The stealth retainers are great... if you've got the right type of tuners. Unfortunately they won't work with all types of tuners, like the ones Fender use on the Player or Vintera series. I usually remove the standard Fender string tree and install a bar retainer for A-D-G on my "workhorse" Fenders. I wouldn't do it on a valuable vintage instrument though... It works great, and the tonal improvement on an open A is VERY noticable. It also makes it much easier to file the nut slot for the A-string VERY low, without compromising the tone of an open A or getting buzz from the fret slot.
Yeah, the neck profiles on the Pro/Pro II P-basses are VERY nice. Especially the first Pro series, that's a PERFECT neck for my taste. Unfortunately the rest of my Pro sucked. And not just the V-Mod and the fluted tuners but the general build quality. Bumpy fretboard (needed levelling out of the box, not jus the frets but the FRETBOARD), nasty tool marks along the edge of the fretboard and wires sticking out under the pickguard (permanently disfiguring it). How that bass passed QC is beyond me. After levelling the fretboard/frets and replacing the pickup (practically anything would be an upgrade on the anemic E-string you get with the V-Mod I) it has become a decent bass. I'll still have to replace those nasty fluted tuners at some point. I keep breaking strings when I bring the strings back up to tension after loosening them. It's not a problem with normaly day-to-day use but very annoying if I need to loosen the strings for maintenance, or simply want to test different strings.
I'll say ONE positive thing about my Pro though (in addition to the lovely neck profile): The weight is absolutely PERFECT. Not too light, not too heavy. It balances PERFECTLY, which after all my repairs/upgrades makes it an absolute joy to play!
Sorry to hear about the crap with your Pro. I've got a 2014 American Standard P, a 2017 American Pro P, a 2019 Pro P V and a 2021 Pro II P V. The Pro II neck is subtly different from the Pro, slightly more rounded edges. They’re all perfect, minus the VMod pickups, and yes the bass side is anemic. The VMod II is actually quite a bit better, but I replaced the stock on the Pro 4-string with an SPB-1 - might switch to a Pure Vintage 63 I have on a shelf. The VMod on the P V Pro will also be replaced - I wouldn’t call it good for nothing, just good for nothing that I do. Unfortunately 5-string drop in P pickups aren’t readily available, especially where I live, so I’m now waiting six weeks for a Nordstrand NP5F to be delivered. If I like it, I may put a set in the Pro II as well, but I really have no complaints on the VMod II, and my guitar player actually likes it a lot.
The 2014 neck is different for sure, but I actually like it every bit as much, and don’t find it feels at all the same as other Fender “Modern C” profile necks such as the MIM Standard or Player. It does feel the same as other American Standard P necks I’ve owned, including a 2006, a 2008, and a 2010, so I assume the rolled fretboards make that difference, or maybe they’re really just different profile dimensions with the same shape. Anyway, the American “standard” necks (either Standard, Pro, or Pro II) are my favourite bass necks ever, whether in IV or V string configs.
All but the Pro V have had a Stealth retainer added. I need to order another one, but I’ll do the pickup swap first.
From left to right:
Pro II V - Stealth on low B, stock E-A retainer
Pro V - E-A string retainer, no Stealth - B string needs a hand
Pro IV - not visible, but Stealth on A
AmStand - Stealth on A
And just for fun:
