Why does my P-bass sound so good?

[Kipp Harrington]

I have three great basses in my stable:

1996 Carvin BB70 all Koa body with ebony board.
1999 Sector Q4 with EMG soap bars
2017 MIM Fender Classic 50's P-bass black lacquer, gold anodized PG and maple neck

In my studio, the Carvin and Spector sound great, but out on the gig there's no balls.

The P-bass on the other hand sounds great in my studio, and blows me away on gigs.

The Koa Carvin is so light, and I would prefer to play it because of that fact. The spector and my P-bass weigh the same.

I feel like I should just get rid of the carvin and the spector since the P-bass does everything better.

Anyone else have these same thoughts about their own bass collection?

P basses are built/designed for live performance. Very punchy and articulate enough to blend well in a mix. Get rid of the other two basses and get a Fender J and a Yamaha BB series. I don't own a Yammy (yet), but all I hear is praise for this line. They "fly under the radar", so to speak.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I hate P basses

It's okay... I forgive you.

 

[GrooveTheory]

P Bass is a steak. Often best prepared in it's absolute simplest form....salt, pepper, grill and don't overcook it... a top choice for many (unless you're a vegetarian). Is there other cuisine out there more "exciting" than a steak, sure. Can someone make a steak taste terrible... certainly. But, it's tough to match the simplicity, the enduring acceptance, and the overall satisfaction from a steak cooked proper. I have several very nice basses... but as many have said already... the simplicity of getting a high quality, consistent, and usable tone from a p bass, just makes it what it is. It's the ribeye of the bass world!

 

[Kipp Harrington]

Sounds like you've discovered why everyone likes P basses.

Don't tell bste9 that! LOL.

 

[msb]

Was a Pbass guy for years , now play just about anything but. Still sound pretty much the same.

 

[bste9]

Don't tell bste9 that! LOL.

I'm not the only one. I was just talking to bass player in a band that is friends of mine. She just got a P bass, everyone kept telling her...you gotta get a P. She already hates it.
Anyway, everyone has their own tastes. My point is its not a universal flavor.

 

[Boneless]

The P bass has become such a meme. It works, it works well, it finds its place in the mix, but it's getting ridiculous. Based on forums, TikToks etc. it seems like the P bass and a B15 is all you need. Come on now.

 

[marchone]

Never ranked any Fender higher than my Spector. Not even in the top 3. To each his own.

My Fender Telecaster Bass with Duncan Quarter Pound Single Coil and Rotosound 66s has the same elemental grit my NS-2 does. It’s a brute.

 

[pbass2]

Sitting well in the mix is a funny thing. Agreed that the P is always a good bet. Sometimes though I think I find the pb tone 'indistinct.' Not sure if that makes sense. Depending on the genre, a jb, mm, or soap bars sit in the mix quite well, if EQ'd properly, with more 'character' than a pb. Sometimes I prefer that. Other times, only a pb will do. Genre and EQ are as important as the pickups.

I think what you describe as that "indistinct" quality is part and parcel with the "sits great in the mix" thing that P's are so good at. Without any fuss, they excel at being a supportive sound in the mix, as bass is originally intended to be in most music. You can certainly get one to pop out with more character but that solid, supportive, foundational quality in a mix is always there.

 

[Zach77]

Be careful with your language, folks. Can't be too careful these days.

I love my Precision. As it's already been said, it sits wonderfully in the mix. I actually like the Mustang a little better. My JMJ is special. So easy to play! Something about the short-scale, has a little more punch. But, the P is the sound we've become accustomed to. I wonder if it has as much to do with that as anything. We can thank Jamerson! I also agree that some of the production in the Fender factory isn't the very best, but a good P is going to be just about as good as you could ever ask for.

Happy you've found a home with yours!

 

[DanTheMan2112]

I wasn't really getting what I needed from my BBP34 yesterday at an outdoors gig. I soloed the P pickup and it got much better. That doesn't always happen, but it works in many instances.

 

[Stylee Mousse]

I’m definitely a contrarian and have never owned of played a p other than briefly using a Fretless p in one side project. I have played them, they certainly work.

i know what they do and appreciate it, but it’s not for me. To me they lack tonal range and are too “polite”. Dig in hard and they get slightly less polite.

I like a bass with more range to get rude. If I played the right kind of music pbass would certainly be a contender

 

[Rib 13]

I hate P basses

I don't hate them and own one P and a Fender PJ in my stable. Neither is my favorite. I much prefer my Jazz basses in live variety situations, with my Stingray, my Schecter Raiden Elite IV, and Peavey Cirrus making random live appearances and now im rotating in an Ibanez ATK. In the studio ( very rare these dats), if I need a P bass tone, I have been opting for my Peavey T-45

P basses do sound great in heavy rock or punk situations, especially with rounds and a pick but I don't play much heavy rock these days and I don't play punk at all

I also like the way a P Bass with flats sits in a recorded mix if the goal for the mix is to sound something like a Boz Skaggs record.....if the goal is a mix like a David Sanborn record, I'm definitely using my J basses and not flats

 

[bassdude51]

Why does my P-bass sound so good?

Maybe the stings?

 

[alex1fly]

I have three great basses in my stable:

1996 Carvin BB70 all Koa body with ebony board.
1999 Sector Q4 with EMG soap bars
2017 MIM Fender Classic 50's P-bass black lacquer, gold anodized PG and maple neck

In my studio, the Carvin and Spector sound great, but out on the gig there's no balls.

The P-bass on the other hand sounds great in my studio, and blows me away on gigs.

The Koa Carvin is so light, and I would prefer to play it because of that fact. The spector and my P-bass weigh the same.

I feel like I should just get rid of the carvin and the spector since the P-bass does everything better.

Anyone else have these same thoughts about their own bass collection?

Everyone nailed why it sounds good. Don't see why you should sell the others as long as they provide some creativity and inspiration.

I think the answer is that YOU make it sound so good. One of the things I like about Precisions is that you can play it lighter and it sounds really polite, or you can bang on one and it will sound really aggressive.

The downside is that if I haven't played in a while and my hands are outta shape it can be really hard for me to make it sound so angry for any amount of time! That is when my Stingray comes in... it always sounds angry. Haha.

Same. My P reflects me as a player more than my Stingray. Stingray is easier to make sound good when I'm rusty.

I was going to do that 15 basses ago but, never did. There are days when a bass sounds excellent then, not so excellent the next day. A bunch affects sound so that bass is having a bad day.

Yep. Hence why if I were OP I wouldn't sell my other basses.

 

[zenrad]

I have the opposite experience with P basses - they sound great with headphones in my studio but they just don't work for me in a live situation for the material I play, including JGB tunes which is why I bought one of my Ps. Some notes in certain places on the neck have a way of disappearing when playing live. I don't like constantly fussing with my amp's EQ when I play, active basses fix that for me, with Bass, semi-parametric Mid and Treble onboard I can make small adjustments without walking back to my amp. I'm sure a semi-parametric outboard EQ would help but I'm thinking converting it to active (I know, blasphemy) would work better for me.

 

[denton57]

Love my Nash and parts P, but really love the feel and playability of my Nash 75 J. I wired it in series though so I could capture some of the mids.

I remember Billy Cox saying play the P in the studio and the J live. I think about that sometimes. I have obviously used both on gigs and I do like them both. I’m really trying to decide which to use on an outdoor patio gig next weekend. Since my J is in series, there is no blending of pickups, etc..plug and play like the P. All my basses have Lollars and Pyramid flats. I doubt the audience cares.

 

[Al Rivera]

Hmm,in your profile you have a few fancy p bass with an added jazz pickup. Perhaps it's just fender you dislike.

 

[MNAirHead]

tried mating a different amp to your non pbass guitars?

 

[MynameisMe]

My Carvin is not exactly the same configuration but I put an Audere preamp in a set of Delanos in it and it screams.
YMMV.
Of course I've replaced the bridge, tuning keys, volume knobs, truss rod and fingerboard also.