision neck now. I shouldn't have judged an entire category of basses on one poor experience with a cheap Squier Affinity P. I've been missing out on a lot.
It's hard to pick a favorite between the two. Right now I would lean toward Precision but I change my mind frequently. It's much nicer to just have both. I was practicing on my Squier VM Precision tonight and couldn't get over how great it felt and sounded. My only gripe was that there was no comfortable place to mount my thumb. The pickup doesn't sit quite as high as the one in my CV 60s Jazz. A cheap thumbrest would be a quick remedy for that issue, though.
I have a Precision being built right now that I am very excited about. It should be very close to my dream Precision - but a matching Jazz would definitely be a welcomed addition to the bass family. That may be next on the list, after I unload a bunch of my other basses. I'm confident that my future Atkinson Precision will become my main bass. It should only be a matter of weeks before it's completed.
It's hard to pick a favorite between the two. Right now I would lean toward Precision but I change my mind frequently. It's much nicer to just have both.
I was practicing on my Squier VM Precision tonight and couldn't get over how great it felt and sounded. My only gripe was that there was no comfortable place to mount my thumb. The pickup doesn't sit quite as high as the one in my CV 60s Jazz. A cheap thumbrest would be a quick remedy for that issue, though.I have a Precision being built right now that I am very excited about. It should be very close to my dream Precision - but a matching Jazz would definitely be a welcomed addition to the bass family. That may be next on the list, after I unload a bunch of my other basses.
I'm confident that my future Atkinson Precision will become my main bass. It should only be a matter of weeks before it's completed.
