'54 Precision vs '60 Precision

[Turnaround]

Wrong. I have intonated plenty of 2 saddle bridge’s with full success.

I still maintain that you cannot angle the fibre saddles.

 

[FunkHead]

I still maintain that you cannot angle the fibre saddles.

Yes, you can. You can move them until you run out of room for the string to ride on. You can even cut grooves in them to keep the strings from sliding side to side.
It is no different than with the original saddles.

 

[boxerrider]

The only thing you'll lose is a little volume. There's a pretty substantial jump in volume if you switch the stinger into single coil mode.

I'll second this.
I put a switch on mine to change from single coil to the stack. It gets louder and sounds brighter when you go directly from stack to single, but if I adjust the volume to match I'm not sure I can hear any difference. While I don't regret the switch in this one, I don't think I will bother with it if I do another one.

 

[Alan Ace Cooper]

I have the ‘54. The neck is fairly thick if that matters. Comparing it to my American Performer neck it is a lot thicker. No worse no better but on the thick side. It has a gnarly sound that I love. I have a Lollar single coil installed. View attachment 5030041

NICE!!! Question though…. What made you switch to the Lollar?

 

[jasper383]

The single coil has more pure highs and lows and has a much more "unbridled" sound, for better and worse.

The split coil has more of a mid bump and tamer highs and lows. There's a reason why the split coil became "the" sound of the P Bass.

Both great sounding, both applicable in almost any situation.

 

[2thAche]

Listen to a bunch of ZZ Top and you'll want the 54. Split P is more practical IMO, but what sound do you want?

 

[bobyoung53]

I have the ‘54. The neck is fairly thick if that matters. Comparing it to my American Performer neck it is a lot thicker. No worse no better but on the thick side. It has a gnarly sound that I love. I have a Lollar single coil installed. View attachment 5030041

Is that an Am Deluxe bridge?

 

[Burwabit]

If you go used for 2K you can have both.

not true. Have you priced used AVRI or the new American Vintage line lately?

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Single coil P-bass: Woodier tone, less upper midrange "cut". Can be a bit boomy and can get lost in a dense mix, at least compared to the split coil P. Noisy, like all true single coils.

Split coil P-bass: More upper mid presence, tighter lows, will cut better though a dense mix. Hum-cancellling.

The biggest difference BY FAR isn't the tone though but the dynamics. A split coil P feels compressed compared to a single coil P. A split coil is far more forgiving when it comes to right hand (plucking) technique. The single coil P has a much snappier attack which can turn into a clanky mess if your right hand technique isn't great (or simply calibrated for other types of basses). This is a difference you won't experience from watching youtube video. You'll have to play them both and the different "feel" will be instantly noticable. I'm guessing most players will prefer the dynamics/feel of a split coil P and need more time to adapt to a single coil P but both types have their fans.

 

[tb-player]

The biggest difference BY FAR isn't the tone though but the dynamics. A split coil P feels compressed compared to a single coil P. A split coil is far more forgiving when it comes to right hand (plucking) technique. The single coil P has a much snappier attack which can turn into a clanky mess if your right hand technique isn't great (or simply calibrated for other types of basses). This is a difference you won't experience from watching youtube video. You'll have to play them both and the different "feel" will be instantly noticeable. I'm guessing most players will prefer the dynamics/feel of a split coil P and need more time to adapt to a single coil P but both types have their fans.

Thanks. That's good info. As much as I'm into the look of the single coil and even digging the tone, I have a feeling that I'll end up with the split-coil when it's all said and done. Tone-wise, I think it's more suitable to my needs. Neck shape will also play a role. Of course, if I go split-coil, I may venture out beyond the AVII. So many good options out there. I've owned a few of them and need one back on the rack for specific gigs and recordings. Time will tell (plus I've got a bass to sell-- 1 in/1 out & all that). Hopefully a nice NBD will come out of all this.

 

[Lex P.]

Yes to the bridge. It is.

 

[Alan Ace Cooper]

Agreed, it's edgier with a little more attitude.

You can always add a SD Stinger Stack [used by Dusty Hill, Sting, & me] to eliminate hum but keep the single coil character.

My favorite of all the 51 P Style pickups that I have tried. Too bad it doesn’t fit in the Sting Bass or Japan 51 P without some serious body modification. I am happy with my Joe Barden but it is a bit “grittier” at volume. Not in a bad way… but definitely not as clean as the Duncan.

 

[chadds]

I have the Rio Grande Muy Grande. Sound of OEM with more highs and lows. I find the single coils to be, IMHO, YMMV, the most adaptable to most musics. That and there are four of us here who can make them sound like a doghouse. They were designed to after all.

.....and if he hadn't beat me to it above, "Spanish Boots" - Beck Ola! Ron Wood showing how it's done. Crank that through robust speakers.

 

[Paul New]

I like the single coil p, although I have three split coil Ps and no single coils. You can use either for anything.

For me Keith Ferguson is the raw single coil sound.

 

[andare]

I am a Jazz Bass guy and I only have 1 Precision- a 2000 Fender Sting Bass. To me, the tones are in line with just running the neck pickup on a Jazz Bass, but with a little more umph and better slap tones, if needed for a song or two.

I assume the new Fender 54 P bass will sound better due to less polyurethane and better components. I have a Joe Barden / 51-Sting, dual coil in in the Sting. Its got strong tones and its, “Mouse Quiet”. I had another, MJT 54 model with a Mike Dirnt Roadworn neck. I had a Duncan 51 P/Stacked Stinger in that one.
View attachment 5029655
View attachment 5029656

Your saddles are tilted the wrong way

 

[cnltb]

My favorite of all the 51 P Style pickups that I have tried. Too bad it doesn’t fit in the Sting Bass or Japan 51 P without some serious body modification. I am happy with my Joe Barden but it is a bit “grittier” at volume. Not in a bad way… but definitely not as clean as the Duncan.

They are not the same format?

 

[Lucas Carioli]

IF i have the money i would go to the '54 for sure. Always loved the style, much more than the new ones. For that i rather the Jazz Basses.

But as poor i am, i think i will go with the Squier Precision Classic Vibe. Would be happy too?

 

[J-Bass RMR]

There's only one real answer here.

Your saddles are tilted the wrong way

Not necessarily.

My '51 is like this on the E/A saddle with Labella DTB TB, and intonation is "spot on".
Just depends on the particular set of strings.

IMO; people make too much of the intonation "thing" on these (2 saddle bridges)
They are reasonabley adjustable to a point, with a bit of "futzing".
Before 1951, bass players played upright basses. They didn't "fret" about perfect intonation. (and thank god they didn't use auto-tune)
Next time you have your (4-saddle) bass/bridge "perfectly" intonated, check each fret up and down the fingerboard with a strobe tuner. You'll likely will be in for a bit of a shock.

Back to the original question; '54 or 60; Personally, I'd get the '54.
Fender has never made a US production re-issue SCPB bass (Telecaster Bass and Custom Shop excepted).
There are lots of options for a 3 TSB / Tort spit coil P.

 

[murphy]

Yes to the bridge. It is.

 

[Alan Ace Cooper]

Your saddles are tilted the wrong way

Mmm…. The radius curves across the 7.25 fingerboard and it intonates past the 12th fret