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Fender La Cabronita Precision Bass

#541
mattstrange said:
I need a bit of advice. After a 20 year absence from playing guitar (rhythm, not bass, but I did tinker with bass a little back then) I've been recruited to play bass for our church worship band. I borrowed a friend's bass (well, one of his many!) to see if I could remember anything. After a week of furious practice, I auditioned and was accepted. (I think they're desperate!)

So now I am in the market for a bass of my own. The bass I played around with back in the day was a Precision Bass (precisely which model, I don't know) and that experience leads me to want a Fender now. After checking out the models on Fender's site, I settled on the Cabronita, mostly because a) my wife likes the look of it and b) it fits in my sub-1K price range.

I just spent the last few hours reading this thread; what a wealth of knowledge -- 'scotch' you're a gold mine of info, and I'm a Sixpence fan to boot! But now I'm a bit worried whether this is the right bass for me. So here are my questions/concerns...

1) The 'fat neck' discussion makes me nervous. The bass I borrowed is an Ibanez SR300, and the neck feels good to me. Can anybody here compare that model with the Cabronita neck? I'm a "medium-sized" guy -- 6'0" so the comments about needing 'massive hands' makes me think I'd be unhappy with the Cabronita. On the other hand, I'm not smart enough to know whether the difference would matter that much. I'm definitely going to be playing 'basic' stuff, so fast action, etc. isn't really a concern. On the other hand, I'm not going to be able to devote the time necessary to build up a strong left hand, and I don't want it to be a perpetually painful experience.

(To pre-empt the obvious suggestion: I live in the 'middle of nowhere' and it's a 3-4 hour drive to any city where I could actually put my hands on one.)

2) scotch: your comments about the Cabronita not being right for a worship service obviously concern me. Reading through here, I quickly gained respect for your opinions. But all I need is a basic bass sound, and a lot of the talk here is about swapping pickups and other things I'd never go near. So: is the sound really that different, or is this mainly talk among professionals with really tuned ears, and a duffer like me wouldn't know the difference?

3) The other Fender I was considering is the "Standard Precision Bass" (the 014610... model) -- is the Cabronita all that different? It's the feel and playability I'm most worried about. Or would I be better served dropping my life-long desire to own a Fender and looking at some other brand?

I realize a lot of this is subjective, and nobody can possibly know what is right for me. I also realize that, for a first post, I sure am blathering on! If nothing else, a neck comparison of the Cabronita vs Ibanez SR300 would be most helpful, but of course, I'll gladly consider any and all opinions.

Thanks,
Click to expand...

Welcome to TB :)

If you like the feel and sound of the Ibanez, I'd say go for one of those. Ibanez makes a great bass and the necks are slim and fast. They also have a bunch of different models in your price range.

The Cab is a nice bass but the neck will feel like a baseball bat compared to the Ibanez. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Fatter neck equals more wood mass so in theory more resonance. The standard P is also a good choice. Classic Fender tone and the neck is slimmer than the Cab and slightly thicker than the Ibanez. A used American standard P or J is also a good option and can be found for at or under your budget.
Dont forget to check the TalkBass classified section. Always great deals there and you're dealing with fellow TB members.

Keep Low :D
 
#542
mattstrange said:
I need a bit of advice. After a 20 year absence from playing guitar (rhythm, not bass, but I did tinker with bass a little back then) I've been recruited to play bass for our church worship band. I borrowed a friend's bass (well, one of his many!) to see if I could remember anything. After a week of furious practice, I auditioned and was accepted. (I think they're desperate!)



So now I am in the market for a bass of my own. The bass I played around with back in the day was a Precision Bass (precisely which model, I don't know) and that experience leads me to want a Fender now. After checking out the models on Fender's site, I settled on the Cabronita, mostly because a) my wife likes the look of it and b) it fits in my sub-1K price range.



I just spent the last few hours reading this thread; what a wealth of knowledge -- 'scotch' you're a gold mine of info, and I'm a Sixpence fan to boot! But now I'm a bit worried whether this is the right bass for me. So here are my questions/concerns...



1) The 'fat neck' discussion makes me nervous. The bass I borrowed is an Ibanez SR300, and the neck feels good to me. Can anybody here compare that model with the Cabronita neck? I'm a "medium-sized" guy -- 6'0" so the comments about needing 'massive hands' makes me think I'd be unhappy with the Cabronita. On the other hand, I'm not smart enough to know whether the difference would matter that much. I'm definitely going to be playing 'basic' stuff, so fast action, etc. isn't really a concern. On the other hand, I'm not going to be able to devote the time necessary to build up a strong left hand, and I don't want it to be a perpetually painful experience.



(To pre-empt the obvious suggestion: I live in the 'middle of nowhere' and it's a 3-4 hour drive to any city where I could actually put my hands on one.)



2) scotch: your comments about the Cabronita not being right for a worship service obviously concern me. Reading through here, I quickly gained respect for your opinions. But all I need is a basic bass sound, and a lot of the talk here is about swapping pickups and other things I'd never go near. So: is the sound really that different, or is this mainly talk among professionals with really tuned ears, and a duffer like me wouldn't know the difference?



3) The other Fender I was considering is the "Standard Precision Bass" (the 014610... model) -- is the Cabronita all that different? It's the feel and playability I'm most worried about. Or would I be better served dropping my life-long desire to own a Fender and looking at some other brand?



I realize a lot of this is subjective, and nobody can possibly know what is right for me. I also realize that, for a first post, I sure am blathering on! If nothing else, a neck comparison of the Cabronita vs Ibanez SR300 would be most helpful, but of course, I'll gladly consider any and all opinions.



Thanks,
Click to expand...


Almost any online retailer offers returns. If you really like the Cab then get one and return it if you don't like it. Alternatively and I think the best idea is buy a used American Standard P or J off of the classifieds here on TB. Price should be $800-$900 and either way it will be a better stick.
 
#543
Hello and welcome.
I'm 6' tall and medium build as well and the Cab was not an issue for "hand size" wise. Like you I was concerned because I bought it online and never had the chance to test it. I based my purchase on "Scotch's" video with his surf band, they sound awesome. And of course I liked the look of the bass.

But it does not sound like a basic pbass. It's a bit more aggressive but in a good way for me anyways.

If budget is an issue maybe you could look at the Squier Classic Vibe 60s precision bass. They get good reviews on Talkbass and you could probably find some used for around 250-275$. A lot of people compare them to MIM Fenders!! Good luck.
 
#544
Ibanez necks are characteristically wide side-to-side and flat front-to-back. The Cabronita neck is literally the opposite! I like its deep U-shaped profile and it is noticeably narrower at the nut. Despite Fender calling it a "C" shaped neck, it's very much a "U"! If you dig Ibby necks, the Cab' may not be your bag! I'm comfortable on either myself, but just keep that in mind. The Ibanez profile reminds me more of my Fender '57 Reissue Precision: wide and flat. The Cabronita has a profile more like the early 50's Precision basses I have played: deep and narrow. Either neck is perfectly fine for a new player to get comfortable on, they are just different.

There's no reason you can't use the Cabronita for worship stuff. It sounds like a bass, afterall! I remembered that i did in fact play it at church once- but it was a Christmas concert doing different material & I honestly chose it because the colors were Christmasy. In my opinion, however, the Cab's unique strength is in gritty rock-oreinted tones. I am famiar with those budget friendly Ibanez SR series & they honestly have more tonal variation. I think it would serve you better on a church gig. If you're in love with the Cabronita look (and I get it), don't get scared off- it will do the gig just fine!

A Standard series P-Bass is going to sound much more like a traditional P-Bass. No contest.
 
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#545
Thanks for the replies. Guess I got some thinkin' to do.

I had a thought: the friend who loaned me the Ibanez also has an older Fender Telecaster Bass that he picked up used years ago. He wouldn't let me borrow that one (go figure!) but I'm sure he'd let me play it a bit, to compare the feel. Would that be more comparable to the Cabronita?

On the aesthetic front, I (well, my wife) was sold on the sunburst model, but all the photos of the red one posted here have me seriously considering that instead. Thanks for making a hard decision harder! ;)
 
#546
mattstrange said:
Thanks for the replies. Guess I got some thinkin' to do.

I had a thought: the friend who loaned me the Ibanez also has an older Fender Telecaster Bass that he picked up used years ago. He wouldn't let me borrow that one (go figure!) but I'm sure he'd let me play it a bit, to compare the feel. Would that be more comparable to the Cabronita?

On the aesthetic front, I (well, my wife) was sold on the sunburst model, but all the photos of the red one posted here have me seriously considering that instead. Thanks for making a hard decision harder! ;)
Click to expand...

Those early 70's Tele basses would be closer in shape to the Cabro', yes.

Don't let my opinion of the Cabronita for church throw you. For somebody just starting out on bass (or getting back into it), I think it's more important to buy the instrument that is the most fun for you to play rather than the best bang-for-buck, versatility or whatever. You want to make sure you are excited about the bass enough to pick it up more often! ;-)
 
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#547
scotch said:
Ibanez necks are characteristically wide side-to-side and flat front-to-back. The Cabronita neck is literally the opposite! I like its deep U-shaped profile and it is noticeably narrower at the nut. Despite Fender calling it a "C" shaped neck, it's very much a "U"! If you dig Ibby necks, the Cab' may not be your bag! I'm comfortable on either myself, but just keep that in mind. The Ibanez profile reminds me more of my Fender '57 Reissue Precision: wide and flat. The Cabronita has a profile more like the early 50's Precision basses I have played: deep and narrow. Either neck is perfectly fine for a new player to get comfortable on, they are just different.

There's no reason you can't use the Cabronita for worship stuff. It sounds like a bass, afterall! I remembered that i did in fact play it at church once- but it was a Christmas concert doing different material & I honestly chose it because the colors were Christmasy. In my opinion, however, the Cab's unique strength is in gritty rock-oreinted tones. I am famiar with those budget friendly Ibanez SR series & they honestly have more tonal variation. I think it would serve you better on a church gig. If you're in love with the Cabronita look (and I get it), don't get scared off- it will do the gig just fine!

A Standard series P-Bass is going to sound much more like a traditional P-Bass. No contest.
Click to expand...


The Cab is 1.625 at the nut and the SR Series Ibanez is 1.48 at the nut FWIW.
 
#552
I can haz?
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1397400412.296071.jpg
 
#555
StrangerDanger said:
On a separate note, if anyone sees a loaded Cabronita body in sunburst let me know. I want one to slap a rosewood jazz neck on.
Click to expand...

I *believe* the neck heel shape/fit is different on MIM and USA Fenders,.. just fyi. I could be wrong though. I'll take a gander when I get home.
 
#559
StrangerDanger said:
Although if it has a flat heel like a tele bass rather than a rounded heel like everything else Fender makes then it probably won't work.
Click to expand...

Stratosphere has the Cabronita bodies for sale.

Cabronita has a square heel. If you install a standard Fender rounded heel neck there will be a small gap on each side of the heel and no pickguard to cover it.

However, a 21-fret neck (extended fingerboard) might hide the gap. Not sure if the swap requires re-drilling the neck screw holes.
 

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