• 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 does TalkBass love the P Bass so much?

#301
Before I bought my '75 Fender P [new] I tried Ric 4001, Gibson EB, Fender Telecaster because on Long Island at the time approx. 80% of Gigging players used Fender P; and I wanted to be different:)

Played that Bass till 2000[first retirement attempt] and thousand+ Gigs; Got a 2001 [in 2002] Fender P, tone slightly different soloed but no so much with Band but didn't like smaller nut had to adapt; played until 2012 then joined 80's New Wave, 90's Alt, 2k pop Band [2 Female lead singers]

Wasn't fitting in to my liking [sure half the people in TN or TB wouldn't notice or care:)]

So went with EBMM 25TH Anniversary; then with new 'Old School' band went with Ultra P [P/J] knew I needed P tones but still wanted access to modern tones.

Now I have EBMM Stingray Special[1.7 nut] and I am very content BUT came close to getting Fender AV II 54P demo's had my favorite P type tone
 
  • Like
Reactions: FRoss6788
#302
tenor.gif
 
  • Like
Reactions: LadyLoveStingRay5, 5StringBlues, MtManiac and 1 other person
#303
JeezyMcNuggles said:
A jazz bass. The other one that gives you three tone options that work with everything.

It doesn't add hum if you use a split coil jazz pickup (although, they sound better with a single)

It doesn't look out of place. It's been the most produced pickup configuration for a decade or so now.

Added treble and mid scoop is the point of the pickup. It's only un necessary if you don't like treble. Then you would just buy a P bass, and leave the subject well enough alone.
Click to expand...
It looks out of place to me and I don't like treble.
I have my opinion and I will express it when I want. I will leave the subject alone if and when I want, not when you say.
 
#309
GwennyT said:
Don't get me wrong, I love it too-- but a Jazz bass can mimic the P tone quite well. Why not something more versatile, like a PJ?
Click to expand...
I love simple basses, but I also love versatile basses as well. The Precision is great to me as a simple bass, but the Jazz (and by extension the P/J) just misses the mark for me as a versatile bass. Could I play a Jazz? Yes, and I do own a Jazz-type bass. But the set of voices it has just where the electronics are concerned just fall short for me.

If we want to talk about number of pickups, my preference is either 1 pickup or 3. 1 is simple, 3 lets you get a huge amount of tones.

(I would also love to try to play a P/J, but I can't get my hands on one that I like. A Yamaha BB2000 would be one of my dream basses because reverse P/J is best P/J, but dropping $1500-$2000 on a vintage bass without being able to test drive is, well... not a thing I want to do, given my level of income.)
 
#311
jdjk7 said:
I love simple basses, but I also love versatile basses as well. The Precision is great to me as a simple bass, but the Jazz (and by extension the P/J) just misses the mark for me as a versatile bass. Could I play a Jazz? Yes, and I do own a Jazz-type bass. But the set of voices it has just where the electronics are concerned just fall short for me.

If we want to talk about number of pickups, my preference is either 1 pickup or 3. 1 is simple, 3 lets you get a huge amount of tones.

(I would also love to try to play a P/J, but I can't get my hands on one that I like. A Yamaha BB2000 would be one of my dream basses because reverse P/J is best P/J, but dropping $1500-$2000 on a vintage bass without being able to test drive is, well... not a thing I want to do, given my level of income.)
Click to expand...

If you can get your hands on a US Guild Pilot they're excellent, affordable reverse PJ basses that are very comfortable on the strap. Superb balance between the P and J, easily my favorite PJ basses, and the solid color examples are quite light weight. :thumbsup::bassist:
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: jdjk7
#314
Dimarzio Model P pickups and Rotosound RS66 string and the P Bass turns into a very aggressive sounding instrument with a lot of high mid band response. In contrast, 60's Fender P Bass pickups with flatwound strings and you have a vintage style P Bass. The P Bass is very a versatile instrument. If I was asked to do a session, these would be the two instruments I would bring.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gervais Cote and andare
#315
Krisfield said:
Dimarzio Model P pickups and Rotosound RS66 string and the P Bass turns into a very aggressive sounding instrument with a lot of high mid band response. In contrast, 60's Fender P Bass pickups with flatwound strings and you have a vintage style P Bass. The P Bass is very a versatile instrument. If I was asked to do a session, these would be the two instruments I would bring.
Click to expand...
Ceramic and Steel + Stainless Steel Rounds

V.

ALNICO V + Nickel Wrap Flats

Definitely different beasts...for sure!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Krisfield
#316
I joined in 2002 because I want to know more about modern basses (Tune and Ritter etc) and 6 strings and dug what @tombowlus had to say (Although I preceded him by a year). And back then I still had 56K dialup and 2 weeks later got cable internet. When the old boomers finally got on here then suddenly the P became the defacto TB bass. I did play a lot of gigs on a bass with a P pickup but it was anything like a P-bass (fretless, extended fretboard, active electronics, piezo.

I'd rather have a Jazz bass or a G&L L- bass. I do have a P. Hardly use it. It was a deal American 2014.
 
#319
Beej said:
TalkBass is full of old men. :)
Click to expand...
As neither (so far), what convinced me was the one-two punch of Forget Me Nots and Good Vibrations. Of course, the former is with rounds and I play with flats (it's not a tone thing, it's an accessibility thing), but I do at least have some of the brighter flats there are.
I may still have to get something single-coil though, just because a lot of the music that inspired me to get into the bass in the first place has a really Jazz-like growl to it.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back