Is It Really Too Much to Ask?

[Snakeman1066]

Half the TB posts about Fender are "why can't I have a bass with features X, Y, Z, and Q"...

...and the other half of TB posts are "Why do they mess around with a dozen variations on everything, all anyone really wants is just a P or a J."

Fender does have a custom shop. And if that's too expensive, there are a lot of other brands out there.

Most of those people that you speak of want something CUSTOM (special electronics/wiring, custom wood combos, custom colors etc.) I'm simply talking about bolting on parts that Fender already churns out and that already exist in their respective product lines...

and you shouldn't have to go to the customs shop to have them bolt Part B to Part A...it should already exist!

 

[Guiseppe]

Seems to me that a P bass includes all components of a P. When you want a P Bass that includes components of a Jazz Bass, then you're wanting something that isn't offered - and I'm not harping on you, because as a long time Fender player I get exactly what you're saying. The options seem to be a) buy from the Custom Shop ($), b) swap a Jazz neck that you love onto your favorite P Bass, or c) go to a custom builder. I get wanting the "best of both worlds", and it's not a ding against you OR Fender for not offering exactly what you're wanting. Personally, I'd go the Custom Shop route if you can swing the $, otherwise, look at Warmoth or some other manufacturer for the parts that make your P bass exactly what you're searching for. Best of luck, as I said, I get it!

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Just do it yourself. The beauty of "bolt" on necks! People have been slapping Jazz necks on P basses for 40+ years.

Correction....50 + years... happened a lot when Fender came out with the Jazz neck with block inlays on the Rosewood fingerboard....as for the tri—color body.. I dunno, kind of like the two tone in the pick myself!

 

[Frank77]

I agree with the OP, I think it's pretty dumb on Fender's part.

My main bass is a P with a J neck : It was a custom order G&L LB-100. You pick the specs (including your choice of neck profile) from a list of options and it's not the Fender Custom Shop, so you get to keep both your kidneys if you want to buy such a bass.

I don't understand why you're unwilling to look beyond Fender.

 

[5StringBlues]

"You can’t put a porcupine in a bar and light it on fire and expect it to make licorice!”- Ross Perot





EDIT- "You know, sometimes you can't just take an armadillo, put it in the barn, light it on fire and expect it to make licorice!" - Ross Perot

 

[Snakeman1066]

Okay for craps and giggles...

Route 1

I went to Warmoth...off the shelf parts

J bass neck bound and blocked Maple/Maple Clear finish $381.00
P bass body P pickup routed for standard bridge Sunburst Alder clear coat $365.00
Black Fender Pickguard $30.00
Standard Fender Tuning Machines $45.00
Fender Standard Alnico P bass Pickup $65.00
Fender Standard bolt plate and screws $12.00

That's roughly $900 Dollars not including tax and shipping

Route 2

Now Stratosphere...

Loaded MIM P bass body Sunburst $329.99
Loaded MIM Bound and Blocked Neck $429.99

roughly $760.00 not including tax and shipping Which is just about $90.00 higher the price of a new MIM P bass or Jazz bass...

Route 3:

(Most likely the way I will go)

Buy a used MIM Sunburst P Bass $500.00
Sell P bass Neck - $200.00
Buy Used MIM Bound and Blocked Jazz Neck $350.00

roughly $650.00 which is right where it should/would Retail for if it were a standard MIM option

Route 4:

Squier Sunburst P bass loaded body $125.00
Fender MIM Bound and Blocked Loaded Jazz Neck $429.00
Fender Alnico P bass Pickup $65.00
Sell Squier Pickup $25.00

roughly $525.00

 

[Snakeman1066]

I agree with the OP, I think it's pretty dumb on Fender's part.

My main bass is a P with a J neck : It was a custom order G&L LB-100. You pick the specs (including your choice of neck profile) from a list of options and it's not the Fender Custom Shop, so you get to keep both your kidneys if you want to buy such a bass.

I don't understand why you're unwilling to look beyond Fender.

I have...I did...I own a Lakland with these specs (though it is not a burst) I own an SB-1 with these specs (Not a burst)

I now want a Fender...

 

[Snakeman1066]

"You can’t put a porcupine in a bar and light it on fire and expect it to make licorice!”- Ross Perot

this is germane to Fenders and this thread how?

Porcupines don't produce licorice...Fender on the other hand produces Both Sunburts P bodies and Jazz necks

 

[LBS-bass]

Seems to me that a P bass includes all components of a P. When you want a P Bass that includes components of a Jazz Bass, then you're wanting something that isn't offered - and I'm not harping on you, because as a long time Fender player I get exactly what you're saying. The options seem to be a) buy from the Custom Shop ($), b) swap a Jazz neck that you love onto your favorite P Bass, or c) go to a custom builder. I get wanting the "best of both worlds", and it's not a ding against you OR Fender for not offering exactly what you're wanting. Personally, I'd go the Custom Shop route if you can swing the $, otherwise, look at Warmoth or some other manufacturer for the parts that make your P bass exactly what you're searching for. Best of luck, as I said, I get it!

That's my thinking, as well. I'm a long time Jazz neck player. I love the feel of the narrower neck. But there are times (see the recent thread about studio legends and P basses) when you want the sound of a P. The choices we have right now are to pick up a bass that doesn't feel optimal to us, create it out of parts, or go to a custom builder.

To me, what defines a P first and foremost is the sound. Why can't I put that sound in a mix while playing the neck that suits me? Doesn't make any sense.

I said in that thread about session musicians that I never owned a P, and I never did. But I had forgotten about the p-body Frankenbass when I said that. It was a cobbled together piece of crap, but it sounded good. It would have been nice to get what I wanted from the factory.

 

[5StringBlues]

this is germane to Fenders and this thread how?

Porcupines don't produce licorice...Fender on the other hand produces Both Sunburts P bodies and Jazz necks

Well,I thought it was as relevant as some of the other answers you got....................



Good luck in your hunt!

 

[Snakeman1066]

That's my thinking, as well. I'm a long time Jazz neck player. I love the feel of the narrower neck. But there are times (see the recent thread about studio legends and P basses) when you want the sound of a P. The choices we have right now are to pick up a bass that doesn't feel optimal to us, create it out of parts, or go to a custom builder.

To me, what defines a P first and foremost is the sound. Why can't I put that sound in a mix while playing the neck that suits me? Doesn't make any sense.

I said in that thread about session musicians that I never owned a P, and I never did. But I had forgotten about the p-body Frankenbass when I said that. It was a cobbled together piece of crap, but it sounded good. It would have been nice to get what I wanted from the factory.

Exactly my point!

 

[Snakeman1066]

Well,I thought it was as relevant as some of the other answers you got....................



Good luck in your hunt!

Thanks....I have already made a few offers in this direction

 

[LBS-bass]

Here is a very poor picture of the Frankenbass. Jazz neck on a P body. That action was so high it wasn't even funny but I made good money with it at the time. Circa 1984 or 1985 or so.

 

[mesaplayer83]

guys your all missing the point here...obviously I'm going to have to buy the parts I want and piece this thing together...however the entire point is that people have been putting Jazz necks on "P" basses since the inception of the jazz bass...so why Doesn't Fender offer one? (that doesn't also have a damn J pick-up installed)?

I didn't "miss" any point at all - to me, it's just the latest bitch fest about what Fender does or doesn't make...

 

[madbass6]

Just do it yourself. The beauty of "bolt" on necks! People have been slapping Jazz necks on P basses for 40+ years.

I second that!
Hey it Worked for James Jamerson wayyy back in the day (60s) I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out!

 

[cnltb]

Honestly absolutely nothing...however that said I can piece one together for far less than a "Custom build"....plus the whole point of this thread is that there should be a production "P" bass with a Jazz neck available to buy instead of having to custom order one, or piece it together myself

I guess I get that...ish.

 

[Snakeman1066]

I second that!
Hey it Worked for James Jamerson wayyy back in the day (60s) I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out!

been there...done that...bought the T shirt and wore it out...did it all over again

 

[Snakeman1066]

I didn't "miss" any point at all - to me, it's just the latest bitch fest about what Fender does or doesn't make...

BUT....unlike most of those threads this one seems a no brainer

 

[mesaplayer83]

There should be a "group buy" mentality to custom-ish runs of basses. Like if TB could take a vote on what bass fender should do a limited run of, and TBers get to vote if they put down a deposit... I'm sure that's been joked about in plenty of threads, but I wonder how much traction it would need to be feasible?

Sounds like the EBMM 19mm fiasco all over again, lol...

 

[mesaplayer83]

BUT....unlike most of those threads this one seems a no brainer

To you, it does - but to others, not so much... I would be willing to bet that Fender marketing has already looked into it, and found it to be non-viable...