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'54 Precision vs '60 Precision

#81
marchone said:
dixS73nl.jpg

This is my 1969 Telecaster Bass. The first '51 reissue. I bought it after seeing Ron Wood play his live at The Fillmore East.

A couple years ago I had Michael Dolan install a Fender HiMass bridge, new bone nut and Duncan pup. Refret, new wiring, pots, Switchcraft jack and shielding. I also asked him to contour it and leave the wood raw to look like Jeff Beck's Esquire. I still string it with Rotosound 66s.

Getting on in years the hard corner was starting to hurt my ribs.
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Nice bass! I had a humbucker version when I was in my twenties, I was looking for that Ron Wood sound but didn't know the difference, but I had to finally get one and Tele prices are out of sight now so figured the 1954 would be about the same. I love Roto 66's.

Ron got a killer sound out of his, I've seen bootleg videos of him playing that bass with the Jeff Beck Group on YouTube with Marshall amps, it may have even been the Fillmore East, in fact I think it was and he got the same sound live as the records. I bought a Marshall Major last year, I'm starting to wish I had gotten a Superbass instead because you can actually crank them without killing half the audience.......nah I like the Major.
 
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#82
I own 5 single coil P Basses (including the AO '54).

Sound wise, the single coil pickup has more clarity, definition, tighter lower bass and some slight 60 cycle hum when the tone control is set to high. I actually really like the pickup's sound. By rolling off the high end a little bit, it starts sounds much like a split coil P Bass.

I do not like the 2 saddle bridge! The D and A side of the saddles are upward to match the neck's 7.25" radius. Thus, the saddles are slanted downward to the E and G side. This can cause when playing, all four strings to slide downward to the low end of the saddles. This is very annoying. I've used pull ties behind the saddles to hold the strings in place. Or, one can buy a 4 saddle string through body bridge as a replacement for the 2 saddle bridge.

The SCPB's necks are thicker............love it!

I love the the SCPBs! I love the split coil P Bass too!

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#83
2saddleslab said:
That '56 is a stunner. I had a '56 refin w/ a V contoured neck which I loved.
View attachment 5031880

The Fender book by Detlef Schmidt is THE definitive study on the early slabs. TB'er @Bflat was a major contributor to the book as well as generously helping me learn more about mine. Just wish I'd have done my research early enough to be included in the book. But I did send all the info I had to Detlef in hopes he does an updated version.
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Unbelievable awesome and totally cool photo! Elvis and '56 P. How did you do it?
 
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#84
I recently purchased an AV II 60’s P. I really like it and the only mods needed was some shielding and a set of LaBella flats. I also own a Road Worn P and a ‘63 P. Of the 3, the AV II has my vote for most comfortable neck profile. At my age the joints in my left hand don’t move like they used to, I feel I can play longer sets with the AV II P.
D5DB0BF3-0331-437F-BDF0-D5034CB13324.jpeg
 
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#85
bobyoung53 said:
Nice bass! I had a humbucker version when I was in my twenties, I was looking for that Ron Wood sound but didn't know the difference, but I had to finally get one and Tele prices are out of sight now so figured the 1954 would be about the same. I love Roto 66's.

Ron got a killer sound out of his, I've seen bootleg videos of him playing that bass with the Jeff Beck Group on YouTube with Marshall amps, it may have even been the Fillmore East, in fact I think it was and he got the same sound live as the records. I bought a Marshall Major last year, I'm starting to wish I had gotten a Superbass instead because you can actually crank them without killing half the audience.......nah I like the Marshall.
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Ron Wood played a 1968 Fender Telecaster Bass live at the Fillmore East shows I saw through Marshall 100W stacks. I read he recorded the first album (at least) with a stolen Fender Jazz Bass. I suspect the Telecaster was bought in NYC at the start of the tour.
 
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#86
marchone said:
Ron Wood played a 1968 Fender Telecaster Bass live at the Fillmore East shows I saw through Marshall 100W stacks. I read he recorded the first album (at least) with a stolen Fender Jazz Bass. I suspect the Telecaster was bought in NYC at the start of the tour.
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Yes, I heard the same thing too, probably explains the difference in bss sound between the two albums, The first had a more polite sound and the second would rip your face off. :laugh: Not much occasion to use that Ron Wood sound anymore for me, but it will be nice to have it on tap. I don't think the blues guys would like it very much. :D
 
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#87
2F/2F said:
Get the one that looks the best to you. The looks are the main difference between the two that is set in stone.

We have knobs on our amps for a reason: to make basses sound how we want them to sound.

We have a plethora of string choices.

We have setup.

We have playing technique.

We have a fair variety of aftermarket pickups for both basses, as well as several custom pickup builders who build to spec.

We have a never ending supply of outboard effects, noise suppression devices, etc.

If you can’t take any “regular” 4-string bass and get it sounding exactly like you want it to sound, then the problem is not your bass selection. It’s your tone shaping abilities.

So, again, get the coolest looking one.
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Ditto this. Coming from an extremely busy bass guy who is really, underneath it all, shallow and incredibly vain.
 
#88
2saddleslab said:
That '56 is a stunner. I had a '56 refin w/ a V contoured neck which I loved.
View attachment 5031880

The Fender book by Detlef Schmidt is THE definitive study on the early slabs. TB'er @Bflat was a major contributor to the book as well as generously helping me learn more about mine. Just wish I'd have done my research early enough to be included in the book. But I did send all the info I had to Detlef in hopes he does an updated version.
Click to expand...

That’s an amazing photo!

An updated D Schmidt book would be great!!
 
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#89
bassdude51 said:
Unbelievable awesome and totally cool photo! Elvis and '56 P. How did you do it?
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Thanks, pal!

A friend gave me the non working 1958 Philco Predicta. I was playing a gig in Aurora Indiana and while on break the bartender overheard me talk to our drummer describing the issue I was having w/ the tv. The bartender pulled out a Philco Repairman card and wrote down the parts I needed and a schematic on a bar napkin. Took the info & parts to a local repair guy and damed if he didn't get it working! We've watched a couple movies on it, which was a hoot due to the distorted rounded corners of the screen.

Anyhoo, I had a VCR tape of every Elvis performance on Ed Sullivan so hooked it up to the Philco [the VCR is hidden on the back of the table self] and had a photographer [way before phone cameras] take some pics.

Sadly, the transformer blew up and the TV no longer works. Still have it and I do know a guy in Seattle who could fix it but not sure I want to go thru the trouble.
 
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#91
2saddleslab said:
Thanks, pal!

A friend gave me the non working 1958 Philco Predicta. I was playing a gig in Aurora Indiana and while on break the bartender overheard me talk to our drummer describing the issue I was having w/ the tv. The bartender pulled out a Philco Repairman card and wrote down the parts I needed and a schematic on a bar napkin. Took the info & parts to a local repair guy and damed if he didn't get it working! We've watched a couple movies on it, which was a hoot due to the distorted rounded corners of the screen.

Anyhoo, I had a VCR tape of every Elvis performance on Ed Sullivan so hooked it up to the Philco [the VCR is hidden on the back of the table self] and had a photographer [way before phone cameras] take some pics.

Sadly, the transformer blew up and the TV no longer works. Still have it and I do know a guy in Seattle who could fix it but not sure I want to go thru the trouble.
Click to expand...


Man! Thanks for explaining about your awesome TV and how ya got Elvis onto it's screen! Fantastic story! Thanks for your time to write, 2saddleslab
 
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#92
bobyoung53 said:
Yes, I heard the same thing too, probably explains the difference in bss sound between the two albums, The first had a more polite sound and the second would rip your face off. :laugh: Not much occasion to use that Ron Wood sound anymore for me, but it will be nice to have it on tap. I don't think the blues guys would like it very much. :D
Click to expand...
Hey wait a minute Bob! Swap in some well-used flats and the blues guys will love it a lot! Just ask Keith Ferguson. …oh, wait. :)
 
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