I started out on guitar and got serious about bass after my oldest brother Angelo died. Mom wanted me to have his Jazz bass. I got really into bass and even played more gigs on bass than guitar for a while. It’s a way to keep my brother close to me.
I started out gigging on Jazz style basses. Loved them. Then I noticed the more professional recording work I did, the more I started gravitating to P basses. Now I’m pretty much full time P bass. I think Jazz basses sound better by themselves, but P basses tend to sound better in the mix. Strange sort of conundrum! Also, P basses help me not overplay with those chunky necks, particularly the vintage style ones I record the most. No wrong answer here :)
My first bass was a Jazz bass, then bought all sorts of active/fretless fancy ones 5/6 strings until recently I got a p bass. Turns out that's what I was looking for all along
Same here, I have been through many basses over the years but P bass is what I wanted all along and now the vintage fenders have become out of reach, should have bought one 15 years ago when the price wasnt so high.
Fifty yrs. ago I wrestled with a Gibson EB the guitar player had, I bought a P & it changed everything. Then got a Jazz, I only played J basses after that. Around 10 years back on a whim I bought a P bass new, through the mail! thing was like $1700 bucks! But it plays so nice and the tone is perfect, I think the pickup placement is the thing on a P bass
@@rogerhouston3209 That is the one feature that stands out to me above my StingRay (it makes it easier for me to play dynamically). I will probably break down and buy a G&L down the road for the trifecta (they have the center pickup placement too).
When my teen daughter wanted to take up the bass after a few years on the guitar, I got here a Squire PJ bass (P body, jazz bridge pickup combined with P-pass pickup) with a jazz bass style neck. Seemed like a good combo then and still does.
I have the PJ Jaguar, and it feels like I have both options at all times. I usually play with the precision pickup, but I'll dial up the jazz volume to get various options. It's got the J bass neck and J bass control panel, but the thick pick up. It's a brilliant best of both worlds solution.
That is a good compromise. The only one that I like better is jazz bridge pickup with a neck musicman pickup. The musicman sounds like a bolder p-bass and can be split to essentially a jazz pickup. The musicman pickup being wired in parallel also makes it not significantly louder. I too prefer the narrower nut of a jazz bass.
@@ushnicyuvnikof2748 Not quite. I have P, J and PJ. Nothing apart from a P does the real P bass sound. The PJ is a halfway house between P and J even with the bridge pickup rolled right down. It will do the J bass sound much more convincingly, though. It is, however, quite versatile. If you want the full fat P bass sound, you need a P, but for everything else, the PJ works well.
@Ushnic Yuvnikov If it has Precision pickups (which you obviously prefer) and a Jazz pickup (which you obviously don't) how could it be the "Worst of both worlds?"
Statistically I don’t know the actual breakdown of popularity but in owning a owning my own music shop, I move P-Basses three to one. It’s almost as if the name “Jazz Bass” scares my clientele to the P-Bass. Nothing scientific, just many years of observations. Good stuff, thank you!
I agree, but in my experience with playing funk, rock, soul, r&b etc... the Jazz bass is the popular choice. I absolutely love both and I own many high end bass guitars 🎸. For "Motor Town" music 'Motown records' the precision bass is the weapon of choice... in my humble opinion. I love all music 🎶! No favorites.
I'm actually surprised by that. Almost every bassist I've ever known has played jazz basses, as well as others, but I don't think I know anybody personally that plays a P-bass. Lots of people playing PJs but not fender p-basses. As a guitarist primarily I just got a player series p-bass and I love it so much. It isn't quite as versatile as my PJ but it just feels and sounds so good!
I would recommend owning both, I have a couple jazz basses -a Squier paranormal and a 70s jazz and a Fender 50s Vintera p bass and a Squier classic vibe 60s p. If you can only do one bass it’s really players choice. I love the 50s p but it has a huge neck and that is a turnoff for a lot people.
@@donnix1192 absolutely. One day I'll pick up a j-bass but the budget won't allow it at the moment. I love the burpy jazz pickup sound, but I've always preferred a p-bass with the tone rolled all the way down.
I have to take a minute to appreciate the genius of Leo Fender. His first electric bass guitar was the P-bass. How did he get so much right on his first try?
He was the ultimate tinkerer. He would tell you that he didn't get it right the first try. He made several prototypes and got feedback from guitarists and double bassists. The P went through a complete redesign 6 years later. But yes, he was a genius. My favorite four bass designs, all by him.
There's one important aspect to mention as well. The PBs split coil is humbucking, which is one of the reasons why (pointed by others) it is preferred by technicians (studio/gig). JB single coils need a proper shielding or you will get a lot of hum.
I got one of the active PJ Deluxes & the JB bridge pup is noiseless. I tend to have the blend knob ever so slightly panned towards the JB pup & it gives that JB definition while maintaining the full roundness of the PB. Very good bass indeed.
You're right and wrong at the same time :) Each of the two PB pickups is a single coil, but they're wired together to form a hum cancelling pickup (using the same principle like regular humbuckers).
@FunkyMonk6 Yep, I know that and the physical mechanism behind. Yet the PB pickup is not called a humbucker, but split coil (which kind of makes sense). I know many people are still confused by the split coil setup, so just wanted to point that out.
Great video pointing out the differences between the 2 most influential and iconic basses ever made. Note that the 70s jazz basses have the bridge pickup placed closer to the bridge for that brighter, more pingy sound. It’s subtle, but I definitely noticed a difference from my 2010 jazz bass to my current custom build jazz bass with the CBS/70s bridge pickup position.
Ive been plqying bass for 13 years and always preferred jazz basses until I bought a fender player series p bass 18 months ago. Since then its the only bass i use for practically everything, from gigging to recording it just works.
For me, I was always convinced that I preferred jazz bass, and for years I’d play them at music stores and never want to take them home. I finally decided to try a precision bass, specifically a PJ precision bass, and I just couldn’t put it down. Haven’t looked back since.
I have and love them both. I slightly prefer the jazz bass over p-bass because it’s more versatile. You can get close to the p-bass tone with just the neck pickup on a jazz. Still, it really comes down to preference.
I have both. Both have their place. If you want a p tone, you really need a p bass. However the jazz is more versatile and I play it more easily with the slimmer neck. If I struggle on my p learning something new, I can usually pick it up quicker and easier on my jazz. I like variety in the stable but everyone has that one they won’t part with and for me it’s my jazz. It’s just the more comfortable of the two for me. I really want a pj with a jazz neck to round out the collection.
I have both basses, and personally I prefer the P-bass sound over the J-bass. And I totally agree that the P is a little bit tough than the J, in terms of playability. And TBF, my main bass is a P bass with a J neck, and to me this is the perfect combo.
@@Cap683 I'm just a simple at home bass player, but I'm actually now putting together a P bass with a jazz neck and La Bella flat wounds. i started out with a passive jazz bass in the 90's. My next bass was a 5 string active jazz bass. I then moved to a Squier active PJ bass which is the bass I play all the time now. The bass I'm putting together now will be a passive P bass. It's weird because lots of other people in the comments also gravitated towards P basses.
I started out on P Bass. I played it for most of my musical career, but drifted into Jazz Bass territory later on. Now I use either depending on the gig (or my mood at the time). You can never have too many basses.😁
I have one of each. My jazz bass is a thing of joy with multiple tone options that fill my heart. My P bass is from 1993, was my first bass and holds a ton of memories. Love them both.
I'm a guitarist, so my bass skills are minimal, but I bought a Jazz Bass a couple of years ago just for home recording and I really love it, I've used it on everything from soul, blues, and rock to edm and even on orchestral scores, so it's versatility can't be emphasised enough..... but I am also itching to buy a P Bass right now.
Love and have them both, but P (with flats on it) is my main go to instrument. I love the super stable fat neck, and the simple, round, oldschool tone.
2:40 - I disagree! I find the P-Body way more comfortable. Especially while playing it resting on your leg, the J-Offset-Body is endangered to cause neckdive...
I started playing a few months ago and faced the same conundrum. I bought a Yamaha TRBX174 with both precision and jazz pick-ups which gives best of both worlds and let’s me murder a range of different styles and tunes.
I love and have both Precision and Jazz basses, have been a J-type player for decades and discovered a new thrill with the P-bass these last years. I would say it all depends on the context of the music, but if there is more than one saturated guitar involved, I go for the Precision.
P Bass all the way. I love how responsive the tone control is on its singular pickup, nothing beats the simplicity of it. Jazz Basses are the next best thing IMO, it's all love.
When I started bass I went for a Fender Jazz bass, but have always wondered if I should have went the P-Bass route. Thanks for a great video explaining the difference, I'm happy I went for a Jazz Bass, but tbh I still find the controls for blending the pickups on a Jazz Bass puzzling!
Hey, I started on a PJ Squire! It's good enough as a starter's instrument and allows you to set the bass for each type of pickup or both. Bass is a hobby for me so I'm not that worried, but for a bassist looking for a bigger commitment its key to decide which type of bass is best for the music they want to play. Great video Scott!
I love both of them as they are unique sound wise to each other, but I think I'd have to say, the P Bass is the most popular, as it has been recorded on so many things through history, and tends to sit fatter in the mix.
My main bass is a Rick 4001 with Rotosound strings, but I wanted something thumpier for R&B and ska but didn't want the neck to feel too different moving back and forth. A Jazz with flat-wounds was perfect.
Did you start on the 4001? Just curious, because my first dive into bass was listening to McCartney and wanting to get the sound he did out of his Ric. I spent a lot of my early years playing 4001's because of McCartney and Chris Squire. I bought a 4003 and ended up putting the 4001 away, but always switched between the 4003 and the Jazz bass. I thought I was Squire and JPJ all rolled into one....what a sad individual I was! 🤣🤣🤣
@@Scottie_S I did start on the 4001, not because I was trying for anything specific, but because that was the bass I had. I was a guitar player first and found myself in a band with lots of guitar players but no bass. I switched over and never looked back.
Saving up for an American Precision II. Currently rocking a Yamaha TRBX304. I love the versatility of the active bass, but I'm ready for a more mature sound. Honestly, it's because I'm a brass player first and a bassist second. I'm used to working with instruments that have a consistent, reliable tone. That's why I'm making sure my first pro bass is a P-bass -- it's just my style.
My first bass is a Squier 1975 vintageJazz Bass, and I love it. But sometimes i feel, i need a P Bass too.😍 Thanks for a video. Greetings from Hungary.👍
I learnt on a P-Bass copy, as i started getting more technical I found myself naturally moving to Jazz. Having said that, a good player will make anything sound good.
For most of the stuff I play, a P-bass is all I need, but when I want to do a lot of fast slap & pop playing, I go for P&J basses to get a little of both worlds.
I got a custom made BITE with a PJ config in a jazz bass body....sounds and feels amazing. However coming from a 5 string background I kinda prefer the chunky p bass neck.....
I have both but my go-to is mostly the Precision. One reason is I usually prefer the P-bass necks, and I just love that sound. Some may call it a one-trick-pony, and it is true that the J-bass may offer a wider range of sounds, but most of the time when I play the Jazz, I end up dialling it in to make it sound the closest to the Precision sound. 😂 In terms of the way a bass feels, I’ve always bonded more with P-basses than with the J-basses. Still, I totally get why so many would prefer the Jazz.
j-bass might have more "possible" sounds but generally you are going to just play with all the knobs turned up anyways. if you want your j to sound more like a p you should just play a p
I don’t think the p-bass is a one-trick pony. You can get a lot of mileage from just the tone knob and adjusting your fingers. You can make a p quack a lot more by playing right next to the bridge, or fatten it up by going towards the neck. A single pickup instrument is only as versatile as the player wielding it!
I never liked super skinny necks so I have two P basses - a 1964 P bass, one piece body, rosewood fretboard, with a pair of jazz bass EMGs in 60s positioning and an American Standard stock P bass, maple neck/fretboard with flats. Couldn't be happier 😊
After my 2nd G&L ASAT bass(MFD pickups) the only things that mattered was weight, color and neck profile. I went Custom Shop with my 3rd and 4th G&L basses. Stuck to the 9.5 profile as I cannot get used to other neck profiles. No matter what bass you have, you are at the mercy of the sound system so the ability to tweak/adapt is more important than what bass you use.
Absolutely hands down for me it must be the Jazz. Two factors influence my choice. 1. Thinner neck (I have really small hands) helps, plus the bridge pickup is a huge incentive for me as well. I just want the pink one... haha
I struggled with bass when I bought my fender. At the time I thought it was a good fit when I tried it but I didn't know anything. I made it work but it was rough. I then got a Ubass 18 years later. I nearly cried. "I can play this thing." After watching several videos, I dug out my old bass. I discovered the action was set so high I am amazed there were not birds resting on the strings. I write this for the noob so they don't buy the first thing they get their hands on. Bass is fun but a poorly set up bass is frustration.
@@forrestmanueljr9196 I confedered it but I am not in a group anymore so it is not a high priority. I also got hooked on a tenor Ukulele so I have been exploring that lately.
I have a PJ Jag bass that I absolutely love to play. Most times though I have the J pickup dialed down and just play through the P pups. Not sure how it compares when it comes to the neck profile.
It all depends on what sounds you are going for. In my opinion the P- bass is a one trick pony where the Jazz bass has more tonal options. Just my opinion, please all P-bass lovers don’t attack me. Haha And FYI , I have both.
I bought a Jazz bass about 35 years ago, which I still play. Never felt the need to even try something else. It just never disappoints me. Plug it in, and the soundcheck takes about 10 seconds.
I understand it's not 'classical ' enough, but why is there no mention of the PJ combo? Maybe I missed it, but I haven't found any video by Scott analyzing this option - it's always J vs P. Please, Scott, would be nice to see you comparing it to Jazz, for example.
It’s personal preference really. I have owned 2 vintage fenders for many years. A ‘58 p bass and a ‘60 jazz bass. Both have their own good points. Every song and musical genre is different. I like being able to choose which of those fender basses fits the gig and specific music style needed. I also own some nice boutique basses. And they all have their own sound and personality. If you’re a ‘ purist’ you may not agree. But like I said .. it’s really personal preference. Whatever works best for you. IMHO ..the hands and technique are really the main difference.
I always wanted the body of a P bass with PJ configuration , but that had the thin neck of a jazz bass with the block inlays, good thing, I found exactly what i was looking for lol a Fender precision bass special deluxe series blablabla its not from the highest tiers but man its just what i was looking for, plays and sounds amazing! i love it
I have quite a few Jazz basses and 4 Precisions. The J neck profile from the late 60's through the mid 70's fits my hand the best, and that, coupled with the string spacing allows me the most effortless, efficient, and comfortable playability. Plus, the tone variations available, and a nicer aesthetic sold me decades ago. YMMV. Edit to add, playing out at many Open jams and seeing a fair number of bands playing classic rock, blues, R&B, etc., in the Bay area, Jazz basses outnumber Precisions by at least four to one.
I have a Dean bass with P&J pickups and find myself playing the P most often. That said, when I bought my Fender Jazz bass I absolutely fell in love with it. I am what you might call a 15 year beginner. You know the guy who sits in for a song or two and then gets busy with life and doesn’t touch his bass for a year or two. So I don’t have a ton of bass experience but I do love my Geddy Lee signature. Plays great and sounds awesome.
I have had both, but the P is what people want. The chunkiest is actually an advantage for me, as the P bass will take being played hard and give great dynamics, whereas I have to be gentler on the jazz. The area where the jazz shape shines, though, is fretless. The two pickup arrangement suits that.
I have a '64 Red JB, a '62 reissue, and a couple of Squiers. Drummer in one band I was in had a PB, so I got to play both basses. PB is a Chevy. Simple and solid. JB is a Pontiac. Bit more variety and flash. I agree with you on the neck differences.
I realized a few years ago that it's actually a "deep" neck I don't like, and not a wide one. I used to think I didn't like the width of the P Bass neck at the nut. But then I played some P basses that were still wide but had a shallower neck front to back. Perfectly comfortable. In fact, maybe even more so than the jazz bass because of the extra space between the strings. I'm not sure what neck shape it is that I hate so much. Google tells me it's a "vintage C" or maybe a "U." That would make sense. I have a precision with a modern C-shaped neck, and I love it.
P-Bass with a Jazz neck and flatwounds all the way to the bank. Respect Jaco and Miller etc. and the other virtuoso's but their music doesn't speak to me so not a player of that genre.
Great explanation of both the P bass and J bass…thanks!!! I have a P bass and if I played bass full-time I might consider changing to the J bass as I like the increased versatility it offers.
Great comparison! For me, the jazz neck pup just ain’t it. I play an American pj bass with a jazz neck. Been a great bass for me. I use the pbass pickup alone 90% of the time but the bridge pup does add some punch if you ever find yourself in need. And of course the bridge pup soloed is fun for the jaco stuff. For me - p bass is the clear winner but it doesn’t hurt to have both in your arsenal. If you can only have one get a pj for the win!
Both. I do tend to gravitate more towards a jazz in both live and studio scenarios. However, with my Jazz (62), I play with both pickups full but my tone rolled off to about 50% (sometimes more, sometimes less)and pair that with an Avalon U5 or a Shaw Audio Tube Injection. It’s a great idea to have both of these basses, especially if you’re looking at doing studio work.
P bass body with a Jazz neck is very comfortable. I find p basses rest a bit more stable if I'm sitting / recording, almost like a Telecaster. Though I do like smaller instruments, so my current all round fav are Mustang basses.
Curiously nowadays I prefer the wider neck of the P, I think it actually works better for me ergonomically (and I don’t have giant hands). When I started out I much preferred skinny J bass necks. I do remember not wanting to play a Jazz bass because I was a metaller back then!
Awesome and super helpful vid! Love you and your channel! 😊 For me it’s kinda like the P-Bass is more like the original “Back to the Future” (a classic/the foundation), and the Jazz Bass is more like “BTTF part 2” (more room to be more creative since the foundation has already been laid). Hehe, I dunno:) Just like the movies, I love em BOTH and can’t imagine one without the other:) Wait a minute, what does that make “BTTF part 3” then? Hehe❤
I'm a guitar player/composer and in my own studio other than my guitars I have keyboards, percussion and more. As for basses, I just decided I needed BOTH, so I recently added a PJ (with Flat wounds) to my Jazz (with round wounds)
The versatility of Jazz Bass is unbeatable. As cool and signature as the sound of the P-bass is, you can get 90% of that tone with the J-bass... and still have all the awesome range that bass gives you. Cheers
I have a Marcus Miller Jazz bass and an American performer mustang bass. The mustang is short scale and sort of a mix of P and jazz🙂 I really like both of them and feel lucky I have them❤️🤗 Really looking forward to try out the bass on a near future jam somewhere😃 Thank you for a great channel👍
My first bass was an active 5 string, but my second was a pj. While I enjoy the sound of a P with flatwounds more, I do think the jazz is more versatile as an instrument. Ultimately though any professional session bassist will own both. You can get versions of both for quite low prices and neither can truly sound like the other. If you have to choose one, pick the one you like the sound of more.
I started playing Bass again last year, after a 40 year break. Basically starting from scratch. I went to a retailer, with a budget in mind of £700 max. I was there for 2 hours trying different basses, the only one from around 10 I tried, was a Markbass GV4. A Jazz bass with a preamp. Love it and probably play at least 15 hours a week. I could not get on with a P bass. Didn't have much flexibility in my hands. Last week I bought a P bass. Loving that too. Sire P5. No issues after a year of building technique and flexibility. Love both, loving being a Bassist again and loving SBL.
got lots of jazz basses. got one precision and its a killer! planing on getting another p w/rosewood' since mine is maple. as far as i know p bass is the most recorded, jazz coming at close second.
That's a very intuitive way to explain what the tone control is to a beginner: it's your mouth, when it's open you sound open, when it's closed you sound closed.
Thanks for the great videos you put out! I have been thinking about learning bass, and skimming your YT vids the last few days. I was just watching this comparison while looking at local listings and made a deal on a local P-bass package I am picking up tomorrow based on information in this video.
Started learning bass a few years ago, started with guitar as a kid. Ended up with a PJ bass, and personally love it. I call it the pajama bass lol. My drummer friend was really surprised at how meaty the tone is on the PJ
My first bass was a Squier Jazz. My first high-end bass was a Warwick Corvette standard with j-style single coils. All my other basses have been 2 humbuckers. I've never owned a P, but I soon will own a Kiesel Vogt, which is a 24 fret 6 string (their Vanquish body shape) with 2 P style pickups in the neck and bridge positions. I'm looking forward to delving into the P-style world
Are you playing bass in February 1996. My first one (as I’ve commented before) was the beginner-grade Epiphone take on the P-bass. (My instrument retailer had one in cherry finish and one in ebony finish; I bought the one in cherry and later that same month so schoolmate in concert playing the one in ebony.) It was decent, but I didn’t take too long to figure out that I really wanted the J-bass for both the slimmer neck and the tonal selection of both pickups. In June 2000, I bought myself a Deluxe Active J-bass and sold the P-bass copy to my lead vocalist at the time. I played that J-bass from then through January 2019. I also remember jamming with the guy in Washington Square after I came to live in New York City who let me his J-bass for a few songs. I was stunned to discover he had attached a P-bass neck to it and also that I was able to navigate it after so many years being accustomed to my J-bass with its customary neck. Something which has always puzzled me is the difference between the traditional single coil pick up in the J-bass vs. the split coil pickup in the P-bass. I know the difference between a single coil and a humbucker, but what makes the split coil different?
I think a jazz usually stands out more in the mix. That's why I usually go for a P. That said my go to is a 90s deluxe P with active and a Humbucking bridge with both rolled up full and a slight mid boost, so I'm pretty clueless! After about 15 years of that I borrowed a Mexican jazz for about a year which I fell in love with. The neck was just easier as you say. I don't know. I love them all. What do you think about Gibson Thunderbirds? The neck is tiny, the body unwieldy, but the sound on modern ones is indeed thunderous.
As you said, each one makes you play differently, creating, imagining different lines. Not only the sound but primarily the feel: I would suggest to have both
I bought a Fender PJ with a P body and a Geddy Lee Jazz neck. Jazz pickup on the bridge and Precision pickup on the neck. It has a killer tone with either pickup and sound wicked when you play with both wide open.
I was very lucky to get a brand new Fender Player Jazz bass on clearance for $670. Love it even though I'm an amateur at playing bass. Nice too since recently learned I can have a Jazz bass sound like a Precision bass but a Precision bass cannot sound like a Jazz bass.
My thoughts are this, depending on your style depends on the bass you play, when I play my P bass I think punk, rock, metal. Jazz basses, I think funk, jazz. I have a P bass, and several basses with a variety of different brands of humbuckers, from EMG on my Epiphone goth thunder bird, (yes I swapped out the pick up) to my Ibanez with Bartolini humbucker, and my Yamaha BBN5A. They all sound different.
Fender P '73 for a studio, Xotic PJ5 for live gigs. I just can't be without the P low mids :-). It took many years and many $$. Let's see if that is the last step of my bass preferences :-).
Scott, I own both models. Play both almost equally with the Jazz Bass having a slight edge. My faves are a Fender MIJ P Bass (early 80’s Reissue Series) and a Fender MIJ 75’ Reissue Jazz Bass (1996).
I have both they are very different but together you can cover a lot of ground. I’ve been playing since 1959 so I remember when the Deluxe bass first showed up and soon after was called the Jazz Bass . Neither is better but it’s nice to have both sometimes it boils down to the sound that fits the song better for that particular moment in time .
My first bass was bought by my parents when I was 17, today I'm 44. It was a previously used bass, which according to what I was told, belonged to a very recognized heavy metal bassist in my country (which I appreciated at the time since I'm a heavy metal bassist myself), but honestly, I think it was something they said to make the sale. This bass is custom-made, it doesn't have a commercial brand, and it's a mix between a P Bass and a J Bass, very strange. It has the body of a J Bass but with 2 pickups that look like humbuckers, but they are single coil, a very strange configuration. Also, the neck has only 21 frets. Recently, I asked a luthier to transform it into a fretless bass, and now it sounds very particular. It sounds kinda bad, of course, it's a very cheap bass, but it looks very good after transforming it into a fretless bass., but in terms of sound, I think it's in the middle of a P Bass and a J Bass. So, I like them both :)
I've been playing a jazz bass for almost 10 years and love it. I started out on a big old five string and as soon as I got the Jazz four string, I knew I'd found my instrument.
My first bass was an active Ibanez BTB bass with 2 humbuckers and 3-way EQ. It sounded great for pretty much everything, but slap! Regardless of all my attempts to get a great slappy sound out of it - it just didn't sound well. Then, I've tried a Squire CV 70s Jazz Bass and immediately fell in love with it! It was cheaper, has had no preamp (passive) and "just 3 knobs". But what it sounded like was so much impressive, and not only the slap sounds, but actually everything! And last but not least I really learned to like the simplicity of a passive Jazz Bass: there are just 3 "base" sounds (both pickups, only neck and only bridge) plus some modulation via the tone control. You don't need to take first 20 minutes before playing to get the "right" sound by pulling on the 5 knobs of an active bass, the sound just comes "out of the box" right away and I love it! :)
Several years ago I decided I needed a Fender bass in my stable. I thought I wanted a Jazz bass and played a bunch of them, and never found "the one". Then one day I was at a store that has a nice P bass marked down. I picked it up, plugged it in, and instantly realized that it was a P that I wanted and not a J at all. I still have it. 😊
I have owned 2 P-Basses over the years. My son has the first one I bought. When I was hunting for second bass, I tried a Jazz, a PJ and a P. After and hour or so, I found that the P-Bass is what suited me the best. I liked the wider neck width and the simplicity of the controls. I play mostly classic rock and blues oriented songs. 🎸😎
Almost all of my basses are Fender Jazz Basses. But I do have one P Bass with a Jazz Bass neck on it that is actually my second favorite bass of the bunch.
I’ve only played for a few years and haven’t grown as a bass player as I’d like to have because I still mainly play electric guitar. I’ve played a P bass for the first few years, but I recently traded in for a J bass. Both are great basses, and you can’t go wrong. I want to start putting my guitar down more and pick up my bass and strictly be a bass player. Any comments on specializing in the one instrument over the other?
Leo Fender really nailed it EVERYTIME he came out with a new bass..p bass...jazz bass..the stingray....he knew what we musicians needed and made just that! I prefer to have both myself, the pbass is the Swiss army knife of basses it'll fit in no matter what..jazz basses are the same but do fit in some genres better than others
I exclusively play a self-designed Franken-Fender fretless jazz bass, '66 fretless Fender Jazz neck, with a JB Player jazz body, active EMG pick-ups, Schaller tuning keys, Kahler bridge, and Ernie Ball flatwound strings. I've been playing bass for forty-four years. I played my maestros Jazz about forty years ago and fell for the neck, I have small hands and the neck just seemed to make playing easier. At the same time, I was introduced to Joco's playing. I liked the tight sound and speed playing from the bridge pick-up. I also fell for the sound, and later the feel of the fretless neck. Consequently, my buddy who happened to own his own guitar shop was on the lookout for a fretless Jazz neck, he found one called me, and it was the start of my thirty-seven-year exclusive relationship with my self-designed Jazz bass.
I started out on guitar and got serious about bass after my oldest brother Angelo died. Mom wanted me to have his Jazz bass. I got really into bass and even played more gigs on bass than guitar for a while. It’s a way to keep my brother close to me.
Wow, inspirational man! Thankyou for sharing 🧡🙌🏻
Didn’t know I was going to cry over bass guitar today, but here we are.
@@holliswebb no need for tears. It’s just life. I wish you the best.
That is a beautiful way to keep his spirit alive. Love this
😢
I started out gigging on Jazz style basses. Loved them. Then I noticed the more professional recording work I did, the more I started gravitating to P basses. Now I’m pretty much full time P bass. I think Jazz basses sound better by themselves, but P basses tend to sound better in the mix. Strange sort of conundrum! Also, P basses help me not overplay with those chunky necks, particularly the vintage style ones I record the most. No wrong answer here :)
That's a great point about the P neck encouraging you to play more simple lines
Jazz is way more playable.
If you could only have one the rest of time, jazz is easy.
I think it's more about how all sound engineers know what to do with the P bass to make it sound good in the mix. It's a standard.
This testimony has left me more confused
And P bass has that thumpy low end so you just don't overplay, cause you can fill the universe just with one note
My first bass was a Jazz bass, then bought all sorts of active/fretless fancy ones 5/6 strings until recently I got a p bass. Turns out that's what I was looking for all along
Same here, I have been through many basses over the years but P bass is what I wanted all along and now the vintage fenders have become out of reach, should have bought one 15 years ago when the price wasnt so high.
Fifty yrs. ago I wrestled with a Gibson EB the guitar player had, I bought a P & it changed everything. Then got a Jazz, I only played J basses after that. Around 10 years back on a whim I bought a P bass new, through the mail! thing was like $1700 bucks! But it plays so nice and the tone is perfect, I think the pickup placement is the thing on a P bass
@@rogerhouston3209 That is the one feature that stands out to me above my StingRay (it makes it easier for me to play dynamically). I will probably break down and buy a G&L down the road for the trifecta (they have the center pickup placement too).
I had one...once. That was enough, it has a "pigeon-hole" sound...BORING.
Ha same experience P bass rules. Jazz sits in the closet.
When my teen daughter wanted to take up the bass after a few years on the guitar, I got here a Squire PJ bass (P body, jazz bridge pickup combined with P-pass pickup) with a jazz bass style neck. Seemed like a good combo then and still does.
I have the PJ Jaguar, and it feels like I have both options at all times. I usually play with the precision pickup, but I'll dial up the jazz volume to get various options. It's got the J bass neck and J bass control panel, but the thick pick up. It's a brilliant best of both worlds solution.
That is a good compromise. The only one that I like better is jazz bridge pickup with a neck musicman pickup. The musicman sounds like a bolder p-bass and can be split to essentially a jazz pickup. The musicman pickup being wired in parallel also makes it not significantly louder. I too prefer the narrower nut of a jazz bass.
Worst of both worlds, straight P is better.
@@ushnicyuvnikof2748 Not quite. I have P, J and PJ. Nothing apart from a P does the real P bass sound. The PJ is a halfway house between P and J even with the bridge pickup rolled right down. It will do the J bass sound much more convincingly, though. It is, however, quite versatile. If you want the full fat P bass sound, you need a P, but for everything else, the PJ works well.
@Ushnic Yuvnikov
If it has Precision pickups (which you obviously prefer) and a Jazz pickup (which you obviously don't) how could it be the "Worst of both worlds?"
Statistically I don’t know the actual breakdown of popularity but in owning a owning my own music shop, I move P-Basses three to one. It’s almost as if the name “Jazz Bass” scares my clientele to the P-Bass. Nothing scientific, just many years of observations. Good stuff, thank you!
I agree, but in my experience with playing funk, rock, soul, r&b etc... the Jazz bass is the popular choice. I absolutely love both and I own many high end bass guitars 🎸. For "Motor Town" music 'Motown records' the precision bass is the weapon of choice... in my humble opinion. I love all music 🎶! No favorites.
I'm actually surprised by that. Almost every bassist I've ever known has played jazz basses, as well as others, but I don't think I know anybody personally that plays a P-bass. Lots of people playing PJs but not fender p-basses. As a guitarist primarily I just got a player series p-bass and I love it so much. It isn't quite as versatile as my PJ but it just feels and sounds so good!
I would recommend owning both, I have a couple jazz basses -a Squier paranormal and a 70s jazz and a Fender 50s Vintera p bass and a Squier classic vibe 60s p. If you can only do one bass it’s really players choice. I love the 50s p but it has a huge neck and that is a turnoff for a lot people.
@@donnix1192 absolutely. One day I'll pick up a j-bass but the budget won't allow it at the moment. I love the burpy jazz pickup sound, but I've always preferred a p-bass with the tone rolled all the way down.
Glenn Matlock said he plays a P-Bass because if you play a Jazz people think you know what you’re doing!
I have to take a minute to appreciate the genius of Leo Fender. His first electric bass guitar was the P-bass. How did he get so much right on his first try?
Well it’s probably because of his experience of making electronic guitars
Beginner's luck.
Tips were given by some outside of this world, same as violin 🎻.
He was the ultimate tinkerer. He would tell you that he didn't get it right the first try.
He made several prototypes and got feedback from guitarists and double bassists.
The P went through a complete redesign 6 years later.
But yes, he was a genius. My favorite four bass designs, all by him.
There's one important aspect to mention as well. The PBs split coil is humbucking, which is one of the reasons why (pointed by others) it is preferred by technicians (studio/gig). JB single coils need a proper shielding or you will get a lot of hum.
I got one of the active PJ Deluxes & the JB bridge pup is noiseless. I tend to have the blend knob ever so slightly panned towards the JB pup & it gives that JB definition while maintaining the full roundness of the PB. Very good bass indeed.
Iv been thinking pb is single coil
You're right and wrong at the same time :) Each of the two PB pickups is a single coil, but they're wired together to form a hum cancelling pickup (using the same principle like regular humbuckers).
@FunkyMonk6 Yep, I know that and the physical mechanism behind. Yet the PB pickup is not called a humbucker, but split coil (which kind of makes sense). I know many people are still confused by the split coil setup, so just wanted to point that out.
Well, I get your point, but I don't think you get mine. Worthless to argue over this any longer. Have a good day, mate.
Great video pointing out the differences between the 2 most influential and iconic basses ever made. Note that the 70s jazz basses have the bridge pickup placed closer to the bridge for that brighter, more pingy sound. It’s subtle, but I definitely noticed a difference from my 2010 jazz bass to my current custom build jazz bass with the CBS/70s bridge pickup position.
He has got like 125 videos on the same topic
That tiny little difference sure does make a surprisingly big impact on tone!
Ive been plqying bass for 13 years and always preferred jazz basses until I bought a fender player series p bass 18 months ago. Since then its the only bass i use for practically everything, from gigging to recording it just works.
For me, I was always convinced that I preferred jazz bass, and for years I’d play them at music stores and never want to take them home. I finally decided to try a precision bass, specifically a PJ precision bass, and I just couldn’t put it down. Haven’t looked back since.
I have and love them both. I slightly prefer the jazz bass over p-bass because it’s more versatile. You can get close to the p-bass tone with just the neck pickup on a jazz. Still, it really comes down to preference.
That neck pick up trick doesn't really sound like a P. The P is supreme.
You can get pretty close with flats and the tone rolled down a bit - definitely not the same of course, but you may be able to fool some people…
@Dan Asher I also hear a soy burger taste pretty close to a real burger. Does that mean I'll oder the soy burger. No.
@@CC-fi3pp and I’m a vegetarian, so I’ll go for the questionable imitation!
I have both. Both have their place. If you want a p tone, you really need a p bass. However the jazz is more versatile and I play it more easily with the slimmer neck. If I struggle on my p learning something new, I can usually pick it up quicker and easier on my jazz. I like variety in the stable but everyone has that one they won’t part with and for me it’s my jazz. It’s just the more comfortable of the two for me. I really want a pj with a jazz neck to round out the collection.
I have both basses, and personally I prefer the P-bass sound over the J-bass. And I totally agree that the P is a little bit tough than the J, in terms of playability. And TBF, my main bass is a P bass with a J neck, and to me this is the perfect combo.
Duck Dunn played a Precision Bass with a Jazz Bass neck and aways used flat wound strings.
@@Cap683 I'm just a simple at home bass player, but I'm actually now putting together a P bass with a jazz neck and La Bella flat wounds. i started out with a passive jazz bass in the 90's. My next bass was a 5 string active jazz bass. I then moved to a Squier active PJ bass which is the bass I play all the time now. The bass I'm putting together now will be a passive P bass. It's weird because lots of other people in the comments also gravitated towards P basses.
I started out on P Bass. I played it for most of my musical career, but drifted into Jazz Bass territory later on. Now I use either depending on the gig (or my mood at the time). You can never have too many basses.😁
You're damn right Frank!
I have one of each. My jazz bass is a thing of joy with multiple tone options that fill my heart. My P bass is from 1993, was my first bass and holds a ton of memories. Love them both.
No! You must choose
I have both, but so loved the Jazz Bridge pickup that I've come to the conclusion (that many have) that a P/J combination is right for me.
I'm a guitarist, so my bass skills are minimal, but I bought a Jazz Bass a couple of years ago just for home recording and I really love it, I've used it on everything from soul, blues, and rock to edm and even on orchestral scores, so it's versatility can't be emphasised enough..... but I am also itching to buy a P Bass right now.
@ghost mall nah, u just rich & weak. Talent & work will never be for sale.
@5:41 I think the P-bass is the most recorded bass if that's any indication of popularity.
I have both and play both but I always end up back with the Jazz, my first love.
Love and have them both, but P (with flats on it) is my main go to instrument. I love the super stable fat neck, and the simple, round, oldschool tone.
2:40 - I disagree! I find the P-Body way more comfortable. Especially while playing it resting on your leg, the J-Offset-Body is endangered to cause neckdive...
I started playing a few months ago and faced the same conundrum. I bought a Yamaha TRBX174 with both precision and jazz pick-ups which gives best of both worlds and let’s me murder a range of different styles and tunes.
I love and have both Precision and Jazz basses, have been a J-type player for decades and discovered a new thrill with the P-bass these last years. I would say it all depends on the context of the music, but if there is more than one saturated guitar involved, I go for the Precision.
P Bass all the way. I love how responsive the tone control is on its singular pickup, nothing beats the simplicity of it. Jazz Basses are the next best thing IMO, it's all love.
When I started bass I went for a Fender Jazz bass, but have always wondered if I should have went the P-Bass route. Thanks for a great video explaining the difference, I'm happy I went for a Jazz Bass, but tbh I still find the controls for blending the pickups on a Jazz Bass puzzling!
I love the versatility of a J Bass, but the tone of a P Bass just works in more of the contexts in which I work. I currently use a P/J.
Hey, I started on a PJ Squire! It's good enough as a starter's instrument and allows you to set the bass for each type of pickup or both. Bass is a hobby for me so I'm not that worried, but for a bassist looking for a bigger commitment its key to decide which type of bass is best for the music they want to play. Great video Scott!
PJ is the way to go for learners and hobbyists , I have one as well but I never use the bridge pu,
I love both of them as they are unique sound wise to each other, but I think I'd have to say, the P Bass is the most popular, as it has been recorded on so many things through history, and tends to sit fatter in the mix.
The P is a 🐐🐐🐐 in the studio!
My main bass is a Rick 4001 with Rotosound strings, but I wanted something thumpier for R&B and ska but didn't want the neck to feel too different moving back and forth. A Jazz with flat-wounds was perfect.
Did you start on the 4001? Just curious, because my first dive into bass was listening to McCartney and wanting to get the sound he did out of his Ric. I spent a lot of my early years playing 4001's because of McCartney and Chris Squire. I bought a 4003 and ended up putting the 4001 away, but always switched between the 4003 and the Jazz bass. I thought I was Squire and JPJ all rolled into one....what a sad individual I was! 🤣🤣🤣
4001 has the chunkiest neck of them all, and people have flown all over those playing prog and punk since the 60s
@@Scottie_S I did start on the 4001, not because I was trying for anything specific, but because that was the bass I had. I was a guitar player first and found myself in a band with lots of guitar players but no bass. I switched over and never looked back.
Saving up for an American Precision II. Currently rocking a Yamaha TRBX304. I love the versatility of the active bass, but I'm ready for a more mature sound. Honestly, it's because I'm a brass player first and a bassist second. I'm used to working with instruments that have a consistent, reliable tone. That's why I'm making sure my first pro bass is a P-bass -- it's just my style.
Get one--you won't regret it!
@@jasonjump6019 roger that!✌
My first bass is a Squier 1975 vintageJazz Bass, and I love it.
But sometimes i feel, i need a P Bass too.😍
Thanks for a video. Greetings from Hungary.👍
I learnt on a P-Bass copy, as i started getting more technical I found myself naturally moving to Jazz. Having said that, a good player will make anything sound good.
I have both and wouldn't want to give up either of them. Thank you, Leo.
For most of the stuff I play, a P-bass is all I need, but when I want to do a lot of fast slap & pop playing, I go for P&J basses to get a little of both worlds.
I got a jazz bass for the neck
I have a pj Ibanez, it’s really cheap but works. I wanna get a Jazz bass next for sure cuz I can get more tones
If you like the pbass body or sound a Jazz neck fits on a Pbass and vice versa
I got a custom made BITE with a PJ config in a jazz bass body....sounds and feels amazing. However coming from a 5 string background I kinda prefer the chunky p bass neck.....
Same , moved to a J cos of the neck and role off the bridge pickup 😅
I got a P for the neck
I have both but my go-to is mostly the Precision. One reason is I usually prefer the P-bass necks, and I just love that sound. Some may call it a one-trick-pony, and it is true that the J-bass may offer a wider range of sounds, but most of the time when I play the Jazz, I end up dialling it in to make it sound the closest to the Precision sound. 😂 In terms of the way a bass feels, I’ve always bonded more with P-basses than with the J-basses. Still, I totally get why so many would prefer the Jazz.
j-bass might have more "possible" sounds but generally you are going to just play with all the knobs turned up anyways. if you want your j to sound more like a p you should just play a p
I don’t think the p-bass is a one-trick pony. You can get a lot of mileage from just the tone knob and adjusting your fingers.
You can make a p quack a lot more by playing right next to the bridge, or fatten it up by going towards the neck.
A single pickup instrument is only as versatile as the player wielding it!
I never liked super skinny necks so I have two P basses - a 1964 P bass, one piece body, rosewood fretboard, with a pair of jazz bass EMGs in 60s positioning and an American Standard stock P bass, maple neck/fretboard with flats. Couldn't be happier 😊
After my 2nd G&L ASAT bass(MFD pickups) the only things that mattered was weight, color and neck profile. I went Custom Shop with my 3rd and 4th G&L basses. Stuck to the 9.5 profile as I cannot get used to other neck profiles. No matter what bass you have, you are at the mercy of the sound system so the ability to tweak/adapt is more important than what bass you use.
Awesome dude!
Absolutely hands down for me it must be the Jazz. Two factors influence my choice. 1. Thinner neck (I have really small hands) helps, plus the bridge pickup is a huge incentive for me as well. I just want the pink one... haha
I play a honer headless, a wood copy of the Steinberger, best of both worlds. Also use a pick, sounds better than any fender
I struggled with bass when I bought my fender. At the time I thought it was a good fit when I tried it but I didn't know anything. I made it work but it was rough. I then got a Ubass 18 years later. I nearly cried. "I can play this thing." After watching several videos, I dug out my old bass. I discovered the action was set so high I am amazed there were not birds resting on the strings. I write this for the noob so they don't buy the first thing they get their hands on. Bass is fun but a poorly set up bass is frustration.
You could have the action adjusted on your old fender and it would be a sweet playing instrument.
@@forrestmanueljr9196 I confedered it but I am not in a group anymore so it is not a high priority. I also got hooked on a tenor Ukulele so I have been exploring that lately.
I have a PJ Jag bass that I absolutely love to play. Most times though I have the J pickup dialed down and just play through the P pups. Not sure how it compares when it comes to the neck profile.
It all depends on what sounds you are going for. In my opinion the P- bass is a one trick pony where the Jazz bass has more tonal options. Just my opinion, please all P-bass lovers don’t attack me. Haha And FYI , I have both.
as a P-bass owner I agree with you, that’s the reason I love it. it’s so simple yet brilliant.
@@rafsnchz Perfect answer. You really can’t go wrong with either.
I bought a Jazz bass about 35 years ago, which I still play. Never felt the need to even try something else. It just never disappoints me. Plug it in, and the soundcheck takes about 10 seconds.
I understand it's not 'classical ' enough, but why is there no mention of the PJ combo? Maybe I missed it, but I haven't found any video by Scott analyzing this option - it's always J vs P.
Please, Scott, would be nice to see you comparing it to Jazz, for example.
It's a low-effort filler video with no new information. Easy content.
It’s personal preference really. I have owned 2 vintage fenders for many years. A ‘58 p bass and a ‘60 jazz bass. Both have their own good points. Every song and musical genre is different. I like being able to choose which of those fender basses fits the gig and specific music style needed.
I also own some nice boutique basses. And they all have their own sound and personality.
If you’re a ‘ purist’ you may not agree. But like I said .. it’s really personal preference. Whatever works best for you. IMHO ..the hands and technique are really the main difference.
They're both perfect for what they're programmed to do. They are not the same.
Not the same but interchangeable
I always wanted the body of a P bass with PJ configuration , but that had the thin neck of a jazz bass with the block inlays, good thing, I found exactly what i was looking for lol a Fender precision bass special deluxe series blablabla its not from the highest tiers but man its just what i was looking for, plays and sounds amazing! i love it
I have quite a few Jazz basses and 4 Precisions. The J neck profile from the late 60's through the mid 70's fits my hand the best, and that, coupled with the string spacing allows me the most effortless, efficient, and comfortable playability.
Plus, the tone variations available, and a nicer aesthetic sold me decades ago. YMMV.
Edit to add, playing out at many Open jams and seeing a fair number of bands playing classic rock, blues, R&B, etc., in the Bay area, Jazz basses outnumber Precisions by at least four to one.
I have a Dean bass with P&J pickups and find myself playing the P most often. That said, when I bought my Fender Jazz bass I absolutely fell in love with it.
I am what you might call a 15 year beginner. You know the guy who sits in for a song or two and then gets busy with life and doesn’t touch his bass for a year or two.
So I don’t have a ton of bass experience but I do love my Geddy Lee signature.
Plays great and sounds awesome.
I have had both, but the P is what people want. The chunkiest is actually an advantage for me, as the P bass will take being played hard and give great dynamics, whereas I have to be gentler on the jazz. The area where the jazz shape shines, though, is fretless. The two pickup arrangement suits that.
I have a '64 Red JB, a '62 reissue, and a couple of Squiers. Drummer in one band I was in had a PB, so I got to play both basses. PB is a Chevy. Simple and solid. JB is a Pontiac. Bit more variety and flash. I agree with you on the neck differences.
I quit playing Bass… so my First bass was a cheap pj bass with 24 frets my second bass was a p Bass …sold this stuff and i am done
I realized a few years ago that it's actually a "deep" neck I don't like, and not a wide one. I used to think I didn't like the width of the P Bass neck at the nut. But then I played some P basses that were still wide but had a shallower neck front to back. Perfectly comfortable. In fact, maybe even more so than the jazz bass because of the extra space between the strings.
I'm not sure what neck shape it is that I hate so much. Google tells me it's a "vintage C" or maybe a "U." That would make sense. I have a precision with a modern C-shaped neck, and I love it.
P-Bass with a Jazz neck and flatwounds all the way to the bank. Respect Jaco and Miller etc. and the other virtuoso's but their music doesn't speak to me so not a player of that genre.
Great explanation of both the P bass and J bass…thanks!!! I have a P bass and if I played bass full-time I might consider changing to the J bass as I like the increased versatility it offers.
Great comparison!
For me, the jazz neck pup just ain’t it.
I play an American pj bass with a jazz neck. Been a great bass for me. I use the pbass pickup alone 90% of the time but the bridge pup does add some punch if you ever find yourself in need. And of course the bridge pup soloed is fun for the jaco stuff.
For me - p bass is the clear winner but it doesn’t hurt to have both in your arsenal.
If you can only have one get a pj for the win!
Both. I do tend to gravitate more towards a jazz in both live and studio scenarios. However, with my Jazz (62), I play with both pickups full but my tone rolled off to about 50% (sometimes more, sometimes less)and pair that with an Avalon U5 or a Shaw Audio Tube Injection. It’s a great idea to have both of these basses, especially if you’re looking at doing studio work.
P bass body with a Jazz neck is very comfortable. I find p basses rest a bit more stable if I'm sitting / recording, almost like a Telecaster. Though I do like smaller instruments, so my current all round fav are Mustang basses.
Same here. My go to is a P body with a Jazz neck.
Curiously nowadays I prefer the wider neck of the P, I think it actually works better for me ergonomically (and I don’t have giant hands). When I started out I much preferred skinny J bass necks. I do remember not wanting to play a Jazz bass because I was a metaller back then!
P bass vs Jazz Bass = PJ BASS 🚀🚀🚀
Ibáñez Talman ❤
Awesome and super helpful vid! Love you and your channel! 😊
For me it’s kinda like the P-Bass is more like the original “Back to the Future” (a classic/the foundation), and the Jazz Bass is more like “BTTF part 2” (more room to be more creative since the foundation has already been laid). Hehe, I dunno:) Just like the movies, I love em BOTH and can’t imagine one without the other:) Wait a minute, what does that make “BTTF part 3” then? Hehe❤
If you can only own one bass, then a jazz bass or PJ is better than a precision. The versatility of tones, allows you to play more styles of music.
I'm a guitar player/composer and in my own studio other than my guitars I have keyboards, percussion and more.
As for basses, I just decided I needed BOTH, so I recently added a PJ (with Flat wounds) to my Jazz (with round wounds)
The versatility of Jazz Bass is unbeatable. As cool and signature as the sound of the P-bass is, you can get 90% of that tone with the J-bass... and still have all the awesome range that bass gives you. Cheers
I have a Marcus Miller Jazz bass and an American performer mustang bass. The mustang is short scale and sort of a mix of P and jazz🙂 I really like both of them and feel lucky I have them❤️🤗 Really looking forward to try out the bass on a near future jam somewhere😃 Thank you for a great channel👍
Stingray all the way
My first bass was an active 5 string, but my second was a pj. While I enjoy the sound of a P with flatwounds more, I do think the jazz is more versatile as an instrument. Ultimately though any professional session bassist will own both. You can get versions of both for quite low prices and neither can truly sound like the other. If you have to choose one, pick the one you like the sound of more.
I started playing Bass again last year, after a 40 year break. Basically starting from scratch. I went to a retailer, with a budget in mind of £700 max. I was there for 2 hours trying different basses, the only one from around 10 I tried, was a Markbass GV4. A Jazz bass with a preamp. Love it and probably play at least 15 hours a week. I could not get on with a P bass. Didn't have much flexibility in my hands.
Last week I bought a P bass. Loving that too. Sire P5. No issues after a year of building technique and flexibility. Love both, loving being a Bassist again and loving SBL.
got lots of jazz basses. got one precision and its a killer! planing on getting another p w/rosewood' since mine is maple. as far as i know p bass is the most recorded, jazz coming at close second.
That's a very intuitive way to explain what the tone control is to a beginner: it's your mouth, when it's open you sound open, when it's closed you sound closed.
💯💯💯
Thanks for the great videos you put out! I have been thinking about learning bass, and skimming your YT vids the last few days. I was just watching this comparison while looking at local listings and made a deal on a local P-bass package I am picking up tomorrow based on information in this video.
Good job, Scott 👏 I have both of them as P bass, J bass and J bass fretless... Use them depends on what kind of style I should play 😊
Cheers!
Started learning bass a few years ago, started with guitar as a kid. Ended up with a PJ bass, and personally love it. I call it the pajama bass lol. My drummer friend was really surprised at how meaty the tone is on the PJ
My first bass was a Squier Jazz. My first high-end bass was a Warwick Corvette standard with j-style single coils. All my other basses have been 2 humbuckers. I've never owned a P, but I soon will own a Kiesel Vogt, which is a 24 fret 6 string (their Vanquish body shape) with 2 P style pickups in the neck and bridge positions. I'm looking forward to delving into the P-style world
Are you playing bass in February 1996. My first one (as I’ve commented before) was the beginner-grade Epiphone take on the P-bass. (My instrument retailer had one in cherry finish and one in ebony finish; I bought the one in cherry and later that same month so schoolmate in concert playing the one in ebony.) It was decent, but I didn’t take too long to figure out that I really wanted the J-bass for both the slimmer neck and the tonal selection of both pickups. In June 2000, I bought myself a Deluxe Active J-bass and sold the P-bass copy to my lead vocalist at the time. I played that J-bass from then through January 2019.
I also remember jamming with the guy in Washington Square after I came to live in New York City who let me his J-bass for a few songs. I was stunned to discover he had attached a P-bass neck to it and also that I was able to navigate it after so many years being accustomed to my J-bass with its customary neck.
Something which has always puzzled me is the difference between the traditional single coil pick up in the J-bass vs. the split coil pickup in the P-bass. I know the difference between a single coil and a humbucker, but what makes the split coil different?
Have both, the Jazz bass neck fits me perfectly. If I could only have one it would be the Jazz Bass hands down.
I think a jazz usually stands out more in the mix. That's why I usually go for a P. That said my go to is a 90s deluxe P with active and a Humbucking bridge with both rolled up full and a slight mid boost, so I'm pretty clueless! After about 15 years of that I borrowed a Mexican jazz for about a year which I fell in love with. The neck was just easier as you say. I don't know. I love them all. What do you think about Gibson Thunderbirds? The neck is tiny, the body unwieldy, but the sound on modern ones is indeed thunderous.
Definitely…both! Four or five, why not, of each one😊
As you said, each one makes you play differently, creating, imagining different lines. Not only the sound but primarily the feel: I would suggest to have both
I bought a Fender PJ with a P body and a Geddy Lee Jazz neck. Jazz pickup on the bridge and Precision pickup on the neck. It has a killer tone with either pickup and sound wicked when you play with both wide open.
I was very lucky to get a brand new Fender Player Jazz bass on clearance for $670. Love it even though I'm an amateur at playing bass. Nice too since recently learned I can have a Jazz bass sound like a Precision bass but a Precision bass cannot sound like a Jazz bass.
Played a 1971 Fender Jazz Bass for most of my career. Also had a 1988 Steinberger which was really tonally versatile.
Awesome dude! Thanks for sharing!
Is that Dingwall the NG3 you gave away? Looks awesome without the pick guard.
Hello. I have a J-Bass and I really like the sound of the P-Bass. One question: Is there a J-Bass neck pickup that sounds similar to a P-Bass?
My thoughts are this, depending on your style depends on the bass you play, when I play my P bass I think punk, rock, metal.
Jazz basses, I think funk, jazz.
I have a P bass, and several basses with a variety of different brands of humbuckers, from EMG on my Epiphone goth thunder bird, (yes I swapped out the pick up) to my Ibanez with Bartolini humbucker, and my Yamaha BBN5A. They all sound different.
Jazz! I love the tone with both pickups wide open. And with just a bridge pickup on... Oh my
Fender P '73 for a studio, Xotic PJ5 for live gigs. I just can't be without the P low mids :-). It took many years and many $$. Let's see if that is the last step of my bass preferences :-).
Scott, I own both models. Play both almost equally with the Jazz Bass having a slight edge. My faves are a Fender MIJ P Bass (early 80’s Reissue Series) and a Fender MIJ 75’ Reissue Jazz Bass (1996).
I have both they are very different but together you can cover a lot of ground. I’ve been playing since 1959 so I remember when the Deluxe bass first showed up and soon after was called the Jazz Bass . Neither is better but it’s nice to have both sometimes it boils down to the sound that fits the song better for that particular moment in time .
Is there any reason not to look at a P-J bass? I've owned and loved several of them. Interested in why they're not featured. Great vids!
My first bass was bought by my parents when I was 17, today I'm 44. It was a previously used bass, which according to what I was told, belonged to a very recognized heavy metal bassist in my country (which I appreciated at the time since I'm a heavy metal bassist myself), but honestly, I think it was something they said to make the sale. This bass is custom-made, it doesn't have a commercial brand, and it's a mix between a P Bass and a J Bass, very strange. It has the body of a J Bass but with 2 pickups that look like humbuckers, but they are single coil, a very strange configuration. Also, the neck has only 21 frets. Recently, I asked a luthier to transform it into a fretless bass, and now it sounds very particular. It sounds kinda bad, of course, it's a very cheap bass, but it looks very good after transforming it into a fretless bass., but in terms of sound, I think it's in the middle of a P Bass and a J Bass. So, I like them both :)
I've been playing a jazz bass for almost 10 years and love it. I started out on a big old five string and as soon as I got the Jazz four string, I knew I'd found my instrument.
My first bass was an active Ibanez BTB bass with 2 humbuckers and 3-way EQ. It sounded great for pretty much everything, but slap! Regardless of all my attempts to get a great slappy sound out of it - it just didn't sound well. Then, I've tried a Squire CV 70s Jazz Bass and immediately fell in love with it! It was cheaper, has had no preamp (passive) and "just 3 knobs". But what it sounded like was so much impressive, and not only the slap sounds, but actually everything! And last but not least I really learned to like the simplicity of a passive Jazz Bass: there are just 3 "base" sounds (both pickups, only neck and only bridge) plus some modulation via the tone control. You don't need to take first 20 minutes before playing to get the "right" sound by pulling on the 5 knobs of an active bass, the sound just comes "out of the box" right away and I love it! :)
I've got a Fender Squire Affinity P Bass. It has both a P-Bass pickup and a J-Bass pickup
Several years ago I decided I needed a Fender bass in my stable. I thought I wanted a Jazz bass and played a bunch of them, and never found "the one". Then one day I was at a store that has a nice P bass marked down. I picked it up, plugged it in, and instantly realized that it was a P that I wanted and not a J at all. I still have it. 😊
What about the pj bass?
I have owned 2 P-Basses over the years. My son has the first one I bought. When I was hunting for second bass, I tried a Jazz, a PJ and a P. After and hour or so, I found that the P-Bass is what suited me the best. I liked the wider neck width and the simplicity of the controls. I play mostly classic rock and blues oriented songs. 🎸😎
I play classic rock and blues mostly and its p bass all the way for me
Almost all of my basses are Fender Jazz Basses. But I do have one P Bass with a Jazz Bass neck on it that is actually my second favorite bass of the bunch.
I’ve only played for a few years and haven’t grown as a bass player as I’d like to have because I still mainly play electric guitar. I’ve played a P bass for the first few years, but I recently traded in for a J bass. Both are great basses, and you can’t go wrong. I want to start putting my guitar down more and pick up my bass and strictly be a bass player. Any comments on specializing in the one instrument over the other?
Leo Fender really nailed it EVERYTIME he came out with a new bass..p bass...jazz bass..the stingray....he knew what we musicians needed and made just that! I prefer to have both myself, the pbass is the Swiss army knife of basses it'll fit in no matter what..jazz basses are the same but do fit in some genres better than others
I exclusively play a self-designed Franken-Fender fretless jazz bass, '66 fretless Fender Jazz neck, with a JB Player jazz body, active EMG pick-ups, Schaller tuning keys, Kahler bridge, and Ernie Ball flatwound strings. I've been playing bass for forty-four years. I played my maestros Jazz about forty years ago and fell for the neck, I have small hands and the neck just seemed to make playing easier. At the same time, I was introduced to Joco's playing. I liked the tight sound and speed playing from the bridge pick-up. I also fell for the sound, and later the feel of the fretless neck. Consequently, my buddy who happened to own his own guitar shop was on the lookout for a fretless Jazz neck, he found one called me, and it was the start of my thirty-seven-year exclusive relationship with my self-designed Jazz bass.