There are some who proclaimed that Pete Best was the best. Others had differing opinions.
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Why is P-Bass still the best?
- Thread starter tonyciv
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There are some who proclaimed that Pete Best was the best. Others had differing opinions.
I think there are a few that remain popular, simply because they are so iconic, they have become classics, and almost passed into legend. Just off the top of my head, the Precision, the Jazz, the Rickenbacker. Sure to be a few more, so feel free to add them, if so inclined.
They've defined bass for a lot of people.
Are there nicer basses out there? Subjectively, yes.
Better built, or at least more consistent? Sure.
Some with more features? With modern technology, definitely.
But the classics still remain inspiring to a wide range of people, pretty much guaranteeing continued popularity. And if you really dig the classics, and what they do for you, the rest tends to go out the window.
I love the sound of a P-Bass. 
They have 'that' sound. But, Leo Fender brought several great instruments to the world. We can't forget the Jazz, the Stingray, and the L-1000... All hail Leo Fender!
They have 'that' sound. But, Leo Fender brought several great instruments to the world. We can't forget the Jazz, the Stingray, and the L-1000... All hail Leo Fender!
IMO the best bass Leo Fender ever made was the Music Man Stingray. Nothing wrong with a P or jazz (I own a jazz and kinda like the P sound), but the Stingray does more to me. With two humbuckers the bass can sound like at least 5 different basses as well, and one of those sounds is actually wading pretty deeply into the P territory.
I am here to learn all I can before I decide which bass I want to learn to play on so my opinion may not count for much but...
It seems comparing P VS J is like comparing a standard screwdriver against a Phillips. Both turn screws but are different tools for different screws. Trying to get a P to sound like a J or vice versa will not happen. It may come close but it won't be perfect and close only counts in horse shoes.
Trying to decide which is "best" depends on the job. A Precision Bass or a Jazz Bass may be better suited to one particular style or method but not "best" for ALL styles or ALL methods.
It seems comparing P VS J is like comparing a standard screwdriver against a Phillips. Both turn screws but are different tools for different screws. Trying to get a P to sound like a J or vice versa will not happen. It may come close but it won't be perfect and close only counts in horse shoes.
Trying to decide which is "best" depends on the job. A Precision Bass or a Jazz Bass may be better suited to one particular style or method but not "best" for ALL styles or ALL methods.
The P bass and J bass pretty much defined music because it was the most widely available back in the day and eventually became the standard tone. It's the most widely accepted, not necessarily the best. Today we have far more choices, those inspired by the original design and others which are of unique look, feel and tone. Neither of these are the best, just a preference for the player and the recording engineer. I played a P bass clone when I started and it didn't take long for me to add a jazz pickup to it. Today the closest I have to a Fender is a Lakland. I've never owned a Fender and that's okay for me. To each his own.
We're playing music. Close is a choice.
...and your tone preference.
It's never cut and dried.
Well learn this: Everybody here knows that if you say "Bass Guitar" that can ONLY mean a J or P bass. Sure there are a few fringe whackjobs who will tell you a Stingray or an L2000 is a bass guitar but most here know better. Everything that isn't a P or J is a poser. Drozd = poser. Ritter = poser. Ibby = poser. Modulus, Ken smith, Alembic, all posers. Probably useful for something somewhere, but certainly not bass guitars!
So if you want to learn bass just decide if you want to be in the P or J camp, make the choice and buy the bass. Then start to learn bass. That's all you need to know.
I know I've already posted but just wanted to add something.
The first bass I ever played was a P copy (Encore, I think) at school. It was so heavy, and badly set up, abused, scratchy pots, noisy pickups... It was horrible, and put me off Precisions for years. It actually put me off playing bass at all for well over 10 years.
Anyway, when i started playing bass again at 26, I wouldn't even consider a Precision, but was never happy with my sound or the way my basses felt.
Then one day about 14 months ago I was in a music store and heard some guy playing a bass round the corner, and without seeing what it was I knew that was the bass I had always wanted. So I went to check out what he was playing, and it was a Fender American Standard Precison.
I couldn't afford it right then, but put a nice white/maple one on layaway and it was mine two months later.
The first bass I ever played was a P copy (Encore, I think) at school. It was so heavy, and badly set up, abused, scratchy pots, noisy pickups... It was horrible, and put me off Precisions for years. It actually put me off playing bass at all for well over 10 years.
Anyway, when i started playing bass again at 26, I wouldn't even consider a Precision, but was never happy with my sound or the way my basses felt.
Then one day about 14 months ago I was in a music store and heard some guy playing a bass round the corner, and without seeing what it was I knew that was the bass I had always wanted. So I went to check out what he was playing, and it was a Fender American Standard Precison.
I couldn't afford it right then, but put a nice white/maple one on layaway and it was mine two months later.
Believe it or not, you don't even have to decide. You're allowed to own as many as you want. Might want to stick to one per song, though.
There's a lot of nice basses out there. New ones are being built, and there are many from days gone by. Options...In a world that will never be perfect, one can never dispute the luxury of having options.
Nope. It's my dream to one day be the Michael Angelo Batio of bass. A huge, monstrosity of a body, and four necks. A left and right Jazz and a left and right Precision. That's the ticket.
To me comparing a P and a J is like comparing a pickle and a mountain-lion, sure you can fix a hole in boat with either given enough time and ingenuity but for my money I'd rather just take it to the mechanic. That is why the P is still the best.
I love the sound of a P-Bass.
Everyone who plays bass owes a lot to Leo Fender. Things would be a lot different without his innovations.
No P.
No J.
No Stingray.
No L2K.
That's not a world I'd want to live in.
- Oct 7, 2000
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- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
I know the douche who started this thread my entire life. He's well meaning enough... was actually my first (and probably best) music mentor. Just don't pay any attention to him and he'll go away.
Now go play somewhere else tony. At least until you buy and play a Stingray or Bongo for a while.
Now go play somewhere else tony. At least until you buy and play a Stingray or Bongo for a while.
I also say Hopkins is correct on all counts. The Jazz has it all. I think we can all agree that the P isn't nearly as attractive as the Jazz..
My first bass was a p bass and in my opinion the tone is kinda boring. I mean it sits in the mix really good in most situations but it just doesn't have enough character for me
I thought my P bass was kinda boring with no character and my mechanic told me I should try playing it with a dill pickle and let me tell you a thing or two it sounded way much better! I tried a Vlasic picke but it had a bit too much crunch so I just get generic ones now and it is all good... all of it!
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