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Precision basses with a jazz neck


clauster
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I'm thinking about P basses at the moment (well, for the last couple of years in truth). I played three Ps pretty much exclusively for my first 14 years as a bass player and that split single coil aat the sweet spot is how a bass should sound to me. But (and it's a HUGE but) my hands really can't cope with the width of a P neck. So I'm looking at P's with a J neck.

I've been looking long and hard at Warmoth's website and I could put my dream bass together at a reasonable price. But I know what I'm like with DIY (two months to paint all four walls of a bedroom with two coats, 9 months and counting to even begin putting together a BFM cab) :)

Off the shelf I can only find the Squier Pete Wentz (bargain price, good reviews, stupid graphic on the body and on the 12th Fret) and the Lakalnd Skyline DD (nice, but over my budget and for the same price I could get someone else to put together the bits of my choice from Warmoth).

Is there anything else out there off the shelf which I'm missing?

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Fender did produce Ps with jazz necks from the Fullerton factory in the 70s. I have a '78P to exactly that spec.



I keep considering selling it but I would guess it's out of your budget.

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Take a look at the G&L SB1. Or, if you're happy with a P/J configuration, the SB2 - which can be got as a Tribute version. Standard neck is slimmer than a Fender Precision. In addition, the US made SB1 can be ordered with a narrow neck.

Edit: Just remembered the now defunct G&L LB100 - although can't recall which neck this was fitted with.

Edited by noelk27
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[quote name='obbm' post='494130' date='May 21 2009, 12:22 PM']Fender did produce Ps with jazz necks from the Fullerton factory in the 70s. I have a '78P to exactly that spec.



I keep considering selling it but I would guess it's out of your budget.[/quote]

That is gorgeous and one of the two combinations I'd love (either Black/Maple or Natural/Rosewood).

For that, I'd take out a loan to top-up the budget.

BUT, right now I want a work-horse main gigging bass and with that being a Fullerton Fender I'd end up keeping it on display and only playing it in the lounge.

If you've still got it in a years time and get the urge to sell......

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[quote name='dlloyd' post='494144' date='May 21 2009, 12:35 PM']Buy a Precision, get a jazz neck off ebay and swap them.



(Just checking... jazz and precision necks are interchangeable, aren't they?)[/quote]

Thought about that last night, but see comments re DIY :)

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[quote name='clauster' post='494164' date='May 21 2009, 12:47 PM']Thought about that last night, but see comments re DIY :)[/quote]

Yep, I'm the same (two years to finish painting a bathroom), but we're talking about unscrewing four screws, then screwing them back in again... hardly DIY.

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[quote name='Raggy' post='494116' date='May 21 2009, 12:10 PM']The Jap 70's Precision Reissue i bought from the Guitar Emporium has a slightly slimmer neck than a P, its not completely Jazz but somewhere in between. Not sure if that is any help.[/quote]
+1, very fast neck between a J and a P and they do come up from time to time on eBay (one went last week in 10/10 nick for £410)

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[quote name='clauster' post='494114' date='May 21 2009, 12:05 PM']I'm thinking about P basses at the moment (well, for the last couple of years in truth). I played three Ps pretty much exclusively for my first 14 years as a bass player and that split single coil aat the sweet spot is how a bass should sound to me. But (and it's a HUGE but) my hands really can't cope with the width of a P neck. So I'm looking at P's with a J neck.

I've been looking long and hard at Warmoth's website and I could put my dream bass together at a reasonable price. But I know what I'm like with DIY (two months to paint all four walls of a bedroom with two coats, 9 months and counting to even begin putting together a BFM cab) :)

Off the shelf I can only find the Squier Pete Wentz (bargain price, good reviews, stupid graphic on the body and on the 12th Fret) and the Lakalnd Skyline DD (nice, but over my budget and for the same price I could get someone else to put together the bits of my choice from Warmoth).

Is there anything else out there off the shelf which I'm missing?[/quote]

DR Parts and WD Music have some J-bass necks you can buy for a reasonable price.
I'm using a DR Parts maple neck on my P-bass and it's great so the J necks must be of same quality.

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Cheers for all the advice guys.....

The Japanese P's are nice (very nice, and I know a lot of people rate them higher than USofA Fenders) and the Jap Fenders I have tried have been great, but....... I don't know why, they just don't appeal. It's a bit like Honda motorcycles... Fantastic quality, but no "soul", if you know what I mean.

The G&L looks great and I really like switching out the treble cut for a bridge pickup that can be used to add a bit of Brightness instead. Stylish too. The two Skylines I don't like the styling of, but the "proper" ones look good and have pretty much the spec I want. Pricey though, and probably more than I want to pay for something that isn't exactly my spec. I've yet to hear a bad word about G&L though, so could be on the list.

Which is what I should've said about the Lakland DD - budget isn't an issue within reason as I'm looking for a "keeper". Perhaps I'll source a cheap P bass and a cheap J neck and build a "beater" while I start saving for my dream P.

Delbert you are a BAD MAN! Every time I see either of your P basses I just know I'm not going to be happy until I've got a Warmoth. It's just I know how long I'll be collecting parts for, and then have them sitting around while I get round to assembly and set-up and the consequent nagging by the wife and the "tidying up" (read hiding) she'll keep doing.

The other option that occurred to me this morning is to do the Shuker course and build from scratch myself - I know (bar the painting/lacquering) that it's all within my abilities and it'll be in an environment where I will get it built and should come in on budget.

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