best Fender Bass?

[Maya403]

I would say an American Deluxe or A Marcus Miller

[Kryptos]

Any/all of the Custom Shop basses are very nice instruments if a bit pricey. I currently play a 1959 NOS/Relic® Precision Bass and a Dusty Hill Signature Precision. Highly recommended.

[keithbroussard]

Fender 50's reissue...best Fender bass I had played or owned. A close second would be a the Precision bass special.

[Gougedeye]

I've had a Custom Classic 4 string and 5 string. Both were really very nice instruments! Superb playability and top notch construction. I've also had a 2010 American Deluxe 5 string and it, too was a great instrument. Really well made.

[Bert Slide]

Best I ever played was a real '62 P. If money is no object then I'd hunt down a pre-CBS Fender. Great time to buy vintage now in the down economy.

[ExaltBass]

Originally Posted by Bert Slide

Best I ever played was a real '62 P. If money is no object then I'd hunt down a pre-CBS Fender. Great time to buy vintage now in the down economy.

My sentiments also... My '59 P-Bass is a sweetheart!

[RipOffRed]

Originally Posted by boristhespider9

Why limit yourself to Fender?

Brand loyalty is a funny thing.

To the OP, I just now realized I've never played a proper Fender, just knock offs and copies. Guess what I'll be doing when I get back to the States.

[boristhespider9]

Personally, I would only buy a passive Fender. I wouldn't even buy one that can go both passive and active. For me, the only real benefit is to get the traditional Fender passive sound. If I'm going active, there's a ton of brands I'm selecting before Fender. That's just me.

Also, you didn't say what your budget is, but some people have mentioned Fender Custom Shop basses. Personally, once I'm spending that kind of money, I'm getting a Lakland USA Joe Osborn, Bob Glaub or Duck Dunn, not a Fender CS. Again, that's just me.

[zachoff]

Roscoe Beck IV is the best I've played.

[KwinS]

I believe that the Tony Franklin basses are Fender's best. Both fretted and fretless.

[Buzter]

Something P/J. Best of both worlds.

[C.Linton]

Originally Posted by boristhespider9

Why limit yourself to Fender?

If that's what he likes, why not?

[jazzyitalian]

My old 1977 Tele-P-bass. My Parents bought it for me NEW. And yes, I was stupid enough to trade it in for my next bass in 1980.

[deeptubes]

Over the past 26 years, I've owned 5 Fenders - '81 P Special, '84 P Elite II, '90 HM, '00 P Special Deluxe, and '04 Dimension. Tone wise, the P Special and P Elite are pretty similar, full and rich. I think the Elite has just a little more oomph. My favorite player is the Dimension. Really easy playing. Body's a little thinner. Fretboard sits pretty high above the body. Makes it great for slap/pop.

[hampulator]

The one I kept out of Many,many...a '97 American P-Deluxe w/ rosewood neck. Damn nice punchy tone ,and good for slappin too!

[MR PC]

up to '66

Squire Mid 80's

MIJ '90-'94.

[mjac28]

Big Block Precision

[TheGreatSealof]

MIA Jazz, made in 2000.

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I really like my 2008 American Standard P-Bass.

I also had a Roscoe Beck V that was really great sounding bass. I sold it because of the heavy weight and the neck was a little thicker (front to back) than I like, but I could have gotten used to it. It was a great bass though.

[Supertanker]

Originally Posted by keithbroussard

Fender 50's reissue...best Fender bass I had played or owned. A close second would be a the Precision bass special.

What he said...