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P-bass or Jazz bass?

U

Uprooted:.

Jan 25, 2011
1
0
Escondido, CA
#1
I'm not very experienced with bass guitars but I just started playing bass for my band. I absolutely love it. I'm using a little Ibanez GIO right now but It has like....no punch...I read-up that Fender Precision basses are the most trusted and used bass guitars in the reggae and funk scenes since the 70's.

The P-bass is damn expensive....for me. Is the Fender Jazz bass comparable to the P-bass??? It's cheaper and I heard they're also used professionally....please help...what else could I use other than these two??? I need that DARK, DEEP tone...you guys know wassup...thanks!
 
#3
oh gosh...

K I'm gonna play nice since you're new. P bass and J bass are two different animals. They don't feel the same,play the same,or sound the same. Both P basses and J basses work well with just about any type of music out there. If you can't afford a real fender. Look at the squier Vintage modified P bass or Squier Classic vibe. Fantastic basses, the CV series compare to Mexican fenders.

Also where did you see a J bass is cheaper? J basses are more expensive? MIM P bass retails for 549 and the J for 599.
 
#6
heres my take a precision bass is like the authority figure in the mix, it ties everything together sits just perfectly in the mix, it has such a dominant tone to it that it commands authority. Where as the jazz bass, it is more cut through the mix type of bass, it is more punchier and tighter sounding, also more smoother sounding, you tend to stand out in the mix more if you play jazz bass's. Both bass's will work for pretty much any gig that you are required to play. I own both kinds, i like the jazz and i like the precision, either one is a win win for me.
 
#7
mikeluch said:
Guys, get a P/J if with a Jazz neck if the smaller neck is what you like.
You have a little more variety and you can just solo the pup that you want if you do not not want to mix
Click to expand...

+1
Formerly known as The Jazz Bass Special, the Precision Bass Special will solve your dilema. P- and J- pickup, P-Bass body, J-Bass neck(you should like this if you like the Ibanez's feel), and the Squire version can be had for a price to suit your budget. Great well-rounded bass to suit the tones necessary for pretty much anything you will ever play.:bassist:
 
#8
In my experience... P-basses have a good solid tone, much like Duff said, they fit well in the mix, it doesn't take much to get a good well rounded tone out of them. My only dislike with them is the bigger neck, again in my experience it slows me down, (but I've got short fingers for a bass player...) I've always had a Jazz bass, it's what I learned on, and I personally find I can get a very wide range of tones out of it, some which are too thin to even waste time on, but most very punchy, and bright. Which for my style of playing, and in the bassheavy band I'm in, it fits. All in all it's what you feel when you pick one up I guess. I just recently picked up a Schecter Diamond series at a local music store (can't recall the model) believe it had a P pickup in the neck and a humbucker (looked like two J pickups stuck together) in the bridge. That bass had amazing range of tone... and it was easilly one of the best feeling basses I've ever picked up (I'm going to go put it on layaway before my wife finds out and murders me!)
 
#9
Oh god... the can of worms... this debate has gone on and on

First off welcome to the club
There is no right answer just what you are comfortable with. Just go play some. Find what you like.

The other thing is that there are SO MANY choices (models). The Jazz and the P are used in all kinds of settings pro and otherwise. Find your pricepoint and go from there.

Good luck!
 
#10
Also, I think you are forgetting the MOST important aspect of purchasing a new bass...how it feels. Most of us can tell you horror stories of purchasing basses we thought would be "the one" but turned out to be clankity-clank, ergonomic nightmare.

My best advice: go to guitar center and ask them if they have any squier classic vibes in stock (which they will unless they are sold out). Try both the p and the j, see which feels better. This should be a clear indication of what your decision should be.

Good luck future TBer
 
#12
J bass is a good bass to start with because the two single coil pickups can be blended to get a lot of different tones. Dial them both up and you'll get a humbucking tone similar to a P.

The neck is another matter entirely though. buy what you can play well. It's not difficult to color your tone to taste with amps, preamps, effects and electronics upgrades.
 
#20
god_please_make_it_stop.jpg
 

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