diskwave

Yes ok a bit of an exaggeration, of course a jazz bridge PU sounds different to a J neck PU or Tele bass PU. I meant in general. Out front most basses do sound very similiar.

I gave up worrying about tone years ago after seeing a bassist using a very fancy active bass in a big live production supporting a big name singer, he might as well have been plucking a chicken....awful muddy drone. The one for me now is an instrument that is light and comfortable to play..I almost dont care what it sounds like...all basses basically sound the same ...don't they?

Totally agree with the above. Traditionally bass was there to support the mix....to rumble along underneath with a hint of definition. The upfront sound we have had for the past 40 odd years is thanks to one man...Jaco, which is great but its very specialised and unique...trouble is since then everyone including serious band leaders want the bass to sound like a lead instrument.....hence the popularity of active high mid focused instruments which are everywhere...ironically especially in the jazz fusion, cruisers, pit scene etc......but yes played carefully the P bass is where its at....rolling along underneath with a hint of definition.

Bit of cool comfort in these strange times.

Ha...I was the biggest Fender gear snob on the planet....but after picking up my VM P it all went out the window. For a few quid I bought a lightweight nice feeling bass and those Duncan PU's are pretty good

Speaking generaly have to say Sky Arts on Freeview is so re-freshing, so many good little programmes, and yes the eagles were really good.

For me its all about the amount of cash I lay down. Spent a few quid on various "vintage" ,models over the years and then one day on a quest for strings at PMT picked up a Squire Vintage Mod P without even thinking about it.....for £250 it smoked the 70's P I had at the time. I've still got it and the old P is long gone. Having said the thick neck on the vintage P was to die for but the bass was heavy and terribly uneven across the strings.

Or a RW Jazz, they feel all kinda soft and gooey, cant explain...but very nice.

There was some European guy on the Tube many years ago sat in a studio with a rack of vintage P's...beer belly and wearing a cardy.....My goodness could he groove on a 60's P with old flats. I'd never heard anything like it before or since.....cant find the darn vid now...maybe he pulled it.

Indonesian? If its a Vintage Modified P with the Duncan PU's then you are in for a treat. I have two, one which I will never sell.

Yep Nile Rogers is def the owner of the magic sauce....so many great tunes, masterfully recorded.

Ha the good ole days....bass playing goodlyness... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-8HHrvB2Jw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTev_FDh_Ik

Totaly agree plus you can still find "good ones" the same way now and again one can find a "good" Fender.

I own two lowly Indo Vintage Modified P's after a lifetime of playing this and that. One of them is so good its crazy. Lightweight, with a perfect neck and with the SD PU's as standard. For the price its both stunning and playable but still deemed a beginners instrument..and I would love to see myself at Glasto on stage with it.

Just struck by the small number of P basses in these lists yet unlike years ago there are so few for sale on any of the various selling platforms, tis a mystery

Oops sorry...each to their own.

Some of these humungous lists look like an endless quest for tone....wouldnt it be better just to have a couple of basses and simply practise more.....

No need to spend on new strings on such a cheap bass. Pop them in a pan with washing powerder and boil on the gas for a bit....will be squeaky clean.

Sting, Geddie, Janice Johnson in Taste of Honey....brilliant musician

Currently into those Y Tube 70's pop compilations for a play along.... its crazy good fun from the cheese to the groove stuff....and a good workout for the fingers and the brain cells. Agadoo anyone?

Yeah I think he played that syrupy smooth line on Andy Gibbs Everlasting Love....beautiful understated playing.

78 P trans wine red bought new ( kinda wish I still had it, nice weight and pretty) 81 Aria pro 2 900 bought new (boat anchor, narrow board) 76 MM Stingray bought used in 1980 (boat anchor) Then, a fifteen year break from it all, goodness knows I needed it...then Mex P bass bought new in 2004 (the renaissance begins) 75 P bought in 2006 (natural ash .very nice P bass , huge neck) 70 s/b P bought 2011 (heavy, with a super powerful A string and a E string dead as a dodo, i literally pulled it apart but no joy) RW J bass (feather light, punchy and real nice should never have sold it) All gone and now left with: Two VM Squire P's bought recently (will never sell either, one in particular is the best instrument I have ever owned, light weight and punchy with those SD PU's.)

Of course with the Bruce Thomas bass you get to play all those fab EC bass lines.

Playing along to The Drifters greatest hits....mmm, old school Philly soul...love it.