mcnach Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I have never been a fan of the P bass. I have owned several, and they mostly languished unloved and were eventually sold. When the Sue Ryder Precision bass sale came along, I ended up with three of them. One was left untouched - white/rosewood, I just put a black pickguard on it. Another white one... I sourced a Ryder maple neck to swap, and turned it to fretless, with a DiMarzio Model P pickup. Another, a blue translucent/maple was dismantled for the body to be stripped... and I have not finished. So, the one left untouched... I put a set of Status flats on it. These are very dull thuddy type of strings. I really liked the sound, but the Precision is not a bass I ever felt fully comfortable with. When playing the E string, I like to have something to rest my thumb on around the area where a MM pickup is, more or less. And that sound, it was not something I wanted in my bands... so... I did not play it that much (although I did use it to film Sea Bass Kid's first music video ) Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. It seems a new funky project i going to start and I have been asked to join. It's meant to be original material mostly but with a few covers. I was told about a song by The Meters... "Chicken Strut". Now, I did not know much about them. Cissy Strut was familiar, but I did not like it. I knew some slow R&B style songs by them, which I don't like either... So I was not expecting to like this a lot. But to my surprise... The Meters have tons of great funky tunes! Now I understand why they are always mentioned with such reverence, pretty much alongside James Brown. So I have been listening to a lot of Meters and James Brown... and without thinking, plugging in the Sue Ryder P bass with flats... and I am really really liking it. So last night I decided to put a set of Wizard Thumpers on this bass. I had this pickup in my drawer for a couple of years or so. Not only did the bass look nicer than with the original white pickup... but the sound opened up quite a bit, and now I cannot put this bass down. With regards to the thumbrest issue, I have a small aluminium block stuck with double sided tape (thanks apa!!!) and it's just lovely. I think I may be starting to "get" the Precision. what a surprise! With regards to the Thumpers vs original pickup... the original pickup is actually quite nice, but a lot darker. It does a great deep reggae tone, as well as a double bass type of sound, better than the Thumpers do. But the Thumpers are brighter and feel a bit more balanced... so even with the Status flats you get a nice compromise between bright tones (think Iron Maiden) and dark ones using the tone control. Mostly, the bass is not as "boomy". Good midrange. But the original pickups are surprisingly good too, just darker and heavier. Now I wish I had not sold that Squier CV60s Precision in fiesta red... that was a lovely bass with a fantastic neck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Another one over to The P-Side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apa Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Your getting old before your time mate A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Precisions can have such a knarly , clunky sound that , funnily enough , a lot of less expensive examples can end up sounding great in the final mix , especially with flats . Sounds like you have hit on a winning combination . Good for you Sir ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Pics or it didn't happen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jellyfish Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I do so desperately want a Precision bass, and have done for a while. However, as a 5 string player, I fear that I just wouldn't be able to get on with one in the long term, even a 5 string one as I am used to narrow string spacing. Glad you're liking yours though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 All we need now is for B R X to get a nice P bass. and stop mucking about with those silly pointy basses!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 [quote name='apa' timestamp='1357408385' post='1922305'] Your getting old before your time mate A [/quote] The P bass has a bit of an "old geezer's bass" whiff to it, doesn't it? Hmmm, well, at least if sunburst with tortoiseshell pickguard. White and black can be "punk" and have some "street cred". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1357415182' post='1922435'] Precisions can have such a knarly , clunky sound that , funnily enough , a lot of less expensive examples can end up sounding great in the final mix , especially with flats . Sounds like you have hit on a winning combination . Good for you Sir ! [/quote] The nicest P bass I ever played was my now gone Squier CV60 in fiesta red. Of course, as I'm not a big fan, I have not tried hundreds of them, but that Squier was very nice. EXcept... it was a Precision. The reason I kept the Sue Ryder ones was that... ok, £60 new... if I sell them, what am I going to get for them? So they are the ideal candidates for me to mess with. Hence, one is fretless now. Not the best fretless ever, but I had this and a CIJ Fender Precision fretles simultaneously... and sold the Fender (it was a better bass, but the Ryder does the job too). Another one... one day I will finish stripping. It's too much of a boring job to sand it all... I'm glad I kept one untouched... except cosmetics (pickguard)... I should post a picture or two... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 [quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1357416639' post='1922464'] Pics or it didn't happen [/quote] You are right, you are right... so here it is. It's a shame that the original pickups had those big ears, so the Wizard Thumpers leave a bit of a gap... but in person without a flash it's barely noticeable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 One thing that I still want to do is ground the polepieces. They make a bit of a buzz when I touch them... something that does not happen often, but it annoys me. Just a 10 min job 'though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apa Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 why dont you pad the underside of the case so the poles are flush. Damn site easier than grinding magnets!! A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 [quote name='Jellyfish' timestamp='1357417514' post='1922480'] I do so desperately want a Precision bass, and have done for a while. However, as a 5 string player, I fear that I just wouldn't be able to get on with one in the long term, even a 5 string one as I am used to narrow string spacing. [/quote] I have a couple of 5-string Ps with 19mm spacing - they both work just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jellyfish Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1357501975' post='1923708'] I have a couple of 5-string Ps with 19mm spacing - they both work just fine. [/quote] I believe you, but even playing a 4 string with normal string is difficult for me to an extent. I fear that adding another string without reducing the spacing would make my hands break... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 [quote name='apa' timestamp='1357501611' post='1923701'] why dont you pad the underside of the case so the poles are flush. Damn site easier than grinding magnets!! A [/quote] you misunderstood me. I didn't mean grinding the polepieces, they don't bother me "physically". I meant grounding them, as in connecting them to ground. That's as simple as running a strip of copper foil on the underside of the pickups, touching the bottom of each polepiece, and connecting that to ground with a wire. That way I will not get a buzz when I touch them (even if I rarely touch them!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apa Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 [quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1357529434' post='1924089'] you misunderstood me. I didn't mean grinding the polepieces, they don't bother me "physically". I meant grounding them, as in connecting them to ground. That's as simple as running a strip of copper foil on the underside of the pickups, touching the bottom of each polepiece, and connecting that to ground with a wire. That way I will not get a buzz when I touch them (even if I rarely touch them!). [/quote] [color="#282828"]Doh!! [/color] [color="#282828"]A[/color] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grassie Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I was a disciple of the Jazz bass for years, and the thing that put me off P basses was the frankly terrible sound that a lot of indie bands seemed to get out of them - treble full up, no bottom end, just very flat sounding. I thought that's how they all sounded. Then I for some unknown reason, I started to get a hankering for one, completely out of the blue, so I bought an SX from my local shop. Once I'd got the action down to a playable level, I plugged it in as was blown away by the amount of bottom end and downright creaminess that I could coax from a bass that cost me £160. So I sold my jazz and bought a Squier VM precision and I'm done! I have two basses that sound as good as anything I've had before (including the USA deluxe jazz 5'er) that are so easy to play, sound great and are beautiful in their simplicity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowley Birkin QC Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 In a similar fashion, I've had a Mex Jazz Deluxe for a few years now and have loved it, and indeed still do. However, of late I've had an urge to get a P. After a few false starts concerning available funds, I've taken the plunge and today took delivery of a new Squire Matt Freeman Precision, in vintage white, black pick guard and maple fretboard with tinted lacquer (looks fantastic). My only reservation before taking the plunge was the playability of the P neck, as I'd got really used to the thin jazz neck. I'd played a few P's in stores at the back end of last year, but there's never enough stock on hand to try out back to back, and I certainly didn't find a relatively local store with stock of the Matt Freeman model..........my reservations were unfounded! Got it home and lowered the saddles a little, and WOW! I'm so impressed, a nice low action and no fret buzz make it a pleasure to play. I use it with an Aphex Bass Exciter I bought from another BC'er and I can't understand why I waited so long before getting a P. The combination (after some dial tweaking) is fantastic, there is so much bottom end, and with clarity. I ALWAYS chose my jazz over the other basses I had, but now I really can't put this P down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 I feel like a bit of a fraud Today we had the very first meeting, tentative jam, to see whether we start a new funk band. Guitar, vocals and myself. We have a great drummer's interest, but we wanted to get together the three of us first, as we'd probably be the "creative centre". So... what bass should I take? Well, after talking so proudly of this Precision, and since I was playing it non stop whilst listening to The Meters etc... you'd expect me to take the Precision, right? Wrong. I took the MusicMan SUB instead. Well, it's the one I feel most at home with, and in these situations you never know what you will end up playing, so... But, hey... there was still some Precision content this evening. We listened to some maceo Parker stuff... and I just love the bass. Twin P style pickups. Have a listen: [url="http://youtu.be/JawQn7gKdJo"]http://youtu.be/JawQn7gKdJo[/url] Now, I want a P-type pickup closer to the bridge!!! Oh, and yes, it was promising... we already have two song ideas and it felt really good. A new band is born!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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