P/J bass suggestions?

[TRBboy]

I'm REALLY loving my modded RBX270, despite it effectively being my cheap knockabout/backup. As a result, I quite fancy getting a better quality P/J bass, but can't really find anything I like. It needs to have a slim neck and 24 frets (or at least 21).

Any suggestions?

[Panamonte]

Fender American Deluxe Precision has 21 frets.

Works for me. I suggest you give one a go (even though it doesn't have the thinnest of necks it's still very playable).

Edited May 28, 2011 by Panamonte

[MythSte]

Cheap, tonally wonderful, solid.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRVYmPxebgk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRVYmPxebgk[/url]

[chrismuzz]

I love Yamaha BB series basses. They sound amazing for metal esppecially! the Passive ones are my fave

[TRBboy]

Are the BB424s any better than the 414s? I had a 414, and despite it being a great bass, I was never truly happy with the natural response or sound of the ir. I put an Aguilar OBP2 preamp in it, but there was still something missing. Because the pickups are an unusual shape, you can't replace them easily without faffing around chopping wood out.

I would really quite like an 80's style rock bass (jackson sorta style, pointy headstock etc) but there don't seem to be any decent used ones about, or anything similar new with the right pickup config.

I did see the Peavey Zodiac; does anyone have any experience of these?

[MythSte]

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1248794' date='May 29 2011, 12:08 AM']Are the BB424s any better than the 414s? I had a 414, and despite it being a great bass, I was never truly happy with the natural response or sound of the ir. I put an Aguilar OBP2 preamp in it, but there was still something missing. Because the pickups are an unusual shape, you can't replace them easily without faffing around chopping wood out.

I would really quite like an 80's style rock bass (jackson sorta style, pointy headstock etc) but there don't seem to be any decent used ones about, or anything similar new with the right pickup config.

I did see the Peavey Zodiac; does anyone have any experience of these?[/quote]

IME, yes, the 424 really is quite substantially better than the 414. I think its the through body stringing and 5 piece neck, the elctronics are the same as far as I know but the 424 definitely has a fuller, rounder tone.

[chrismuzz]

I've not played a Zodiac myself, but I can highly recommend Peavey's for their playability. Michael Lepond from Symphony X uses them nowadays though, and I think the bloke from Megadeth used to as well. Plus they have Seymour Duncans fitted as standard! Give one a bash if you can find one

[FlatEric]

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1248794' date='May 29 2011, 12:08 AM']Are the BB424s any better than the 414s? I had a 414, and despite it being a great bass, I was never truly happy with the natural response or sound of the ir. I put an Aguilar OBP2 preamp in it, but there was still something missing. Because the pickups are an unusual shape, you can't replace them easily without faffing around chopping wood out.

I would really quite like an 80's style rock bass (jackson sorta style, pointy headstock etc) but there don't seem to be any decent used ones about, or anything similar new with the right pickup config.

I did see the Peavey Zodiac; does anyone have any experience of these?[/quote]

I've got a std Sunburst Zodiac - A cracking bass.
Great balance, right weight and the std Peavey pick-ups are really quite good

Bought some SD's to put into it but just haven't got round to it yet.
£ for ££££ !!!!

Cheers.

[gareth]

Fender MIM Precision Special - the passive one - has a jazz neck on a p body with USA p and bridge j pups

[gareth]

Or possibly this modded jv:-

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=138448"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=138448[/url]

[LawrenceH]

Bear in mind the pickup positions on the Yamaha BBs aren't the same as on Fender PJs, you will get an inherent difference in tone switching to a Fender. I assume the RBX has the same spacings as the BBs?

[Prime_BASS]

Fender power jazz special, if you get one in good nick.

P body with a jazz profile neck. Passive tone, but there is an active bass-treble cut circuit that allows for a wider range of possible sounds. MIJ aswell and built like tanks.

[Grand Wazoo]

At the risk of being shouted at for showing this again, here is my ultimate P/J be gentle y'all!

[warwickhunt]

What's your budget?

[TRBboy]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='1250047' date='May 30 2011, 11:09 AM']What's your budget?[/quote]

As little as possible as always! Id be selling my US Jazz to buy something else, so I guess around the £500 mark would be good, give or take a bit.

Would love a Dingwall GW, but there's no way I could ever afford one. Not quite "Rock" enough for me anyway

I think the pickup spacing cant be far off Fender spacing to be honest.


I know a lot of people probably hate them, but a Charvel San Dimas bass would be awesome looks-wise, but Ive no idea what they play like.

[TRBboy]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' post='1249997' date='May 30 2011, 10:38 AM']Fender power jazz special, if you get one in good nick.

P body with a jazz profile neck. Passive tone, but there is an active bass-treble cut circuit that allows for a wider range of possible sounds. MIJ aswell and built like tanks.[/quote]


Just seen the white one you were selling earlier this year - something like that would be perfect, especially white with black hardware!

[razze06]

Fender Aerodyne P or J?

[spike]

I've just advertised my Aerodyne Jazz in the for sale section if you're interested.

[fluffo]

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1248752' date='May 28 2011, 10:54 PM']I'm REALLY loving my modded RBX270, despite it effectively being my cheap knockabout/backup. As a result, I quite fancy getting a better quality P/J bass, but can't really find anything I like. It needs to have a slim neck and 24 frets (or at least 21).

Any suggestions?[/quote]
ESP do one in there LTD range I think it's a 204 In sunburst or white and it's is reliced and only about £350 new, I've been looking at it and the best price with delivery is from Thomman, well worth a look

[xgsjx]

Ibanez Soundear should tick all your boxes.

P/J (or soapbars, depending on model), 24 frets, slim neck, great sound, rock image.

I have an SR1000 (not for sale, so not a plug) which I've had since new from 1990 & has been my main bass since then & you can pick up 2nd hand ibbys for a decent price.

[TRBboy]

[quote name='xgsjx' post='1250178' date='May 30 2011, 12:40 PM']Ibanez Soundear should tick all your boxes.

P/J (or soapbars, depending on model), 24 frets, slim neck, great sound, rock image.

I have an SR1000 (not for sale, so not a plug) which I've had since new from 1990 & has been my main bass since then & you can pick up 2nd hand ibbys for a decent price.[/quote]

An Ibanez would definitely tick all the boxes if I could find an older one with p/j pickups that looked ok. All the new versions for quite a long time have had soapbars instead.

[xgsjx]

[url="http://www.vintagebassguitars.co.uk/2011/05/ibanez-sr-800-active-bass-1998made-in-japanvery-nice-399-00/"]SR-800?[/url]

[giblett123]

[quote name='xgsjx' post='1250316' date='May 30 2011, 02:21 PM'][url="http://www.vintagebassguitars.co.uk/2011/05/ibanez-sr-800-active-bass-1998made-in-japanvery-nice-399-00/"]SR-800?[/url][/quote]
There was a bob glaub that had been converted to a passive pj in the for sale section, not sure if it's still there but maybe worth a look.

[Mog]

Doesn't get much thinner neck wise than an Aerodyne. SH is well within your budget. They go over here for between 380-650 euro.

[Green Alsatian]

As others have mentioned, although not 24-fret, the [b]Peavey Zodiac BXP[/b] is a great bass for the money. I had a sunburst/maple and the neck was thin, but a bit chunkier (but not uncomfortable chunky) from front-to-back. Glossy vintage tint to the neck/fingerboard, so it looked as lovely as it played.

The stock pickups are really good too - the J-pickup is actually a split-coil and is therefore hum-cancelling. As I picked up the bass cheap, I tried a few different sets of pickups - an EMG PJ-X (there's room for the battery) which I later swapped for a set of DiMarzios (Model P/J), as they were more to my taste and found the J pickup to be lacking in the EMG set, when soloed.

I've owned a [b]MIM Fender Precision Bass Special Deluxe[/b], with the three-band preamp and it's a very versatile bass and not too expensive. I liked boosting the bass a little, a touch of mid and dropping the treble a hair and having the pickup blend P-heavy, with just a little of the J in there for clarity.

On the cheap front, I've had a [b]Yamaha BB414[/b], which really surprised and impressed me with its sound and quality The P-pickup was suitably burly and the J was nice and burpy - great basses! I had the five-string version, the BB415 at one point and it was just as good, with a great-sounding B. I would like to pick up one of the newer BB424s at some point.

The only other PJ I've owned was a SGC Nanyo Bass Collection which had a great pearly off-white colour to it. Two band preamp and a nice thin neck. Wish I still had this one as it was really smooth-sounding!