Choosing a new Fender p bass

[Joseph Lavallo]

Hi Talk bass,

I'm in the market for a new p bass. I own a player 1 in Tuxedo with a maple fretboard. I absolutely love it. My budget ranges from Player 2 to American pro 2. You could imagine with all the signature models made in Mexico and the US, and all the vintage models, there is a plethora to choose from.

I'm looking for a rosewood fretboard and it must have passive pups. I prefer the player series pickups over the VMod and Yosemite. I dont want a baseball bat of a neck. I prefer not to take the neck off to do a set up but the Nate Mendel sounds pretty good. So it's not necessarily a deal breaker.

I guess the question is,out of all the bases from player to American Pro which is the one to consider for rock, pop, prog and metal style playing? I know it's a broad question but I'm looking for people's opinions and preferences.

 

[bullshark]

I'd go for the Pro II, simply because of the neck carbon insert. Should be much less of a headache maintaining the thing, and they play and sound great out the box.

I bought a Performer myself, had to have the neck changed because it twisted and warped. It was done under warranty and it now plays absolutely great, but it took close to two months for the repair. Probably would not have happened with a pro II neck.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I would look here in the classified. Sellers here will be more forthcoming than stores in answering specific questions, you'll get more bassbuying used, it likely will be in good condition and well set up, and you might even find a local seller.

 

[Joseph Lavallo]

I am leaning towards the mercury finish. Right now the current body colors of the Players are not all that great either.

 

[Joseph Lavallo]

I would look here in the classified. Sellers here will be more forthcoming than stores in answering specific questions, you'll get more bassbuying used, it likely will be in good condition and well set up, and you might even find a local seller.

I'm finding a lot of used listings of non vintage bases to be a little higher priced than they are worth. With a used instrument I'm always looking for a good deal. But I'm not opposed to used

 

[Shawn Luckman]

American Standard series from 2012 - 2016

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Does it have to say Fender on the headstock, or are you interested in P-basses from other manufacturers too?

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand why some people specifically want a Fender, but I also genuinely believe that you can get objectively BETTER P-basses for LESS money from other manufacturers.

 

[basshaven]

Have you looked into Sandberg? I have a beautiful Sandberg VS in an aged tobacco burst, with some relicing done by Sandberg itself... it sounds incredible. Has a slimmer and faster neck, and passive pickups.

 

[Ian774]

I had a Mercury Am Pro II Pbass and it was great but the pickup wasn’t good. Changed it quickly.

And I currently have a Mod Shop Pbass, basically an Am Pro I (yes, I, not II, due to the specs) with the colour I want… for the same price as an Am Pro II Pbass. Worth a look. It’s a fantastic bass.

 

[bullshark]

Does it have to say Fender on the headstock, or are you interested in P-basses from other manufacturers too?

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand why some people specifically want a Fender, but I also genuinely believe that you can get objectively BETTER P-basses for LESS money from other manufacturers.

Examples?

I ask because I couldn't find any American made instruments cheaper than Fender, and I don't think the OP is looking into Chinese made products(beside, you wrote "better" than Fender, and Chinese made products usually come with crappy hardware and electronics).

 

[pyrat56host]

I did a fair amount of shopping recently and chose the Vintera II '60's Precision. I dig the vintage radius, the rosewood is lovely and the neck is quite nice (very similar in feel to the Tony Franklin which is over twice as much in price), not too big but still substantial hand feel. I adjusted the neck during setup (yes, it requires removal, not a giant issue as I changed the strings anyway) and haven't had to touch it since. Pickups are great, appoints are typical Fender P. I have owned quite a few Precisions, new and vintage and it is one of the very best. Not heavy, very resonant and sounds GREAT w/ the band and on the gig. I also own a Vintera I Jazz and I think Fender does a pretty great job for decent (these are almost ALWAYS on sale somewhere) money.

 

[JesseMalaska]

I just got american pro II p-bass in trade. I am pretty amazed how great it is! To my ear the pickup sounds great! I also have custom shop p-bass and the difference in the end is not that big.

 

[brianrost]

I'm in the market for a new p bass. I own a player 1 in Tuxedo with a maple fretboard. I absolutely love it. I'm looking for a rosewood fretboard and it must have passive pups. I prefer the player series pickups over the VMod and Yosemite.

So why not buy another Player and be done with it? You can get a Player II with rosewood in three colors for $800 new, or go looking for a used one.

You clearly prefer the Player pickups over what’s in American Performer and American Pro basses. Do you dislike those pickups enough that you would then go through a swap frenzy looking for the right replacement?

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Examples?

I ask because I couldn't find any American made instruments cheaper than Fender, and I don't think the OP is looking into Chinese made products(beside, you wrote "better" than Fender, and Chinese made products usually come with crappy hardware and electronics).

The OP didn't specify American made instruments or that he didn't want Chinese made products.

Personally I judge instruments by their quality and craftsmanship, rather than their country of origin. Chinese made instruments can be fantastic these days, MUCH better than just a decade ago, but the cheaper ones that most people tend to buy will of course use cheaper parts.


Some examples of P-basses that I think are objectively better made than MIM/MIA Fenders in a similar price range:

-Yamaha BB. Especially the MIJ Pro series, but the Indoneisian ones are VERY good too. Do they sound EXACTLY like a classic, vintage Fender Precision bass? No, but neither do any of Fender's current offerings.

-Sire P5. Yeah, I actually think the build quality of these relatively cheap instruments totally blow away most production model Fenders. I actually thought the first one I tried was an exception, and that all of them couldn't possibly be THAT good. But they are.

-Sandberg VS. The quality of these basses is quite simply fantastic! They are in a completely different league than any Fender production model. However, they are a brigher, more "modern" take on the P-bass tone, so probably not the best choice unless that's what you want.

-Warmoth. With all the solderless pickup options avalable these days you don't even need soldering skills to assemble a Warmoth (although it will widen your options consdiderably). If you are capable of using a drill and a screwdriver you can assemble a Warmoth P-bass in a couple of hours. A properly assembled Warmoth is a significantly better instrument than anything Fender make outside of Custom Shop, and for less money than their MIA models. A Warmoth is also American made, if this matter to you.

I'm sure there are others, these are just my personal favorites (although the Sandberg is a bit on the bright side tonally for my taste).

And if we expand the list to "better value" rather than downright "BETTER", I would also add Harley Benton's P-basses (with the exception of their ultra-cheap standard series which is junk IMO) and maybe even Squier CV. In some ways I like both of these better than many of Fender's current offerings, and the objective build quality is shockingly close, for a fraction of the cost. Especially with the HB's.

 

[bullshark]

The OP didn't specify American made instruments or that he didn't want Chinese made products.

Personally I judge instruments by their quality and craftsmanship, rather than their country of origin. Chinese made instruments can be fantastic these days, MUCH better than just a decade ago, but the cheaper ones that most people tend to buy will of course use cheaper parts.


Some examples of P-basses that I think are objectively better made than MIM/MIA Fenders in a similar price range:

-Yamaha BB. Especially the MIJ Pro series, but the Indoneisian ones are VERY good too. Do they sound EXACTLY like a classic, vintage Fender Precision bass? No, but neither do any of Fender's current offerings.

-Sire P5. Yeah, I actually think the build quality of these relatively cheap instruments totally blow away most production model Fenders. I actually thought the first one I tried was an exception, and that all of them couldn't possibly be THAT good. But they are.

-Sandberg VS. The quality of these basses is quite simply fantastic! They are in a completely different league than any Fender production model. However, they are a brigher, more "modern" take on the P-bass tone, so probably not the best choice unless that's what you want.

-Warmoth. With all the solderless pickup options avalable these days you don't even need soldering skills to assemble a Warmoth (although it will widen your options consdiderably). If you are capable of using a drill and a screwdriver you can assemble a Warmoth P-bass in a couple of hours. A properly assembled Warmoth is a significantly better instrument than anything Fender make outside of Custom Shop, and for less money than their MIA models. A Warmoth is also American made, if this matter to you.

I'm sure there are others, these are just my personal favorites (although the Sandberg is a bit on the bright side tonally for my taste).

And if we expand the list to "better value" rather than downright "BETTER", I would also add Harley Benton's P-basses (with the exception of their ultra-cheap standard series which is junk IMO) and maybe even Squier CV. In some ways I like both of these better than many of Fender's current offerings, and the objective build quality is shockingly close, for a fraction of the cost. Especially with the HB's.

This illustrate exactly my point and follow my own research. With any of those you either leave quality, or options, or both, on the table, or you end up with a more expensive instruments.
I think the Fender AM pro II, at only 1.8k, is a bargain when compared to any of thoses. It come with a case that, on it's own, is worth 200+ bucks, feature the highest quality in electronics(no cheap Chinese pots that'll go scratchy on ya after a few months), a 5 bolts neck with contoured heel and posiflex rods insert with bone nut and rolled edges. They also features a nice set of color options.
You might find a cheaper instrument, but you will leave features and quality on the table, or find a better one(although I'm not sure of that, at that level "better" is subjective and goes more to personal preferences) but pay quite a bit more.

 

[Joseph Lavallo]

I had a Mercury Am Pro II Pbass and it was great but the pickup wasn’t good. Changed it quickly.

And I currently have a Mod Shop Pbass, basically an Am Pro I (yes, I, not II, due to the specs) with the colour I want… for the same price as an Am Pro II Pbass. Worth a look. It’s a fantastic bass.

I was considering the mod shop. The problem is finding pickup comparison. There's almost nothing on line showing te Corona series.

Then there are the horror stories about bad quality control from the mod shop and Fender not standing by the warranty work. I have mocked up a few and added them to the cart

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Hi Talk bass,

I'm in the market for a new p bass. I own a player 1 in Tuxedo with a maple fretboard. I absolutely love it. My budget ranges from Player 2 to American pro 2. You could imagine with all the signature models made in Mexico and the US, and all the vintage models, there is a plethora to choose from.

I'm looking for a rosewood fretboard and it must have passive pups. I prefer the player series pickups over the VMod and Yosemite. I dont want a baseball bat of a neck. I prefer not to take the neck off to do a set up but the Nate Mendel sounds pretty good. So it's not necessarily a deal breaker.

I guess the question is,out of all the bases from player to American Pro which is the one to consider for rock, pop, prog and metal style playing? I know it's a broad question but I'm looking for people's opinions and preferences.

4 or 5 string? I’m not sure of which models have this particular bridge, but last summer I played an Ultra 5 string.the A-G strings sounded great. The E was sligh;y muffled, and the B string was muffled and sounded like it was from a another instrument.

After 3 sets of string changes, I started looking for other possibilities. What I noticed was the tail piece stop hole is offset to the one groove in that saddle causing a slight bend in the string at the saddle. There is also a wall of metal that the saddle rubs against to hold its location. However, with thicker strings the bend in the strings as well as the location of grove in the saddle being too close to the wall causes it to rub on the retaining wall creating that muffled sound.

You might be able to eliminate this problem with tapered strings, but frankly I’ve been playing Fender basses with multi saddle grooves and no retaining wall for over a half a century. IMO this new high mass bridge is a crap.

 

[Ian774]

I was considering the mod shop. The problem is finding pickup comparison. There's almost nothing on line showing te Corona series.

Then there are the horror stories about bad quality control from the mod shop and Fender not standing by the warranty work. I have mocked up a few and added them to the cart

A few horror stories doesn’t mean they’re all bad, fortunately. Mine was pretty much perfect. I did replace the Corona classic pickup but I’m not sure I needed to do it, I did it without playing the bass with the band which is a bit stupid, but I’m happy with the current pickup in it (Delano PC4 AL).

 

[MtManiac]

My preferences are primarily based on neck feel, so my preferences for either 4 or 5 string P basses are 1) American Pro II, 2) American Pro, 3) American Standard.

I’ve not played a Player II, but I understand they now have rolled fretboard edges. Prior to those, I didn’t like the sharp fretboard edges on the Players or Standards.

One of my favourite non-Fender P bass necks is my Charvel Pro Mod San Dimas PJ V. The neck is pretty slim front to back, rolled edges, satin finish, and it feels super fast.

What I like best about the Pro II necks versus American Standard necks for example are 1) enhanced satin finish, it feels even more satin than previous models, 2) the fretboard edges are slightly more rounded than previous models, 3) like the Pro, they have the ‘63 profile which sits well in my hand, and 4) also like the Pro, it has tall-narrow frets which make the bass feel like it plays itself.

Stock pickups I pay less attention to as that part of the tone formula can often be easily addressed with a string change or a pickup swap. Some of my favourites so far are Seymour Duncan SPB-1, Fender Pure Vintage 63, and Nordstrand NP5F (5-string), none of which sound much alike, but they all give me some nice harmonics on the open E string in a band mix, which is my litmus test for pickups. VMod II is ok.

Pickups that I think are overrated or that I didn’t like include the Original ‘62, the American Standard stock 2011 and earlier pickup (is this the Corona?), the original Pro VMod, and the SPB-3. The Fender Custom Shop ‘62 is ok, I have one in my 2014 AS and don’t plan to change it, but find it’s also a bit overrated.

 

[Joseph Lavallo]

I did a fair amount of shopping recently and chose the Vintera II '60's Precision. I dig the vintage radius, the rosewood is lovely and the neck is quite nice (very similar in feel to the Tony Franklin which is over twice as much in price), not too big but still substantial hand feel. I adjusted the neck during setup (yes, it requires removal, not a giant issue as I changed the strings anyway) and haven't had to touch it since. Pickups are great, appoints are typical Fender P. I have owned quite a few Precisions, new and vintage and it is one of the very best. Not heavy, very resonant and sounds GREAT w/ the band and on the gig. I also own a Vintera I Jazz and I think Fender does a pretty great job for decent (these are almost ALWAYS on sale somewhere) money.View attachment 7125312

Sweetwater has a blemished one for under $1000. How are the fret edges? My player is 2 years old and can use a little file work. I prefer a modern C or slimmer.

I have 2 ibanez sr 800s MIJ, an sr 900 an sr 2600, an sr 1420b and a sterling stingray. They all have pretty slim neck profiles. I'm pretty comfortable on the player modern c. I think the 60s is a c shape not much bigger.