• 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 hasn't the 5-string P become more prominent?

#41
I recently got a 5 string ibby and I am happy with it. I use it to practice my finger playing, but I am a traditional rock/punk bassist and my 4 string P is my go-to bass.

Although now that I have the ibby 5er I like to pull it out at band practice and use some of my lower notes to get a different feel.
 
#42
No one ever made a good sounding, reasonable priced 5 string P until recently. The passive Yamaha BB415 totally kicks ass.
I have Labella Flats on it and sounds like a really good, vintage Fender. I used it in the studio recently and the low B was solid, defined and in tune. The recording engineer flipped over the sound and it sat great in the mix.

All I could find prior to this was the Sadowsky for $4500.00.

The new Fender P5 is very good. It has the vintage vibe and nitro cellulose finish.. The body responds and you can feel it when you play it. It costs around 2K i believe.

Best bet and value is the Yamaha BB 415 you can find them for 300.00 - 400.00 on ebay.
 
#43
I make my own 5 string p-bases. The 4 string p-bass neck works fine for 5 strings and the 4 string p-bass pickup works fine for for 5 strings. I put in a 5 string bridge and a 5 string nut, and add a 5th tuner in the headstock.

p-bass5%20003.jpg
 
#44
laklandplayer said:
No one ever made a good sounding, reasonable priced 5 string P until recently. The passive Yamaha BB415 totally kicks ass.
I have Labella Flats on it and sounds like a really good, vintage Fender. I used it in the studio recently and the low B was solid, defined and in tune. The recording engineer flipped over the sound and it sat great in the mix.

All I could find prior to this was the Sadowsky for $4500.00.

The new Fender P5 is very good. It has the vintage vibe and nitro cellulose finish.. The body responds and you can feel it when you play it. It costs around 2K i believe.

Best bet and value is the Yamaha BB 415 you can find them for 300.00 - 400.00 on ebay.
Click to expand...


+1 about the BB415, it is a wonderful bass considering that they are less than $500 new. Fender P5s are actually around $1,450, not 2K.:)
 
#46
My next bass will be a P fiver. I want that sound and look, but grew up on five strings, and REALLY don't function well on a four banger. I got to play this one that is on it's way to Bob Glaub himself, and I don't think you'd find too many people that could honestly say that it doesn't have that classic P sound (and it practically played itself!!!).

bg502.jpg
 
#48
blondmix3 said:
My next bass will be a P fiver. I want that sound and look, but grew up on five strings, and REALLY don't function well on a four banger. I got to play this one that is on it's way to Bob Glaub himself, and I don't think you'd find too many people that could honestly say that it doesn't have that classic P sound (and it practically played itself!!!).
Click to expand...

Oh man, that's sweet! Are they going to do a P/J too?
 
#49
Wow. Really good question. I never really thought about it. I love 5 string basses. I love my (4 string) Jazz. I really like P basses as well. I have been researching parts for my own take on a Jazz 5. But two friends of mine own a guitar shop. They have a brand new P5 on the wall, and as many times as I've been in there since they got it, I never once thought about taking it down and playing it. Strange. I don't really have anything "against" the concept of a P5, but I guess it just doesn't do it for me.
 
#50
blondmix3 said:
My next bass will be a P fiver. I want that sound and look, but grew up on five strings, and REALLY don't function well on a four banger. I got to play this one that is on it's way to Bob Glaub himself, and I don't think you'd find too many people that could honestly say that it doesn't have that classic P sound (and it practically played itself!!!).

bg502.jpg
Click to expand...

Is that pic from the Lakland GTG last week? Darn, I sure wish i could have made it! That Glaub V is beautiful!:bassist:
 
#51
IMHO,I think the P-Bass,in a 5 string version,just doesn't have enough definition in it's tone.The precision pup on a 5'er,IMO,just doesn't cut it,tonewise,for me.When it comes to tone(on a low B string),the majority of us want that tight,punchy,definitive tone.For me,the p-pup just doesn't provide that for me.I want something that cuts and has some zzzzzzing to it.Not a bunch of mush.Now if that same p-pup was in the bridge position,that would be a different story.I love those pups mounted near the bridge.
 
#52
laklandplayer said:
No one ever made a good sounding, reasonable priced 5 string P until recently. The passive Yamaha BB415 totally kicks ass.
I have Labella Flats on it and sounds like a really good, vintage Fender. I used it in the studio recently and the low B was solid, defined and in tune. The recording engineer flipped over the sound and it sat great in the mix.

All I could find prior to this was the Sadowsky for $4500.00.

The new Fender P5 is very good. It has the vintage vibe and nitro cellulose finish.. The body responds and you can feel it when you play it. It costs around 2K i believe.

Best bet and value is the Yamaha BB 415 you can find them for 300.00 - 400.00 on ebay.
Click to expand...

Dr. Cheese said:
+1 about the BB415, it is a wonderful bass considering that they are less than $500 new. Fender P5s are actually around $1,450, not 2K.:)
Click to expand...

Don't forget Sandberg. They make fine 5-string P-basses also.
 
#53
OK, I will give my stab at my version of why the 5 string P has not more prominent. Most of the statements above definitely have merit and definitely have affect. I will add another....Fender itself has never fully embraced the 5 string P. They have done it a couple of times and doing it again now, obviously. I think until Fender has done it and stuck with it for a number of years, you will not see a lot of them. Now, the reason Fender has not really stuck with it in the past is probably all the other reasons cited in this thread...So, which came first, the chicken or the egg? ;)
 
#55
rodneyat said:
OK, I will give my stab at my version of why the 5 string P has not more prominent. Most of the statements above definitely have merit and definitely have affect. I will add another....Fender itself has never fully embraced the 5 string P. They have done it a couple of times and doing it again now, obviously. I think until Fender has done it and stuck with it for a number of years, you will not see a lot of them. Now, the reason Fender has not really stuck with it in the past is probably all the other reasons cited in this thread...So, which came first, the chicken or the egg? ;)
Click to expand...

Well, I think the reason Fender tends to fail with fivers in general is that I haven't heard a decent sounding B on one. I think as more people are being more accustomed to fivers, you will see more variations, including the P.
 
#58
i love my P styles, have 6 of them, all 4 strings. i recently switched to 5, but don't like the looks of that giant P neck. just doesn't look and feel right for some reason. i haven't gone the B-E-A-D route on a P yet, but am jonesing to do so.
 
#59
Greevus said:
i haven't gone the B-E-A-D route on a P yet, but am jonesing to do so.
Click to expand...

Just be double d**m sure that's what you want (B-E-A-D) before you do it, cause once you do it it's done for good. Unless you want a nut replacement (and we know how painful those can be...). Along the same lines, I also would not recommend you do it on a P-Bass of any significant value.
 
#60
FL Knifemaker said:
:eyebrow: Uh..................no ;) Not only is the neck very comfy, at 8.66lbs, this 5 string P is lighter than most 4 string P's.
Click to expand...

Can you give me any insight on how the pickup sounds (I assume this is the Basslines that Lull has built to his specs)? I've got an Attitude 5 that I'm modding, and it looks like my pickup choices for a similar sized housing are the Fender 5-string P, the one made by Wilkinson, or the one Mike Lull sells. I'm trying to avoid the Wilkinson, and I'm curious to know about this one, to see if it's worth the $175.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back