96 Fender MIM P - Keep or sell dilema

awilkie84 · #1 07-21-2011, 07:12 PM

So,

I've had this bass for 12 years. It's 15 years old & Lake Place Blue with a Rosewood Fretboard. I've upgraded to a Quarter-pounder pick-up and a Gotoh 201 bridge & changed to a BWB pickguard.

It doesn't have a punchy enough sound for me. I always resort to playing my G&L Tribute L-2000 instead to get that growling mid sound that shakes your spine & chest.

Fender JUST launched the new Blacktop P-Bass with a pick-up configuration similar to my G&L, so by adding an active pre-amp I should be able to get a similar tone while retaining the P-bass look I love & it's only $500+tax at my local Long & McQuade.

I'm probably going to sell my G&L to get a 5-string (as I already have someone interested in the G&L and have a 5-string Peavey Grind lined up for what I'd sell the G&L for.

By this point, everyone's probably made up their mind as to what they'd do but here's the dilema.

It's my first bass & was a christmas gift from my parents when I was only 14.

What would you do? Keep it & mod it some more when money becomes available (ie: Add a MM or J pickup in the bridge position, swap to 2 MMs)? Or, sell it & get the Blacktop or some other double-humbucker bass for a similar price?

Aspidites · #2 07-21-2011, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awilkie84

So,

I've had this bass for 12 years. It's 15 years old & Lake Place Blue with a Rosewood Fretboard. I've upgraded to a Quarter-pounder pick-up and a Gotoh 201 bridge & changed to a BWB pickguard.

It doesn't have a punchy enough sound for me. I always resort to playing my G&L Tribute L-2000 instead to get that growling mid sound that shakes your spine & chest.

Fender JUST launched the new Blacktop P-Bass with a pick-up configuration similar to my G&L, so by adding an active pre-amp I should be able to get a similar tone while retaining the P-bass look I love & it's only $500+tax at my local Long & McQuade.

I'm probably going to sell my G&L to get a 5-string (as I already have someone interested in the G&L and have a 5-string Peavey Grind lined up for what I'd sell the G&L for.

By this point, everyone's probably made up their mind as to what they'd do but here's the dilema.

It's my first bass & was a christmas gift from my parents when I was only 14.

What would you do? Keep it & mod it some more when money becomes available (ie: Add a MM or J pickup in the bridge position, swap to 2 MMs)? Or, sell it & get the Blacktop or some other double-humbucker bass for a similar price?

Just because it has a pickup configuration that resembles that of a G&L does mean that it will ever sound anything like a G&L which uses the proprietary MFD pups that are a beast unto themselves.

awilkie84 · #3 07-21-2011, 07:21 PM

Oh, I should have put that I'm quite aware of this, but it's going to be closer to that tone than to a P-bass. I've heard doubled-up jazz pickups before and they sound almost perfect for what I'm after.

rayzak · #4 07-21-2011, 07:35 PM

I'd sell it. If you're not happy with it, you won't play it. You should feel more guilty about keeping it and not playing it. I'm sure your folks would want you to have something that you enjoy playing anyway, and it sounds like that bass has served its purpose.... you're still playing 12 years later. ALL IMHO!

gitlvr · #5 07-21-2011, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awilkie84

By this point, everyone's probably made up their mind as to what they'd do but here's the dilema.

It's my first bass & was a christmas gift from my parents when I was only 14.

I would never part with that bass, no matter what. I wish I still had my first guitar.
I'd try some different pickups. Don't know which ones are "punchy", but since the 1/4 pounders aren't doing it for you, and from what I read on here, they're kind of a "hot" pickup, I'd opt for something more traditional sounding, like Fender's '62 re-issue, or some Fralins.
Alternatively, if the pots in this bass are 250k, I'd try replacing them with 500k. This should brighten it up a little, and might give you that punch you're looking for.
My .02.

wave rider · #6 07-21-2011, 07:58 PM

Keep it. I'm not sure how much the resale would be and the memories might be worth much more.

Tried new strings?

=wr=

awilkie84 · #7 07-21-2011, 08:09 PM

I've tried different gauges, 1/2 rounds, flat-wounds. None help. I might try switching the pots to 500k though. Cheap & possibly effective. If only I knew how to do my own soldering.

dozicusmaximus · #8 07-21-2011, 08:19 PM

I would keep it. You will probably always need a P at some point. That and you are pretty familiar with it.
I still miss the neck on my first bass. The headstock was cracked and I needed some money for a pedal, that I probably already sold. I do like the P that took it's place but that Yammy neck was so sweet.
I guess it depends on how much you like to play it, when you do play it. Do you get that "Ahhh, it's good to be home feeling?"
Either way your going to do what you want to do. If you can afford to keep it, you might want to.
Maybe you should play the hell out of it the next week. Put a brand of strings on you've never tried. Take it to band practice. Mess with the EQ/settings on your amp/pedals. See what you find.

Maybe try a MFD P, pickup in it.

sigmafloyd · #9 07-21-2011, 08:20 PM

My first bass is a 96 mim jazz and it's beat to hell. I will never part with it

SBassman · #10 07-21-2011, 08:23 PM

With no sentimental value, I'd say - flip it.

Since it's your First bass, and Given to you as a gift, maybe you'll regret selling it. Keep it, and save up for the other bass.

bolophonic · #11 07-21-2011, 08:41 PM

I would trade almost anything to have my first bass back. Even if it was a cruddy, beat-up piece of junk. Since you asked, I would say to hold onto the Precision. My first suspicion is that you might just be kind of bored with it right now. First off, Precisions are hardly known to lack punch, even before most people start modding them with higher mass bridges and so forth. Secondly, I wonder if the QPs are perhaps not giving you the sound you desire? I am not overly familiar with those pickups, but on my last bass build, I used a set of Standard Fender Precision pickups and the punch is real.

Add to that the fact that you won't exactly be rolling in cash if you sell it. Put it under the bed and forget about it for a few years, just like if you sold it. Then try it again.

Who knows? Someday you might be able to pass it on to your child. Then that MIM Precision would all of a sudden have a 3-generational link. (Sentimentality alert: I just turned 40 and we are about to have a baby.) You should be posting photos of this bass instead of trying to sell it!

awilkie84 · #12 07-21-2011, 11:29 PM

Well, because you suggested it.

A couple junky camera phone pics.

mattpbass · #13 07-22-2011, 12:17 AM

keep it dude!!!! p is lovely! u will use it one day for sure.... keep it!!

gitlvr · #14 07-22-2011, 12:26 AM

I would agree with some of the others here. A P bass is something I think would be nice for pretty much any bass player to have in the arsenal. It is an iconic sound, heard on countless recordings over decades, from the very beginning of electric bass. If I were you, I'd keep it.

Diplowmatt · #15 07-22-2011, 01:21 AM

Never hurts to own more than one bass.