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Fender Hot Rod Precision Bass questions

G

growler571

Sep 19, 2007
562
98
#1
Hello everyone I just purchased a 2001 Fender Hot Rod Precision bass for $650, my concern is that there is something wrong with the bass for that price. ive seen all the pics of the bass and it looks great just a lil normal wear and tear from playin. My question is dont these normaly sell for way higher than $650. seems pretty low, or I am getting a great deal. What are your thoughts opinions on this? Just curious. Thanks Grower571
 
#3
It is the USA Hot Rod series P bass, with strings thru the body. It look like its in great condition. Im just hoping theres nuthin wrong with the bass for that price. I couldnt check it out before buying.
 
#10
growler571 said:
It is the USA Hot Rod series P bass, with strings thru the body. It look like its in great condition. Im just hoping theres nuthin wrong with the bass for that price. I couldnt check it out before buying.
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I love mine - been one of my main players for years! What color?

FWIW I've seen them go for high and for low. I got mine new in the high 7's so comparatively I think $650 is high (I'm NOT IN ANY WAY an authority on used prices) But I've seen them go higher. If it's sunset orange that also goes both ways. it is a discontinued color (my personal fav) which can attract more $$ but it's not for everyone...


my girls:
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#11
I've had a few...I think I got them all used right around that price. It's too late for buyer's remorse, if you bought it you bought it...but when it gets to you and you find something wrong ebay is a great outlet for buyers to voice every single little opinion about every issue. They roll out the red carpet for 'em.
 
#14
Thanks for your well wishes guys. The bass should be here by about mid week this week. I have played these several times at quitar center, and immediatley wanted one due to my favorite bass players tone Duff Mckagan of G&R. I felt these hot rod precisions nailed that tone very closely. At the time when they came out in 99 thru 2001, I already had like 4 new basses, and could not justify buying another. If I could have only one bass the Hot Rod Precision would be it. I don't understand for the life of me why fender discontinued these. Maybe its so players will buy a jazz and a precision, the only problem with that is you cant get that P and J sound when both are combined, which is what i consider is a unique modern tone, which seemed to be used alot in the 80's, and 90's, and still to this day. Cmon fender bring these back, and I will probably buy a new one as well along with many other modern P bass fans . Of course they are prolly not for everyone, but they are my absolute favorite bass.
 
#15
$650 is a good deal for a clean HRP.

I bought a new one in 2000 and sold it last year on TB for an even grand to an overseas buyer. However, the dollar/euro valuation thing may have helped me get that price as quickly as I did...it sold the day after the ad was posted. The bass was in pristine "as new" condition with a Fender Tolex case.

The only reason I sold it was because I got a new Tony Franklin fretted P which was pretty much the same bass specs-wise but I much prefer the 3-way pickup switching on the TF over the blend knob on the HRP.
 
#16
growler571 said:
Hello everyone I just purchased a 2001 Fender Hot Rod Precision bass for $650, my concern is that there is something wrong with the bass for that price...My question is dont these normaly sell for way higher than $650. seems pretty low, or I am getting a great deal. What are your thoughts opinions on this? Just curious.
Click to expand...
That's more than they sell for in my market.

My GC had a beautiful near-mint one w/OHSC for $499 a while back and it took that price drop to sell. Not a scratch on it, no fretwear. They usually sell for less than a straight American series of the same vintage.

The HRPBs have some inherent problems with the pickups and controls and they are generally avoided by Precision buffs.

HRPBs used a unique set of pickups no other P or J had in order to more closely match output. The difference in the pickups exacerbated the V/V/T syndrome beyond belief. The volume controls won't mix and there are a lot of screwy artifacts. Fender dumped the model.

The one thing it does well is both pickups full-on, a unique sound.

I got a new 2001 (in that atrocious Sunset Orange) when they were blown out. If I were actually going to play it, I would replace one volume control with a three-way switch and possibly replace the pickups with conventional units.
 
#18
iamdenialNJ said:
Does anyone want to sell me one with a red/sunset orange body with a maple neck?
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Mine's rosewood, unfortunately.

A tip, which you may certainly disregard or dismiss if you wish: If you're a normal person, you'll probably get sick of the orange color pretty quick. Orange is a funny color, according to the industrial psychologists who got paid a lot to study it. People react strangely to it, being immediately attracted and then gradually repelled in short order. This is explicitly why coffee shop chains were so heavily orange in the past -- they wanted people to be pulled in and spend money but not hang around.

Funny, but that's exactly how those Sunset Orange instruments hit me: Colorful and attractive but quickly nauseating.
 
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