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Best Fender P for £500-600 ($800-900)

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by Joe164, Jul 31, 2009.

  1. Jul 31, 2009 #1
    Joe164

    Joe164

    Aug 26, 2008
    Leicester, UK
    Hey guys. :help: Recently i have been really interested in buying a Jazz bass for around £500 or so, but when it comes down to getting the tone i want, it all seems to boil down to precision.
    (0:18 of Here's a quite good example.) I know it's blink 182 but tone is tone.

    All the bassists whose tone i like seem to use a precison with a pick, only they use super expensive Precisions with ampeg stacks. I dont know the name of that tone, because lets face it, when it comes to words describing tone, it generally refers to tone, when played with fingers.

    So i decided to maybe not get a jazz bass (yet) and instead invest in a better precision bass, one with that classic bright punk tone. I play a 2007 MIM precison at the moment, with quarter pounders, through a sansamp VT charectar pedal D'addario prosteel super bright strings, and a peavey 60 watt amp (bypassed EQ). No - it doesen't get the tone i want, even with treble-heavy settings. I feel that no matter what amp and effects you get, the core of what comes out the amp is the bass. So i want a better Precison.

    My price range is £500 (600 absolute tops), but i definately want something i can consider a real step up from my current bass.

    It seems that only old vintage fender or American standards and American vintage basses seem to really achieve that tone, but out of the more budget-conscious fenders what comes closest? Well here's my research,

    Fender classic series 50's precision bass (Maple neck but i could swap the RW neck from my MIM precision with it?)

    Fender Mark Hoppus signature (not sure about this one as it's practically the same as my current bass, but still somehow gets the tone i want? could be the lack of a tone pot.)

    Mike Dirnt precision bass (Is not well liked on TB for it's weight and "Baseball bat-like" neck, but from live videos and green day recordings, it sounds damn good.)

    Suggestions?

    Thanks all. :bassist:
     
  2. Jul 31, 2009 #2
    Hamrhed

    Hamrhed

    Dec 26, 2007
    Ky
    I would- out of the Basses mentioned- go for the Dirnt P bass (I am a big fan of Fenders w/ Bada$$ bridges)...

    I believe that the Dirnt Fenders are Japanese built- and from my experience I really like japanese built Fenders over Mexican ones as they seem to hold up better. I also really like the newer highway 1 P basses- they sound great and are solidly built...

    Ultimately, you will have to try different things to find what works for you- the sounds you describe dont include your hands playing them ;)... what Im getting at is each one of us is the dynamic that changes how any setup eventually sounds- no matter the degree of similar variables involved! I primarily use a US made ('06) Precision that has different pickups, bridge, and a hipshot D tuner installed. I probably have around $800 or so in it, but it is what works for me

    PS: the Dirnt neck isnt as bad as it is made to be, I compared it to a Sting Precision and the Sting was much closer to being a Bat :p the Dirnt felt better to me!
     
  3. Jul 31, 2009 #3
    Bootzilla

    Bootzilla

    May 4, 2009
    I don't get it, you want to sound like mark hoppus, you have about the same bass mark hoppus uses, you want a better bass.

    My advice is to:
    1. Get new roundwound strings
    2. Make sure the tone knob on your bass is full open
    3. Add some highs/high mids with your amp eq

    You have all the ingredients for a punk basstone, a fender precision and a vt bass should be enough. I don't think that upgrading your mim to one of the basses mentioned will make a huge difference.

    Out of those options I would go with the Mark Hoppus bass.
     
  4. Jul 31, 2009 #4
    boabski2k

    boabski2k

    Dec 24, 2008
    Scotland
    Don't forget about CIJ/MIJ.

    Have a look at ishibashi, you'll get a hellova lot of bass for 5/600.

    Remember to allow around 100 - 150 for posatge + duty
     
  5. Jul 31, 2009 #5
    bh2

    bh2

    Jun 16, 2008
    Oxford, UK
    I'm surprised you can't get the tone you want out of your MiM P... I've got one and it sounds superb... lovely warm throaty growly classic P.
     
  6. Jul 31, 2009 #6
    lousybassplayer

    lousybassplayer

    Jan 30, 2009
    J-Actionville, NC
    The best Fender is this price range is probably used.
     
  7. Jul 31, 2009 #7
    Joe164

    Joe164

    Aug 26, 2008
    Leicester, UK
    It's not that i want to sound like Mark hoppus, it was just an example of the sound loads of bassists i like seem to have, that i want.


    Would changing the tone pot on my current bass allow for more treble?