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Looking for my first P Bass….Help!

#21
Might as well go USA, if price is the only issue, can you really be happy with anything less?

I've never been onboard with Fender/USA pricing. Only because it goes completely against Leo Fender's concept of keeping the equipment affordable through design and manufacturing process efficiencies.

So, go overseas, go used overseas, go 30 years used overseas & you're going to find some quality FSOs out there - Japanese such as Tokai, Hondo, Ibanez, Japanese fender, and South Korean.

Frankly the whole Affinity line out of China and India really turned me off. Fender didn't need to go there.
 
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#24
MtManiac said:
I can’t say if it’s worth it saving to buy a new one, I always buy used and seem to stumble across way too many deals I can’t pass up.

However, I’ve owned and played:
- 2006 American Standard Series
- 1995 American Standard Series
- 2008 American Standard
- 2010 American Standard
- 2006 American Vintage ‘57
- 2014 Classic Lacquer
- 2014 American Standard
- 2017 American Professional
- 3-4 Mexican Standards
- Squier Affinity
- MIC Squier Classic Vibe
- MII Squier Vintage Modified fretless

And maybe some others I’ve forgotten, in addition to several Jazzes and a Dimension and a few non-Fenders.

Best neck, stock pickup, fit and finish has been the 2014 American Standard.

However my favourite pickup so far is a Seymour Duncan SPB-1.

I’m a sucker for a nice neck, so my 2017 Am Pro is my go to, with an SPB-1. I love the tall narrow frets, versus the Medium Jumbos that are otherwise Fender ubiquitous. Medium Jumbos are ok though; the new Mexican Players also have nice necks. Any American Standard has a nice neck. Not a huge fan of the MIM Standard necks, though the latter year models are similar to the Players. Classic Vibes are also a good bang for the buck, especially a used Chinese one, though I find them heavier than American or Mexican ones.

Here’s a probably incomplete list of features - if you know what features are important to you and how important they are, you can better place a dollar value on them. I'm not doing an overview of the Deluxe/Elite/Ultra models.

AmPro II:
- 2019 (I think) -current
- revised pickups from Am Pro I, otherwise more or less the same
AmPro I:
- 2016-2018
- pickups widely derided, you decide, I removed mine
- tall narrow frets
- 63 profile neck
- lightweight tuners with fluted shafts
- high mass bridge that allows string through body
- bone nut
- thin finish

AmStandard
- 2012-2016
- Custom Shop 62 pickups - they're ok
- medium jumbo frets
- same neck profile as previous years Am Standards
- Same bridge and same tuners as the Pro, but tuners don't have a fluted shaft
- same style of finish as Pro

Am Standard
- 2008-2011
- same finish, bridge, tuners as later Am Standard - 2008 was the year they were introduced
- pickups same as previous generations
- same neck as previous generations

Am Standard Series:
- not sure what year introduced, but 2000s
- some had an S1 switch on the tone knob, widely regarded as useless on a P
- thicker finish, "dipped in poly" look, if it chips, it'll be a big chip
- rolled edge fretboards (as per subsequent generations)
- not bad
- revised Vintage style bridge with grooves to keep the saddles from sliding
- Schaller tuners with bulky backs

Am Performer
- descendant of the 90s California Series, the Highway 1, the Highway One, and the American Special
- greasebucket tone circuit
- often with satin body finishes
- now with a Jazz pickup, new P pickup, lightweight tuners, possibly rolled edge fretboards unlike previous generations, which were more similar to the MIM Standards

Players:
- 2018 I think?
- similar tuners and bridges to Standards
- the necks fee different to me, I dunno what the difference is but i like it
- new Alnico pickups
- no Rosewood anymore

MIM Standards
- 2007-2017ish
- basically a 70s spec P bass with ceramic pickups that although widely hated aren't all that bad
- necks with "sharp" non-rolled edges
- maple fretboards hard to find, lots of reddish Rosewood, often Birdseye maple necks

MIM Standards
- 90s-2005,2006 or so
- early 90s often had Strat style knobs

Am Vintage 57:
- wider neck (C width, or 1.75")
- truss rod adjust via screwdriver at heel of neck
- hot pickups
- nitro finish
- vintage style tuners and bridge
- gold anodized pickguard
- ash body

Classic Lacquer
- MIM
- basically the same as the AmVintage but with a vintage tint neck and the same pickups offered in the 2008 AmStandard
- body may be alder??

Classic Series/Roadworn/Vintera:
- 2006ish through to current
- poly finishes
- vintage tint necks
- same as Classic Laquer except poly.
- ash on trans blonde model
- Name change on Vintera is due to switching from RW to PF for sixties Jazz models

Classic Vibe 60s MIC
- similar to the Classic, but poly finish and with a B width neck (1.62")
- not sure what pickups, they're better than the ones in the Classic
- heavy, but not alder or ash iirc

Vintage Modified Fretless
- softer maple neck, tuner screws tend to back out over time
- ebonol fretboard
- weak af pickups
- cheaper hardware than Classic Vibe
- agathis body
- *very* light

Hope this helps. Please excuse any typos, fingers are drunk this am. If gigging a lot, I’d go American Standard/Pro, those for me have the comfiest necks and are easiest to play. If not, a Player is the next best bang for the buck IMO.
Click to expand...
Awesome summary. Thank you!
 
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#26
Geogio said:
Might as well go USA, if price is the only issue, can you really be happy with anything less?

I've never been onboard with Fender/USA pricing. Only because it goes completely against Leo Fender's concept of keeping the equipment affordable through design and manufacturing process efficiencies.

So, go overseas, go used overseas, go 30 years used overseas & you're going to find some quality FSOs out there - Japanese such as Tokai, Hondo, Ibanez, Japanese fender, and South Korean.

Frankly the whole Affinity line out of China and India really turned me off. Fender didn't need to go there.
Click to expand...
I’ve had Mexican Fenders in the past that sounded good but didn’t feel good. JMO.
 
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#27
squeally dan said:
I’ve been playing more bass in my wedding band and for an instrumental project. I’ve been using a 90s AVRI jazz bass but now wanting a P Bass and looking on the used market.

I’ve always had good luck with USA Fenders but they have really skyrocketed in price the last few years. I see some older used P basses of different models (Standard, Special, Deluxe) that I could likely get used for around $1000. It looks like the newer used Fenders are more. Which would you recommend and why? Is it worth saving up the extra for a newer one?
Click to expand...

if you are looking for a MIA PB, the Fender N series basses made in the 90’s are a whole lot better instruments than the 70’s that are going for thousands.
 
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#34
This is my MIM Precision Deluxe Special - P body, J neck, swapped out the stock pups for the DiMarzio DP-126's. I use the Dunlop Nickel Medium/Brights…….I love the playability and tone of this little beast. Paid $799 new, two years ago with a GC sale, over 1K new now, unfortunately. Not sure about used prices are right now, but this has been the perfect Fender for me. JMO. P Bass Special.jpeg
 
#35
squeally dan said:
I’ve been playing more bass in my wedding band and for an instrumental project. I’ve been using a 90s AVRI jazz bass but now wanting a P Bass and looking on the used market.

I’ve always had good luck with USA Fenders but they have really skyrocketed in price the last few years. I see some older used P basses of different models (Standard, Special, Deluxe) that I could likely get used for around $1000. It looks like the newer used Fenders are more. Which would you recommend and why? Is it worth saving up the extra for a newer one?
Click to expand...

Why does it have to be a Fender? You can get a brand new Lakeland Skyline for give or take $13-1500
Check out the G & L LB100 too..
 
#38
If you can find a MIJ P bass you can't go wrong.
or an less expensive option is the Squier CV series. (I would have said the Squier early SQ series but those have gone up in cost also.)
 
#40
You are going to get a million different answers. The best bet you have is to play one. If you like American Fenders I say stay with that. I’ve owned a lot of everything. I have never found an import to be equal.

I bought a new American Professional II this year. I love it. Super happy with it. I do think they are a bit overpriced. I’m not mad about it though.
 

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