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P or J - Have we all chosen correctly?

#106
COOL AND DEADLY said:
I chose J. I play mostly reggae, and that is what Family and also Robbie started out with. Since i have heard some people suggest I switch to a P. I like the flexibility of the J, but have been thinking i might soon add a P to the arsenal. I also have a maple neck, but would have gone rosewood if I knew what I know now. That being said I've seen Family with a maple neck too.
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I have found a P to be quiet nice on some Skatalites basslines. Played fingers, plucked on the fretboard around the 18th-19th fret. J has been a better choice overall for me for anything Dub/reggea/trad. ska.

Next purchase, a P/J.:bassist:
 
#109
Take that slick playing J bass and stick a super hot P bass pick up in there![Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I always thought the P bass pup would lack highs and mids, but there is more than enough of both, plus the fat bottom and punch.

I'm a P bass convert, but I could never get along with the chunky neck on a standard Fender P.
 
#110
I prefer the Jazz bass. If you need you can get some Jaco-like tones from the bridge pickup, you can get a smoother sound (per say) using both pickups and you can get get a close approximation of that P bass grind using the neck pickup.

Three sounds in one. Works for me.
 
#111
everywhere :)

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#117
tnscot60 said:
This is NOT a discussion over which is better. That is COMPLETELY subjective, and no one is right or wrong. This is my theory, and request for your thoughts on the subject. With that said....

It seems to me that a P bass and a J bass were each designed to fill two different needs. The P bass is designed to carry a lot of low end, and the J bass was designed to cut throught the music.

It further seems to me that a lot of J bass players are on an eternal quest for the elusive sound, and are oftern complaining about effects, etc that cut out their low end.


My theory, which I would like to open up for discussion is this:
There are a lot of people who are using a J bass, who would be better served with a P bass.

With a compressor and EQ, it is much easier for me to dial in a good high end on my P Bass than it is to dial in and KEEP a boomy low end on a J bass. (This I can say with a small amount of J bass experience, but not a lot) I am actually toying with the idea of adding a J pup to my bass, for further control. But this thread is to address people who play one or the other exclusively.

It also seems to me that people who play J basses, but arent trying to make them big and boomy, are thrilled with the results they get, which furthers my theory.

Again, I'm not saying that a P bass is better. I am theorizing that if a boomy low end is very important to you, a J bass may not be the right choice.

Thoughts? Cmmments?

Please no flaming. I'm not insulting anyone in here, and if people cant restrain themselves, I'll just ignore the thread entirely, and they'll only be injuring the thread.
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I played a J for years: Loved it. Mainly both pickups on. Great for slap, rock, funk. I often turned the neck off for some bite a la Flea.

BUT got me a USA standard P and havent looked back. We all know the P is a one trick pony but its a great trick, a more versatile trick and more useable for the varying amounts of rock i play anyway. I love fatness, bottom end and tone for days. The P is me....Love me some P (love the J too but we're divorced now)...
 

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