Finally got the P bass tone ive been chasing

[mastodon88]

75th commemorative P.

I've played many P basses, this isn't my first... Yet it's the first time I've gotten "that sound".

Does fender really gatekeep their tone behind these 1962 custom shop pickups?

Or do I just like this bass because it's made from my favorite wood (ash) and it's strung thru the body?

Either way I'm stoked.

Fellow P players....educate me

 

[Hurricane Jimmie]

So Anyway, I had a similar finished Fender P Bass. American but not Custom Shop.
Should have kept it, just didn't get enough gig time.
It was a very nice bass, and my granddaughter could even play the Rub Board along with it.

 

[gwangi]

No, these were for the 75th anniversary of "Fender" the company (a few years back), not of any specific instrument.

This is confusing, Empire Music just came out with a Fender limited 75th anniversary PJ bass w/gold hardware & flamed maple top, surprised they are calling it 75th anniversary.

 

[Wood and Wire]

Does fender really gatekeep their tone behind these 1962 custom shop pickups?

FYI these use the CS62 pickup (readily available aftermarket), where Custom Shop is the line brand.

Not to be confused with the hand wound pickups that are only available in instruments made at the Fender Custom Shop.

I really wanted to get one of these 75th Precisions, but I never found one that I could actually get my hands on, and then they'd gone.

Absolutely loved the finish, and the tone, but I don't feel too bad, as my second choice was the Am Pro II - and I definitely prefer the contoured neck heel, lightweight tuners, and over all weight of the Am Pro II.

I do sometimes think about putting the CS62 in, as I definitely preferred that, but spending ages going back and forth between the Empire music demos of the 75th, and Am Pro II - room ambience / amp etc aside, I didn't feel the V-Mod II was significantly worse (a bit different, and I certainly slightly prefer the CS62).

Now, if only I could get that Bourbon Burst finish...

Congratulations!

 

[Wood and Wire]

This is confusing, Empire Music just came out with a Fender limited 75th anniversary PJ bass w/gold hardware & flamed maple top, surprised they are calling it 75th anniversary.

Fender have just released an American PJ in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Precision bass (1951-2026).

The bass in the O.P. was in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the company "Fender" (1946-2021).

 

[pbass2]

I went through a half dozen pickups in my '75 P. Must be swamp ash because it's just under 8lbs and I just couldn't find the right combination until I got a Custom Shop 62.
All my P prayers were answered!

So swamp ash is the "lighter" ash? My ash 2016 FSR 70's P is also right at 8lbs. Its matching Jazz sister is also not that heavy. Swamp ash I presume then?

 

[mastodon88]

Congrats! What strings do you have on it?

Congrats! What strings do you have on it?

Same ones it came with. Not sure. Probably gonna throw some labellas on it.

 

[mastodon88]

I have only seen the PJ 75th anniversary. I didn't know a straight up P 75th existed, I must've missed it on the Fender site. I love the gold hardware.

So there's the anniversary and the commemorative. This P is the commemorative.

 

[mastodon88]

audio or it didn't happen

I will record with it tonight maybe and get back to you. Taking it to rehearsal right now.

 

[mastodon88]

I recently had a Mod Shop Ash P with the 62 pickup. It sounded fantastic!

So maybe there is something to this pickup...hmmm

 

[mastodon88]

I had one and it sounded great, I didn't jive with the gold hardware but all in all a great looking and sounding P-bass. The heavier maple of the body definitely contributed, to me. Strong fundamental and punch in the tone, evenly across all 4 strings, and absolutely different from the various alder P-basses. Spectacular with flats. Now it did weigh 10lbs, and it required me to be in a bit better physical shape than i could manage at the time.

For me, while not Fender's most comfortable P-bass, tonewise head-and-shoulders above any other off-the-rack Fender P-bass I've owned or played (with the possible exception of the spectacular sounding Mocha 76'er I sold 20 years ago)

Enjoy!!

You are right, this thing is heavy...

 

[mastodon88]

My thoughts exactly - P's are more consistent than people think, the right strings can make a huge difference in your perception of the sound of a P bass.

Do you have a recommendation? I've been playing DRs for 20+ years

 

[pbassnut]

75th commemorative P.

I've played many P basses, this isn't my first... Yet it's the first time I've gotten "that sound".

Does fender really gatekeep their tone behind these 1962 custom shop pickups?

Or do I just like this bass because it's made from my favorite wood (ash) and it's strung thru the body?

Either way I'm stoked.

Fellow P players....educate me

Very nice bass! I have several P-Basses with that FCS '62 Precision pickup and they all sound good, yet somewhat different. The body wood, neck wood, strings, hardware, and setup all contribute to the sound. It would appear that the stars aligned for your 75th commemorative P ... congrats.

 

[skier 913]

Do you have a recommendation? I've been playing DRs for 20+ years

DR legends?
I like the Labella dtf 760 series because they are super smooth to the touch

 

[micguy]

Do you have a recommendation? I've been playing DRs for 20+ years

I use different strings on different basses. Not knowing your basses, or the tone you’re looking for, I don’t think my suggestions would be anything but a complete crapshoot.

 

[Polish Thunder]

I swapped out the stock pups in my 2017 American Professional P bass with the CS62's. It sounds amazing. My go to: Fender P with CS62's and LaBella flatwounds. I play in a blues band.

 

[iqi616]

I use different strings on different basses. Not knowing your basses, or the tone you’re looking for, I don’t think my suggestions would be anything but a complete crapshoot.

I agree - strings respond differently to each bass so the only real way is to try them and see.

I have D'Addario Pro Steels on my Kimbara J-bass but because the pickups are SD Quarter Pounds it's a more balanced sound than I'd expect based on the bright punchy sound they have on my Aria. I actually have a set on my Warwick fretless that were already old when I took them off the Aria and they're different again.

 

[mikeynets]

Does Fender, (or any pbass replacement part maker) offer a neck wood (NECK not Fretboard) other than Maple?

I saw a full rosewood neck on a custom fender in my local shop recently. Neck and fretboard all rosewood.

 

[Levitamin]

So maybe there is something to this pickup...hmmm

FWIW, I swapped it for an EMG GZR and it sounded identical.

 

[micguy]

Does Fender, (or any pbass replacement part maker) offer a neck wood (NECK not Fretboard) other than Maple?

Warmoth is THE source for this kind of stuff they will make you a neck in various woods - the current offerings (they vary from time to time) include 8 (!!!) versions of maple (various grades, flamed maple, birdseye maple, roasted maple, quartersawn, etc.), and 4 other wood species for the main part of the neck. The most different, in terms of density and stiffness, would be Wenge.

As there are thousands of possible combinations, they don't keep stock - it's all custom made, but they are fairly fast - my last order (they state 4 to 6 weeks lead time) shipped 20 days (less than 3 weeks) after I placed the order.

There are a dozen choices for fretboard woods - lots of different species there.

 

[Wood and Wire]

FWIW, I swapped it for an EMG GZR and it sounded identical.

Not entirely surprising, given that the GZR is a reproduction of a 62 Fender pickup.