Best current Fender Precision Bass series?

[landry.bass]

I own a Player P and love it to bits. With rounds and a pick, it's a grindy rock machine; with the tone rolled back and some fingerstyle, it's silly and smooth. The nut width at 1.625" is slimmer than a Vinterra, but it is also substantially meatier than a jazz neck. For me it's almost perfect.

I spent quite a bit of time at the store with the Vintera, and while I have nothing bad to say about it (it was quite nice), but I couldn't get along with the large but width. If you like that width, I think you'd be happy with the Vintera, but if you're just looking for something more substantial than a jazz neck, but still sleek and playable, is look at the Player P or American Pro.

I do have to mention that the bridge on my Player P had a fault, and I've heard of some others having the same issue. The saddle for the g string kept falling lower than I set it, but it was easily fixed with some plumber's/thread tape for less than $1.

 

[Gasman]

Another vote for the American vintage reissue here. Best P bass I’ve ever played

 

[garp]

Does anyone know if there's any real difference between these two (see quote above). The Classic is a bit pricier, but they seem pretty similar spec wise.

The only real difference I can see is the allegedly "revoiced" pickup. So now, instead of sounding like Karen Carpenter, it sounds more like Édith Piaf.

There was a recent thread concerning whether or not "Honey Blonde" is the same as "Vintage Blonde," but the outcome was inconclusive.

 

[Ace Of Bass]

Custom shop has quarter sawn neck. AO is flatsawn.

FCS also uses different pickups, has a different wood selection, used different hardware, etc....the AO series is VERY nice, but not that close to a FCS....if you want the best P bass Fender has, well that’s a FCS...find a used one at a bargain (I’m sure at this point that can’t be too hard)...if you want a great P at a great value, nothing wrong with the Vintera series at all...it just depends on your preferences...the Mendel P would be my choice for a more than solid P that doesn’t break the bank, AND it has a pickup that’s already been upgraded if you’d like to try a non Fender pickup upgrade in a new Bass...

 

[jbhaugh]

I've noticed some basses (such as the American Original 50s) have a 9.5" fretboard radius while others (such as the Vintera 50s) have a 7.25" radius. Does this make much difference in terms of feel and comfortability? I guess it's more of a personal preference thing.

You will probably notice the difference between 7.25" and 9.5" fretboard radii. I have a Music Man Caprice with a 7.5" radius and it is noticeably rounder than the 11" radius on my Music Man Bongo and has a different feel. I happen to prefer rounder fretboards, but YMMV. If you wrap your thumb around the neck while you play, or fret with your thumb a la Louis Johnson or Bobby Vega, you may prefer a rounder board.

 

[Malak the Mad]

I've noticed some basses (such as the American Original 50s) have a 9.5" fretboard radius while others (such as the Vintera 50s) have a 7.25" radius. Does this make much difference in terms of feel and comfortability? I guess it's more of a personal preference thing.

That is a very personal preference. To some, it makes little-to-no difference. For me and folks like @Nedmundo, we have specific tastes, only he and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum. He likes them flat and I like them curvy. Why, exactly...who knows? But there is no "right" or "wrong" there. One must figure out which works for their fretting hand on their own.

One thing about the American Original Series...while they claim to be accurate reproductions of their classic counterparts, one detail they skipped was the fretboard radius. For some reason, they decided to go with the modern 9.5" radius instead of the period-correct 7.25". Despite this notable omission, the website still shamelessly brags about how they've faithfully reproduced every aspect of the originals they're built upon.

I mean in terms of overall quality between the two lines (Classic and Vintera)? Is the Vintera pretty much just the new version of the Classic or is there a reason the Classic costs 100 more?

Honestly, I find it kind of weird that the Classic is more expensive than the Vintera. Here in the U.S., the Vinteras are the newer, more expensive model. Perhaps the vendor knows the Classic Series has been discontinued and is upping the price because of it.

Sadly, I can't say which is "The Best". I haven't had enough time to sample the Vintera Series, but I can say the MIM Classic '70s I had was great. I may have sold the original body, but I still have the neck waiting to go into a special Projekt bass I'm working on. Also, I have two other parts-basses using bodies that are both Classic '70's/Geddy Lee Jazz bodies (Fun Fact: They're both the same bodies, just different necks, hardware, etc... ) and they are excellent pieces of work.

 

[FronTowardEnemy]

I like nitro and maple boards. So I own a RW Precision and a Classic 50s lacquer precision.

Both are discontinued now, so not really helping in the matter. I guess brand new and available, I would go for either the AO, or Vintera series.

 

[slowjam98]

Don’t forget all the great Artist Series basses. Many of these are still available to order new.

Fender/Squier Artist Series Club

I love my Mike Dirnt. Even though it’s a 1.59” nut, it’s a thick C. I really love this neck.

 

[Jim C]

To the OP:
Are you sure that the width at the nut is not a deciding factor for you?
To me, its the biggest difference in the Fender P bass line.
I would suggest playing an example of each.
The "C" neck is really wide at 1 3/4"; the standard or"B" neck is 1 5/8" at the nut, and the "A" or J bass neck is 1 1 1/2". IME, the majority of necks no matter what the configuration is 1 1/2"

My cheapest Fender is a 2018 MIM Fender Standard P.
I've gigged and recorded with it and it sounds great.
OTOH, I find most Fenders at twice the price do play better.
Could just be a matter of fret dressing but sometimes the fret board / neck is just not as straight.

I only say this because I finally fixed the pre amp issue in my Sandberg and forgot how easy it is to play as the neck is near perfect on that bass.
Also, you can play 3 identical, machine made basses, and one will just feel that much better to a particular player

I can make any of the Fender Pups work very well for live or recording; I wouldn't let that be a deciding factor since they can be changed easily and without much cost.
Good luck!

 

[groooooove]

im sure i'm not the first to say,

you are welcome to want a "real" fender all you like, but don't be surprised if the very best bang for the buck can be had elsewhere. I won't list any alternatives, but I would say the best build quality and tone in my experience comes from non-fender products.

just kidding, i am going to list alternatives

if i wanted a killer sounding passive P i'd look for a carvin and upgrade the pickup
or a USA G&L
or so many others...

either way, good luck in your search!

 

[DoctorZee]

Out of all the new models I’ve tried, I was surprised to find that the player series was my favorite

Agreed. I have one, and I’ve never played another Fender P I’ve found that I would actually want to own. There’s something in the neck profile that is so much more comfortable for me than any other P.

 

[Kukulkan61]

The Roadworn series are the best IMO, the quality, craftsmanship, feel and sound are above everything else in their price range, they feel nice and broken in and you don’t have to worry about scratching or dinging a brand new shiny bass..

 

[JimmyM]

100% agree.
I had an AO which was fantastic and now have an American Pro which is pretty amazing. The nut is 1.625, but it’s their more recent 63 reissue P-Bass neck so it’s got a bit more chunk to it (which I like).

JimmyM - I know you view Fender’s stock pickups as their weak point. What is your impression of the V- Mod pickup?

Mind you this is just my opinion, but to me, the V-Mod is better than the previous pickups they were using in the AmStd's, but I'd still rather have a Geezer or SPB-1 or something along those lines. I think they're truer to the sound I think of when I think "P-Bass." For some reason, Fender seems to favor using pickups that have too much mid scoop, which to me is the antithesis of what a P-bass is all about.

 

[TheCouchBassist]

Mind you this is just my opinion, but to me, the V-Mod is better than the previous pickups they were using in the AmStd's, but I'd still rather have a Geezer or SPB-1 or something along those lines. I think they're truer to the sound I think of when I think "P-Bass." For some reason, Fender seems to favor using pickups that have too much mid scoop, which to me is the antithesis of what a P-bass is all about.

That’s interesting. It doesn’t seem like their stock pickups in the 60’s or 70’s were like that. I wonder why they would have changed things. It would be fun to see someone test all of the current Fender pickup variants to so what exactly there output is in terms of , lows, miss, highs etc.

 

[TheCouchBassist]

I owned a Pro for a few months, I really loved it. It was a very high quality instrument, and the neck was to die for. The pickup was the weak spot for me. A lot of people don’t mind it, or like it, so don’t take this as gospel, but I didn’t like it. I swapped it for a Dimarzio I had around (probably a 50 dollar pickup) and it changed the sound significantly.

The problem with the pickup is that it uses two different magnet materials, so to me, it felt like the EA side compressed more and didn’t respond as much to digging in as the DG side did. So if you had a really consistent touch all the time, it might not be a big deal. But if you play with more dynamic contrast, then it might feel anemic at times.

That being said, I still highly recommend the Pro. I only sold it because I had to fund a short scale.

Totally agree with your experience with the EA strings. I just got a Novak PB-90 that I’m going to have installed. It will be interesting to see how much more aggressive they will be.

 

[John Webb]

I have two USA Fenders circa '99. Both are passive. One is a Hot Rod P and the other is a J fitted with SD hot stacks. I don't see replacing either one of these basses in my lifetime. Wish they were both lighter, that's all.

 

[Linnin]

I have a lefty Fender Professional Precision and could not be happier. The neck is perfect and the V-MOD pickups are killer. Just play. Adjust action to your liking and restring when necessary.

 

[Mark Ambler]

Current Vintera owner chiming in. Love the bass, and particularly the neck. It has the 1.75 nut width. It’s definitely chunkier than my MiM 2015 standard on both width and total girth but I don’t think it’s full on baseball bat. It is for sure thicker front to back than the standard and I thoroughly enjoy the shape.

As far as tone goes, it’s more laid back than the standard, not as hot. I think it sounds great and that you will thoroughly enjoy it.

I think you will likely find that the American versions of 50s Basses will be slightly better quality wise, but probably not hundreds of dollars worth better based on your OP. As far as the Vintera vs the Roadworn I would guess (have not played the RW) the small difference in price is probably due to the nitro finish as opposed to poly on the Vintera.

It really just depends on what you want. But if you are price conscious and want a 50s style p, you can’t go wrong with the Vintera. It’s an awesome piece.

Especially the blonde Vintera. Seemed to play the nicest to me, later I found out the body was Ash whereas the other colours were Alder. You really need to go to a shop and see which one 'speaks' to you, but that won't be happening

 

[bassfreakah]

I always replace my new p bass pick up with a spb 1 or a emg geezer. I put a old active emg in my 50's classic because I had one laying around and it has been in there for years. it just sounds right!!!!! and the tone control really works great through its whole range. I know that's not right but my ears like, and people in crowd always give thumbs up.

 

[JimmyM]

That’s interesting. It doesn’t seem like their stock pickups in the 60’s or 70’s were like that. I wonder why they would have changed things. It would be fun to see someone test all of the current Fender pickup variants to so what exactly there output is in terms of , lows, miss, highs etc.

My opinion? I think they do it to sell more basses to hobbyists and people who don't play out. Mid scoops do come off as a pretty sound by itself, and they do have a pretty sound in stores, and I think that sells to the major amount of players who buy them, who are mostly hobbyists and folks who don't play out very often. And I suppose they figure that people who don't like them can change them out.