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Hi,

I picked up this Squier 70s Vibe P bass from Guitar Center (used) a couple of weeks ago, and I'm really liking it. (The fret distance is gigantic compared to my normal classicals..)

It came with a gator case, a couple guitar straps (including the EB one that locks on, which I was going to buy anyways.)


I'm praticing with the school's Orange Crush 50BXT amp.

A couple of questions, what strings are pretty decent overall, there are roundwounds on it now, and I wonder if higher tension would be better for me because I attack the strings pretty aggressively, and tend to get a bit of buzz on the E string.

Roundwound or Flatwound?

Thanks, I should have done this years ago!

Does the "P" stand for Prodigal?

I guess so!

The others can explain the differences between precision and jazz basses better than me, I just wanted to start with less dials and thingies to start on.

My bass experience is limited to getting 2nd place in a high school talent show with my rock band, so I'll defer to others' expertise.

I saw a Fender commercial on Facebook with someone unpacking an instrument of the same color and model (possibly it was a Fender and not a Squier).
I didn't like the color at first, but I've seen the commercial so many times that I like it now... Sort of like pop songs they play on the radio..
All it took was me buying a genuine Fender potentiometer (made in Taiwan), and now they're spamming me all the time on Facebook.
...so just to reiterate, I like the color.

Yes, try a heavier-gauge string. Also, elevate the E string a bit. Sometimes I will elevate each string slightly higher from G to E... just a hair. I do this even more on my upright setup.

Round-wounds will give more overtones, and flats are usually less resonant. I use half-rounds quite often. Since I play upright, I also pull harder on the strings. I have my strings higher than most bass players for this reason. But note: the tone will be better if you play with a lighter touch. I learned this in the studio. Do some recording, and you will hear the difference.

Good technique on electric bass is twofold. Hand, finger, and arm position are important, but fretting and touch are the source of good tone.

You need to start saving for an upright bass. Double bass is the real "big dog".

tj

What kind of playing you do?

A P-bass is a Fender Precision bass, not just any ole fretted bass

Try Fender flatwounds or Ernie Ball Slinky, set the height as low as you can get without that fret buzz you mentioned

I attack the strings pretty aggressively, and tend to get a bit of buzz on the E string.

I don't know how any of us can know whether your E string is too low, your neck is curved upward, or you're hitting too hard?

...the minefield though which one passes prior to climbing the mountain to seek the wisdom of the collective guru known as Maharishi Freakjuri Yogibeararoni.

Tim Jackson wrote: Tue Jun 16, 2026 3:41 pm Yes, try a heavier-gauge string. Also, elevate the E string a bit. Sometimes I will elevate each string slightly higher from G to E... just a hair. I do this even more on my upright setup.

Round-wounds will give more overtones, and flats are usually less resonant. I use half-rounds quite often. Since I play upright, I also pull harder on the strings. I have my strings higher than most bass players for this reason. But note: the tone will be better if you play with a lighter touch. I learned this in the studio. Do some recording, and you will hear the difference.

Good technique on electric bass is twofold. Hand, finger, and arm position are important, but fretting and touch are the source of good tone.

You need to start saving for an upright bass. Double bass is the real "big dog".

tj

Oh no, not upright! All I do is fix them!

BTW, I love the Mirafone more everyday. I think Friday is a year now.

bloke wrote: Tue Jun 16, 2026 3:22 pm I saw a Fender commercial on Facebook with someone unpacking an instrument of the same color and model (possibly it was a Fender and not a Squier).
I didn't like the color at first, but I've seen the commercial so many times that I like it now... Sort of like pop songs they play on the radio..
All it took was me buying a genuine Fender potentiometer (made in Taiwan), and now they're spamming me all the time on Facebook.
...so just to reiterate, I like the color.

Green is my favorite color, and it is a bass, so this one's a largemouth. If I ever get a J bass it will be brownish for the small mouth motif.

dp wrote: Tue Jun 16, 2026 4:32 pm What kind of playing you do?

A P-bass is a Fender Precision bass, not just any ole fretted bass

Try Fender flatwounds or Ernie Ball Slinky, set the height as low as you can get without that fret buzz you mentioned

Just learning the fingerboard right now, but probably with the church team/band.

The boss called me "expensive" the other day, so I'm learning Money for my theme song!

Love me a P bass. I played one for years until I got my Fender Jazz.

They're passive, so you're not going to get a ton of pop in the sound from the bass. You can either play into that with flat wound strings and lean into the percussive thump, or you can add color with round wound strings. (I've been told that studio engineers prefer P basses because they don't provide as much input as active basses, so they can be colored more easily in post-production).

My daughter was listening to the soundtrack from "Six: The Musical" yesterday, and my thought was "this needs a P bass with a pick." It's got such a vibe.

Re the buzz - keep your finger right behind the fret, press down firmly, and don't hit the string too too hard. And make sure your action is high enough that it's not hitting the next fret when it's vibrating. Nothing is fool-proof, but those are the four things I usually check on when I hear buzz. If I care to fix it. Which I don't always.

I raised the E string today, it helped a lot.

I need to get a string order put together for all my guitars, so I'll probably get a set of high tension round sounds.

Having fun!

prodigal wrote: Wed Jun 17, 2026 6:57 pm I raised the E string today, it helped a lot.

I need to get a string order put together for all my guitars, so I'll probably get a set of high tension round sounds.

Having fun!

Be careful. Once I broke a truss rod with too heavy a set of strings. Stick to something in the 45-105 range.