The New Standard Years of research, player feedback, and workshop development have all led to this. The McGrath P is our brand-new, stripped-back active bass designed specifically for the working musician.
Built for four-hour sets on lower Broadway, grueling tour schedules, and demanding studio dates, The McGrath P is made for session pros, touring players, and working bassists who need pure reliability and great tone night after night.
We stripped this one down to the bare essentials, total dependability, and complete control in the mix.At its core is a P style split-coil pickup paired with our proprietary McGrath Tilt EQ active preamp system. It gives you a low-impedance buffered signal, plus a single-knob active tilt control that lets you instantly slide from a fat, warm foundation to a punchy, focused bite that cuts through any loud room.
For anyone who says one split pickup is all you need, this is that exact classic setup, upgraded with active buffering and serious tone mojo.

• Stripped-Back Utility: Pure, focused single split-coil setup so you can just plug in and play.
• Buffered Active Tilt EQ: Keeps your signal clean, punchy, and strong through long cable runs or direct to the front-of-house DI.
• Tour & Session Ready: Built to handle back-to-back shifts, tough room acoustics, and tight stage setups.
• Everything You Need: Classic feel and modern active flexibility wrapped in a total workhorse instrument.

Specifications

Model: The McGrath P 5

Finish:  Whiskey

Body: Alder

Neck: Roasted Flame Maple with Carbon Fiber Reinforcement

Fingerboard: Roasted Flame Maple (12" Radius)

Frets: Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel

Nut Width: 1.8" 

Scale Length: 32"

Weight: 8.1 lbs

Pickups: Lindy Fralin reverse P5

Electronics: Volume with push pull to bypass preamp, McGrath Tilt EQ, Tone

Bridge: Badass Highmass Nickle

Tuners: Badass Lightweight Nickle

Hardware: Nickle

Pickguard: Black

Strings: D'Addario NYXL (.045–.130)

Case: McGrath ProTec Hybrid Case

The bass shown in these photos is the exact instrument you will receive. Handcrafted by our two-person team in San Diego, California.