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P-bass or Jazz bass?
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I've actually owned a few Jazz basses. Love 'em. I'm just joshin' around.
If it was good enough for Jaco then who am I to argue?
However, I stand by the ideal that guys who drive giant SUVs are compensating. I'm just sayin'...
I've actually owned a few Jazz basses. Love 'em. I'm just joshin' around.
If it was good enough for Jaco then who am I to argue?
However, I stand by the ideal that guys who drive giant SUVs are compensating. I'm just sayin'...
that's fair!
I'm still waiting on my P, so I can't really judge for the P, but I absolutely lurves my J bass - it's quite versatile, but still dead simple to use. However, I'm starting to find that I prefer the P neck.
jedgargroover said:I've actually owned a few Jazz basses. Love 'em. I'm just joshin' around.
If it was good enough for Jaco then who am I to argue?
However, I stand by the ideal that guys who drive giant SUVs are compensating. I'm just sayin'...
Unless your not compensating and need that big SUV to hall all those kids you made around in.
I have a jazz that I love and the couple of g&l's that I have had, had the jazz shape neck. I guess I prefer the jazz. I'm ok with the p neck but the body shape is probably my least favorite. After playing 5 strings for a long time I'm not as picky about 4 string necks as I used to be.
I would go with the Jazz 1000 times... The J have a mid range punch that you cant get with any P-bass, even manipulating amps and racks... The pickup near the bridge gives that kind of attack in the mid frequencies... I think thats the reason a lot of funk players who like the P tone choose a jazz + precision config (prestia, stuart zender, wooten..,) because the P by his own lacks that mid bite.
P Bass with Jazz neck and P/J pups - I'm in the process of building a Warmoth now - or if you like the P neck, get a MIM P Bass and have a qualified repair person do the J routing and J pup install - best of both worlds.
The J will give you more tone variation. You will probably find that much more inspiring than the single puped P.
I am glad I found a P with an early home made Jazz Pickup when I graduated to the mid level instrument. The P neck prepared me for the Wide6's I love so much now.
Do not forget that there a plenty of other instruments of great tone and recording pedegree. One contemporary to the J is the MM StingRay. Tony Levin has done a lot of work with some of the most famous people with one of those, even in 5.
I am glad I found a P with an early home made Jazz Pickup when I graduated to the mid level instrument. The P neck prepared me for the Wide6's I love so much now.
Do not forget that there a plenty of other instruments of great tone and recording pedegree. One contemporary to the J is the MM StingRay. Tony Levin has done a lot of work with some of the most famous people with one of those, even in 5.
This is a crazy thread.
I started on a P special (jazz neck) and now only play a P.
My son plays the special.
I started on a P special (jazz neck) and now only play a P.
My son plays the special.
You need to get the Jazz bass. This is so you can be a "jazz bass guy" for a few years, come back here and tell us you don't get the "P-Bass" thing, but want to try it out and ask us which P-Bass is best. 
Oh man!
I gotta say, I'm a pretty dedicated P guy, but this flat out cracked me up.
I used to beat myself up trying to be either a dedicated P-bass guy or J-bass guy. It was just impossible for me. I need both of them in my quiver. You can't go wrong with either one of them.
A lot of people ask this question it seems. It really depends on the sound/tone you want and what style of music you plan to play. I have been playing Fender Precision Basses for years and really like them. I have tried out Jazz bases, however I did not like the feel or body of them as I do with P's. Plus they work really sell for the rock sound I look for and rock band I am in. My two cents would say go P. Best thing is to try out one of each and decide what is better overall to you. Like country said above you could always get a P/J or special bass and get both in one. 
Lots of good comments here, mostly accurate, I think.
I've had a P for about three years. Really like it. Decided to get a second bass, just for fun and diversification. Got a J. I like it too. The P makes one sound and it's a great sound. The J makes more sounds, but can't quite do that chest-vibrating P tone.
The strings make a huge difference. When I switched from flats to DR Hi-Beams on the J, it was like a different instrument.
I've had a P for about three years. Really like it. Decided to get a second bass, just for fun and diversification. Got a J. I like it too. The P makes one sound and it's a great sound. The J makes more sounds, but can't quite do that chest-vibrating P tone.
The strings make a huge difference. When I switched from flats to DR Hi-Beams on the J, it was like a different instrument.
I find the most pleasant aspect about a jazz is the equal balance of output between each of the strings. I'm not a techy kind of guy but I guess this has something to do with the pickup placement going evenly throughout all the strings. I find more unsettling low and high volume peaks if I play to hard with the P-bass, almost giving me more of a reason to run a compressor live. But either way they're both great sounding animals that can be used on numerous applications.
