Series VS Parallel Vs Precision Bass Audio Test

Which bass do you prefer for a Motown sound?

  • Jazz Bass Series

    Votes: 9 9.7%

  • Jazz Bass Parallel

    Votes: 9 9.7%

  • Precision Bass

    Votes: 75 80.6%
  • Total voters
    93
R

RRWesner

Jan 10, 2010
83
131
4,606
#1



Well the GAS got me again and I got a precision bass because I was really wanting a p bass.

I had been trying to get a p bass tone out of my jazz bass for a long time and tried a lot of things which I will detail below but here is a comparison of the sounds. I made some drum loops so that I could hear how it is in the "mix". I'll share how I feel below but let me know what you think!

Recording: Jazz Series -> Jazz Parallel -> Precision Bass


Jazz Bass Details:
Fender Mim Jass Bass
Nordstrand Vintage Pickups
Audere Pro Z Preamp with low Z setting engaged
Labella 760f Strings


Precision Bass Details
Fender MIM Parts Bass
Lindy Fralin Pickups
Orange Drop Cap Wiring
LaBella 760f Strings

I have to say, I wish I would have saved my money and stayed with just the Jazz Bass. I like the P Bass but I don't think it was as much of a difference as I was hoping.
 
Last edited:
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#10
I guess I’m a sucker for the P! :roflmao:

Out of the Jazz, I picked parallel. I think the series has that thickness but the parallel has more edge and it fits in the mix better. (Or maybe I just like the sound better!) I had a Jazz in series, and I found live it was just too round and beefy, it didn’t really work in my bands.

Either way, fun comparison, thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:
 
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#11
chris_b said:
The P bass does sound light on tone in comparison, but IMO you're comparing apples and oranges. You just need a fuller and punchier P pickup to unlock that Jamerson/Babbitt sound.
Click to expand...

The pickups are fralins which I thought would get me there. The only thing I could think is that since the Jazz is active I could dial in a little more beef in the low end
 
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#14
You have to solo the neck PU on a jazz bass to get the P bass sound. Running both pickups, no matter how you wire them, will still give you that "pinch" in the tone and it'll sound very different.

The neck PU only on a jazz is pretty close, certainly close enough that no one will be able to tell at a gig. It's a little "thinner" sounding, which you might be able to pick up if you're a truly discerning P bass listener. But for the most part, you can get away with it....

I was able to cop the P bass tone pretty close on my L2K, in fact, by soloing the neck PU (and putting it in parallel mode).....

L
 
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#15
I like having the series/parallel option on a JB. However, the presence on an onboard preamp completely changes the equation for me. Especially one like an Audere with the Z switch option. With an active JB I wouldn’t bother with series/parallel since that Audere will let you dial in just about any tone your pickups are capable of providing.

A PB is a PB is a PB IMO. One of the several reasons I find them so satisfy. They are what they are. And they just consistently do that PB thing they do.

Listening to the track I can’t pick a favorite segment. They all sounded good to me. I could see myself happily using any one of them all night long for a gig.

And while we’re in the subject, my compliments on your playing. :)
 
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#16
I voted for Jazz in series, but only because it was a bit cleaner and more defined to my ears than the J in parallel or the P. But I like that. Overall though, I didn't think the difference was that great between any of them.

I know that a lot of people subscribe to the "Only a P sounds like a P" dogma, but it's just not true. A jazz bass can sit in the mix every bit as well as a P bass can. There's nothing magic about it. It's more about the instrument itself than it is about an instrument's configuration. Almost everything else is about preference, and what instrument works best for you.
 
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#20
luciens said:
You have to solo the neck PU on a jazz bass to get the P bass sound. Running both pickups, no matter how you wire them, will still give you that "pinch" in the tone and it'll sound very different.

The neck PU only on a jazz is pretty close, certainly close enough that no one will be able to tell at a gig. It's a little "thinner" sounding, which you might be able to pick up if you're a truly discerning P bass listener. But for the most part, you can get away with it....

I was able to cop the P bass tone pretty close on my L2K, in fact, by soloing the neck PU (and putting it in parallel mode).....

L
Click to expand...

J neck is a little barkier than a P, all other things being equal. But then I have one fretted Jazz with Wizard 64s in which are 'vintage' Js and a set of overwound, old Kent Armstrongs in another (possibly wound by the same person as the Wizards) which are much darker, so there's a lot of variation in pickups. Ditto variation on the fretless Jazzes. My two PJ are exactly the same model from the same year and sound identical :).
 
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