p and j basses

[raven46]

i was buying a tele soon but what i really need is a new bass for about 500euro(im not looking for anything special, it will never be gigged, just something that can produce good recording results)

ive never played a j bass but i always prefered them to the p bass they just look cooler(they remind me of a fender jag or jazz master which are the nicest fenders imo)

but apart from looks what are differences between p and j basses

 

[eyeteeth]

Primarily... pickups and most importantly the shape of the neck.

The Jazz pickup isn't quite as bottom heavy, less round, but is a bit tighter sounding and still punchy.

They neck is narrower at the nut, and often has a shollower contour on the back. That will vary from year to year, and depending on where it was built.

You really need to play a bunch of them and find the one that feels right.

 

[Ben Logan]

The P-Bass has a rock and roll growl that you just don't get with the Jazz, imo. The bottom end on the jazz is sweet, but not as punchy as a P. If I was a guitar player in a band and really wanted to be heard, I might like to have a J bass playing under me. If I was the bass player and wanted to be heard, I'd go for a P.

 

[Adam P]

You could look for a Fender Deluxe P-Bass Special. It's got a Precision Bass body, Jazz Bass neck, P pickup in the standard spot and a J pickup by the bridge. It does have active pickups, which may or may not be a good thing depending on what you like, but you should be able to switch between either pickup or blend between the two.