Should I sell the P Bass?

[Rabidhamster]

I own a P Bass. Its a very good P bass. However, I don't know if it is MY P Bass....

I really like it, except that it doesn't have an asymmetrical neck profile, and it doesn't have a maple fretboard, and it doesn't have a J pickup added.

I also have other nice basses, none of which are passive P basses.

If I were to sell this and run into one of the sound men that I hear about on TalkBass, I would lose gigging opportunities and be laughed out of countless establishments.

No pictures for you! This is not a "sly" for-sale ad, so I wont provide specs or pics. But its rosewood, Sunburst on alder, and tort. Yes, It has the tort.
If sold I would lose money on it. But that is money I already do not have.

What say you lot: Do I sell the P Bass?

 

[jd56hawk]

Sounds like it's halfway out the door.
Definitely time to move on to bigger and better!

 

[JW56789]

Wrong neck, wrong fingerboard, wrong pickups. The real question seems to be if you sold it and made a little money or broke even, by what you're saying, it would have been gone already. So you're gonna decide if you need to replace it bad enough to take a bath on the money end. If you have other 'nice basses' you can gig with, I'd let it sit for a while.

And BTW, the LAST person I'd include in ruminating about buying this bass or that bass is the sound guy. No disrespect, and good ones are worth their weight in gold, but that's not a consideration most people would have one the go/no-go menu. All the good ones I know can make anything from a dumpy heap to an Alembic sound great. It's the 21st century, and I think the world has gotten past that 'Fender-only' mind-set, at least the good ones.

 

[user362432]

Just buy another one.

 

[ppiluk]

You might be able to make a trade for the P-Bass you want. I have had great success in trades like this.

 

[funkinbottom]

I vote sell. Seems like it's the wrong everything, with the exception of being a P bass. Your other, and maybe more viable option is to part out everything but the body. Get the neck and electronics you want. Rout the rear for a J pickup, and refinish if you don't care fore the burst. Would be a fun project.

 

[Luckydog]

Wrong neck, wrong fingerboard, wrong pickups. The real question seems to be if you sold it and made a little money or broke even, by what you're saying, it would have been gone already. So you're gonna decide if you need to replace it bad enough to take a bath on the money end. If you have other 'nice basses' you can gig with, I'd let it sit for a while.

And BTW, the LAST person I'd include in ruminating about buying this bass or that bass is the sound guy. No disrespect, and good ones are worth their weight in gold, but that's not a consideration most people would have one the go/no-go menu. All the good ones I know can make anything from a dumpy heap to an Alembic sound great. It's the 21st century, and I think the world has gotten past that 'Fender-only' mind-set, at least inthe good ones.

I believe the issue with Fender desirability with sound people is primarily in the recording arena, not with live sound guys. I’m sure you can find lots of examples otherwise, but I’m pretty sure the primary issue is that lots of recording studios, at least in past decades liked to see Fenders generally, and Precisions specifically, because their output was easy to work with....also that they were accustomed to working with them.

Live sound guys, I think, aren’t normally trying to achieve the same goals as recording engineers, and don’t typically have producers expecting the magic tone and such an optimal final result.

 

[user362432]

I've been in one reputable studio couple of months ago with my Epiphone Rumblekat. We were group of people who never played together before (from 2 continents). After first take sound-man came to me asking: What in a hell is this bass? That sounds incredible!... I told him. He did not believe. It's, pretty much, stock instrument...
I still need to hear how it was turned out in the song. It was done in 3rd take...

 

[pappabass]

If its a fender, don't sell it. Everybody should own a fender p. If you do, you will eventually buy another. (From experience)

 

[two fingers]

I think a decade or more ago the sound guy nazi saying "Vair ees your Venduhbass????" was more common. These days, sound guys are mostly younger. They are a bit more accepting.

Play what you love. If nothing else, sell the P bass you DON'T love to fund the one you DO love. (Maple board, asymmetrical neck, J bridge pickup and all that)

 

[juggahnaught]

Sell it when you find the bass you want. Until then, keep it (not because it's a P bass, but because you like the bass). Trade if you can.

 

[Relsom]

I think you should keep it until you find "the one". You may have a hard time sleeping if you knew that there wasn't at least one P-Bass safely under your roof.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

I just sold some really nice basses, but not my P. Gotta have a P.

 

[skaine]

What i am reading is its a good p bass, you really liked it, if sold you would lose money on it.

Then you are telling reasons that convince yourself selling it. We all do/did that, normal.

I still regret selling my Lakland Duck Dunn P bass, because same as you i liked the bass very much, no doubt its a very good p bass and indeed i had to sell it lower than the price i bought it, since it was a used bass when i sold it. Looks like almost the same story, i made up my own reasons before selling it.

Rosewood fretboard is not a problem unless you really dont like the looks of it. Its maybe the most debated issue, but not all maple fretboards will act like the maple fretboard you imagined. Every bass have different wood on it even the specs are the same. As far as i know the finish on maple fretboard reflects the vibrations a bit and the wood on rosewood fretboard without finish absorbs the vibrations a bit.

You can always get a J pickup added, its not a very expensive and difficult process with a skilled luthier. Cant make a comment about asymetrical headstock.

Your bass, your choice. If the bass is that good you might want to think twice. I still regret selling it. Trading with another P bass that you really like seems better choice in my opinion.

 

[Wisebass]

Hi Rabidhamster

I own a P Bass.

It has the tort.

Maaaaan that' s bad! Sorry to hear that!

I hope you find someone who cures that poor little thing!

btw: Stickers can help with the sunburst problem;



greetings


and may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass

 

[Kukulkan61]

If you want a Pbass with a jazz bridge pickup you want a P/J bass, a TRUE Pbass only has one pickup, I hate when anyone calls a P/J a Pbass

 

[tpaul]

I didn't vote because there was no option for "you don't deserve the P bass, allow it to find someone new who will love and appreciate it for what it is."

 

[Nashrakh]

Trade for a PJ or modify until it suits you. Adding a J pickup is no witchcraft (but still heresy).

 

[bobba66]

Drill some holes in it and see if you like it better.

 

[chris_b]

I own a P Bass. Its a very good P bass. However, I don't know if it is MY P Bass....

What's all this "I don't know if it is MY P bass" stuff? Did you forget you stole it? If it's good and you like it, just play the back-side off it.

If you like it, who cares what anyone else thinks. Tort, maple board, J pickup? That's just window dressing.

The bass lines you play are all that matters. Does this bass get you there? Yes, keep it. No, sell it.