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Fender thinline fretless Precision?!?
- Thread starter Gbass75
- Start date
I bought that bass. In fact I'm just now testing it. It's supposed to have a piezo mic in the bridge but I'll need to take the control cavity plate off to see if there is a battery. I get no volume on the other vol pot. The bass comes with Fender-Lace Sensor P BASS pups. It sounds great. It has a kind of ethereal sound. I'm going to put a set of DR Sunbeams mediums on it. The neck is okay with a little wear here and there. The overall finish is really nice. A couple of dings but nothing serious. I'm going to try and get a couple of phone cam shots to show I actually have it.
I missed the auction for this but nobody bid. It was like 4:00 AM and I couldn't stay awake to see it through. I was happy to see it re-listed as a "Buy It Now" item. I have never seen one like it. I'm told that even in Japan it's rare. It was ne
ver offered for sale in the USA.
I missed the auction for this but nobody bid. It was like 4:00 AM and I couldn't stay awake to see it through. I was happy to see it re-listed as a "Buy It Now" item. I have never seen one like it. I'm told that even in Japan it's rare. It was ne
ver offered for sale in the USA.Opened it up and there was the battery. I tested it and it was good. A Danelectro 9v. I included a shot of the guts. It looks like a Heartfield pc board that holds the elctronics for the volume to the Fender-Lace and piezo. No real volume difference from the piezo pot especially if the other pups are down all the way. Only a slight change in tone when the volume is increased on both. I've never used anything with a piezo before and I guess I don't know what to expect. I don't want to bitch to the guy that sold it if I don't know what I'm looking at and It's actually okay. The tone control is a stacked pot. This is a guitar that will be a real challenge to fix the electronics I'll tell ya. I have to send the guy an email and let him know it got here. In record time too. He shipped it from Japan 
on the 9th. It showed up today with the mailman.
on the 9th. It showed up today with the mailman.
Chef
In Memoriam
That there is a Fender Precision A/E.
Made in Japan.
Cool Bass.
Cafe Walter make a piezo buffer for it that will make it More Betterer.
Here's what I did with mine, because I'm a freak:
Made in Japan.
Cool Bass.
Cafe Walter make a piezo buffer for it that will make it More Betterer.
Here's what I did with mine, because I'm a freak:
The piezo has me underwhelmed for certain. At first I thought it was busted but I play it through my BA-112 Ampeg and noodle the tone settings which can accentuate the Piezo- Lace Sensor tones. I like it, a lot. So the pre-amp tip is definitely something to look at. I have two things to consider however. The Cafe Walter web site has the install guide for the pre-amp. The photo shows a control cavity for an A/E with a very uncluttered cavity. The circuit board is the same as mine. Looking at my space it would appear you couldn't add a tooth pick. That's one consideration but even more important is the issue of modifying a guitar like this one that might actually lose value as a result of introducing a mod that wasn't stock.
That second issue is enough to make me swallow the lackluster tonal range in favor of maintaining a "all original" Fender rarity.
Thanks for that tip BTW. I might never have found that otherwise.
That second issue is enough to make me swallow the lackluster tonal range in favor of maintaining a "all original" Fender rarity.
Thanks for that tip BTW. I might never have found that otherwise.
Well... This topic is old now, but better late to the party, than never.
I have an MIJ Precision A/E. It was the version before they changed the logo to an A (lightning bolt) E. Looked like AZE. Before they were trying to appeal to young metal players.
The problem with the underwhelming sound from the Piezo pickup is because of an impedance mismatch and the lack of buffering for the piezo.
The P bass pickup basically swamps the piezo. The preamp in the bass is insufficient and under designed.
In the process of working on it, the piezo on mine had died. I never got around to fixing it, but will eventually get to it.
It also had dead spots in the pickup. Inconsistent volume/string.
In order to mix these pickups, you need to have a properly designed preamp.
I will probably go with a Bartolini AGMPB or similar. There are a small handful of preamps out there.
The best piezo may be an Artec or similar pickup (Fishman for Warwick, etc...). You'll have to deal with bridge height issues. I have to do more research.
The original piezo was covered in heatshrink tubing and was either glued in, or had double sided sticky tape to hold it. Once you bend the pickup, it's gone.
"Your Results May Vary..."
E
I have an MIJ Precision A/E. It was the version before they changed the logo to an A (lightning bolt) E. Looked like AZE. Before they were trying to appeal to young metal players.
The problem with the underwhelming sound from the Piezo pickup is because of an impedance mismatch and the lack of buffering for the piezo.
The P bass pickup basically swamps the piezo. The preamp in the bass is insufficient and under designed.
In the process of working on it, the piezo on mine had died. I never got around to fixing it, but will eventually get to it.
It also had dead spots in the pickup. Inconsistent volume/string.
In order to mix these pickups, you need to have a properly designed preamp.
I will probably go with a Bartolini AGMPB or similar. There are a small handful of preamps out there.
The best piezo may be an Artec or similar pickup (Fishman for Warwick, etc...). You'll have to deal with bridge height issues. I have to do more research.
The original piezo was covered in heatshrink tubing and was either glued in, or had double sided sticky tape to hold it. Once you bend the pickup, it's gone.
"Your Results May Vary..."
E
Tull had a reunion with original guitarist Mick Abrahams back in '01, and Glenn Cornick is playing one.
I recently found one, sunburst fretted.
I have a Cafe Walter buffer in the mail along with an AMZ pcb that's supposed to be similar.
I did build two tiny buffers but neither worked well, too distorted, but I think they are meant for pedals.
I've wanted one sine I was a kid in the 90's so happy to have it. Plays great, just need to help the piezo.
I have a Cafe Walter buffer in the mail along with an AMZ pcb that's supposed to be similar.
I did build two tiny buffers but neither worked well, too distorted, but I think they are meant for pedals.
I've wanted one sine I was a kid in the 90's so happy to have it. Plays great, just need to help the piezo.
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