Do I need a Precision in my life?

[Cosmo Valdemar]

13 minutes ago, AdrianP said:

As I said above, I do have flats on the Yamaha at the moment; Fender 9050L's. 

Pop some rounds on then 😁

[miles'tone]

Another and cheaper option would be to install a series/parallel switch on your jazz. Incase you don't know, a Jazz bass' pickups are wired in parallel (so they work as 2 separate pickups) and a Precision's are in series (the two halves of a Precision pickup are actually two single coils wired together to act as one whole pickup. This gives a P bass it's extra oomph). By having a Jazz bass' pickups wired in series, the bridge and neck pickups will then work together like a Precision's does and give you that extra oomph.

Usually achieved by having a pull/push pot on the Jazz neck pickup volume knob. It would still be your regular Jazz, just click up the vol pot for P-bass like fatness.

@Ki0gan is a basschat member that can supply such a thing very reasonably using top quality components that are easy for anyone to install. 

 

[PaulThePlug]

Or Stick a P pickup in ya Jazz...

[Geek99]

5 hours 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?

Buy it. Thou shalt have no other bass than a Precision bass, a Rickenbacker is heresy. Here endeth the lesson.
 

There you go, literal actual Word Of God

[Geek99]

2 hours ago, paul_c2 said:

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

 

 

 

 

Heretic

 

anyway - that says “guitars” (of which you need zero obviously) but since basses are not mentioned there you can have as many as you like 

[lonestar]

28 minutes ago, miles'tone said:

Another and cheaper option would be to install a series/parallel switch on your jazz. Incase you don't know, a Jazz bass' pickups are wired in parallel (so they work as 2 separate pickups) and a Precision's are in series (the two halves of a Precision pickup are actually two single coils wired together to act as one whole pickup. This gives a P bass it's extra oomph). By having a Jazz bass' pickups wired in series, the bridge and neck pickups will then work together like a Precision's does and give you that extra oomph.

Usually achieved by having a pull/push pot on the Jazz neck pickup volume knob. It would still be your regular Jazz, just click up the vol pot for P-bass like fatness.

@Ki0gan is a basschat member that can supply such a thing very reasonably using top quality components that are easy for anyone to install. 

 

I have the S1 switch on my Jazz  which does this, giving it quite a boost and more thump. It's good, however it still doesn't sound like a Precision; you need one.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

I'm not trying to dissuade you from trying/buying a Precision, but I'm not sure I understand why you think you need one because the new band is playing more blues.

Tommy Shannon got by just fine with a Jazz.

 

[MrDinsdale]

I’ve always played Warwick and similar style basses, I got a Schecter P4 Exotic and I love it. I’ve pretty much exclusively played it for the last 6 months, a big part of that is probably the novelty of a 4 string after so long playing 5s.

 

I was looking at a BB735a coincidentally before settling on the Schecter, the pj setup is more versatile but sometimes stripping back the options really helps focus. One day perhaps I’ll pop jazz bridge pick-up in it or even a soapbar but for now I’m really enjoying it.

[TrevorG]

After playing Spectors and Alembics over the years I did a theatre show that needed me to play bass on stage. No way was I bringing any of my instruments into that mad show so they gave a a seventy quid budget and sent me to the local pawn shop. I left with a withered, Korean impersonation of a Precision with dodgy wiring. It was the first time I'd ever played a Precision and no, it didn't sound amazing - it was only £60 BUT it sounded so close and maybe even better than my Spector in that situ. I was speechless. Two years later it's time for a new bass and I went straight for a Precision. A Fender with all the bells and whistles. Took me about ten minutes to bond with in the shop. I can't compete with all the Fender experts out there but I know my sound is good (La Bella strings) for so, so many styles. I think you should get out and try. Good luck.

Edited October 8, 2022 by TrevorG

[Lozz196]

It’s amazing how good a Precision is in the mix isn’t it @TrevorG, on its own it can sound a tad uninspiring but they just fit into so many genres so well.

[TrevorG]

40 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

It’s amazing how good a Precision is in the mix isn’t it @TrevorG, on its own it can sound a tad uninspiring but they just fit into so many genres so well.

So true. Went to see Snarky Puppy last night and Michael League made that very clear (though he could have been higher in the mix for my liking). I played bass for about thirty five years before getting into Precisions and, when I got there, felt like I'd been missing out. Better late than never.

[Grahambythesea]

Having owned 4 ( yes I know that’s virtually none by some peoples standards) there is a lot of variation in what you might think is basically the same bass. The neck widths and depths vary considerably depending on where and when it was made and body weights also change. My current MIM has the most comfortable neck shape and width of those I’ve owned but is probably a tad heavier than the Squier I had, but that has a Jazz neck.

unless you try out some you’ll probably end up trading them 🤔🤣

[ukulelelab]

Borrow a pbass from someone and see for yourself. My first bass was a 78 musicmaster bass and down the line borrowing a pbass for a gig was a massive eye opener. I sold the musicmaster and never looked back

[crazycloud]

On 08/10/2022 at 05:56, paul_c2 said:

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

 

 

 

 

Thanks for posting that again, I needed to be reminded.

 

I'm a long time subscriber to FWW and have been scouring sites looking at other basses, as I'm coming into some money, when in reality I have all I need. A long scale 6 and my SRC6 cover everything I need and I have those. I have a PRS SE, a cheap but good superStrat and nice 6 and 12 acoustics so am covered on that front too.

[crazycloud]

On 08/10/2022 at 03:30, AdrianP said:

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.

I've played classic rock, traditional R&B and blues for ages, and have never owned a P, nor felt the need for one. I played with a Steinberger for years and now with a 6 and either cover all the territory those genres require.

 

I see no need for anything beyond what you already have.

[Rib13Bass]

On 07/10/2022 at 12:30, AdrianP said:

I. So I wonder whether I could get a better, bluesier, sound if I got a full fat Precision.

First you have to define bluesier sound: Theres different types of blues. When you listen to guys like Johnny B Gayden (Alligator Records session great), hes all over the map with bright stringy J-Bass slap to warm P tones (btw he mostly plays J Basses and Yamaha but has been known to sport a P on occasion live - he uses all in the studio)

If you are talking just traditional blues: You can get a bluesier sound just by plucking the strings more neckward on any bass and adjusting the tone control(s), even if you use roundwounds

It sounds to me you have a P-bass itch - and, unless you have someone else in your life you have to make an excuse for - you dont need excuses to go get one to scratch it, so get one if your heart desires  .....For the record: P-Basses with flatwounds are one of my personal-taste least favorite tones but they do sound most excellent (and often perfect) on 60s RnB, early 70s Soul, and whole lotta classic blues

Edited October 9, 2022 by Rib13Bass

[police squad]

got my first p bass 6/7 years after i started playing. I was already gigging 3-4 nights a week in a pub band. It changed my world. 

My main one now is a '73. Had it 32 years. It works for me

JMJ mustang is also awesome. Same neck profile too, but shorter and easier as the arthritis in my shoulders kicks in.

[jd56hawk]

I never wanted to be part of that crowd.

So glad we have better options.

[StingRayBoy42]

If you can find a Squier 50s P Bass, get one! £250 ish second hand, plays great, sounds great, looks great, holds its value... a great way to scratch that P Bass itch.

 

I love mine!

[EdLib-3]

Change the pickups on the Yamaha bass perhaps? DiMarzio do a nice PJ set that are great for the money.

Edited October 10, 2022 by EdLib-3

[Machines]

I have 2 Dingwalls, a 6 string and 5 string fretless Yamaha. Alongside it is a 2005 Mexican P bass which I generally use for leaning/writing as it means I can't faff about deciding what tone to have and just play some actual music.

[Munurmunuh]

3 hours ago, EdLib-3 said:

3 hours ago, EdLib-3 said:

Change the pickups on the Yamaha bass perhaps? DiMarzio do a nice PJ set that are great for the money.

 

 

 

Non standard pickups. And getting rid of the 424's bridge pickup would definitely be a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

 

One solution would be upgrading the 424 neck pickup to a 1024, but given how expensive they are, it would be more sensible just to get Squier P.

 

I felt that my 424 was great at being a BB and not much cop at being a P. I notice that the opposite is true of my P.

[dclaassen]

I wonder if the “ one bass for a certain sound “ thing is valid beyond visual aesthetics and personal preference. Three are so many variables in bass design, strings, effects, and amps…I think you can get to a certain place sonically from many different directions. You can get very close with your Yamaha, IMO

[EdLib-3]

1 hour ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

 

Non standard pickups. And getting rid of the 424's bridge pickup would definitely be a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

 

One solution would be upgrading the 424 neck pickup to a 1024, but given how expensive they are, it would be more sensible just to get Squier P.

 

I felt that my 424 was great at being a BB and not much cop at being a P. I notice that the opposite is true of my P.

So standard sized P and J bass pickups wouldn't fit into BB basses as direct replacements??

[Munurmunuh]

28 minutes ago, EdLib-3 said:

So standard sized P and J bass pickups wouldn't fit into BB basses as direct replacements??

 

Which BBs?