Ernie Ball: "Hold my Beer"
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Fender 75th Anniversary Collection Basses
- Thread starter antfarm
- Start date
Ernie Ball: "Hold my Beer"
Yeah that and the price is likely going to be the main reason I dont pick one up. I dont get the point of radioactive yellow neck tint.
Those are some beefy magnet pole pieces on the Player II bass.
I love the finish but would prefer a maple fretboard (I think). But the price is bonkers. Not worth $350 over a standard Player II.
I love the finish but would prefer a maple fretboard (I think). But the price is bonkers. Not worth $350 over a standard Player II.
I stopped by a Guitar Center while running errands. This finish looks pretty cool in person.
They also had the 1951 American Vintage II one. I can confirm it looks great. I can also confirm it's extremely uncomfortable to play sitting down. The body is the thickest I've ever seen on a bass, and the edges of the slab body are barely rounded. So my forearm hated it. This explains why the next iteration of the P bass with its body contours was a dramatic improvement in the design.
I don't know if I remember another slab Precision that was not Custom Shop or non-U.S.A. made. So that's something of note. It was one of the few major full scale Fender bass styles that had not yet been reissued on the standard U.S.A. production line.
However, am I correct in seeing that the string ferrules are not recessed/flush, as they should be...and that the pickguard shape is awful? It doesn't follow the edges of the body evenly.
I can only assume that the body is not finished using the Flash Coat process, so still has the urethane sealer used on the AO and AV II series. These don't have the "right" feel for an old bass, and they don't wear the same same as the old ones. The AV line from late 2012 through 2017 got it much closer to "right" on these points.
The neck tint, I don't prefer, but I can tolerate.
If I got one of these, I would probably fix these issues, lest they drive me insane. Would probably feel the need to make a new pickguard, sink the ferrules, and strip and refinish the bass in white blonde, with a solvent based sealer underneath.
Sweetwater has a few slightly blemished examples in stock for $2,610.
However, am I correct in seeing that the string ferrules are not recessed/flush, as they should be...and that the pickguard shape is awful? It doesn't follow the edges of the body evenly.
I can only assume that the body is not finished using the Flash Coat process, so still has the urethane sealer used on the AO and AV II series. These don't have the "right" feel for an old bass, and they don't wear the same same as the old ones. The AV line from late 2012 through 2017 got it much closer to "right" on these points.
The neck tint, I don't prefer, but I can tolerate.
If I got one of these, I would probably fix these issues, lest they drive me insane. Would probably feel the need to make a new pickguard, sink the ferrules, and strip and refinish the bass in white blonde, with a solvent based sealer underneath.
Sweetwater has a few slightly blemished examples in stock for $2,610.
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Among other details, the original P bass nut width was 1.75", not 1.7". If it's a reissue, it should be 100% like the original instrument, with no concessions to modernity.
Neck size and geometry are a huge part of how a bass feels and plays. The fact that a proper reissue of the bass that started it all doesn't exist is a travesty.
Neck size and geometry are a huge part of how a bass feels and plays. The fact that a proper reissue of the bass that started it all doesn't exist is a travesty.
Yeah that guard on the '51 looks way off. Are they off like that in person, or is this pic just a mock-up for hurried marketing reasons. I'd be surprised if they're actually that far off in real life. If they are, the hard core fans ain't gonna liiiiiiiike that. 
Correct me but the string-thru ferrules should be not flush, but a wee bit recessed into the body if we're nitpicking "originality" (and we def are). At least they were on my '55 and '57.
I'm sure almost everyone may recall the Japan Fender slab body '51 reissues years ago? Most were that fugly, way too dark, "school bus yellow". I had one for a while, nicely made bass overall but man....it truly was fugly.
That said, the 1st gen Japan Fender '51 reissues looked much like like originals, with a pale, milky, transparent blonde paint job. No clue exactly what finish material they were sprayed with, or what finishing technique was used to paint them. Doesn't matter to me, they had the right vibe. For my tastes THAT was the one to score back then. I regret not doing so when clean used ones could be had in the $800 range. Seemed overpriced at the time, but in retrospect....
Correct me but the string-thru ferrules should be not flush, but a wee bit recessed into the body if we're nitpicking "originality" (and we def are). At least they were on my '55 and '57.
I'm sure almost everyone may recall the Japan Fender slab body '51 reissues years ago? Most were that fugly, way too dark, "school bus yellow". I had one for a while, nicely made bass overall but man....it truly was fugly.
That said, the 1st gen Japan Fender '51 reissues looked much like like originals, with a pale, milky, transparent blonde paint job. No clue exactly what finish material they were sprayed with, or what finishing technique was used to paint them. Doesn't matter to me, they had the right vibe. For my tastes THAT was the one to score back then. I regret not doing so when clean used ones could be had in the $800 range. Seemed overpriced at the time, but in retrospect....
The Am '54 reissue appears to have the right shape pick guard, at least. Which would make it seem less likely that the '51 guard could be the wrong shape in reality. I'd probably prefer a black bakelite guard on a '54 (or a reasonable facsimile), anyway. At $2700 MSRP...eh, pass.
One difference to note about that 54, is the body edges are rounded off quite a bit more so the pickguard doesn't extend as close to the edge as the originals did.
Yes; the guards are that far off. Nowhere close to following the perimeter of the body. Better on the Squier.
Ferrules are not recessed either.
If I'm buying this bass, I'm definitely "fixing" both of these things, and stripping off that urethane sealer layer. At that point, might as well choose a different color. Thinking Dakota Red, Candy Apple Red, Black, Silver, Gold...
Ferrules are not recessed either.
If I'm buying this bass, I'm definitely "fixing" both of these things, and stripping off that urethane sealer layer. At that point, might as well choose a different color. Thinking Dakota Red, Candy Apple Red, Black, Silver, Gold...
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That Bakelite pickguard actually has correct shape, just the 75th bass body edge angle not sharp as the real 51's P.
Yeah that guard on the '51 looks way off. Are they off like that in person, or is this pic just a mock-up for hurried marketing reasons. I'd be surprised if they're actually that far off in real life. If they are, the hard core fans ain't gonna liiiiiiiike that.
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Correct me but the string-thru ferrules should be not flush, but a wee bit recessed into the body if we're nitpicking "originality" (and we def are). At least they were on my '55 and '57.
I'm sure almost everyone may recall the Japan Fender slab body '51 reissues years ago? Most were that fugly, way too dark, "school bus yellow". I had one for a while, nicely made bass overall but man....it truly was fugly.
That said, the 1st gen Japan Fender '51 reissues looked much like like originals, with a pale, milky, transparent blonde paint job. No clue exactly what finish material they were sprayed with, or what finishing technique was used to paint them. Doesn't matter to me, they had the right vibe. For my tastes THAT was the one to score back then. I regret not doing so when clean used ones could be had in the $800 range. Seemed overpriced at the time, but in retrospect....
I’m interested to hear about how close these are to the NOS Custom Shop 51s? (I’m not interested in factory relicing.) I mean with a well cut neck and a slab body, how different can it be? I’ve tried a few CS 51s, and I wasn’t overly impressed for the price, so I was hoping Fender would finally make a reissue and here they are. The price of all new guitars is high now, but for 600-1,000 more you can get a used CS 51. Alternatively one could wait until next year and pick up one of these 75th anniversary reissues for 2k or less.
I have a 60th anniversary US Jazz bass, and although the finish has some small typical bad Fender quality control issues, after 5 years it is aging nicely and looks like an NOS/ Closet Classic, and plays and sounds as good as any CS Jazz bass I have played.
The Fender fail on this reissue is that the ashtray and pickup cover should come installed!
I have a 60th anniversary US Jazz bass, and although the finish has some small typical bad Fender quality control issues, after 5 years it is aging nicely and looks like an NOS/ Closet Classic, and plays and sounds as good as any CS Jazz bass I have played.
The Fender fail on this reissue is that the ashtray and pickup cover should come installed!
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This is untrue. The degree of roundover is vintage correct, but this also has nothing to do with what we're talking about. The issues are that the edges of the guard do not follow the edges of the body, and that the spacing between the edges of the guard and the edges of the body are inconsistent.
The perimeter of the guard doesn't have the same curves as the perimeter of the body – and the edge of the guard is far from the edge of the body in some places, but close to it in others.
I got mine today, and it's going back.
Neck twisted in pocket. Fixable in three seconds, but...what about the supposed 51 point inspection?
We all should know that this is B.S., ever since Sweetwater got bought by private equity firm.Aforementioned poor pickguard shape and placement has been confirmed.
I would keep it with these two issues...however, there was also some poor sanding prior to finishing, in which the ash grains were unevenly sanded on a few points of the body roundover, resulting in a "waves" in the wood prior to finishing. This mistake never should have left the factory, and certainly never should have been accepted into stock by Sweetwater. Also, a hairline finish crack by the neck pocket, and some bad finish marks from the fret crowning file. Someone along the line has to hold the previous people in the line to account, and unfortunately, it has to be me in this case.
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We both suck at subtraction. The bass is $1100 so the difference $250!
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