Telecaster vs. Precision Bass

[Moe Monsarrat]

Best of everything!

 

[Pbassmanca]

Does this one count?

I think that Chuck added that humbucker closer to the neck on his regular P Bass. It looks too close to the neck to be the single coil Style. Plus I don't think any of the Tele basses were issued with Rosewood fretboards.

 

[Pbassmanca]

View attachment 1028220 Best of everything!

Love the bottle of Cholula hanging out in the background.

 

[Mastermold]

I think that Chuck added that humbucker closer to the neck on his regular P Bass. It looks too close to the neck to be the single coil Style. Plus I don't think any of the Tele basses were issued with Rosewood fretboards.

I can't tell what kind of pickup that is. Sort of looks like an old Ric neck pickup which I think is single coil. But I have no idea.

 

[bobyoung53]

are you talking about the original p-bass with the single coil or the late '60-early '70s telecaster bass with the humbucker at the neck?

The first few years of Tele basses had the single coil in them, i think the humbuckers started around 1970. i had one years ago and didn't like it.

 

[Kirk Bryant]

Here's my old mid 1957 Precision. All dings and dents are my doing. This was my main and for the most part only player from 67'-87'. And then babied from 87'-07'. Note thumbrest moved to the pickup cover screw hole mid 80's. It's seen over 3000 gigs.

Thanks for waking the dead. Just read this whole thread, I don't think I caught this the first time around and I always enjoy reading the history and picking up new tidbits.
SC pickups are not delicate. I used mine as a thumbrest for the first 20yrs, no problem. I actually dug a hole in the body with my thumbnail before I moved the tugbar to cover the hole. (For the next 20 yrs) (See pic for worn down thumbrest)
As to best, no best just different as has been pointed out. These basses don't take a backseat to any bass on the planet and "cut through the mix" as well as any. That's what EQ is for. I do remember blowing a few speakers along the way, but hey JBL D-140's aren't as robust as modern speakers are. Just the price of doing business.

 

[PawleeP]

I don't know what y'all are talking about....your quotes are clearly different than the original post.

You can't prove I edited the original.

Clearly a thread need to be en-acted, called; practice your instrument and learn how to set it up! lmao

 

[PawleeP]

This thread has me wantin a 51-ish P for ***** and giggles

 

[PawleeP]

Lull does a great bass;
though I'd have opted for a bridge choice that would allow the bridge cover.

The RA is neat....

Got fralin lulls in one of my main franken-jazzes.. have to try to get any hum.. In retro-spect (as always) it <hum> can depend on about a million extrinsic factors..

 

[Faldoe]

Old thread but:

what are the neck profile differences between these two? I saw one member say they’re thought the tele neck may be fatter: that true?

 

[devnulljp]

Prefer the contours on the split-coil over early P/Tele bass. I do like everything else about the single-coil though.

 

[micguy]

The split coil bass has a low mid bump which makes it cut through a rock band mix. The single coil pup is flatter across th spectrum, perhaps more lows and glassier highs, but the lack of mid projection means the mids have to be bumped on the amp to cut through.

The single coil and split coil P's both have low mid bumps - that feature is entirely a function of the pickup positioning, and the 2 P's aren't all that different in a relative sense. The single coil pickup is lower inductance, which means the highs extend more. That will tend to "distract" your ears - you may notice the mid hump a bit less, because you're focusing on the high end difference, but the low mid hump is definitely still there - it's something you can't change - you can't even eq it out, because it's different frequency wise on every string.

 

[Mastermold]

Old thread but:

what are the neck profile differences between these two? I saw one member say they’re thought the tele neck may be fatter: that true?

Depends on what models and what years.

 

[ajkula66]

Old thread but:

what are the neck profile differences between these two? I saw one member say they’re thought the tele neck may be fatter: that true?

Every single Tele Bass I've ever played/owned had a "C" neck and was as chunky as humanly imaginable. I've read reports that other "flavours" exist but haven't come across one of those personally.

My $0.02 only...

 

[Ric Vice]

I agree, but Fender and reissues they decide to do and how to market those is not really the intended point of this thread.
I'm just curious on people's take on 51' versus Tele versus '62 and derivates/ hybrids thereof.
Hence the '62 wood combo in the '51 design question( something that sounds very tempting to me...and sine I am currently deciding on a parts bass this comes into my reason for posting this thread.

I’ve played a vintage 1951 Precision, a 1956 Precision, and a 1958 Precision (built in 1959) I could have purchased any of those basses I chose the 1958
Because it sounded better and played like butter.

 

[cnltb]

It's so much fun, to see this thread still alive!
As it happens I am now planning the next one.
The one which started this thread is an alder body maple board and brazilian rosewood slab P which sounds fantastic!
The coming one will most likely be a light alder slab P with maple neck and no glued on fretboard. It may well get a side-by side split coil Pickup to make it even more 'studiosafe' but I am torn between a side by side split coil and a stacked humbucker...as I am unsure as to the typical differences between them , where tone is concerned....


I may still go with a split coil light ash P, but tend towards the slab body at the moment...

 

[2saddleslab]

I’ve played a vintage 1951 Precision, a 1956 Precision, and a 1958 Precision (built in 1959) I could have purchased any of those basses I chose the 1958
Because it sounded better and played like butter.

I've played a 51, 52, 56, & 58. I chose the slabs singles because they sounded better and played like butter.

 

[Faldoe]

Depends on what models and what years.

The bass in question is a Frankenbass with the tele bass neck on a Pbass body. It's a unknown body/neck so a gamble. Can get it for $300 or so. Walnut neck and Pau Ferro board.

 

[GreyBeard]

I find the Telecaster slab body very uncomfortable where as the contoured body of a p-bass is comfortable.

 

[micguy]

I find the Telecaster slab body very uncomfortable where as the contoured body of a p-bass is comfortable.

Leo got that part right the second time (1955).