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Metal: Precision vs. Jazz

#67
IMHO, I don't think a Fender would be the best thing for Death Metal. I see that music as more of a modern bass like , Modulus, Warwick, ESP ,BC Rich, maybe some fancy basses with nice tops(I think they're metal). Sound-wise I think the jazz would work better.
The Precision might get lost in the mix. I
 
#68
Reviving a comically dead thread here.

Been playing a 5 string Spector with the same band the last year (recorded an album with it too), but just picked up a Fender Precision 5 and I sat int he mix like a m***** f*****. Both my rhythm guitar player and drummer were like 'whoa!'. P-basses might not sound the greatest by themselves, but put them in a band setting and they absolutely shine, even in metal!
 
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#69
Heavy Metal requires humbuckers!

370147960254-2.jpg
 
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#70
I rocked a vintage 70s jazz bass playing technical brutaal death metal and it killed. My band mates liked the sound of it and some of the audience members would usually come and ask about my bass. I would do it all over again if it wasn't for my fretless warwick.

Ignore the comments about people saying you don't want a bass that says jazz on it when you play metal. all the best metal bass players were jazz dudes at some point and most metal musicians I meet respect the hell out of a guy who can sit in on some jazz music and play some tech death!
 
#71
Jazz is more about highs and lows. Precision is mids. Pick your poison. I'm not a metal guy but have heard enough to know that the modern thing often has the guitars very deep and scooped. In that case I'd assume the P would slot into the mix better without competing for sonic space as much as a J might. Just spitballing.
 
#75
David Jayne said:
Jazz is more about highs and lows.
Click to expand...
Yup. I was a Jazz guy for years and finally realized that you basically have two options for playing heavy music with those:
  1. Both pickups on, which can sound good but can easily scoop out your midrange + doesn't always play well with distortion or fuzz
  2. Neck only, which is less scooped and more distortion-friendly...but also kind of sounds like a slightly feeble Precision
 
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#78
It's a tough choice really. Thin Lizzy used the P bass to great heights. AC/DC (Cliff) used a Jazz before a Stingray. John Paul Jones used a Jazz. Lemmy the Rickenbacker which I guess is more close to a jazz? I don't care for metal that uses the B string or any of those drop sounds. I'm more into traditional metal with rock roots. I think Warwick Corvette $$ is the best of both worlds. Power and lots of options for tones if you needed to only choose one bass.
 
#79
As it's been said plenty of times already, either could work well.
But between the two, I feel like the Jazz has a bit of a leg up on the p.
Cuts nicely, growls and snarls (especially with both pickups full on and the tone at about 50%-60%), and with 2 pickups you get a little more versatility/options. The narrower neck could be either a good or bad thing depending on what you like, but the more ya play, the quicker you adapt.
 
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#80
I'd go for a P/J bass if I were playing metal, personally (I mean, if I knew I wanted a Fender-style instrument, that is. I think there are better choices). The P pickup will usually allow you to keep some of the low-mids and balls that you can sometimes lose with distortion and adding the J pickup in will allow you to retain higher-frequency snarl and articulation.
 
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