I truly value your insights. I'm a beginner at age 67. The attribute of each instrument type can be daunting. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.
...And that's why people like Duck Dunn put Jazz Bass necks on their Precision basses. Precision Bass sound with Jazz Bass neck feel. Reggie Hamilton took a different approach and put a P-Bass splitcoil in his Jazz Bass. Whatever works.
As a beginner, I chose P bass over J bass after listening to each of them played successively. J bass sounds like it's really something else. The attack is easily distinguishable. It's crisp, funky, tantalizing, and it sounds fun especially when you slap it. The only drawback for me was that the sound just stands out too much, especially to the point of being 'cute, bubbly and bouncy' like there were emphasis on the higher range. P bass sounded hollow and gravelish to me at first. But I realised that it is very versatile and fairly smoother than J bass. Especially this is good for blending into literally any types of music. And.... besides it sounds more 'masculine' and drier in a good way. I really wanted to change my P bass for J bass after the purchase, but I came to LOVE Precision bass so much! It's more lighter than J bass, looks good, sounds warm, and the fretboard is more wider which is pleasing to look at.
Well, this is just a great comparison, Jules. Thank you! I especially like that you intersperse the functional / design differences with tone comparisons. I’m a guitarist who’s just getting into bass, so understanding P- and J-basses seems like an ideal starting point.
@@JulesGuitar Yes, I do! I got a Squire Classic Vibe Bass VI just a few weeks ago, and I love it. It’s a nice transition for a guitar player of 35+ years. First thing I played was “Helter Skelter.” 🙂
I just got my first J Bass ever and have had a P Bass for about 15 years. The hum of the J Bass freaked me out at first, and I thought there was a wiring issue. I didn't realize J Bass is notorious for this hum. Messing with my EQ and moving it away from an electrical source and/or switching to passive vice active eliminates the buzz. I can see why you mentioned this, and that P Bass is more ideal for recording.
Really great comparison. And I like how you didn't just focus on the tone, but other aspects as well, which for me, are all good things to consider. I played a P bass for years and loved them. Only within the past year and a half have I begun to play a Jazz bass. And I am now a convert. For me, the biggest difference is the neck. The Jazz neck is just sweet and feels so comfortable. As for the body, I always thought the body was ugly, now I love it. It does look odd on a stand, but strapped on and played, it looks balanced. The hum was a big negative for me. I switched out the pickups to humcancelling ones and that solved the problem of the hum. I also love how you mention turning down the volume. Definitely a simplicity to the P - one volume, one tone. I have noticed that when recording with a Jazz, I do like the extra option of tones available.
Get both! I've been trying decide which is my favorite for 25 years and have ultimately decided that I simply need one of each. The way I approach a bass part while writing a song will vary depending on which bass I'm playing. On the P I'll tend to leave big space between notes, giving a track a thumpier more more funky vibe. On the J I'll tend to get more adventurous and melodic in my playing.
My first bass was Jazz, I got used to it, but then I tried P bass and I never wanted to play Jazz bass again. I don't understand why it's renowned to be more comfortable(maybe bcs older were very thick). I would say that this goes only for people with smaller hands. The thinner neck actually makes your palm "fly" and also you have to bend your fingers more - this I hate a lot.
I ordered a p bass for studio situations. Simple, neck and low noise but... The j bass is something I want later... Should be a few weeks but I really am excited to know what the neck difference will be. I never really liked the fast neck on my Ibanez basses. I'm really liking that smooth tone on both listening to the reviews and demos.
I've come to enjoy both. The P bass to me feels and sounds more full, neutral, and warm and is incredibly versatile. I used to think J basses were nasally, but I've come to appreciate the distinct brightness of their high notes when doing a fill and the necks are easier to play. But by far the best "secret weapon" underappreciated bass- are the fender short scales, which are absolutely unbeatable for 60's sounding indie rock, psych rock, and garage rock if you play them with a pick. Think Cage the Elephants "trouble"
I love my bass. I have the best of both worlds. I got an vintage 80s Fender P/J Jazz bass. Body and neck of a Jazz but with Pbass Pup and Jazz bass Pup in the bridge. It has a Gibson wiring scheme of 3 toggle switch and 2 tones and 2 volumes. Absolute pleasure to play with!
I would like to add a precision bass to my collection. Sire P5 5 string is the one I am looking for. I like the ease of use and the tone. I am more of a jazz bass person but for recording I would like to get a precision. Lack of bridge pickup was something that got me off from having a precision bass but jazz bass does not have such presence on neck pickup.
Good Job! Have a Fender '69 Precision Custom Shop with Jazz Bass Neck w/inlays, Ocean Turquoise/mint condition/recently bought Player Plus with active/passive
Best review I've found so far, was in two minds about which to buy, especially when I'm spending a grand, that's a lot of money to me. Thanks again for taking the time to make this video, respect. Cheers
My first bass was a pbass, and i have always loved it, never envied jazz basses til I got one in my hand. the neck opened up so many possibilities and I was absolutely gobsmacked that something so simple could open up my playing so much. My current pbass is the thickest neck I have ever played, however, and I am seriously considering sanding down the profile, hoping it will get rid of the absurd neck dive, too. does anyone have any insight on how to go about it?
I have one of each jazz bass has that growl on neck pick-up , the p bass just cuts through the middle of everything perfectly on every song Love them both
For studio work, you could just stick a noise gate on the Jazz to kill the hum during quiet sections where you’re not playing, so I don’t really see it as a negative. Great video btw.
I’ve got an early-‘80s Kramer “Pioneer Special” bass, essentially a P-Bass copy but with a Jazz-style neck. It’s a nice combination, feels like a Jazz and sounds like a Precision.
If you have watched the video documentaries by "five watt world" Highly recommended for any guitar geek), you will learn the primary reason for the "invention" of the Jazz Bass was purely marketing. Fender marketing and sales guys wanted to increase sales in the jazz world, so they did exactly that. You can split all the hairs you want about the differences, but that was the reason the Jazz Bass was created. I would bet ANYBODY that in a blind audio test none of you could hear the difference. You can now start your arguments calling me stupid. Remember it was guitar geeks that bought so much horseshit over the decades about "tonewood" and "vintage wood" and folklore about windings on pickups and so much other stuff that has proven to be totally false. You hear what you want to hear. The truth is that a great player will make a very cheap guitar and amp sound amazing.
Saying that a p bass and j bass sound different isnt a matter of the wood used or some bs like that, they literally have different pick ups and are a different scale length. Both of those things definitely affect the sound. Saying that there is no difference between the two is the goofiest music related take ive seen in a while 😂
I just can't get past the offset body. I never liked the look of it. Give it to me simple. Passive, four string, one pickup, flat wounds, and a monster neck, please.
Most important thing -every Fender is different. Some jazzes will be better than some Ps and visa versa. Gotta play em to see and a magic one cones along every 10 or so ….clearly this P bass is a good one. The J sounds mediocre… You could take 2 different and have a completely different tone result. As always YMMV
The pickup placements have a significant impact on the fundamental tone. Even with a Jazz, whether the bridge uses the 60s or 70s era pickup placement results in a noticeable difference in sound.
Both are great basses. I’ve got a jazz, and 4 Ps. A 58 reissue with La Bella flats, a parts one with La Bella rounds, a ‘73 Ibanez with La Bella flats, and a weird Japanese sting style one with neck through and with rounds.
Great video! Great comparison. I have an American J bass with rounds, and a Sqier Classic Vibe 60s bass with flats.I do a bit of home studio recording, and I know exactly what you mean about the j bass creating noise… Sometimes I think it’s broken- lol, because I watch videos where they don’t seem to be making noise. But I really want to use it because it plays so well. It is just so much work to dial in… and I have a Neve and an Avalon pre. I more often than not just go straight into the Apollo interface and use an amp simulator. Any magic bullets out there? Thanks!
I gave a thumbs up just for your proper use of “all intents and purposes”. The big difference between a jazz bass and a p bass is that the jazz has this soulful classic sound and the p bass will make your enemies run and hide, your women dance, your skin clearer, teeth brighter, hair thicker and will bring you wealth and fame.
Like how you mentioned the buzz. NOBODY does that in the other videos. Solidified my choice on P Bass. I was leaning that way due to body shape anyways. I like that classic clean cut look not the wonky jazz bass body. Though I do have very tiny hands. Like the size of a 120lb woman type tiny.
My observations as an owner of both. I got an American Precision new in 1974 and it was my workhorse for years. Still got it and it’s a stage grade instrument. Sadly I can’t gig it these days as it’s a shade over 11 lbs. My current go to is a Mike Lull M5 - only 8lbs. For a while I owned a 76 Jazz Bass and it was the same natural ash body as my Precision but it was 8.5lbs. So the comment about extra wood making a Jazz heavier doesn’t really stack up. When I first got the Precision it was very noisy and buzzy but a friend cured that by rewiring it. The 76 Jazz was pretty quiet from a buzzing respect. Later I bought a 2010 American Jazz V - passive and it wasn’t really noisy. It was a tad heavy though but still under 10 lbs. I upgraded it with a John East Vintage Preamp and it really was a killer sounding instrument. After I bought my Mike Lull the Fender Jazz V was redundant so I moved it on. 😎
finally a legit and genuinely useful comparison! i'm used to playing on a cheap knock off of a P-bass (bought it for £25 when i was 18 lol) and was looking to upgrade in quality without straying too far off sound-wise and had considered the J-bass, but after seeing this, i feel like it may not be the best choice for me after all! the thinner neck seemed very appealing, but my tone is callibrated closely to a whole array of pedals, and adjusting every time with two pickups might become a nightmare. besides, extra weight isn't good when dancing AND playing AND singing at once! it does have a lovely sound though... but i think it's team P-bass for me, and my thick, stonery/doomy riffs :)
I bought myself the higher end Fender American ultra jazz base thinking I would be able to play it the same way as my American Precision P-Base. I quickly found out that my fingers just couldn’t adjust to the differences in the physical dimensions specially in the neck and fret width. I have a small stubby fingers, but I found them fumbling all the time and it became a very frustrating experience. I ended up selling that beautiful midnight blue jazz bass and decided to stay strictly with the Precision. What I did notice was that I can get the jazz bass sound much better when I tried slap technique, but couldn’t replicate that same feeling on the Precision. Some say the jazz bass is more friendlier to use for smaller fingers and maybe I should have started out with one as a beginner. Who knows- maybe it would have been an easier transition into a precision.
preferring the Jazz neck both my P pickup basses have Jazz necks - long termer Japanese domestic model Aerodyne - which is an actual jazz bass with the front pickup replaced with a P bass and recently added another MIJ the Hama Okamoto P base which has a Jazz neck on a P body/electrics best of both worlds
I love both so much, I only own a J but damn that P sounded so nice, more vintage powerful sound I love the smoothness of the bridge pickup of the J Each has its own identity, best solution is still to own both lol
Jazz Bass Special! Neck from the P Bass, neck pick-up from P Bass, bridge pickup from a J Bass. J bass controls PLUS a selector knob to play either pickup, and with the neck pick-up only, that means you got yourself a P Bass with the narrow neck. I love mine, Japanese model, and feel no need to buy a Standard. Which....is probably why Fender likes them to be unknown
Injust got the pbass 60 vintage. I jave a fender jag i habe been using. The jag is perhaps quicker, but note output seems better on the pbass as the strings are a little further apart. Seems easier to get a good clear note from the G string.
I have an ‘85 p bass elite II with 2 sets of pick up and active electronics. Great in many ways, but now I’m considering a j bass because of the ease of playing. Thoughts.
Great comparison. I found the perfect solution for me with a Precision Bass with an A-neck. Fender made P-Basses with narrow Jazz-Bass-Type necks, called A-necks, in the 70s and these basses are perfect to play with my smaller hands. But they are pretty rare, and it took several decades before I got my hands on one. Before that time I was playing Jazzbasses simply because I could not play the wide P-Bass neck.
@@stabbly Thanks for your advice! Yes, I do this since many years. I have 6 P Basses with J neck and only 2 of them are real Fender A-neck Precisions. The other 4 are all Frankensteins if you will!
@@EmanCarbone Are you sure Eman? I just looked at Thomann. The Nate Mendel P bass they offer has 41 mm neck width at the nut (not 38 like a Jazz-Bass). But maybe Fender has changed this as they did with the Duff McKagan model some years ago, too.
Even though I love getty lee I need to sound like me besides you can get a little getty by using a pick on p bass thanks once again. No longer on the quest. I'm a p bass player
Every bass player should have both! I have both, I also have a ‘best of both worlds’ bass, a MiM P- Bass Special ‘deluxe’ which has a P-J pickup configuration, P bass body but a Jazz bass neck 👌, now I play none of them though, because I discovered the joys of a Mustang bass……
I had both and sold the jazz. Neck was crazy thin and I have small hands. Also found the p tone more full and easier to shape into many different tones with pedals and preamps than a jazz which seemed to always have a more obvious signature tone. The p has one too, but works in more contexts in my experience making it easier to mold in a studio or live situation. I’ve seen awesome players do amazing things with jazz basses, but they’re just not for me.
Good overall summary, I would add that slight natural compression and punchy grunt you get on the p-bass with the 2 fat coils in series, reason why it sounds different from the neck pickup of a jazz bass
Back in the day when I was doing a lot of studio work in the 80s you had to have a P and a J bass if you wanted to work. Some boutique basses were around back then but were not the favored sound among producers. I still only play a P and J bass and don’t mess with other brands. No need to. Never had a gig in 50 years they didn’t cover just fine.
My dad bought me a used 1957 Pbass in 1965, the music store sent it to Fender in Fullerton for a new neck and paint job. I'm retired and haven't played in a number of years and am jonesing to play. I'm considering a Jazz bass. Any suggestions?
This is a great video, and you made both basses sound so good! If you can afford it, a Jazz, a Precision, and a Music Man StingRay are all great to have.
2 strumenti dal suono favoloso. Personalmente il precision lo terrei così come sta mentre il jazz lo userei freetless che produce un suono favoloso. Così facendo non hai proprio bisogno di altro hai il meglio del meglio.
The difference of the Precision bass from Jazz bass is the neck, sometimes the weight. Sound isn't a factor. Either bass sounds the way you want the bass to sound with modern preamps and modern amplification and technique.
Natsuko Miyamoto plays a J-Bass so there is NOT an Option to buy a P-Bass ever ! And she plays a Bacchus Bass , is there an Option what is cheaper with the same sound ?
Nice American stable pieces. I prefer the Jazz bass for its sound and yet have 4 precision style fender basses. And no single coil precision bass can’t get close to the single coil sound of Jazz bass, merely for pickup position .
Gotta say the jazz bass is extra hummy with the tapewounds on it. Since the strings don't ground properly to the bridge cause of the tapes you gotta be touching the bridge or control plate at all times to stop the hum even while playing. Unless you have your pickups and internal shielded well its a problem with those specific kinda of strings.
Being a guitarist, the j always sounded too close to the guitar. I love the sound of the p. Just gives that "bed" for other elements to rest on. J I hear more as a solo or slap instrument. Sometimes, however, when you're playing open strings on the p, the lows do go out of control a bit - something which hardly every happens with the j.
