njr911 Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 After playing a Jazz for the last 18 months (and guitar before that) I used my new P bass at tonight's rehearsal and I was blown away. It sat in the mix really nicely. Growled when it needed to and sounded great on most songs. This was with rounds and I've been using flats for the last year. On the flip side my fingers are suffering. I was all set to spend some money on and expensive Jazz might hold off now and see which I prefer in a month or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Yup I had the same road to Damascus conversion when I got a squier vm precision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1964 Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 [quote name='njr911' timestamp='1374273239' post='2147206'] It sat in the mix really nicely. Growled when it needed to and sounded great on most songs. [/quote] That's exactly what a good Precision does. On it's own you wonder what the fuss is about. But in a live mix it sits perfectly, and suits pretty much anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 [quote name='simon1964' timestamp='1374275826' post='2147234'] That's exactly what a good Precision does. On it's own you wonder what the fuss is about. But in a live mix it sits perfectly, and suits pretty much anything. [/quote] Yep, sums it up about right. I love the sound of Jazzes, Stingrays & all kinds of more exotic sounding basses on their own, but in the mix, for me, nothing gets it as right as a trusty Precision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 (edited) Welcome to the proper bass player's club. Edited July 20, 2013 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiipopes Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 The name says it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 You have seen the light. What you now need, of course, is to spend your notes on a top quality PJ, which gives you the absolute best of both P and J worlds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Or give serious consideration to the Peavey Fury that is in the classifieds here. It has P.Bass sounds and looks but with an ultra skinny neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njr911 Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 I'm rethinking wether to put flats on it now ? Tone was good last night, would flats drop it out of the mix instead of the presence I had last night ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 (edited) [quote name='njr911' timestamp='1374322866' post='2147545'] I'm rethinking wether to put flats on it now ? Tone was good last night, would flats drop it out of the mix instead of the presence I had last night ? [/quote] You will lose "presence" with flats, if your definition of presence is that high end sparkle and brightness that the word is often used to describe. That does not necessarily mean that you will be less present in the mix though. It all depends what tones you are looking for in a whole band context. Flats are not for me, but I know many swear by them. Edited July 21, 2013 by hamfist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I've never been as happy with my sound as I am now with my '78 P. I really love flatwound strings but I'm still using roundwounds on mine, I'm finding that as a life long Jazz bass player, I don't feel too much like I'm compromising the punch and articulation that you get with a jazz bass with just a minor alteration of where I play on my P bass, just a little behind the pickup closer to the bridge. The two instruments don't sound the same but I'm much happier with the fuller bodied sound that a P bass affords. That being said I'm picking up my friend's '72 Jazz today on a long term loan basis, it will be nice to have a Jazz back in the fold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 [quote name='njr911' timestamp='1374322866' post='2147545'] I'm rethinking wether to put flats on it now ? Tone was good last night, would flats drop it out of the mix instead of the presence I had last night ? [/quote] I think it's becoming a bit of a misconception amongst some bass players that using flatwound strings on a P-Bass is somehow mandatory. I love the sound of flats on a P but often when I've only got one bass on stage with me and I've got to cover a lot of ground then roundwound strings on a P-Bass offer the best of everything. Solid and punchy without compromising bottom end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njr911 Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 I think what you really mean is "Buy another P and have flats on one and rounds on the other" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 [quote name='njr911' timestamp='1374324122' post='2147568'] I think what you really mean is "Buy another P and have flats on one and rounds on the other" [/quote] That's what I do anyway, and it's a great shout. I keep my P with flats in our studio for the most part. My band far prefer the sound of flats on a P-Bass but I can never be arsed hauling two basses to gigs and swapping/changing from song to song, I get a decent palm-mute 'faux flatwound' sound with rounds. IME you can't cop a roundwound sound from a flatwound string nearly as easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 i would never be without my jazz bass but i do love the thump of a good P bass. with some DR's the P bass can have some awsome tone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I played my first Precision in anger about 5 years ago. It was a mucked about with Squier with a Badass II and a SD Quarter Pounder. I don't even remember what it sounded like, apart from "like a bass". Five years later, it's a Cabronita Precision. I just can't get down with a vanilla Precision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 [quote name='risingson' timestamp='1374323937' post='2147562'] I think it's becoming a bit of a misconception amongst some bass players that using flatwound strings on a P-Bass is somehow mandatory. I love the sound of flats on a P but often when I've only got one bass on stage with me and I've got to cover a lot of ground then roundwound strings on a P-Bass offer the best of everything. Solid and punchy without compromising bottom end. [/quote] Just a specific subcategory of the misconception amongst some bass players that playing a P-Bass is somehow mandatory? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I recently bought a used - and very, very cheap - Korean Squier P off ebay and it's blown me away. I wanted to try another P (I've owned 1 and used several in the distant past) without spending too much because of my forearm contour issues, but for some reason this doesn't bother me unless I spend a long time playing fingerstyle (unlike a Jazz, which is agony); I usually play with a plectrum anyway. It's got meat, potatoes AND gravy. Although being veggie maybe I should use a different analogy. Seriously, I love it. It's everything I can never get a Jazz to be and quite frankly sits in the band better than 99% of the boutiques I've had, many of which have cost between 10 and twenty times as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 [quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1374343525' post='2147897'] Just a specific subcategory of the misconception amongst some bass players that playing a P-Bass is somehow mandatory? [/quote] When I play something that sounds better I'll let everyone on the board know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 [quote name='risingson' timestamp='1374344455' post='2147922'] When I play something that sounds better I'll let everyone on the board know [/quote] Likewise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocco Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Can't beat a good P bass. As has been said there's nothing a P bass can't do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 [quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1374300213' post='2147282'] You have seen the light. What you now need, of course, is to spend your notes on a top quality PJ, which gives you the absolute best of both P and J worlds. [/quote] Or build one yourself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 [quote name='risingson' timestamp='1374344455' post='2147922'] When I play something that sounds better I'll let everyone on the board know [/quote] Double likewise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Playing a Fender would certainly make me angry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njr911 Posted July 21, 2013 Author Share Posted July 21, 2013 [quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1374399232' post='2148261'] Or build one yourself! [/quote] I can't really find a P I love with nitro finish for reasonable money so this might be a possibility. Fugazi Pino CS sort of thing maybe. Or burgundy mist! Mmmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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