I was wondering if I could get a little advice on my next purchase. I'm looking to get a nice American p bass and there are two semi local cl ads which I found that I'm interested in checking out. One is an 1997 American standard p bass,I know it has a strung through body, looks nice from the ad and he wants $800 for it. I played a new American standard the other day at guitar denter and found it a very nice instrument. Are the ones from the late 90's of about the same build quality as fender is making currently? The other one is a 2000 fender hot rodded P bass with the P/J combo for $750. I guess they are no longer making these...anyone have any experience with this model? Both of these instruments and will require a drive so I don't know if I'll be driving to both so I'm hoping to get pointed in the right direction. Any advice would be appreciated.
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Considering two fender basses: advice?
- Thread starter chief ten beers
- Start date
Dogofgod beat me to it. He is so right. My 2008 American P bass is like butter! It's smooth and solid and really my favorite bass EVER (and that's a 30 year bass playing lifetime). I can pick up the same year, same model, same finish and it will feel like crap. Fenders it seems are very different.
All things the same, I say go P/J though. I have the new American Deluxe P with the J pup (I always play it passive - almost never active) and the versatility is huge. But, some nights I just feel the need to play that sweet 08 P no matter what tone I want.
I wrote about the new P/J on my blog below my signature.
All things the same, I say go P/J though. I have the new American Deluxe P with the J pup (I always play it passive - almost never active) and the versatility is huge. But, some nights I just feel the need to play that sweet 08 P no matter what tone I want.
I wrote about the new P/J on my blog below my signature.
this is my experience pre2000 Fenders and 2008 and up Fenders are amazing. i've never had a hotrod but i've heard great things.
Thats a P/J for the price of a Highway one. Id be all over it, especially if it was sunburst or orange. I think its underpriced at $750, meaning offer $675 and see if you can steal it for that.
Fenders of the same make/year are really not that different from one another unless you get a total lemon. You are probably just feeling setup/string differences which can make a huge difference in how the bass feels and sounds.
This is 99% of the reason for all of the good/bad Fender comments on TB, IMO!
I have a MIM P-Bass Special. Passive. Not hot rodded at all. Stone stock.
All I ever did was put on a different pick guard.
It's got the best features of both a P and Jazz bass.
Jazz neck, P body, Jazz bridge p'up. I'm very happy with it.
All I ever did was put on a different pick guard.
It's got the best features of both a P and Jazz bass.
Jazz neck, P body, Jazz bridge p'up. I'm very happy with it.
Ive got one, and its a great bass. I think the only things I don't like are the single coil buzz which is manageable, and the color of mine (oly white). If I could find one in sunburst for a decent price you may have to pry it from my cold dead hands. Mine has a very dark fingerboard, maybe ebony instead of rosewood? Others I've seen don't seem as dark.
Some say the P pickup soloed may not be 100% P tone, but I don't find that to be the case. I do think the P output might be a bit reduced over a straight P, but that's as simple as a volume adjustment. P bass tone alone just doesn't always do it for me. I like being able to dial in more grunt and playing a whole show with one bass.
It has a P neck, not the jazz neck of the current MIM version. Its also passive, which older MIM ones were, but newer ones are active I believe.
Agree w/impactwrench....better to get the P/J and never use the J pickup than to get the Am. Std. P and wish you had a J pickup there. Options are good. Plus, I have never read anything bad about the Hot Rod P-basses, except for single-coil hum which can be fixed with a replacement pickup if you so desire. Of course, if you only use the J p/u on occasion, it may not be worth replacing. Plus, the Hot Rod P is one of the few P/Js out there with a P-bass neck instead of a Jazz, so if you really prefer the feel of a P-bass but want the option of using a Jazz pickup, that is probably your best bet.
thanks for the reply's, maybe I'll check out the hot rod. One more question? As far as the Jazz pickup, is that more of a jazz neck or a thin jazz bridge sounding pickup? I really have no use for a jazz bridge pickup for my style, but if I could drop into a jazz neck sound from the p sound that would be useful to me.
I think it has to do more with the location of the pickup, not the pickup itself. The beef of a jazz neck pup is due to the location farther from the bridge. And no, generally you cant take a neck pickup and put it in the bridge slot b/c they are different sizes. I almost never use the bridge pickup solo'ed. I don't think its there to add thump, but to add grunt or midrange cut. Most use it to "flavor" the p pickup.
IMO the price of the HRPB is fair, but I'd always offer less. The price on the MIA P is probably high. To me an HRPB has more value than a straight P bass, because I know I like them and know they are hard to find with a P bass neck unless you hack up a P bass.
Chief - if you are like most of us, just when you think you have no use for a particular tone, that's when it turns out you do.
The P bass is a real beauty though, it has a string through bridge and the truss rod is accessible on the body rather than on the neck like a 62 reissue. Is that typical with an American standard p bass?
Yes and the 08 and newer ones are better than the older ones.
I had a chance to get a HRPB and I passed on it. I wouldnt do that again. Go get your Hot Rod.
Here is the p bass near mint and the guy has nothing but good things to say about it. the hot rod is a little more beat up which is also a reason I'm hesitating on that one.[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
A lot of vintage style instruments have truss rod adjustment at the body and I think this is standard for P-basses.
