NBD: Yummy 5 String Fender Goodness

**awilkie84** · #1 11-23-2012, 11:33 PM

A little over a week ago, I was going into my local Long & McQuade to see if they had received the barrel knobs I had ordered for my Fender Active Deluxe Jazz V. I wasn't a fan of the plastic ones on it & thought chrome would look great. I was waiting for the clerk to be free & browsing around, as usual. I noticed a new 3TS American Fender P hanging on the wall & thought something about it didn't look quite right. On closer inspection, I discovered that it was a 5 string. Now, I knew these existed, but I'd never seen one in person. I picked it up & started noodling songs from my band's lineup & found it quite easy to play. When the clerk came to see me, I had all but forgotten about the knobs. I plugged the bass into a Traynor 300W combo & played for about another 20 minutes. The tone on this was exactly what I had been looking for when I got the Jazz a few weeks prior. I was enjoying the bass, but wasn't seriously looking at purchasing one, as they run around $1400 new where I am. It was at this point that the clerk twisted my rubber arm & told me it was a used 2011 model for $999. Given that I had JUST spent $800 on my Active Deluxe NEW, this was a fairly doable price.
I asked if I could put it on hold, and the clerk did, at no charge. I slept on it for a few days (the idea of purchasing it, not on the bass itself) and came to the conclusion that I HAD to have this bass. So, Monday rolls around & I strolled into the store, with my Jazz sitting in the car. I asked them if I could return the Jazz & get the P. They said yes, but there would be a restocking fee. The fee was minimal, so I ate that & walked out with the P.

I have yet to put this thing down, since I got it home. Every spare moment is spent playing & tweaking it to perfection.
The action's low, the neck is fast & the tuning is stable.
I did order a set of D'Addario Chromes for it, but those are my string of choice on both of my Fenders. They should be arriving sometime next week.
I want to find a good BWB pickguard to replace the tort with, too.
My only gripe is that the Volume knob tapers off too fast & that the tone control could use a little more range. Minor issues in the long run.

These also happen to be the first pictures I've taken with my new Lumia 920. The camera's pretty darn decent!!

Jason Carota · #2 11-23-2012, 11:38 PM

Beautiful bass! The pickguard looks like its liquid. Enjoy!

Im_telling_tim · #3 11-24-2012, 02:36 AM

I have the white version of that bass and I also absolutely love it. I traded in an Ernie Ball Stingray 5 HH for it a few years ago also at Loan & Persuade.

Thornton Davis · #4 11-24-2012, 06:41 AM

I put a set of Fender 90505M (45-125 TW) flatwounds on my 3TS Precision 5. They sit much better in the bridge saddle than the Chromes and feel more natural gauge wise, especially the B. Great tone!

TD

**awilkie84** · #5 11-24-2012, 09:57 AM

I tried a set of the 90505Ms on my Active Deluxe. The B felt too loose for my taste.
The Chromes felt good. Personal preference, I guess.

hdracer · #6 11-24-2012, 10:04 AM

Congratulation they are great basses. I love mine.
I tried Chromes and Labella's but settled on a set of Sadowsky black label flats.
Best strings for a 34" 5'er.
Rodger knows what it takes to make a 34" 5 string work.

lostrings · #7 11-24-2012, 10:32 AM

You definately picked a winner. I reciently purchased mine and one of the first things I did was change the pickguard....Great basses!

**awilkie84** · #8 11-24-2012, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdracer

Congratulation they are great basses. I love mine.
I tried Chromes and Labella's but settled on a set of Sadowsky black label flats.
Best strings for a 34" 5'er.
Rodger knows what it takes to make a 34" 5 string work.

Thanks! Maybe I'll try the sadowskys if the chromes don't work out. The nice thing about BSO is that the strings are cheap. :P

Quote:

Originally Posted by lostrings

You definately picked a winner. I reciently purchased mine and one of the first things I did was change the pickguard....Great basses!

Where did you get your pickguard from? WDMusic has a plethora of choices, but I've heard hit or miss reviews on their fitting.
Also, where did you get a 5 string pickup cover? It looks great!

VeganThump · #9 11-24-2012, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awilkie84

Thanks! Maybe I'll try the sadowskys if the chromes don't work out. The nice thing about BSO is that the strings are cheap. :P

Where did you get your pickguard from? WDMusic has a plethora of choices, but I've heard hit or miss reviews on their fitting.
Also, where did you get a 5 string pickup cover? It looks great!

Yeah what he said! I've been looking for a pickup cover for mine since I got it, also looking for a bridge cover.

Herrick · #10 12-08-2012, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awilkie84

Thanks! Maybe I'll try the sadowskys if the chromes don't work out. The nice thing about BSO is that the strings are cheap. :P

Where did you get your pickguard from? WDMusic has a plethora of choices, but I've heard hit or miss reviews on their fitting.
Also, where did you get a 5 string pickup cover? It looks great!

I second this question. I'm very wary of buying from WDMusic because I ordered a pickguard from them once & it didn't fit. The pickguard was supposed to be for a USA Fender HSS Strat. Also if you look at their selection of 5-string Precision Pickguards, all the sample pictures are of 4-string pickguards. The space for the pickup doesn't have the extra length for the bass coil.

lostrings · #11 12-08-2012, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herrick

I second this question. I'm very wary of buying from WDMusic because I ordered a pickguard from them once & it didn't fit. The pickguard was supposed to be for a USA Fender HSS Strat. Also if you look at their selection of 5-string Precision Pickguards, all the sample pictures are of 4-string pickguards. The space for the pickup doesn't have the extra length for the bass coil.

I purchased the pickguard from WDmusic.com. It fit perfect. I know what your saying about the pickup opening looking like a 4string, but it is correct for the 5string fitment.

Herrick · #12 12-08-2012, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lostrings

I purchased the pickguard from WDmusic.com. It fit perfect. I know what your saying about the pickup opening looking like a 4string, but it is correct for the 5string fitment.

That's good news! Thanks a lot

Dan Knowlton · #13 12-08-2012, 01:01 PM

Nice bass, nice price! Good for you.

Dan K.

phillybass101 · #14 12-10-2012, 01:38 PM

I'm JB kinda guy but I will admit that 5 string P-Basses are Cool as Hell.

dave64o · #15 12-10-2012, 02:13 PM

I prefer active basses, but my one and only passive is that exact bass - a Precision V, 3TS, rosewood, with a set of Chromes on it. I love it. I guess the only difference is that, because I'm such a sunburst/tort kind of old fogey, the original tort pick guard is staying put on mine!

Congrats. These are really nice basses.