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Why does everyone else sound good on a P and I don't?

SteveC

SteveC

Supporting Member
Nov 12, 2004
31,651
46,771
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#1
I have tried to play and like P basses. They are everywhere, and it seems an appropriate bass for some of my gigs - soul, funk, R&B horn band especially.

Yet, I never seem to sound good when I use one. I listen to all these guys that play them in all kinds of genres and they sound awesome. Yet, I sound like crap.

I play them in the store and I think ....ok, not bad. Yet in a band setting it sounds like crap - especially at church. I pick up a J style bass and I'm good.

I know - play a jazz bass. I do - kind of. I'm just curious why I can't do it on a P.
 
#2
Not that I'm an expert, but maybe the overall feel of the bass doesn't agree with you? Do you feel like you're fighting to play it in anyway? Or maybe you need to tweak your amp settings a bit.
 
#3
I'm kinda the same way with J basses, but I can still get a good tone with them - it's just not 'my tone'.

IME, P's are really picky when it comes to a players technique. There's not much EQ'ing that can get in the way or mask any technique problems. Of course, that's not me trying to say that you have any, but for me, personally, I was never able to get a good Tone out of a P until I figured my right hand out and how subtle changes can yield so many different tones. My go to bass right now is a MIA Fender P and it sounds fantastic solo'd and in the mix.
 
#4
Mike M. said:
Not that I'm an expert, but maybe the overall feel of the bass doesn't agree with you? Do you feel like you're fighting to play it in anyway? Or maybe you need to tweak your amp settings a bit.
Click to expand...

I guess I've never felt like I was fighting it.

jmattbassplaya said:
- it's just not 'my tone'.

IME, P's are really picky when it comes to a players technique. There's not much EQ'ing that can get in the way or mask any technique problems.
Click to expand...

Could be that the tone I get is fine, just not "my" tone I suppose. I always felt my technique was pretty good, but who knows.
 
#10
Some people sound awesome on a P-bass and some don't. As Jmatt said, a lot of the time, its because people don't realize how sensitive a P-bass is to plucking hand technique.

What I find to be a bigger issue though, is that people don't understand the fundamentals of EQing a P-bass pickup. People are used to wide response pickups but don't realize that a P is a P because of its heavy low mids. They also try to make it sound not like a P-bass.

The trick is, is that a P-bass is plug and play. Set your EQ flat. Play a little bit, and then adjust as necessary.

If it makes you feel better, I can't get the tone I like out of a jazz. :p
 
#13
SteveC said:
So maybe I'm not a looser. I'm just not a P kind of guy. :smug:

Now, is it a 4 or 5 string jazz...;):hiding:
Click to expand...

Nope, you are a looser! And that's because you have bought into all the P-bass hype here as the end-all of bass tone. Sorry, I don't even OWN a P-bass. And I don't much like Jazz basses either. (even though I own a few) But you have to pick basses for the tone they give when YOU play them. So it's great that Jamerson kills on a P-bass. But all my basses were picked out because of the tone they gave when *I* played them. If a given bass isn't doing it for me when I play it, I don't buy it. I don't care how many people on TB are worshiping it. :spit:
 

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