jazzyvee

Don't get me wrong, I'm not suddenly going out to buy a Fender P, it's just that this was the first one that Ive heard live that had a sound I could recognise from what people on forums have described as a classic P-Bass tone. In actual fact I have had my own Alembic P-style bass for about 11 years and it sounds awesome, but when I bought it I was more of a guitarist and wanted a bass for writing and I knew nothing about P-basses and their distinctive tone. I've done a few gigs with it and used it on jam/open mic sessions but I have to say it gets the least playing time since it has a particular tone that for me doesn't fit with most of the stuff I do. http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/35752.jpg

In the past I'd never really paid much attention to P-basses, when I'd heard them on gigs they pretty much didn't move me at all, but on Saturday night I had a gig at a 60th birthday playing bass with a Stevie Wonder Tribute band. The birthday boy played in his trio before we hit the stage and had a well used and loved i guess Fender P-bass and man...... the sound was incredible. Full warm and punchy just the kind of sound I read that so many on here love about them and not the dull thud I'd been hearing a lot in the past!

At the risk of exposing my ignorance about these two basses, I'd be inclined to swap the necks and get the maple neck on the jazz bass then sell the P bass. 🙂

Wow, that must be a hard choice to make when it doesn't sound like you really want to sell either. Fortunately, whenever my other half knows I'm interested in another bass, she encourages me to buy it, she even comes along with me to collect it.!!!

What he said ^

It's not that I don't find a difference in sound from basses generally, and I have no axe to grind with any make of bass or player at all, it's just that I think most of the bass players "I hear on gigs" play with a fender type of sound so even if the bass isn't a fender it's eq'd so that the tonality is in that ball park and the differences become subtle. Now that may be the player's decision, the design of the bass itself or the FOH engineer making that call. Who knows what is the strongest element. But it does start with the bass and the player. I don't dislike the fender sound at all but for my personal sound, I wanted something that started off not aiming for that sound hence me getting an alembic.

OK good call. I must add I'm no expert on basses or the business of bass. One of the reasons I read and participate in this site is to learn. Anyway, here are the basses I've owned, whilst I was a guitarist so never played them enought to gain any insight to bass tone really. I used them mainly for working out song ideas and the occasional once in a blue moon gig or jam. ( I did learn that none of them could make my fingers sound the way I wanted them too) 1970's Woolworth bass, Washburn Falcon 4 string bass, Wasburn Force ABT (5 string) hope I got the model right, Musicman Sterling 4. (the last one I had for about 3 years and sold about 2007). Other than that the basses I've actually played over the last 10 years are: One Fender Victor Bailey Jazz bass, maybe about 3 other Fender Jazz basses, a warwick bass, a steinberger, Fodera Anthony Jackson & Yin Yang, Wal fretless, Ritter R8, Roya and Corsa, a couple of Jaydee bass, an old antoria semi acoustic short scale bass and most of those were during one afternoon at the Bass Gear shop. Out of those, I didn't get a wow factor or GAS from playing any of them and the ones that made my fingers sound the best was the jaydee and the Victor Bailey Signature bass. That said I can't see myself buying any of them, though never say never and they all make other musicians fingers sound good when I've heard them being played. :-) I hope that answers your question. :-)

Hmm, I thought all basses sound the same, it's the fingers that make them sound different........ I''ll get my coat....

I'm gigging with a new Stevie Wonder Tribute band called Know Wonder started by Dennis Seaton, ( Musical Youth), at the Jam House Birmingham on Thursday 17th May. http://www.thejamhouse.com/birmingham/live-music/event/4794/know-wonder-may-2018.htm

I have to head out at 14:00 for a gig at The Avenue in Chesterfield with Musical Youth. If anyone is up that way and going to the gig, feel free to come over and have a nerdy basschat. I'm tame and approachabe even though I look serious when on stage.

Well isn't that interesting, I prefer the those very ones that fit outside your rule. So we won't be in any competitions for 5 string basses anytime soon. :-). But I've run out of GAS now so no new gear for me anytime soon apart from replacing anything that gets broken or worn out. If I was going up to sixers I'd go for a 4 + 2 on an angled headstock or 3 + 3 on a non angled one.

I was hoping to get there again this year but earlier than last time but have just had a gig come in for that evening. No idea what time we start or where it is yet but if there is time before I have to head off for gig or if it's on the way I will drop by with my Alembic Series I 5 stringer.

I'm greedy I have two sets of ACG EQ02's in one of my basses, one set for each pickup with an overall master volume and pan. Though now that I'm more used to two filter based basses I'd like it modified to have a volume for each pickup and possibly if there is space, a master volume. To be honest I don't gig with it but do use it a lot for rehearsals and jam sessions. For me this would have been the ideal setup for reggae since the bottom end control is RIGHTEOUS!!! clear deep and heavy. Unfortunately any cab I tried it through couldn't handle this amount of bottom end at anywhere near gigging volumes. So for that use it was useable only via DI into FOH and eqing the heavy bottom out of my rig. Now I have Barefaced cabs..... this could change things!!!!

I'd like another for a backup. I love it, it gives me a great sound and I like really simple tone controls. Win win for me.

Yep for me Walkabout with Barefaced Big Twin II is an incredible match made in sonic heaven. You are right the BF Twin cab delivers in bucket loads. I did a gig with that setup last weekend and the boogie was on about 1/4 on the input and 1/4 on the master and that was filling some space sound wise.

If you like filter based basses like the wal, alembic would have been a good choice but the models with filters are quite heavy which is something you are trying to avoid. Like was mentioned above, the ACG filter based basses would be good alternative and the weight is a comfortable.

A local bass player I've seen many times uses a really old stingray tuned BEAD and it sounds HEAVY!!!

This will give you some righteously clean and deep dub bass sounds. They are not cheap new but occasionally they come around used on ebay. http://www.alembic.com/prod/sf2.html I use mine only if I'm using decent cabs that can deal with heavy bottom end.

Thankfully i got my bb2 order in before the end of feb so getting the old price. Now i just need to convince myself to get rid of my boogie powerhouse 1x15 i’d be fully lightweight gigwise.

Great interpretation of that classic Stevie wonder song. No idea of the licensing but if you send me a cpoy when its released i will give it airplay on my notstrictlyjazz radio program up here in Birmingham. Cheers

What's not to love, jazz bass style and same number of knobs and switches as strings. . :-)