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Fender Precision "Midnight" edition MIJ

G

guillermo

Oct 1, 2004
49
37
#1
TBErs,

Just wanted to share how fantanstic I think the Fender Precision "Midnight" edition is.
I bougth one yesterday , after having tried a few P basses.

The bass is awesome, the details , the finishing , the sound is gorgeous, like a P bass is supposed to sound.
The finishing on the neck is incredibly smooth, and this, is an easy neck to play on.
At the store (Steve's music in Montreal, Canada) they adjusted the neck perfectly for me , so I came home with an amazing ready to play/gig bass.

The price point is excellent also.

I'm just amazed at the quality of the bass, so clean, so smooth, so solid, and the tone is sweet with an attitude let's say.
Can't wait to run it through a gutsy Ampeg or something.

Merry xmass to all.

Guillermo
 
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#5
Here go some pics.

Cheers
Guillermo
 

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#9
I bought one - not because I need another pbass - but because it was so stupid-good for the price... I had it for a little bit then I sold to a friend so I could afford something out of the bass world... (yeah I’m fickle/nuts, whatever)

But yes - they play great, set up very nice, look real debonair, and sound like a real pbass should.

It’s amazing Fender Japan can come out with an instrument that’s priced like a Mexican Standard but is constructed on near-custom ship quality.

Fender Japan is simply amazing.

Japan itself is simply amazing!
 
#11
Black and Gold is a shooting-fish-in-a-barrel color scheme if you get it right, and they sure did. My real wish is this would be a walk-off home run always backordered piece to intimate to FMIC that cosmetics beyond the unfinished neck/headstock look is costing them some sales. They've never quite grasped on a regular production basis that there's a market for a little more elegant presentations, with gold parts, matching paint jobs, etc.

One lesson they never learned vs. MusicMan and G+L is the options for fingerboards, matching pegheads, etc. A by-product of that would be to relieve all the different model families by allowing their own customers to determine 'the look', and ease away from Squier/MIM/who knows how many American product ranges they're now buried in, which are hard for most regular consumers to differentiate, and a little silly to guys who know.

It might have moved the price point, but this thing with a blackout ebony fingerboard would have been just perfect, but it's great as-is.
 
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#15
My Santa Wife also brought me a MIJ Fender Precision Midnight Black. She totally surprised me with it. She knew I was eyeing one and I told her I already have 5 and I don't need another bass (although I don't have a fretted precision in my small arsenal. It's all Jazz or fretless PJ not to mention the Kubicki which is in it's own league but I've always GAS'd for a classic straight-up passive P).

It just might be the lightest bass I've ever picked up. I'll weigh it once I have an accurate scale but it is noticeable light. It's purty fur shure. But seriously, it's a beautiful bass and a good choice for formal occasions like a wedding or any classy event but may not be a good fit for punk rock or heavy metal.

I think the pickups are decent and they must be on the hot side. I have to turn down the gain on my amp compared to my Fender Jazz Pro 2017 and Jazz Elite 2016. Note: When plugging in the Elite I switch the Epifani Picolo 555 (1000w version) amp to active bass mode since that of course is an active bass. The tone of the vintage pickup sounds fine to me but I might swap them for a set of Lollar pickups to see if I prefer those instead. However, this bass is in pristine condition and I hate to do any mods to a bass in mint condition but at least that wouldn't change anything visually.

I've been told that the gold hardware tarnishes easier than chrome and that may be true, I don't really know. But I'm sure if you wipe your grungy oils off of it after playing it should stay shiny for years. Technically, gold will never tarnish but who knows how they plate this hardware. It's likely they don't use real gold due to cost considerations, or do they? Anyone know for sure?
MIJ Precision Midnight Blk.jpg


The MIJ Midnight Precision has a 7.25" radius rosewood board with vintage frets and I'm quickly getting used to those and kinda liking it but the jury is still out. I've only played basses with Jumbo frets up to this point. It came with the setup just right for me and the truss rod is spot on with no buzzing issues anywhere. So far this bass is working well for me and is just what I wanted from a Precision. As you've read so far it does come with a gig bag that let's just say, is better than nothing. I'll eventually get a quality case for it. This bass deserves one.
 
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