Fender, a renowned musical instruments manufacturer, has been producing Jazz and Precision bass guitars for over half a century. These basses have dominated the market worldwide, with the first bass guitar, the Precision bass, being created in 1951, and the Jazz bass, or J bass, introduced in 1960. This article will explore the differences between the Precision bass and Jazz bass.
Key Takeaways
- The sounds produced by the two basses are distinct from each other.
- J bass has a slimmer neck and a different body than the P bass.
- P bass is more commonly used in rock and metal, while J bass is more prevalent in jazz, country, and blues genres.
Precision Bass
Before the 1950s, imagining a guitar playing bass was unthinkable; bass sound was produced using an upright bass. The upright bass could only be held upright to produce the bass sound and could not be amplified. In 1951, musician Leo Fender and his team created the world’s first bass guitar, the Precision bass. This bass guitar revolutionized the music industry, as it could be held, transported easily, used in live performances, and made recording and amplifying simple tasks. The Precision bass quickly replaced the acoustic bass globally.
Jazz Bass
Leo Fender was thrilled with the success of the Precision bass and how it was embraced by musicians worldwide. However, he set out to upgrade the Precision bass to create a more refined and improved bass. After nine years of experimentation, Fender introduced the Jazz bass, featuring two single-coil pickups, a slimmer neck, and a different body. The music world welcomed this stylish bass, and both basses have continued to evolve and remain popular today.
Jazz Bass vs Precision Bass
The differences between the Jazz bass and the Precision bass can be summarized as follows:
- Precision bass was invented in 1951, while Jazz bass was created in 1960.
- Jazz bass has a thinner neck than the Precision bass.
- Jazz bass produces a crisper, fuller sound than the Precision bass, but the latter produces a higher amount of bass.
- Today, the Precision bass is more commonly used in rock and metal music, while the Jazz bass is seen more in jazz, country, and blues genres.
- The choice of an electric bass depends on the desired sound and the composer’s preference.
