Do I want a Precision or a Jazz?

[karlbbb]

Hey all,

I currently have no bass, but hoping to get one around Christmas time. Squire Classic Vibe seems to be the best value and around my price range (about £250). I'm just stuck as to which one to get!

I mostly play punk and rock songs, but I've recently been listening to a few 70s hits, Grease soundtrack etc, and realising how good the basslines are and that I need to learn some! My ideal tone would be something similar to the songs "You're The One That I Want" and "Greased Lightning" from the Grease soundtrack, but I wonder which one to go for? The Jazz seems more versatile but the Precision seems to offer more of a punch to the sound! I've always played 5 strings but I'm just going to stick with 4 now and learn my way around the bass properly.

What would you choose?


Cheers,
Karl

[yorick]

See if you can pick up a cheap Aerodyne.... best of both worlds.

[BIG.J]

Hi Karl!

Must admit having never thought i would own or even play either i love my Precision, Simply for its simple setup - One Volume pot & one Tone pot! Can't go wrong.

My Jazz is easier to play with a slimmer neck but it took me a while to find my sound using the seperate volume control's.

The Classic Vibe models look and sound great,

Good luck,

Justin.

[Dr.Dave]

Get the one that feels right in your hands - otherwise your appraisal of each's advantages is sensible enough.

I'm guessing a Precision might feel better to you if you've been playing 5 strings - bigger neck.

[dannybuoy]

You need to get yourself to a shop and try them both out, it's the only way because you will get equal amounts of people on here telling you to go for a P as for a J. I say Precision - with flats!

[dannybuoy]

Or get the Yamaha BB415 on sale in these forums - the closest you can get to a 5-string Precision on the cheap, and has a Jazz pickup in the bridge also.

[karlbbb]

[quote name='BIG.J' post='587597' date='Sep 2 2009, 03:55 PM']Hi Karl!

Must admit having never thought i would own or even play either i love my Precision, Simply for its simple setup - One Volume pot & one Tone pot! Can't go wrong.

My Jazz is easier to play with a slimmer neck but it took me a while to find my sound using the seperate volume control's.

The Classic Vibe models look and sound great,

Good luck,

Justin.[/quote]


[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='587605' date='Sep 2 2009, 03:58 PM']Get the one that feels right in your hands - otherwise your appraisal of each's advantages is sensible enough.

I'm guessing a Precision might feel better to you if you've been playing 5 strings - bigger neck.[/quote]



I don't think neck sizes will be a problem as I can play on anything really, although I feel a touch more comfortable on a Jazz neck!

[BIG.J]

Just a Thought!

You are pretty local to me! You are more than welcome to come and give both my Jazz & Precision a go!

Just PM if interested,

J.

[Cat Burrito]

I'd always go for a Precision & reading what you've posted, that is still the case. The Squier CV jazzes are nice though

[WonderHorse]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='587694' date='Sep 2 2009, 04:58 PM']I'd always go for a Precision & reading what you've posted, that is still the case. The Squier CV jazzes are nice though[/quote]

Why would you always go for a precision?

I'm curious

[Soulfinger]

[quote name='karlbbb' post='587589' date='Sep 2 2009, 04:40 PM']Do I want a Precision or a Jazz?[/quote]
I know. You want a Precision.

Fact is, every bass player wants one but some just don´t realise it.

[EssentialTension]

I always want a Precision, I rarely want a Jazz.

You'll have to decide what you want.

[Veils]

After reading your initial post, I'd lean towards recommending you a Precision.

[Bay Splayer]

jazz

[karlbbb]

How do Precisions sound with the tone rolled back? I have it stuck in my head that the P will always have the top end "clank" that you can get by playing hard/with a pick. I do like to have quite a "smooth" tone every now and again.


Thanks to all for suggestions!

[XB26354]

If you do decide on the Squier Classic Vibe then the Jazz is superb value for money. I've tried a couple side by side with US jazzes in the Gallery and the difference is really small, despite being £600+ cheaper

[ezbass]

[quote name='karlbbb' post='587721' date='Sep 2 2009, 05:28 PM']How do Precisions sound with the tone rolled back? I have it stuck in my head that the P will always have the top end "clank" that you can get by playing hard/with a pick. I do like to have quite a "smooth" tone every now and again.


Thanks to all for suggestions![/quote]


With the tone rolled back is where all the classic P tones live, open it up though and you've got an almost Ric sound. However, not all P tone circuits are created even, but I'm happy to report that the CV one I tried some time back fitted my description. Having said that the J CV I also tried was also a great example of a vintage J tone and with a better colour scheme than the P (if that kind of thing bothers you of course). Like everyone says, try both and get the one that speaks to you.

[OldGit]

If you are not sure then you should try as many as you can. Even the same model, make and year will vary.

Then buy used.

If you buy a new Squier Jazz for £250 and decide you don't like Jazzes you've instantly lost a big chink of money.
If you spend £250 on a used Jazz on here and you don't like it you've only lost the postage 'cos they will generally re-sell for what you paid for it.

[alexclaber]

Ed Friedland on the subject:

"To my way of thinking, the difference between a P and J bass goes way beyond the physical. Yes, P bass - fatter neck (usually), split pickup, chunkier tone, less highs. J bass - slimmer neck, easier to play, dual pickups, more note definition, more high frequency.

But... I think P or J bass is a lifestyle choice as well. Committing to the P means taking on a set of preferences, and inherent parameters. You can't or at least shouldn't try to play a P bass like a Jazz. That would be missing the point. The P bass is a fat, chunky-butt animal that likes to take up space. It demands a high level of attention to what you play, because every note hurts - or helps. There ain't no takin' it back with a P bass. You better mean it, or be very good at making it work. You can play fast on a P, but it's not nimble like a Jackrabbit, more like a Grizzly doing 60mph to catch something to eat. Slap on a P? Sure, it's chunkfunk, think Boz Scaggs "Lowdown". The pop on a P is not as sharp as a J. It's like getting sliced with a serrated steak knife. Ouch! Use only when you gots to cut through some tough meat. Classic P guys... Jamerson, Rainey, Rocco, Bob Glaub.

The J is a sleeker machine. Being a Jazz guy means having a little more wiggle room. It takes up less space in the mix, so you can get more active without squashing people. With great power comes great responsibility. Just because you CAN move around, does that mean you should? And if so - how to, how much, and why? The J is a bit skinnier, so you have to learn how to use that texture to fill it up, and how to play it fat when it needs to be fat. Soloing? Sure. Slap? You bet. Passive it cuts like a well honed Buck knife. Active with a good pre amp, more like a barbers razor. Classic J guys... Jerry Jemmot, Larry Graham, Jaco, Marcus...

Some people make a choice early on and stick with it. Their entire style is built around that early decision, whether it was conscious or not. You may know some of these people. Players that would no sooner pick up the other axe than they would deliberately eat rotten food. There's honor in this I think, it certainly makes your life simpler when it's Friday night and you're trying to decide which bass to put in the bag.

I think it behooves (love that word) a professional bassist to have both and spend time cultivating the characteristics of each instrument. You need to make each one speak it's native language. There are some gigs that just naturally call for one or another. Not to say you couldn't switch around. You learn alot about the nature of the P and J when you try to make one do what the other does naturally."

I think he sums it up very well! (Though I play a weird custom instrument that pretends to be a J but is really a P at heart).

Alex

[thebeat]

I've had 3 Fender Jazz and 3 Fender P bass, not too mention Rics, Sandberg, gibson Lakland etc...but i keep going back to the P bass....buy one. Two even.

[Clarky]

FWIW I have traditionally always favoured a P-bass. It just feels right and I love the tone. Recently I have come around to Jazz basses, principally because I can play faster on them and some of our band's music is at breakneck speed. I still prefer the tone of a P-bass but now I choose the bass depending on how I am feeling - eg, if I am sh*gged out, I will bring the Jazz to a rehearsal/gig as its just easier to play. If I'm full of beans, out comes the P. So in short I copped out of this conundrum by owning both a P and a J!

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='587882' date='Sep 2 2009, 08:06 PM']Ed Friedland on the subject:

"To my way of thinking, the difference between a P and J bass goes way beyond the physical. Yes, P bass - fatter neck (usually), split pickup, chunkier tone, less highs. J bass - slimmer neck, easier to play, dual pickups, more note definition, more high frequency.

But... I think P or J bass is a lifestyle choice as well. Committing to the P means taking on a set of preferences, and inherent parameters. You can't or at least shouldn't try to play a P bass like a Jazz. That would be missing the point. The P bass is a fat, chunky-butt animal that likes to take up space. It demands a high level of attention to what you play, because every note hurts - or helps. There ain't no takin' it back with a P bass. You better mean it, or be very good at making it work. You can play fast on a P, but it's not nimble like a Jackrabbit, more like a Grizzly doing 60mph to catch something to eat. Slap on a P? Sure, it's chunkfunk, think Boz Scaggs "Lowdown". The pop on a P is not as sharp as a J. It's like getting sliced with a serrated steak knife. Ouch! Use only when you gots to cut through some tough meat. Classic P guys... Jamerson, Rainey, Rocco, Bob Glaub.

The J is a sleeker machine. Being a Jazz guy means having a little more wiggle room. It takes up less space in the mix, so you can get more active without squashing people. With great power comes great responsibility. Just because you CAN move around, does that mean you should? And if so - how to, how much, and why? The J is a bit skinnier, so you have to learn how to use that texture to fill it up, and how to play it fat when it needs to be fat. Soloing? Sure. Slap? You bet. Passive it cuts like a well honed Buck knife. Active with a good pre amp, more like a barbers razor. Classic J guys... Jerry Jemmot, Larry Graham, Jaco, Marcus...

Some people make a choice early on and stick with it. Their entire style is built around that early decision, whether it was conscious or not. You may know some of these people. Players that would no sooner pick up the other axe than they would deliberately eat rotten food. There's honor in this I think, it certainly makes your life simpler when it's Friday night and you're trying to decide which bass to put in the bag.

I think it behooves (love that word) a professional bassist to have both and spend time cultivating the characteristics of each instrument. You need to make each one speak it's native language. There are some gigs that just naturally call for one or another. Not to say you couldn't switch around. You learn alot about the nature of the P and J when you try to make one do what the other does naturally."

I think he sums it up very well! (Though I play a weird custom instrument that pretends to be a J but is really a P at heart).

Alex[/quote]

Nicely put - both Alex and Ed.

[lemmywinks]

I always love a good J, the best ones aren't always the most expensive ones. Some cheapys just have that sound that i look for

Interestingly i played a Mex Precision with a J at the bridge tonight. Apart from the awful, noisy active circuit in it i could coax a really good P sound and a great Jaco sound out of it with just a roll of the pickup blend, with very little compromise.

If i hadn't had to adjust my playing to keep the electrics in check i reckon there's miles more sweet sounds in that bass

[karlbbb]

Thanks again for the responses. My two exposures with each was lending someones Fender P (I can't remember if it was MIM or MIA) that I used in a punk band (only for a recording) and my Jazz experience was the Squier Deluxe Active V that again was used only in recording and during rehearsals in a soft rock band (I posted an mp3 in the recording section of the forum). The P felt at home in the punk band because of the attack of the tone, and the Jazz felt a lot smoother for the rock band, it felt "right".

As mentioned, I do play a lot of punk and love the tone of a P, but I'm looking at broadening my horizons as it were, and often wonder if me buying a Jazz will leave me in good stead for future tonal options. Decisions, decisions....

[Higgie]

Get both. Then grab a Stingray for good measure.