P-Bass Opinions

[Jeff K]

Considering your budget, I'd look for one of these two on the used market. Classic '50s (MIM) or an American Special.

Both have killer P-Bass tone. My Classic '50s was my "go-to" for years, even though I have/had other great, more expensive basses. Just a great value. As mentioned though, these have the wide nut width (1.75").

This American Special was offered awhile back. I absolutely love this bass. Excellent tone, and the neck is one of the nicest, easiest-playing necks ever put on a P-Bass IMO. The nut width is closer to what you're used to (1.625" as opposed to the 1.75" width on the '50s Classic). If you can find one of these used, jump on it. I'll never get rid of mine!

It did come stock with the parchment guard, but I put the gold anodized on it and like it much better. Here's how it looks with the parchment:

 

[Eilif]

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!

A) I always go back to Jamerson's Motown work for an ideal recorded Precision sound. The best P I ever played was a Lakland USA Bob Glaub. It's simply amazing. However, the P-bass is a fairly simple recipe and there are some very nice budget options out there that can be had for a fraction of the price.

B) As for a budget p-bass it depends on whether you need a Jazz bass neck or not.

-If you have to have a J-bass neck (1.5" at the nut) I'd look for a used 90's USA Peavey Fury. They're not hard to find for less than 2 bills -sometimes around 1- but if you're willing to put down 200-300 then you can get a real cherry. They have a very nice slim neck and a slightly slimmed body which is lighter than most any Fender. Many folks think they're fine stock but if you have to upgrade, the EMG Geezer Butler system is an amazing upgrade. It's passive, includes a no-solder harness and nails the classic P tone.

-If you're fine with a slightly wider modern(it has a 1.625" nut IIRC. A Vintage P is 1.75") p-bass neck then I'd look for an ESP/LTD Vintage 214. They were discontinued earlier this year, but are still reasonably widely available used or new for between 2 and 3 hundred bucks. It's a fantastic Classic P-bass Clone with a P/J arrangement. I think it's defintiely better bass than the similarly priced Squire's but it is available in fewer versions, the only two fretted versions being a natural ash body or a black painted alder body. You can read my review of the fretless version here: ESP/LTD Vintage 214 Fretless
I loved mine and if I hadn't been presented with the chance to have my dream fretless built, I'd still own it.

-Lastly, a similar new-production bass would be the Ibanez TMB 100. It's by far my favorite currently produced bargain "P-bass". It's got a different body and headstock than a traditional P but it's still distinctly vintage looking. The neck is between a P and a J (leans a bit toward P though), it has P/J pickups and it's only $200! I had low expectations but when I tried one at a local shop I was truely impressed. I'm still not sure how they can make a bass this nice for this cheap. Don't be scared off by the active circuit. It's actually quite useable and rather subtle. It has one notable advantage over the two above in that you can find it easily at your local GC to try it out. There's also a TMB300 model which is virtually the same instrument but is $300 and adds a humbucker in the bridge position, matching headstock and block inlay neck.

 

[djaxup]

I don't want to sound like I'm downtalking P-Basses, but I absolutely don't associate P-Basses with awesome sunstain, like, at all. I think one of the classic P-Bass merits is that special attack, that humpy, fast decaying thump that is somewhat like a built in compressor. It actually feels like a short sustain, in a good way.

My best sounding P-Bass is my CS Journeyman, but the P-Bass with the best sustain I've ever had was the much cheaper Fender Highway One P-Bass with the Badass bridge. That bass had much better sustain. But really... if you are looking for strong, endless sustain you should look into the neck through Spector basses. Those are the epitome of sustain for me.

 

[Eilif]

I don't want to sound like I'm downtalking P-Basses, but I absolutely don't associate P-Basses with awesome sunstain, like, at all. I think one of the classic P-Bass merits is that special attack, that humpy, fast decaying thump that is somewhat like a built in compressor. It actually feels like a short sustain, in a good way.

I'd have to agree with this. All my favorite p-bass tones lean -if not towards thump- then more towards a boom than extended sustain. My P is a MIM that I've changed just about everything on. I even changed the bridge, but simply went with a slightly heavier version of the stock bent metal. That is not to say that it only thumps but I don't need a ton of sustain on that instrument.

 

[bassballs27]

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!

My personal favourite P-Basses are vintage. I like those built in the early 60's with the Alder bodies, nitro laquer finish, and dark brazilian rosewood boards! Mind you, the Alder / Maple ones in the late 50's are wicked too.

As for a modern day p-bass......Alleva Copollo builds the best on the planet (in my opinion) and that would be his KBP series. The Classic Supreme is the epitome of modern-vintage. And if Fender ever made a P5, the KBP5 would be it!

 

[fffreddy]

In typical TB smartass fashion: "Any P Bass played by Pino." Seriously though, how your fingers touch the stings, and where, seems to make a lot a difference with a P Bass. Other than that, I had an old Yamaha BB 300 and then a BB450 back in the day. both were awesome cheap basses. I'm currently liking a MIJ medium scale P Bass.

 

[J. Crawford]

My Precision is the bass that'll never leave me. Sunburst HW1 body, American Standard maple neck, black pickguard, crème covers. Just perfection, to me. Plays like butter, too. Chromes will never come off of it, its set until I hit the dirt.

 

[MovingPitchers]

Sorry I meant 60th

 

[DavC]

i also wanted that occasional P pup sound ... i bought a pieces parts P/J ... ! Tele style

 

[39-Bassist]

To be honest the CV Squier series are a VERY good value for the $.....BUT I say you really just need to play every P-bass you can and then get what you liked best. There is really no best sounding/playing p bass, just what feels, plays and sounds best to you...
That will make you happy...

I built mine to get what I wanted..fyi

 

[pappabass]

I bought a Black Pbass with a beautiful maple neck for my son last Christmas. He decided that he didn't want to play bass anymore so, I inherited it. There are no markings on it so I assume it's a parts bass with a Fender Precision waterslide logo. I picked it up for $300 including a flight case. I put in a new set of Seymore Duncan passive pickups, an ashtray bridge cover and a white View attachment 997630 pearloid pickguard.....she's a beauty to look at and play. Total invested....$425[/QUOTE
Good deal for $300 !!

 

[Jeff K]

For me, it's got to be the 2011 70th anniversary P-Bass. Lookswise, it combines both the 50s and modern era together in one Bass. Sounds great as well! My favourite pickups are the CS62, Geezers, and the CS59s.

I would recommend the aforementioned bass. Or even a Mike Dirnt Precision. Such badass Basses. I want one so bad.

I agree that the 60th Anniversary P is an awesome bass. But it's out of the price range that the OP is looking to spend - even used. As for pickups, those you mentioned are great. My personal favorite for a vintage P tone is the Duncan SPB-1. Love those things!

Here's my 60th Anniv. P in Sunburst with a vintage tint added to the neck/board:

 

[Gaolee]

For what it's worth, I have a RW Precision that I got in 2010 if I remember right. It has a whole lot of additional wear at this point. When it was new, the rounds on it were bright, aggressive, and more or less out of control if you were trying to get a thumpy Motown sound. I put ashtrays on it, and a foam mute in the bridge cover made a difference. Putting Sadowsky flats on it made a bigger difference. Now, those flats are completely dead and worn out. That gives it the classic thumpy P sound even without the mute. I can brighten it up a bit with attack and where I play it, but it's still clearly a P with flats.

 

[Holdsg]

I'm a P-bass fan.
I've owned many, from MIM Fenders to Sadowsky boutiques and everything in between.
You have to try many, to find the one that works for you.
I would echo the fan-dom of the EMG Geezer pickup, I also like and have used the Fralin, Nordstrand, and Lollar P pickups.
I prefer any of those to the stock Fender pickup, just to my ears at least.
My current favorite is a US Lakland I picked up used here on TB, I put a Lollar pickup in it, and I'm in heaven.

And flats, yes, of course, I gotta have flats on a P-bass

 

[Hurricane Jimmie]

I have a few G&L's... The SB1 is my main P bass because of its light weight.
I also have a Fender Special P bass... they're no frills, American made, have a great tone. Both the G&L and the Fender Special were reasonable on the used market.
I bought a SX P bass many years ago and was really happy with it w/o any upgrades... only sold it because it wasn't getting any playing time.
Good Luck on your search... everyone needs a P bass in their inventory.

 

[ThudThudThud]

FWIW I'm a long time Jazz player but I purchased a Squier CV 60s (Fiesta Red) because the band I was playing with needed the Precision sound. Haven't had any issue with it yet. Currently wearing Chromes, which I think is a good match to this particular bass. It certainly scratched my 'Precision itch.'

 

[ThudThudThud]

This American Special was offered awhile back. I absolutely love this bass. Excellent tone, and the neck is one of the nicest, easiest-playing necks ever put on a P-Bass IMO. The nut width is closer to what you're used to (1.625" as opposed to the 1.75" width on the '50s Classic). If you can find one of these used, jump on it. I'll never get rid of mine!

I didn't have the funds when these were around, and I kick myself for not getting one. The anodized pickguard looks amazing. Thanks for sharing.
Did you have to modify the mounting holes for that pickguard?

 

[Pet Sounds]

OP, if you like Jazz necks I'll second the earlier recommendation of a Lakland Skyline Duck Dunn Bass, now called, I believe, the 44-64 Deluxe. A used one can probably be had for $800.
I had an early Korean one with factory Lindy Fralin pups, and i gigged it regularly for just shy of 10 years. Could have kept it for life. Lakland necks are phenomenal.

 

[Mosstone]

When I was shopping around for a P-bass (with an upper limit of $600), I got a hard case of GAS for the Squier Classic Vibe '70s P-bass. Sounded and felt better (to me) than any MIM that I compared it to.

I ended up building a P with an MIJ '57 RI body, an Allparts '60s spec Jazz neck (I'm a longtime Jazz guy too) and an EMG Geezer pup and I couldn't be happier. But if I decided to buy instead of build, I would have definitely bought the Squier. I don't think I would even change the stock pickup (which is unheard of for me).

 

[Bassbubble11]

I was looking for a P with a Jazz neck a while back and found one here on the TB classifieds. It's a Fender Classic Series '70s Precision Bass with a Geddy Lee Jazz neck. I think I paid 650 clams for it. Haven't touched a Jazz Bass at a gig since I got it.