From 5-string to 6-string and back to 4.

[zambiland]

I have an SWR workingman 400 watt solid state amp as well. Do you think I'd be better off trying that? I really like the sound of the tube amp though, especially on the highs. I also have a Jazz but I tried that and always go back to the P. I noticed that Phil played a Jazz for a bit there though. Any ideas what strings he was using while playing that one?

I would give this a try. Phil used the preamp out of this amp for a while in the 80s. It's a pretty good sounding amp (I'm not fan of SWR speakers, otoh).

While Phil was using a Jazz, my guess for strings the first time around would be whatever flats were available (ca. mid 60s), second time around, maybe D'Addario half-rounds.

If you really want to go nuts, and be like Phil in terms of increasing the level of high-tech, split the output of your bass so each pickup gets its own amp. Run the lows through the SWR and the highs through the tubes!

[Rusty the Scoob]

Phil had a brief Fenderish phase from about 1980 to 1982 - this includes his Irwin 4 string that I believe had SD Quarter Pounder pickups and mostly sounds like a P-bass to me, the Jazz that you mentioned with no pickguard and the finish stripped, and I believe a G&L L2000 for a little while. I'm not sure what strings, possibly still the D'Addario Half Rounds? It's not a period that I've really focused on all that much.