Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
2011 Fender American Special P & Js
- Thread starter Yerf Dog
- Start date
good to see the old jazz/precision logos but i was hoping for somthing a little diffrent
just seems like a squier to me
just seems like a squier to me
Yes... what exactly constitutes the "Specialness" of these basses? Please don't tell me that MIA is the special bit!?!?
Apparently it has something called a "greasebucket" tone circuit.
Never heard of that before - do any other Fender basses have it?
Never heard of that before - do any other Fender basses have it?
These are essentially Highway One models with a poly finish and a couple different options it looks like. Fender did this for their electric guitars in 2010 and those are apparently top-notch.
they are very "special" - MIA with standard vintage bridge and greasebucket tone control (you can damp the highs without boosting the bass, whatever that means) - it´s new for me that anyone can boost with a passive tonecontrol - anyway - they are too "special" for me
They're basically a Highway One with poly finish and standard Fender semi-vintage bridge. Decent price point - hard to get hurt. I've gone with Highway Ones and not looked back 
Unless I'm ignorant, I'm pretty sure the Highway Ones didn't have a "slim" neck. We'll have to wait and see what that means...
Why don't they offer the 1.75" nut width? I know it's only .125 wider than the current stock neck, but I like it better. Chatter on the Greasebucket Tone thing on the Fender boards seem to be weighted toward negative -- at least on the guitar models.
Far be it for me to say "ignorant"......wait and see for yourself - they'll be the same
$999 for this P? The MIA Standard and the Highway 1 seem to be much better buys than this. No thank you.
I'm not sure about the price. A MIA Standard P lists for 1799 and goes for 1199 with the molded case. This American Special P lists for 1249 and looks like it's going for 979 with the gig bag.
From Fender's site, the MIA Standard has:
-a graphite truss rod.
-a 'graphite reinforced' neck
-a 'high mass' vintage bridge
-case candy
I'm wondering if the greasebucket will actually mess up the tone circuit but I do like the headstock and a regular gloss finish compared to the satin finish of the Highway One. The necks on all of them are 1.625" wide at the nut.
I'm also thinking that the Special is not the highest value offering right now.
I'm sticking with my pre-2000 Fender Precisions and Jazz basses with the Badass II or III bridge, and the EMG's, Bartolini, and Lindy Fralin pickups, now that's what I call special.
A google search turned up a couple of small online stores that have them at $949 (Precision) and $999 (Jazz). I'm thinking the American Standards are a better value at that price point, no?
