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Fender Road Worn '50s Precision Bass

#41
It's based on the "Classic 50" bass (currently the Vintera 50), which is IMHO the best Fender in terms of bang4buck. But it adds to that a very thin nitrocellulose finish. While the wear looks a bit tacky and fake (especially from up close), the feel of it, especially the neck, is absolutely stellar. And for some reason, every RoadWorn is a rather light instrument, and extremely resonant. Did Fender use different woods for it compared to the (otherwise identical) Classic '50? Or is it purely the thin nitro finish? A combination of both?

Since it's based on the Classic '50, it does have the baseball-bat of a neck. Very wide (44.5mm nut width), and reasonably thick.

Reason why I haven't picked one up (yet). It's a '50 P-bass, and I'm much more a rosewood man. And Fender refuses for decades to make a MiM Classic '60 / Vintera '60 / Road Worn '60 P-bass.
 
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#42
It's a pretty good bass. The neck finish feels great in the hand and if you really want something with vintage specs you can't really get anything else like it in its price range. I sold mine because I prefer my music man basses. I've found that I love vintage specs on electric guitars but not so much on basses. It's all preference really :)
 
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#45
Ruknrole said:
I have a chance to buy a Fender Road Worn '50s Precision Bass at a good price. I've never seen one or played one. The last one listed in the TB classifieds sold in a few hours.

What makes this bass so great and sought after?

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i don’t know. I’ve been playing PBs over the last 40+ years. Pretty much, I can get anything I want from them with slight tweaks of the EQ an or with the on board controls. I’ll add that across different versions, woods, and ages, they are remarkably consistent. As for playability, the changes between necks are minor and easily adjusted to, but I’ll acknowledge some might have preference with one over another.
 
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#52
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#53
dbsfgyd1 said:
i don’t know. I’ve been playing PBs over the last 40+ years. Pretty much, I can get anything I want from them with slight tweaks of the EQ an or with the on board controls. I’ll add that across different versions, woods, and ages, they are remarkably consistent. As for playability, the changes between necks are minor and easily adjusted to, but I’ll acknowledge some might have preference with one over another.
Click to expand...

Is what you’re saying here is that all P Basses are pretty much on the same level? Sincere question, not a dig or challenge.
 
#55
Mr.Fingers said:
It's based on the "Classic 50" bass (currently the Vintera 50), which is IMHO the best Fender in terms of bang4buck. But it adds to that a very thin nitrocellulose finish. While the wear looks a bit tacky and fake (especially from up close), the feel of it, especially the neck, is absolutely stellar. And for some reason, every RoadWorn is a rather light instrument, and extremely resonant. Did Fender use different woods for it compared to the (otherwise identical) Classic '50? Or is it purely the thin nitro finish? A combination of both?

Since it's based on the Classic '50, it does have the baseball-bat of a neck. Very wide (44.5mm nut width), and reasonably thick.

Reason why I haven't picked one up (yet). It's a '50 P-bass, and I'm much more a rosewood man. And Fender refuses for decades to make a MiM Classic '60 / Vintera '60 / Road Worn '60 P-bass.
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the nate mendel is modeled after a 71 but the body is nitro. it has the road worn treatment. the headstock logo started appearing in 68 so this could be considered a 60s road worn pbass.
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#56
So, I've only got a lowly 50s Classic Precision, and was interested for a while in maybe trading up to a Roadworn. They're roughly the same bass, just one has nuke-resistant poly and the other a terrible but treatable/improvable relic job. The hardware aging looks really nice on some I've seen.

I've got an actual vintage P getting refinished and custom aged, so my relic itch is getting scratched.

But had I a bit of extra cash when I got my 50s, I'd have probably gone Roadworn.


Some people don't like the baseball bat neck, but I took a shot at just accepting it and letting it guide my playing style, and now I prefer it to the smaller neck on my '60 P.
 
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#59
Lowbrow said:
Is what you’re saying here is that all P Basses are pretty much on the same level? Sincere question, not a dig or challenge.
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MIA To MIA (discounting active Basses or PJ configurations) pretty much that’s been my experience. Where you get into the weeds are with the various permeations of the ones MIM, or from the Asian rim. Also, a Squire is not eqivalent to an MIA PB. JMO, and no need agree.

BTW, I didn’t take your question as calling me out. You know, when you put your thought out there in cyberspace, you’d better willing to get your head handed back to you in a basket!! LOL!!! Have a good one.
 
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#60
dbsfgyd1 said:
MIA To MIA (discounting active Basses or PJ configurations) pretty much that’s been my experience. Where you get into the weeds are with the various permeations of the ones MIM, or from the Asian rim. Also, a Squire is not eqivalent to an MIA PB. JMO, and no need agree.

BTW, I didn’t take your question as calling me out. You know, when you put your thought out there in cyberspace, you’d better willing to get your head handed back to you in a basket!! LOL!!! Have a good one.
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Back at ya.
 

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