Between the JB and P Bass, Preference?

[Jonesy]

I think there's a place for both. I prefer a jazz for my heavier stuff and think the single coils probably help the thicker distortion sound a bit less muddy.

 

The precision just fits though. In a band setting it just cuts through nicely and sits in the mix pretty perfectly. I used to think P's we're boring and avoid them but they're pretty perfect. I've even got the silly notion in my head that I need another one so I can have one for flats and another for rounds.

 

I do prefer a jazz neck though and the P I have has a jazz neck.

[FinnDave]

I have three Precisions and two Jazz basses - I love them all, but the Precisions get taken to gigs far more often than the Jazzes do.

[bassbiscuits]

P for me. I love the blurry thud and authority of a precision in a band setting. I’ve had a few jazzes too which were nice, and main non-Fender is essentially an active Yamaha jazz bass. 
 

But a P just suits me - it’s a B profile 70s neck, nice and lightweight, plenty of thump and fits me like a favourite old pair of slippers. 
 

[asingardenof]

If you like the sound of the P but prefer the neck of the J it would seem like a no-brainer to put a J neck on your P; that way you get a variety of tones on different basses that feel similar to play. 

[Reggaebass]

I’ve got an older mim precision which I put a jazz neck on, it’s very comfortable to play and personally I didn’t notice any difference in the sound, I’d say try it, if it’s not to your liking you can always change it back 

[ChWillie]

Interesting comments about weight differences. My P and JBs are roughly the same weight. 

[lidl e]

While i am a jazz bass player, a P will generally sound better, but a J looks so much cooler!

[PaulThePlug]

10 minutes ago, lidl e said:

While i am a jazz bass player, a P will generally sound better, but a J looks so much cooler!

Stick a Split P up front... 😉

[Reggaebass]

28 minutes ago, lidl e said:

While i am a jazz bass player, a P will generally sound better, but a J looks so much cooler!

That’s a good excuse to have both 😁

[lidl e]

3 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

That’s a good excuse to have both 😁

I do!

 

But my main P is graphite necked. Id love a real one.

[Vanheusen77]

I love the jazz bass sound but with a band I often find myself reaching for a P, Ray or Yamaha BB. It’s hard to put my finger on why exactly. 

[Lozz196]

I think it’s the reassuring presence. Tho strangely enough last week I used both my Jazz and my Precision at rehearsal, I preferred the Precision as there was that reassuring solidity to the sound whereas the band preferred the Jazz as it has more lows. 

[dmc79]

I've had a couple of Jazzes but I prefer Precisions. The body shape, the sound, the looks, the simplicity of one volume & one tone.

 

That said, I'm about to try a J neck on a P body for the first time ever. It's an itch I just have to scratch. 

[Paolo85]

I did not bond with the two Js I had. But there were specific things that I did not like, which do not extend to all J basses. I now have two (cheap but modded) P basses and another one coming. That's all the basses I have. I love a P.

I am often tempted to give Js a new chance. After all, I do love the sound of a J in other people's hands. But it is a bit risky because if I do find one I like I may feel compelled to have one with flats and mute Jemmott style, a Jaco-like fretless and a fretted with rounds because why not?

 

[Bassfinger]

I would tend to say precision.

 

But then a few minutes on my Geddy Lee and I would say jazz.

 

Love them both and really couldn't choose.

 

Never been in to the PJ style though. To me it's an answer looking for a question.

[Moving Pictures]

I have both and love both. If push came to shove I’d go with the Precision. 

[bassbiscuits]

On 02/12/2022 at 23:36, Bassfinger said:

Never been in to the PJ style though. To me it's an answer looking for a question.

Yeah I hear you. Rather than being the best of a P and a J pickup together, to me they end up sounding like neither. 

 

Feel a bit cramped too with that J pickup right where I play. 

[TheLowDown]

I've always preferred the tone and simplicity of the precision.

[Reggaebass]

On 02/12/2022 at 23:36, Bassfinger said:

Never been in to the PJ style though

Same really, even though I’ve got one, but I only bought it because of the colour and maple neck at the time ,and I only ever use the P pup, I now use just a precision or a jazz 

[Jonesy]

Snap. I'm not a fan of PJ's (insert a joke about sleeping in the buff) but I do own one, a G&L SB2 Tribute. I only really have it because the don't make an SB1 Tribute and I don't use the J pup.

 

I do think a fretless works better as a PJ though.

[dclaassen]

I have always preferred the Jazz neck, and I now have an active Jazz Bass, so that's the one...very flexible tonal range.

[Grimalkin]

I like having the versatility of two pickups.

[MacDaddy]

Jazz bass with a P pup.

😎

[Grimalkin]

2 hours ago, Grimalkin said:

I like having the versatility of two pickups.

 

Plus if you like playing over ramps or pickups set to act as ramps as many players do, it's nice to have a couple in different positions.

[Jonesy]

28 minutes ago, Grimalkin said:

 

Plus if you like playing over ramps or pickups set to act as ramps as many players do, it's nice to have a couple in different positions.

 

You could just buy a 5 string if you want a versatile thumb rest.