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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 6:36 am
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I've had mine a week, and I haven't played with my jam buddies yet. But I'm getting some pretty good rock thump out of it. It's great for jazz and blues--and rock. I love the sound of the Precision, but I subjectively prefer the Jazz Bass. I'm also in love with the necks--perfect for my hands.


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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 8:08 pm
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stroker vance wrote:
Yeah and a good soundman can make even a Rickebacker sound good live! Now that's somethin" HA!!!!! I love it!!! A Rickenbacker... HA!!!! :D :D :D :D

Ricks sound great live.....Chris squire?? hello??

John Paul Jones still loves recording with his 73 J-bass last I heard. All though I think he is mostly using those Manson custom made ones live...

I dig my Jazz bass over P-basses..... it is what you like man


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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 8:24 pm
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James Coderre wrote:
Good one.........I saw an interview with Geddy Lee where he said his Rickenbacker 4001 was a bit of a pain in the rear live with regard to that whole Rick O sound stereo thing..:)



The Ric O Sound is not a problem really if it is set up correctly. And really most folks are plugged into the standard jack anyways..... For the Stereo to work ya need to seperate amps and the splitter box. Which in reality is pretty cool..... yet I am a Rick freak as well as a Jazz bass freak....


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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 8:44 am
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After playing Fenders for so long I got a Rick. To me it was a whole different animal. There was nothing I liked except for the looks of it. I was a fish out of water on it. The habits I built up from my Fenders didn't carry over to the Rick at all. There was a lot of junk in my way and the 90 degree cut of the body wanted to put my arm to sleep when sitting down and playing. I also thought the sound was kind of like a dull thud without much sustain. Other than all that I thought it was great.


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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:28 pm
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Mine was a 76- they may have done something by now that I would like. The last one I played belonged to a guy who played for Alice Cooper. He had a Jazz pickup installed in the bridge position like on a Fender. It looked like it took alot of work to do that. I think it had a Badass on it too. The thing was- on his bass he liked old strings. I didn't think it sounded that good BUT thru a big PA system it more than likely kicked. I don't think I'd ever own one again. I'm too far gone on the Fenders.


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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 7:22 pm
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stroker vance wrote:
Mine was a 76- they may have done something by now that I would like. The last one I played belonged to a guy who played for Alice Cooper. He had a Jazz pickup installed in the bridge position like on a Fender. It looked like it took alot of work to do that. I think it had a Badass on it too. The thing was- on his bass he liked old strings. I didn't think it sounded that good BUT thru a big PA system it more than likely kicked. I don't think I'd ever own one again. I'm too far gone on the Fenders.


It's funny the one that Cliff Burton from Metallica used had a Strat pickup mounted under the chrome cover by the bridge (probably a rail type).

Stay Brown,
Rev J


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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:02 am
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a p-bass cuts through better to my ears and has that spiky growl when mixed with a heavy distorted guitar, whilst a just growls sweeter with a mildly overdriven guitar

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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 4:50 pm
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I normally play a J -- the neck and fret spacing work well with my short fingers. When I first started, the music teachers said that my short fingers would only work with violin. The first bass I played (~ 1967) was a Hagstrom that, unlike my band's bassist's P-bass, had a narrow neck and close fret spacing.

That bassist and others I've worked with all tended to be much taller and longer fingered than me. So my off the wall thought for the day: maybe classic rock bass players tend to have long fingers, hence the affinity for the P. -- interesting study for anyone looking for a vital government funded project :)

However, I do have problems with the J when I'm working with higher volume rock/blues bands in close spaces. The hum issue has been mentioned previously and I've found that low cost hum supressors either don't work or take brightness off the sound. In this case, a P might be better (though I use my EB3 in cases like that).


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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 9:45 pm
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It's largely personal preference. I prefer the J's neck, it's versatility with the 2 pickups, and it's aesthetics over P basses. But the P does have a nice punch. One of my favorite solutions has always been to get a J and drop a humbucker or two in it and then I'm a happy camper. Fender does have a new J model with dual humbuckers as well as one with dual P pickups, and I have my eye on both.


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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 7:31 am
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James Coderre wrote:
Of Course Paul McCartney & the Hofner bass...thats my point.... all theses basses & all the charactor guys that played them.........& since we're digging into the archives how about early Kiss Gene Simmons playing the Gibson Grabber Bass circa 1975.....LOL :lol:


You touched a nerve - I can't stand that 'moaning' of McCartney's bass. I like to hear a sound that has more character, and more punctuated. His sounds like he's playing it with a bow.

To me, P's have less variety in their voicing than J's, but in turn, with the right amp a P can send out a booming note with a 'punch' that a J can't match. It's a good idea to carry one of each, and match your choice on a song-by-song basis.


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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 11:12 pm
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Wow, I always loved McCartney's sound - it fit so well with the way he played. Sometimes it sounded like he was bowing, other times he got a nice "tuba" sound. I was always amazed that he could coax so much out of a Hofner, I doubt I ever could.


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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 1:15 am
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I always had trouble playing European basses like Framus, Hofner, Hagstrom, etc. because the string spacing never changes from the nut down to the bridge - narrow all the way down, especially Framus. I like a narrow spacing up by the nut but near the bridge I like a wide spacing otherwise ther fingers on my right hand don't fit between the strings when I pluck them. If I played with a pick I'd love a narrow spacing near the bridge but when I use my fingers I lose a lot of power by not being able to get a good angle on the strings to pull them. That's why I always liked playing J-basses the best - they're narrow at the nut but wide at the bridge so I can really "dig in" with my right hand.


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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 2:05 am
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kbean wrote:
Wow, I always loved McCartney's sound - it fit so well with the way he played. Sometimes it sounded like he was bowing, other times he got a nice "tuba" sound. I was always amazed that he could coax so much out of a Hofner, I doubt I ever could.


He didn't always play a Hoffner for recordings and didn't always use Vox amps either.


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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 7:37 am
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A beautiful Hofner. 8)

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Post subject: Re: Why do most Rock bands use the Fender P bass?
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 5:02 pm
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A good looking Hofner is a classic.

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