Paolo85

I am resurrecting this to check if now someone actually owns or has owned one of these HB PJ74. I have returned a Squier Affinity PJ because of a truss rod issue and I am tempted to try the HB instead. The reason is that I like the Roswell pickups in my HB JB75fl more than the squier affinity pickups so maybe this PJ with Roswell is right for me I have however a few concerns 1- neck size. My HB jazz bass has a very chunky neck for a jazz. I am ok with it given the 38mm nut width, but maybe on a precision I would find it more problematic. The affinity neck is extremely comfortable 2-bridge pickup: would that be the same as in the HB jazz? Or woukd they use a weaker one on the PJ? 3-weight. My HB jazz is very heavy and pretty much everyone seems to say that of their HB jazz. I can live with one bass like that, not two. I understand those PJ basses should be lighter but do they tend to be heavier than an average P (whatever that is)? Many thanks

That's probably what you meant with buying a HB for the neck but unlined there's the HB B-450fl. I have never tried it though

I started playing with a cheap P bass (I was playing 80s metal, funny enough) but never tried slapping. Only few months later I switched to an Ibanez Ergodyne so arguably that's the bass where I "learned" how to play. A few of years down the line I decided to learn slapping and for that I automatocally found a wider string spacing more comfortable. In my case it was not even getting my index in between strings. I just preferred the more open position with the right hand. That's one of the reasons why I switched to a Cort GB74. Then I got tendonitis, ended up never learning how to slap but that's another story.. I appreciate however that all this is totally subjective and someone learning on tight string spacing would be ok with it. As for the muting, I agree it is not a massive problem but even with the floating thumb I find it a bit more involved on 5 than on 4. I find 5 less forgiving on slight changes in hand position. Probably because I am not very good. I was recently watching an interview to Marcus Miller (I believe by Thomann) in which he said muting with 5 is much harder. He seemed to mean it is harder for him, not for the beginner. He said when he uses 5-string he has to mute the B with the left hand thumb. I am no expert but I suspect that's because he's a slapper and when you slap you cannot use the floating thumb

I second those saying that cheap does not mean bad. A 200 pound bas can be perfectly playable, giggable and sound very good. At that price range you often may want to change tuners at least in my experience (say 50 pounds additional cost) or else look at slightly more expensive basses but not by much (eg under 400 new) The problem is not so much the quality of cheaper basses, but the risk of quality control issues (eg bad fretwork or stuff like that). While in principle the more you spend the more you can count on QC, that is not really a simple equation. By reputation, and in my limited experience, if you get an Ibanez QC is great at any price. You may not like the pickups or the woods, but it is unlikely to have actual issues. For other brands including Fender you hear more mixed opinions on QC. I have only ever had Squires, funny enough I am returning one because the truss rod does not work. Sire supposedly has an amazing QC, although I was disappointed twice. The best insurance in that sense if you buy new is to buy from a shop with good customer service eg a good online retalier will let you return a bass with say bad fretwork with no questions asked and very little hassle. A good shop where you could try the bass would not let you return the bass based on things that you could have noticed in the shop (eg fretwork), but they certainly would if there are hidden issues. Buying second hand takes a bit more time and work, there is an element of risk, but as many said is the best option. I bought a bass here for 265 in February, we did not bond, I sold it just recently basically at the same price. A few weeks ago I bought a battered Squier Precision from 2008 for 125 (not the one I am returning, another one). It had an upgraded pickup. After changing strings, cleaning it and sanding the gloss a bit on the neck I am now absolutely in love with it. Sounds great, fretwork is better than in more expensive basses I have had, tuners keep in tune, weight is average. That does not mean it is pointless buying more expensive basses, obviously, but still...

Good advice from Woodinblack (although I also would consider a precision). I would add to what I said that chosing a 5 string over a 4 may not be as straightforward as it may seem. For example, if you get the Ibanez 305 he is suggesting, you get a narrow string spacing. This ensures that the neck is not huge and in a way makes it more confortable. But lot of people find it unconfortable for slap (as you need to get your fingers in between strings) and a lot of people just do not like it and prefer the traditional feel of a bass with wider string spacing. If you get a 5 string with wide string spacing, you have a big neck which some people struggle with, and possibly a heavy neck (which would likely need a heavier body to balance). Obviously similar arguments could be made for 4 string, but to a smaller scale. On top of that, muting strings that you are not playing can be an issue (else they just vibrate and there is this "drone" going when you play). This can be/be seen as a problem. And muting on 5 strings is much harder. Mind you, these are not at all big problems. You can find your way around them easily. Just something to keep in mind.

I am not sure if you meant that you play 80s metal or metal in general. To my knowledge nobody in the 80s played 5 string.. I have found that I strangely get less satisfaction from playing music clearly written for 4 strings if I have a fifth string there doing nothing. I have just sold both my 5 strings for that reason. I suggest looking a bit more into whether you actually need the low B. Do the bands in the sort of metal you play actually use it? Do you use a 7-string guitar or detune often?

That's exactly what I was hoping to hear! For now I have raised the pickup for D and G relative to the other one a bit so I get more punch which makes their brightness is less annoying

I'll take advantage of this topic to ask a question. I have just yesterday switched a P bass from TI to Labella LTF. They are new so they have to break in. At the moment they are weird. Very thumpy E and A, quite a loss of clarity compared to the TIs, especially on the E but I guess that could be a trade off for the thump. The attack differs quite bit between E and A. And when it gets to D and G, they sound as if they came from another set. All bright but in a dull way. Not really thumpy. If I play two notes jumping from the E string to the D it's just weird. I wonder if that was everyone else's experience, and if all strings will balance out with time. Or whether say the E is maybe dead (which funny enough I do not dislike necessarily) I appreciate I would know the answer in a few weeks anyway. Just thought that's interesting to discuss

Wow! It does actually! I know I shoukd not be trusted around a photo editing app!

Thanks! It is the same tort pattern but taken from a different place, plus in one of the pictures it is stretched a bit more. It was not very deliberate, I just wanted to make sense of whether tort of some sort works in the first place. My impression is yes it does but it gives the bass a somewhat metal vibe which is not what I was after. I have tried to paint the bass black here and suddenly it makes much more sense and looks more vintage than metal. So probably no, grey bass with tort pickguard is not what I am after. But I may still make an attempt as I do not trust my sloppy photo editing much😁

May I take advantage of this topic to get some feedback on the idea of putting a tortoiseshell pickguard of some sorts on a charcoal grey PJ? Here some pics that may give an idea, apologies for the ridiculously sloppy editing job

Many thanks for the kind words! It has been a pleasure for me as well. I am totally enjoing the Squier, I have spent all my free time playing it since! Looking forward to October!

Based on my admittedly limited experience of alnico vs ceramic I believe this should be the alnico! Thanks! Yes thin is definitely the right word

Well, in the end I have bought a Squier P with Wilkinson pickup already on here in the classifieds instead of upgrading my PJ. I am extremely happy with it, it plays the part exactly as I wanted and GAS has now subdued. At this point I will probably keep the ceramic P pickup in the PJ for differentiation (on top of flats vs rounds) and replace only the J bridge pickup which is dreadful.

Bought a Squire P from Nik, very nice guy. God communication, he drove near London so we could avoid postage. It was a pleasure to deal with him

I was just considering a pickup change for a Squier Affinity PJ so I am reading with interest. I personally was considering doing it in stages: start with affordable pickups and see if I am happy. Ultimately the bass is making me happy even as it is, although it is maybe a bit muddy. I'll take the opportunity to ask a question: what do people think of the Wilkinson alnico 5? How do they compare with Toneriders? If you want to spend money, I suggest also checking some sound samples of the Aguilar 60s. I have only heard them on Youtube, never tried them, but if I wanted to invest more I personally think I would go for those

I guess that's a way of seeing it!

I believe technically it is unlikely they would have been "Guns and Roses" as "Roses" stands for Axl Rose (Guns stands for Tracii Guns, co-founder and later on member of LA Guns). Or so I heard somewhere at some point, I did not google this one to check it is true

I started playing again in January after many many many many many years of stop and I am a couch player. No plans to join a band in the short term as my one year old is very good at filling free time. In a way, for me any purchase is "irrational" and I could do with one bass. But I have been affected by severe GAS from the outset. Since January, I have bought six basses and one EUB. Luckily there are limits to my madness so two of the basses (including the EUB) have been returned, one was sold, one is for sale, one soon for sale. The fact is that I am finding learning about basses, strings, setups, machine heads, what string spacing I Iove and why, etc.. almost as fun as playing, a hobby in itself. When I was playing years ago buying multiple basses was not an option, funancially. Continuing to buy at this pace is not an option either but I believe I am getting there (or maybe I am there) in terms of having the right basses for what I like to play. Luckily, in a way I am stingy so all of my basses cost me well under £300 (two were over 400 tbh but I returned them both as the value-for-money equation did not work for me).

Some in-depth reviews of mainstream J basses within your budget. Good reviews in that I do not agree with the guy's conclusions (eg Sire V7 here is probably my favourite) but they matter less than the explainers and the sound tests. Warning: lots of people here hate the guy, so you might too Squier CV 70's (this is a 5 string so a bit more issues with neck heaviness than the 4 string you would buy. A Squier CV 60's would be a very similar bass) https://youtu.be/NBpKtOhW8aM Squier Paranormal Jazz https://youtu.be/XOQ42Qrpkgw Sire V5 https://youtu.be/aIgwvN_zmo8 Sire V3 (active) https://youtu.be/rqugcRuNU3A Sire V7 (active) https://youtu.be/suqGYGrwyCs

Very nice!