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P Bass observation. Just MO

TimK

TimK

May 27, 2007
236
2
www.briandavidband.com
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: Lakland
#1
I recently got a Lakland Glaub P bass and have been using it a lot. I really like. It seems to "just fit" into the mix really well.

But here is what I noticed about how and why it seems to "just fit" and its different tone wise from other basses. I'd like to hear other opinions. Forgive me if this is obvious or already beaten to death.

When played alone the P has thumpy, almost dull tone to it (which can be great) but its sort of vanilla. not a lot of character or color to the tone as compared to say an active bass or even a J bass which seem more "colorful" (please forgive the bad metaphors).

But when played in a live band setting, the P bass is like the missing piece of the puzzle and ties all the band together.

So, finally to my point. A Pbass, (to me) when locking with the drums, gives the kick and snare drum a musical tone or pitch rather than just a percsuive sound that the drum gives on it's own. Where as an active bass or other basses seem more like lower pitched guitars. Other basses can defiently still groove, don't get me wrong, but the P bass is more like a "drum agumenting tool" by adding pitch to the drums, rather than being a lower pitched guitar. Almost as if when playing a P bass, there is no bass player, but rather tuned drums with all pitches as 1 instrument compared to drums and a sperate bass player as 2 instruments. I hope I'm communicating what I mean clearly.

Now please don't flame me. I'm not saying P are better than other, just what I noticed about the "role" of a P bass compared to other basses I have played.

Anybody else notice this? Does playing a P bass impact they way you play differently than playing other basses?
 
#2
I used to hate p basses... Then i bought one and now i think it is the most perfect bass ever made FOR ME. It sits right where it needs to, it's funky, can be either smooth or agressive... I have other basses too, but my p bass has a special place in my heart... LOL
 
#4
giacomini said:
Like you said, yes, this topic is beaten to death, but indeed it have its true! :D

Usually P-basses "sit" in the mix very, very well. J basses are more of a "cut" thru the mix kinda bass.

.02
Click to expand...


They sems to "react" differently when locked with a kick drum compared to other basses.

Like you wouldn't notice it was there until it's not being played.
 
#6
P basses are phenomenal in a band setting. Sure, they may not be the best for soloing...but they are the ultimate when it comes to your standard blues/rock/punk bass. It doesn't stand out when in the "mix" but you'd certainly be able to tell if it wasn't.
 
#8
Does anyone change their playing approach when playing the same song with a P bass vs another bass?

ie... lay back more, more/less fills runs, more/less root -five, simplier lines- busier lines, note length, staccoto, feel? whatever? What do you do?
 
#9
TimK said:
Does anyone change their playing approach when playing the same song with a P bass vs another bass?

ie... lay back more, more/less fills runs, more/less root -five, simplier lines- busier lines, note length, staccoto, feel? whatever? What do you do?
Click to expand...

Yo! That's me. When playing my P, especially in my school's gymnasium chapel services, with huge subwoofers and stuff, I keep it really simple. The P-Bass takes big footsteps and doesn't like to dance. The Jazz loves to shuffle and cut, so if I'm movin' around more, I'll bring the Jazz.

Tool for the job, IMO.
 
#10
Your opinions are entirely valid. However my love of P-basses and Stingrays over the years has largely been my preference for one middle pickup over the now-customary two-pickup configuration. Anthony Jackson has gone back to single-pickup basses, although it's now Fodera AJ and not Fender P.

In the case of the P-bass specifically, the pickup coils are wound in series, which emphasizes midrange: great for sitting in the mix. J-bass pickups are wired in parallel (when both are used) and therefore give a more full-spectrum sound, which IME doesn't work as well in the mix.
 
#14
TimK said:
I recently got a Lakland Glaub P bass and have been using it a lot. I really like. It seems to "just fit" into the mix really well.

But here is what I noticed about how and why it seems to "just fit" and its different tone wise from other basses. I'd like to hear other opinions. Forgive me if this is obvious or already beaten to death.

When played alone the P has thumpy, almost dull tone to it (which can be great) but its sort of vanilla. not a lot of character or color to the tone as compared to say an active bass or even a J bass which seem more "colorful" (please forgive the bad metaphors).

But when played in a live band setting, the P bass is like the missing piece of the puzzle and ties all the band together.

So, finally to my point. A Pbass, (to me) when locking with the drums, gives the kick and snare drum a musical tone or pitch rather than just a percsuive sound that the drum gives on it's own. Where as an active bass or other basses seem more like lower pitched guitars. Other basses can defiently still groove, don't get me wrong, but the P bass is more like a "drum agumenting tool" by adding pitch to the drums, rather than being a lower pitched guitar. Almost as if when playing a P bass, there is no bass player, but rather tuned drums with all pitches as 1 instrument compared to drums and a sperate bass player as 2 instruments. I hope I'm communicating what I mean clearly.

Now please don't flame me. I'm not saying P are better than other, just what I noticed about the "role" of a P bass compared to other basses I have played.

Anybody else notice this? Does playing a P bass impact they way you play differently than playing other basses?
Click to expand...


I would object to the notion that there is no character to vanilla.
There is a lot to it when used correctly and if it is of high quality.
Here I am talking about the quality of the material used-good ,fresh vanilla with no chemical additives ,and the one using it.
 
#15
cnltb said:
First I would object to the notion that there is no character to vanilla.
There is a lot to it when used correctly. The best vanilla ice cream I have had was great, strong in taste and character to it.

I would say all this about P basses as well.
Click to expand...

good point. Thanks for contributing!:)
I guess i meant "vanilla" more in regards to simplicty, not that vanilla is bad in any way. Just basic and pure. Which is a great thing too!! Just different than something with more "ingredients." I'm trying to descirbe the contrast that I'm hearing.

BTW- now I'm hungry for some Haagen Daz!!
 
#17
P with flats + J with flats = 2 killer axes to reach for :) your observations are spot on! I lay back with the P a little more and use 'tastier fills' but when its time for 'Sir Duke' or 'Do I Do' type runs, they are just a little easier to play on my jazz. Best of both worlds! The band loves my P, primarily for the sonic space it leaves them,,,especially the keyboards.
 
#19
TimK said:
I recently got a Lakland Glaub P bass and have been using it a lot. I really like. It seems to "just fit" into the mix really well.

But here is what I noticed about how and why it seems to "just fit" and its different tone wise from other basses. I'd like to hear other opinions. Forgive me if this is obvious or already beaten to death.

When played alone the P has thumpy, almost dull tone to it (which can be great) but its sort of vanilla. not a lot of character or color to the tone as compared to say an active bass or even a J bass which seem more "colorful" (please forgive the bad metaphors).

But when played in a live band setting, the P bass is like the missing piece of the puzzle and ties all the band together.

So, finally to my point. A Pbass, (to me) when locking with the drums, gives the kick and snare drum a musical tone or pitch rather than just a percsuive sound that the drum gives on it's own. Where as an active bass or other basses seem more like lower pitched guitars. Other basses can defiently still groove, don't get me wrong, but the P bass is more like a "drum agumenting tool" by adding pitch to the drums, rather than being a lower pitched guitar. Almost as if when playing a P bass, there is no bass player, but rather tuned drums with all pitches as 1 instrument compared to drums and a sperate bass player as 2 instruments. I hope I'm communicating what I mean clearly.

Now please don't flame me. I'm not saying P are better than other, just what I noticed about the "role" of a P bass compared to other basses I have played.

Anybody else notice this? Does playing a P bass impact they way you play differently than playing other basses?
Click to expand...

I hear you...i just got (2 months ago) my first P-Bass, coming from a Spector Euro 4 and an active Fender Jazz, this fella felt kind of ankward to me the first couple of days, it kinda forced me to obtain the tones i needed with "only" my right hand position and the tone knob. The idea of selling it crossed my mind more than once, but then one day i found myself enjoying the "few" sounds i had obtained, and jamming a lot with some live DVD´s, i realized that by itself this guy sounded kind of dull, but in the right context can be that killer, fat sound that binds everything else together, now i know why engineers love it so much...it melts with the kick drum.

This is coming from a former P-Bass "hater", i LOVE my HWY 1 P-Bass.
 

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