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WHO is making the best P basses these days?

thmsjordan

thmsjordan

Jan 10, 2010
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#1
Ok, let's agree that Fender is the original and still makes good P basses. I love and own several members of this species already. I am also shopping for a really good P style bass. It needs to be a fairly faithful to the original design. Split pickup, P/J is ok but I am looking for a great player that sounds like a "Holy Grail" type P bass. Budget is anywhere from Fender to Lull - ish.

There may be some I am unaware of, but please let's keep it to P bass shaped objects. I know many of you out there love your G&L 2000's etc. but I have a specific type in mind.

Who is making some of the best post Fender P basses?

Bass porn (pics of the basses) are always appreciated, along with ballpark prices, opinions etc.

Thanks
 
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#4
Not sure if you're completely ruling out Fender, but if you're in that price range you may as well try a Custom Shop. I was playing my MIJ Fender P earlier and it really is an extremely well built instrument even if I'm not the biggest fan of the wood choices used in it (basswood and pau ferro). I also have a new AmPro II P that does the thing, although it is a slightly more modern sound.
 
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#5
I've only played very bad copies and very nice Fenders, so I don't have much to contribute other than my MIJ Traditional 60's and AmPro II Precision V are the best I have ever played.

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#10
My P basses have been Fender (MIA, MIJ, MIM), G&L (Lb-100, SB-2), Warmoth (fretted and fretless builds), and Sandberg (VS). Today, I own two of the Warmoth builds and a Sandberg VS. The Sandberg is the nicest playing P bass I've owned. I swapped the stock pickup out (which had super large pole pieces and had a more modern sound) for an Aguilar to get a more traditional vibe. I love my Warmoth builds. They are classic feeling and also play great. But if I'm playing for 3 hours at a gig, the Sandberg is the most comfortable in terms of ergonomics and weighs just 7.75lbs. Can't recommend the Sandberg enough. Many come stock with preamps but I have a passive version (my preference).
 
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#11
thmsjordan said:
Ok, let's agree that Fender is the original and still makes good P basses. I love and own several members of this species already. I am also shopping for a really good P style bass. It needs to be a fairly faithful to the original design. Split pickup, P/J is ok but I am looking for a great player that sounds like a "Holy Grail" type P bass. Budget is anywhere from Fender to Lull - ish.

There may be some I am unaware of, but please let's keep it to P bass shaped objects. I know many of you out there love your G&L 2000's etc. but I have a specific type in mind.

Who is making some of the best post Fender P basses?

Bass porn (pics of the basses) are always appreciated, along with ballpark prices, opinions etc.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Washburn makes a good P
 
#13
thmsjordan said:
Ok, let's agree that Fender is the original and still makes good P basses. I love and own several members of this species already. I am also shopping for a really good P style bass. It needs to be a fairly faithful to the original design. Split pickup, P/J is ok but I am looking for a great player that sounds like a "Holy Grail" type P bass. Budget is anywhere from Fender to Lull - ish.

There may be some I am unaware of, but please let's keep it to P bass shaped objects. I know many of you out there love your G&L 2000's etc. but I have a specific type in mind.

Who is making some of the best post Fender P basses?

Bass porn (pics of the basses) are always appreciated, along with ballpark prices, opinions etc.

Thanks
Click to expand...
For me, the simple answer is almost everyone. You can find a really nice P bass at almost every price point. It's a very simple recipe.
 
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#14
I'd be looking at Fender American Standards in the 2012-18 range if you're looking for used and versatile. If looking for a newly built instrument and/or very pre-cbs vibes (and you've got 3+ years on your hands) I'd go for a Moollon. The three best p basses I've ever played are two different '12 American Standards and one by Moollon. The fenders could do modern p sounds with rounds and vintage sounds with flats well, and the Moollon is more old school, like owning a NOS '64. I've also heard Olinto does a great job for vintage vibed p bass instruments.
 
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#19
My early USA Lakland Glaub is the best pbass I've ever had my mitts on as far as fit and finish goes. Just a beauty of a bass to hold in your hands. Sounds amazing too of course. But if we're strictly talking sound, I have a MIM Fender with the same Fralin pickups in it, and it sounds equally good. Has become my #1 of late. With P's I've come to the conclusion it's all about the pickups and the strings. But it sure is nice to have a high-end build too:)). So, I vote USA Lakland.
 
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