I’m kind of amazed how fast I went to first appreciating and now kind of preferring the P’s 42mm modern C neck profile. It actually feels better to me now than 38mm necks.
Also still love the 40mm neck on my SBV but gotta say, there’s just something awesome about how a P-bass neck feels.
I wonder if it’s a thing that becomes easier as you gain experience?
I always stayed away from wider necks when I started this journey but now I must admit a P bass neck doesn’t feel half bad
When I started I preferred the 38mm of the jazz, then I loved the 40mm of my stream, but now the 42mm of the p bass and the c neck are so comfortable. Is it fast? Nope but lends itself to the pocket for some reason
Actually I am not having a speed problem on it either.
42mm Modern C is pretty middle of the road for P necks. I think it’s a nice compromise - chunky and substantial but not too much of a handful.
I love the neck on my pbass, even with my stubby fingers 
the neck on my jazz bass feels so small! The only time I like the smaller neck is when I’m playing something with a lot of hammer ons and pull offs.
Never had troubles with shape. Satin vs gloss is a different story. I like the looks of gloss and the playability of satin.
Sliding fast on gloss is out of the question. 
Oh yes, satin is my preference by far too.
Only the matter of time you’ll be loving the 43mm of the stingray, lol.
@Al1885, as you have both, how does a StingRay neck feel to you compared to a classic Fender (vintage, not Modern C) P neck? How about a vintage Fender P and a Cutlass?
Wider Stingray takes a little getting used to but once you do you crave that extra spacing and feel. There are times you want a sports car feel of a narrower Jazz profile neck and sometimes the comfortable SUV feel of a stingray. P bass would fall somewhere in between like a family sedan, lol.
2 things about Fender vintage neck. One, it’s thicker and two, it has tighter radius usually starts at 7.25* compare to the modern C neck around 11*-13*, not to mention the Febder American Dimension compound radius. Again it depends. I like the modern feel especially the high end fender ultra but there’s no substitution for a true vintage feel.
On to the bread and butter of your question, the cutlass definitely feels better especially with the satin-poly finish. It feels very smooth the neck pocket carving feels really nice when handling the bass. 9* radius feels about right on this bass too.
Cutlass feels like a vintage instrument that get some modern treatments but still maintain the classic p bass feel. Compare that to the Sandberg California which feel altogether very modern with the oval tuners it looks an feel different than a “p bass”.
Since I don’t own any custom shop Fender or a master build one take it with a grain of salt. MusicMan basses feel like they are made, and Fender basses feel like they are assembled. That’s my 4 cents.
Edit: I don’t know about you but I would not put flats on the Cutlass. It seems to do much better with rounds, although I put TI Jazz flats on my Caprice and it’s doing very well, but TI Jazz is a different bread altogether.
Sorry for the long post, lol.
I agree with this statement! For the few days I had the damaged Stingray Special 4H before shipping it back, the first thing I noticed was the superior quality an feel compared to the Fender (and I love my P bass). You hit it right in the head with your analogy!
I don’t know about a Cutlass, but the consensus on Talkbass is that a Stingray calls for rounds, and specifically Slinky’s.
Thanks for your insights, @Al1885. You hit on several points that track with my experiences playing classic Fender Ps, Jazzes, and a Sandberg California. They each definitely have very different necks, feels, and “speeds.”
Same with Music Man builds.
The Cutlass has a 41.3mm nut width and a 7.5” radius, so it’s narrower than a classic Fender P, but shares the same fingerboard radius.
Lastly, no worries about putting flats on the Cutlass: I’m not a flats guy. I’ve played guitar for so long that the feel and sound of rounds are home base for me. 
I put flats on my E serie Squier MIJ Stratocaster and I love it, but in general I just like rounds on bass. Flats on bass seems to have a bit of overtones especially at lower volume. I was playing my paranormal 54’ Jazz(Flats) with my 51’ p bass(rounds) late last night back to back. Most time I play with fuller volume it doesn’t show up as much.
Which stingray special did you get?
It was one of the new 18V Stingray Special 4H with Ebony fretboard.
It sounded and played freaking awesome, but had damage to the neck.
That’s interesting. I never put flats on any guitar I’ve owned. I’ve always gone for bright twanginess. 
I just swapped my Lakland 55-02 with flats over to rounds and so happy about it. Couldn’t do Boomers as the XL length so put Labella RX nickels and they sound so good.
The 55-02 is a fine bass. Lots of great tones possible. I bet it loves the rounds.
I don’t use picks so most of my playing is finger style and even when I learn solo piece. It’s smooth and warm. It was my excuse to use anything to lessen the finger pain, lol. I like it not very bendy but I don’t know what I don’t know, so it’s ok either way.
Ah, I get it. 
