Rank these 3: “go for it”, “maybe”, “nah”

G&L probably gets my vote for overall build quality. But those necks are too wide for me, so scratched off my list.

Sire would probably be my vote in this poll. Roasted and rolled neck gives it a leg up on the Squier.

But the Squier is great too. My only complaint is the gloss neck. More a personal preference than anything, and a very easy mod, but worth noting.

I still think you should go play the Squier. Not to compare to the others, just to see if you like it. If I play an instrument and it clicks with me, I stop looking and just get it. A bass in the hand is worth 2 in the catalog

 

I have both. Both are excellent examples of lower priced bass guitars that look, feel and sound great. Low tension Flats on the G&L, Pressurewounds on the Squire. You can't go wrong with either. The Squire is easier to find pickguards for it. The G&L I had to have the pickguard custom made.

 

Miller

 

I haven't played a Sire P bass, so I can't speak to them. I bought a G&L Tribute LB-100 in June (after much research), and IMHO, it satisfies two of your requirements the best out of the group: true to form PBass sound, overall quality. Depending on what you are used to, the necks on LB-100s can feel like a baseball bat. They definitely are not as comfortable as a Jazz neck, for example.

 

"comfort of neck and playability"? For whom, me or you?

 

I've been on this site for 16 years, and in all that time I don't think I have ever read a bad thing about G & Ls, even the Tributes...for that reason alone, that would be the way I'd be leaning...

...if you can get on with their necks. I have only ever had one or two G & Ls in my hands. The one I remember for sure was an M-2000, or maybe M-2500, and the neck profile was quite uncomfortbale for me. Same as the one time I tried a Stingray, and a Thunderbird...classic basses that I wanted to like, but couldn't, based on the necks...

 

American Performer Precisions have the comfiest neck I have come across...I love my Jazz basses,,But..

 

I'd be up for trying any of the 3.

 

There's a Squier 40th Anniversary Precision that's worth looking at, too.

 

I sold an L-2000 that I still kick myself for doing that. Probably my overall favourite bass.

 

I like the black one for sure! Looks nice backed-up against the DBs behind it!

 

I believe there are now at least 4 separate generations who weren't around to understand that Fender's (and Gibson's) poor overall product quality by the mid 70's was the whole reason for the vintage craze/movement.

And the quality product problem wasn't limited to guitars at the time. Gibson, GE, GM, Ford, AMF, and countless other U.S. companies not yet challenged by global competition and run by myopic finance and accounting analysis models were putting out some awful crap.

 

And the advent of the high quality Japanese instruments into America.

 

OP, I'd love to be able to help, but, can only echo what has been said, comfort can't be measured from parson to person. If you are looking for an instrument in a certain budget, the only thing you can do is play what is local, or order from a dealer that has a return policy, and consider the shipping costs the price of trying one out.

 

Really? So I’ll be the first? I really wanted to like G&Ls because next next gen Fender. I‘ve owned 3 tribute models including an LB-100 and none of them was that great. It’s possible, even likely, that if I’d gotten a U.S. version my experience would be different, but I have no idea. I found the quality of the also Indonesian-built Sterling by Music Man Ray 34 to be far better than any of the Tribute G&Ls I’ve owned. I’m sure that I could find a good one if I was in a store with a decent selection of G&L tribute series basses, but I won’t order another sight unseen. Again, purely my experience.

 

If you want a neck that's similar to your Jazz's, you ought to look for a used US made Peavey Fury. Otherwise, a number of folks put Jazz necks on P bodies, but that would be more expensive. This video is dated, but you can get an idea about what they're like.