OutToPlayJazz Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Just a late night thought... A while back I was chatting to another pro bass player who was saying that every serious session player should have a vintage Precision in their armoury. Now I know some producers ask for a "classic bass sound" and I've had others who've been very happy to let me play what I'm happy playing, but has anyone ever been expected to play a Precision or any other specific bass? I'm mainly just curious, as I've personally never got along with Precisions. I've tried to find P-love, but after buying and selling three I just find I don't get along with them & don't really like the sound. Now I've got a lot more session work coming in I'm wondering whether I should try again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Yep... And fire back by asking "What era?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM1 Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I know I'm only a tadpole but I tried quite a few precisions vs jazzes and couldn't get along with precisions originally. Until a few months later when I tried a few more, now I am pretty much in love with them! The sound is absolutely fantastic, great tone. If you don't like the neck, stick on a jazz neck. The tone through an SVT3 is mind blowing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 i want a to give a proper precision a go one day, but if you have some fairly versatile basses (statii... fairly versatile right?), then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to get fairly close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Yep, just used a Variax bass on the p-bass setting through a POD xt on an SVT set-up... mmm,nice!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanOwens Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I always get asked for a 'retro' sound in sessions. My Darkstar P is usually my go-to anyway. Tone open for rock, and gradually more closed for anthing else. I rarely do modern-pop sessions anymore, and for most things I find a P or J is what the producer/songwriter imagines anyway! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozbass Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 'Never had a real problem, I find most producers are preoccupied with voice and programming - everything else is a poor second. I've owned a few older and vintage Ps but oddly enough, never really used them for sessions. The Status Series II was a favourite with most producers as it's incredibly easy to record: straight into the desk, quiet, clean and sits in the mix (with just a bit of compression). I once took a Ripper to a pop reggae session and the producer wanted a dub sound...he didn't get it but was happy anyway (see above). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 In reality I think most producers don't know what sounds like what. They just know a P bass does that kind of music (if they are very well versed), they have no idea what else can do the same thing in a mix - why would they? When they say P, any decent neck pickup (OK best if its either a P or soapbar rather than a jazz pup IME) on a decent bass will cut it, roll off the treble to taste. Then its a question of picking the spot to pluck, for a truer P sound then over that neck pup, but I often find you get a tone that sits in the mix better if you have a bridge pup to pluck over, even when using the neck pup, its that bit tauter and punchier. Of course getting a producer/engineer to let you go through that couple of combinations rather than just taking a beaten up old P out of a bag is probably the diff between getting called again and not.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golchen Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I feel such a newb with this sort of thread. I wouldn't have the faintest idea what a Precision or Jazz sound is??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 [quote name='Golchen' post='467811' date='Apr 20 2009, 08:18 PM']I feel such a newb with this sort of thread. I wouldn't have the faintest idea what a Precision or Jazz sound is???[/quote] An old-school bassist friend once said he thought a Precision sounded 'woody' and a Jazz sounded 'fruity' - however you have to have owned them to get the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 (edited) I've been really blessed with owning some of the nicest precisions and Jazzes around..... eg see Custom Shop Ltd Ed 1958 (1 of 100) in Avatar You know what ? the best precision sound i've heard is from the neck pup of my sadowsky UV70 with a little bit of treble added for bite !! P tone to die for !! Edited April 20, 2009 by Marcus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookus Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Fenders are so last year darling Personally I'd go for a 1960's Gibson EB-3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 [quote name='51m0n' post='467297' date='Apr 20 2009, 10:55 AM']In reality I think most producers don't know what sounds like what. They just know a P bass does that kind of music (if they are very well versed), they have no idea what else can do the same thing in a mix - why would they? When they say P, any decent neck pickup (OK best if its either a P or soapbar rather than a jazz pup IME) on a decent bass will cut it, roll off the treble to taste. Then its a question of picking the spot to pluck, for a truer P sound then over that neck pup, but I often find you get a tone that sits in the mix better if you have a bridge pup to pluck over, even when using the neck pup, its that bit tauter and punchier. Of course getting a producer/engineer to let you go through that couple of combinations rather than just taking a beaten up old P out of a bag is probably the diff between getting called again and not....[/quote] dunno, there is that P type thump that I really havnt heard in many other basses. A passive bass sounds different to active basses IMO and the P tone does sit in quite a specific place in the mix. I use mine at church cos im aiming for the same place, the deep woody low. When I used my warwick it didnt sit the same, stood out (not in a good way) too much and was too clean and percussive. I think Outtoplayjazz, if you can afford it a CIJ P bass (with the us pups) would do the trick for not much, my old one i sold sounded amazing straight into a DI. You never know you may grow to like it. Think of it as a historic version of a status, Like a status is a M16 and the P bass is a flintlock. They both do the same thing, just differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookus Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 EB-0 [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5iK9rH0Ftc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5iK9rH0Ftc[/url] EB-3 [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1rigykTXz8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1rigykTXz8[/url] Check out the vintage tones here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 [quote]I think Outtoplayjazz, if you can afford it a CIJ P bass (with the us pups) would do the trick for not much, my old one i sold sounded amazing straight into a DI. You never know you may grow to like it. Think of it as a historic version of a status, Like a status is a M16 and the P bass is a flintlock. They both do the same thing, just differently.[/quote] Thanks, I may look into that. First, I'll see how I go with my lovely Fender/Sadowsky jazz & the Status quintet. Lots of sounds to be had between that lot! I'm liking the gun analogy here - Does that make a Stingray an AK-47 assault rifle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SammyDamacy Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I've found that what sometimes people (I mean none bass players) mean when they ask for that "classic precision sound", what they're really asking is a sound that just sits in the mix, which most producers associate a precision bass with. When I had the Lakland DJ, that sound was really appreciated, especially on the neck pickup. Must say since I've started using the Status I haven't had a complaint, even from the guy who only believes that a 'real bass' is a 70's fender jazz or a p bass (even if he REALLY hates the look of it, love of god I don't dare flash the LEDs.......) But back to the OP, I think it is a classic sound, won't argue with that. One I've never liked, but respect all the same. It seems to be a reliable tone. Never got on with precisions. I personally only like the tone if it's played with a pick through a big dirty ampeg stack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 The Precision bass is probably the bass reference tone and I have read of session players saying that many producers always ask for that particular sound If you read the Guy Pratt book, he says that Gilmore wanted him to play a P bass when he joined Pink Floyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 [quote name='Golchen' post='467811' date='Apr 20 2009, 08:18 PM']I feel such a newb with this sort of thread. I wouldn't have the faintest idea what a Precision or Jazz sound is???[/quote] And you've been playing how long? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goingdownslow Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 [quote name='Pookus' post='467862' date='Apr 20 2009, 09:19 PM']EB-0 [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5iK9rH0Ftc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5iK9rH0Ftc[/url] EB-3 [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1rigykTXz8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1rigykTXz8[/url] Check out the vintage tones here![/quote] Drool.... they just don't make them like that anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rslaing Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 "Ever been asked for "that classic Precision sound"? Just buy the Roland VB99 - you can get any sound you want, and tweak it if you need to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 [quote name='rslaing' post='467904' date='Apr 20 2009, 10:37 PM']"Ever been asked for "that classic Precision sound"? Just buy the Roland VB99 - you can get any sound you want, and tweak it if you need to.[/quote] Or the more simpler option of just soloing the neck pick up, saves money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rslaing Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 [quote name='Josh' post='467912' date='Apr 20 2009, 10:46 PM']Or the more simpler option of just soloing the neck pick up, saves money.[/quote] But doesn't get the exact sound that the people that are paying you want to hear. I hated the idea of modelling units initially, but the VB99 is superb. Really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 (edited) [quote name='rslaing' post='467915' date='Apr 20 2009, 10:49 PM']But doesn't get the exact sound that the people that are paying you want to hear. I hated the idea of modelling units initially, but the VB99 is superb. Really.[/quote] They want dull thud, they'll get dull thud . Edited April 20, 2009 by Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rslaing Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 [quote name='Josh' post='467918' date='Apr 20 2009, 10:56 PM']They want dull thud, they'll get dull thud .[/quote] If that is what they want, and they pay the money, who are we to question them? And if they want an EXACT sound, the VB99 is a great investment for the studio session player who wants to get the requested sound without having to carry a lot of basses around. It also replicates a huge variation of cabs and amps and is a dream for the engineer when all he wants is a good clean D.I. £700 is not a lot of money if you are a pro, good at what you do and can deliver on the spot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 [quote name='rslaing' post='467926' date='Apr 20 2009, 11:03 PM']If that is what they want, and they pay the money, who are we to question them? And if they want an EXACT sound, the VB99 is a great investment for the studio session player who wants to get the requested sound without having to carry a lot of basses around. It also replicates a huge variation of cabs and amps and is a dream for the engineer when all he wants is a good clean D.I. £700 is not a lot of money if you are a pro, good at what you do and can deliver on the spot![/quote] Noted . Still, I've had no complaints for just favoring the neck pick up, both my Siggery and MTD deliver a precision tone in spades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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