JohnFitzgerald Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 (edited) It's been donkey's years since I played a precision bass. Maybe 25 years. Back then, my views on sound weren't perhaps as formed as they are now. I had an original Squier Precision for a bit and then moved on to other things. Recently, I thought I should maybe try out a P bass to see how we got on. The main band these days is pretty straightdorward Rocky stuff, where I suppose a Precision fits right in. So I tried one the other night. Compared to the 5 string jazz, the neck was obviously much easier to get on with, but lamost uncomfortably narrow. Shows how used to the 5 string neck. Sound ? Yeah, I guess it really does do more than one sound. Plucking position, tone control, fingers, plec, all of these help to vary the sound. Always big and fat though. The one thing I really did miss though was the bridge pickup of the jazz. For the vast majority of things, I'm likely to have both jazz pickups full on. That to me is the perfect sound. Lovely bottom end, but cracking upper mid voice from the bridge pickup. The P just being single pickup, I just couldn't get that. Plenty bottom, plenty top too, if you want. But upper mid ? Not so much for my taste. I just miss it so much. I'm not discounting it yet, but if a good old fashioned P bass is to be my rock n roll bass of choice, I think I have a way to go in terms of what I expect out of the sound. It ain't a Jazz, that's for sure. Thank God for variety. Edit to add. This was the bass. Alister the co-owner of the rehearsal rooms we use plays in a Floyd tribute band and was kind enough to give me a go on his. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfeYHnoeDKw&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfeYHnoeDKw&feature=related[/url] Edited December 1, 2011 by JohnFitzgerald Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 (edited) Funny isnt it? I much prefer the tone of a Precision to that of my jazz or a stingray Edited December 1, 2011 by Hobbayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I think the compromise is get a Precision that has a Jazz bridge pickup. I know what the OP means, for some areas, having that little bit of variation and bite - a la Duff McKagan for example - makes a lot of difference. Am currently looking at those Fender Blacktop Precisions for this reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 (edited) I didn't find that a Jazz P config worked for me. I tried it on a Fender Precision Lyte. To my ears it didn't sound like the best of both basses. I did the only honorable thing and got both Edited December 1, 2011 by BottomE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFitzgerald Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 If I'm honest, a fretless Jazz VM would be my purchase of choice. It would sit so well with the 5 string, in the same colour. I was just thinking of a P because it feels like I should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I found with my Frank Bello the standard Fender SCN bridge pick up added sweet FA to the output, either on it's own or with both on full so I changed it to a S/D1/4lb J to match the neck SD 1/4lb P. Now it sounds right with both on full - JUST LIKE A P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 [size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]After years exclusively playing a Precision then nearly 20 years playing other basses, [color=#222222][font=Arial]I was thinking along the same lines at the start of the year. [/font][/color][/font][/color][/size] [size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]My solution was a passive PJ 35" scale 5 string. I do miss the dynamics of my active Lakland but the Lull sits in the mix very nicely. [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=1][/size][/font][/color] [size=4][font=Arial] [/font][/size][font=Arial][size=2][/size][/font] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnFitzgerald Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 I should really add, this was through an ABM600 and an ABM 6x10. I'm really not a fan of this setup. Far far too much thud, not enough voice for my liking. I eventually had to roll lots of bass off and dial in a fair amount of mid to end up with a sound which wasn't just subsonic rumble. Once I was happy getting my Jazz sound, I plgged the P in. Instant rocky clank, but just not enough decent middly voice for me. Guess, I'm just a Jaco fan. Will go and listen to more Bobby Vega on a P and take it from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Aerodyne or a P Deluxe sounds like just the treat to me. P/J Pickups. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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