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fender American vintage re issue

I've never played a '62, but have an ash '57, which sounded a lot different from my 2010 American Standard, which sounded different from every other P bass in the store when I bought it. They all sound subtly different, but they all sound like P basses. I doubt very much that a blind test could tell you that one was a '62 Alder and another was a '57, Alder or Ash. If you're unable to try before you buy, get whichever one you like the looks of best, and don't look back. But if you can try both, get whichever one feels best and sounds best to your ears, and ignore looks.

Also - try the Mexican Road Worns. A Fiesta Red one at my local store (I hate the colour) may well be the best P bass I've ever played. Then again, another one at another store was just "ok."
 
I have owned both; but like Bill said, even similar basses vary. Speaking only from my own personal experience, I found my AV '57 (White w/ash body/maple neck & board) to be much brighter than my AV '62 (3TS w/alder/rosewood). Even with flats, I had to really back off the tone knob on the '57 to get a warmer sound. Looks-wise, that white '57 was a knockout; but tone-wise, I preferred the '62.

But if you talk to 10 guys who have owned both, 5 will probably prefer the '57 and 5 will prefer the '62. They're both very nice, high-quality basses.
 
bring the noise said:
Thanks. Unfortunately I have never got to play either one. I have played the classic 50s in the honey blond and really liked it. Is the 50s and the 57 the same honey blond color?

The '57 blonde is a transparent white, do a Google Images search for it. You can see the nice ash grain through it. A thing of beauty. I'd take a picture, but there are better photos online than what I can take.

On the other hand, the olympic white '62 with the tort guard and dark rosewood board is pure sex...
 

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