P vs. J vs. Ray4 vs. Yamaha BB comparison/poll

[Vanheusen77]

Merry Christmas everyone! I found this video I made quite a while ago. For some strange reason I did not make it into a poll here!

 

[Bolo]

Voted before watching the video, sorry 

 

edit: in the video the BB with both pickups takes second place.

Edited December 24, 2023 by Bolo

[Thump]

I voted for the BB. Still has that classic P sound but with added bite(both pickups). It just sounded better to my ears

Edited December 25, 2023 by Thump
Details

[NickA]

I voted stingray, because .... I like the sound of stingrays.  But the BB is clear second and being less biased ( and on grounds of flexibility ) should perhaps come first.  Better still if th P were reversed 😉

[Vanheusen77]

46 minutes ago, NickA said:

 

I voted stingray, because .... I like the sound of stingrays. 

 

I actually ended up buying a used Stingray Special after this Ray4. I was not disappointed. It’s amazing! 

[40hz]

The P-Bass by a mile, for me. It has a warm, fat growl and presence the others just don't have. Conversely, I thought the Stingray sounded the worst.

[ezbass]

All of those tones work for me, but the weakest (IMO, YMMV) is the Yammy with both the P&J engaged, although it has a great, soloed P bass tone. I was fully expecting the J to sound weak next to, on paper, heavier, tonal hitters, but far from it. However, there can only be one (cue Christoph Lambert and Clancy Brown going for it, with swords) and for me it’s the P bass. Full disclosure, I have been on a P bass tone kick for a couple of years, so that is going to influence my choice.

[Baloney Balderdash]

Well, the comparison with the Ray4 is useless since he doesn't pluck it in the same spot as the others, so naturally it is going to sound completely different.

 

All in all way too many variable for this comparison video being of any use whatsoever, not to speak of of the tons of compression by default being added to YouTube videos when uploaded.

 

You might as well have compared chocolate muffins and lamb chops in a video and asked what tasted best. 

 

Edited December 26, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[ped]

1 minute ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Well, the comparison with the Ray4 is useless since he doesn't pluck it in the same spot as the others, so naturally it is going to sound completely different.

 

All in all way too many variable for this comparison video being of any use whatsoever, not to speak of of the tons of compression by default being added to YouTube videos when uploaded.

 

You might as well have compared muffins and lamb chops in a video and asked what tasted best. 

 

I don't think it's meant to be a scientific experiment, just a comparison to see which you like best! 

[Baloney Balderdash]

4 minutes ago, ped said:

 

I don't think it's meant to be a scientific experiment, just a comparison to see which you like best! 

Yeah, well, I don't see the point. 

 

As said it makes as much sense to me as having posted a video of people respectively eating chocolate muffins and lamb chops and then asking me what I think tasted best based on that video.

 

Edited December 26, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Misdee]

Outstanding work, as usual.

 

I liked the sound of all of them, but I liked the Stingray the least in this instance. If it had been the Stingray Special it would have probably have sounded just as good as the other basses.

 

My vote is for the P Bass, but horses for courses ect, that bass collection consists entirely of great options.

Edited December 26, 2023 by Misdee

[ped]

7 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Yeah, well, I don't see the point. 

 

As said it makes as much sense to me as having posted a video of people respectively eating chocolate muffins and lamb chops and then asking me what I think tasted best based on that video.

 

I mean that’s an odd position. Are you incapable of listening to a groove and choosing which sound you like the best? That’s all that’s being asked here. Which sound do you like the best?

[Baloney Balderdash]

3 minutes ago, ped said:

Are you incapable of listening to a groove and choosing which sound you like the best?

No, but as I have pointed out several times, in this context, with the premise presented by OP, it doesn't really make sense at all.

 

What is the point?

 

Best compared to what exactly?

 

Edited December 26, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[ped]

Just now, Baloney Balderdash said:

No, but as I have pointed out several times, in this context, with the premise represented by OP, it doesn't really make sense at all.

 

What is the point?

 

Music? 

[Misdee]

1 minute ago, ped said:

Are you incapable of listening to a groove and choosing which sound you like the best?

As Robert DeNero famously said in Taxi Driver, are you talking to me?🙂

 

Anyhow, the answer is no, I like the P Bass best.

[Baloney Balderdash]

20 minutes ago, ped said:

Music? 

Then I chose Low or Coil, with the "music" represented in the OP being very long down on my list.

 

Not something I plan including on my playlist.

 

But even if it is completely pointless I can reveal that I marginally preferred how the P Bass sounded in this video, however I accidentally voted before reading OP properly and without watching the video linked to first, therefor choosing the Yamaha BB, which probably would actually had been my choice if I had played these basses my preferred way though my preferred gear.

 

However as OP didn't allow people to change their vote on this poll my mistake is forever going to pull this already pointless poll in an even more pointless direction, making it even more inapplicable to actual reality.  

 

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[ped]

Just now, Misdee said:

As Robert DeNero famously said in Taxi Driver, are you talking to me?🙂

 

Anyhow, the answer is no, I like the P Bass best.

Sorry I think we commented at the same time! No not you. And I think I like the J the best for this groove, I like the sound of the pop and the sound suits the groove. 

[Baloney Balderdash]

Well that turned out a bit more negative than intended.

 

Not out to ruin your fun, or to discredit OP, really.

 

However I still don't think it makes sense, now please let me be of that opinion.

 

Just as it is okay for you to have fun with this poll and for OP having had fun making this video and poll, even if it doesn't really make much sense to me, it is however also perfectly alright for me, even if you think it makes perfectly sense, to think it doesn't really make much sense, so please let me keep that opinion, you are not going to change it anyway.

 

Thank you! 

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Bolo]

5 hours ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

However I still don't think it makes sense, now please let me be of that opinion.

You may be of that opinion ofcourse.

Just odd that when you are presented with a few soundbites and are asked which you prefer, you launch in to debate rather than listen.

The question is not which bass is best.  

[Vanheusen77]

I made this video a couple of years ago. Since then I have made better ones, but not with all of these basses at the same time because I have not had them in the same place (some I have sold). The Stingray special is better than the Ray4 for sure, although it’s the same type of sound. 
 

When I have comparisons between entirely different types of basses I generally play them the way I would on the track. More to get a feel for the different flavours so to speak.
 

When I have made comparisons between the P pickup of a Yamaha and a P bass, or the PJ sound compared to jazz I have tried to play them the same way since they are within the same category to me.

 

The fact that votes cannot be changed was by mistake and not intentional. If someone knows how to change this after posting, please let me know!

[Vanheusen77]

I also should have made separate options for Yamaha both pickups, and Yamaha P pickup only….

Edited December 29, 2023 by Vanheusen77

[Vanheusen77]

Looks like the P is starting to look like a winner in this poll (happens quite often in my experience). If you on top of that factor in the Yamaha BB votes that was for P pickup only, it’s starting to look like a landslide. I might have to do a new “P-off” between a BB and the Fender at some point! Thanks everyone!

[Linus27]

The P-Bass for me, it sounded wonderful. The surprise for me was the Jazz and how it sounded very generic and not very Jazz like. I would have expected a little more variety in its tone.

[fretmeister]

I liked the ray best. That surprised me as I’ve been mainly playing P types for a while.

I liked the PJ more than the jazz. The jazz just sounded a bit boring.

[ezbass]

I love that so many folks who have commented have widely opposing opinions on the basses played. It just goes to show that producing so many different models of bass is totally justified and owning them too, at least before some engineer removes all the character from them, resulting in something generic (yes, I have an axe to grind here).