Second bass: opinions (specificity or versatility)

[Plectrum72]

Keep the PJ and put some rounds on it. Get a P and put some flats on it.

 

[Phreaky Phriday]

I'd go with a brighter bass to pair with the pj/flats. 2 pickups, rounds, active or passive depending on preference.

Best advice is to go to a store and play everything through an amp similar to yours - then make a call based on budget and what you enjoyed the most

 

[BassicJazzy]

For similar but brighter, I'd go for a EBMM Stingray, with rounds.

 

[Swerve]

Stingray. If you're gonna do bright and growly may as well go all out.

 

[W_R]

I would suggest that the range of options in P or PJ is wide enough, i.e. pickups etc, that you can stick to P or PJ and not really be redundant.

If the bridge pickup of your PJ isn’t appealing, is it specifically because the bridge pickup isn’t helping with your flats sound? If/when you had roundwounds on there, did you like the bridge pickup in the mix or did you not like it then either?

Any particular people/recordings you have in mind for the sound of the brighter roundwounds bass?

 

[tothemax]

ENB,

On the same page regarding flats, love em... My first decent bass was a MIM P 50's reissue. Played it with RWs for about 8 years or so... about two years back went to flats and never looked back. a few years ago I found a pristine MIA 2004 J in a music shop. Wasn't really in the market as I had an old project Frankenbass as my gig BU. The price on the J was really good and it played like a dream (had RW's on it). Bought the bass and now I have two really sweet rigs, with the Franken when I need a BU (always like to prioritize safety of my investment at gigs). With the band I find my P seems to cut through the mix a little better than the J, but that can fixed with EQ. The J is a hair lighter, and that slim neck is a dream to play (I put flats on the J last month, and it sounds and plays just fine).

My suggestion would be to shop around and try everything, and see what fits, and what works in your budget. I just happened on the J which was a good deal and I like Fender basses, so it was a win-win (plus it came with an SKB hard shell case, about a $300 value). The bass was $750, so hard to pass on. if you're not in a rush you can find some great deals used. Don't be shy about the mid-level instruments, Squire, Epiphone, and Sterling... they can be quite decent and you don't break the bank to try out a new style instrument.

Happy hunting...

 

[Docduval]

If all you want is 2 basses, I’d go with a fretless 5 or 6 string.

 

[DWA2469]

Given enough time anything within reason! I personally can't justify spending over 1250$ on a bass though

That will get you a great bass used! I have seen pro II P basses on here go for less than that!

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Passive 4 string P with flats and an active 5 J with rounds covers 97% of what you will need.

 

[ernestnewboy]

Great responses, thanks everyone for the insights!

 

[BassicJazzy]

If all you want is 2 basses, I’d go with a fretless 5 or 6 string.

I would too, but OP wants something similar to what he already has. Similar but different. Could be just the same bass in a different color?

 

[godofthunder59]

The Epiphone Jack Casady is a excellent hollow body bass and they make a fretless version too.

 

[White Beard]

I am a recent convert from Fender to Reverend. My Mercalli 4 is an amazing machine. Pickups are a reverse P-style at the neck and a MM-style at the bridge with Volume, Tone and Pan knobs. I can get a lot of different sounds out of it. My next purchase is going to be a fretless neck for my P-Bass. That's how I'm rolling with two electrics.

 

[jd56hawk]

[TLDR: looking to get a 2nd bass, what would complement my current bass without too much overlap?]

First off let me say, versatility in tone is not a big goal to me, I don't really need to be able to produce every possible bass tone out there.
I do have a preference for a small handful of different bass tones though, and those happen to be associated both with flatwound and roundwound strings.

I recently put TI flatwounds on my PJ bass (my only bass) and I adore them, they do exactly what I wanted them to do. There's something in their dynamic response, in the attack and sustain, that I couldn't replicate on rounds with just EQ and a mute.

I do however have to admit that this has sacrified some of the bass' allround utility. At times I miss the ability to get a growly top end when playing with a pick for instance. So I was thinking to save up for a second bass, so I can have one with rounds and one with flats. Also, while the P pickup sounds amazing with flats, the J pickup kind of lost some of its appeal.

I don't want to have more than two basses so I feel there's some pressure on this decision to choose wisely. In general I know that I want one thumpy/darker sounding bass, and one bass with more growl and bite. Either way I gravitate towards Precision sounds, but having two Precisions as my only two basses might be a bit redundant.
I see two scenarios, but looking for any input and recommendations!

1. Get a second P bass, move the flats over to that bass, and string the PJ with rounds
pro: I love the P sound, both with flats and with rounds
con: maybe a bit too samey

2. Keep the PJ as is and get a second bass that covers a brighter sound spectrum - a stingray-type bass, a jazz bass (active/passive?)
pro: more ground covered, if later on I want to venture into different genres I'm already covered

con: I might still be lusting after that Precision with rounds sound

Any thoughts?

One of the best-kept secrets in the bass world.
Reverend Thundergun.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Depends. In the past I have said not to buy the same
Bass twice. But I own a USA EBMM music man and a Sterling ray4. The Ray4 usually goes with me to open mics or jams while I play EBMM at gigs. I like the music man sound. But I keep looking at a p bass. Even though I have sold every one I have owned!
I still have not answered your question!
Make sure you have a good 1st bass. Good sound, steady neck, good case, good finish, even if it’s not some big name. Then look from there. Lot of decisions, active, passive, I am a big active fan, easy sound adjustments without walking back to the amp. Good luck! Let us know what you get. Consider guitar center. If you buy one, you can take it back if you don’t like it. I have taken back 3 I didn’t like.

 

[GTHintz]

[TLDR: looking to get a 2nd bass, what would complement my current bass without too much overlap?]

First off let me say, versatility in tone is not a big goal to me, I don't really need to be able to produce every possible bass tone out there.
I do have a preference for a small handful of different bass tones though, and those happen to be associated both with flatwound and roundwound strings.

I recently put TI flatwounds on my PJ bass (my only bass) and I adore them, they do exactly what I wanted them to do. There's something in their dynamic response, in the attack and sustain, that I couldn't replicate on rounds with just EQ and a mute.

I do however have to admit that this has sacrified some of the bass' allround utility. At times I miss the ability to get a growly top end when playing with a pick for instance. So I was thinking to save up for a second bass, so I can have one with rounds and one with flats. Also, while the P pickup sounds amazing with flats, the J pickup kind of lost some of its appeal.

I don't want to have more than two basses so I feel there's some pressure on this decision to choose wisely. In general I know that I want one thumpy/darker sounding bass, and one bass with more growl and bite. Either way I gravitate towards Precision sounds, but having two Precisions as my only two basses might be a bit redundant.
I see two scenarios, but looking for any input and recommendations!

1. Get a second P bass, move the flats over to that bass, and string the PJ with rounds
pro: I love the P sound, both with flats and with rounds
con: maybe a bit too samey

2. Keep the PJ as is and get a second bass that covers a brighter sound spectrum - a stingray-type bass, a jazz bass (active/passive?)
pro: more ground covered, if later on I want to venture into different genres I'm already covered
con: I might still be lusting after that Precision with rounds sound

Any thoughts?

Get fancy with a Sadowsky or g&l. Honestly I really like mtd basses and to me the Kingston basses look a little fender like but it’ll definitely do a lot of things a normal fender won’t. You’d have a growly beautiful bass for that kind of thing and the vintage punch for when you want it.

 

[mpdd]

recently found my ideal second bass, needed more treble and output for my new space rock pedal board
bass 1 - 94 LB100 with TI Flats
bass 2 -09 Stingray with NYXL rounds
*both basses have almost exactly the same neck shape with identical action*

 

[Kerem Koseoglu]

I have flats on my P, rounds on my J. Those strings complement the design and purpose of their designated bass very well, IMHO. In your shoes, I'd put flats on my PJ and get a J for rounds.

• P with flats is already a thumpy classic, and you can dial a bit of the J pickup in case you need more clarity.
• J with rounds leans towards clarity and articulation, supported by the bridge pickup and round-wound bite.

The classic JJ pickup scoop can't be fully achieved with a PJ, in my subjective experience. PJ has its own thing going on.

 

[BassicJazzy]

The classic JJ pickup scoop can't be fully achieved with a PJ, in my subjective experience. PJ has its own thing going on.

I think you are right about that, but you can get two basses out of a good PJ. Worth it, IMO.

 

[buldog5151bass]

If you like your present bass, but want a different tone, then certainly get a duplicate with rounds.

I think people overthink things. Earlier this year I played a gig on my P with nickel rounds. Next gig I brought a short scale hollow bodied bass with precision flats.

I asked my bandmates what they thought. They said the new bass looked cool, and liked my tone in both gigs.

In other words, play the bass you like, nail your parts, and groove with the drummer. Everyone will be happy.