P-Bass Opinions

[GregBass1979]

Honestly the project I was thinking about using this particular bass for is a Symphonic Wind Ensemble of about 50 pieces max where I play tuba. They have an older lady on Upright Bass with a tiny amp that no one can really hear well. I am trying to find the right sound for that..it should be woody, earthy but yet some mid range as to not make mud. I won't be in anyone's sonic space like other guitars or super loud drummer or keys. What would you guys use for that?

 

[Acoop]

A great P-bass, I think, starts with a good body. ... Alder or Swamp Ash make great foundations. ... Next is the pickups, you want it dark and woody or bright and exact? Your call and can be changed anytime ... Next, necks are personal things. I've played every P-neck under the sun, but you can't imagine how your hand will react to it until it's under your fingers. ... What's left, tuners, bridge and strings. ... Again all personal. ... Remember, in 1961 Leo Fender called the Fender Jazz Bass the Cadillac of basses. ...

 

[socialleper]

I certainly know it's all subjective and a matter of opinion so I will take in all your responses and weigh them out. Two fold question here but,

A) what do you Precision Bass guys think the best sounding Precision Bass was either old or new and

B) If you were going to recommend a solid well built P-Bass to someone whose played Jazz Basses all their life who wants to change up their sound and is on somewhat of a budget, which new or used should I be looking for that will deliver strong sustain and awesome traditional P sound?

Thanks!

I'm not a "p bass guy" but I have one. Their simplicity means one made 50 years ago sounds pretty much like one made yesterday. The pickups alter some minor things, but a P is a P.
If you like jazz necks, try to find an old Peavey Fury or Forum. Basic P tone, cheap, and thin necks.

 

[FingerDub]

Yeah actually that Squire VM 60's I played today almost has too wide of a neck but it played and sounded so awesome. If I put a jazz neck on it would it lose it's "P" sound at all? OR..what has a thinner neck you'd recommend?

I'd suggest a Spector Legend Standard. Yeah, I know it's not a traditional Fender look, but it's a great bass. It's a P/J, mahogany body and very well constructed, and LIGHT. The neck may be what you are looking for. It has a 1.57 inch neck, which is halfway between a regular P neck and a J. It's the only neck I know of on any bass that comes in this width. I prefer bigger necks, and this is still very comfortable for me to play on. Great players bass and ideal if you are going to be dropping in an EMG Geezer set, which I would highly recommend.

 

[oren]

I really like my 78 P that I bought new in 78. There are lots,of late 70s P basses around at not too ridiculous prices, but quality was quite variable in that era, so I wouldn't buy anything I couldn't try first.

For new basses a G&L LB-100 might suit you very well. Here'S Ed Friedlander's take on it:

 

[bikeplate]

This one

 

[g4string]

I was on a pee quest last year. The problem with Fender is there is no consitency in neck shape and profile through out the years on any of their pee bass models. Body woods can vary too. So IMO; for the money, the Fender Nate Mendel signature pee bass is a prett good bargain. Not to mention consistent build quality on the model. I personally like the neck profile and nut width on this particular model. The only caveat on the Mendel pee is the pup. I'm not a big fan of the spb3 quarter pounder Fender installs. Install an emg gzr and you'll have yourself a very nice 70's reissue pee for pennies on the dollar. It's the best bargain out there IMO.

 

[sheltjo6]

My Recommendation for a jazz bass player who wants to play a precision bass.

Or here's another alternative to a Precision bass.

 

[bobyoung53]

I had a Precision with a Jazz neck on it, it was my main bass for over 20 years and I think that the P bass neck has a lot to do with the P bass tone and feel. The P bass I have now with it's original neck is nice and resonant, it's an American Hotrod P bass, it has Labella standard gauge flatwounds on it and you can feel the notes vibrating all up and down the body and neck, that's when you know you have a good one. I never got that with my old 68 with the J neck on it but I used Rotosounds back then so that could also be something to do with it. P necks are rock solid usually.

 

[sheltjo6]

I like a Precision bass to sound like the bass in this video.

 

[GregBass1979]

I was on a pee quest last year. The problem with Fender is there is no consitency in neck shape and profile through out the years on any of their pee bass models. Body woods can vary too. So IMO; for the money, the Fender Nate Mendel signature pee bass is a prett good bargain. Not to mention consistent build quality on the model. I personally like the neck profile and nut width on this particular model. The only caveat on the Mendel pee is the pup. I'm not a big fan of the spb3 quarter pounder Fender installs. Install an emg gzr and you'll have yourself a very nice 70's reissue pee for pennies on the dollar. It's the best bargain out there IMO.

A Good bargain at $900? oh k!

 

[GregBass1979]

you can feel the notes vibrating all up and down the body and neck, that's when you know you have a good one.

THIS ^^ That's the sound I am looking for. Amazing that Squire nailed it so well.

 

[osonu]

Not to contradict the previous poster (although that's exactly what I'm going to do), but don't write of MIMs. My MIM kicked my Squier VM back to the shop, and I a/b'd it with all 3 American Standards at that store and it beat them all- even the salespeople and other customers agreed. Of course, it sounded even better after I added the tort pg and flats ; )

Seriously, too much variation to write off a whole category- I got a killer bass for $300 with a hard case. YMMV

 

[jj4001]

I'd be looking for a MIJ or CIJ if I was looking to spend $500ish on a Fender P-bass.

I've got a cheaper, basswood version PB62 and I'm sure it's not the greatest bass in the world, but it's my favorite one in 21 or so years of playing. I like the way it plays and sounds better than my CV 60s Squier P, which I also really enjoy. I put an EMG GZR in the Squier as well as an old-style bridge mod and I still prefer the PB62 tone. Slightly less of the high mid bump but not by much. It gets all the gigs for the last year-plus and I'm in no hurry to replace it.

 

[SwitchGear]

I have an American Standard p with a stock wound Lindy Fralin pickup.

Even, delicious tone and a great player.

 

[1954bassman]

I certainly know it's all subjective and a matter of opinion so I will take in all your responses and weigh them out. Two fold question here but,

A) what do you Precision Bass guys think the best sounding Precision Bass was either old or new and

B) If you were going to recommend a solid well built P-Bass to someone whose played Jazz Basses all their life who wants to change up their sound and is on somewhat of a budget, which new or used should I be looking for that will deliver strong sustain and awesome traditional P sound?

Thanks!

If you like Jazz basses, then perhaps a P Bass with a Jazz neck should be on your radar. Not a big Fender fan myself, but I did just pick this used MIM Precision Deluxe Active. Precision body with a Jazz neck. Decent bass for under $500.

 

[sugarsand]

Why not buy her a "bass max" upright pickup for $100 (fits in the wing of the bass side of the bridge)and a K&K ultra pure preamp about 100 bucks used. Both workhorses. Virtually indestructible. Ampeg Rocket B100, 1 x 15, cheap used, workhorse of an amp, no horn which can be nasty for upright bass bowing. She could play with Straycats on an off night with this set up.

P bass will never sound like an upright bass, I play both, my uprights are on the cheap end of the scale less than 5000, (the best upright I have ironically, I traded for an old p bass I bought for next to nothing)
P basses: I'm a p bass dude. I love them. I have a lot of them. 70's p bass are the best value of anything anywhere, ok some of you will disagree, but for the money and the resale value they are almost free to play. I bought an beat up 70's "s" serial for $500 here in Southern California (not stolen: I would never, ever buy stolen gear!) That bass sounds better, than way-more expensive basses that I own, and quite frankly the expensive ones are just vanity purchases (we all do it!) I could never get the money back out of them. So I never play the expensive ones just look at them and tell myself how lucky I am. When I play a good paying gig I take an old P bass. Everybody I play with is happy. This my opinion I am not trying to say I am right. Bass is obviously a passion for everyone here.

Sorry I am a terrible writer

 

[beaglesandbass]

The best P I've played was a Lakland

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

The best sounding P to me is Bobby Vega's which I think is a 60s model.

The Geezer Butler EMG pickup is modeled after it. It's the best sounding traditional P pickup ever IMO. It's slightly hotter and has a mid bark to it compared to a 50s P pickup.

As far as a recommendation it depends on how flexible you are. Are P necks too chunky for you? How about those vintage P necks that are wider at 1.75"?

What about sound? Are you looking for a warmer traditional P tone or do you want to move a little bit away from a Jazz sound towards a P sound? I.e. Do you want to keep some brightness, or sacrifice it for more mids?

The best value traditional sounding P out there in my opinion is the Fender Classic Series 50s lacquer Precision because it's high quality, vintage specs and comes with a hardshell case for 900 bucks.

The main problem with the 50s P would be the wide neck but it isn't thick front to back like those vintage baseball bat necks. The fretboard radius is pretty round with shorter frets so the reaching doesn't seem to fatigue the hand as much.

Bobby Vega - man, the tone is all in how he plays. Guy's a monster. He could make anything sound good.

 

[g4string]

A Good bargain at $900? oh k!

Used market is about $650. Sorry. Should have clarified. Might not be bargain to if you're looking for a sub $400 MIM. However, if you want CONSISTENTCY in knowing what you're getting when shopping for a Fender, I think the Mendel sig offers that (as do some of the other current MIA and MIM line ups). To me; having solid modern build quality, consistentcy within the model series, and having a slight road worn finish is worth the extra couple hundred bucks. To me, this is what makes it a bargain. You don't need to sift trough dozens of used older builds hoping to find a good one. The Mendel offers up a 70's style pee bass, with the aged vintage vibe baked in, in a modern package for under $700 used. To me, I think it's a bargain.