Standard Precision

[colbyAKAbobby]

Hey. I'm not sure if I want to spend as much as an American Standard costs. Is the standard worth it, or should I just wait and save up more?

[Osprey]

Go for a use one, whichever. I bought a new bass once, because it was an unusual one and there were no used about. Cheap though. But the world is full of P basses, lots of them good or excellent instruments, all spec and all colours. You can get a USA P for the new price of the standard one.

[Testing_123]

Hard to answer -- you'll likely get a mix of thoughts here.

Are the MIA basses nice? Yes.

Can you get a nice sounding & playing non-MIA P-Bass? Yes. I have a MIM Standard Jazz bass that has been my one-and-only for a dozen years. I've made some mods and tweaks over the years, but it has been a solid, trustworthy workhorse for me.

Try before you buy -- that's the only way to know if the extra expense of an American is worth it to you.

[dougjwray]

You'll find hundreds of threads and posts discussing this, but I think the majority (not all, but most) will say:

~ Play a few and find the nicest one.
~ Don't let the country of manufacture or price decide for you.
~ Fenders can be inconsistent, even the expensive ones (although people claim that the 2008 and 2009 American Standards are consistently very good).

I have a 2002 Standard Jazz Bass, which I bought new. I played lots of those (i.e. Mexican ones), AND American ones, and picked this particular one for its resonance, straight neck and great fretwork.

I also have a 2005 Standard Precision Bass. I bought it used. After getting a good setup, it has ridiculously low action and sounds fantastic. Before I bought it, I tried out another used Standard Precision Bass... on this one, the truss rod was unusable and the headstock was cracked. (Obviously, the prior owner could have inflicted some damage.)

I've done absolutely nothing to alter either one, and they're beautiful.

[greggster59]

Inconsistent quality control is a common problem with all mass produced instruments. The American Standard models, especially since 2008, seem to be a bit more consistent in this regard so they are a better gamble in a blind buy.

If you can try out a bass before purchasing you are likely to come across MIM's or other less expensive models that are as good as the American Standard. Last weekend, a bassist from a band we shared the bill with had a MIM Jazz bass that played and sounded as sweet as any Jazz I've run across.