Fender P or Jazz?

[jozach]

Which do you think is a better bass a P bass or Jazz bass?

[willibassist]

No 'vs.' Threads

I know it isnt my duty but I thought I best tell you

[LewsTherin]

one isnt necesarily better or worse than the other. they both have strengths, weaknesses, and their own particular niche.

P-basses are good for big, thick thump. This is good for funk, among other things. J-Basses tend to be brighter and growlier, and not thumpy.

You wont really get a P-bass to sound like a J, and vice versa. Which is "better" depends on what sort of sound youre looking for.

[PaulR]

I don't know. I think we should have some sort of battle to the death.

With blackjack, and hookers.

In fact, forget the basses.

[jozach]

I know it isnt my duty but I thought I best tell you

Sorry I didn't know.

[darrell]

Besides "vs." threads not being allowed as someone mentioned, I'm sure this has been done.... a million times. Use your search function and you will bound to find the answer to this based on the opinions of your fellow MX'ers, which is what you wanted.

But yeah, I'd go with a Jazz bass.

/thread.

[Naveed Afzal]

Jazz cuts thru a Mix better... jess gives you multiple tones... while the P... one unless you role the tone nob...

you could get a P with a Humbucker. or a Jpup at the Bridge.

[BigBossBassist]

You wont really get a P-bass to sound like a J, and vice versa. Which is "better" depends on what sort of sound youre looking for.
Quoted for truth.

[azn_bassist]

P/J to get the best of both???
and u could series/parallel to get the neck p to sorta sound like J
but im not sure if that would sound exactly same

but P gives u a warm tone while J can gives a higher sorta thing

[HELLonWHEELS]

P-Bass

[Thonk]

I like my jazz more. If you are using this as a guide for your next bass, go out and try both. :thumb:

[The_Fender_Bender]

Jazz - More tonally versatile, and has a nicer neck. I can get mine to sound like a P bass

Precision - Low end, lots of it

[Foxfire]

One of each.

:)

[TheBassStylee]

^^ 123 :D
i like both for different tones..
they both sound good in different ways..

[Your Tourniquet]

get a bass with both P AND J pickups- that way you don't have to choose.

[Tonys_Theme]

I don't know. I think we should have some sort of battle to the death.

With blackjack, and hookers.

In fact, forget the basses.

Forget the blackjack too. :smash:

[LewsTherin]

get a bass with both P AND J pickups- that way you don't have to choose.


Thatll get you the P sound atleast, but alot of the "jazz bass sound" comes from using both the neck and bridge pickups, and thats a sound you cant get with a P/J bass.

[evilnomore]

I don't know. I think we should have some sort of battle to the death.

With blackjack, and hookers.

In fact, forget the basses.


futurama ftw

[evilnomore]

I prefer Jazz basses.


/guitarist who wishes he owned a J

[Your Tourniquet]

Thatll get you the P sound atleast, but alot of the "jazz bass sound" comes from using both the neck and bridge pickups, and thats a sound you cant get with a P/J bass.

True... I like the tone of the P and the J I get on my Yamaha RBX270, so I guess the next bass I get will have that config.

[xXxHFSedge916xXx]

i myself own a vintage p bass,which has an awsome sound to it. i have also played some great j basses, but yea i do believe each have their own sound. though i can say that most people would say that j basses are better than p's, no theyre both good. i find that with my p bass i can play funky jazz, popy stuff like starting line, and hardcore metal stuff.

[sr800bkBassist]

i like a P's tone better (primarily a vintage P tone) but on a jazz i managed to get that tone by putting loads of bass + treble, and a lot of high mid while only using the neck pickup.

so jazz wins for versitality points.
but a 1970's P wins over that.

[Akira]

I don't know. I think we should have some sort of battle to the death.

With blackjack, and hookers.

In fact, forget the basses.
Bender is quite possibly the coolest cartoon character ever. As evilnomore said, Futurama for the win.

[jozach]

I have a friend that might sell me an older Fender P bass.

[Spencer]

Pbass I like to keep it simple one volume one tone knob. I can find any tone I want and I don't have to remember the comonations like 1 pickup's volume verses another or where the tone should go.

[Naveed Afzal]

Pbass I like to keep it simple one volume one tone knob. I can find any tone I want and I don't have to remember the comonations like 1 pickup's volume verses another or where the tone should go.


Where did you find this magical Pbass that has o'so many tones...
your reasons just make you seem lazy and uninspired.

[Akira]

Where did you find this magical Pbass that has o'so many tones...
your reasons just make you seem lazy and uninspired.
123
J-basses don't exactly have complex controls.

[LewsTherin]

Where did you find this magical Pbass that has o'so many tones...
your reasons just make you seem lazy and uninspired.


yeah.

'i don feel like dealing with knobs....so i wont'

sounds punx0r, imo.

[Naveed Afzal]

now im not trying to flame him, just give a little insight on how it looks, he can care or he can not care.

Now if he's like me, and would rather EQ from his Head moreso then his Bass then i could understand, but he didnt say that. And Even with my J my tone comes alot more from my bass then rig, I could play flat and not care, but i use my EQ to tighten it up...

[Tryxx]

Added a poll, might be nice to keep something like this around, just for references/rescources.

[Akira]

Added a poll, might be nice to keep something like this around, just for references/rescources.
Isn't this a vs. thread?

[Tryxx]

Sort of. But educating someone on the differences between a P bass and J bass isn't bad. If it gets out of hand it'll be deleted, but there IS room for good discussion and it'd make a good addition to the FAQ thread.

[Spencer]

Well I don't like 1,000 tone controls. I like to set my bass volume full treble full. And useing the head I can find any tone I need. I keep my tone at full because it doesn't have numbers to set it to an exact spot so keeping it open is kinda a marker. Only time I really use the tone is when im going from a punk tone with a pick to a boreing [to me] bassier tone then I just back the knob off all the way or most of the way.

And I have owned a jazz and I didn't really like it I couldn't ever get the tone I wanted the second I played a pbass it was everytone I could ever want so I sold my J and got the P.

[WhoDidTheElf]

Where did you find this magical Pbass that has o'so many tones...


I can find quite a bit of tones with my P.

The biggest difference I find in a P vs. J is the mid range voicing. Jazz have a growly mid voice while P's have a kinda...bark? P basses have a lot of low end. J's have better highs and a more of a mid range growl. That's just my view at least.

[HNLzero]

Might as well get a Stu Hamm "Urge II" bass.

[Naveed Afzal]

I can find quite a bit of tones with my P.

The biggest difference I find in a P vs. J is the mid range voicing. Jazz have a growly mid voice while P's have a kinda...bark? P basses have a lot of low end. J's have better highs and a more of a mid range growl. That's just my view at least.


If say a Jazz is a Growl, and a P is one of the farts that sounds like a horn.

and if someone is playing a jazz and they want a P Tone, solo the Neck Pup and Pick over the fretboard 15th fret or so, BOOM BAM Pbass Tone...

Spencer seriously if you like 1 tone, thats cool im not hating on that. Just when you said "Pbass I like to keep it simple one volume one tone knob. I can find any tone I want and I don't have to remember the comonations like 1 pickup's volume verses another or where the tone should go." It seems like you are just lazy and want a tone, but u dont want to work for it...

I just dont get settling for 1 tone... if you have multiple basses and then have a P then yeah i can understand cuz a P is a cool bass, but w'ere talkin about an A and B either or... go with a J its alot more versatile.

its the same reaosn alot of people dont like Stingrays... 1 Pup... now they come with 2... and i can see alot more people playing them now.

[Zion Gates]

i play funk so the p-bass

[LewsTherin]

I can find quite a bit of tones with my P.

The biggest difference I find in a P vs. J is the mid range voicing. Jazz have a growly mid voice while P's have a kinda...bark? P basses have a lot of low end. J's have better highs and a more of a mid range growl. That's just my view at least.


Ive always thought the P mid voice was more of a grunt, and the J was a growl.

[WhoDidTheElf]

If say a Jazz is a Growl, and a P is one of the farts that sounds like a horn.

and if someone is playing a jazz and they want a P Tone, solo the Neck Pup and Pick over the fretboard 15th fret or so, BOOM BAM Pbass Tone...

Hmm when I do that it seems to have a noticeable more amount of trebble, and also lacks that P mid voicing...but that's me.

Ive always thought the P mid voice was more of a grunt, and the J was a growl.

That's just the word I asociate with it and how it sounds to me, but my amp is probably playing a large part in that sound too. Either way the mid voicing is noticeably different.

[Naveed Afzal]

Hmm when I do that it seems to have a noticeable more amount of trebble, and also lacks that P mid voicing...but that's me.



That's just the word I asociate with it and how it sounds to me, but my amp is probably playing a large part in that sound too. Either way the mid voicing is noticeably different.


WHAAT MORE TREBELE!?!?!?! what BASS DO YOU PLAY!!!??!!

I play high on the neck to get my "Upright Thump", and thats more like 10th fret playing... the closer to the bridge you go the more treble... im curious as to what rig and bass you play.

[sr800bkBassist]

here's my interpretation of the different sounds:

J has more growly bass, and the treble is more sharp and clicky. the notes blend well together, making a smoother tone, in the sense that while playing straight 8th's with a pick the notes will run smooth together and blend well.

P has more punchy, boomy bass, and the treble is more grindy and bright. and unlike the J, the notes are more distinctive, in the sense that while playing straights 8th's with a pick, the notes will be more punchy and all the notes will be easier to distinguish from eachother.

[WhoDidTheElf]

WHAAT MORE TREBELE!?!?!?! what BASS DO YOU PLAY!!!??!!

I play high on the neck to get my "Upright Thump", and thats more like 10th fret playing... the closer to the bridge you go the more treble... im curious as to what rig and bass you play.


I play through a Behringer BX3000T.

Head Settings.
Bass 1/4 boosted
Low Mids 1/4 scooped
Mid 1/4-1/2 scooped
High Mids 1/4 scooped
Trebble boosted 1/2-2/3's
Bright on
Deep off
And shape on, set at about...10 or 11 o'clock
Gain at about 12.
Horns on my 2x10's on, 1x15's off.
(These settings are for ALL my basses)

Bass Fender Jazz MIM Deluxe, EQ flat, and the neck pup soloed and Ernie ball round wounds.

Edit: And I find that playing closer to the bridge gives me more mids than trebble.

Edit2: And the neck pickup was soloed for the test at least.

[Naveed Afzal]

Well lets look at what i said...


and if someone is playing a jazz and they want a P Tone, solo the Neck Pup and Pick over the fretboard 15th fret or so, BOOM BAM Pbass Tone...


Here what you said the result was....

Hmm when I do that it seems to have a noticeable more amount of trebble, and also lacks that P mid voicing...but that's me.

This was the reason...



Edit: And I find that playing closer to the bridge gives me more mids than trebble.

Edit2: And the neck pickup was soloed for the test at least.

Still Clueless? ITS BECAUSE YOU DIDNT DO WHAT I SAID TO!!!!!!!:rolleyes: :smash:

PBass has more thump... playing the neck pup, and playing on the neck gives more THUMP

playing near the bridge obviously gives more treble...
with neck pup or with bridge pup... it doesnt matter... more treble.. eitherway.

[muthafunkabass]

precision ftw. tone is so kick-***.

[Alma]

J basses if you want something versatile, P basses if you want a legendary and killer bass tone.

[Dookiedude3005]

i recently converted from an american p-bass to a geddy sig, best thing i ever did. i love the geddy so much more.

[WhoDidTheElf]

Well lets look at what i said...



Here what you said the result was....



This was the reason...




Still Clueless? ITS BECAUSE YOU DIDNT DO WHAT I SAID TO!!!!!!!:rolleyes: :smash:

PBass has more thump... playing the neck pup, and playing on the neck gives more THUMP

playing near the bridge obviously gives more treble...
with neck pup or with bridge pup... it doesnt matter... more treble.. eitherway.


Yes it does give it more thump. I don't doubt that at all. But it also gives it more of a...scooped sound, I guess that is the word to describe it. And there is still the different mid voicing. Oh and I did do it the way you said to. Play it over the 15th frett. And I made sure I did. And I even ballanced out the pick ups. Half and half. And then pushed it all the way back...I can't get a P sound..

Do you even own a P bass? ( I really am curious.)

[Panda Licker]

neither



fender Jazz Special

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v381/Pandalicker/DSC01032.jpg

[Foxfire]

i play funk so the p-bass

TONS of funk bassists use/have used the J-Bass or a bass with two J pickups...

[nicatterberry]

I like my PJ. But I would go with a standard jazz.

[muthafunkabass]

stu hamm sig>all

[nicatterberry]

Stu Hamm Sig>Left handed people.


That's right, I said it.

[Naveed Afzal]

Do you even own a P bass? ( I really am curious.)

NOPE, but ive had a Deluxe P American, on more then one occasion, whenever my main axe is in the shop, i borrow my teachers. He has a Warmoth neck on it its feels like a J neck.

Trust me thats the only Pbass id ever want to own and even then... its lacking...

I play a Jbass, i once had to make the decision, even when i wasnt a tone nut i knew the Pbass tone wasnt something id like. Now adays i wouldnt say i dont like it, id say... id only use it for special occassions, and if i had to have one bass, it mos def wouldnt be a Pbass, or a bass with a P... OR even a P/J.

Damnit i forgot the big *** NECKS!!! people call G&L necks baseball bats, P's are close enough....

[nicatterberry]

Naveed, how rough are the Pro Steels on your fingers? Nothin too bad?


Sorry about the hijack.

[Naveed Afzal]

at first you feel it... they feel kind of rusty... but u get use to them anything else feels like hell... ive been usisng them and them alone since the summer i think.

[nicatterberry]

Alright thanks. I like my D'Addario nickels, but I kinda want something more. Figured they would do the job nicely.

[Naveed Afzal]

OH! well if you are already using D'add nickels getting used to it will be quick. Also I use GHS Fast Fret to coat them, to keep them a little smoother, plus it pro longs the string life and makes them brighter(or maybe im crazy).

Fast Frets like 2 or 3 bucks.

[nicatterberry]

Sounds like my kind of strings.

[muthafunkabass]

Stu Hamm Sig>Left handed people.


That's right, I said it.
grrrr....




*cries*

[zink182]

Jazz cuts thru a Mix better... jess gives you multiple tones... while the P... one unless you role the tone nob...

you could get a P with a Humbucker. or a Jpup at the Bridge.


Mark Hoppus cuts through nicely..

[Naveed Afzal]

I said better...

[WhoDidTheElf]

NOPE, but ive had a Deluxe P American, on more then one occasion, whenever my main axe is in the shop, i borrow my teachers. He has a Warmoth neck on it its feels like a J neck.

Trust me thats the only Pbass id ever want to own and even then... its lacking...

I play a Jbass, i once had to make the decision, even when i wasnt a tone nut i knew the Pbass tone wasnt something id like. Now adays i wouldnt say i dont like it, id say... id only use it for special occassions, and if i had to have one bass, it mos def wouldnt be a Pbass, or a bass with a P... OR even a P/J.

Damnit i forgot the big *** NECKS!!! people call G&L necks baseball bats, P's are close enough....


Oh, I see. Yeah different ears hear different things *shrugs*.

[nopicks4me]

i have a J-bass, a P-bass, a PJ-Bass, and a double hum. i love them all equally for different sounds

[peeted]

jazz is more versatile and playable.

[iceman3019]

this is the 32198740 thread, but jazz, because (in my opinion) it's more versatile and playable . . .

[Tryxx]

This thread's a bit old, but it's added in the Beginner's FAQ, that's why it's still around.

[NoOsH]

just for the hell of it....:rolleyes: jazz

[Hardinge]

jazz

[LewsTherin]

This thread's a bit old, but it's added in the Beginner's FAQ, that's why it's still around.


Tryxx, move it to BQ or Resources, maybe?


Just so it isnt in the main forum still attracting huge amounts of attn and people being like 'old fred n00b'

[Tryxx]

I'll move it to the beginner's forum now.

[blackflagfiend]

random question: how do you post pics?

[DunCe180]

Pbass since I play Punk.

[ak50324]

P=Tons of low end
Jazz=High mids
MM=highs and lows

If you do not play "melodic" basslines, get the P since it has the best effect on a song.

If you play "counter-melodies", I would get the MM since it can (sort of) get the bassy end, but can switch over to a lead tone.

If your songs are centered around the bassline, I would go with the jazz(or a P with a well set up EQ).

[amj]

If you do not play "melodic" basslines, get the P since it has the best effect on a song.


What the hell? "Best effect"?

[R_buckley87]

this summer im getting one of those new high fangled jaguar basses
putting a tremelo bridge and a hipshot drop d xtender on it
question what is the spacing on the bridge .750 or .669
also if you can suggest anything other than locking straps on it
let me know
thanks ry:thumb:

[Headless Bassist]

I like this jazz bass i have but when playing slap bass is there really a different in sound when it comes to jazz and p bass?:confused:

[psbassplayer]

they're both good but i like tha jazz tone better for my funky style.

Peace

-psbass