Woodinblack Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 10 hours ago, Rayman said: Why can't I get on with Fender Precisions? Why? I have a beautiful American Standard, just bought it, determined to love it.... it plays amazing, looks beautiful (sunburst, tort, rosewood) brand new strings, set up.... but I... just.... cannot.... bond with it. I've tried dozens over the years, but I just love my Jazzes and Stingrays too much.... Whilst not being sure why you feel like you need to like precisions when there are so many other types of bass out there, if you like jazzes maybe it is the neck shaped like a baseball bat but twice as wide that does it, rather than the dull thuddy tone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 1 minute ago, Woodinblack said: ...if you like jazzes maybe it is the neck shaped like a baseball bat but twice as wide that does it, rather than the dull thuddy tone? Hee hee, they're not ALL like that. One of the things that put me off Jazzes was the pencil-thin neck that was like playing a broom handle - but just a few decades of trying and I've come to terms with it, and now like it. I can easily switch from one to the other now. Which is great, because no longer do neck parameters prevent me from buying a bass that I like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 (edited) Thanks for all the responses. I love the look, and feel of Precisions. Some of my favourite players use them, and I just really want to like them.... its nothing to do with anything other than the tone. I just can't get a tone I like. I've tried TI flats, Superbrights, DI High Beams etc..... Straight out of the case the Jazz and the Ray are just perfect.... I guess I'm going to just persevere for a bit or trade it out for something else. Its a beautiful instrument, I guess just maybe it's not my sound. Edited February 16, 2018 by Rayman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 1 minute ago, Rayman said: ...its nothing to do with anything other than the tone. I just can't get a tone I like. I've tried TI flats, Superbrights, DI High Beams etc... Have you tried La Bella flats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Do what @mcnach did and order a custom Precision with 2 J pickups instead of the P 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 22 minutes ago, discreet said: Hee hee, they're not ALL like that. One of the things that put me off Jazzes was the pencil-thin neck that was like playing a broom handle - but just a few decades of trying and I've come to terms with it, and now like it. I can easily switch from one to the other now. Which is great, because no longer do neck parameters prevent me from buying a bass that I like. No, not all like that. I have a Squier Classic Vibe 70s that I played for a year in a band and Iike it. I wouldn't sell it as I wouldn't get what it is worth to me for it, and my mum got it for me for some really odd reason (not when I was a kid or something, no, I just happened to be in a music shop with her on my 51st birthday!). Just not really what I played, and that has been true of every P that I played, some more than others. I actually prefer the Squier to most, which is why I got it, but the string spacing is wide and it slows me down. More significantly it is a 4, and although I have some 4s, I rarely play them live, and if I do it is more for show or sound, in spite of it being a 4 rather than because, such as the thunderbird and the iceman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 I always come back to a P bass , I play a Jazz and a stingray sometimes , but if I had to just have one bass it would be a P bass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creeper Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Chuck some flats on it, strings make a huge difference, a set of rotosound Jazz 77s will be awesome ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 9 minutes ago, lojo said: ...if I had to just have one bass it would be a P bass I'd have to agree, but I'm enjoying other basses. And it's not likely we'll really have to choose just one bass, thank God... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 If I had to have one bass.... it would be the Stingray. Done the flats thing.... I'll persevere and see how I get on. A bunch of whisky and the Precision tonight.... I'll keep you posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 If I had to have one bass, it would be the Ibanez 1605. Or the 4005. Or the Maruszczyk with the ibanez neck... Oh you can see why I don't have one bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 12 hours ago, Rayman said: Why can't I get on with Fender Precisions? Why? I have a beautiful American Standard, just bought it, determined to love it.... it plays amazing, looks beautiful (sunburst, tort, rosewood) brand new strings, set up.... but I... just.... cannot.... bond with it. I've tried dozens over the years, but I just love my Jazzes and Stingrays too much.... Sigh.... The real question here is why, when you love your Jazzes and Stingrays so much do you think you must get on with a Precision when you obviously just don't? Some things are just not meant to be for whatever reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 Either double down on the darkness and stick some flats on it and learn some Jamerson lines... or try a brighter sounding P. I went through all the ones in Wunjos a while back and the most aggressive sounding were the 80s MIJ Jazz Special (its a P shaped PJ with a J neck!), Troy Sanders Jaguar and the Musicman Caprice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 What sound do you want? I go for lyrical basslines with a lot of sustain, which my GMRs and my Jazz do well. My son, when I offered to help him buy any bass in Nashville, went for a new MIA Fender P. He needs that punchy sound for his music. I just find it frustrating to play - it doesn't have the expressive range I'm used to. I do have a decent P-clone at work, and appreciate the different sound, it works for after-work jams murdering cheesy pop covers. But it's not something you need to like to be a good bass player! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbass Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 On 16/02/2018 at 18:38, Rayman said: Thanks for all the responses. I love the look, and feel of Precisions. Some of my favourite players use them, and I just really want to like them.... its nothing to do with anything other than the tone. I just can't get a tone I like. I've tried TI flats, Superbrights, DI High Beams etc..... Straight out of the case the Jazz and the Ray are just perfect.... I guess I'm going to just persevere for a bit or trade it out for something else. Its a beautiful instrument, I guess just maybe it's not my sound. P's are peculiar in a way, and that simplicity can be deceptively difficult to make right. Try this, you might just be amazed..I know I was. Get some old well used dead flats off evil bay or somewhere...cheap. Then take ur practise rig outside where there's a bit of background noise, ie traffic, noisy neighbours..planes going overhead etc, now play it with a light touch and eh voila!..you will suddenly notice that flat sounding mid range come alive with a dry low punch.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 I find the charm of P basses to come thru when played as part of a band. Mine has La Bella flats on it, which I also didn't get at all for a while until I did some recordings as voila there was an ace, fat, bass sound. Alone, mine sounds pleasant if fairly unremarkable, but as part of a band, it occupies its own sonic ground away from the cymbals, guitars and keys, which is just how I like it. But horses for courses innit - if that isn't what you're after, that's not a problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Have tried many P basses like the sound but could not get on with them and as it turns out I dont like where the pickup is placed sounds odd I know and it took ages to work out why dont get on with rays either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 I disagree - I just love the sound and feel, accompanied or not it took a squier vm p to change my mind but as soon as I’d sold it on for a fat profit (bought as “parts” and then fettled back to life) I put the money towards a Bass Doc precision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 6 hours ago, bassbiscuits said: I find the charm of P basses to come thru when played as part of a band. Mine has La Bella flats on it, which I also didn't get at all for a while until I did some recordings as voila there was an ace, fat, bass sound. Alone, mine sounds pleasant if fairly unremarkable, but as part of a band, it occupies its own sonic ground away from the cymbals, guitars and keys, which is just how I like it. That was pretty much it for me too - I bought a Precision, played it at home and was pretty underwhelmed with it considering how many of my fave bassists played them. Then took it to band practice and it all made sense. I`ve found that basses I like the sound of played on their own, such as Jazzes & Stingrays just don`t work for me in a band setting, but the Precision that has a fairly ordinary sound on its own is the master in the mix. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tradfusion Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 6 hours ago, bassbiscuits said: I find the charm of P basses to come thru when played as part of a band. I agree 100%.. A Jazz or even a Stingray can be a bit more versatile for noodling on etc but as part of a band or on a recording stick a P bass in and it just works so well! Theres a reason producers and sound men love 'em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 (edited) Ive played a Precision once. It was a JV Squire. Sounded fantastic with a drummer. But like an SR5, which I adore. it isn't very versatile. Maybe I don't need versatile. Edited February 24, 2018 by bubinga5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 11 minutes ago, Tradfusion said: I agree 100%.. A Jazz or even a Stingray can be a bit more versatile for noodling on etc but as part of a band or on a recording stick a P bass in and it just works so well! Theres a reason producers and sound men love 'em Yeah I was doing some recording and took along my USA Jazz strung with nickel rounds that I had at the time which was a great bass, but listening back to the recording after the first day it wasn't the sound I had in my head at all. Brought along the P with flats on the second day to try something different, and it ended up being used on all the other recordings for that band. Just a classic studio bass sound, which for me was perfect. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 (edited) 51 minutes ago, Geek99 said: I disagree - I just love the sound and feel, accompanied or not it took a squier vm p to change my mind but as soon as I’d sold it on for a fat profit (bought as “parts” and then fettled back to life) I put the money towards a Bass Doc precision Don't get me wrong - I love the sound and feel of mine too, but I can see why it isn't the most refined, adventurous or "all singing all dancing" bass ever. I guess a P does just a few things, but does them really, really well. But I love that simplicity and playing withing the inherent limitations of a single pickup etc. I've played a P for 24 years out of the 32 that I've been a bassist, so I suppose in many ways that's always been my reference point for how a bass sounds and feels. Edited February 24, 2018 by bassbiscuits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbass Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Funny how so many musicians are so different. Ive tried until I'm blue in the face to love Jazzes and Rays and there good...but I always end up feeling like I'm missing something... Strap a P on and its like being served my favourite meal...just plain satisfying. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 My favourite configuration is P/J. Does a bit of everything... but my favourite bass I own is a jazz. i love stingrays but sell them within months of buying them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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