Why you SHOULDN'T play a P bass 

As a long-standing bass player, one thing I've learned is to never take advice from a bass player.

That's one BEAUTIFUL P-bass. And everyone should own at least two p-basses. One with flats, one with rounds.

The best promo for a P Bass is to say “don’t buy one” !!

The first thing an experienced engineer will do is make your bass sound like a P bass as it will always sit perfectly in any mix. There's a reason it's been used on 90% of popular music.

Scott Devine: "Not as customizable" Billie Sheehan: "Hold my beer!" :D

I think part of the issue is that most amplified musicians over estimate their need for tonal spectrum width. It's probably very rare that most of us NEED that much and most mix engineers are probably going to narrow your wide spectrum tone into a spot in the mix.

I like how this video conviced me to go back to Precision.

(with practice and time it's actually VERY easy to manually increase your tonal range on a p-bass simply by plucking differently) I think it's worth it to play a p-bass even just for tone control practice - I've played one for about 11 years and it's always been my main bass - and controlling tone with my picking and fretting is second nature, while I watch others rely almost entirely on their electronic controls. The so-called limitations on P-basses will make you a more talented, versatile bassist over time - but it does take practice since many people hardly ever learn how to manually control tone, so they're starting form scratch. To start practicing controlling tone manually experiment with different positions on frets (difference of even a mm) and different pressures, using different parts of the tip of your finger. Same with plucking, experiment with different parts of your fingertip, difference force and difference positions. Using simple technique to increase your tonal range will get easier - your plucking fingers will become quasi-calloused as you "tap-pluck" with them more, much more dense than the other fingertips of that hand, giving you further control simply by plucking differently.

With all that being said, you should own at least one P-Bass.

For me, the sound of a Precision Bass, with a vintage-style split coil pickup and roundwound strings, is the ultimate perfect tone for the heavy styles of music I play. It's just got that great growly and thunderous tone that sits great in a mix, rumbles like nobody's business, and still has a good amount of clarity and definition even with the tone control almost all the way down. Sure, it's a bit of a one trick pony, but it just so happens to be so good at that one particular trick that there's nothing else I want.

I love the limitations of a P Bass or single pickups basses in general. For me, that means that most of the tone comes from the hands and technique, and I've used a P Bass for pretty much every style of music. Great discussion

I recently purchased a P-Bass after owning only a J-Bass & an active P-J Bass for several years, and found what Scott mentioned about the tonal differences of the P-Bass vs my other two Basses to be right on point. I do find myself practicing & playing Bass covers more with the J-Bass, but when creating original music, the P-Bass is nearly always in my hands. Go figure, right?! Each of my Basses holds special places in my musical ear, heart & soul. Thanks for great content and the “Oh Yea?!” insight Scott. Keep, Keeping It Bass!

I never liked the P bass, I didn't like the sound when I played it . I avoided them for 30 years. I finally gave in and picked one up. Still wasn't crazy about the sound. I took it to rehearsal and , WOW! They way that thing sits in the mix is amazing! My ignorance kept me from having an incredible instrument for so many years. So there's 1 reason TO buy a P bass! 🙂

They're a blessing to have around the studio. I've only ever owned a Japanese Geddy for the past 15 years but I know when to put it down if the track needs a P and there's one I can use. Neck p/u with tone on 0 gets close but there's some kind of woodsy character to the lower midrange that you just can't get on a Jazz.

Worth noting: If you love the P bass sound, but you DO want a bit more versatility, you can always get a PJ or the much less common PMM (a precision pickup with a music man humbucker in the bridge).

I've always struggled with P basses. Been a J guy most of my life. Always found Ps difficult and uncomfortable to play, dull "meat and potatoes" sound, and sonically just ugly to listen to when you're just sitting around noodling on one. (I equate it to a grunting pig). And something about the P PUP position always brings out a clicky clacky fret noise in my playing that irritates me (not buzz, but the sound of my fretting hand pressing the frets), so I spend more time trying to tame the thing than just relaxing and playing like I do with other basses. (I still prefer a reverse P setup = smoother, more balanced tone). But I knew I needed one in a band I was playing in, so I bought an Fender Am Std P a few years ago. Didn't give it much thought while I was playing it, but when I heard back the recordings from some live shows, I was blown away. Sounded SO great in the overall band mix. Sat exactly where it should. I'm a convert now.

The "let me just add a little extra low" impulse has messed up a lot of mixes. Live & studio......the Precision, as you mentioned sits so well in the mix, organically....particularly with the drums. As always you sound great!

After 30 years of playing bass I bought my first one a couple of months ago and it fit like a glove , I just love the simplicity , feel and tone of the instrument .

A P simply cannot do what other basses do... and other basses cannot do what a P does! Perfect, I'll take one of each, thank you so much.

Geezer Butler on the 1st 5 Sabbath albums. Iron Maiden's Steve Harris. John Entwistle's magnificent work on the Who Live at Leeds. Right there's all the reason you need to play a P-Bass.

If a P-bass isn't versatile then why does a good one work on just about everything in popular music from the last 70 years? That one trick is the most versatile bass sound there is.

My first bass was a mid '70's Rickenbacker 4001. Bought when I was 13 it was only 3 or 4 years old and had been lightly used. The guy that traded it in had said it was too treblely for him and he wanted the P Bass sound. It is an awesome bass. My buddies P Bass was a lot heavier and the frets were farther apart. I hated to play that P Bass. As a kid with smaller hands the Rick was much easier to play. The Rick also has a signature sound that was easily recognizable and very popular in several genres of popular music. With the Ric-O-Sound box both pick-ups could be plugged into seperate amps giving "simulated stereo", great for a stack arrangement or seperated amp speaker arrangements. Lots of sound and tone versatility was there to be had. Since then I have had many basses. From 8 string Alembic to 4 string acoustics. The Alembic is worth its considerable weight in terms of tone and quality sound and playability. The Ric remains a favorite. Have always disliked Gibson basses as they are not comfortable for me to play or wear and I am not a fan of the Gibson bass sound. After thirty years of not playing Fender basses (my hands got much bigger over that time) i found an 83 Squier P bass that I could not say no too ($120 with a case and Fender Backstage 30 bass amp and looked unused for 20 years). Made in Japan it sounds and plays as well as any P Bass I have ever played. It taught me to love the P Bass. I now have tried many P Basses and other Fender basses as well. Really like the fretless Jazz bass. Jazz neck is thinner across the board and front to back. My Jaguar has frets similar to short scale width. Both play easier than the P bass. The P Bass will teach you the hand and finger stretch (as will any Alembic) and if you can play it well you should have an easy time with other basses. When I go from the P Bass to the Rickenbaker it feels like a short scale. I do think it was easier to learn to play the Rickenbacker as a kid but as an adult the P Bass becomes easier to manage in terms of size. Still, they are the 2 basses I play the most!

Not a single one of these reasons has ever stopped me from playing one. I have a really nice 70’s-style Jazz Bass that I consider my main bass, but I have found myself playing my single-coil and split-coil P-Basses out more often lately.

I've played a p bass for 2 years. They sound very versatile and unique. I've also played a jazz bass, but the p bass seems more suitable for me.

Thank you Scott for suggesting flats on a P-Bass. Love em on mine... Tone down and you got James Jamerson. Turn it up about half way and you got Duck Dunn. Crank it all the way and you get Steve Harris. Totally love it.

Coming from a pop punk background, I can't imagine not loving the sound of a p bass solo'd

Well I just spent more or less all my money on a Fender Precision 5-String a few days ago and now you make this video... ...and it just reassured me of my decision. Thanks for that!

I started out only on P-basses, but then switched to P&J basses so I could have the best of both worlds (and then some, IMO). Still, I never felt remotely limited on a P-bass and loved how they could cut through a mix. So much so that I bought a new P-bass last year.😁

A couple of observations I have made about the P Bass over the years are: You can also use the level/volume control to vary the tonal color. Turning down and playing harder, or turn up and softer touch creates different textures. The bass seems to phrase itself a bit after I pluck/play it. I feel I have to start playing my note earlier than I would on my Stingray5 to hear it appear at the same time. Not saying either is bad, just different.

I modified my P-Bass by switching to EMG pick ups and adding a bridge pick up. It gives me a multitude of sounds. The only draw back for me is having to disassemble it (remove the strings, knobs, pick guard) to change the battery for the pick ups. I turned it into a PJ Bass in 1983 and I don't recall ever seeing a stock PJ Bass at that time. Not sure when Fender started making them.

I play a Warwick double buck and I can make it sound almost like any other bass, and funny enough the most versatial sound I dial in is the P bass sound. I most of the time play it passive and in single coil mode. I use the blend knob to dial in more attack from the bridge pickup when a song needs more funky touch. The meat in your fingers also changes the sound and where you position your plughand😀 Great video👍

As an occasional bass player in a blues band and a punk band in the past I like the simplicity. You just plug in and go.

Always said I would never buy one when I started out playing. Now have 3, have let some go in the past and regret everyone I sold. My go to bass for recording, never fails. Could not be without one now

I've played bass for 30 pluse years . I started out on a p bass, moved to a rickenbacker, did a stint with a Ibanez pro line, got a killer jazz bass. I've found that you always need that great sounding p bass in your fleet. That warmth you get from a p bass is essential and very inspiring.

I absolutely love FAT P bass sounds, but like Scott mentioned, I feel like it's a plug and play one trick pony. Out of all my basses, I actually don't any P(only) bass. I love me some PJs though!

For USA bassists, 44mm is 1.75" (C neck). A Jazz bass is a 1.5" (A neck) and another common size for P bass necks is 1.625" (B neck). These were stamped at the heel of the neck as well as the year of manufacture in the '60's. The first number of the code was the model. 5 was a P bass and 7 was a Jazz bass. A neck stamped 5 MAY 68 B would indicate a P bass with a nut width of 1 5/8" made in May of 1968.

The P Bass When it comes right down to it is the only base you will need

1984 Mexican fender, baby blue. Greatest bass ever made. Got it when I was 14 and still playing gigs with it. I'm 38.

About to buy my first bass after 25+ years of playing guitar (Squier Classic Vibe 70s P-Bass), and this has cemented why I wanted a P over a J

I just started playing bass a couple months ago and I love my p bass.the warmth and the big neck and depth of the sound I was hooked immediately.I bought a jazz bass and didn’t like it and returned it.💁

My first bass was a P. Hated it. Fast forward 10 years.... I now own 3 fretted P basses and 1 fretless. Nothing like it in the world.

Here's what you do... Flatwounds on a 1997 Fender P-Bass deluxe. One of the few years that they produced a p-bass with a Musicman-style humbucking bridge pickup. Gives you a HUGE bandwidth for tonality. Anything from Jamerson to Edwards. I play one in my band METROFERN and it gives a lot of flexibility.

The P bass has a very intimate sound that brings you in. The Jazz Bass of marcus Miller etc can be overwhelming for most. Still both great sounds depending on what the song calls for

l've played my 1971 Precision Bass from 1972 to 2016 . it NEVER failed me EVER ! I had to retire from playing bass because of scoliosis. l still keep my 3 Precisions 1 Telecaster Bass 1 Music Man Stingray and Cort Curbow 5 String with me. for life.

You can't go wrong with it. Specially when cutting through the mix with a DG pedal or Sans Amp (if you like playing rock or metal). Definitely a must have in your collection, there's a reason why it's kept the highlighted spot in recording studios as well.

I’d say it is a versatile bass. It’s great for punk music, smooth music, jazz. And it sits in the mix perfectly

I guess its just me but I LOVE my flatwounds, i love the sound they give. I love the narrow tone over the roundwounds imo.

When I was a young lad (10), I always wanted one. My friend had the Fender Road machine poster. I was determined to get one of these “ road machines”. When I was a junior in high school, I got a job working at gas station. I’d work from 4:00 pm to midnight then get up and go to school. My day came when a friend and I took the trip from Sacramento to San Francisco. I walked into Don Weir’s Music City and walked out with a black/black/maple P bass. I came up $40 short so my friend who was from the Bay Area hit his Dad up for the $40. It was a loan that I am forever grateful for. I still have her…. The year was 1976. My date code indicates it was built in 1975.

It took me a long time to come around to the P. Now I love them, especially with a bit of over drive on them. Get that nice growl and overtones!

As Jazz Bass player for about 10 years the only reason I didn't want a Precision was because of the thick neck. So after the Squier Mini Precision came out (and luckily has a Jazz width neck) I was convinced to get a Precision for once. Now I'm just appreciating the sound that goes with anything. Its simplistic design makes me less likely to fiddle around with the knobs as I used to with my Jazz Bass depending on the song. This thing just goes well with ANYTHING!

Brilliant vid sir! One question I had for you that I've never heard discussed in these tone wars is the seemingly ignored example of Mr Harris of Iron Maiden. P bass with flats, yet bright modern tone...best of both worlds?!

The P bass delivers solid "Gronk." Old friends term for a good bass sound back in '74. Thanks Scott. This was as informative as it was interesting.

With round wound strings , a graphic EQ , a modern amp you should be able to get just about any tone imaginable. Since when do bass players have only one bass ?

I don't know anything about bass but every time I've ever seen a bass player with precision model they sound excellent-Fact

i love the look and sound of that natural wood P-Bass. i WOULD definitely be playing that all day every day. :)

I’ve been playing guitar for 30 years, and started playing bass 3 years ago. When it came time to pick a tone, I went straight for the pbass sound. I just want my bass to sound like a bass, and stay out of my guitar’s range. I have two inexpensive PJ type basses, and never use the jazz pickup.

Love the simplicity of mine, not a Fender but still a bloody beautiful instrument. In my band it sits better than my five string, I think, because of the pickup and the tonal limitations, my favourite

I bought a Squier Classic Vibe 60s Precision this week. I thought I was going in for a Jazz but the P was so good. It plays so well, looks great and sounds lovely! I am a convert.

lol trying to listen to James Jamerson’s clip on a phone

I was a Jazz Bass player when I started out and was for the longest time and then a friend handed me his 60th anniversary Precision to play and WOW! I was absolutely blown away and decided I need one ASAP! Many years later, my main player is a Precision Bass with Rotosound roundwounds. Not sure what people mean when the P-Bass played solo sounds "meh" - that is what a bass SHOULD sound like! So simple yet so prominent in every recording and performance it's been played on by various bassists.

You can change the wiring of the tone and volume pots from either a 51-style, modern style, or treble-bleed circuit to alter the character of the P-bass.

I luv it, thank you Scott for showing both pros and cons to playing a P bass🎸

Looking forward for the "Why you shouldn't play a J bass" video!

I am very happy that Fender P- and J-basses are popular. Because it makes us who play Rickenbackers and Höfners look special 😁 Before a concert this summer I was given a P-bass on soundcheck. I looked at it and though, "yeah, I'm gonna get me one of those". Picked it up and discovered there was no place to rest my hand. I play with a pick and need to rest my palm on something. I'm also used to flatwound strings, and the feeling of sliding up and down on roundwound strings was awful. And it makes such a terrible noise. So I saved that money...

Totally right, Scott! I never cared much for P basses when I was young. But nowadays that I own an original ‘62 P bass I love it to death. It’s such a pleasure to play! But it has it limitations, sure. Nevertheless, i still find it surprisingly versatile for an instrument with such a simple concept. And the meaty neck doesn’t bother me at all. I also find that a pleasure compared to the often very thin and narrow J necks.

My brother and I are both bass players. My brother is a HUGE Steve Harris fan, so he has signature Fender P basses. I'm more diverse and get into bands that range from decade to decade, so I have to have diversity in my bass tones. I'm down to 10 basses from 14, seems like a wimpy number for a bass player?! But getting back to the P bass issue, P basses are a one trick pony. I did build a custom bass and with the encouragement of my brother, I did put a single SBP-3 Seymour Duncan pickup in the bass. I was worried that the sound would be pigeon holed into only one tone but found that I can "feather" my playing and get a "normal" tone and slamming the strings and getting the "Maiden" tone. I've rediscovered flatwounds after many years but in the Rock genre on my Ibanez SR950 with P & J + blend. Scott's video is VERY relevant. Thanks Scott for doing this video!

So true! I had to choose between a P and a PJ and was advised to go for the PJ as I can't "make do" only with the P they said... so I got the PJ. Nowadays I mostly use the P pickup and that's because I discovered effects... there are more bass effects and amp sims today than 2o years ago when I started- so nowadays the "limitations" part is entirely optional :) I like the P bass!! I equally enjoy my 6-string sub bass as well... and the EB-0 and somehow I have convinced my lovely wifey that although they are called basses, a 6 string with humbuckers sounds nothing like a PJ and an EB-0... I was a good boy and last Christmas I got a '51 P replica- that with a single non-staggered coil and what a surprise, it sounds somewhat like a P but not exactly... It has "only one sound" just as the modern P or the EB-0- that is until I let the effects rip... I can use it like an ambiental instrument or it can move the roof overhead , it can sing or growl or wail... and now you're gonna hate me but I found that bass is just another type of guitar :) so all regular shenanigans apply-sounds interesting with echo, fuzz, eq, or a specially voiced tube screamer..or .. When my well-versed cousin came to visit and saw what I did with (to?) my bass he said well traditionally you don't use them like this, and was okayyyy..now listen to this solo on my 6string with a echo, flanger and eq'd for mids...

I have a Fender Precision Elite 2 and I love it, it's not getting replaced anytime soon

I love having a wider neck. My Jazz feels like a guitar neck although it does have more tonal options. Any bass can be customized up to the point of destruction. Lee Sklar's double pickup P is a beautiful idea. One of mine has a hipshot d-tuner. Flatwounds with the Tone set on 4ish most of the time. Thanks for this vid Scott.

I’m not really a bass player, that’s why I have a P bass. I never do anything fancy, and it’s really easy to drop it in a mix.

The comparison goes back to Jbass does it’s own thing and so does Pbass - all depends on context - have played p bass with tone off doing rnb stuff & the same pbass with full tone in a loud punk band, that’s just from the tone knob and a lot of difference can be made between fingers or pick (for those two same examples) Just to be clear - Pbass forever

The hottest of hot takes! But nuanced. I had a 15 year run where I did not play P-basses at all. But I've come to appreciate what it does, because it does that thing SO well. And now I've got three.

I got an ad for Scott’s bass lessons while watching Scott’s bass lessons

I have to agree with everything said. I love a p bass but a jazz bass or almost anything else tends to be more versatile. As for comfort to play yeah the baseball bat neck is not suitable in my opinion to going ham for solos.

Played a PBass for almost 19 years and was happy with it generally, as the PBass somehow gets heard even if the band's guitars were too loud. Was mystified why I couldnt sound like the other cover versions we played and found out the jazz bass was used on those songs. Got a Dimarzio model P to replace the 1963 original pickup and so happy. Now I play a custom 5-string and the Dimarzio P-bass pickup still sounds like I'm playing a PBass. Thanks Scott for sharing this.

It took me a lifetime to finally appreciate the tone of a PBass enough to buy a late 70s one a few years ago. I've got flats on it and love it.. It's not even worth comparing to a jazz with rounds...apple and oranges.

Guys like this remind me of the story about the African explorers who were sitting around the campfire one night with a tribe they had discovered that day. One of the explorers commented on the sound of drums coming from far away in the jungle. For hours the drums continued their incessant beat but no one on the tribe seemed concerned in the least. On and on they went for hours without stopping , but the tribe remained completely indifferent to the sound and seemed almost comforted by it. Suddenly, without warning, the drums ceased their beat. Immediately everyone in the tribe began to panic, running around in circles, screaming and moaning and making panic stricken entreaties to their Gods for mercy. One of the explorers managed to grab one of the villagers and ask him what was happening? "THE DRUMS HAVE STOPPED!" the tribesman answered. "So?" the explorer replied. "What happens now?" "BASS SOLO!!!!" If you want to play lead guitar, play lead guitar. It's a bass and should be respected as such and played like one. Properly played, by someone who understands it's role, the bass provides a vital, necessary function in any musical lineup. It creates the connection between the drums and the rest of the band, using rhythm and melody to link all of the units together into a cohesive framework. Too many current players let their ego and their need to show how good they are or how fast they are overrule this principle and the results is usually a hodgepodge of competing egos, each trying to outshine the other, with the music becoming the casualty.

My bass-preference evolution looks a lot like my evolution with coffee drinks. I started with plain black coffee. Then I added things to it; then I got into espresso and all the myriad candy-like espresso drinks, Hot drinks, cold drinks, and, in the end, I'm right back to drinking plain black coffee. My first bass was not a fender p-bass but it was a very simple, limited instrument. Then I got into basses with lots of knobs, using petals, I went through different types of heads and speaker setups in the cabinets, active electronics, and other instrument modifications. Now, at age 51, I set my knobs on my head nearly flat, I play through a four 10's cab. I play a MIM P-bass with flatwounds and I play everything from Iron Maiden, to Molly Hatchet, to Sade, to Jamerson. I bought a MIM on purpose because it had all the limitations that I wanted. Like Scott said, I like the limitations because it makes me actually play my instrument different for different styles. I don't just tweak a knob or click on a different plugin to get the tone and the sound that I want. It is made me a much better and much more confident player.

It took me many years to love P Bass. But last year I decided to buy it and... I love it now. By I also keep loving my old JB... Different beasts.

Had one in the late 70s. Since sold it. Loved it, but wished I had bought a Jazz instead. That being said, I used it a lot in the studio and played it on some demos for Beth Nielsen Chapman, Lawrence Reynolds and Tim Lovelace to name a few.

Had a 5 string with active pickups, etc for years. Played great, but never got the sound I wanted for my recordings. Got a P Bass and absolutely love it. I do miss that 5th string though....

"If you're looking for a super versatile bass..." *You're* not versatile

I have two p-basses and I love them. If you don't love them, that's okay with me!

Perhaps the most-heard slap bass part in history was played on what sounds like a p-bass, and it indeed sounds great in the mix but terrible soloed: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X9R3_IJCY-Q.html (Giant hit pop song that’s still in playlists 40 years later and features a slap part in the clear as part of the hook - certainly one of the most-heard slap parts in history, right?)

There's just something about a P Bass with a rosewood fretboard.....so beautiful

I've had a few different basses, but basically, I'm a P Bass player. When I was thinking of expanding to something more versatile (maybe a 5-string bass), the guitar player in our band at the time said, every song you love and play has been played and recorded on that bass (P Bass). He was right. Guess I'll always be a P Bass player.

Scott: The P Bass isn’t versatile Jack Straton: YOURE NOT VERSATILE

Sorry for such an extremely long comment, but this is for an initiated reader... As a guitarist, I've been getting into playing bass as well and the reason why I love the P-bass is because it's simply the "quintessential bass sound" I've always had in my head: warm and round with a punchy "thump" to the low end, and an overall sound that just sits so well in the mix. It just has a sound that is so complimentary with other instruments. It always has such great rhythmic drive and serves as a fantastic foundation for other sounds, and for other players in a band to play with. Also again, as a guitarist, one of my favourite guitars has only one pickup in the bridge position, and just like with a bass, while having only one pickup may seem "limiting" to the tonal variation you can get, what it does is force you to become an even better player by learning to develop your playing and your tone with your FINGERS (or pick), instead of just with different pickup selections, active circuitry, switching, etc. It forces you to move your hand from bridge to neck to get variations in tone and dynamic range, as well as forcing you to use your fingers and varying levels of attack in different ways to get different sounds from just a single pickup. In this sense, it makes you a better player because you have to really discover and develop your technique to get all these sounds, and by developing these techniques, they can also be applied to other bass designs as well. In a lot of ways, playing with just one pickup can be very freeing and even cathartic in a way, because of its simplicity and how it causes you to get right to the heart of the music. One other thing I'd like to mention is something some people may scoff at, but it may be a good idea to have a look at short-scale P-basses as well. They tend to have a low end "thump" to them that a short-scale, lower string tension bass can give you. One of the better short-scale P-basses I have played, or heard recently, is actually the still relatively new (as of 2021) Squier Mini P-bass. No word of a lie. Don't just listen to RU-vid videos to see what it sounds like. Pick one up in a store and play it through a decent amp and you'll be surprised. It sounds every bit as big and full as a full-sized P-bass...just smaller. However, a few benefits I'd like to mention about the Squier Mini P-bass, and short-scale basses in general is: 1. The Squier Mini P-bass has a narrower nut width of 1.5 inches/38mm, which is the same as a J-bass. So, if there are people who find the width of a normal P-bass neck to be too much, then it may be more to their liking. 2. For people who think the P-bass doesn't have enough dynamic range, in stock form, the Squier Mini P-bass actually has more dynamic range than a typical P-bass. Seriously. It has all the low end "thump" of a full-sized P-bass (seriously, go play one), but due to the stock pickup design, it also has more high end "snap" to it than a typical P-bass has. This can be an added benefit to people who want more dynamic range from a P-bass design, and gives you a slightly wider tonal palate to play with. 3. Some people will enjoy, and even prefer the lower string tension that a short-scale bass has, which not only aids fretting, but string bends and vibrato as well. Also, the shorter neck and smaller fret-to-fret distances can make for a faster playing neck too. 4. Another benefit that goes without saying is that short-scale basses tend to be much lighter as well. The Squier Mini P-bass is typically in the 6.5 to 7.5 pound/3 to 3.5 kg range, which is ideal for people who may have back issues, or for people who just want a lighter bass in general. Not to mention, their lighter weight and smaller size is also great for travelling as well. But overall, I just love the P-bass because of its sound, its simplicity and how it just "gets out of the way" and makes great music. Sometimes simplicity is ideal. After all, there's a reason why the P-bass has been around for 70 years!

Learning on a p bass with no power made my bass technique crazy. I can make tons of tone changes without a pedal. I became slightly obsessed with pushing an unplugged bass to the limits of its range. I eventually got another p bass that i could play with an amp and now im in two bands and have been on a record. DONT GIVE UP!

Scott, great conversation here! My first bass was a Rickenbacker with a warped neck which to me is even more limited in its sound but then I discovered a P-bass and was lucky to get a vintage one before they became outrageously expensive albeit beat to hell but functioned perfect and all the Motown stuff that I was listening to it perfectly embodied it so I have flatwounds on it and have not changed the strings since I snagged the bass 30 years ago and the tone is 100% Jamerson for sure and depending how you attack the strings you can get some variance in tone and if you really want a lot of definition just use a medium gauge pick for that more Joe Osborne thing even though he used a 1960 jazz bass ( good luck getting one of those now LOL). As a bassist you guys all know you have to have more than one bass if you really want to cover a wide spectrum of tones in Your Arsenal. The problem I think and has been for me anyway is that I had to search and play at least 100 vintage Fender basses before finding one that sounded good to me they are all slightly different and the older they are the greater the variances seem to be but once you find one that you fall for (or) once it finds you, never let it go... It would be great if you had a conversation about that particular aspect of it and advise people how to go about trying to find one and what to look for or look out for when purchasing an old vintage Fender bass or any bass really but P bases in jazz basses are really unique but they are all over the place. It took me twenty years until I found a vintage jazz bass that I was happy with I think the P bases are a bit more consistent. I was very lucky and landed a 62 P Bass and it seems like the neck is extra wide and gives me the feeling like I am playing and upright Bass I think that's why Jamerson really loved it because he played up right at first but once he discovered the P Bass it was a match made in heaven he played a lot of his stuff in the style of an upright which the P bass really lended itself to which is why I think he did so great with it. Sorry about being long-winded but I could talk all day and night about my main inspiration on bass the one and only James Jamerson. Darling dear is an awesome line but my favorite probably will always be Ain't No Mountain High Enough from the 1970 Diana Ross album. The bass is mixed out front and really takes you on a journey with so many different changes and moods... It is a total Masterpiece and complete showcase of every aspect of Jameson's genius, especially the final part... It is like Bach meets Mozart playing bass. Also, "What's happening Brother" and "save the children" from Marvin Gaye's What's Going On album... Really, the entire side A of the album is a jazz masterpiece in a pop format. Any aspiring young bassist needs to check that out and I guarantee it will move them in ways that very little else could on the bass. It certainly did that to me many years ago. Peace, Bob M.

Interesting POV, Scott. Always appreciate your insights. In my opinion, it’s actually more versatile than any other bass. Because of its inherent tonal quality, naturally beefy, punchy and focus (ie its where it belongs in the mix). All you need to do is find suitable strings, set your amp to taste and away you go. You can Marcus Miller, James Jameson deep funk reggae punk alt rock with a pick or your fingers until the cows come home. I can see the physical requirements being a barrier for some, most tend to have fat/wide necks but plenty of MIM have modern profiles. It’s the bass sound in my head so never had an issue with inspiration. As a matter of fact, you can dial out the heft from a P easier than you can add girth to a bass that is thin in the bottom but tends to carry a more modern range

I have a 2003 Precision Lyte Deluxe. It's made in Japan, active and with a P/MM configuration. I've seen Carol Kaye playing one of those too . I've been asked to trade it several times but this is my favourite 4 string I have. The older I get, the more simple things I like and that's the reason why nowadays I gravitate towards simple basses. I'm a huge fan of P basses and for my birthday I'm considering to get a 5 string P style bass .

The Precision Bass was THE sound that got me into bass! Greg Reeves solo on CSNY's Deja Vu, that was it! Unfortunately, my beloved '66 Precision got stolen and I never had the heart to get another one. Now I have a 6 string, a 5 string, a fretless and do lots of tapping and extended technique. I would trade them all tomorrow to get my '66 Precision back.

I'm a guitar player so P-Basses are tougher so i have a Jazz Bass instead so though i also have a Squier p bass because I started on a p-bass then played a Jazz and there was no going back lol

Played a P bass for years. I always loved the sound. It was different because everyone playing funk played a jazz. Ernie ball now, sold my P bass.

I actually find the p bass to be super versatile its amazing how simple yet effective it can be!!!

The 44mm nut is actually what I _like_ about my 66 P-Bass. The mighty Fullerton Slugger for the win! :-)

Jameson's "isolated" bass included some bass drum and what every algorithm used took away some top.

The person on the mixing board is the one who loves the P Bass because it takes all variables away from the player and gives it to them. That's the only reason to get accustomed to playing one of these

that harmonic ringing sound when u tap that middle fret is exelent