Whats the deal with P basses?

[Flyingaero]

dude you simply cant play one bass and say thats the standard. you probably just got your hands on a crappy low end p. ive got P's that would make you want to burn that Schecter as a sacrafice to Leo Fender (true story).

If Ive got this correct I played 3 P basses. I tried one at my school, that wasnt too hot( days before an ernie ball) and I tried two at daddys junky music. None left a good impression. I MUST be missing something big here seeing as everyone seems to have a variation or another of these. And I mean sound as in the natural sound of the bass. I usually practice ampless and I could barely hear it in a practically quiet music store. ( I understand that its due to the material) I know im a noob but im totally lost

 

[Yerf Dog]

I tried googling it before posting and came up with nothing!

Link Removed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Precision_Bass

 

[mccartneyman]

In all seriousness, Leo Fender called it the Precision bass because it has frets and you can play precisely as opposed to on an upright, which -- if you don't know the positions -- you can easily play just a hair out of tune. You can use a Precision for any style -- don't let anyone tell you otherwise. My advice is, get a real Fender to try out, even if it's Squier. Yes, compared to many of today's basses, the old Precisions with the 1.75" wide nut and the fat neck feel clunky. But if there were no other basses except the Precision, music would still be played. Just like if there were no cars except Fords, we'd still be driving.

Sorry -- bad example.

 

[kraigo]

Wow! A pre-Ernie Ball Precision!!!

KO

 

[your idol]

wait...you like to play disco?!?!?

thats friggin awesome!

ill give you the most serious advice i can give anyone. youtube james jamerson and witness the power that the P Bass has unleashed. id sit back and just check out a few videos...it will pull up alot of groups like the temptations, jackson 5, the supremes. this sounds defined Motown from a bass perspective.

as for the p you played..sharp frets can happen to any bass subject to climate change. it probably had some god awful super butt strings on it and the secret of the P bass is the tone knob..i know its only 1 knob but the mastery of it is crucial. maybe theres a chance you simply like schecters and its not your cup o tea

 

[Krügmeister]

Wow... just wow.
Sorry man but that is just a weak post.
I can't imagine judging and electric bass by not plugging it in.
Listen to your Instructor, he certainly knows what he/she is talking about... on the other hand I'm not quite sure you know what you are even doing.
Best of luck

 

[3toes]

What is the deal with airline food? I mean, come on...

 

[your idol]

I usually practice ampless and I could barely hear it in a practically quiet music store.

did it have flatwound strings on it?? or were you looking for loud clangy sound of new strings on xj frets

 

[Flyingaero]

In all seriousness, Leo Fender called it the Precision bass because it has frets and you can play precisely as opposed to on an upright, which -- if you don't know the positions -- you can easily play just a hair out of tune. You can use a Precision for any style -- don't let anyone tell you otherwise. My advice is, get a real Fender to try out, even if it's Squer. Yes, compared to many of today's basses, the old Precisions with the 1.75" wide nut and the fat neck feel clunky. But if there were no other basses except the Precision, music would still be played. Just like if there were no cars except Fords, we'd still be driving.

Sorry -- bad example.

Thats honestly all I was looking for. As for the people saying "well why didnt you plug it in", you can make so many different sounds with an amp no matter how bad it sounds you can make it sound better. I was listening to the natural sound and listening to its "acoustics"

 

[mccartneyman]

What is the deal with airline food? I mean, come on...

Are you quoting Seinfeld or Peter Griffin?

 

[your idol]

I was listening to the natural sound and listening to its "acoustics"

if the strings are old or dead or you were playing flats there would be no acoustics...you have to plug in to fully judge. if you played my P with flats unplugged youd be all kinds of disappointed until you plugged it in then you would poop a little.

i really cant believe i am getting sucked in.

 

[Matt R.]

Wow! A pre-Ernie Ball Precision!!!

KO

Beat me to it hahaha

 

[meRTKendrew]

If Ive got this correct I played 3 P basses. I tried one at my school, that wasnt too hot( days before an ernie ball) and I tried two at daddys junky music. None left a good impression. I MUST be missing something big here seeing as everyone seems to have a variation or another of these. And I mean sound as in the natural sound of the bass. I usually practice ampless and I could barely hear it in a practically quiet music store. ( I understand that its due to the material) I know im a noob but im totally lost

Thats honestly all I was looking for. As for the people saying "well why didnt you plug it in", you can make so many different sounds with an amp no matter how bad it sounds you can make it sound better. I was listening to the natural sound and listening to its "acoustics"

Just do what you're told and plug it in. If you have made a judgement without plugging in to an amp, then the strings (which can be changed, did you know that?) will have a huge impact on what you hear. You havn't even heard the pickups or the electrics. You've heard strings.
A P bass will never be considered weak sounding. They sound HUGE.

That is all.



-RTK

 

[Gozu]

dude.... just....

 

[nostatic]

This is the deal with P basses

 

[Flyingaero]

did it have flatwound strings on it?? or were you looking for loud clangy sound of new strings on xj frets

It was new yet my defretted starter bass put a louder more characteristic sound then said bass. I think the only reason I noticed was because I thought there was something magical about it because of the popularity and the praise I hear about them. My improv. Teacher told me to youtube James Jamerson and thats when I learned the importance of scales for soloing. I know I couldve stated the question better but all my bad experiences with them bundled with my confusion just made it sound wrong.

 

[meRTKendrew]

It was new yet my defretted starter bass put a louder more characteristic sound then said bass. I think the only reason I noticed was because I thought there was something magical about it because of the popularity and the praise I hear about them. My improv. Teacher told me to youtube James Jamerson and thats when I learned the importance of scales for soloing. I know I couldve stated the question better but all my bad experiences with them bundled with my confusion just made it sound wrong.

There is something magical about P basses.
/end thread.



-RTK

 

[ksandvik]

Hehehe, a P-bass is for bass players what a small black dress is for...

 

[Arpeggiator]

if you come on to a forum like this and start shouting the odds about the instrement that started it all, with no valid evidence or a good argument your gonna get flamed.

 

[Flyingaero]

If you have made a judgement without plugging in to an amp, then the strings (which can be changed, did you know that?) will have a huge impact on what you hear. You havn't even heard the pickups or the electrics. You've heard strings.
A P bass will never be considered weak sounding. They sound HUGE.

I usually practice without an amp and you can make your bass sound like anything with a good one. No string change needed.