Do I reeeally need a Precision..?

[Reggaebass]

Nothing sounds like a P bass apart from a P bass, my jazzes can get close but not the same 

[Stub Mandrel]

The Thunder 1 on the right sounds more like a P-bass than my Precisions do.

 

[Mrbigstuff]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

and never for any recording.

Probably because it wasn’t a proper P bass 😉

[Geek99]

On 30/10/2025 at 12:19, tauzero said:

Nobody has ever told me I should play a P. Am I doing something wrong?

Youre not listening to the right people 👍

[Stub Mandrel]

If you don't need a P you haven't experienced a grumpy prostate. 

[BigRedX]

12 hours ago, Mrbigstuff said:

Probably because it wasn’t a proper P bass 😉

 

I know that's said in jest, but the main reason I never recorded with it was because it wasn't as effortless to play as this:

or this:

 

Neither of which are remotely like a P-bass in looks feel or sound.

 

(and for a lot of the songs I was playing it didn't have enough strings)

[LukeFRC]

Bingo!

 

“Bigredx mentioning Gus in a completely unrelated thread” was the last thing I needed for the Basschat bingo game.

[BigRedX]

Glad to be of assistance. Now where's my share of the prize money?

[RichT]

17 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

Bingo!

 

“Bigredx mentioning Gus in a completely unrelated thread” was the last thing I needed for the Basschat bingo game.

Damn, I was still waiting for "Leo got it right first time". 

[police squad]

simples

YES

 

the very fact you're asking, means you want one

I have 4

My wife has 2

 

It's the law

[Jonesy]

Even Jaco needed a P......

[BlueMoon]

7 minutes ago, Jonesy said:

Even Jaco needed a P......

And I bet he could make it sing!

[deepbass5]

I started on a 77 P Bass, never regretted selling it apart from the price i got £325 in 1993.  Then five years ago I thought i needed one again so bought the best i could find a CS 62 relic. Five years on I decided i didn't again, for the same reasons i parted with the first - There are better made basses out there with wider tone flexibility. So I traded it for a Sadowsky NYC with chambered body, quarter sawn flamed maple neck. Best sounding bass i have owned.

[chris_b]

6 hours ago, RichT said:

Damn, I was still waiting for "Leo got it right first time". 

 

He didn't, but he got the proof of concept right, and pretty much nailed it the 2nd time.

[Jonesy]

47 minutes ago, BlueMoon said:

And I bet he could make it sing!

 

Nah, I bet he overplayed a mush of too many notes on it 😜

[tauzero]

One of the bassists at Tuesday's open mic was playing a P (the rest were playing Js apart from me with a Pedulla series 2 fretless 6). After hearing that, I never ever want to have a P. Absolutely awful sound.

[PaulThePlug]

SR Toner Rider Wearing P

[LukeFRC]

13 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said:

SR Toner Rider Wearing P

One of those invisible mods

[Mrbigstuff]

[itu]

I don't care about the clothing CBS offered in 1977, but there seems to be one of the first headless basses. How many were sold? 

 

(And the coat...) 

[dave_bass5]

I 'need' a P bass because it works for me. Tone wise ive never been in a situation where someone else has asked me to use anything, or ibeen in a situation where one bass doesnt work over another tone wise. What I find with a P is it's more plug and play. For me even a Jazz bass give's me more tone options to think about, and get distracted with. I do like Jazz basses, but I just find a P works in every situation, no fuss messing about with onboard EQ, and sits well in any mix. Tone wide open and thats it as far as that end of the signal chain goes. 

I was put off for a while with the P bass chunky necks, but having found P basses with slimmer im happy to stick with it.