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Why did Leo drop the Jazz Bass stacked pot controls in 1963? Ergonomics? Maybe. To save production time and costs? More likely. (Compare and contrast the schematic wiring diagrams for the 1960 and 1963 circuits. Guess which one takes twice as long to assemble as the other?)
How the Fender American Pro P Bass sounds would depend in part on what pickup Fender has installed. I have yet to try one. Over the years, I have tried the old American Standard, the Elite and assorted versions of the AVRI '62 and '63.
The pickup in the American Pro is called a V Mod and was designed by some geezer called Michael Bump (Mr Bump?). It's got quite a hefty neck on it for a modern American series type bass/guitar.
I got quite lucky and ended up with a US Standard P with a thin neck. It's still wide, but considerably thinner than most P necks I've tried making it easy for me to play. I wonder if it is even the correct neck profile for the instrument as I know they had a different model with a thinner neck (possibly previous American Special) but it works for me.
Is it the Jazz sound, or the neck that draws you that way?
I saw Lambchop recently and the bass player had what looked like a 70s P bass into an Ampeg half stack and it sounded really fat and tremendous and I think that is the core Precision sound which is hard to get, if not impossible, from a Jazz Bass.
However, the more I play them the more I realise I prefer Jazz Basses. It's the versatility and the ergonomics of both the neck and body shape for me, plus the different sounds you can get.
As a bass player, the adaptability of a Jazz is really appealing. But the reality is that in a band context, the precision tone often fits better and complements more.
I guess it's dependent on what you want to do with it.
For you and your playing at home? Get what feels better and makes you smile.
In a band or for recording where bass needs to fill the sonic hole? A P will fit better most times, not always, but most times.
Be aware with some of the off the shelf Jazz shaped PJ's the P pickup isn't in correct position, and if you want to get the P sound the placement is important, some of the models have the P pickup moved closer to the neck.
Compare this Aerodyne which looks right aesthetically with the J pick guard but the pickup is actually closer to the neck
To the Reggie Hamilton bass - which has the P pickup in the right position, right at the bottom of the Jazz pickguard.
I think Warmoth do pickguards with the cutout in the right place, but I've never bought one. I'm not aware of other manufacturers stocking one, but you could get one made in the UK if necessary.
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With sounds, it really depends on the music.
The way I look at them is if the bass is supposed to drive the guitars along then a Precision sits forward and has that recognisable fat sound to it. It pretty much works for anything.
If the bass is supposed to wrap around other instruments then the natural scoop of a two pickup Jazz works better, pulls the mids back naturally leaving a nice bit of top end to cut through as necessary (which you can tame with the tone knob if you want) and plenty of low end to support the music. The sub low is also deeper on a Jazz, much more actual deep bass on a Jazz than a Precision, once you get them to the same volume levels (a Precision is typically louder).
Definitely merit in having one of each, but if you prefer the ergonomics of one more than the other then routing the body might be worth exploring, as otherwise the specs are pretty similar.
I've always had a love/hate relationship with Jazz basses. I have a Bravewood 62 stackpot replica, which sounds great, but it always seems to be a better recording tool than live bass (for what I play, which is classic rock and blues).