P vs J for a three piece band...

#41
With my basses I tend to take the J when I want to cut through more and the 5 string P/J with flats when I want to hold it down in the pocket. YMMV as usual but that been my experience. If you can afford both go for it.
 
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#43
I have to jump on the PJ bandwagon. My #1 (and practically #Only) is a PJ with a split coil Jazz and an LP (Switchcraft) 3-way switch and stacked V/V, with Chromes and a D-tuner. I play either the P pickup or the J soloed. Never together. I have a couple Jazzes with Fralins (4 and V), and an L2000 and after 10 minutes into a set with any other, I'm missing #1. I'm on the P 80% of the time and the J as needed for funk, etc.

I play in a 3 piece plus 2 vocalists, covering 80s and newer top 40 and some country, and get a lot of compliments on my tone (Well, a lot for a bassist ;) ).

#1:
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#46
P/J is like the one common bass pickup configuration I've never owned.
I might have to rectify that some day...

Anyways, I played the Ibanez in my profile picture tonight (for the three piece) in place of the P bass I've been using for months now. And honestly, I know I could get the job done with either. But I just had a lot of fun playing the jazz tonight. It cuts in such a different way. Really great for driving a song.
I might just end up rotating them... I love both. What can I say?
 
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#47
I find a P is perfect 90 percent of the time. For the times I want to mix it up, I run my 1977 P converted to PJ. It's all in my head though. No one cares but me.

I run new rounds constantly so the P gets plenty of bite by itself.
 
#49
Smaller ensenbles offer each instrument more sonic space, both in terms of notes and tonal palette. Looking beyond the sound of the bass in isolation, amd having played in many smaller ensenbles, the J has a wider palette that allows you to bring variety to the set and in doing so maintain interest for the audience, taking full advantage of the space available. Its not just about the bass.
 
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#50
Every P guy is going to say P in this situation. Actually P guy will say P in every situation. Power trio? P. Acoustic duo? P. Jaco tribute band? P. Heavy metal instrumental band? P with flats. And so on.
I have and gig both regularly but for my power trio (+singer) I greatly prefer my Stingray. If I had to pick I'd say PJ or Jazz, not a regular P.
 
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#51
I don't really think it matters. They are different but not Night and day. I will say, the last time I was playing rock In a three piece, I mostly used a 6 so I could
Fill out thin spots with simple chords, but that isn't necessary either
 
#54
RyanJD said:
I posted a couple months back about how much I've been loving my P bass in the band setting. That hasn't changed. However, I'm wondering what people think about the P vs J thing in different scenarios.
For example, I play weekly with a band that has a lead guitar, rhythm/acoustic guitar, a keyboardist, drummer and singer. I also play play weekly with another band that is just a guitarist, a drummer and a singer. And I've been using the P for both for a couple months now.
I love the P in the band with more members. I feel like it hits the fundamentals needed for the setting. But I'm a little less in love with the P in the three piece band. Especially when the guitarist is switching up his pedal sounds to transition songs, or when the guitar is playing a lead/solo and the bass and drums are holding it down. (As opposed to bass, drums, rhythm guitar and keys holding it down.) I personally think a J might sound a little better in that situation. I'm going to experiment a bit, but what does TB say?
Why do you guys like/dislike a P for a small band setting?

Also, I'm looking at expanding my effects usage in the three-piece band. I just don't dig the effects I have with a P bass and flats, as much as I do with a good old J and rounds. We'll see...
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I use a J in a three piece. I found it gives me a little more tonal variety that helps when you need to fill a little more sonic space.
 
#56
Odinbass said:
Just my experience - I've found that a thinner/twangier sound works better for 3 piece bands. It blends in with the guitar better. A super phat low end can eat up a single guitar, especially if you have a guy with a Telecaster or other thin sounding axe.

So my vote is Jazz bass ......... BUT people can surely point to 100 trios with P-basses.
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Back in the late 70's I used to watch a local bar/club band doing the rounds in my area. Tele, Rick 4001, acoustic guitar/vox and drums, effectively a three piece as you could never hear the acoustic. I have to tell ya that 4001 sat underneath pushing the tele on its bridge PU beautifully, they were chalk and cheese, dark and light. Probably the best sounding rock covers band I ever heard.
 
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#60
Currently doing the trio thing, covering a wide variety of stuff, from Merle to Mellencamp, with all sorts of weird stuff in between. My current #1 is a Jazz clone with hot pickups, tapewound strings, and a Carvin Micro stack, vox only thru FOH (smaller Bose System). With both pickups cranked, it can get a fairly thick tone. Rolling back the tone knob gets it closer to a P, but not exactly. So, it cuts thru pretty well, thus covering a room without FOH support, and is super-responsive to right hand dynamics, etc. I'm also doing more arpeggios/chordal stuff and the level of definition is pretty good also. YMMV.... :) Oh, and yes, I still use the Streamer (see dude on left...) for several tunes. It sounds like a bigger, badder version of the Jazz.
 
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