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Fender American Deluxe Precision Five

#61
BigBassBob said:
I love this bass too! And as alot have said, I've found it's my turn to, do it all, workhorse that I use for ANYTHING and I can fall back on when all else fails. Lovely tone, although I feel that the J Humbucker is a bit weak in volume.

Here's a pic I took last year.... must say that since I bought her (2004) the wood has began to age nicely :)

DSCI0004.jpg


Cheers!
BOB
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nice :)

just like mine except I went for the pao ferro finger board
 
#62
Well Boys and Girls, I just pulled the trigger on mine.

Ordered it in Ash/Aged Cherryburst w/ Maple fb. Should be here at the end of July :hyper:

My local independent shop assured me they will go over it and I WILL be satisfied or they will have Fender make it right.

From what I hear, the QC at Fender is pretty good these days so I am hoping for a "faultless delivery".

Cheers!!
 
#66
noelpaz said:
I know this thread is old, but I just got one today. Last year's model from the sales floor for 8 months, but was ignored. The strings are dead that's why. I prefered it over the American Jazz Deluxe 4 string - (at 920) -- price: 790 + tax
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I believe that's an excellent price. I'd congratulate you if the bass really existed. (pics)
 
#68
bassdr said:
After years of the "red-headed step child" status in my mind, Fender has finally come through. I did a search on this bass and the last thread was in November so we need to revisit this particular bass.

I bought a used/demo version of this bass yesterday at my local Guitar Center for $899. I called before I went and they were very helpful over the phone, actually went through their entire inventory of five strings over the phone. I was very interested in this bass and went up for a comparo. The sales guy was helpful but clueless. He had no idea what the difference between 34" and 35" scale was??? Guitar Center aside, let's get down to the bass.

This version is the ash body in aged cherry sunburst, maple fretboard and mint green pickguard. First impression was that the bass was visually stunning. It jumped out from the rest of the basses. We got down 3 basses for comparison and hooked them up to an Ampeg 4X10 rig. The others were a Yamaha TRB1005, SR5. The action on the Fender was a little high but still on first play was smooth and played fast. The neck shape is defintely "C neck" but not huge. I typically prefer a very slim jazz neck in a 4 string but despite the chunkiness of this neck found it very comfortable. This bass has "rolled fretboard edges" giving a very comfortable shape. No sharp fret edges here. And, NO dead spots! The abalone position markers are a nice touch as well as the silver logo on the headstock. Now for the important stuff. At first plug-in and play with the bass and amp flat and both pickups equal it sounds like a vintage jazz. I find this sound very nice and usable. When the P is soloed it is what you expect, big and punchy and when the bridge is soloed, like a soloed jazz pickup. I was hoping for a musicman sound here. I then set about tweaking the EQ and setting the bass to sound best to my ear. The bass/treble are stacked and the mid boost is the last knob. I ran the treble flat and bass and mid boosted for my best tone. It sounded so good to my ear that I could not put it down. The B-string on this bass was tight and punchy. As good as any I have played with few exceptions. For fingerstyle and slap I could dial in any tone I wanted. I then repeated the exercise with the other basses.

The Yamaha was nice and came in second. Overall sound very modern and usable, fit and finish were good but not as good as the Fender. The Yamaha needed a fret dressing badly. The Stingray was great in sound and fit and finish but is, well, a Stingray with little tonal variation that I could get out of it.

So, IMHO Fender has hit a home run with this particular bass (4+1 headstock, double hipshot string trees). It is a vast improvement over other Fender 5's I have played and deserves consideration if you are in the 5 string market. Overall, fantastic fit and finish, no dead spots, great B string. huge variaition of usable tones, can dial in THE vintage sound. I think I have another keeper. Sorry the review was not more detailed, maybe others can chime in here and fill in what I left out.
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That looks like the one I use to own. I loved the look and tone of that bass, but I've never been comfortable with a Fender 5 string neck. The ONLY and I mean ONLY 5 string neck I've been comfortable with is a SR-5 and I don't really know why.
 
#71
Nice ...love the color. I could'nt afford the american but got a killer MIM 5 deluxe. I play alot of 4 string americans and MIMs since there are few and 5's in shops in my area and there is something about the 5s tone i have not found in alot of the 4 stringers.
 
#72
Munjibunga said:
I believe that's an excellent price. I'd congratulate you if the bass really existed. (pics)
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Monday -- I'll have pics up. Both our cameras are with my wife and daughter who went out of town. If you want you can PM me and I'll give you the salesperson from the place I got them from - Invalid Link Removed. They are local but will match Musicians friend or GC prices. Nice guys. I got a MusicMan SR5 from them last year for 1K.

DISCLAIMER -- I am not affiliated with them at all. They're moving American fenders at cost?

Since you are owner of a high end Fender Jazz, I think they have a Fiver (QMT??? -- nice wood and gold tuners) you might like to give them a call. Also a American Zone for just over 1K.

I know the Jazz 4 is only a few bucks more but something about massive necks that made me buy this one. I am an upright player too and like fat necks. I might string this one E to C ---

I don't care for looks much but if you must -- Amber or butterscotch body with the tortoise (or ruby sparkle if you are a drummer) pickguard -- maple fingerboard. Be nice if it is passive capable also. I need it for a steady gig since I am fretted-less until know.

That QMT would have been nice but it was 400+ (I think) more.

Yeah it isn't a MusicMan by the bridge -- sort of Jazz-ish I alway wondered how 2 jazz pickups close together sound -- now I know.

Not a full P either but I like it.
 
#73
GreyBeard said:
That looks like the one I use to own. I loved the look and tone of that bass, but I've never been comfortable with a Fender 5 string neck. The ONLY and I mean ONLY 5 string neck I've been comfortable with is a SR-5 and I don't really know why.
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Probably the string spacing, Fender is 19mm, SR5 is much narrower. That's why I sold my TL Sig (very close in spacing to the SR5) and went for the ADPV.
 
#74
marwady said:
Probably the string spacing, Fender is 19mm, SR5 is much narrower. That's why I sold my TL Sig (very close in spacing to the SR5) and went for the ADPV.
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This is quite true. One thing I've noticed too is that the MusicMan (I had the fretted SR5 and currently have one lefy with me by a firend who went to Africa , a fretless SR-5 piezo) is more scooped. Just listened to some recordings when I had the fretted version - I use the same DR strings on both of them.

Maybe heresy to some but I dig the midrange contol on the APD-5 better than the SR5, I am wondering if even cuts or it is just boost. Also the tone's more self-contained and not as sparkly as the SR5, I tend to like that but it is not Warwick like or passive Bartolini like. However my newest Bart pickups are like 16 years old..

Went well on a rehearsal last night. Gig is today. I might use a foam under the strings on some of the fingerstyle tunes. I think this would sound killing with flatwounds.

Oh it is also light. The lightest bass I have right now. One thing -- the signals are really hot. 18 volt - I've never thought that it has that system. This would be expensive. ZWonder how long the batteries last. This has to be wired passive. I'll do it once the warranty is gone. And maybe try one of those series, parrallel - coil tap mods on the J-bucker pickup
 
#77
I got my MIA Precision Deluxe in about march, and I finally made it do what I wanted. I added a nordstrand NP4 and a set of TI flats, and now its totally killer. For recording I utilize the JJ more than live, live I've been finding it easiest to simply solo my P pup. But recording- useing that JJ really helps get that... phat soul tone we all love.

Dan
 
#80
IotaNet said:
Congrats!

I know you've been GAS-ing for this bass for a while -- good for you!!!

Make sure and give us a full review. :cool:
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How's this for a case of extended GAS.

My local shop called me just now to tell me that my bass came in today (yes my Fender ADPV). No way can I get over there before they close. :bawl:

I have to wait till tomorrow afternoon to get it. Needless to say I will not be doing my best work tomorrow.

I will post pics and a review ASAP.

I will need both Rolaids and a sleep aid tonight!!
 

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