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Fender Parallel Universe '51 Telecaster PJ Bass

#101
BassJuju said:
Yep, I did a new bass day that got almost no responses. I guess we are the few who liked it.

NBD - Fender Parrallel Universe 51 Tele

I like that it gets the tone options. p to j and combined. I didn't think I would like them both full on, but it's like P tone with more treble. I've never heard that on my other P/J's. I like it a lot. I installed the La Bella through body flats and did a full setup. Plays great, straight neck, low action, and that great Fender tone.

Grats on the one you have inbound.
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I dig these a lot and would love to play one in person. Alas, Vegas does not offer a plethora of guitar stores with deep bass sections.

Also, that NBD devolved into some serious nonsense. How many of these did Sweetwater get? They were gone seemingly in an instant.
 
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#102
I'm currently contemplating adding a Curtis Novak Darkstar between the P and the neck on mine, just to make it a bass for all occasions. Should be easy enough to get that routed out and in and replace the tone pot w another concentric set for Darkstar vol/master tone.
 
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#103
Philibuster said:
I dig these a lot and would love to play one in person. Alas, Vegas does not offer a plethora of guitar stores with deep bass sections.

Also, that NBD devolved into some serious nonsense. How many of these did Sweetwater get? They were gone seemingly in an instant.
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You know, it's a really sweet bass. I like it's tone a lot and there are many to choose from. The post did devolve into a total mess and I finally just stopped following it. I really thought I was going to explain special ordered, credit cards, et al before I decided I'm done. They were gone instantly at Sweetwater and GC had one last I looked. Probably the one I canceled.

Best of luck, but I wouldnt wait if you think you want one.
 
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#105
Philibuster said:
How's the contour-less body? Noticeably different or easy to work around? Also, what's the neck like?
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On this one, it is pretty comfortable to play. I can't say that I always feel that way as I did not like the way my Rick felt, but I play Gretsch's and Jack Basses without any issue. I also found the balance on this one to be very good. I love that it just sits in position. I played it a couple of weeks ago at church and it will definitely be in the rotation.
 
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#106
When I saw this bass I loved it. I was a little shocked at the price, but hey, it's "limited edition".

The next disappointment was that it didn't come as a 5 string. I already have a killer P bass, but I've been waiting a good 5 string P/J. Been looking at Mike Lull, Sadowsky, and a few other P/J 5ers but didn't find any that I wanted to drop coin on since most that were within my budget were pretty dinged up.

I looked at doing a Warmoth build as I did for my P bass when I cloned Fender's 60's P bass. Apparently Warmoth is not a big lover of 5 strings as they do some really silly stuff. They won't route their 5 string bodies for a five string P pickup. Only a 4 string. Huh?? WTH?? I even called them and it's true. Basically they said there are so many different 5 string P pickups that they only do a 4 string route. The next thing is they won't do a front route on their 5 string P body. So I quickly abandoned a 5 string Warmoth build.

I visited a local builder, Bluesman Vintage Guitars, and talked with the owner John Scott. John is going to build me a copy of the Fender Parallel Universe Tele bass, in a five string, with tummy and forearm relief. It will also have a chambered body and stacked pots so each pickup will have V/T. The Jazz pickup will be humcanceling so I can solo it without buzz. All the hardware will be "aged" and the nitro finish he uses is designed to "check" like vintage finishes. The vintage thing is something he does really well. I'm not having any relicing done. I told him to make it look like a 60yo case queen. He's not charging me much more than Fender wants for their 4 string slab body and I'm supporting a local business.
 
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#107
Just bought one of these before they are impossible to find, and I'm glad I did. I've always loved the looks of the Fender "tele bass." I've had a few over the years, both the originals and various re-issues. This one is by far the best. It's put together impeccably--a real class act. Feels, looks, and sounds great. I think it is the first telecaster bass I've seen since the originals back in the 60s and 70s that actually say "telecaster" on the headstock. Also, this is about the best sounding PJ bass I've ever owned. The pickups are balanced REALLY well. The J-pickup sounds great on its own and is not completely overpowered by the P-pickup. Not sure what they did to correct that problem, but it worked and sounds superb (both the P and J pickup). The neck feels really nice for a P bass type neck (it's quick sleek and slim profile for a P neck). It's finished in nitro lacquer... not sure if I like that or not. Lacquer necks tend to be sticky. We'll see how that goes. But overall, I'm loving this bass so far. I don't think I'll be trading it away or selling it like I do with most basses I get.
 
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#109
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Just got one!!!!
 

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#110
Deak said:
What are your thoughts and do you think it is worth it?

I do like the appearance and I get that the cost of business is always on the rise but two grand for this, in my mind, is a bit high.

Just curious of your initial thoughts.
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These are incredible basses! I've finally found the one I'm sticking with... just before it was a Ric, before that American P and a J. Still have my short scale white SG Gibson reissue and just picked up a stellar Hagstrom '67 8 string... If you've played the Tele bass you would understand. Those that haven't are just pissing in the wind!
 
#111
40Hz said:
It's worth whatever it's worth to whoever is buying one.

It's not worth $2K to me at all. As a plain jane slab body with a bolt on neck I might consider getting one for an everyday player bass. But unless it sounds and plays like a whole lot more than I'm guessing it does, the absolute highest I'd consider going is (maybe) $600 - or possibly around $1K tops if it turned out to be exceptionally good no matter what brand name is on the headstock or who put it together.

But that's just me. Others may feel differently.
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Not worth it because you evidently haven't played one! Lol
 
#112
Deak said:
This was exactly my initial thought. My two grand is going for a Ric this summer . . . from Wildwood. Can't wait for the trip.
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I swapped my Ric for this! Plays much better, sustain is better, etc. I have a discerning ear and I could always hear a couple of 'dead spots'. I never buy a bass anymore until I go up and down the fret board listening to that sweet sustain. Ric wasn't up to my standards.. Now, that said, I'm not a fantastic player but I do a lot of gigs and when I hit a dead sounding fret location I just die!
 
#114
Gary Coverdale said:
Not worth it because you evidently haven't played one! Lol
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Yeah. That's the usual quick throw down, isn't it? :laugh:

However, I've been playing bass for a little over 50 years now and have a lot of hands-on experience with Fender guitars and basses in all their different manifestations -including their Custom(ized) Shop and assembled by one person (i.e. Masterbuilt) models.

So, despite not having played that one particular bass, I think it's highly probable, bordering on certainty, that I "evidently" have a very accurate idea of what I can expect. ;)
 
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#117
Gary Coverdale said:
I tend to go organic plus I don't have to run out of batteries during a gig...
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Check your battery every so often and carry a fresh spare in your gig bag 'just in case' and that will never be an issue. "An ounce of prevention" as the saying goes. If it weren't that simple hardly anyone would be gigging with a battery powered active bass. Either way, batteries tend to have fairly long (on the order of a few months) runtimes with most onboard preamps in normal use. So it's not like a moderately fresh battery isn't going to last through three or four sets worth of playing time on your average gig. On a heavily used active bass I'll average six to eight weeks on a single alkaline battery. On a less used bass I can go as long as six months before the battery needs to be replaced.

That said however, I too prefer passive basses most times. But that's only because I prefer their sound, not because I'm worried about a battery failing at an inopportune moment. ;)
 
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#119
40Hz said:
Yeah. That's the usual quick throw down, isn't it? :laugh:

However, I've been playing bass for a little over 50 years now and have a lot of hands-on experience with Fender guitars and basses in all their different manifestations -including their Custom(ized) Shop and assembled by one person (i.e. Masterbuilt) models.

So, despite not having played that one particular bass, I think it's highly probable, bordering on certainty, that I "evidently" have a very accurate idea of what I can expect. ;)
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I would tend to disagree with you...because I, too, have run thru what I consider some of the best, including vintage, basses and guitars (except boutiques)AND wish I still had some! So, I don't, with respect, buy your conclusion. Go play one appropriately set up and then come back and make your observation.... nope....not buying your conclusion! But, your loss, not mine.. Oh, and yes, that is and was a quick throw.. pinned, more like it!
 

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