A friend of mine just got one of these and it's a really good bass, really nice MIM price too.
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Fender Precision Bass.......which one?
- Thread starter JL9
- Start date
A friend of mine just got one of these and it's a really good bass, really nice MIM price too.
Interesting but I know exactly what you're talking about. Mine has a factory mistake 1.5" nut A neck that feels very much in proportion to me.
Hmmm, that's interesting. I was watching a clip on youtube of a guy trying to nail Jamerson's sound, (strings, style, DI, etc), and it didn't seem right to me (even taking into account the guy isn't Jamerson of course!!).
What is it that's different? Just the pickups?
If you have the budget, look at 70's precision's. Incredible tone. Bottom line with Fenders is that there are no rules. You just need to play a millions of them before you find one you click with. Once you do, get that one no matter what it is, mexi, japan, vintage, or Am Standard.
This is something I was wondering about, too. Most would just put some foam under the strings at the bridge right? But I was reading something about Jamerson having some sort of built in mute. True?
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Pbasses came stock with the pickup cover and "ashtray" bridge cover--the bridge cover had a foam mute built-in, inside the cover, pressing down on top of the strings at the bridge. I think they shipped 'em that way well up into the 70's, though Pbass historians here can clarify. But sticking some foam under the strings down at the bridge works fine. Like many of us, I have a little stash of different pieces of foam I've collected--different densities--that I use depending on how muted I want it--how fast I want the decay. The foam mute is a critical component in getting that sound. You CAN simply palm mute of course, but that obviously limits how and where you can pluck the strings. That classic sound you refer to is usually from the flats, foam mute, and fingerstyle playing plucking right over the pickup, or even farther up towards the neck.
The 63 AVRI has the mute attached to the bridge cover. It sounds awesome with the mute left on.
Every single axe is different. Get out there and start testing.
My 5 string american deluxe p-bass is the most even sounding of all my axes. Possibly around 2005. Fender make so
any changes to these things that the year built really affects the sound.
I do appreciate the I can do a touch of boosting if required w/ the active eq. Just a touch though. I only use the p-bass p/u's. It's nice to have the jazz in the bridge, but I never use it. I have other basses for that sound.
My 5 string american deluxe p-bass is the most even sounding of all my axes. Possibly around 2005. Fender make so
any changes to these things that the year built really affects the sound.
I do appreciate the I can do a touch of boosting if required w/ the active eq. Just a touch though. I only use the p-bass p/u's. It's nice to have the jazz in the bridge, but I never use it. I have other basses for that sound.
It's a melting pot of multiple ingredients, all having their own importance. From what I use:
P bass with rosewood fretboard, vintage-inspired (so no carbon stiffening rods, no heavy-mass bridge, no string through body, low-medium output pickups)
LaBella 1954 Original strings (0.052-0.110) (I've also used thinner LaBella flatwounds, but they don't have the "thump"). And they have to be old (6 months at least, new they are very clangy & bright)
A fairly high action: JJ's notes were very clean, without any fretbuzz.
A piece of foam wedged underneath the strings (a 1x1cm strip of weather foam does the trick), to dampen the sustain.
A tube amp (emulator) which is slightly overdriven. That will give you a slight natural compression and "grit".
Play just before the pickup.
All that combined gets me "close enough for comfort"
I rarely see it mentioned, but Jamerson and Duck Dunn did not play over the pickup because the chrome pickup covers on their basses forced them to pluck a little closer to the neck. I believe this right hand positioning was another factor in their sound, along with their use of the P-Bass, flatwounds and foam mutes.
My MIM Classic 50's is a great bass, and it gets more play time than my MIM Steve Harris P or my American Standard P.
The fact that its also my least-expensive Precision is a nice bonus.
My MIM Road Worn is the best P I've even owned hands down. Among the others I've owned that I judge it against:
1961 P
2008 Am Std (x2)
1965 Oly White
1966 Sunburst
1978 Wine rosewood
2015 MIM Dee Dee Ramone sig
2012 Classic 50s MIM
1990 MIJ Std rosewood
2008 CIJ 62 RI
2009 Squier CV 60s
And probably a few more I can't recall.
This week I demoed a new Am Pro and an Am 63 RI. They too paled in comparison. All told, I'm just as surprised as anyone and I keep trying out new Ps in an effort to do better. No dice, and I guess you can call me satisfied, if not entirely 'gas-free' - I wanted to love the gorgeous white Pro I tried to justify buying it, but simply could not.
Your mileage may vary, but I recommend getting on the Road (worn).
1961 P
2008 Am Std (x2)
1965 Oly White
1966 Sunburst
1978 Wine rosewood
2015 MIM Dee Dee Ramone sig
2012 Classic 50s MIM
1990 MIJ Std rosewood
2008 CIJ 62 RI
2009 Squier CV 60s
And probably a few more I can't recall.
This week I demoed a new Am Pro and an Am 63 RI. They too paled in comparison. All told, I'm just as surprised as anyone and I keep trying out new Ps in an effort to do better. No dice, and I guess you can call me satisfied, if not entirely 'gas-free' - I wanted to love the gorgeous white Pro I tried to justify buying it, but simply could not.
Your mileage may vary, but I recommend getting on the Road (worn).
The MIM roadworn is a good bass, I played one when looking at Fenders. But to say the 3 AVRI "pales in comparison" is pretty ridiculous. Some of it may come down to preference and certainly personal opinion but objectively it does not "pale in comparison." Personally, I think the 63 AVRI is the best bass I have ever played while the MIM roadworn is simply a decent p-bass. I am not alone on this either.
Not ridiculous, any more than your opinion is. And it is simply irrelevant how many concur with you. Sorry.
I agree the tone on 70's basses are great. But IME its going to be hard to find one built in this era that will be as well built and playable as any bass made today. I have owned a few 70's pbasses (and played a dozen or so) - ALL of which had a few issues with either build quality and or playability. Your better off buying a nice playable new Pbass and swapping pickups for vintage 70's if you want that tone.
Yeah, 70's basses are often super heavy, or have fret or wear issues. I you can find a light one with few issues its wonderful-but you are going to pay for it!
Thanks for all the ongoing replies!
Just to clarify all the options, which Fenders are essentially the 62? I think that's probably what I really want (or the 63 as well I guess), but so pricey! What should the street price be on those new, btw?
Also, as far as tone goes, is the tone mainly in the pickup? I see that you can get Fender 62 pickups for pretty cheap. If I got a low priced MIM for example, and stuck the 62 pickups on it, would that pretty much be the tone?
Side question regarding pickups, as I said before, I've got a Jazz made in japan, and I like it alright, but I've always felt it a little lacking, something I used to notice in most all non American Fenders (possibly before the non American Fenders were apparently greatly improved). The sound was a bit dull, and the E string always seemed the worst, a bit lifeless and not as deep as it should be. The Yamaha BB424x I have is much fuller and deeper.
Would new Fender jazz pickup replacements solve that?
Just to clarify all the options, which Fenders are essentially the 62? I think that's probably what I really want (or the 63 as well I guess), but so pricey! What should the street price be on those new, btw?
Also, as far as tone goes, is the tone mainly in the pickup? I see that you can get Fender 62 pickups for pretty cheap. If I got a low priced MIM for example, and stuck the 62 pickups on it, would that pretty much be the tone?
Side question regarding pickups, as I said before, I've got a Jazz made in japan, and I like it alright, but I've always felt it a little lacking, something I used to notice in most all non American Fenders (possibly before the non American Fenders were apparently greatly improved). The sound was a bit dull, and the E string always seemed the worst, a bit lifeless and not as deep as it should be. The Yamaha BB424x I have is much fuller and deeper.
Would new Fender jazz pickup replacements solve that?
You can get a used 58 or 63 avri for 1400 - 1600 if you keep a lookout. Or a new one for around 1600 if you get it on sale. The 62 avri is probably a bit cheaper used. The pickup on the 63 is basically only found on the 63 whereas i think you can get the 62 pickups seperately. Personally, i love the 63 pickups a lot. Good luck.
