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Need help choosing a P-Bass....

Which P-Bass should I buy?

  • Fender Roger Waters P Bass

    Votes: 83 46.1%
  • Carvin PB4

    Votes: 15 8.3%
  • Lakland Skyline 44-64 P-Bass

    Votes: 82 45.6%

  • Total voters
    180
I owned a Lakland Skyline Decade which is a different model. I did not like the shape and radius of the neck at all. Many find it nice but others have made the same observation. I would recommend playing one to see if you like it or not. I prefer a more Fender / Warmoth / Musicman type neck and the Skyline was not for me.

FWIW I put together a warmth P from used parts for about $500. Super bass!
 
I vote Roger Waters, seeing that I have one and love it.

I replaced the SPB-3 Duncan Basslines with an EMG GZR, only because I had the basslines in another precision already.

Neck is a "fatty" and awesome "baseball bat" style, and the brass nut is nice stock.

Black on black with Maple is killer as well, it's a great bass!
 
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When it comes to PBs, you always want to try before you buy. No two are exactly the same in terms of tone or feel. Last time I shopped for a Fender bass, I auditioned about 15 before I found the one that spoke to me.

Also, keep an open mind and don't arbitrarily confine yourself to specific makes or models. One of the all around nicest PBs I've ever owned is a Squier Matt Freeman. Mine sounds like angels and plays like a dream. The fact it was ridiculously inexpensive and had a name on the headstock that won't get you any bragging rights made no difference to me. It plays well and sounds really good. And nobody was more surprised about that than me.
 
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What radius do you prefer? The RWaters P is 7.25...the Carvin is much flatter...

I owned a classic 50s for a long time, the neck was the most stable one I have owned. I moved it on as I now find I prefer a flatter board...(11 my fave)

The Carvin PB4 I owned was fine...I did not care for the nut width and never bonded with it. It reminded me of a decent mid tier..import...and I like imports...on par with my Indo ATK300...

Used Fender American Standard '08-'14 and option? Similar price range...
 
When it comes to PBs, you always want to try before you buy. No two are exactly the same in terms of tone or feel. Last time I shopped for a Fender bass, I auditioned about 15 before I found the one that spoke to me.

Also, keep an open mind and don't arbitrarily confine yourself to specific makes or models. One of the all around nicest PBs I've ever owned is a Squier Matt Freeman. Mine sounds like angels and plays like a dream. The fact it was ridiculously inexpensive and had a name on the headstock that won't get you any bragging rights made no difference to me. It plays well and sounds really good. And nobody was more surprised about that than me.
Yeah I agree with you. I owned a Matt Freeman P and it was one of the best P Basses I have played as well. Got rid of it to fund the "I need a 5" thing lol.
 
What radius do you prefer? The RWaters P is 7.25...the Carvin is much flatter...

I owned a classic 50s for a long time, the neck was the most stable one I have owned. I moved it on as I now find I prefer a flatter board...(11 my fave)

The Carvin PB4 I owned was fine...I did not care for the nut width and never bonded with it. It reminded me of a decent mid tier..import...and I like imports...on par with my Indo ATK300...

Used Fender American Standard '08-'14 and option? Similar price range...
I believe the Roger Waters sig is the standard 9.5 radius. That is what sweetwater and the Fender website says anyway. If the RW sig is 7.5 I don't want it.
 
i always vote for carvin,

they're value for the money can't be beat. as far as the instruments go, i'll never claim (nobody does, really) that they're the best sounding bass around. but they're really very good, and if you know what your doing, they compete quite well. the reliability, fit and finish, and overall quality control on carvins is second to none. and, as far as sound is concerned, they do sound better than most basses to my ears.
 
Are you familiar with the 1983 Fender Precision Elite II ? I have one that I just decided to sell. It's a pretty awesome P bass, unlike any other. It has a long list of significant improvements over a standard P Bass. The book value is $1,650 to $2,150 depending on condition. It has a few minor cosmetic issues from playing in a ska band with it for a couple of years, but it plays awesome, sounds amazing, and looks extremely cool. I just bought a Fodera and have moved more toward jazz and funk so the P bass doesn't suit my musical needs any more. Given the cosmetic items, I figured I would sell it a bit below book value, especially if I sell it through here. You can PM me if interested.
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