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Why did the J never dethrone the P?

#144
I'm not sure in the real world - since I'm not a real bass player - but in my vision I can't see how a hummy single coiled bass version could be evolutionary/"deluxe", nor the ugly offset (derived from the soon to be out of fashion Jazzmaster) could outdo the most beautiful/copied body shape ever of a stratocaster...

sxaxsx said:
Also I have listened to all of the "can you tell a difference" youtube videos where they play a J neck vs a P and I can ALWAYS tell the difference so I don't know where this "couldn't distinguish from a P's" nonsense is coming from.
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probably from the same place as "can make my rounds sound like flats just rolling off the tone knob". :D
 
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#147
sikamikanico said:
this one recently popped up here: as per Reverb sales, the P was the king of bass in 2021: https://reverb.com/news/the-best-selling-guitars-of-2021

I wish there were more data (more years, more businesses). But I figure Reverb may be pretty representative these days.
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Yes - Reverb reports that the sub model of bass that hit the USED market the most in 2021 was a particular P sub model. The new and used markets are not necessarily well correlated, and we don't know what happens if you add up all the P and J sub models (There are, as I referenced before, more J sub models). So, we don't know any more about the actual question, but it's interesting to ponder why a lot of that particular sub model hit Reverb - is it because there are a lot of Player P's out there, or because the original owners didn't like them that much, or is there another reason?
 
#150
hennessybass said:
My understanding is (and my ears tell me) that JBs have a mid scoop (not a hump). The mid scoop is caused by phase cancelation of the two pickups.
I've always thought that PBs have a very strong mid range with slightly less low and high end - which is why they "sit in the mix" so well, and why they are often favored for recording.
... But maybe I'm crazy!!

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Historically (and now), the J bass is the "delux" model, and is more expensive than the P bass. I'd guess that that - along with the simplicity of the P - has a big part in driving sales - especially with first time buyers.

I prefer a J personally. I like the body shape. The neck depends - I don't care for those super wide (at the nut), but flat (depth) P necks. My P bass has a super fat neck with a 1.5" nut. I also really prefer the sound of the J.
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I think some of whether it’s a hump or a scoop has to do with how the instrument is EQd as well as how your cabs are tuned/ported. What I posted was based on my experience recording and running instruments straight in to the board with no effects.
 
#152
Why do you keep box-end wrenches and sockets in the same toolkit? They do the same job, but each has its strengths and weaknesses. (Note: This argument was [at one time] solid enough that my wife quit bugging me about how many basses I have-- for a while at least.)
 
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#153
For the same reason Ford's Mustang never dethroned their own Fairlane. It was never supposed to. Leo intended it as a more upmarket product for a different demographic, and he was rightly very proud of it. If anything it probably boosted P sales by association, just as the Mustang transformed Ford's fortunes in the 60s. It was what modern manufacturers call a "halo product".
 
#160
JazzyJacuzzi said:
On paper, the Jazz has everything to dethrone the Precision as the most widely used type of bass, such as:
  • A faster, smaller and thinner neck that is most likely more comfortable for more people;
  • Two pickups for a wider range of tones, including a neck pickup that most of us couldn’t distinguish from a P’s when soloed in a blind test; and
  • Offset body that is more comfortable to play while sitting down.
So, why did the J never manage to dethrone the P in your opinion?
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I own and like both of them, but prefer the P over the J. You can dial in more of a variety of tones with the J, but the inherent tone of the P is easily my favorite bass sound of all time. It's as plug and play as it gets. I run the volume and tone controls wide open 95% of the time and it always delivers that midrangey bark that cuts thru the mix so well.
 
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