If you bought this new I would send it back for an exchange. You should be happy with an issue-free P bass.
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MIM Precision Bass - diasappointed!
- Thread starter Eternal Day
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- mim precision bass
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Beat me to it. While consumers have done it to themselves by failing to support stores to save a few dollars, that is the market now in many places. But OP had no intent on buying a bass. You want to try out a bass just for kicks? Find someone with one, or rent one.
I have a Chinese Fender Jazz that has excellent workmanship and finish, especially compared to this one… Some of those issues I've never seen on an instrument, especially a new one!
I do feel fortunate to be an American, but I wouldn't call it luck - when we're talking about VAT and other tax schemes, you get what you vote for...
We all laugh at the "knobs weren't aligned" comment, but another TB member (can't remember who) had an expensive guitar returned to them via eBay and that was the buyer's only complaint. Cost the seller shipping both ways and I believe there was some damage when it came back.
More disappointed in op than i'll ever be of the mim P bass, even if it were sent to him in pieces.
Those MIM P basses are certainly not created equally. I've owned two, and played a half dozen more. In short, the good ones are basically one unit of P bass. They aren't the bass Jamerson played, they aren't a signature model and they aren't trying to be the sort of P bass that rattled off the production line in 1957. They are the basic ticks-all-boxes P bass and, as a blank canvas, they serve as good basses. They don't get my pulse racing by any means, but they are usable 'cooking' basses and can be modded easily as they are real Fender and made using real Fender dimensions.
I've encountered the issue of the slot in the tuners being too tight, especially for a silk-coated E string. Those MIM tuners are an odd size, and only Hipshot (I think???) make a drop-in replacement.
The ceramic capacitor might be 'cheap', but as long as it works it works. No need to sink an Orange Drop cap in a bass like that as it makes no difference. From memory the pots are CTS-brand with indentations in the back and a small hole that the base of the shaft protrudes through. Perfectly usable pots, though maybe the taper wasn't the best choice if the tone control is too binary in its function.
The trapped wire is annoying, but it happens. I've done it all the time, especially with P basses and Strats where you're screwing down a vast, flexible plastic sheet to the front of the instrument. It does indicate that the bass wasn't rigorously scrutinized before it went out the door, which I find slightly worrying.
The sharp fretboard sides are simply because it would cost more, either in time or expense, to either pay a worker to roll the fretboard edges or to somehow machine a roundover onto the fretboard edge. In turn it would make fretting the board more tricky. I tend to roll the edges of new necks, but I also like to check the frets are properly leveled and crowned, so I'm maybe more of a tinkerer than the average bassist.
A broken Allen Key takes proper skill, so I hate to think how that happened.
High action is quick to fix. The back bow in the neck is alarming, especially if it can't be dialed out.
I've encountered the issue of the slot in the tuners being too tight, especially for a silk-coated E string. Those MIM tuners are an odd size, and only Hipshot (I think???) make a drop-in replacement.
The ceramic capacitor might be 'cheap', but as long as it works it works. No need to sink an Orange Drop cap in a bass like that as it makes no difference. From memory the pots are CTS-brand with indentations in the back and a small hole that the base of the shaft protrudes through. Perfectly usable pots, though maybe the taper wasn't the best choice if the tone control is too binary in its function.
The trapped wire is annoying, but it happens. I've done it all the time, especially with P basses and Strats where you're screwing down a vast, flexible plastic sheet to the front of the instrument. It does indicate that the bass wasn't rigorously scrutinized before it went out the door, which I find slightly worrying.
The sharp fretboard sides are simply because it would cost more, either in time or expense, to either pay a worker to roll the fretboard edges or to somehow machine a roundover onto the fretboard edge. In turn it would make fretting the board more tricky. I tend to roll the edges of new necks, but I also like to check the frets are properly leveled and crowned, so I'm maybe more of a tinkerer than the average bassist.
A broken Allen Key takes proper skill, so I hate to think how that happened.
High action is quick to fix. The back bow in the neck is alarming, especially if it can't be dialed out.
The flaw(s) that I see in this pic are that the frets on the left (low E-string) side of the fretboard are flat on top and not properly crowned.
While I've never thought that the MIMs had a great set of pickups (wife's best friend's daughter has a MIM J-bass), some of them are pretty darn playable!
I will say that from your pics, that the quality control leaves something to be desired (at least it WORKED)!
Two suggestions (if you plan on keeping the instrument)-
1. Replace the pickup ASAP. Get a Dimarzio Model P or similar. The tone WILL improve dramatically!
2. Check out the wiring of the electronics (or get a competent tech to do it for you). The tone cap might just be wired wrong (or as you mentioned, the pot might be crappy).
YMMV
I will say that from your pics, that the quality control leaves something to be desired (at least it WORKED)!
Two suggestions (if you plan on keeping the instrument)-
1. Replace the pickup ASAP. Get a Dimarzio Model P or similar. The tone WILL improve dramatically!
2. Check out the wiring of the electronics (or get a competent tech to do it for you). The tone cap might just be wired wrong (or as you mentioned, the pot might be crappy).
YMMV
I have too - I just reamed the hole out with a drill bit, although I understand that approach isn't for everyone...
I share the same sentiments personally, whatever anyone else does, as long as it's within the legal conditions of the return policy, that's between them and the store. I understand how it's like not to have the basses easily available that one can try before you buy. The closest GC is an hour's drive from me and even then, they don't offer a wide variety basses. The important thing in my mind is I have the INTENT to buy a bass. I may be inclined to take a chance on a model I'm unfamiliar with if I know I can return it and get something else I would want. That's how some stores get around with people who never intend to purchase a bass to begin with, by offering store credit instead of money back. Sure you can return the bass and get a different one, or something completely different within that 30 day window but the money is already in the store's bank account.
What I'm wondering is what does the particular store do with all the returned guitars and basses, send them to other customers? If that's the case technically, the bass is not "new" - so ultimately all bass players purchasing from the store suffer the consequences of such a return practice.
Perhaps here in the US, but in Germany I would think they are not as plentiful.
Don't think shops would have too much of an issue with ordering to send back.. I know in my case I couldn't trust myself to do it as id want to keep too many, making the store money. Also if you live far away from the shop they're potentially getting business that would go to a more local store to the customer.
Yikes. I picked up a MIM P Bass on Craigslist years ago - didn't have any of these issues, but I imagine the quality control has changed over the years.
... no problem, post pics, I like pics ...
... take a look at the back of your bass, if the tummy bevel is all black, it has a veneer on the top and back, and it (that veneer) was applied in one piece ... even if you see a seam, it was likely glued in the veneer sheet making process and was attached to the product in one piece ... that's the way we build laminate veneered furniture too .. if yours is different, I learned something, but being in the woodworking biz for lots of years, it makes little sense to create a joint with the veneer to cover a joint beneath it ... especially on a small item as a bass body ...
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Almost exactly the same thing I experienced back in 08. I posted a thread about Fender's QC (or lack of it) back then. One thing I can say for certain is that GC hung my returns back up on the wall where they were being sold as new. Pretty unethical and probably against the consumer laws too.
Sad that it seems the same things still show up almost 10 years later. In the end after the returns, I eventually ended up with a 10/10 late 07 early 08 Fender MIA P bass Black 'n' Maple which I still own and won't ever sell.
Here's the thread.
OK Does Fender Have QC Issues?
I picked up an MIM (Noir P) this year and the quality was not at all like in the OP. It was the first Fender Bass I ever had with a RW board and yes, it would be nice if they took the time to round them off a little, but playability is not affected at all. The photos surprised me though. I'd buy another MIM in a flash based on the fit and finish of both my J and my P.
