Fender American Professional Series

[tombowlus]

We have the American Pro P5 and fretless J4 in for review, and I have had them both out on gigs, with great results. The fretless Jazz 4 is really growing on me, and it just killed at our last show (through a Mesa/Boogie D-800+/SW115/SW210 rig).

 

[alack]

@alack I just got a Pro that is exactly as you describe. I own and have owned numerous P-Basses of every vintage except '50s, and the AmPro is one of my absolute favorites.

Yup! For a brief second I considered a trade for my 75 but I can't bring myself to trade a vintage instrument for a new one. Add to that (and this is subjective) the $1400 doesn't seem too much for what you're getting. I just can't personally justify a third P bass. One thing I didn't mention (and this too is subjective) but I think they really got it right as far as "looks" go with that particular combination (white, rosewood, mint). It looks classic and will still look great 40 years from now.

 

[nonohmic]

Yesterday I played a white/rosewood/mint model at a local dealer. I've played a lot of P basses and own a few nice ones. But this was P bass bliss. Its light weight was easy on the back. The neck is was super comfy to play. The setup outstanding and the sound was exactly what you'd want from a P bass. If I wasn't so cheap it would be home with me now. If you're in the market for a P bass I highly recommend the American Pro.

Good to hear!

I go back in forth a lot about my next bass.. I've looked at Nash, '58 AVRI etc..but then I think why not get the modern thing and just play the heck out of it. That's what they all did back in the day!

 

[garciawork]

Here's my entry. Swapped out the mint green pickguard for this matte black jawn. I'll be channeling my inner Andy Rourke all day!

Gorgeous! Man I wish they would do a lefty with a maple fretboard...

 

[west al]

My Fretless Jazz showed up today. It sounds good, and it plays great.

 

[Thuddy Waters]

Do the pole pieces on the new Professional pickups protrude or are they flush with the rest of the pickup?

 

[alack]

Do the pole pieces on the new Professional pickups protrude or are they flush with the rest of the pickup?

I think they stick out just a bit on the E, D and G strings (I could be mistaken). The pole pieces are raised at the A string to give the pickup better string to string balance. I tend to play almost exclusively over the pickup. I didn't notice the poles as a hinderance or uncomfortable.

 

[Thuddy Waters]

I think they stick out just a bit on the E, D and G strings (I could be mistaken). The pole pieces are raised at the A string to give the pickup better string to string balance. I tend to play almost exclusively over the pickup. I didn't notice the poles as a hinderance or uncomfortable.

Didn't some of the pickups made in the 50s and early 60s have raised A string pole pieces? I heard it was because the way strings were manufactured back then caused the A string to not be as loud as the rest of the strings. It doesn't make sense for that to be the case now, though. I wonder why they would raise the A string pole pieces now after decades of making pickups with pole pieces all the same height.

 

[Thuddy Waters]

My Fretless Jazz showed up today. It sounds good, and it plays great.

Did you change the pick guard or did it come with that one? If you changed it, where did you get that pick guard?

 

[Son of Wobble]

Didn't some of the pickups made in the 50s and early 60s have raised A string pole pieces? I heard it was because the way strings were manufactured back then caused the A string to not be as loud as the rest of the strings. It doesn't make sense for that to be the case now, though. I wonder why they would raise the A string pole pieces now after decades of making pickups with pole pieces all the same height.

The AVRI 57 Precision has a raised pole piece and was offered that way for 30 years. Not sure I have seen Fender revisit it elsewhere aside from Custom shop repros, and I agree with you that it is not a "great lost technology" although I do like the pu quite a bit - it has good treble to cut through yet the bottom booms.

 

[Thuddy Waters]

The AVRI 57 Precision has a raised pole piece and was offered that way for 30 years. Not sure I have seen Fender revisit it elsewhere aside from Custom shop repros, and I agree with you that it is not a "great lost technology" although I do like the pu quite a bit - it has good treble to cut through yet the bottom booms.

I just don't like raised pole pieces because I don't like the way they feel. I pick right over the pickup and I have to lower the pickup a lot in order to make sure my fingers never strike the pole pieces.

 

[petrus61]

I just don't like raised pole pieces because I don't like the way they feel. I pick right over the pickup and I have to lower the pickup a lot in order to make sure my fingers never strike the pole pieces.

I'm not too keen on raised poles either so I made a couple shims. The sit on the top of the fiber bobbins underneath the cover and make the poles flush with the cover surface. I use Lollars and they're slightly raised (though not as high as the Fender Originals that I made them for) but the shims make them flush. I keep meaning to take a pic but I haven't been swapping pups on my P much since I got the Lollars.

 

[nonohmic]

My Fretless Jazz showed up today. It sounds good, and it plays great.

Dig that burst! Seems different to the standards.

 

[Thuddy Waters]

I'm not too keen on raised poles either so I made a couple shims. The sit on the top of the fiber bobbins underneath the cover and make the poles flush with the cover surface. I use Lollars and they're slightly raised (though not as high as the Fender Originals that I made them for) but the shims make them flush. I keep meaning to take a pic but I haven't been swapping pups on my P much since I got the Lollars.

That's a good idea. What did you use for the shims? A business card?

 

[petrus61]

That's a good idea. What did you use for the shims? A business card?

They are a hard plastic material of equal thickness to the cover...probably the same material. I got the idea after buying a used AVRI 62RI P bass where someone had them installed on the pups that came stock with the raised and heavily beveled poles. I also thought it was brilliant but later sold the bass and forgot to keep the shims, which forced me to make my own. I'll try to get a pic if I get the chance.

Edit: you probably could use a couple business cards or even layer the underside with black electrical tape.

 

[petrus61]

Another thing the shims helped with was cutting down on the buzz or pop you can get when touching the poles accidentally and was probably the greatest benefit since I don't really care to go crazy with copper tape and solder for something that barely happens anyway.

 

[Son of Wobble]

Another thing the shims helped with was cutting down on the buzz or pop you can get when touching the poles accidentally and was probably the greatest benefit since I don't really care to go crazy with copper tape and solder for something that barely happens anyway.

I like how carefully considered is every piece in your lone bass. I like that approach. Swordsman brings but one sword; Fats brings but one pool cue.

Incidentally, do bevels and shims have anything to do with why you sold the white pickup covers? I am surprised you flipped them after having tried so long to find ones that fit properly.

 

[Son of Wobble]

Has anyone here played the new Elite?
I am a passive bass guy so I don't need the bells and whistles, but recently read that the model's compound neck radius is to die for, the "feature you didn't know you needed."

Anyone own or played the new Elite?

 

[petrus61]

I like how carefully considered is every piece in your lone bass. I like that approach. Swordsman brings but one sword; Fats brings but one pool cue.

Incidentally, do bevels and shims have anything to do with why you sold the white pickup covers? I am surprised you flipped them after having tried so long to find ones that fit properly.

No, the poles didn't play into it as the Lollar white covers were universally adaptable with regards to the space between poles, unlike some of the aftermarket ones I tried. For example, I've bought brand new Fralin pickups where their supplied covers barely fit over the pole pieces and I had to use Fender ones. The shims simply served those two (height and buzz) functions I mentioned and I've used them with other standard pickup covers with success.

I really appreciate the complimentary observation, by the way. It turns all the damn pics I post and stories I share about it into something tangible that someone seems to have appreciated. Leave it up to SOW
I really have put a lot of time into getting "the one" to be just that. That said, if you put mine in someone else's hands they might quickly hand it back in disgust due to the way I choose to set it up

 

[west al]

Did you change the pick guard or did it come with that one? If you changed it, where did you get that pick guard?

I changed it out, it came with the standard Am. Pro., Mint Green PG. I bought the Black Moto PG from Fender. I thought it was Black Pearloid until I ordered this one.