do I want a p bass ?

[jassbass]

Ive been playing 27 years or so and never owned a p bass.ive had a few jazzes.lately ive been thinking of trying one.i play 5 string .so maybe a percision 5 or a 4.whats the pro's and cons .it wouldnt be my only bass
Thanx

[M@23]

Try and play one. You'll know if they are for you or not quite quickly. I avoided them as I didn't want to join the masses, but was asked to use one for a recording session - I've not looked back since.

[discreet]

The first, the only - the mother of all basses, and all you'll ever need... or just 'meh'. You need to try one.

Edited October 29, 2014 by discreet

[corndog]

Its the most recorded bass in history by far. Simple, not alot to go wrong with it. I too avoided the P, played active PJ's and Stingrays until i bought a passive Squier CV 50s on a whim. The tone was close to what i hear in my head, so sold the single coil and went to a split coil. Bingo, tone found!

I dabble with other types of basses but will always have a P.

[Bobthedog]

Yes

[danbowskill]

yes yes .....yes

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1414607873' post='2591323']
Yes
[/quote]
[quote name='danbowskill' timestamp='1414608491' post='2591332']
yes yes .....yes
[/quote]
I concur.

[Hobbayne]

The Fender Precision is the Ford Focus of the bass world. Good at what it does, and does it well!

[LemonCello]

My Axe of choice. Simple, iconic, honest, reliable.

[HowieBass]

Yes get one; a Squier VM or CV will get you the P bass experience for not a lot of money.

[redstriper]

I want to like them so much.
I prefer the body shape to a Jazz and they usually weigh less.
I don't mind the wider neck and the simplicity appeals - I only use the neck pick up on my Jazz.
But I don't like the tone - I keep trying them, hoping to find one with the smooth, deep clarity of a good Jazz.
I haven't tried a 50s single coil one yet and that might be the answer.

I would advise playing one and listening carefully to the tone before buying.
And remember y[size=4]ou'll have to change your name if you do get one [/size] [size=4] [/size]

[edpirie]

I'm like you - been playing for 30 odd years and always Jazz or some other variant. I bought my first P-bass, a JV '82 a few weeks back, then a Roadworn. I'll always keep my Jazz, but I can't imagine not having a P now. It just sits in the mix like nothing else, so satisfying to play. All depends on what sort of music you're into of course, but there seem to be a ton of different Ps out there that deliver different vibes. My two are quite different and that's before the variation of stringing them with flats v. rounds. A P is made for flats (if you like flats that is).

[jassbass]

I might look into what I can get for £300-400 if I off load my back up bass.very tempted now.thanx guys

[darren]

Owning a P bass is a lot like having a child. You look at it sometimes and wonder if the money would have been better spent on something else; but if anyone tried to take it away from you, you'd kill them.

[Thunderbird]

I always used Fender P basses I don't own one now but I am really in to PJ basses right now I kind of think of it as the best of both worlds but hey every one should of at least owned one P bass it's the law lol

[Lozz196]

As others have said, try one - but the real way to try a Precision is in the mix. On their own, compared to other more technical basses, the sound doesn`t sound that great but that`s not where their strengths are, it`s in the mix that counts and that`s where a Precision comes to life.

[iiipopes]

I would advise a 4-string "traditional" model. The E-A pickup segment is too far "north" (close to the neck) to give adequate definition to the B string on a P-5 unless the pickup is "reversed," meaning the B-E pickup segment is on the bridge side and the A-D-G segment is on the neck side.

Edited October 29, 2014 by iiipopes

[gary mac]

What Lozz said

I used my 66 at band rehearsal last night. It just sounded superb and felt lovely, didn't want the session to end. Shame to not gig it really but would be nervous using it at pub gigs.

[Mr Anthony]

It took me 6 years to get a Precision, simply because everybody I knew had one, and I wanted to be different. And now that I have one, I honestly don't know why I was being so daft.

At least try one. You might like it.

[mcnach]

YES!

[discreet]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1414613655' post='2591436']
What Lozz said
[/quote]

Yes, really. The P is best as a team player and in the mix is where it really shines.

[spaners]

I love my P !

[gsgbass]

I was trying to use a 4003 in a Nashville studio, and it didn't cut through the mix. Luckily, I had my Am. Std. Precision along for the ride.The Precision was magic, for the studio cuts. My Jazz would have been ok, but in this case the Precision had the sounds they wanted, a real thump.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/BqfHZF0.jpg[/IMG]

Edited October 30, 2014 by gsgbass

[Telebass]

Yes. And the Squier 5er is pretty good too.

[neepheid]

Try a Precision for yourself, you might like it. There's very little I can tell you beyond that. My pros and cons won't be the same as yours, so there's little point in sharing them.