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51RI Precision or Sting 53

K

kdangler

Nov 1, 2007
10
0
Atlanta, GA
enddaysworship.com
#1
I got Tele bass GAS bad! Anyone have any experience with the 51RI or the Sting 53 Precision? I think the Sting bass is made in Japan which I think is a plus over the MIM models, but truthfully I have never played a MIM Fender bass. I have 2 CIJ Teles and think the world of them. I play contemporary P&W and have a RIC 4003 which I love but I want a bass that THUNDERS!!! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Oh yeah, I also saw the Mike Dirnt bass which has some nice upgrades...any good?
 
#2
The '51 RI is also CIJ... Both are great playing and sounding basses... The Sting is actually modeled after his '54 P. Some can get beyond the 'Sting-lay' at the 12th fret, but sadly, I could not. I know that is incredibly shallow of me, but it is what it is...

My '51 RI is pretty much my main gigging bass with the roots-rock band at this point in time, and it delivers fat, punchy tone in spades. Thunder? Oh yeah! The one Sting that I have played also nailed the tone, but again, I couldn't get past the sig... My loss!

The '51s uncontoured body took maybe thirty seconds to get used to. I love the neck... The bass just has an overall good vibe. I string it with D'Addario Chromes, and needed to order Extra Longs as the 'string-through' on the '51 seems a bit longer than that of my '96 P and the silk wrap sat in the nut. Small price to pay!

Some folks like to swap the bridge and pickups for more modern equivalents, but to me, those are part of the vibe. To each his own...

-robert
 
#5
Had a Sting, loved it but had a bit of a neck "issue" so replaced it with a '51 re-issue.

Not too crazy about the Stinglay but liked the countour body better then the slab on the '51. Neck on this one has no issues and supports comfortable fret buzz free action.

Had upgraded the pickups (SeymourDuncan1/4 pounder) and the bridge to a 4 saddle on both of them.

Beautiful Tone on both: that's why I went through two to find that one that's best for me.

Definetly a "keeper" I play it at Church a little more frequently then my MIA Fender P (also with Seymour Duncan 1/4 pounders)

Fantastic Japanese craftsmanship.
 
#7
I have the '51 RI. Like everyone else, I don't like the Sting tag, and I greatly prefer the butterscotch to sunburst.

Drawbacks? Non-contoured body, weight, stock bridge. I replaced the bridge with a Fender American Deluxe and it's fine now.

It's the Thump King.
 
#9
Well, after perusing this fine forum, I found a name I had never heard of before, Jay Turser. I went to Harmony Central and the JTB-401 had a 9.9 rating. Ebay had a brand new sunburst one for $130!! Seeing, that I don't want to get in debt over another GAS attack, I pulled the trigger on it and am hoping for the best. I already have a gem in my Ric 4003 so this bass will be my everyday knock around, don't mind if it's dinged bass. How I could get a decent instrument for $130 is beyond my mentality but we shall see. I'll let you all know what I think about it once it gets here. Thanks for all your great input!
eBayISAPI.dll
 
#10
Maybe this is the wrong forum for asking, but why mess up the beautiful aesthetics of an early Precision with the hideous stinglay? I love everything about the bass except for that, but it's a biggie, completely different than any other Fender, and I know if I bought it I would never be able to focus on anything but the stinglay.
 
#11
I, too have been jonesin' for a '51 RI. And I know what you guys mean about the "Stinglay". Kind of the same principle applies as to why I would never buy a Stevie Ray Vaughan signature Strat. That big "SRV" just looks hideous to me, no matter how good it sounds...
 
#13
How to get a bunch of he-man, low-end bad boys to cluck like a bunch of hens: mention the Sting bass.

Looks great, killer tone, well made, reasonable price.
But, oh dag-burn-it Pa! that inlay. It's just .... just ...

You can't see it while you play, you can't see the signature from 5 feet a way. In fact, it looks pretty cool from a distance.

Put a piece of black electrical tape over it and call it a proto-GeddyLee.
 
#14
I played the '51 RI at Sam Ash the other day, and I was very impressed. It had a very woody tone that was dissimilar to my Highway 1 P. Although it had rounds on it, I could still tell that it's a whole different beast. I think it sounds more like an SG than a P. That being said, I have major GAS for one!
 
#15
A nice upgrade that keeps the vintage vibe is Wilkinsons compensating brass saddles for the bridge. They work great! I also dropped in good CTS 250k pots, a Hoveland tonecap and Lollar pickup. The tone went from Excellent to most excellent!

51P-bass002.jpg
 
#17
I had a '51 reissue awhile back, but I couldnt bond with it because the neck would buzz unless it was set-up with alot of relief/height, so I sold it. Nice bass otherwise. BTW, I had no trouble getting perfect intonation with it's stock bridge.
 
#18
Re: Sting inlay: Get over it. There are plenty 51 Reissue basses out there. You don't HAVE to buy one with his signature, if you're that offended by it. Secondly, you can hardly see it while playing it. Thirdly, very few people will know what that thing at the 12th fret is anyways.
 
#19
Thunderthumbs73 said:
Re: Sting inlay: Get over it. There are plenty 51 Reissue basses out there. You don't HAVE to buy one with his signature, if you're that offended by it. Secondly, you can hardly see it while playing it. Thirdly, very few people will know what that thing at the 12th fret is anyways.
Click to expand...

This thread ended over six months ago. Maybe you should get over it.
 

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