The joy of the P

[thewebow]

Are the fundamental differences between all the precision AVRI 57 & 62. An anodised pickguard and a maple neck vs rosewood and a tort pickguard? Does anyone know if pickups vary that much? I’ve seen demos with 62 & 63 pickups comparisons but not 57 to 62.

 

is the comparison tone like Duck Dunn to Jamerson? 

[Paolo85]

I started on a P. I was playing the guitar at the time, I thought I'd like to noodle a bit on a bass and bought a cheap one, which happened to be a P, I do not remember the brand. There was something magnetic about that bass. I was playing it all the time. Few months later I was playing bass full time.

Unfortunately, sometimes I am silly, especially when I think I am being rational. I soon sold the P and "upgraded" to an Ibanez Ergodyne. It would fit better in my metal band aesthetically, everyone knew Ibanez were good for metal, thin neck would allow me to play faster and other bs...

...the reality was that the Ibanez did not come out in the mix as well (or at least, I was not able to make it come out) and the thin neck was less pleasant. But I could not admit to myself I had screwed up.

Eventually I decided to move on from the Ibanez but always trying to be "rational": bought a (very good tbh) Cort GB74 and a Cort B4fl because "everyone knows Cort is better vslue for money". After a multi-year break for tendinitis, I started again but always trying to be "rational": bought some Js and another Ibanez because thinner necks "would be good for tendinitis".

Fortunately, after selling the Ibanez to a shop I had an attack of GAS and I tried a Squier Affinity PJ. I immediately felt at home, as I did with my first bass many years ago. I bought it immediately.

Shortly afterwards I also bought an old Squier P, from when Made in China were made with alder and rosewood and necks were lacquered. I absolutely love it except for one thing: the neck is not standard P, nut width is just 40mm!

 

 

Edited August 2, 2022 by Paolo85

[thewebow]

5 hours ago, Paolo85 said:

I started on a P. I was playing the guitar at the time, I thought I'd like to noodle a bit on a bass and bought a cheap one, which happened to be a P, I do not remember the brand. There was something magnetic about that bass. I was playing it all the time. Few months later I was playing bass full time.

Unfortunately, sometimes I am silly, especially when I think I am being rational. I soon sold the P and "upgraded" to an Ibanez Ergodyne. It would fit better in my metal band aesthetically, everyone knew Ibanez were good for metal, thin neck would allow me to play faster and other bs...

...the reality was that the Ibanez did not come out in the mix as well (or at least, I was not able to make it come out) and the thin neck was less pleasant. But I could not admit to myself I had screwed up.

Eventually I decided to move on from the Ibanez but always trying to be "rational": bought a (very good tbh) Cort GB74 and a Cort B4fl because "everyone knows Cort is better vslue for money". After a multi-year break for tendinitis, I started again but always trying to be "rational": bought some Js and another Ibanez because thinner necks "would be good for tendinitis".

Fortunately, after selling the Ibanez to a shop I had an attack of GAS and I tried a Squier Affinity PJ. I immediately felt at home, as I did with my first bass many years ago. I bought it immediately.

Shortly afterwards I also bought an old Squier P, from when Made in China were made with alder and rosewood and necks were lacquered. I absolutely love it except for one thing: the neck is not standard P, nut width is just 40mm!

 

 

I’ve realised I have a love late 90’s/ early 00’s p’s.. it’s the fatter fender tuners, the deeper neck.. the through body stringing..  

[Lozz196]

I used my Stingray at rehearsal on Thu, and as much as I love playing it at home in a band setting I just missed the Precision. There’s just something reassuring about how the Precision sits in the mix for me, and I suppose because I’ve been playing them for years my playing dynamics are just so well suited to them. 

[BassAdder60]

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

I used my Stingray at rehearsal on Thu, and as much as I love playing it at home in a band setting I just missed the Precision. There’s just something reassuring about how the Precision sits in the mix for me, and I suppose because I’ve been playing them for years my playing dynamics are just so well suited to them. 

I’ve come round to that way of thinking and I’m looking to sell my Ray34 or trade for a PBass 

[thewebow]

5 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

I used my Stingray at rehearsal on Thu, and as much as I love playing it at home in a band setting I just missed the Precision. There’s just something reassuring about how the Precision sits in the mix for me, and I suppose because I’ve been playing them for years my playing dynamics are just so well suited to them. 

I have a stingray and it is like pulling out a sledgehammer after playing my p bass. I love it but only comes out for certain projects ( usually where the drummer is a heavy handed beast!)

Edited August 6, 2022 by thewebow
Bad spelling!

[timbo1978]

6 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

I used my Stingray at rehearsal on Thu, and as much as I love playing it at home in a band setting I just missed the Precision. There’s just something reassuring about how the Precision sits in the mix for me, and I suppose because I’ve been playing them for years my playing dynamics are just so well suited to them. 

I agree, there's somthing about the sound that reassures me I have an OK tone - with other basses I'm tweaking all the time because I'm not sure   

[miles'tone]

4 hours ago, BassAdder27 said:

I’ve come round to that way of thinking and I’m looking to sell my Ray34 or trade for a PBass 

I've been on that merry-go-round twice before. Sticking with my current P for keeps now.

"From my cold, dead, hand..." 

- Charlton "Duck" Heston 🙃

 

[Baloney Balderdash]

On 26/07/2022 at 10:47, thewebow said:

Are the fundamental differences between all the precision AVRI 57 & 62. An anodised pickguard and a maple neck vs rosewood and a tort pickguard? Does anyone know if pickups vary that much? I’ve seen demos with 62 & 63 pickups comparisons but not 57 to 62.

 

is the comparison tone like Duck Dunn to Jamerson? 

Back then all the pickups were handwound, and there weren't really much consistency between the individual units, so a comparison between two random units of each would be pretty pointless, as far as I am concerned, they were more or less all different from each other.

[Baloney Balderdash]

On 02/08/2022 at 15:39, Paolo85 said:

I started on a P. I was playing the guitar at the time, I thought I'd like to noodle a bit on a bass and bought a cheap one, which happened to be a P, I do not remember the brand. There was something magnetic about that bass. I was playing it all the time. Few months later I was playing bass full time.

Unfortunately, sometimes I am silly, especially when I think I am being rational. I soon sold the P and "upgraded" to an Ibanez Ergodyne. It would fit better in my metal band aesthetically, everyone knew Ibanez were good for metal, thin neck would allow me to play faster and other bs...

...the reality was that the Ibanez did not come out in the mix as well (or at least, I was not able to make it come out) and the thin neck was less pleasant. But I could not admit to myself I had screwed up.

Eventually I decided to move on from the Ibanez but always trying to be "rational": bought a (very good tbh) Cort GB74 and a Cort B4fl because "everyone knows Cort is better vslue for money". After a multi-year break for tendinitis, I started again but always trying to be "rational": bought some Js and another Ibanez because thinner necks "would be good for tendinitis".

Fortunately, after selling the Ibanez to a shop I had an attack of GAS and I tried a Squier Affinity PJ. I immediately felt at home, as I did with my first bass many years ago. I bought it immediately.

Shortly afterwards I also bought an old Squier P, from when Made in China were made with alder and rosewood and necks were lacquered. I absolutely love it except for one thing: the neck is not standard P, nut width is just 40mm!

 

 

Would: "....absolutely love it... except for the nut width is just 40mm" be another of those silly rationalisms of yours?

 

Cause  the way you phrase it to me sure looks like that would be to do with how 40mm nut width sounds to you, what you think it means for your playing, rather than how it actually feels and plays in your hands?

 

Edited August 8, 2022 by Baloney Balderdash

[PaulThePlug]

When you say Hand Wound... i presume wound on a foot operated winding machine, with a counter... like transformers, chokes etc used to be done... back in the day...

rather than fingers round a bobbin and counting in ya head or out loud and anoyingthe person next to you

 

Did a bit of transformer winding in my apprentiship back in the 80's.. oh to have access to all that kit now... I'd be Custom winding P Pickups and Valve Amps trannys

Edited August 8, 2022 by PaulThePlug

[PaulThePlug]

On 02/08/2022 at 14:39, Paolo85 said:

There was something magnetic about that bass....

 

That would be the pickup... 🤣

[Baloney Balderdash]

7 hours ago, PaulThePlug said:

When you say Hand Wound... i presume wound on a foot operated winding machine, with a counter... like transformers, chokes etc used to be done... back in the day...

rather than fingers round a bobbin and counting in ya head or out loud and anoyingthe person next to you

 

Did a bit of transformer winding in my apprentiship back in the 80's.. oh to have access to all that kit now... Custom wound P Pickups and Valve Amps!

 

What I meant by hand was actually manually)*, as in not automated or computer controlled, which in it self will allow for a certain degree of variance in production within an acceptable margin.

 

But my actual main point was that back then, late 50's/early 60's, Fender literally didn't have a standard recipe to exactly how many wounds e.t.c a given pickup should have, as in there weren't any strict specs carved in exact numbers that the pickups needed to adhere to (aside of course for gauge of coil wire (I strongly assume, at least), size of pickup pole magnets, and obviously being able to fit inside the pickup covers and cavities, and I strongly assume that there likely still would have been some more loosely defined, approximate, numbers/requirements within a predefined acceptable margin that needed to be met as well), or at least that is what I have been told.

 

I might be wrong though, but it does kind of makes sense to me.

 

Like a case of on the estimation of feel and close enough for Rock'n'Roll is good enough for Rock'n'Roll.

 

Though I am pretty sure that by the 80's they probably would have had introduced more strict and exact standards to ensure consistency.

 

 

*) manual (adj.) "of or pertaining to the hand; done, made, or used by hand;" c. 1400, from Latin manualis "of or belonging to the hand; that can be thrown by hand," from manus "hand, strength, power over; armed force; handwriting,"

 

 

Edited August 8, 2022 by Baloney Balderdash

[Paolo85]

7 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Would: "....absolutely love it... except for the nut width is just 40mm" be another of those silly rationalisms of yours?

 

Cause  the way you phrase it to me sure looks like that would be to do how you think 40mm nut width sounds rather than how it actually feels and plays in your hands?

 

I have two P basses: a 42mm and a 40mm. I enjoy playing on the 42mm neck more. While that's not the only difference between the two necks, based on experience with other necks of various shapes and forms I am pretty sure it is down to width. As I am stating what I like and not what is best/more suitable etc.., I doubt it is a rationalism, but who knows 

 

[Jonesy]

Does anyone know of a P neck that doesn't widen out too much by the 12th fret? Seems a bit of an odd ask, but I don't seem to mind the nut width of most basses I play as long as it's fairly shallow front to back. However, I really notice the width as you start to get up the dusty end (serves me right for venturing up there, I guess).

 

I think these measurements are about right (from memory) but anything 58mm or over at the 12th is a bit of a stretch, but 56mm is just fine. I had a MIJ PB70US, which was one of the nicest necks I've ever played (40mm at the nut), but widened to 58mm at the 12th and got really tricky.

 

I now have a MIJ P with a J neck and that's lovely (38mm at the nut, 56mm at the 12th), but if there was a 40mm-42mm neck that didn't widen out then I reckon I'd be in heaven!

[diskwave]

Cant beleive I havent posted, right up my street.

As a teen I played a P bass from 77 to 80 then someone in the charts hits a bridge PU on something (not a Jazz, prob a Wal or something) and that was it...no more P bass. Played a Stingray from 80 to 89 but truth is there was always something missing. Yes it barked but I wasnt really happy. Bought a crummy Mex P in 2005? then a couple of vintage examples which had to go and now the very proud owner of a CV 70's P in 70's walnut.  I just find that old hefty tone is so satisfying and you just know it's slaying the audience if mixed in right. Perfect. 

[bnt]

I have one of those Harley Benton Enhanced MP-4 basses (reverse P and MM pickups). The neck is just over 39mm wide at the zero fret and just over 55mm at the twelfth. Could be right up your street. 

Edited August 8, 2022 by bnt

[StickyDBRmf]

Oh man, I'm gonna sound like such an old man here. I was fortunate enough to aquire a '72 Jazz bass as my first bass. Now that was a CBS w/ probably a lot of shoddy parts & finish and a maple neck w/ the black blocks sticking out. And sunburst not wasting paint under the pickgaurd  but boy, was that a bass. Then while in H.S. an alumni came by the bandroom w/ a fretless maple P-bass and I was hooked. Now I played upright, J bass & P bass and I don't know what the nut or bridge messurements were.  

I sold the J bass and gave away the P bass after getting a Pedulla Pentabuzz.

I have a Ironwood Stick & a 12-string Stick and a ESP LTD & a Danelectro Longhorn and a Hartke I ripped the frets out of.

Oh, and an Ibanez 8-string Studio that ripped the frets out of.

Millimeters?

Is this really an issue?

I turn it up and play 'till my fingers bleed. 

Then I get out the towel.

I do like a P bass. Or a (fill in the blank).

[dclaassen]

31 minutes ago, StickyDBRmf said:

Oh man, I'm gonna sound like such an old man here. I was fortunate enough to aquire a '72 Jazz bass as my first bass. Now that was a CBS w/ probably a lot of shoddy parts & finish and a maple neck w/ the black blocks sticking out. And sunburst not wasting paint under the pickgaurd  but boy, was that a bass. Then while in H.S. an alumni came by the bandroom w/ a fretless maple P-bass and I was hooked. Now I played upright, J bass & P bass and I don't know what the nut or bridge messurements were.  

I sold the J bass and gave away the P bass after getting a Pedulla Pentabuzz.

I have a Ironwood Stick & a 12-string Stick and a ESP LTD & a Danelectro Longhorn and a Hartke I ripped the frets out of.

Oh, and an Ibanez 8-string Studio that ripped the frets out of.

Millimeters?

Is this really an issue?

I turn it up and play 'till my fingers bleed. 

Then I get out the towel.

I do like a P bass. Or a (fill in the blank).

Do you still have the pentabuzz?

[Jonesy]

36 minutes ago, StickyDBRmf said:

Millimeters?

Is this really an issue?

 

Annoyingly, for me, yes. I've told myself I'm being stupid to even be bothered by a 2mm difference, especially when it only irks me on a handful of songs (lost woman by the yardbirds and rags and bones by nomeansno being 2 examples), but seeing as there's so many options out there nowadays then I may as well try and find an ideal neck 😊

[Paolo85]

1 hour ago, StickyDBRmf said:

Millimeters?

Is this really an issue?

It depends on the definition of "issue" I guess

Certainly millimeters make necks feel different, at least to me. As a person affected by GAS, this can become an issue

 

[StickyDBRmf]

1 hour ago, dclaassen said:

Do you still have the pentabuzz?

Hahahaha. I wish I had EVERYTHING I ever sold or traded. No. As much as the ebony un-lined un-finished neck was like BUTTER and I tuned it CGDAE I HATED the P/J Bartolinis. (I know, I know). BUT. Traded it for a JBL/EON515 when they came out 'cause I was convinced a full-range loudspeaker would be the ultimate Stick amp. Whoops, whoops, whoops. The market was down when I traded the Pedulla and I swear every salesman@ Guitar Center had their hands on it before I left the building and I doubt it ever made it on the wall.

[dclaassen]

3 hours ago, StickyDBRmf said:

Hahahaha. I wish I had EVERYTHING I ever sold or traded. No. As much as the ebony un-lined un-finished neck was like BUTTER and I tuned it CGDAE I HATED the P/J Bartolinis. (I know, I know). BUT. Traded it for a JBL/EON515 when they came out 'cause I was convinced a full-range loudspeaker would be the ultimate Stick amp. Whoops, whoops, whoops. The market was down when I traded the Pedulla and I swear every salesman@ Guitar Center had their hands on it before I left the building and I doubt it ever made it on the wall.

I could tell you stories… I actually like the p/j as long as you don’t expect the world from the bridge pickup.

[SteveXFR]

I bought my first P bass this morning because I wanted something dirt cheap that I could modify without worrying about damaging it. It's a Squier P bass in black and that's all I know about it. I paid £60 for it.

I set it up to tune down to drop A# and I'm really pleased with how it sounds. Some hotter pickups would be nice, maybe some toneriders and some decent tuners would be nice. It's pretty light which is nice.

[hooky_lowdown]

1 hour ago, SteveXFR said:

I bought my first P bass this morning because I wanted something dirt cheap that I could modify without worrying about damaging it. It's a Squier P bass in black and that's all I know about it. I paid £60 for it.

I set it up to tune down to drop A# and I'm really pleased with how it sounds. Some hotter pickups would be nice, maybe some toneriders and some decent tuners would be nice. It's pretty light which is nice.

Photos, or it doesn't exist!