Fender: Precision vs Jazz

[Golchen]

Bass thicky here ............... what's the difference between the Precision and the jazz bass? Not so much physical differences, but more of application, playability, versatility etc?

[skankdelvar]

You'll get lots of more useful and erudite stuff later, but for now, here's my concise take:

Precision: Wider neck (41-42mm) up at the nut; only one pickup so use of tone control advised. Allegedly less versatile. Makes "Dumm" noise.

Jazz: Narrower neck (38mm-ish) up at the nut so easier for those of us with smaller mitts; two pickups to play with, thus allegedly more versatile. Makes "Doomm" noise.

Over the years I've played lots of styles with both types and neither would let you down in a pinch. IMO, less difference between the two than between, say, any Fender and a Rick or a Warwick.

[Buzz]

Oh crikey, the search function is your friend on this, so is google.

Basically it boils down to the difference in neck profile, with the jazz neck being slimmer, and the pup options (and overall sound).

P's only really have a couple of sounds, one being dubby with the tone rolled off, the other being a rocky mid sound with the tone on. The P bass is the defacto standard of basses though, it might only do a couple of things, but it does those things extremely well.

Jazz's are more versatile soundwise.

That's about it, it's personal preference like with any bass really.

[Geek99]

jazzes sound brighter, and are generally easier to play if you dont have huge hands. I like the narrower neck - its been a revelation for me.

[bass_ferret]

Apart from the neck, body, pickups, controls, and consequently playability and sounds, not a lot

[Delberthot]

Plus you also have have the P bass specials etc with the humbucker, PJs, and my own personal favourite which is the single coil precision. Again tonally different

[pete.young]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='369695' date='Jan 4 2009, 01:01 AM']Precision: Wider neck (41-42mm) up at the nut[/quote]

Except when it's narrower. My CIJ 70 has a 38mm jazz width neck.

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='pete.young' post='370100' date='Jan 4 2009, 05:12 PM']Except when it's narrower. My CIJ 70 has a 38mm jazz width neck.[/quote]

Yes, that's true. At one time Fender used to supply in diff neck widths and the re-issue 70 CIJ's pick up on that, I suppose.

Gen speaking tho', Jazzes slimmer. (Except if they're fatter)

[mrcrow]

leo fender
first bass..precision
next..jazz
next...mm
next g+l

for me there is a sort of progression there...

having owned a jazz an precision special..P.J...i would say with all dimensional traits aside

the jazz wins out for versatility and breadth of tonality

and i suspect leo thought a bit of pickup combining gave us the MM and the subsequent g+l variation

[Deep Thought]

The Jazz has an 'offset waist' body, whereas the P's is the same both sides.

[waynepunkdude]

I don't why I'm sitting here fretting over which one is better I have good examples of both.


I'm still not 100% sure which one is better but they are both great.

[WHUFC BASS]

[quote name='mrcrow' post='370192' date='Jan 4 2009, 06:33 PM']leo fender
first bass..precision
next..jazz
next...mm
next g+l

for me there is a sort of progression there...

having owned a jazz an precision special..P.J...i would say with all dimensional traits aside

the jazz wins out for versatility and breadth of tonality

and i suspect leo thought a bit of pickup combining gave us the MM and the subsequent g+l variation[/quote]

I agree. I've owned serveral of each (apart from a G&L) and have to say that from all of them I prefer the Jazz. More versitile imo as well as easier to play. The Precision and Musicman both have very distinct sounds which you can recognise instantly. The Jazz has a more generic tone which can be beefed up for rockier stuff.

[guzzibass]

The basic difference is one is called a Precision and the other is a Jazz...

[Leowasright]

The only reason I don't have a Precision is I don't like the size of the neck. I prefer the thin/narrow Jazz neck, especially the 62 Jap reissue neck. I am sloppy and like to damp over the top of the neck with my thumb.

Oddly, with guitars I prefer thick baseball bat necks like on Les Pauls, SG specials or 50s type Telecasters.

??

[artisan]

[quote name='Leowasright' post='371671' date='Jan 6 2009, 10:58 AM']The only reason I don't have a Precision is I don't like the size of the neck. I prefer the thin/narrow Jazz neck, especially the 62 Jap reissue neck. I am sloppy and like to damp over the top of the neck with my thumb.

Oddly, with guitars I prefer thick baseball bat necks like on Les Pauls, SG specials or 50s type Telecasters.

??[/quote]

then of course there is the american deluxe P bass with its halfway house nut width = 1.625" which is sublime & the CIJ '51 P bass has exaxtly the same nut width too.

[henry norton]

I used to play Jazz basses but gave them up for a precision a few years back and found I preferred the chunkier neck and the more characterful growl. That said, I eventually added a J bridge pickup to brighten things up a bit and found I've got a bass maybe even more versatile than the Jazz without the horrible skinny neck and bulky body.

[Pookus]

I prefer the precision neck. I used to have a precision with a piezzo bridge pickup. Gave it a real bite. I only sold it 'cause I was skint and there was no way I was selling my Ric. I have seen a few precisions with jazz bridge pickups too. I would go with a p bass over a j bass anyday.

Edited January 7, 2009 by Pookus

[Huge Hands]

[quote name='Geek99' post='369801' date='Jan 4 2009, 11:41 AM']....if you dont have huge hands.[/quote]

Somebody mention me?

I have a Squier Precision 5, which has jazz pups. Work that one out.

I love the cricket bat style neck.

[waynepunkdude]

My SX P has a Jazz sized neck on it so it's the best of both worlds.

[Pookus]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='373124' date='Jan 7 2009, 03:04 PM']My SX P has a Jazz sized neck on it so it's the best of both worlds.[/quote]

I'd prefer a jazz body with a precision neck. Anyone got one?

[clauster]

I think the Mark Hoppus Fender is a J body with P neck. But also has a P pickup.

[Pookus]

[quote name='clauster' post='373217' date='Jan 7 2009, 04:34 PM']I think the Mark Hoppus Fender is a J body with P neck. But also has a P pickup.[/quote]

What about one with j pups?

[henry norton]

Getting back to topic, (God, I can't believe I'm writing this....), the Jazz is more versatile as can hold it down with the neck pickup but can also be good for slap and harmonics 'cos of the bridge pickup. The Precision has more character (more of a growl) but is limited to one pickup so doesn't have quite the range of sounds the Jazz has. The majority seem to prefer the narrower Jazz neck but as you can see, there are still a few people who prefer something a bit chunkier in their hand

Maybe - dare I say it - a precision sounds like a Precision whereas a Jazz sounds more like the person playing it (Larry Graham, Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller).