My guess is, if you ask ten people, you might get ten different answers… in any case, nothing conclusive or immediately helpful, most likely. So, you will have to go to a store where you can try the different types of basses for yourself and hear the differences and see what you like best. In the end, it is not just whether it is a J or a P bass, but the woods, the mechanics, the weight, how the neck feels, the finish, the paint job, the design, … that will make you gravitate towards a specific instrument.
Still, I made a short (non-scientific) comparison of my three basses just recently - mostly for fun. Here is the link:
It is a P bass, a J bass, and an active 5-string Yamaha with humbuckers. There is a bit more on that in the info on SoundCloud. Just note that especially the Jazz and the Yamaha have tons of ways to produce different tones, and I only used one setting in the sound file.
Anyway, welcome to the forums… Perhaps we should take the bass discussion to another thread
Hello! I’m a 41 year old stay at home dad to five great kids! I am a former firefighter and paramedic who has since left that life behind for various reasons. I have a past background in music having attended a conservatory after high school for tuba (and failing miserably due to some things inside and some outside of my control). Fast forward 23 years and I’m ready to reconnect with my music career! I love the bass and my new one is coming tomorrow, fresh from zzounds. My goal is to become the best bass player it is possible for me to become and then play with other people as often as possible. That’s what I miss the most: ensemble playing. Any other old guys like me here?
I love it that we’re all just a bunch of kids here, really Yeah, age is just a number, if you identify with it, and see it as “old”, then end of story, if you decide not to, you’re allowed to be any age you like (especially when playing your bass!)
Josh, Looked around a bunch and chose your lessons. Now I find out we are at odds…I’m a meat eating type who happens to be the founder of FOP (friends of plants) I find it appalling that people like you have no respect for plants…just think of the poor bean plant…what is wrong with people like you who enslave the bean plant so it can reproduce and then have someone like you stir fry it’s young (bean sprouts) in hot oil for your consumption. What kind of a heartless beast are you??? All kidding aside I’m hitting your lessons as I can and always find it is like a friend who is teaching me not some stiff ya gotta learn all these advanced theories first…nor are you the clown who makes 90% of the lesson time a “Look what I can do and you can’t” intro. I also like that there are a few repetitions so that I’m not having to pause to go back so many times. I’m moving up further north so more indoor time during the cold… and plan to really hit your coarse hard…I was skeptical of all the online lessons prices and yeas even yours…wondered what Id really get…let me tell you friend you are cheap at twice the price!!! But hey don’t bump MY price
Nice intro. I feel the same way about plants, but I eat my share of them anyway. I try not to think about the fact that my spaghetti sauce is made from tomatoes that were once living, nurturing creatures. But enough of that, it’s making me cry.
Should I surmise from your screen name that you are in Northern Arizona near Route 66? I’m in the Phoenix area.
His banana tattoo may inspire me to get a big ol strip of bacon tattooed on my forearm…now if I can just get some kind of refillable implant so I can scratch and sniff bacon any time anywhere…
Actually I’m SE of Tucson but planned to move up by Flag sometime. Well I’m moving but I must have been cranking the radio as I missed Flag and next thing I knew I was buying in Kanab UT. Never got to drive the real RT66 but I did manage a bunch of trips when 40 wasn’t finished and you had to get off and drive through all the towns, Flag, Williams, Holbrook, Winslow…and don’t forget Winona
Yeah, I’ve been through all those towns at one time or another, mostly on my bike. I have lots of photos of me standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona.
Yeah, age is just a number, if you identify with it, and see it as “old”, then end of story, if you decide not to, you’re allowed to be any age you like 
(especially when playing your bass!)
