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What Makes Some P-Basses Sound Good?

#21
I'm glad I found this thread as I've been interested in P's again and trying to figure out which way to go.

I did have a beautiful USA Lakland for a bit but it just didnt' do it for me. It was passive with the great sounding newer Lakland pup. I made the mistake of ordering it the J style neck profile and as it turns out felt too small with the 7-1/2" radius and Fender spec neck. (Currently I have two Sadowsky Jazz basses which are 9" radius and feel beefier on the back which I really like that feel of).

I've shyed away from the P-neck fearing they would be too big and cause me eventual discomfort. Does any feel the 1-3/4" 'standard' spec for a P has anything to do with the sound??

If I get another P or PJ, I'm thinking I should in fact get the 1-3/4" neck profile. I've talked with several knowledgeable people both players and builders and get mixed opinions.

I've got my sight set on either a USA Glaub with pre, or NYC Sadowsky UV w/pre. I like having the option of active electronics on board. I'd try one of the Metro's but they only come with Jazz necks .... Maybe a Fender CS ???

Also, I'm unsure about the composition. Currently I'm loving Ash/Maple. Not sure if I will go for the Alder/RW but that seems to be the most popular for that classic P sound. ??

Thanks for you input.
 
#22
For four-string P-basses, you generally have three options. You've mentioned the J-style 1.5", and the vintage 1-3/4". In addition, the most common P-bass nut width is 1-5/8" - that's the "modern" spec, introduced on mid-70's P-basses, and still used on non-vintage Fender P-basses, the MusicMan Stingray, and many other 4-stringers. I don't have large hands but still got used to the 1-3/4" neck when I got one, but if you're used to J-width then I see nothing wrong with trying 1-5/8" instead.

As for materials: in all the years I've been playing I've realized that I prefer alder to ash (any board or pickup config). If you prefer ash J-basses than I suspect you'll prefer an ash P-bass, but you should try 'em both first if possible. Good luck!
 
#24
Fuzzbass said:
I agree with many of the posts above... that is, there are many factors: the player, the set-up, the amp rig, the bass itself. I think a lot of it is EQ: what sounds big and phat for a bass with a bridge pickup will often sound too woofy for a P-bass.
Click to expand...

+1 on this and pickup height. I don't know, my Tokai P-Bass is my main bass because getting a good tone from it is so effortless. If it's too woofy and indistinct, move the pickups further from the strings.

Good luck on your P-Bass quest. IMO, it's a good quest to take.

KO
 
#25
odin70 said:
With all respect...i really dont think nitro vs poly has anything to do with it. I would put my money on: the "right" pickup and a good setup.

...and of course a good player.
Click to expand...

Not entirely true, I stripped my P of all it's sticky poly and gave it a Danish Oil finish (and not much of that) and it opened right up. Changed it's tonal properties more than anything else I've ever done to it.
 
#26
Thanks Ken, I forgot about the 1-5/8". Doh! A good friend and Luthier already mentioned this to me a while back. I think that would be a great compromise for me. So, you don't feel the neck girth has any affect on tone or sound ??

I think Roger and company will do that but I haven't seen one on their sight. Pretty sure Lakland doesn't do custom work.

Edit: Also, I'm thinking I want to go with a PJ4 and I might as well get it routed to 'reverse' the split coil if desired. Good idea ? Maybe this is not necessary for a 4 string... ?
Also, I see your point about dynamic range and not having a bridge pickup. Many state that the modern PJ's get a 'pretty close' P sound when using just the split coil, and I like the versatility of having the bridge pup on hand.
 
#28
Yeah there's alot that factors into it as has been mentioned, with the big 3 basses if you there's plenty of examples of them all having very cutting high midrange tones that aren't very open and also examples of them all sounding very deep and thick sounding. Depite Stingrays often been renowned for having a very clicky bright cutting top end, there are plenty of tones where that's not the case, even if they DO have alot of top end or high mids involved or whatever (usually the whole clickyness etc issue is more to do with strings, technique and setup). Likewise P basses are renowned for having gutsy low mids, but there are also plenty of examples where the tone has a really emphasised cutting edge.

It's all to do with strings, setup, technique and amplification, all the bass often imparts is a certain character. Obviously with some basses or amps or strings there might be some very specific voicing involved, but with alot of stock setups you can get a wide variety of tones in the right environment.
 
#29
Fuzzbass said:
One thing that hasn't been mentioned: a P-bass is harder to play than a bass with a bridge pickup dialed in. This is because it has a *lot* more dynamic range: the split-coil pickup is farther from the bridge (especially the bass coil, the one on the E+A strings) and therefore sees a lot more string excursion. I think this is important: many players become accustomed to the compression of the bridge pickup, and uneven playing will really show on a P-bass! So, this is another big reason why P-basses are frequently referred to as "woofy".
Click to expand...

/\ This is 100% accurate, IMHO. I primarily played a StingRay for many years, resting my thumb on the pickup and playing near the bridge. Three years ago I returned to primarily playing a P bass. It took quite a few weeks for me to dial in my technique to get the tone I wanted.

TI flats and an Ampeg tube rig help a lot, too! :D
 
#30
I'm quite convinced that almost ANY bass can be made to sound good if you can find the right strings for that particular bass.

I've had a few basses long enough to have tried several brands and types of strings on them, and the differences in tension, thickness, and construction sometimes "work" together with the construction of the bass (wood, bridge mass, neck) to produce a nice resonant instrument, and sometimes are just terrible and choked... this is obvious even BEFORE you plug it in.

For example, my old 56 resonates wonderfully with d'Addario halfrounds. I tried Sunbeams on it (similar guage), and it HATED them. Dead notes, weird overtones, terrible... Those strings sound GREAT on my walnut P-bass, but totally did not work with the 54 year old.

It seems to me that bass strings, though not cheap, are still the easiest thing to change out and experiment with to get a bass playing and feeling like you want it.

It's like a car that won't corner, so you change the motor... when you should have changed the tires. Try different strings before you try new pickups.
 
#31
Joe Smithberger said:
Strings make a big difference as well. IMO one reason TI flats get so many raves here is that growl. I think it's a combination of flexibility and the right mids. Personally, I have never been a fan of really stiff strings on a P. Obviously it worked for Jamerson, but I wouldn't say he had a growly sound.
Click to expand...

TI flats sound great on P-basses IMO, but not so much on Jazz basses. Don't know why but that's been my experience. Most of my P's wear TI flats and my J's wear LaBella flats.
 
#32
It starts with the bass. Listen to how a bunch of different Precisions sound unamplified. Even with the same strings and essential set up, they'll vary a lot. Because the electronics can only translate what's happening to the string physically, and what's happening to the string is reflected in the acoustic sound, it's a useful tool to use. Some Precisions have a strong attack, lots of sustain, and a very in-your-face midrange. Others have more warmth, more blossom to the note envelope, and a full balanced sound.

And based on my experience managing a guitar store and modding instruments for customers, if the essential sound you want is not in the wood, it's a waste of time, money, and energy to try to put it in with mods. Find a Precision that's got the essential character you want, then dial it in with adjustments or mods as needed. But it starts with the wood, especially the individual neck.

John
 
#33
My Alleva can get that tone as in clips posted #2 above... As do many older fender P basses.. I think the lightness of the wood body helps. It makes it burp more.. where the heavier newer p basses ( not all) do the metaly vibe better... IMO.
P basses have great mids... and that is key to those more vintage tones... its an organic type of mid that sits well in many styles of music... dont scoop them out
 
#35
My sadowsky though it sounds great and even, does not do the vintage P tone.. although it is noticeably a P bass, just not that old P tone a s in the steely dan track above. It has a nordy P pickup. Nordstrands do not do the vintage thing in my opinion. And the Duncan P5 used in the Lulls and Sadowsky though sound great dont nail the real old school fender P tone at all.. but they sound OK. just darker and low mid present..

Where as my Alleva Coppolo kbp5 nails it. The Alleva P5 Pickup hits the P bass tone dead on center and has more dynamic range in my opinion. More open with a smoother deeper bottom that transitions smoother throughout the sonic range of what a P pickup can do..
Not taking anything from my sadowsky P5, that bass has gotten me alot of work..
But the Alleva just nails it

john nam said:
As far as pickups go, what are some "right" P pickups for a 5 string? Specific brands, models, and user experience will be appreciated.
Click to expand...
 
#36
JTE...

That's exactly my point... the wood is something you can't really change, so you have to find the right strings to "work" with that wood. Some strings are heavier, some lighter, some have more tension, some have less... but somewhere, there's a set of strings that'll help "wake up" that plank and make it noticeably more musical.
 
#37
Never thought that i would say this .. but i like flats at times.. and they work well on my Alleva kbp4.. the bass is light alder with dalbergia Fingerboard.. and gets that growly, punchy vintage 60s P bass tone..
I used Chromes on it after many people said to go to TI.. Never tried the TI but the Chromes are so good on this bass that Im not going to change for a while... Not a fan of the Labella flats. to much tension for my taste
 

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