P-Bass vs J-Bass

[Guest]

More newbiew questions. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

What are the significant differences between the Precision and Jazz Basses? Is there a real difference? Does playing style matter? And is the Fender P-Bass Special a good cross between the two?

 

thanks,

David

[rumpelstiltskin.]

in terms of sound:

i think a J has a much punchier sound whereas a P has a very big, round sound. you can make a J sound approximately like a P (and vice versa) with a lot of effort, but it's generally not worth it.

 

in terms of feel:

a j has a much thinner neck in terms of radius and width. the P has a thick, round neck to accompany its thick, round sound. in a lot of ways, the P bass is a very fundamental, ham-handed bass. it really only does bass. the J was a modernization on the P, increasing the frequency range of the instrument and its response to the player.

 

a P is usually much cheaper than a J, and a PJ (P pickup and a J pickup at the bridge) is a often a blend of all things -- parts, sound, and price.

 

hopefully others will concur.

[Ed Friedland]

Yes, I agree with your summation of the P vs. J thing. The Jazz is more articulate, the P is more chunky.

 

The P/J is a strange beast. I have never been totally happy with this setup. The first problem has been to find a good pickup for the bridge. I don't like having a single coil pickup stuck in there all by itself humming constantly. Many companies (including Fender) put out their P/J basses this way. Until I recently "discovered" the DiMarzio DP149 Ultra-Jazz pickup, I didn't know of a good single space humbucker that sounded good and would match the output of a P pickup. (I like the Carvin H50, but it is really meant to be used with a preamp, in passive mode it's not quite loud enough for a stock P pickup).

 

The other problem is pickup placement. My experience with several P/Js has led me to believe that you need to place the J pickup closer to the bridge than you would if it were a standard J/J set up. The standard J bridge position sounds too nasal when combined with a P, placing it approximately 1" from the bridge gives you better high frequency blend with the chunky P pickup. However, most builders default to the standard placement.

 

As far as the neck goes, I'd personally opt for a thinner Jazz neck on a PJ, just my preference.

 

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www.edfriedland.com

[David]

Ed and synaes,

 

Thanks for the comments. Gives me a bit more to think about.

 

David

[brianrost]

Originally posted by synaes:

a P is usually much cheaper than a J

 

For years, Fender priced the Jazz Bass higher than the Precision but for the last few years both Fender and Squier models have identical prices for either P or J. Price is not an issue for new ones any more.

 

It's a HUGE issue with vintage axes, where J basses can easily go for double what a comparable P bass would fetch.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

yeah, i reread my post on that, and thought, "what the f@#$ was i thinking?"