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Fender American Vintage ‘57 Precision Bass
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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2
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6744
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Wed May 16, 2007
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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Average Rating
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50% of reviewers
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$1,399.50
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8.0
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Description:
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Model Name: American Vintage ‘57 Precision Bass®
Model Number: 019-0115-(Color #)
Series: American Vintage Series
Colors: White Blonde (Ash Body), 2-Color Sunburst, Black (Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Body: Alder (Ash on White Blonde)
Neck: 1-Piece Maple, “C” Shape (Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Fingerboard: Maple, 7.25” Radius (184mm)
No. of Frets: 20 Vintage Style Frets
Pickups: 1-‘57 Precision Bass Split Single-Coil Pickup
Controls: Volume, Tone
Pickup Switching: None
Bridge: American Vintage Precision Bass
Machine Heads: Vintage Style Reverse Tuning Machines
Hardware: Nickel/Chrome
Pickguard: Gold Anodized Aluminum
Scale Length: 34” (864 mm)
Width at Nut: 1.750” (44.5 mm)
Unique Features: Anodized Aluminum Pickguard
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Author
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mark beem
Back in the Conklin Club!
Registered: July 2001
Location: Hunts-Vegas, Alabama
Posts: 7357
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Review Date: Thu October 12, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $1,399.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Killer tone. Sleek "old-school" good looks
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Cons:
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Ni-cell/Lacquer Finish on neck
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At some point in my recent bass-playing past (I can't remember exactly when it occurred) I began to become infatuated by the vintage bass phenomena, especially old Fenders, and at some point soon thereafter began to feel the pains of GAS creep over me. These feelings caused me some concern since up to that point (1) I had never been attracted to vintage instruments and (2) never intended to get another Fender. My feelings did not stem from a feeling that Fender didn't make good instruments (I had owned two in the past, a MIM Jazz 5 and a MIA P) but because since 1996 I had found my niche in the 5-string-plus (mostly "plus") realms and almost everything I had up until now had two-octave necks, > 5 strings, custom cunstructions, exotic lam tops, and active electronics. However, after some research I found that the 1950s and 1960s era instruments were beyond what I was willing to pay and began looking instead at Fender's American Vintage series. Finally I called my local Fender dealer and ten days later had a beautiful white-blonde/ash 57 Precision reissue in my hands.
Construction: Excellent!! The bass was lightweight though slightly heavier than my Lull M5V. All joints were tight. All hardware was perfectly installed and worked properly. Frets were nicely dressed. The bridge and pickup covers were not installed at the factory however. The music store was nice enough to do a complementary set-up to my specs and offerred to install the two accessories which I had them do.
Electronics: The bass is equipped with a single spec-wound '57 Precision Bass Split Single-Coil Pickup wired to volume and tone knobs. I was very surprised at how hot the output of this simple configuration was!
Sound: The tone is indeed in your hands! The bass sounded great, delivering that meaty P-Bass tone we all know and love. But I was surprised at the variety of tones I was able to produce through simply varying playing hand position and alternating between fingers and tumb and pick. The venerable P Bass has always had the reputation of being a one-trick pony but I can't agree. Took the bass to sessions with my band and they were doubtful when I pulled it out of the case. However, I knew what kind of juicy tones it was capable of from playing it at home through my Roland combo and talked the guitarist into cutting a track or two with it on the composition we'd recently began working on. I didn't go through a preamp, just plugged into a passive DI box and straight into the board. It took almost no effort to get an incredible tone on the recording. The guitarist's eyes lit up and I ended up completely redoing that track with the '57. I have a feeling he's going to want me to use it on most of the future stuff we do! 
Playability: Plays great! The "C" profile is immediately familiar and comfortable. I have to say that I personally don't care for the finish on the back of the neck. It's not too bad but I prefer the sleekness of satin finished necks. Also the pickup cover took a little getting adjusted to. However, it really aids in playability.
Final thoughts: Overall this is a great instrument! The back-to-basics simplicity is a joy in and of itself. Don't have to worry about fiddling with a bunch of knobs and switches like I have to do on my other basses. Plus, I feel that I play better and my lines are more interesting when I'm not preoccupied with too many details. Someone once said that every bassist needs a P Bass in their aresenal and I believe it. I can see myself going to this bass when I'd be unable to get a tone from anything else I have. The traditional styling, construction and tone has proved to be a winner for many decades and as history proves, this bass can fit into just about any musical situation. Highly recommended!
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BellBottomBlues
Registered User
Registered: February 2007
Location: Staten Island, New York, Earth
Posts: 1844
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Review Date: Wed May 16, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Price you paid?: $1,400.00
| Rating: 6
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Pros:
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Excellent Tone and Feel, Good Factory Set-up
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Cons:
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Shoddy materials used, defective parts
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A bleak November day, I'd been waiting for a month, and finally my first new bass arrives at my doorstep (I usually play vintage instruments so they're obviously second hand or handmedowns)
I tore up the cardboard shipping box and there in a tweed case was a beautiful White P-Bass. Right out of the box, it was almost entirely in tune. Took me 20 minutes, and she was set up and ready to go with her stock fender strings.
The first day or so after I got my bass, I was overjoyed with it. However the stock strings soon lost their tone and charm. Played and sounded beautifully at first, but I'm also more of a flat wound kinda guy, so I opened up my box of Rotosound 50-110 jazz flats. Strung it with them and got my neck set up properly.
Within two weeks of buying the bass, the tone pot started to make scratchy noises before deciding to quit on me. I wasn't even mistreating the thing, I was polishing and cleaning it after every time I played it before placing back in the case.
Contacting Fender I had to go to their nearest repair center for replacement, but since its really out of the way (and would have cost me $8 each way to get there, not to mention the trip where I have to pick it up) I decided just to take it to the shop only one bus away, which is very reputable and they treat me very well there.
Tone pot got replaced in 20 minutes, and the Tech said that the original pot was shot and falling apart. He even asked how long I had the bass, and he was surprised when I said only 2 weeks.
So the bass is back in my possession, and then I gig with it. I notice that the neck is starting to bow something fierce, so I take it a second repair shop (who happens to be one of the most reputed vintage dealers/appraisers/repair shops in the country)
They fix the bow as best they could and said that if it started to bow more, send it back to Fender.
The bass was set up as well at the time, and since then, the A string went dead frets 12-20. And after taking it to both of the stores I went to they both said I needed a new bridge component.
Contacting fender I had to go through a whole song and dance to either A) get my neck fixed or B) get my bridge fixed. I went through that sound and dance and waited a bit more than a month and a half for the bridge saddle and then an additional 2 months after for the neck.
Since this bass has been in my possesion, its only had the stock strings and the one set of Roto flats on it that I slapped on in november.
Also it should be noted that the bridge and pup covers don't come installed on the bass.
I wouldn't recommend this bass unless it was gone over with a fine tooth comb before hand.
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Precision Bass club #43, Fender MIA Club Member #100
Most flammable TB'er
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