Do I need a Precision in my life?

[AdrianP]

I feel a bit of a fraud coming onto a bass guitar forum and asking folks to persuade me not to spend money but here goes. I’m thinking about getting a Precision, or some other sort of P bass. I play in a rock covers band and tend to use my American standard Jazz for the rockier numbers and a Yamaha BB424 on the bluesier ones. Seems to work out ok down at the Dog and Duck. I’ve now begun playing with a new band, as a side project, and we’ve been doing a lot more blues than I’m really used to playing. The Yamaha sounds ok using the P pickup, or at least I’ve had no complaints especially for a £300 bass, but it can sound a little indistinct and uncivilised at the same time. So I wonder whether I could get a better, bluesier, sound if I got a full fat Precision.

 

I also wonder whether the aesthetics may be more appropriate when or if we get out and play, which we’re hoping to later in the year. That sounds superficial, I know, but I am starting to think ahead about our look and our stage act, and not just the sound. Never having even picked up a Precision, I’m in a quandary. One part of me thinks the Yamaha is fine and I should learn to get the best from it. Something else makes me think that this is the ideal time to see what a Precision has to offer. 

 

what does the Basschat hive mind think?

[Trueno]

The hive mind thinks that you WILL end up with a Precision… you won’t be able to help yourself. Just get one asap and save yourself further pain. 

[Lozz196]

The Yamaha should be fine for what you’re doing but until you’ve played/got a Precision you’ll never really know and it will forever be lurking in your mind. As such get Precision hunting.

[Beedster]

If you need to ask then you don't 

 

[Burns-bass]

Can you afford it? 

If yes, will you use it?

 

If yes, do you care about brand names?

 

If no, get a Squier (the more expensive models are amazing) 

 

If yes, get a fender player series or search out a Japanese Fender. 
 

(If rich, buy a vintage one you never play)

[Ralf1e]

40 minutes ago, AdrianP said:

I feel a bit of a fraud coming onto a bass guitar forum and asking folks to persuade me not to spend money but here goes. I’m thinking about getting a Precision, or some other sort of P bass. I play in a rock covers band and tend to use my American standard Jazz for the rockier numbers and a Yamaha BB424 on the bluesier ones. Seems to work out ok down at the Dog and Duck. I’ve now begun playing with a new band, as a side project, and we’ve been doing a lot more blues than I’m really used to playing. The Yamaha sounds ok using the P pickup, or at least I’ve had no complaints especially for a £300 bass, but it can sound a little indistinct and uncivilised at the same time. So I wonder whether I could get a better, bluesier, sound if I got a full fat Precision.

 

I also wonder whether the aesthetics may be more appropriate when or if we get out and play, which we’re hoping to later in the year. That sounds superficial, I know, but I am starting to think ahead about our look and our stage act, and not just the sound. Never having even picked up a Precision, I’m in a quandary. One part of me thinks the Yamaha is fine and I should learn to get the best from it. Something else makes me think that this is the ideal time to see what a Precision has to offer. 

 

what does the Basschat hive mind think?

Go window shopping and try some out. I always said I would never have one. Got lots of other basses.

I recently found a Squire anniversary P bass for £50 on Gumtree. Bought it. Took it home, neck off, fret dress, truss rod adjusted, cleaned out a badly cut neck pocket and put in a brass shim. Intonation sorted. Strings nice and low. Plays very well and sounds far better than I ever expected.

Great bass no money. They are out there. Go get one Tiger.

 

[chris_b]

56 minutes ago, AdrianP said:

what does the Basschat hive mind think?

 

Would a preamp pedal, like a Sadowsky, Sansamp or Aguilar turn your Yamaha into the Precision bass you want?

 

Have you tried flatwound strings?

Edited October 7, 2022 by chris_b

[uk_lefty]

A proper precision is a joy. It just works. I do like a Jazz but there's just a simplicity and effectiveness of a P bass that makes me kick myself for selling mine two years ago. 

 

If you get a left handed one by accident don't put it in the bin, I'll find a use for it.

[Bunion]

You could get to one of the bass bash’s and try some in the wild 😄

[Cosmo Valdemar]

The Yamaha 424 is an excellent Precision Bass variant. If you're after a different tone, a 'real' Precision Bass isn't going to be far off what you already have.

 

Maybe throw on a set of flatwounds, if you haven't already.

[AdrianP]

Thanks for the responses. @chris_b A good idea. The Yamaha is already wearing flats, and I do run it through a Sansamp but that seems to make it sound more aggressive still which is what I’m looking to tame. @Burns-bass Those are really good challenges. I guess I can afford it and would use it. Between the two bands, I rehearse twice a month or so and gig a few times a year so would get some use out of it. I’m not particularly a gear snob but do believe in buy cheap, buy twice. I could easily see myself getting a Squier though, and a used one at that. I’ll probably do what @Ralf1esuggests and try a few out. Can’t hurt. 

[ezbass]

Go Mustang, full on chubby P tones in a different package.*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Just to muddy the GAS waters, you understand.  

[gjones]

Go and get a Precision, you know you want to.

[JapanAxe]

One of us! One of us!

[warwickhunt]

Get a P bass but do yourself a favour and make it a Sandberg... or Maruszczyk. 

[AdrianP]

5 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

Get a P bass but do yourself a favour and make it a Sandberg... or Maruszczyk. 

I like the cut of your jib 😃

[Guest]

1 hour ago, AdrianP said:

The Yamaha sounds ok using the P pickup, or at least I’ve had no complaints especially for a £300 bass, but it can sound a little indistinct and uncivilised at the same time. So I wonder whether I could get a better, bluesier, sound if I got a full fat Precision.

 

I had a 424, which generally I played with both pickups on as I found the same thing about the P pickup soloed. When I then bought a Squier P, I found that it made a sound stronger and more characterful than the BB's neck pickup, and played the basses equally.

[SuperSeagull]

Second the idea of a Squier or Jap one -  no question there is something about a P bass but it doesn’t necessarily have to be one made in the US. 

[paul_c2]

Not only do you not need a Precision, you don't need either the Yamaha/Jazz

 

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2022 by paul_c2

[tom.android]

Your 424 already is a P, better than most out there and with a number of notable improvements over the original design. Get a ‘real’ P for the look but you’ll have to spend an awful lot to get a Fender/whatever that sounds better than your 424. ‘Indistinct’ compared to your jazz? Well, jazzes have a more articulate sound in general. You might need to EQ them differently. You might want to try different strings. Want something more civilised? Try a 1024. 

[Bassassin]

Buy a P if you want a P, however the basses you already have are perfectly adequate, the BB will do anything a P will do and both are far more versatile.

 

If you want one for the 'image', be aware it's a boring, nondescript bass that no-one in an audience will notice, either visually or sonically. Each to their own, though.

[warwickhunt]

14 minutes ago, Bassassin said:

If you want one for the 'image', be aware it's a boring, nondescript bass that no-one in an audience will notice, either visually or sonically. Each to their own, though.

 

You'll still get referred to as 'the guitar player' by 90% of people... another 9% wouldn't know a bass from a Peruvian nose flute and 1% are bass players (who will feel your dilemma)!  True fact that.

 

[Paolo85]

There are two answers. One is yes, everybody needs at least to give a good try to a P bass, they are a thing of beauty.

The other more boring answer is that P basses can be very different so I am not so sure you "need" it strictly speaking. I have two Squier P basses and I have tried four different pickups on them (stock PJ, Wilkinson alnico, Wilkinson ceramic, Tonerider). The basses sounded extremely different. So which one would you need?

Even bigger changes came from different string sets. So I wonder if as @Cosmo Valdemar has said, you can just consider your bass as a "precision variant". I have only tried your bass in a shop. I was not impressed tbh but my bet is that either I just do not fancy the pickups, or I could not get the sound out of the shop's amp. Aesthetically I love it and think it would fit anywhere a P fits - although I much prefer the 42mm nut width of the Ps.

In terms of sound, maybe as many have said you could start by putting flatwounds on. Maybe a good £25-£35 Tonerider/Wilkinson alnico pickup (I believe your pickups are ceramic) would help you get where you want to get.

All that being said, I have bought myself a P bass three times. I certainly did not "need" to.  I often feel like buying another one...

 

[TheGreek]

If you want a p bass then get a jp...what you want and a bit more. 

[AdrianP]

Thanks again all. I think I'm just going to have to try a few Precisions but with my wits very much about me and my wallet safely at home. As I said above, I do have flats on the Yamaha at the moment; Fender 9050L's. I could maybe try a different type and see if that makes any difference. But that's probably another thread.