Difference between Fender P & J basses?

squirefan01 · Post by **squirefan01** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 10:34 am

I have been thinking of getting a used Jazz bass lately, to complement my 4003. I was looking for a really good site that might describe the differences between a Precision & Jazz bass, from as many different angles as possible (design, sound, history, etc.). Maybe some audio samples would help.

Has anybody seen anything, or would anybody care to throw out some basics? All I could say right now is the Jazz has a thinner neck, so I am probably missing alot.

As far as what I'd like to play with a Fender, I would say that for rock I love the grunge sound (Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam, who has been playing a vintage Precision alot lately), but with my 4003 I have gone to flats recently as I am getting more into actually playing The Beatles and some jazz improv. I've also been into 70's Pink Floyd lately (not sure when Roger Waters dropped the Rick for a Fender or something else).

Thanks

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 10:45 am

I've seen Roger with his P-bass as early as Live at Pompeii, which was early '71 I believe.

squirefan01 · Post by **squirefan01** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 11:26 am

Why wouldn't he have chosen a J-bass?

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 11:35 am

Why not a P-bass? I personally prefer them over Jazz basses.

markbass99 · Post by **markbass99** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 1:26 pm

I've had both and prefer P's to J's, that one pick up(split) is magical, just listen to some of Entwistle's early p-bass recordings. J's are alright, but for a two pick up bass you've already got the best, just compare Geddy's Rick to his Jazz. Love the simplicity of the p-bass too.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 3:22 pm

get one of each ... my favorite fender style bass is a p-bass with a jazz pickup added ...

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 3:41 pm

Maybe you might be a candidate for the Fender Power Jazz bass, P-shaped body, Jazz neck, P and J pickups, KILLS. I have been secretly looking for one for a while now.
I am personally a Jazz Bass guy.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 3:54 pm

I think you'll have more tonal variation between a 4003 and a Precision.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 4:27 pm

I like P/Js also.

squirefan01 · Post by **squirefan01** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 3:58 pm

John B, that's what I am looking for. I don't really want all of my basses to sound the same.

The Power Jazz is a cool concept though. I have not seen this one before. Anybody here ever tried one?

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 4:23 pm

Why do you think I recommended it!?

http://cgi.ebay.com/FENDER-JAZZ-BASS-SPECIAL-POWER_W0QQitemZ250009430976QQihZ015QQcategoryZ64400QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 7:10 pm

P basses have much more balls than J basses, J basses are smoother sounding and less punchy. A P bass is a great rock bass, I played them for years. I had the best of both worlds; a P bass with a J neck on it. Most P basses have C necks which are very wide, J basses have or had A necks which are very thin at the nut and taper out, very nice playing necks. Get an old one if you buy one they are made much better and sound much better than the new ones. Just be judicious in your selection. A J bass is also a very nice bass though you can't go wrong with either one but I think a P bass should be part of every bass players arsenal, you can do so much with that one very nicely placed pickup. The only thing you can't do with a P bass is adjust the bottom like you can on a J or Ric bass.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 7:12 pm

I had a J bass special made in Japan, it was very noisy, no shielding at all, I used only the P bass pickup it was so noisy.

squirefan01 · Post by **squirefan01** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:03 am

If I want to go the P-bass route, then what about trying to modify a P-bass copy with better tuners, pickups, electronics and maybe bridge? I have an Ibanez Japanese-made "Seiwa Rockman" bass from the 80's that looks just like a P-bass. This was my only bass before I got my 4003.

It might be fun as a project to update the hardware and see how good I can get it to sound. The tuners are no good, the pickups sound weak and the volume/tone controls are staticy (is that a word?).

While it would be a fun project, and if I mess it up on this bass I wouldn't care all that much (except for the cost of new parts), I just wonder what hardware out there would be good enough to put on this thing. I have no idea what the body or neck are made of, but the neck seems straight at least.

Can anybody recommend some good sites for parts for a P-bass upgrade, and if this is even worth getting into? Maybe there is another forum that would be good to get involved with for this type of non-Rick work (though I'd much rather take advice from the gang here)?

Thanks

firstbassman · Post by **firstbassman** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 10:18 am

The Fender Forum (not official!) has lots of info (and opinions of course):

http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?db=&message_area_number=21&lastpost=2006-07-2704:59:38

As far as parts go, last time I checked, Fender was forwarding requests to All Parts:

http://www.allparts.com/

I dealt with them once and they were very helpful.