Fender 50s P-bass: Sting vs Mike Dirnt?

I would go none of the above from your description, and get the MIM 50's P.

 

Without a doubt!

 

+1

However, none of them have what I'd consider to be a thin, fast neck.

 

it doesn't have a thin neck, but my Dirnt sig sounds amazing, just a big, big sounding P.

 

Or be patient & hold out for one of these:

http://www.squierguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=0303080502

 

I've got the Sting P bass and it's got a baseball bat for a neck. From what I understand that was common with the P basses of old. It takes a little getting used to, but it feels good all on it's own. My other bass with a thin neck- a Geddy Lee sig. Now that is a thin neck. If the neck is what you are looking for be sure and check that one out, otherwise, I don't think you will find a thin neck in the P bass lot.

 

Ditto. One has a star and split-P pickup, the other has the Stinglay. Get something else, IMHO, even the Squier LPB Classic Vibe SCPB.

 

Ha, that's classic. I've heard a lot of hate coming from this board about it. I find the Stinglay quite unnecessary although forgivable.

 

+1

The Dirnt Sig is a very underrated bass, IMHO. Huge sound, giant lower mids, not muddy, but very Muddy Waters, if you know what I mean. The neck, pickup, pots, and capacitor were all specified by Mr. Dirnt.

The 50's MIM P-bass is a fine bass for blues, too.

 

lol yeah man but it's got a green day vibe.
and not even "basket case"
more "american idiot"..

 

Personally, I prefer the tone of a single coil pickup as on the Sting Sig and '51 RI P bass but I'd wait and check out the Squier '50s Classic Vibe P Bass before purchasing.

 

I love the Dirnt bass, but at least the ones I've played were way too heavy... definitely over 10 pounds. Play before you buy!

 

I don't understand the connection between thin and fast. I mean, I could understand the connection between stringspacing and fast, or string height, or string tension. But why does a thin neck get you to play faster? I started out with a cort action bass: very thin, then I had an ibanez soundgear, allso very thin, then a rick... Until now I have a custom made bass with a very thick neck and I haven't played as fast as on any of those basses. It's all about action and technique I believe. How else could e.g. NHOP play Donna lee at 300bpm on a double bass?

But maybe i'm a lttle of topic, I would go with the sting bass if you really want to stay with your options. Otherwis I'd say a +1 for the 50s mim bass.

 

c'mon...one of the guys seriously calls himself "dirnt"...

 

better name than pritchard imo

 

The Dint bass is downright skinny by the nut, if that's what you mean by thin/fast. (That's what made me put it down in a hurry, BTW.)

 

I had a Sting bass and loved everything about it except for the Sting signature block at the 12th fret.

 

I have a Sting and don't mind the inlay at all.

To the OP: The Sting definitely does not have a thinner neck...my other main basses are Jazzes and switching between the Sting and Jazz is like switching between baseball bat and a pencil. I love both feels, so it doesn't bother me.

IMO, speed and dexterity comes more from technique than neck size/shape. That being said, I do use this bass as a "warm up" bass before I gig out on a Jazz.

 

Sorry to butt in, but are these still in production? What's the MSRP on them?

Are these the '57 RIs that sell for about $650? Somehow I thought those were CIJ.

I'd love to get my hands on a Fender '57 RI, even MIM. Just wondered, are there three tiers of the '57: MIM, CIJ and MIA? Or just MIM and MIA?