The best design incorporates P and J elements

[Jon Silberman]

I used to play bass back in high school - switched permanently to guitar in college - but I still sit in some on it now and then and own a bass and bass amp.

When I bought my current bass, I spent quite a while researching basses. These are the primary lessons I learned:

1. I prefer the tone of a passive design.
2. The J-neck is perfect, there's no better, Leo nailed it.
3. The P-PUP is perfect, there's no better, Leo nailed it.
4. The P body beats the J body because you can lean it against the wall and it won't fall over.

These guidelines led me to this for around 5 bills w/case: the Fender Mexican P-Bass Special. It's a wonderful guitar. Everyone who tries it loves it. I couldn't be happier with it.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1600/682310/1133497/16653834.jpg

[Gibfenderson]

I have the exact guitar. Love it. I am a new bass player Converted from guitar after many, many years. I have finally seen the light!

[TNJ]

I'm similar to you, Jon.
I started off my band playing odyssey as a bassist.
I had a Fender Precision knockoff and an Acoustic 410 bass rig.
Not bad for clubs, but outdoor gigs were another thing altogether.
When we played those city park summer series gigs, I borrowed a friend's real Fender P-bass, and his Ampeg V4B rig with 18" reflex cab.
Talk about POWER...I also came to appreciate the SOLID build quality and tonality of the Precision and wanted one in the worst way. By the time I could finally afford the real deal, I had already switched over to guitar...and never looked back (although I still play bass at home, and the occasional jam). I've played alot of Fender basses since my teen years, and still love the P-bass. For soloing and slap funk, however...the Jazz is really hard to beat. The skinny neck just lends itself to soloing, and those bar pups have a shiny, glassy quality...yet retaining some of the warmth and smoothness that the P-bass has. If I were still playing gigs as a bassist...well, I'd use my Lakland 5string, and my Fodera 4string through my Eden Metro rig. If I didnt have those and had to watch the budget (as I should anyway :o ) I'd have a PJ for sure. If I had a little more dough...I'd probably go for a nice used J bass, and a used P bass.

S.
j

[Thor]

I've got an early 80's MIJ PJ and I love it as well. It actually is the first bass I ever got, and after several years of service, I put it away . My collection has since grown, but just last year I brought my old friend out, gave her a set up, new bridge, and a set of Pete Biltlof PJ pups, and it's just great. Definately not the nicest bass I own, but something about it just feels and sounds good.

Cheers,

Edward

[jzucker]

Personally, I think the P pickup is muddy and unless you're doing motown stuff, I prefer the sound and versatility of a pair of J pickups. For motown, I agree that the P pickup is perfect.

[Jon C]

exactly why I love my G&L SB-2, has J & P p/ups, J neck (dead ringer for Paul's '62 Jazz Bass nirvana neck)... a lifetime keeper.

jc

[Bryan T]

2. The J-neck is perfect, there's no better, Leo nailed it.

Not for me. Too narrow and the common dead spot at fifth fret on the G is annoying. I prefer a 1 3/4" nut width.

Bryan

[Bassomatic]

Personally, I think the P pickup is muddy and unless you're doing motown stuff, I prefer the sound and versatility of a pair of J pickups. For motown, I agree that the P pickup is perfect.

For me, 2 J's are usually two bright. Slap and pop is one thing, but for most styles I play (including rock) it t0o easily = "Seinfeld bass" (as one friend puts it). Fretless is another story.

[boogieplaya]

yes they play nice but the electronics def. need upgrading.

[Jon Silberman]

Not for me. Too narrow and the common dead spot at fifth fret on the G is annoying. I prefer a 1 3/4" nut width.

Bryan
On this, we must agree to disagree. :cool:

[jzucker]

For me, 2 J's are usually two bright. Slap and pop is one thing, but for most styles I play (including rock) it t0o easily = "Seinfeld bass" (as one friend puts it). Fretless is another story.

Jaco never sounded like Seinfeld. Marcus Miller does pretty well with that setup too... Didn't Berry Oakley use one too?

[Gordon_Gecko]

For me, 2 J's are usually two bright. Slap and pop is one thing, but for most styles I play (including rock) it t0o easily = "Seinfeld bass" (as one friend puts it). Fretless is another story.

"Seinfeld" bass is a keyboard.

[Sub-D]

Pino Palladino's P-bass on D'angelo voodoo and elsewhere sounds pretty ****ing good to me, if that is muddy, then give me muddy.....

[kimock]

3. The P-PUP is perfect, there's no better, Leo nailed it.



P-PUP has some serious issues IMHO.
Still love the thing tho, and three out of four is still a winner.

;)

[Jon Silberman]

Hey, you can't just fly by with a comment like that with no explanation!

When I say the P-PUP is perfect, I mean that its tone and frequency response defines rock 'n' roll to me. I'm serious. I've never heard a recording or performance with a P-bass that didn't work for me and it's the same when I myself play one.

Of course, there's no right or wrong with this tone preference stuff. If you feel differently, viva la differance, though as I said I'd like to know why.

[bikeplate]

HI

The best design is a jazz bass!!!

Rob

[sethmeister]

I'm sold on P basses with J pickup added. Like the thicker neck but need the growly bridge pu to go with it!

I'd actually love to buy a Tony Franklin model some day. P bass w/ a J pu and an ebony unlined fretless board.

[2 Loud 4 You]

See, for me I'm all about a hi-fi bass tone. Active electronics with plenty of tone shaping ability on board. As for necks, I don't even feel confortable on a 4 string anymore. I've played a 6 for so long that a 4 just feels weird. Fender just doesn't do it for me, not saying they're bad and not saying a ton of artists haven't made a ton of great songs with them but for my tone you can keep them.

[Jon Silberman]

See, for me I'm all about a hi-fi bass tone. Active electronics with plenty of tone shaping ability on board. As for necks, I don't even feel confortable on a 4 string anymore. I've played a 6 for so long that a 4 just feels weird. Fender just doesn't do it for me, not saying they're bad and not saying a ton of artists haven't made a ton of great songs with them but for my tone you can keep them.
This exemplifies a fair response. You're right, they're not - nothing is, actually - for everyone. But if you dig 'em, you really do!

[big mike]

Berry Oakley had a big old guild humbucker in the neck of his Jazz.

And Marcus Miller is a freak. Him and Wooten. LOL

Personally my fav. bass pickup is the music man.

nice Bass Jon!

Love that color combo. Bet that's plenty of good tones. Vic Wooten seems to hang in there with a P/J

[Mr. Savage]

I was saying to a friend a few weeks ago that I needed a Precision with a Jazz neck. Very next day I found a hybrid that blew me away: Custom Shop '59 P relic in trans white with gold guard, with a neck from a '71 or '72 Precision. The thing is, the neck seems to be a custom-order as it is 1.5" at the nut like a Jazz, but it has depth like a Precision. Fits my hand perfectly and I'm in 4-string heaven. Super-low frets. Can be very buzzy or very mid-rangey depending on how and where you pluck it. Nails the Entwistle LAL tone. As for the p/u, this one is stock and really sounds great through the SVT I'm using.

[Bassomatic]

I was saying to a friend a few weeks ago that I needed a Precision with a Jazz neck. Very next day I found a hybrid that blew me away: Custom Shop '59 P relic in trans white with gold guard, with a neck from a '71 or '72 Precision. The thing is, the neck seems to be a custom-order as it is 1.5" at the nut like a Jazz, but it has depth like a Precision. Fits my hand perfectly and I'm in 4-string heaven. Super-low frets. Can be very buzzy or very mid-rangey depending on how and where you pluck it. Nails the Entwistle LAL tone. As for the p/u, this one is stock and really sounds great through the SVT I'm using.

Sounds like a sweet bass.

[Mr. Savage]

Sounds like a sweet bass.


Thanks. It's the first axe I've had in a long while that I think about all day. Can't wait to get home and play it.

[musicofanatic5]

a neck from a '71 or '72 Precision. The thing is, the neck seems to be a custom-order as it is 1.5" at the nut like a Jazz, but it has depth like a Precision. .
Not a custom-order. For a while in the seventies, 1.5" was the standard nut width for the Precision.

[Mr. Savage]

Not a custom-order. For a while in the seventies, 1.5" was the standard nut width for the Precision.

That's super-interesting. I had no idea. Why was this?

[Bassomatic]

I'm sold on P basses with J pickup added. Like the thicker neck but need the growly bridge pu to go with it!

I'd actually love to buy a Tony Franklin model some day. P bass w/ a J pu and an ebony unlined fretless board.

Make mine a J with P/J p'ups. That's the sh*t, for me. Or, for some differently-aimed versatility, a J/MM combo a la Lakland (though the passive sounds on the active/passive designs aren't too happening).

[TNJ]

Yep,
J/MM is a righteous combo, Basso.
My Lakland 5'er is a sweet instrument, capable of slap tones, J tones, even some good old school phat P type tones.
And that neck...:drool

S.
j

[Bassomatic]

Yep,
J/MM is a righteous combo, Basso.
My Lakland 5'er is a sweet instrument, capable of slap tones, J tones, even some good old school phat P type tones.
And that neck...:drool

S.
j


Yeah, I'm kicking myself for turning out my 55-94 ash fretless.

There's another in my future, for sure.

[TedintheShed]

Respectfully, I disagree. I will specify.



1. I prefer the tone of a passive design.



I like the added prescence and bite give an active design.


2. The J-neck is perfect, there's no better, Leo nailed it.


It is too wife at the 12th fret



3. The P-PUP is perfect, there's no better, Leo nailed it.


The P is the basis for many humbucking pick ups in the bass world, that has since been refined. He improved upon it when designing Music Man basses.


4. The P body beats the J body because you can lean it against the wall and it won't fall over.


Both designs are too lagre and bulky. Desides, I never do my basses thew discourtesy of not placing them in a stand.

[

These guidelines led me to this for around 5 bills w/case: the Fender Mexican P-Bass Special. It's a wonderful guitar. Everyone who tries it loves it. I couldn't be happier with it.


Of course, these things are subjective. Congrats, and good job having the fore thought to think things out to determine what is best for you.

[/quote]

[Bassomatic]

The P is the basis for many humbucking pick ups in the bass world, that has since been refined. He improved upon it when designing Music Man basses.....
[/quote]

Apples and oranges, like saying a strat sounds better than a les paul. Not too meaningful, in my world.

[jzucker]

The jazz bass is the best design and sadowsky has pretty much perfected it. :dude

[Bassomatic]

No and no.

Ever played a Stevens Slant?

Also, thew J is hard to beat for certain sounds, but I'll take a Lakey 55-94 for a *real* range of versatile tones. If I ever score a Sadowsky, it'll def be P/J.

[jzucker]

No and no.

Ever played a Stevens Slant?

Also, thew J is hard to beat for certain sounds, but I'll take a Lakey 55-94 for a *real* range of versatile tones. If I ever score a Sadowsky, it'll def be P/J.

I haven't played a stevens. Looks interesting. The sadowsky is the suhr of basses IMO. I've owned a lakeland too. It's a great bass but I think the 35" is unnecessary and the sadowsky's low B is just as mean and the string tension feels better at 34 and the treble strings sing more because of the lower tension.