Please fill in the holes

fingerguy

fingerguy

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Aug 2, 2016
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#1
I am months away from investing in a long term bass. I am currently learning on a budget bass; but I am currently obsessing/researching the hell out of this. I will be comparing and trying brands through the next several months but was doing research for now specifically on Fender. However, while my research got me a lot of answers there are still two things I can't seem to grasp. Here is what I have so far with what I think are the key-points:

Longer Scale 34"
Precision Bass (aka P-Bass)
-Has a deep, warm tone with a strong mid-range presence. It is without a doubt the most played electric bass in history and probably the most copied design too.
-Wide C-shaped neck

Jazz Bass (aka J-Bass)
-Most versatile
-Used for any style of music
-Many think it has the best slap tone
-Name was borrowed from the recently released Jazzmaster guitar

Dimension Bass & Jaguar Bass <---trying to understand these two and their differences and even tried to look at Fenders page and can't seem to find a solid answer. This is the hole I need filled.

___________________________________________
Shorter Scale 30"
Mustang Bass

_______________________________________________

Also as the months come and go I will be trying other brands as well just to name a couple: Warwick and Rickenbacker.

Thanks ahead of time.
 
#2
Have you looked at demos on youtube? Listening and watching those will teach you a lot more than reading about it.

There are variations of each but mostly Jags and Dimenions are active where as the P and J are passive. The Jag is a PJ. The dimension has an entirely different pickup similar to a Stingray. Active basses have more tonal variation available on the bass because of an onboard battery powered preamp, though there are passive versions of both.

The mustang is a short scale bass with a precision-like sound.


Your best bet is youtube. Listen with good headphones or speakers.
 
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#3
Basically, you're over thinking all of this. None of these differences matter now. When I was learning bass I also invested a lot of time in asking these same questions and spending a ridiculous amount of money learning the answer. It's a waste. Just play man. Get better at playing bass, not better at knowing about bass.
 
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#4
Gorn said:
Basically, you're over thinking all of this. None of these differences matter now. When I was learning bass I also invested a lot of time in asking these same questions and spending a ridiculous amount of money learning the answer. It's a waste. Just play man. Get better at playing bass, not better at knowing about bass.
Click to expand...

That's the plan but my next purchase will be a long term (till I die) bass. Like when someone bought their Fender in 1950...whatever and has it still.

Hence all the research. I am not going to do this on impulse; I want to be 100% sure on my choice. But you are right, YouTube which I used to narrow down acoustic choices I will do the same for the bass also while learning the bass.
 
#6
lz4005 said:
You'll never learn which bass you prefer the sound and feel of by reading about them.
You won't learn it, not really, from listening to other people play them.
Go find some and try them out yourself. It's the only way.
Click to expand...
Yes my master.

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#13
I sincerely doubt there can be such a thing as a"forever" bass for most people...especially if you keep using these forums.
Our needs and desires change as we grow, become interested in different styles and genres, and deal with life's little upsets.

But I wish you every success in the search, and when you find it, please let the rest of us know so's we can all hate you for it.
 
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#14
fingerguy said:
That's the plan but my next purchase will be a long term (till I die) bass.... I want to be 100% sure on my choice.
Click to expand...

Not possible. Look at the number of used very expensive custom-made basses for sale. Those owners thought they were gonna be "forever" basses, but it didn't turn out that way. Hopefully some day you'll own a bass that you keep coming back to, no matter what else you try. Then you'll have your forever bass. Enjoy the quest.
 
#15
I agree that you should try them, but information helps. The dimension is a very "hot" active bass, similar to the music man stingray, like gorn said. It is also good for slap, and has a bite to it. The jaguar is like a p bass and a j bass combined, and more versatile than the jazz.

Also, the genre of music you play makes a big difference in choosing.
 
#17
Hmm..., you said "forever bass", not "one and only forever bass" right? In that case, get the P - you can't go wrong with a P, and whatever else you get down the road, you will always still want to have a P around (at least, I do). Oh, and don't forget the tort and flats if you really want it to be a forever bass! ; )
 
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#19
fingerguy said:
I am months away from investing in a long term bass. I am currently learning on a budget bass; but I am currently obsessing/researching the hell out of this. I will be comparing and trying brands through the next several months but was doing research for now specifically on Fender. However, while my research got me a lot of answers there are still two things I can't seem to grasp. Here is what I have so far with what I think are the key-points:

Longer Scale 34"
Precision Bass (aka P-Bass)
-Has a deep, warm tone with a strong mid-range presence. It is without a doubt the most played electric bass in history and probably the most copied design too.
-Wide C-shaped neck

Jazz Bass (aka J-Bass)
-Most versatile
-Used for any style of music
-Many think it has the best slap tone
-Name was borrowed from the recently released Jazzmaster guitar

Dimension Bass & Jaguar Bass <---trying to understand these two and their differences and even tried to look at Fenders page and can't seem to find a solid answer. This is the hole I need filled.

___________________________________________
Shorter Scale 30"
Mustang Bass

_______________________________________________

Also as the months come and go I will be trying other brands as well just to name a couple: Warwick and Rickenbacker.

Thanks ahead of time.
Click to expand...

All of that will hit the fan when you start playing basses. The vast majority of basses no matter how different they look or sound are really varieties of the P bass, from a mechanical and electronic perspective. It's only when you get into the world of multi-scale basses that you begin to deviate from the P bass, but you still have the same bridge and tuners and pickups and neck joint maybe. You can have a multi-scale P bass if you want.

You just have to find what is ergonomic in your hands and lap, and slung over your shoulders, and sounds good. Aside from dead spots, strings, and maybe scale length, every bass can sound very very similar through electronics. If you put a P bass pickup in the same spot in a jazz bass, it's going to sound like a P bass. Both basses use the same physical design. The differences are mostly cosmetic and electronic. You'll hear some difference, but, you can hear some difference between any two P basses off the same production run. If you put a P bass pickup in a ric, if could sound like a P bass but with a difference because they have a different scale length. There are a number of differences that will play their small part but the pickup makes a large difference. The question is, are the differences significant? Will it be more significant than a dead spot?
 
#20
Play a P
Play a Jazz
Play anything else that interests you
(this will help hone / triangulate likes/dislikes)

Buy what speaks to you
Take care of it so you can sell / trade when your preferences DO develop.
(allow your preferences to develop)
 
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