I prefer the sound of the P bass. It's the "sound of bass" that's always existed in my head. I started out playing the J bass, and I could never quite get the tone I wanted. Then I got a P, and it was like a revelation. That said, because I started on the J bass, I prefer the J bass neck. So now I play a P bass with a J neck.
If you want P Sound and J sound with a Stingray thrown in with a J neck profile - Sandberg VM4. Absolutely amazing. My Fender Ultra is just horrible in comparison, and I'm a huge fender fan (that sound).
In my experience and subjective opinion, the neck profile has an impact on the sound. P basses with big, chunky necks often sound fuller to my subjective ears. I even conducted a neck swap on a P bass and had my musician friends participate in a blind test, with most arriving at the same conclusion. Does it make a significant difference in a mix? Probably not.
I primarily played in midwest emo bands and went for more melodic basslines. Almost always played a passive 4 string J bass with a pick. D'Addario 45-100 nickel strings. Love the piano tone you can get out of it
Nice video Jayme! Upon first glance. I was surprised that you were doing a video on this but I knew it would be musical and not just playing the same runs over and over again over different settings like most other channels do. I also really liked it that you actually picked a 'winner" instead of the usual wishy washy "they both win" that these videos often declare. It doesn't matter if we agree. It's all about you using the right tool for your jobs. I have to admit. I'm envious of your P bass tones. I have a tough time getting a P to sound quite the way that I want it to. Sometimes you want more mids than a J with both pickups on. It was nice that your single pickup Jazz playing wasn't noisy like they sometimes can be. Great playing as always. Keep up the good work. Thx!👍
My first workhorse instrument was an early 2000’s Mexican P and I never found a mix where it didn’t sound good. Decent bass and a good amp can take you a REALLY long ways
Nicely made video, I loved that you used clips from your performances on TV and live on stage but with your bass boosted in the mix so we can hear the tones clearly. Nicely done!
In my experience, blending PJ pickups results in a distinctly different sound compared to blending JJ pickups. It's often more ringy and with fewer mids. Moreover, P-J pickups are typically designed for blending, which can sometimes compromise the pure P or bridge J sound. Don't get me wrong, I own a PJ and adore it, but, in my view, it doesn't replace the need for having dedicated P and J basses for their unique characteristics.
That's why I like my L-2500. Neck pickup in series is what I use when I feel the song would like a P bass. Bridge pickup in parallel can get you in J bass territory. Or you can use any combination of series/parallel and pickups to get its own great tone -- love it with my rock band. To round out my tonal options, I also have a Ray35 because neither a P nor a J can sound like a Stingray.
Achieving the exact P, J, or StingRay sound with an L-2500 has always been a challenge for me. While it can get close, the pickups' power can be overwhelming. Sometimes, the multitude of options becomes a distraction, and I catch myself chasing tone instead of the music. I prefer the simplicity of straightforward instruments, and the same goes for Lakland 55's.
@@DrKeremKoseoglu Agreed, getting the exact P or J sounds from an L-2000 is impossible, but it can get close enough in a live setting. Which is good enough for me, because I don't like swapping basses mid-set
@@RickDeckardCain I'm glad that it works for you! Personally, I'm a bit wary of switching basses or adjusting my EQ/pickups mid-set. After all, I'm in the dark about what the audience is hearing through the FOH system. I opt for the most suitable bass and tone for each gig and consider it frozen after the sound check. I rely on my right hand technique and placement to fine-tune my sound.
Fantastic video bro. I was on the fence for pick playing with a J or P .... So I looked up NOFX Mike's tone....and here I landed ...... question answered . Thanks!
I love the content you provide. You are one hell of a player. I play mostly ActiveJ basses 70s location sounds best to me. I also have a very nice PJ with EMGs and a BTS EQ cirquit but I hardly ever take out out of the house.This video is the best one I have seen on this subject. For me as well the J bass wins almost every time.
I've owned both, but ended up sticking with the 1960 P Bass long term for my playing style, grooves!!. But you are right Bro, the J Bass is better for any Funk or Progressive Bass attack.
Nice video. And a different approach to P vs J. I had played a P bass for years, until I tried a J bass a few years ago. The thinner neck and versatility of the pickups gives me what I like and need.
TBH I feel the P vs J argument has become a moot point because prices are so cheap and quality is so good …. Sires, Squiers, even Harley Benton mean it’s not hard to get two or even three basses which are perfectly giggable at the cost of a single Fender USA professional.
Harley Bentons are hit or miss quality wise and are really not a brand I'd trust or wish to ever give my hard earned cash to. I'd rather buy a used Japanese Fender than any of your provided options.
I've played my J bass since it was given to me as a birthday present by my parents 27 years ago. In that time 3 or 4 P Basses have come and gone, but I always gravitate to the J. I just like it, and I've used it to play everything from Country, Pop, Rock, Blues, 60s etc and never once had any complaints. As for people expecting you to play a P Bass in certain circumstances, that may be true, but that's their preconceptions and something which is becoming more and more a self-perpetuating truth the longer the internet exists. Joe Osborn did fine on a J, and you will too if that's what you choose....
That's the worst solution, I knkw the PJ is the hipster kids favourite but a PJ takes all the bad parts of the J, which there are many, hiss, falls over when proped against a wall or amp, then adds new problems like botchong a huge hole near the bridge messing up resonance and contributing to neck dive and adding even more complexity and noise to an awful hissy circuit. It's a straight P or nothing. Everything else (passive) is trash.
@BlackRootsUNLIMITED Those aren't true PJs - they slightly change the formula to address some of the issues I pointed out. Some are botched up just well enough to fool us at 1st others are still trash. Regardless, the almighty P in its purest form rules supreme and always will.
@@CC-fi3pp Yeah? Well, you know, that's just like uh, your opinion, man... :) Well, PJ got quite a hate from SBL, but it is not that bad. Just need to settle the ratio one likes. Active PJ is phenomenal. Hell, thats what many love most with their Spectors, and I cannot say anything bad about that config on my active pup ibanez too with this config. Design wise, does not look so nice for sure. P bass for the win in this regard.
@WakizashiSabre A PJ is just bad in every possible conceivable way brother, adding a single coil to a humbucker circuit actually destroys your humbucker and your single coil tone as you can not separate the two fully, the single will actually behave and sound more like a coil tap, adding more magnetic pull to the strings with another pick-up is also massively destructive, routing a huge hole affects resonance and unbalances the guitar creating neck dive, it's just a terrible idea marketed to the most gullible types of people. You want less parts of a better quality, not more junk of a worse quality.
Very good comparison. I am a huge fan of both P and J basses but weirdly enough when I couldn’t decide between the two and I could only bring one bass, I end up going with something with a musicman style bass
I like that you say "This isn't the way I find it most useful" but then go on to show what all the variants sound like anyway and the specific contexts where they are more useful. I love the P-Bass slap tone but it's definitely *easier* to learn slap on a Jazz Bass
The neck profile is the game maker. My first fretless (35 yrs. ago) had a p-bass profiled neck. One day I got a sharp pain in my left thumb. I didn't have any pain on my Jazz ever. One day I picked up my fretless and wham like an electric shock the pain came back. I've since tried P-bases of all ages. The big necks get me. The 2x4 especially. Now I have a PJ with a Jazz neck. I've never had that pain again. Some can and some can't play P- basses.
My preferred tone for picking on a Jazz is neck pickup full and bridge a little dimmed, tone all open. Adds the detailed high end while remaining P'ish virile.
I second this. After a few months of playing bass and fiddling with the knobs, I ended up liking this set-up the most. It adds some extra definition to the tone.
thanks! that's just some production music that was sold for TV/film so that means there's no artist, release, or way to hear it outside of this channel or on whatever movie it ends up in :/ sorry!
absolutely nailed it! when it comes to slapping on a P Bass my favorite example is Forget Me Nots, what an iconic bassline :) I don't think I'll reach for a Fender for pick tone though, for a dirtier sound I'd go for a Rickenbacker and for a high fi kinda tone I'd go for a Spector. I'll add that going for a 70s spacing on a Jazz Bass (like that Geddy Lee) makes the midrange even more scooped and I love that! for funk you just have to decide if you wanna go Motown or Jaco. for heavy music it really depends. If it's something ultra modern nothing beats a Dingwall, for the rest it could be anything as long as it's active.
I'm impressed that you played with Dolly Parton. She is an absolute gem! One thing about a P-Bass is that it tends to be lighter than a Jazz Bass because the body has less mass. Also, the center of gravity on a J-Bass leans more toward the headstock. This is one reason why I tend to favor the P.
Is it not the other way around? Because, if the J-Bass has a thinner neck and a bigger body than the P-Bass, then the gravity center has to lean less toward the headstock.
@@AlbertoJorgeSoares You could be right but to me it seems like the center of gravity on a J-Bass is further forward. Maybe it's just a matter of perception.
This was rundown of the those classic basses, maybe the best and the last one ever needed! If I could only have one bass, it would be my J, which is a modern 5-string with active/passive electronics and splittable humbucker in the back (Clover Apeiron H.5 with Delano TheHybrid electronics). But I think adding a P is totally worth it, especially if you put flats on it, this makes a huge difference. Or maybe sth. like a Mustang for an even more different sound/feel with its short scale. But both the classic P and J are really unique in their versatility and character, you'll never go wrong with either.
I'm in a hard rock cover band. My main three basses are Fender PJ Jazz Bass Specials, two are MIJ and one MIM. I also have two Fender Aerodynes which are also MIJ. All have Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounds pups, Rotosound round wound strings, a Fender Rumble 500 in the rehearsal studio and a GK MB500 for gigs. I play primarily with a pick and my pedalboard has a Sansamp BDDI, compressor, chorus, flanger, mini-wah, a tuner and a Darkglass micro tubes overdrive pedal for a little boost here and there. In sum, I love where my sound is at. And my PJ basses give me the best of the P and J worlds.
. A quality preamp will get you there from here, regardless which you prefer. What's more, it's saves you from lugging around extra basses when on tour. Alternatively, a P/J configuration + preamp should have you completely covered if you need need a little more of both.
I've preferred the J just in playability and tone. I've always liked the heavier overall tone. You can get good growl out of it with effects, but I've just like the J for how it feels.
I prefer the P tone. I dont understand why they say "J Bass is more versatile" the P is so versatile too! But, If you like the full-bodied tone of Pbass (smooth and imposing) and the presence of Jbass tone ( clear and brigther) and you dont want to change the Bass in the gig: buy a PJ and be happy!
great info... but I have a question, what about the sound and variability of the PJ Bass which I have several and I have the hardist time selecting one for the other, so I choose the PJ. would you be interested in redoing this video but include the PJ with just as much info... I just cant understand why the PJ gets such low attention. your assistance will be greatly appriciated. thanks
hello, regarding the Precision Bass with pickup in the bridge,.. Does the Precision pickup added to the bridge pickup leave something to be desired compared to the original jazz bass set itself? Tell us if it also leaves much of the originality of a precision bass, because the old one didn't have that kind of configuration, right?
What a provocative title - Who Wins?. It's like asking Which is better, male or female; sleep or waking; main course or dessert; night or day? Clearly we want & need _both_ of all these pairs. God bless all the classic bass sounds that've defined our musical past since Leo unleashed this monster instrument!
Didn’t even know there was a difference. Glad I found out before I bought one. Like when I started learning guitar I didn’t know there was 2 kinds. I had a fender and it sucked but my Ibanez was awesome.
J basses are super versatile and comfortable to play. I get the appeal. I've owned a J bass. But I have such deep love for the particular sound of the P bass that I can't stop playing them. I just wish they always had the J bass neck
With a J you can have both pickups and get the J sound, just the neck and roll back the tone a little and get very close to the P, and with the bridge pickup get close to a stingray. The P just is the P, plus I like vintage instruments and vintage P basses are neck heavy.
I saw the video very well. It was a great help. Your recording quality is considerable. It's amazing that your recorded RUclips sound is almost the same as the sound tested in the field. Excuse me, I have a question. 5:26 What is the title of the music in this part?
Awesome vid. I use a PJ as my main axe. I mainly play metal and punk, and my Jericho Alpha 5 works great for both styles. That MTD at the end tho...damn.
I heavy modded a Fender PJ Jaguar bass... The P pickup has the D & G half of the pickup moved after routing to the neck side but with E & A half of P pickup in original position...custom 1/4" AlniCo V polepiece Epic Custom matched PJ pickups...brass nut & bridge...new CTS 8% linear pots, rewired with a Greasebucket tone control using hifi grade polypropylene caps at 5 % tolerance & 1% 4K7 resistor, new pro-made scratchplate, completely pro screened so very quiet, Tinytone mono input jack socket, 2 positive poles joined & 2 negative poles joined so 200% more contact which gives a solid fitting jack plug...a few other mods...i have a few Fender Bass's but the Jaguar PJ is the only bass i need for any genre of music..& ebony fretboard with black body & matching headstock so looks pretty nice..."i've created a beautiful sounding versatile monster" of a bass...i luv Fender bass's...the P pickup has a bit more bass so not so good for slapping but i play with only my fingers or a pick..i'm no slapper...that's just an unfounded rumour.....
Get a reasonably priced version of each and your problem is solved. Now you have an instrument to chase whatever sound interests you and the drop off in performance from having only one higher end bass of one or the other is negligible. This is especially true if you are looking at brands like Yamaha, Fender, Squier, Epiphone, etc. I like having options. Both are awesome and have their strengths.
I agree with your approach of picking the right tool for the job: spoon for soup, fork for veggies, knife for cutting. I have P/J/PJ basses and they all get used on different gigs. But my subjective favorite is a maple 5-string P bass with nickel strings. It delivers that raw low-mid power I love. Playing it feels like steering a solid pickup truck - slower but stronger, my preferred ride over a sports car.
The best bass Fender ever made was the Japanese Jazz Special. Of all my basses It's my favorite. Had I known shit from shinola when I got it I would have bought a couple.
With my natural finger tone I hate the mid scoop on a J, I always find it lacks any punch in the low mids, turning down the bridge pickup a little brings back the mids but takes away the clarity, it was always a compromise. Add to that the weight of the Jazz and I grew to loath Jazz basses. PBASS FOREVER
Loved this video! One question, though: isn't scooping mids bad for cutting through in a mix? If the Jazz bass has a natural mid-scoop with both pickups on, do you adjust amp EQ or anything else to boost the mids back up?
I just came to put more gas on the fire and eat some popcorn, I absolutely love the tone of my Yamaha TRBX304 with its' 2 active humbuchers and its' active eq, both pickups active playing over the bridge pickup, you don't get much better in the price range
As a huge Rush fan, J Bass was my go to, love Geddy Lee's tone. I'm very new at bass, I'm a drummer, been playing for 20yrs, one day I'll get a P Bass. But i love my J Bass
Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it. P and J are totally different animals. No way you can get a Jazz Bass to sound like a Precision. Get both and pick the right one for the song. I like my Jazz bass taught and round sound, but I LOVE my Precision's punch and growl. It's so open and alive. A groove machine. Rock 'n Roll
As a guitarist who wanted a bass for recording demos, etc... I went with a PJ bass thinking I'd cover all my bases (no pun intended). Now I wish I had gone the route of a Jazz. I prefer the tone of a Jazz way better than the Precision - for my styles of music.
the truth is that if I had your fingers and played a broom, I would play hundreds of times better than I actually do on my 1978 vintage Fender Jazz 😭... you are an astonishing player, man!
I just generally like j-bass better. It is easier to play, and it can mimic p-bass with neck pickup solo. P-bass sounds always as p-bass. I liked p-bass much more before I realised that there is some kind of religious cult related to p-bass.
PJ wins! Flawless victory!
Best approach ever for this topic. Thanks Jayme
Honestly, the best P vs J video ever seen. Awesome job Jayme. It's good to hear those basses comparisons by a "real" Pro player.
I prefer the sound of the P bass. It's the "sound of bass" that's always existed in my head. I started out playing the J bass, and I could never quite get the tone I wanted. Then I got a P, and it was like a revelation.
That said, because I started on the J bass, I prefer the J bass neck. So now I play a P bass with a J neck.
You are not alone in that exact situation.
Same but reverse for me. Lol
If you want P Sound and J sound with a Stingray thrown in with a J neck profile - Sandberg VM4. Absolutely amazing. My Fender Ultra is just horrible in comparison, and I'm a huge fender fan (that sound).
I too started on a Jazz bass but when I got a P bass it was what I was looking for. It was the bass sound in my head that a Jazz just couldn’t do.
In my experience and subjective opinion, the neck profile has an impact on the sound. P basses with big, chunky necks often sound fuller to my subjective ears. I even conducted a neck swap on a P bass and had my musician friends participate in a blind test, with most arriving at the same conclusion. Does it make a significant difference in a mix? Probably not.
I primarily played in midwest emo bands and went for more melodic basslines. Almost always played a passive 4 string J bass with a pick. D'Addario 45-100 nickel strings. Love the piano tone you can get out of it
This is the best P v J bass video out there! Btw, that Warwick thumb sounded amazing.
I have that Geddy Lee signature! Amazing bass. Great video btw!
Nice video Jayme! Upon first glance. I was surprised that you were doing a video on this but I knew it would be musical and not just playing the same runs over and over again over different settings like most other channels do.
I also really liked it that you actually picked a 'winner" instead of the usual wishy washy "they both win" that these videos often declare. It doesn't matter if we agree. It's all about you using the right tool for your jobs.
I have to admit. I'm envious of your P bass tones. I have a tough time getting a P to sound quite the way that I want it to. Sometimes you want more mids than a J with both pickups on. It was nice that your single pickup Jazz playing wasn't noisy like they sometimes can be.
Great playing as always. Keep up the good work. Thx!👍
thanks so much! I'm glad that you used the word "musical" in describing my video, to me that means it was a success :)
My first workhorse instrument was an early 2000’s Mexican P and I never found a mix where it didn’t sound good. Decent bass and a good amp can take you a REALLY long ways
wow, fantastic playing and advice!
The best P vs. J content so far. Congrats!🙏
Great video man!
Thanks dude!!!
Nicely made video, I loved that you used clips from your performances on TV and live on stage but with your bass boosted in the mix so we can hear the tones clearly. Nicely done!
Most realistic and useful comparison video I found in years!
I picked up a P/J bass for my first bass when I started playing a couple of years ago. Loved the versatility of having both pickup configs. :D
In my experience, blending PJ pickups results in a distinctly different sound compared to blending JJ pickups. It's often more ringy and with fewer mids. Moreover, P-J pickups are typically designed for blending, which can sometimes compromise the pure P or bridge J sound. Don't get me wrong, I own a PJ and adore it, but, in my view, it doesn't replace the need for having dedicated P and J basses for their unique characteristics.
Nope PJ all the way.
@@DrKeremKoseogluexactly how I feel. I started on PJ basses and the tones does not compare. It’s a good alternative but not pure sounds from each.
That's why I like my L-2500. Neck pickup in series is what I use when I feel the song would like a P bass. Bridge pickup in parallel can get you in J bass territory. Or you can use any combination of series/parallel and pickups to get its own great tone -- love it with my rock band. To round out my tonal options, I also have a Ray35 because neither a P nor a J can sound like a Stingray.
Achieving the exact P, J, or StingRay sound with an L-2500 has always been a challenge for me. While it can get close, the pickups' power can be overwhelming. Sometimes, the multitude of options becomes a distraction, and I catch myself chasing tone instead of the music. I prefer the simplicity of straightforward instruments, and the same goes for Lakland 55's.
@@DrKeremKoseoglu Agreed, getting the exact P or J sounds from an L-2000 is impossible, but it can get close enough in a live setting. Which is good enough for me, because I don't like swapping basses mid-set
@@RickDeckardCain I'm glad that it works for you! Personally, I'm a bit wary of switching basses or adjusting my EQ/pickups mid-set. After all, I'm in the dark about what the audience is hearing through the FOH system. I opt for the most suitable bass and tone for each gig and consider it frozen after the sound check. I rely on my right hand technique and placement to fine-tune my sound.
Nice take on the perennial argument. It's all about good music.🤩
Fantastic video bro. I was on the fence for pick playing with a J or P .... So I looked up NOFX Mike's tone....and here I landed ...... question answered . Thanks!
I love the content you provide. You are one hell of a player. I play mostly ActiveJ basses 70s location sounds best to me. I also have a very nice PJ with EMGs and a BTS EQ cirquit but I hardly ever take out out of the house.This video is the best one I have seen on this subject. For me as well the J bass wins almost every time.
I've owned both, but ended up sticking with the 1960 P Bass long term for my playing style, grooves!!. But you are right Bro, the J Bass is better for any Funk or Progressive Bass attack.
Nice video. And a different approach to P vs J. I had played a P bass for years, until I tried a J bass a few years ago. The thinner neck and versatility of the pickups gives me what I like and need.
TBH I feel the P vs J argument has become a moot point because prices are so cheap and quality is so good …. Sires, Squiers, even Harley Benton mean it’s not hard to get two or even three basses which are perfectly giggable at the cost of a single Fender USA professional.
That's a good point, but I think the point of this video is more about how each of them sound in different musical situations.
TBH at most stage volume levels, if you’re using round wounds the two basses are pretty much interchangeable.
Harley Bentons are hit or miss quality wise and are really not a brand I'd trust or wish to ever give my hard earned cash to. I'd rather buy a used Japanese Fender than any of your provided options.
@@CC-fi3pp I’d rather buy a Tokai
@@simonbowkett124 I respect it.
OMG.....that Warwick Streamer at 14:05 sounds absoultely phenomenal.
I've played my J bass since it was given to me as a birthday present by my parents 27 years ago. In that time 3 or 4 P Basses have come and gone, but I always gravitate to the J. I just like it, and I've used it to play everything from Country, Pop, Rock, Blues, 60s etc and never once had any complaints. As for people expecting you to play a P Bass in certain circumstances, that may be true, but that's their preconceptions and something which is becoming more and more a self-perpetuating truth the longer the internet exists. Joe Osborn did fine on a J, and you will too if that's what you choose....
Sick bass playing. I totally enjoyed this video.
Thank you so much, now I know when to choose which bass
This video was awesome 🔥💯
I like both, though I love the J Bass more (if I was to own just one Bass).
Best solution, a P/J Bass, problem solved 😎
Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿🖤
That's the worst solution, I knkw the PJ is the hipster kids favourite but a PJ takes all the bad parts of the J, which there are many, hiss, falls over when proped against a wall or amp, then adds new problems like botchong a huge hole near the bridge messing up resonance and contributing to neck dive and adding even more complexity and noise to an awful hissy circuit. It's a straight P or nothing. Everything else (passive) is trash.
@@CC-fi3pp that's an opinion, however, I've seen so many P/J Basses sounding great. Yamaha, Fodera etc.
@BlackRootsUNLIMITED Those aren't true PJs - they slightly change the formula to address some of the issues I pointed out. Some are botched up just well enough to fool us at 1st others are still trash. Regardless, the almighty P in its purest form rules supreme and always will.
@@CC-fi3pp Yeah? Well, you know, that's just like uh, your opinion, man... :) Well, PJ got quite a hate from SBL, but it is not that bad. Just need to settle the ratio one likes. Active PJ is phenomenal. Hell, thats what many love most with their Spectors, and I cannot say anything bad about that config on my active pup ibanez too with this config. Design wise, does not look so nice for sure. P bass for the win in this regard.
@WakizashiSabre A PJ is just bad in every possible conceivable way brother, adding a single coil to a humbucker circuit actually destroys your humbucker and your single coil tone as you can not separate the two fully, the single will actually behave and sound more like a coil tap, adding more magnetic pull to the strings with another pick-up is also massively destructive, routing a huge hole affects resonance and unbalances the guitar creating neck dive, it's just a terrible idea marketed to the most gullible types of people. You want less parts of a better quality, not more junk of a worse quality.
Very good comparison. I am a huge fan of both P and J basses but weirdly enough when I couldn’t decide between the two and I could only bring one bass, I end up going with something with a musicman style bass
The differences narrow the better your amplification is. I will say that I see a lot more Precision Basses on RUclips musical performances.
Fantastic review. Thank you!
I like that you say "This isn't the way I find it most useful" but then go on to show what all the variants sound like anyway and the specific contexts where they are more useful.
I love the P-Bass slap tone but it's definitely *easier* to learn slap on a Jazz Bass
The neck profile is the game maker. My first fretless (35 yrs. ago) had a p-bass profiled neck. One day I got a sharp pain in my left thumb. I didn't have any pain on my Jazz ever. One day I picked up my fretless and wham like an electric shock the pain came back. I've since tried P-bases of all ages. The big necks get me. The 2x4 especially. Now I have a PJ with a Jazz neck. I've never had that pain again. Some can and some can't play P- basses.
My preferred tone for picking on a Jazz is neck pickup full and bridge a little dimmed, tone all open. Adds the detailed high end while remaining P'ish virile.
I second this. After a few months of playing bass and fiddling with the knobs, I ended up liking this set-up the most. It adds some extra definition to the tone.
Ontario Canada... Thanks... gonna try this in my recordings... enjoy...
Amazing playing and great advice! Thanks, man! Good stuff! 😎👍🏻
The editing on your videos is unreal my guy
Love this video. There’s that song again at 5:30…who knows that is? Been trying to find it forever since it was in another video.
thanks! that's just some production music that was sold for TV/film so that means there's no artist, release, or way to hear it outside of this channel or on whatever movie it ends up in :/ sorry!
absolutely nailed it!
when it comes to slapping on a P Bass my favorite example is Forget Me Nots, what an iconic bassline :)
I don't think I'll reach for a Fender for pick tone though, for a dirtier sound I'd go for a Rickenbacker and for a high fi kinda tone I'd go for a Spector.
I'll add that going for a 70s spacing on a Jazz Bass (like that Geddy Lee) makes the midrange even more scooped and I love that!
for funk you just have to decide if you wanna go Motown or Jaco.
for heavy music it really depends. If it's something ultra modern nothing beats a Dingwall, for the rest it could be anything as long as it's active.
That Fender P with the pressure wounds was the one. That thing sounded great.
No ugly hiss from rounds, bu not that oldschool like with old La Bellas, right?
I have both, a jazz bass and a p-bass with flats. And also a 5 strings music man stingray just in case.
I'm impressed that you played with Dolly Parton. She is an absolute gem! One thing about a P-Bass is that it tends to be lighter than a Jazz Bass because the body has less mass. Also, the center of gravity on a J-Bass leans more toward the headstock. This is one reason why I tend to favor the P.
Is it not the other way around? Because, if the J-Bass has a thinner neck and a bigger body than the P-Bass, then the gravity center has to lean less toward the headstock.
@@AlbertoJorgeSoares You could be right but to me it seems like the center of gravity on a J-Bass is further forward. Maybe it's just a matter of perception.
This was rundown of the those classic basses, maybe the best and the last one ever needed! If I could only have one bass, it would be my J, which is a modern 5-string with active/passive electronics and splittable humbucker in the back (Clover Apeiron H.5 with Delano TheHybrid electronics). But I think adding a P is totally worth it, especially if you put flats on it, this makes a huge difference. Or maybe sth. like a Mustang for an even more different sound/feel with its short scale. But both the classic P and J are really unique in their versatility and character, you'll never go wrong with either.
The “who loves you” quote during the “treasure” P example is pure gold.
I was shooting more for December 1963 but I'll take it :)
@@deadbeatstudios oh shit that’s right! You nailed it!
The nice thing about it is that you play both in an attractive way..👍❤️🌹
I'm in a hard rock cover band. My main three basses are Fender PJ Jazz Bass Specials, two are MIJ and one MIM. I also have two Fender Aerodynes which are also MIJ. All have Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounds pups, Rotosound round wound strings, a Fender Rumble 500 in the rehearsal studio and a GK MB500 for gigs. I play primarily with a pick and my pedalboard has a Sansamp BDDI, compressor, chorus, flanger, mini-wah, a tuner and a Darkglass micro tubes overdrive pedal for a little boost here and there. In sum, I love where my sound is at. And my PJ basses give me the best of the P and J worlds.
I’ve first started playing a P-Bass Fender. Just got another Fender P-Bass, plus, a Fender Jazz Fretless.
GREAT VIDEOS!! Wondering what amp your using?
.
A quality preamp will get you there from here, regardless which you prefer.
What's more, it's saves you from lugging around extra basses when on tour.
Alternatively, a P/J configuration + preamp should have you completely covered if you need need a little more of both.
I've preferred the J just in playability and tone. I've always liked the heavier overall tone. You can get good growl out of it with effects, but I've just like the J for how it feels.
I prefer the P tone. I dont understand why they say "J Bass is more versatile" the P is so versatile too!
But, If you like the full-bodied tone of Pbass (smooth and imposing) and the presence of Jbass tone ( clear and brigther) and you dont want to change the Bass in the gig: buy a PJ and be happy!
Worst thing you could do is get a PJ. They are the worst of both worlds.
Bravo. Great test and good music.
I think that J bass is superior to P bass (it's good too, i've had 3 P bass in the last 25 years...).
great info... but I have a question, what about the sound and variability of the PJ Bass which I have several and I have the hardist time selecting one for the other, so I choose the PJ. would you be interested in redoing this video but include the PJ with just as much info... I just cant understand why the PJ gets such low attention. your assistance will be greatly appriciated. thanks
PJ for me but I also love the jazz bass neck
Pj with a jazz neck
hello, regarding the Precision Bass with pickup in the bridge,..
Does the Precision pickup added to the bridge pickup leave something to be desired compared to the original jazz bass set itself?
Tell us if it also leaves much of the originality of a precision bass, because the old one didn't have that kind of configuration, right?
We notice, always ❤
What a provocative title - Who Wins?. It's like asking Which is better, male or female; sleep or waking; main course or dessert; night or day? Clearly we want & need _both_ of all these pairs. God bless all the classic bass sounds that've defined our musical past since Leo unleashed this monster instrument!
I like the jazz bass I’m stuck on the bridge pickup sound and the neck seems more slim also a preference of mine
Didn’t even know there was a difference. Glad I found out before I bought one. Like when I started learning guitar I didn’t know there was 2 kinds. I had a fender and it sucked but my Ibanez was awesome.
We get it, you’re a Jazz bass guy!
J basses are super versatile and comfortable to play. I get the appeal. I've owned a J bass. But I have such deep love for the particular sound of the P bass that I can't stop playing them. I just wish they always had the J bass neck
Best P vs J vid out there!
Very nice to hear a J being played in all styles, not just slap.
With a J you can have both pickups and get the J sound, just the neck and roll back the tone a little and get very close to the P, and with the bridge pickup get close to a stingray. The P just is the P, plus I like vintage instruments and vintage P basses are neck heavy.
I love he say just Play your Bass is most important.
I saw the video very well. It was a great help. Your recording quality is considerable. It's amazing that your recorded RUclips sound is almost the same as the sound tested in the field.
Excuse me, I have a question.
5:26 What is the title of the music in this part?
thank you! unfortunately that's production music that I sold for TV/Film so you won't find it anywhere except in a movie or something :/
Awesome vid. I use a PJ as my main axe. I mainly play metal and punk, and my Jericho Alpha 5 works great for both styles. That MTD at the end tho...damn.
🤣
I heavy modded a Fender PJ Jaguar bass... The P pickup has the D & G half of the pickup moved after routing to the neck side but with E & A half of P pickup in original position...custom 1/4" AlniCo V polepiece Epic Custom matched PJ pickups...brass nut & bridge...new CTS 8% linear pots, rewired with a Greasebucket tone control using hifi grade polypropylene caps at 5 % tolerance & 1% 4K7 resistor,
new pro-made scratchplate,
completely pro screened so very quiet, Tinytone mono input jack socket, 2 positive poles joined & 2 negative poles joined so 200% more contact which gives a solid fitting jack plug...a few other mods...i have a few Fender Bass's but the Jaguar PJ is the only bass i need for any genre of music..& ebony fretboard with black body & matching headstock so looks pretty nice..."i've created a beautiful sounding versatile monster" of a bass...i luv Fender bass's...the P pickup has a bit more bass so not so good for slapping but i play with only my fingers or a pick..i'm no slapper...that's just an unfounded rumour.....
What a fantastic video have a wonderful day also stay safe
P Bass all the way
What is the song @8:01
Just get one of each.
Get a reasonably priced version of each and your problem is solved. Now you have an instrument to chase whatever sound interests you and the drop off in performance from having only one higher end bass of one or the other is negligible. This is especially true if you are looking at brands like Yamaha, Fender, Squier, Epiphone, etc. I like having options. Both are awesome and have their strengths.
I agree with your approach of picking the right tool for the job: spoon for soup, fork for veggies, knife for cutting. I have P/J/PJ basses and they all get used on different gigs. But my subjective favorite is a maple 5-string P bass with nickel strings. It delivers that raw low-mid power I love. Playing it feels like steering a solid pickup truck - slower but stronger, my preferred ride over a sports car.
I got a p bass and jazz love both of them but currently waiting for a dingwal D roc 5 for something different
Well said.
P bass was my first bass, so I have a special affinity towards them. But the answer is of course to get both a J and P bass!
MTD 635 wins in the end. I’m so in love with this bass! Both of those sound great! J bass does sound awesome on slap and the P sounds great for picks!
The best bass Fender ever made was the Japanese Jazz Special. Of all my basses It's my favorite. Had I known shit from shinola when I got it I would have bought a couple.
I got a mid Nineties Made in Japan fretless and l love it.
@5:04 Dude, what that song? I can't find it anywhere.
It's an unreleased song by Evening Elephants - they have some music out but nothing this one yet :/ Stay tuned!
With my natural finger tone I hate the mid scoop on a J, I always find it lacks any punch in the low mids, turning down the bridge pickup a little brings back the mids but takes away the clarity, it was always a compromise. Add to that the weight of the Jazz and I grew to loath Jazz basses. PBASS FOREVER
Great video 👍
Loved this video! One question, though: isn't scooping mids bad for cutting through in a mix? If the Jazz bass has a natural mid-scoop with both pickups on, do you adjust amp EQ or anything else to boost the mids back up?
I just came to put more gas on the fire and eat some popcorn, I absolutely love the tone of my Yamaha TRBX304 with its' 2 active humbuchers and its' active eq, both pickups active playing over the bridge pickup, you don't get much better in the price range
I love both, as long as they are Fender style basses without active electronics (active pickups (like EMG’s) are ok for me, though).
I am wondering what do you thing about the PJ Fender combining the Precission and jazz mics??
Best video yet on this subject. I dig all the music I just heard too! I love both a J and a P!
Although the topic and debate’s been done to death, still a great job with the video and on differentiations. 👍🏻 Rick wins, though…
As a huge Rush fan, J Bass was my go to, love Geddy Lee's tone. I'm very new at bass, I'm a drummer, been playing for 20yrs, one day I'll get a P Bass. But i love my J Bass
Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it. P and J are totally different animals. No way you can get a Jazz Bass to sound like a Precision. Get both and pick the right one for the song. I like my Jazz bass taught and round sound, but I LOVE my Precision's punch and growl. It's so open and alive. A groove machine. Rock 'n Roll
Has anyone ever told you that you kinda look like Cory Taylor?
What’s the name of the track you played with white fender p bass?
As a guitarist who wanted a bass for recording demos, etc... I went with a PJ bass thinking I'd cover all my bases (no pun intended). Now I wish I had gone the route of a Jazz. I prefer the tone of a Jazz way better than the Precision - for my styles of music.
“I don’t play with a pick very often” followed by 20 clips of him playing with a pick lol
what is the song at 05:36? I realy like it.
got the answer.
use a hipshot A style bridge. or bad ass or schaller. bridge. makes the strings springy. ,responsive.
The two will never sound the same but they both sound amazing in the right song. I’ll always prefer a p bass
the truth is that if I had your fingers and played a broom, I would play hundreds of times better than I actually do on my 1978 vintage Fender Jazz 😭... you are an astonishing player, man!
I just generally like j-bass better. It is easier to play, and it can mimic p-bass with neck pickup solo. P-bass sounds always as p-bass. I liked p-bass much more before I realised that there is some kind of religious cult related to p-bass.
Is the MiM strung with flatwounds an older model? Looks to have a rosewood board
Ya I think it's about 15 years old
Hi Master JL,im a big Fan. Can i buy one of those Red PhilJones Double Four pls 🙏🏻😁