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What's REALLY the difference between all the different P-Bass models?

#101
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#104
MtManiac said:
Thanks - when you say "not super thick" do you mean front to back, or width at the nut?

The Player Series has a modern C neck profile that most people seem to be happy with, but does not have rounded edges on the fretboards - to get that you have to go to the American Professional, or a used American Standard. However, if you're looking for a J width neck, your Fender options are limited - there have been a few, but not many. However, the 60s and 50s models (like the Vintera, Classic series, Roadworn Series, American Originals, American Vintage Reissues, and many of the various Custom Shop models) have a 1.75" nut width, which many people find off putting. Start with the Player series as the baseline.

If you want Rosewood, you're looking at American models, currently - the former Standards (MIM) had Rosewood, but CITES makes that cost prohibitive these days. For me, I think Pao ferro is fine, I just am not super enamoured with the looks of the paler examples. I have seen some with dark pao ferro that look to me just like rosewood, but if you're ordering online it's a crapshoot.

In addition to a neck that's the same shape as the neck on the Player, the Performer has rosewood as an option, and lightweight tuners like on the Professional. Unfortunately, it also has the greasebucket tone circuit, which I really dislike, and what is for me the useless appendage of a J pickup. So I rule those out right away. I can't justify the price difference.

For me, I don't like wider nut width necks, having owned a '57 AVRI and a Classic 50s. I played both for years and then fell in love with a used American Standard. I like the rolled fretboard edges that only come on the older American Standard, the Professional, and the Elites, and for me, for a primary workhorse, the neck differences are worth the extra money. I also like the string-through bridge option on each of these models, and the lightweight tuners, and I also like getting a case.

Those features aside though, I have owned several Standards (the MIM ones, versus the "American Standards"). I can play those all day long, and the Players are basically the same thing. My standard thing to do on Standards when I get one is to throw out the crap pickups that come in them and drop in something else - these days I really like a Duncan SPB-1. The Players however have different, possibly better, pickups than the Standards did - it's a matter of taste.

Deep, warm, and thumpy mean different things to different people, and for some they can get there with the tone knob and EQ'ing; for some of us, a pickup replacement is needed or desired. The SPB-1 can get me into some very classic vintage-style tone, but is also very versatile with a turn of the tone knob. I have a set of EMG GZR's here that I haven't had a chance to try out yet though, and I hear they're similar, slightly stronger low end, and they're also a solderless install, so you can't go wrong with those either, but they're a bit more expensive. The Vmod pickup on the Professionals is ok, IMO, and the CS62 on the former American Standard is also ok. Both pretty versatile. I still prefer the SPB-1. If you want a similar pickup from Fender, you're looking at the Pure Vintage '63, which is only stock on the American Original 60s P, which means you have to deal with the wider neck. If you can access the Mod Shop, you get to have an American Professional body (and bridge and tuners) with *many* different colour options, several pickup options, several pickguard options, a few neck profile and width options, and the main fretboard, options, plus a case for about what you'd pay for an American Original, or more than twice what you'd pay for a Player. It just depends on whether those options are worth it to you.

Best bang for the buck is a Player, IMHO. If you were gigging a lot, I'd suggest that the Pro has a more comfortable neck and this alone might make it worth the extra dough for you. The neck is the main thing for me - everything else can be replaced or upgraded if desired, but does not *need* to be replaced or upgraded. You can buy a Player and keep it stock for the next 30 years and still be happy with it. They're basically 70s spec Fenders, only consistently better quality.

My seeming obtuseness is due to the fact that these days the differences are mostly features, not so much quality. It's really a matter of what features you need or want. There *are* a lot of options, but most of them I can rule out right away. There are also a lot of Jazz bass options, and most of those I can also rule out right away, if and when I go shopping for a Jazz, which rarely happens anymore.
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wow this has been amazingly helpful and exactly what I was after..!
 
#106
Tazziedevil said:
This has been super helpful too.

I don’t want to have to swap parts straight away- I want one that sounds good ‘straight out of the box’.
Seems it’s either between the Player and the performer. I don’t really know what Pau Ferro is- I’m assuming it’s a less expensive version of rosewood?
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CITES has restricted export/import of Rosewood, so Fender has replaced it on lower cost models with Pao Ferro, or laurel on some Squier models. Pao Ferro is a very respectable fretboard wood - the Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat has had it for years, and maybe a couple other signature models, and Gibson has also been using it for years. It’s currently cheaper than rosewood, I presume because of all the admin work involved with importing or exporting rosewood, and I presume profit margins make it possible on Fender’s American models. Pao Ferro is between rosewood and ebony on the hardness scale. It’s not “traditional” for Fenders, so some Fender fans (self included) tend to be predisposed against it. I realize my predisposition is irrational, but feelings are feelings and preferences are preferences. I’ll likely get over it. It’s a perfectly good fretboard wood, but I’d likely opt for maple if those were my only two options.

Honestly, buying a Player, I’d likely go for buttercream or black with maple anyway.
 
#108
IME, differences between P's are both humongous and negligible. Kind of depends on what's important to you (that's not incredibly helpful, but true). Some say neck profile and thickness can make or break the instrument, while others are sensitive about nut dimensions or weight, body wood or neck gloss..

I can say that practically every Pbass I've picked up has had ESSENTIALLY the same sound as the others I've tried. Obviously not exactly the same (don't kill me, TB lol), but essentially the same...
One may be a little hotter than another based on the pickup, or one may have denser wood than another, changing the sound a bit.

My point being that with Pbasses in particular, FEEL is important. All minutia aside, they're very similar, and you should get what you can find in the middle road between comfort and cost.

Just my 2 cents.
 
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#110
Tazziedevil said:
View attachment 3577730 So I eventually went with the American Professional. The bit width and the neck profile felt better in my hands.
I was going to go with the Player, but my fiancée talked me into spending more(!) on the instrument I really wanted, bless her!
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Beautiful bass mate. Congrats from a fellow Aussie. Give us a full report when you can.
 
#116
Tazziedevil said:
View attachment 3577730 So I eventually went with the American Professional. The bit width and the neck profile felt better in my hands.
I was going to go with the Player, but my fiancée talked me into spending more(!) on the instrument I really wanted, bless her!
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I personally believe that’s the best option available right now. I love the necks on these, they feel very comfortable. The Players are a best bang for the buck model, but the Professionals are really made for people who spend a lot of time on their instrument.

Sorry to seem obtuse and unhelpful earlier; I often hear the question asked “is it worth the upgrade to the Professional?” and my answer is usually “I don’t know, is it?” It’s really something only you can justify. I’m not gigging right now, but if I were I could justify a new Professional all day long. Or if I had some mad money and wanted one. It all depends on your circumstances and preferences, which is what I was trying to focus on with you, to get down to what you’re looking for. If you’re not sure, it’s best to invest some time in playing a few to see.

Congrats on a *great* bass and an even greater partner.

Now go buy a vintage brown tort pickguard for that baby.

A2FAC000-9261-424C-962D-B83CA182A1F3.jpeg
 
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#118
my usual bi-monthly post

P-bass is a format....and its a simple formula format: pickup in that "P-spot", usually wired in Series but can be done with other pickup types. Often, the "P-body style" is also a consideration and some include "P neck/nut width" as part of P-bass criteria. Theres no extra bells and whistles involved to do P-bass. Yes, there are P-basses with more than one pickup but usually in the course of conversation about "the P-bass sound", thats not what they are talking about.......with that said, the only hardware differences are the build quality (woods, machined parts, etc) and quality of electronic components. The only software differences are the player and the player's preferences
 
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#120
MtManiac said:
I personally believe that’s the best option available right now. I love the necks on these, they feel very comfortable. The Players are a best bang for the buck model, but the Professionals are really made for people who spend a lot of time on their instrument.

Sorry to seem obtuse and unhelpful earlier; I often hear the question asked “is it worth the upgrade to the Professional?” and my answer is usually “I don’t know, is it?” It’s really something only you can justify. I’m not gigging right now, but if I were I could justify a new Professional all day long. Or if I had some mad money and wanted one. It all depends on your circumstances and preferences, which is what I was trying to focus on with you, to get down to what you’re looking for. If you’re not sure, it’s best to invest some time in playing a few to see.

Congrats on a *great* bass and an even greater partner.

Now go buy a vintage brown tort pickguard for that baby.

View attachment 3578348
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I actually did appreciate your post- it made me actually give some thought to what it is I was chasing. It’s the little refinements on the AmPro I really like- the fluted tuners, through body stringing, the rolled edges.

I know I would have been perfectly happy with the Player, but it’s nice to know I got exactly the one I wanted.

I haven’t really played much yet, will post more when I plug it in and crank it up.
 

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