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Why the P bass obsession

#123
I have a few P basses and let me tell you a few secrets.
1: If your P bass has a ski jump that means it is fully charged and can shoot lasers if you play the correct combination of notes
2: If your P bass seems muddy at home, just build a time machine travel back to the 60's or 70's and join a band, you'll hear the difference right away (all new fenders come with two keys one for your case and the other for a time machine).
3: If you own a Jazz and a P and lay their cases on top of each other, in 6-8 months you will have a PJ
4: If you own a P bass, you in fact own the best bass for metal
5: If you are still reading this, good job
6: A P bass is made of the cigarette and cigar ashes sweep off the sage at all jazz and blues joints..that is why they sound like that
7: If you come to any recording session with a P bass, you will get a sash that reads "I am great"
8: If you are still reading this, thanks
9: Leo Fender was a real human, so I guess...carrots?
 
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#124
I usually never respond to this recurring thread. I'm sure there will be another one tomorrow and the next day. However, for fun, I'll finally chime in about a brief experience I had.

I have a lot of nice basses, all MIA. Stingray Slo Special, Sterlings, Jazz, USA Laklands, etc., all of which I have practiced and gigged with. Bandmates never really took interest - they just heard bass. I was never a big P-Bass believer and I definitely prefer 1.5" at the nut. Anyway, I finally got an MIA P-Bass and nonchalantly brought it to rehearsal. Practice started. It was the first time my bandmates (probably in any band) -- completely unsolicited -- actually lifted their heads up and said "holycow that bass sounds absolutely perfect!" I did not expect this at all and was really surprised they took notice. To me, the P sounded duller and less dynamic than my other bases, but to everyone else, who never otherwise seemed to be interested in my tone, the "sweet spot" hit them in the gut. I started to "get it" more after that.

To address the neck width issue (and my desire to have MIA basses), I got a MIA P with a J neck through the Fender American Design Experience (below) and a Lakland USA Glaub with a Joe Osborn neck.

All that said, I strongly disagree that you need a P to record or that worthy sound engineers have trouble recording other basses. I've used plenty of other active and passive basses to record and they all sound good with a capable engineer.

6fd0072344216d473dcea453ed913e0f_zpsilnv70mj.jpg
 
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#127
neepheid said:
Damnit, I said to myself to sit on my hands, but "the first time"? The P bass everyone knows and loves today is based upon the 1957 one, which is arguably the third design iteration, is it not? If it was right the first time, then everyone would be playing P basses which resemble the original 1951 model, and we'd all have chafed forearms.

File under somewhat pedantic "just sayin'"... ;)
Click to expand...

:-) But they're all sexy cool.
 
#128
boristhespider9 said:
I usually never respond to this recurring thread. I'm sure there will be another one tomorrow and the next day. However, for fun, I'll finally chime in about a brief experience I had.

I have a lot of nice basses, all MIA. Stingrays, Sterlings, Jazz, USA Laklands, etc., all of which I have practiced and gigged with. Bandmates never really took interest - they just heard bass. I was never a big P-Bass believer and I definitely prefer 1.5" at the nut. Anyway, I finally got an MIA P-Bass and nonchalantly brought it to rehearsal. Practice started. It was the first time my bandmates (probably in any band) -- completely unsolicited -- actually lifted their heads up and said "holycow that bass sounds absolutely perfect!" I did not expect this at all and was really surprised they took notice. To me, the P sounded duller and less dynamic than my other bases, but to everyone else, who never otherwise seemed to be interested in my tone, the "sweet spot" hit them in the gut. I started to "get it" more after that.

To address the neck width issue (and my desire to have MIA basses), I got a MIA P with a J neck through the Fender American Design Experience and a Lakland USA Glaub with a Joe Osborn neck.

All that said, I strongly disagree that you need a P to record or that worthy sound engineers have trouble recording other basses. I've used plenty of other active and passive basses to record and they all sound good with a capable engineer.
Click to expand...

Great post. Your last sentiment reminds me of the Jeff Porcaro clinic at MI, wherein he says (roughly) "Don't believe a tech who tells you how your [whatever instrument] needs to be for (either the ease or the sound of) his recording... it's HIS job to capture YOUR sound."
 
#130
Let's put it this way: I have a PJ bass.

...the J sits quietly by the bridge, waiting for me to turn the volume knob even just a little bit.

I have nothing against Jazz Basses as I used to own a mid 80s one (actually got it from my uncle's basement lol), loved it, loved the neck especially, but not enough bite for my ears.
 
#132
This has probably already been said....however....you cannot possibly appreciate a P-Bass till you hear how well it sits in a mix. I'm not a fan of how a P sounds by itself, but it is the bass that fits more naturally in almost any mix then any other style bass.
 
#133
JRuben said:
I have nothing against precision bass guitars, they can play very good in the right hands. They aren't anything crazy though. I always felt like they have a very bland tone. They don't have much versitility either. I much prefer the depth and range of a jazz for example. Im just curious about everyone else's thoughts on this.
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I dont have anything against people who post "bland" questions that are asked over and over again and easily searchable "in the right hands." I just chalk them up to being as "non-versatile" as the P basses they question.
 
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#134
static0verdrive said:
Sounds like I feel the reverse of a few of you - I like the P for solo and trio stuff, but prefer the J for when there's more than one guitar. Different strokes for different folks I 'spose.
Click to expand...

I don't like a JJ bass for *any* of my gigs or recording. Just something about the tone and attack that doesn't move me or work with my technique for what I'm after. I also hate offset body shapes. Personal bias. Plenty of people make them sing, I don't. I do find that most recorded players I like are usually not on a JJ though so there is something about the sonic signature.

Those that make dogmatic posts about what is "best" (as opposed to what is best for them) are usually not taking into account their own goals or abilities (or lack thereof), or the goals/abilities of others. A lot of players think that the best way to change their tone is by twisting knobs on the bass or the amp. And that's...ok.
 
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#139
blowinblue said:
Excellent question. Maybe it's because telling someone to 'do a search first' has grown out of fashion on these pages. And telling a member to do a search after the fact does little good, anyways. The damage is already done. ;)

M. M. :)
Click to expand...

to be effective a mod would have to jump on it, point to a sticky page and close it quickly.

I don't understand all the hate on pbasses. My first bass was an SX pbass and I really liked the feel and the sound from the pickup on that bass a LOT. Good full bottom, some growl and decent on the noise. I just decided to sell it after picking up a shortscale on craigslist.

For maintenance I would prefer to have a separate control plate cover like the jazz and jag bodies have but that's just a minor nit.
 
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