Love the look, but need a modern sound

[Mike A]

G&L L2000. I feel the same way about Precision basses. I LOVE the idea of a P. I love the look of a P. I even like the tonal character of a P. I just can't fall in love with the way a Precision bass sits in a mix.

It's been a costly lesson, and I'm keeping a Precision around just to remind me that I'm not a P guy and keep me from buying another down the road, but I'm pretty much a G&L L2K or ASAT guy, that also likes Fender Jazzes.

 

[David Jayne]

I just can't fall in love with the way a Precision bass sits in a mix.

Must get lonely...... :-D



I'm kidding. We like what we like.
I would second or third or fourth the Jazz Bass suggestion. Classic looks with a more modern (IMO) sound.

 

[DigthemLows]

Pedals?? If you like the look and feel, the sound is so easy to manipulate that you should be fine..........

 

[StevieMac]

I’m in the same boat, I have a really nice Ibanez SR and a US Spector that sounds GREAT but nothing feels as good in my hands or looks as cool to me as a pbass. I’m going to go the EMG route. First with just an original EMG p pickup and then decide if I feel like adding a jazz pickup and/or eventually one of their preamps.

 

[David Jayne]

I’m in the same boat, I have a really nice Ibanez SR and a US Spector that sounds GREAT but nothing feels as good in my hands or looks as cool to me as a pbass. I’m going to go the EMG route. First with just an original EMG p pickup and then decide if I feel like adding a jazz pickup and/or eventually one of their preamps.

Tell you what, I'd determine what electronics are in the Spector and get more, then stuff them into a Warmoth P bass.

 

[Luckydog]

Sadowsky metro hybrid pj with the look of your choice- oly with tort, whatever, SS rounds, pup selector balanced between both pups, boost bass 10%.....done!

 

[jallenbass]

What about a Music Man Stingray? I'm partial to the Classic series myself.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Stingray HS or a Bongo. I'd put a Big Al in front of the 2 of those, but the neck is more like a Jazz. If ya like the P neck, you'd be happier with first 2. The extra pickup in the Stingray makes a world of difference, too.

 

[El Raro]

Buy a preamp pedal. It will effectively give your passive instrument the active boost without having to mod your bass. Bear in mind that some preamps will still retain the inherent tone of your bass but just give you a bit of signal boost while others can colour your tone and make your bass sound drastically different. But for what you're after, a Sansamp BDDI might be a good option. Liam Wilson from The Dillinger Escape Plan used to use one as an "always-on" pedal when he was playing his passive Fender Jazz back during their Miss Machine tours.

Also bear in mind that Nate Newton from Converge used/uses passive P basses a lot both in studio and live - and his tone is anything but tame. He's got one of the grittiest, harshest bass tones I've heard in modern hardcore. Its all in his choice of effects and amps (pretty sure he runs through an Orange AD200B). Maybe you could look at your amp too if you want to make your bass sound bigger.

Alternatively, keep the passive P bass and look into buying a used American Deluxe P bass like Troy Sanders' or Jean-Michel Labadie from Gojira. It doesn't sound a whole lot like a standard P bass, which is something you might like, but its got tone for days what with the active electronics and the added J pickup at the bridge.

Still, above all else, I'd look at amps and cabs. They go a long way to determining your tone.