So I want a P bass now to put flats on and to old school, blues, old funk, old rock, reggea but dont know much about Ps............whats the most reputable solid P I can be proud of holding, mostly alone lol, jk, that I can get for under 1000 bucks used or new........what year if used, model, all that blah blah blah thanks
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P Bass choices
- Thread starter J Sudjian
- Start date
It's not that simple. There are some that are amazing and cheap, amazing and expensive, crappy and cheap, and crappy and expensive, and everything in between.
I knew it would be like others, Ps I just dont know enough about so can you guys just get me started, can I get a solid P USA made under a G or no way, and are they even good, I just dont even know where to start, I mean 500 to 1000 Im cool.
There are a ton of options, like JimmyM said. It really depends on aesthetics and neck profile, as the rest of a P bass is pretty simple.
Do you like a chunkier neck?
You probably wouldn't go far wrong with a used MIA Fender Precision (preferably >2008). At the other end of the market, a Classic Vibe Squier would leave plenty of money left over for mods and some fancy new pickups.
Do you like a chunkier neck?
You probably wouldn't go far wrong with a used MIA Fender Precision (preferably >2008). At the other end of the market, a Classic Vibe Squier would leave plenty of money left over for mods and some fancy new pickups.
I'd say a used American or Japanese Precision would suit your needs pretty well (might do your best to try before you buy with American unless there's a pretty good return policy, they can vary more than they really should for the price). I'd also look at Japanese Yamaha BB series basses, a lot of them are fan-damn-tabulous and they can usually be gotten at reasonable prices. Also, check out used Peavey Fury basses. US made, often ridiculously affordable, consistently excellent build quality and playability.
Only one I'd consider buying...but that's just me.
Fender Vintera '50s P bass.
I've tried other good P basses in the same price range, but this one does it on several levels.
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I got my 09 AmStd P for under a G. Had to replace the godawful pickup, but now that I have, it's a fantastic bass.
If you love it, it doesn't matter what name is on the headstock, where it was made or how much it cost. Unless you're swimming in a sea of bass-snobs who somehow have a say about where and with whom you can perform, what anyone else thinks about your gear shouldn't even register on your radar.
All that being said, when the COVID-19 situation calms down, retailers like Guitar Center (I can't speak for other retailers) will start re-listing a lot of gear, so many more options will open up.
Can you give us some of your criteria? What floats your boat already? Are you interested in a particular color or stylizations of a certain decade/era?
Well its primarily about me, and since Im 45 now and have been into music since 10ish, Im finally at the point Im starting to grab some of the instruments I deserve. Ive always been primarily a guitar player and piano, then bass for 6 or 7 years.
Play and listen to more Jazz, fusion jazz, prog, Sade, Peter Gabriel, Stanly Clark, Jaco, Metal, Reggae, I play everything, right now I just have my vintage modified jazz with dp123 pups, and a SR505 Ibby, have had Jacksons and a few others in the past.
So I want P for more old school funk, James Brown, Issac Hayes, Staple Singers, but also old classic rock, stoner Doors like stuff, I know Doors bass tone lol I know I know lol, I miss the feel of flats, eventually gonna grab a Music Man, but really wantin a P with flats right now, but dont wanna cheap out. I can play that stuff on my basses, but I want the full experience.
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1000 buck bass with an awful pup huh? That sucks.
So, you're looking to treat yourself a little bit, yes? Cool!
If nothing else, there are a handful of interesting, used prospects still available through Guitar Center. They have two, Mexican-made Vintera '50s, and a trio of American Standards, all of which range from $750 to $1,000 USD. The Vintera's are meant to recreate a number of vintage-style specs (curvier fretboard, wider nut-width, vintage-voiced pickups, etc…) while the Standards will have more modern appointments. Also, some of their used MIA Standards come with cases included, if that's even a factor in your calculus.
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It's OK...I got a couple Geezer P's for free
To be fair, not everyone thinks of the stocker as a bad pickup. But to me it didn't sound anything like what I like about Precisions. It was very midscooped and bright.
Yeah I was checking some of those out, I thought the Vinteras were USA made, guess not then............thanks for all your time and info. I’m gonna just keep researching for awhile since this Covid crap, but it’s perfect time to research. That’s why then, that a GC doesn’t show more used stuff, their pry shut down mostly for used gear arrivals....
Exactly! They've shuttered many stores, along with their inventories, for a very good reason.
And don't let the Made In Mexico thing immediately dissuade you. I've owned both an MIM Classic '70s Jazz, which was the precursor to the Vintera Series, and an MIA Standard Jazz. The Classic '70s fit, finish, feel and sound were top notch.
In fact, if I had to choose between a Vintera Jazz and an American Professional Jazz, I would gladly take the Vintera over the Professional because of it's specifications and design. As long as there were no glaring errors, I would have just as much confidence in it.
Hiya,
My recommendation would be Warmoth. For me, the ability to choose every aspect of the bass is important. Over the years I've found that I'm never really satisfied with off the rack instruments and I end up swapping parts. The problem with this is I end up paying for a lot of the components twice. Don't get me wrong, I have some instruments that are exactly as they left the benches 40+ years ago, (my oldest was made in '72) I wouldn't change anything but strings on them however, these are the minority in my collection.
An important aspect for me is that I'm so accustomed to a Jazz profile neck after 40+ years of playing, I feel out of place on anything but, so as much as I love looking and fondling them in the store, store bought "P" basses, or anything else with neck specs other than Jazz don't work for me once I get them to rehearsal.
I recently put together a dual-P Precision with a MIJRI Jazz neck, swamp ash Seafoam green body, Gotoh vintage bridge, Stew-Mac pickups and a concentric volume, single tone control setup with a series-parallel switch. I figure the components cost me about $700 total however, I could not have gone to a store and purchased one like it off the rack and if I had had one made, it would have cost me 3, maybe 4 times that amount.
Don't let the prospect of assembling a bass for yourself scare you, Leo's gift to the guitar and bass players is that his designs let players tinker and come up with component combinations that are as unique as the players themselves. There are many people here that have put together their own instruments, it does get addictive. Another aspect is that once you put them together, you really understand how to setup the instrument for yourself and can make the adjustments that suit you, rather than relying on a tech.
Feel free to message me if you want more detail,
Tom
Edit: Figured I'd contribute a little to your GAS with a picture...
My recommendation would be Warmoth. For me, the ability to choose every aspect of the bass is important. Over the years I've found that I'm never really satisfied with off the rack instruments and I end up swapping parts. The problem with this is I end up paying for a lot of the components twice. Don't get me wrong, I have some instruments that are exactly as they left the benches 40+ years ago, (my oldest was made in '72) I wouldn't change anything but strings on them however, these are the minority in my collection.
An important aspect for me is that I'm so accustomed to a Jazz profile neck after 40+ years of playing, I feel out of place on anything but, so as much as I love looking and fondling them in the store, store bought "P" basses, or anything else with neck specs other than Jazz don't work for me once I get them to rehearsal.
I recently put together a dual-P Precision with a MIJRI Jazz neck, swamp ash Seafoam green body, Gotoh vintage bridge, Stew-Mac pickups and a concentric volume, single tone control setup with a series-parallel switch. I figure the components cost me about $700 total however, I could not have gone to a store and purchased one like it off the rack and if I had had one made, it would have cost me 3, maybe 4 times that amount.
Don't let the prospect of assembling a bass for yourself scare you, Leo's gift to the guitar and bass players is that his designs let players tinker and come up with component combinations that are as unique as the players themselves. There are many people here that have put together their own instruments, it does get addictive. Another aspect is that once you put them together, you really understand how to setup the instrument for yourself and can make the adjustments that suit you, rather than relying on a tech.
Feel free to message me if you want more detail,
Tom
Edit: Figured I'd contribute a little to your GAS with a picture...
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I already have a P bass or I'd consider one.
Especially since I saw one for $700 and change not too long ago.
Exactly!
You want to know one reason I bought my non-Precision P bass?
To cause disharmony and discord!
