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Going old school

oren

oren

Aug 7, 2007
1,704
3,390
Portland, OR
soundcloud.com
#1
Back in 1978 I got a brand new sunburst P-bass (traded a Telecaster Custom and a Gibson Ripper for it) and used it as my axe for thousands of gigs through the '80s. I did all the usual '80s and '90s mods - first a Di Marzio, then a Badass bridge and an EMG active pickup.

Last week I got it out of its case for the first time in a number of years and decided to take it back to its roots - I still had the original pickup (by some miracle) so I stuck that back in, and put on a used '70s bridge, and strung it up with TI flats (probably the first flat wounds I've ever bought, aside from upright) and damn - the thing sounds great! Definitely road worn - the real road not some ersatz relic-ing, but heck - it feels like coming home. Those old guys knew something, didn't they?
 
#4
great story.
i find it funny how many people stray away from an original p 'bass's classic tone by buying into the 'better bridge' and 'better pickups' mentality thinking that they're 'improving' or 'upgrading' it, only to find out later that the bass was great stock, and really needed nothing changed in the first place.
 
#5
johnk_10 said:
great story.
i find it funny how many people stray away from an original p 'bass's classic tone by buying into the 'better bridge' and 'better pickups' mentality thinking that they're 'improving' or 'upgrading' it, only to find out later that the bass was great stock, and really needed nothing changed in the first place.
Click to expand...
I can believe this. I grew up in the mid '70s, and every time I saw a bass player, he was playing a P. To me, none of the other basses look right.
And now, after beginning to learn bass, my first bass was handed to me in pieces by my stepson. It was a Squier P. I put it together and started learning to play. And it just feels right. And sounds right. I don't really have to do a whole lot to get the sound I hear in my head. Just turn the tone knob one way or the other, and BAM, I'm there. What more could you ask for?
The only thing more I'd really like is maybe instead of the Squier, a Fender MIM P. That will come in time. Or I may build my own.
 
#9
johnk_10 said:
great story.
i find it funny how many people stray away from an original p 'bass's classic tone by buying into the 'better bridge' and 'better pickups' mentality thinking that they're 'improving' or 'upgrading' it, only to find out later that the bass was great stock, and really needed nothing changed in the first place.
Click to expand...

I agree, my P is pretty much stock, I'll admit I stuck some aftermarket knobs on because it came with strat knobs and I didn't like it and I swapped out the capacitor. But aside from that, I like muh tone. Too many people want to fix things that aren't broken.
 
#10
Hate to admit this, but my dad bought me my first real bass in 1973; natural finish P with maple neck.
5 years later I installed a Duncan "vintage" pick up; could never hear ANY difference between the stocker and the replacement
Thankfully I kept the stock pup and will reinstall one of these days; only problem (other than a bit heavy) was those plastic shaft pots got scratchy pretty early on

+1 on replacement bridge being a placebo effect; if anything a brass nut may offer more sustain

That Leo guy was a mega genius
 
#11
I agree with the basic P bass being my go-to bass. I just had a local shop put a nice 79' back to near original. It had an aftermarket metal (Chrome) pickguard and a badass bridge along with the Bill Lawrence rail type pups. It sounded very good as is and I new with correct pups and bridge she would sing.
The shop found a set of 79' pups with original harness still attached and we added an 3 ply Fender PG and period correct 70's P bridge.
Today it is my #1 bass and it has that old school ,vintage tone I can't find in a Fender made today.
 
#12
johnk_10 said:
great story.
i find it funny how many people stray away from an original p 'bass's classic tone by buying into the 'better bridge' and 'better pickups' mentality thinking that they're 'improving' or 'upgrading' it, only to find out later that the bass was great stock, and really needed nothing changed in the first place.
Click to expand...

The success of a modification is measured by the pricetag of the replacement item... and it is always an upgrade. ;)

Just once I'd like to see someone be honest and say that they spent $XXX on modifications that were actually a downgrade or just a plain waste of money. But no, it's always that the GoldenGate MonstroBridge they bought was an improvement and their bass sounds clearer, has a more defined attack and increased sustain. But if you can't really tell from the recording or in a live band situation it's because you have tin ears... or the monitors suck... or the guitarists are drowning out the bass... or... :D


A p is a p is a p. And a p just sounds great.
 
#13
johnk_10 said:
great story.
i find it funny how many people stray away from an original p 'bass's classic tone by buying into the 'better bridge' and 'better pickups' mentality thinking that they're 'improving' or 'upgrading' it, only to find out later that the bass was great stock, and really needed nothing changed in the first place.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I had a '78 and the only thing it needed was a dressing of the fret ends. Otherwise, it felt and sounded about as good as it gets. Changing out the pickup or bridge would have done nothing to improve the sound.
 
#14
Diogenes said:
The success of a modification is measured by the pricetag of the replacement item... and it is always an upgrade. ;)

Just once I'd like to see someone be honest and say that they spent $XXX on modifications that were actually a downgrade or just a plain waste of money. But no, it's always that the GoldenGate MonstroBridge they bought was an improvement and their bass sounds clearer, has a more defined attack and increased sustain. But if you can't really tell from the recording or in a live band situation it's because you have tin ears... or the monitors suck... or the guitarists are drowning out the bass... or... :D
Click to expand...

:D I think allot of Tber's just like to mod to make the bass "their own" I have never understood this and stay away from it. To me if I go out and choose say a Fender P bass out of a store after trying many it is "Thee Bass." I dont want to change the sound if it has already sang to me.

Adding high mass bridges for sustain? :eyebrow: If the bass had little to no sustain ..why buy it? If the bass has a crappy bridge...again..why? I do understand parts wear out or dont always work as they are made to and then I agree in adding after market parts. I also understand bring a cheaper bass up to playable standard also. I dont understand changing parts just to see what they do to a bass for no real reason.

In the late 70's and into the 80's the brass nut, EMG pups and badass bridges were done so much there are still allot of these 70's basses with them...I know I just bought and re-built one back to specs myself.
 
#15
Hey, some people want their 56 Bel-air to be all original, some people want a CD player and a big block. Also, I like to do some mods just to be working on a bass, to be honest. I'm all about keeping vintage instruments original, but I also learned about the inner workings of a bass by modding out 90's instruments. I never would have done my first setup without changing a bridge, never would have learned to solder without changing a pickup. Tinkering and changing parts is bass education.

Edit-Just as long as you keep your original parts!
 
#16
A lot of us fell into the early mod thing in the 70s. I think part of it was the novelty, and part of it was seeking something better or different.

I also did the whole thing... stripped the finish / added clear polyurethane, a BadAss bridge, Dimarzio pups and a P-J rout. What was I thinking? I've since reversed those mods and I'm really glad I did!
 
#18
I'll try to get some pics up later today.

It's interesting to think about how our perception of what's a valuable vintage instrument changes over time. When I got this bass in '78 the only Fenders anyone thought were really worthwhile were the pre-CBS ones. Now, 30-some years later, the '70s instruments look and sound pretty good! I guess there's a lesson there for people buying new instruments today.
 
#19
Couldn't agree more; mine is a 59 that has never been modified (except body finish, it had been poorly redone when I got it in 1968), and it still sounds great and has plays great. I recently bought a Carvin 5 fretless but it has nowhere near the sound and sustain that my P has.
 

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