• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Why are 5-string P-basses so rare?

#181
India_Sierra said:
The P bass has not found itself as the home of innovation and innovative bassists in quite some time. Billy Sheehan aside,
Click to expand...

Now there's a guy who plays with enough gain that I can trust his opinion if he says a 5-string split-coil set is silent.
Otherwise, no.
I was struggling with pinch harmonics & found a clip where Sheehan was explaining it. One of the only bass players who does pinch harmonics. That takes high gain indeed.

I also can't trust folks to judge the gain on amps, which I've discovered over time.
"Sure it has enough gain for Motörhead!", then I get my hands on one & it does not.

"Oh all you need now is a boost pedal.", NO!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Monterey Bay-ss
#184
I think its pretty obvious why the 5 string P bass is not exactly massively utilized in the bass playing community. Same reason I spent one year procrastinating before I finally pulled the trigger on my AS P5. For me, it was because I was put off by the asymmetrical design of the pickup. Just couldn't quite get used to that. Got over it. Happy with the bass. I notice people here on TB that have them seem to like them too.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Monterey Bay-ss
#185
Riff Ranger said:
I can’t be the only person who would like a 5-string P-bass, but it seems like those who make them aren’t making many, those who have them aren’t parting with them, and new ones don’t come cheap.

(For my purposes, “P-bass” means split pickup in the “sweet spot” on an instrument with a non-skinny neck; I’m not anti-Fender, but I’m not wed to a name on a headstock, either.)

We have 5-string J’s for days, and no shortage of 4-string P’s, but why so few 5-string P’s?*

*an apostrophe does not ordinarily make a plural, but it does in this case. There: I feel better.
Click to expand...
Yeah I would like one but there’s a huge gap in range for fender ones. There are affordable ones like the now discontinued Squier p5 but then there’s a huge price jump to stuff like the fender American p 5. Why they don’t have a Mexican p5 is beyond me. Seems like it would be a popular model at that price range. For the cost of an American you might as well be patient and keep an eye out for a used Dingwall Super P.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Monterey Bay-ss
#186
Nephilymbass said:
Yeah I would like one but there’s a huge gap in range for fender ones. There are affordable ones like the now discontinued Squier p5 but then there’s a huge price jump to stuff like the fender American p 5. Why they don’t have a Mexican p5 is beyond me. Seems like it would be a popular model at that price range. For the cost of an American you might as well be patient and keep an eye out for a used Dingwall Super P.
Click to expand...

The Dingwall would be about 1000 more than a used Fender USA and has pinche fanned frets.
 
#187
I like the Fender AmStd P5 enough that I have three of them - Ed Friedland’s old 3TSB/RW/tort (my first), a black and maple and a fretless conversion I need to finish up. They are great basses, otherwise I wouldn’t have ended up with three.

I found the B on each to be perfectly acceptable out of the box, but what really improved them is the addition of a stealth string retainer - I noticed my Dimensions had great, focused Bs and the stealth is a big part of why.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nevada Pete and Stevorebob
#189
two fingers said:
P basses are usually played by more traditional players. Jazz basses tend toward more modern players. The same could be said regarding 5 strings.

I, like you, love a 5 string P. Bit I don't think we belong to a huge segment of the market.
Click to expand...
I’m puzzled by some of the comments regarding tone. A good amp & cab solves any B string issues with most 5 string basses.

Unless you’re gonna get in the weeds with numbers. The girls on the dance floor will be able to buttress that conversation.

My 2010 AM Standard Precision V is a wonderful instrument. Classic Precision/Fender tone that works with any genre. It’s as nice a Fender as I have ever played. Damn thing just works and I never tire of playing it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CEJ, Rabidhamster, Stevorebob and 1 other person
#193
Rabidhamster said:
That’s fine but you’re saying “for the cost of a USA Fender you might as well be patient and spend twice as much money on a used Dingwall instead.”

Don’t buy the Toyota, you might as well just wait and get the used Lamborghini.
Click to expand...
Perhaps I could have worded it better. A new fender American p 5 is $1500. I’ve seen used super p5s sell as low as $2k so it’s potentially as little as a $500 difference not a thousand or double.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rabidhamster
#195
Rabidhamster said:
Cool I didn't realize they went that low my mistake.
Click to expand...
Yeah that’s understandable. Their production basses do hold value really well. So I can see how there’s a misunderstanding on that. That’s why I bought a new NG2 instead of a used one. Because the used price was so high I was like “screw it, Might as well buy a new one” but the custom stuff is different. the custom made stuff is super nice but i think it suffers a bit of the same hit that other custom basses do when selling used. In that when it comes to super high end custom basses people want their own custom with the options they picked out, not what someone else picked out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rabidhamster
#196
Nephilymbass said:
Yeah that’s understandable. Their production basses do hold value really well. So I can see how there’s a misunderstanding on that. That’s why I bought a new NG2 instead of a used one. Because the used price was so high I was like “screw it, Might as well buy a new one” but the custom stuff is different. the custom made stuff is super nice but i think it suffers a bit of the same hit that other custom basses do when selling used. In that when it comes to super high end custom basses people want their own custom with the options they picked out, not what someone else picked out.
Click to expand...
Yeah I agree. Seems like there are quite a few custom builds on eBay and the like that are basically waiting for that one other guy out there somewhere that wants one like that to see it and come up with the cash.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nephilymbass
#197
Charlzm said:
You can get a very P-like sound from a soapbar split-coil. Maybe go that route?
Click to expand...

Almost anyone playing a Ibanez SR505 is playing reverse-P, split-coil pickups.
This year they changed to the BH2 hum-buckers, but in the past they all had MK1 split-coil pickups:

Invalid Link Removed
OriginalSplits_Series_CoilsStrings.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: MixBass and Charlzm

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back