I’m looking for a 51 style Precision bass under $1200 to play around with, and see if I like its sound. What’s the best bang for Buck in this budget?
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51 Bass options?
- Thread starter lastminute
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I have a MIJ 51 reissue I got for around 1000 used. Great platform for a slab body p bass.
That's easy if you don't mind very limited choice of finish, namely sunburst or red
The Harley Benton PB-50 from Thomann, Germany currently retails at £93/€119/$120US. Bought mine for £76 but that was nearly 11 years back.
Since my initial set up I've never had to adjust or replace anything. That's not a fluke, the others bought for different string type/tunings have been just as reliable
I find the PB-50 necks preferable to my Paisley Fender so it's sadly a wall ornament now.If you don't trust dropping £100/€119/$120 on a bass then the Squier CV 50s is well regarded on the various Talkbass 51/single coil P-bass threads.
Sire offer their take on this classic design, $450 for the D5. Fella I know owns one, very happy with it though he's swapped the pickup a few times. More a reflection on his personal taste than any fault of the bass.
The 'Vintage' brand owned by John Hornby Skewes have the V51. I yet to play a poor 'Vintage' bass, if JHS have commissioned a batch of the old Wilkinson 51 single coil then it'll be sweet.
As a dyed in the wool 51 P-bass player may I offer a piece of advice, please make an attempt to play one before buying. It doesn't really matter which 51 style bass you try. Reason I say this is if the tone is not to your taste; you 'fix it' with a pickup swap
Some replacement pickups will have higher/lower output, some are hum-cancelling; none of them change the character of the bass by any real measure.
You can find the Fender MIJ/CIJ 51 Reissue or the Fender Sting 54/55 bass for around your price. Another cheaper option that gets good reviews is the Squier Classic Vibe '50s Precision bass which sells used in the $300-400 range.
As said by @kodiakblair, there are plenty of pickup replacement options available. I've used the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop '51 P bass stack pickup in several of these. It maintains the 51 characteristics, but there's no single-coil hum. Fralin and Nordstrand also have hum-cancelling versions as well as others.
As said by @kodiakblair, there are plenty of pickup replacement options available. I've used the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop '51 P bass stack pickup in several of these. It maintains the 51 characteristics, but there's no single-coil hum. Fralin and Nordstrand also have hum-cancelling versions as well as others.
Plus 1 for the Harley Benton PB-50,.
These are fantastic basses at any price, not just good for their price range, I currently own two. Like @kodiakblair I have a early wilkinson pickup version (late 2015) in sunburst. The only things I've done is cover the pick guard with cream vinyl (a little washed out in the photo) and re-shaped the headstock, the final touch was a bone nut and a headstock overlay(haven't decided on a logo yet)
The second is a left handed red Roswell pickup version, that @kodiakblair sorted me out with, I decided to do a homage to Dusty Hill with it
Restrung it right hand usage, then I covered the white guard with cream vinyl, removed the controls and covered the plate with mirror vinyl. my son came up with a way to keep the jack socket from getting in the way - we fitted a right angle jack socket adapter and then velcro'd it to the back of the bass.
The F-hole was my son's idea while we work out if we're going to pinstripe the body.
The vintage V51interests me, Vintage are great basses but are 4x the price of the Harley Benton.
I personally am no that keen on the sire (horns a little too pointy for a 54 for me)
I would recommend that anyone interested in a "54" style P Bass should get a Harley Benton PB-50, even if it only to have a great sounding bass aroung the house for noodling for the price it'sa no brainer.
Personally I use both of mine every week as part of a blues night backing band.
These are fantastic basses at any price, not just good for their price range, I currently own two. Like @kodiakblair I have a early wilkinson pickup version (late 2015) in sunburst. The only things I've done is cover the pick guard with cream vinyl (a little washed out in the photo) and re-shaped the headstock, the final touch was a bone nut and a headstock overlay(haven't decided on a logo yet)
The second is a left handed red Roswell pickup version, that @kodiakblair sorted me out with, I decided to do a homage to Dusty Hill with it
Restrung it right hand usage, then I covered the white guard with cream vinyl, removed the controls and covered the plate with mirror vinyl. my son came up with a way to keep the jack socket from getting in the way - we fitted a right angle jack socket adapter and then velcro'd it to the back of the bass.
The F-hole was my son's idea while we work out if we're going to pinstripe the body.
The vintage V51interests me, Vintage are great basses but are 4x the price of the Harley Benton.
I personally am no that keen on the sire (horns a little too pointy for a 54 for me)
I would recommend that anyone interested in a "54" style P Bass should get a Harley Benton PB-50, even if it only to have a great sounding bass aroung the house for noodling for the price it'sa no brainer.
Personally I use both of mine every week as part of a blues night backing band.
D
The Harley Bentons others have suggested are very good basses for the money. Personally I've been more impressed with other Harley Benton models but these PB-50s are still great value if you're looking for an ultra-cheap single coil P-bass
The next step up would be Squier CV and Sire D5. The Squier CVs are really nice. Personally I think they're better (but also considerably more expensive) than the Harley Bs. I have never tested the Sire D5 but if it's as good as other Sire basses in this price range it will most likely blow away both the Harley Bentons and the Squiers. In my opinion the only manufacturer with better quality/price than Sire in this price range is Yamaha but they have never made a single coil P.
The next step up would probably be to assemble one from a Warmoth neck/body and good quality hardware/electronics. When properly assembled a Warmoth can be comparable to pretty much anything in ANY price range.
The next step ut is... hideously expensive. Yes, that means Fender (American Vintage). Probably not worth the money unless you're 100% certain this is the right type of bass for you. And even then the Sire might actually turn out to be a better instrument.
If you're willing to pay Fender USA prices there are of course also luthiers and smaller manufacturers who might build you a REALLY good instrument for a similar amount of money.
But for cheap and mid-priced single coil P-basses there isn't much to choose from.
The next step up would be Squier CV and Sire D5. The Squier CVs are really nice. Personally I think they're better (but also considerably more expensive) than the Harley Bs. I have never tested the Sire D5 but if it's as good as other Sire basses in this price range it will most likely blow away both the Harley Bentons and the Squiers. In my opinion the only manufacturer with better quality/price than Sire in this price range is Yamaha but they have never made a single coil P.
The next step up would probably be to assemble one from a Warmoth neck/body and good quality hardware/electronics. When properly assembled a Warmoth can be comparable to pretty much anything in ANY price range.
The next step ut is... hideously expensive. Yes, that means Fender (American Vintage). Probably not worth the money unless you're 100% certain this is the right type of bass for you. And even then the Sire might actually turn out to be a better instrument.
If you're willing to pay Fender USA prices there are of course also luthiers and smaller manufacturers who might build you a REALLY good instrument for a similar amount of money.
But for cheap and mid-priced single coil P-basses there isn't much to choose from.
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Squier Classic Vibe. Way better than a Harley benton
In my opinion, the butterscotch finish MIJ- Fender Japan reissues- Not the Sting basses- are truly incredible sounding basses. They're hovering around 1K in the used market. I remember playing one they had in a local music store in Atlantic City, N.J. circa 2004. If it were lefty, I'd have bought it. It was the only bass that I actually wanted to play when we stopped in that store. I do like the Squier ones- but if you want a true killer '51 reissue- find a Japanese made one.
I’ve had all the variations from Fender, including some real 1950’s P -basses and 1968-1971 Telecaster Basses. The made in Japan Fenders are very good, my favorite being the Paisley reissues and the butterscotch MIJ basses.
https://www.talkbass.com/classifieds/fender-american-vintage-ii-54-p-bass-vintage-blond.1660970/
https://www.talkbass.com/classifieds/fender-mij-sting-signature-bass.1661403/
As an owner of about 5 single coil Fender P Basses, the sound is similar to that of the Jazz Bass neck pickup played alone. The SCPB's have a clearer, cleaner and better defined sound over the split coil pickup but simply dial down the tone control and they sound very close to that of a traditional split coil P Bass.
Good luck! The SCPBs are fantastic basses with looks that prove it!
https://www.talkbass.com/classifieds/fender-mij-sting-signature-bass.1661403/
As an owner of about 5 single coil Fender P Basses, the sound is similar to that of the Jazz Bass neck pickup played alone. The SCPB's have a clearer, cleaner and better defined sound over the split coil pickup but simply dial down the tone control and they sound very close to that of a traditional split coil P Bass.
Good luck! The SCPBs are fantastic basses with looks that prove it!
Sorry, OP, I can't help w/ the request other than to say hope you find the right example for you. The world needs another SLABEBRITY!
I’ve got a really nice MIJ Fender ‘51 up for sale right now:
https://www.talkbass.com/classified...ue-made-in-japan-trade-for-jazz-bass.1659377/
https://www.talkbass.com/classified...ue-made-in-japan-trade-for-jazz-bass.1659377/
Smokin’ deal on that ‘54 reissue! I’m tempted to reach out to that guy.
"That guy" is a top notch member of TB. Buy with complete confidence.
Vintage V51, very nice bass, on par with the Squiers. Needs a setup but what bass doesn't.
The more I think about it, the more I’m thinking I’ll buy a cheaper one first since I’m not 100 on the sound. I watched a few demos online and funny enough, while I like the features of the Sire, the sound was too dark for me. I liked the throatier sounds of the Squier and Vintage V51. So it’ll be down to the two of them, I think.
I have had a classic vibe, a parts Dirnt Road Worn, and now have the Sire D5. I love the neck.
I did end up doing nicer hardware with Hipshot tuners and bridge, new harness, and the Lindy Fralin split coil pickup (stock wind). I had the Fralin 5% over wind split coil and thought it was just more like a regular split coil pickup and darker/hotter.
My Classic Vibe had the quarter pounder Duncan pickup, and the reissue USA vintage bridge, and Hipshot tuners.
If you decide to go with a Sire check out places that list the weights like Sweetwater. You will see some under 8.5 lbs if you are patient. Lighter weight tuning machines help with the weight too. (Gotoh gb528s or Hipshot USA ultralite 1/2")
I would mod it to get what you exactly want no matter the model.
I did end up doing nicer hardware with Hipshot tuners and bridge, new harness, and the Lindy Fralin split coil pickup (stock wind). I had the Fralin 5% over wind split coil and thought it was just more like a regular split coil pickup and darker/hotter.
My Classic Vibe had the quarter pounder Duncan pickup, and the reissue USA vintage bridge, and Hipshot tuners.
If you decide to go with a Sire check out places that list the weights like Sweetwater. You will see some under 8.5 lbs if you are patient. Lighter weight tuning machines help with the weight too. (Gotoh gb528s or Hipshot USA ultralite 1/2")
I would mod it to get what you exactly want no matter the model.
I built one a couple years ago that I'm considering putting up for sale. Top quality parts, MJT finish, Fender '51 P Bass Reissue neck (Japan). Real Bakelite pickguard. Jess Loureiro hum canceling pickup. Let me know if you want more info.
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