When is the Precision the wrong tool for the job?

[PiquetBass]

If the P bass is the right bass, why is he so frustrated with his?

He wasn't! He took his frustration with the room out on his P bass. The bass was the innocent injured party in all this...
The Clash bassist Paul Simonon talks about the iconic London Calling bass smash! | Rockonteurs - YouTube

 

[micguy]

He wasn't! He took his frustration with the room out on his P bass. The bass was the innocent injured party in all this...

It was a joke.

 

[micguy]

you WISH the neck pickup solo’d sounds like a P. It doesn’t have the umph.

As to the clicky clacky stuff… lol keep it

That's another old wive's tale. There are plenty of pickups that, in the neck position, have as much, if not more "umph" than a P pickup.

"clink and clank" are a big part of many genres nowadays - you can do without them, but you won't get many of the gigs I get if you can't bring a wide sonic palette.

 

[Danny C]

It's not the arrow, it's the Indian.
But in reality and as micguy mentioned that reference to a visual artist using different brushes, the P may not be the best brush for every painting. You can get the job done with it but a different bass may be better for whatever is being served. Some players may only have one bass and have to make it work. I'm fortunate to be able to grab a different style of bass for whatever I deem necessary for the operation at hand. But I also have gone out to gigs that I was playing a wide genre of music and grabbed just a P, cuz maybe I was lazy that day, and made it work.
So everything I have said is of no help. Carry on....

 

[Rib 13]

you WISH the neck pickup solo’d sounds like a P. It doesn’t have the umph.

Here's a fun video.... enjoy

 

[jemerpi]

No imagination required.











2 pickups are certainly more common. But required? Not so much. Maybe it's less about the gear, and more about the musicianship? Just a thought.

This is a bit of a development timeline and what quintessential Jazz Fusion bass guitarists look like. 20 from the early days, 20 from then until now. And it's a good demonstration of how great musicianship and gear converge where technical and creative genius meet.

Cheers!

 

[Cleezmo]

As to the OPs question, the first thing that came to mind is slap. No way you're gonna sound anywhere close to Marcus or Flea or Victor W., etc. with a single P pickup. Also, pretty much anything Duran Duran.....

As for the 'a neck pickup on a two-pickup bass won't REALLY sound like a P' argument; well, I'll respect your opinion and will concede that it's not 100% the same, but I'd also counter that generally it's close enough that 95%+ of the listeners would not be able to tell a difference, especially in a live setting.

 

[PiquetBass]

It was a joke.

Not to him it wasn't!

 

[Blazer]

It's never the best tool for the job IMHO. My 6 can sound like a P, like a Jazz and like a whole lot of other basses, all with a twist of a knob.

When I was still working for Jan Knooren custom basses, Jan himself used to tell about John Pattitucci with whom he had a friendship.

That friendship came about when the two of them met when Jan still lived in LA. Pattitucci back then played THESE.

Ken Smith 6 string basses, which as I was told was a compromise, since he never liked the way those basses sounded. It came down to the way those basses were constructed, because those multilayered "Hippie Sandwich" bodies and through neck construction killed off any natural acoustics the instrument had.

John using his Ken Smith in 1986.

So Jan proposed to build him a custom six string which would rectify that issue, using two pieces of figured walnut and a one piece maple neck.

Not the actual bass but a similar style.

And a few years later, Pattitucci began endorsing Yamaha and their TRB bass. Which goes even more the Fender route by having an ash body and a bolt on neck.

So it's more than just the EQ on a bass which makes it sound the way it sounds.

 

[Thumpin6string]

When I was still working for Jan Knooren custom basses, Jan himself used to tell about John Pattitucci with whom he had a friendship.

That friendship came about when the two of them met when Jan still lived in LA. Pattitucci back then played THESE.

Ken Smith 6 string basses, which as I was told was a compromise, since he never liked the way those basses sounded. It came down to the way those basses were constructed, because those multilayered "Hippie Sandwich" bodies and through neck construction killed off any natural acoustics the instrument had.

John using his Ken Smith in 1986.

So Jan proposed to build him a custom six string which would rectify that issue, using two pieces of figured walnut and a one piece maple neck.

Not the actual bass but a similar style.

And a few years later, Pattitucci began endorsing Yamaha and their TRB bass. Which goes even more the Fender route by having an ash body and a bolt on neck.

So it's more than just the EQ on a bass which makes it sound the way it sounds.

Not sure what your point is. My 6 is a bolt on. The neck is graphite, and the body is mahogany with a purple heart layer and a birdseye maple and cocobolo top. Like I said in my previous post, it can cop the sound of several basses. Also, Patitucci is one of my bass idols.

 

[groooooove]

stuff like this i guess?

jazz fusion i often really really on leaning towards a bridge pickup.

if i was playing pretty much any other amplified music that included a drummer, i'd argue yes a p bass can do it.

and even for jazz fusion, i've used a yamaha attitude with wonderful success.

 

[Altitude]

When the wrong person is playing it.

Somebody said:

“If you can play, it doesn’t matter what guitar you play. If you can’t play, it doesn’t matter what guitar you play.”

I’ve been to dozens of shows where I’ve seen a player make an instrument sound really good. I can’t think of any that have gone the other direction.

 

[MrLenny1]

It's never wrong in any situation IMHO.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

They would never work for any kind of tech death metal, or anything with a low tuning that isn't doom or stoner metal.

Sure it would. Just tune it B-E-A-D using heavy gauge strings. Tons of metal has been played on a Precision

 

[Element Zero]

Not to be mean spirited but I think: "when are you the wrong player for the job"
Let's talk early Sir Paul, Jaco, and JPJ. Them brothers only had but one bass and got it done!

But they also (for the most part) only played 1 kind of music.

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

It's often said on bass forums that the Precision might not be the best tool for the job, but it's never the wrong one. Do you believe that to be the case? Can you think of an instance where the Precision is the wrong tool for the job?

when the gig calls for a 17-string

 

[Jefenator]

Is the standard Stratocaster the optimal guitar to use in every song or music genre?

Great way to reframe the question!
The best guitarist I work with is most at home on a hollowbody. He can make anything sound wicked - I've seen him do it on all manner of loaners. But the Gretsch / Epiphone style hollows are his thing.
A wealthy fan actually gifted him a USA Strat and he never touches it.

 

[Egg250]

Whenever you don't want to play a precision. All too often, people listen with their eyes. I say play an instrument that is comfortable to play, an instrument that fits you.

And, instead of searching to replicate someone else's tone, find a tone that pleases you and sits well in the mix. Although, sitting in the mix is the sound tech's job, so I find a tone that I like. I haven't had any complaints yet.

 

[spade2you]

If you want to be sonically accurate - yeah.
But in my band (90s Grunge Tribute), I often use a p-bass for that too. but with a flanger and stereo chorus to add the shimmer that the missing 8 strings can't provide.

12 string. This was a quick demo/goofing off.

 

[Bag of Lazers]

It doesn't work for slap or anything shreddy, ime. That still leaves the P a good choice for most gigs.