• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

My New '57 AVRI P Bass!!

AlienLanes

AlienLanes

Oct 15, 2015
245
394
#1
A few weeks ago, I went in to my local guitar shop (which happens to be the only Fender retailer other than Guitar Center in my area) with my guitar player because I saw on their website that they had some AVRI basses for far less than retail price. The second I picked up this '57 off the wall, it was magic drool

Coming from a mid 2000's American Standard, this bass blew it out of the water. I quickly fell in love with the "wide and thin" neck profile. The pickup is really, really grindy too, which fits my band's style perfectly (I actually had to roll down the gain some on my SVT :nailbiting:).

I picked this blonde beauty up for $1200 even. I am very pleased. They said it's a 2005 but I'm not 100% sure since they also said that it was a '58 Reissue lol. However old it is, it has definitely been played a lot and has quite a bit of "relic-ing" on it and feels broken in, which I love.

There are 3 cons I have found with playing this bass over the past few weeks though:

1. Pickup is very unbalanced! The raised A string pole pieces have both the E and A at a loud volume and my D and G are very quiet in comparison. The D and G pickup is also raised up just under the strings too :thumbsdown: I am considering swapping it out for the overwound Lollar.

2. It has a couple of borderline dead frets way up on the neck, so it definitely needs a setup. The action is nice and low though.

3. The bridge is kinda "plunky". I also haven't gotten used to not stringing through the body yet. :rolleyes:

Overall, I'm in love with this bass. This is the best looking, playing, and sounding P bass I have ever played. I'm a P guy for life!





IMG_3949.JPG
IMG_3951.JPG
IMG_4033.JPG
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tbone76, Embra, Shawn Luckman and 3 others
#2
It's my favorite P as well. I had a very similar experience to yours. I owned an American Standard and a 62' AVRI so figured I was all set in the P department, then I made the mistake of picking up a used 57' AVRI at my local store. I was totally blown away by it. I sold off the American Standard and the 62' (both wer excellent basses) and the 57' will remain forever with me.

I know what you mean about the string balance but it's the punchiest, bestist sounding P I've ever played and I think the pickup has a lot to do with that. I'd be nervous bout losing that sound with a pickup swap.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AlienLanes
#3
Dave W said:
It's my favorite P as well. I had a very similar experience to yours. I owned an American Standard and a 62' AVRI so figured I was all set in the P department, then I made the most stake of picking up a used 57' AVRI at my local store. I was totally blown away by it. I sold off the American Standard and the 62' (both wer excellent basses) and the 57' will remain forever with me.

I know what you mean about the string balance but it's the punchiest, bestist sounding P I've ever played and I think the pickup has a lot to do with that. I'd be nervous bout losing that sound with a pickup swap.
Click to expand...

Yeah... I don't see myself ever returning to an American Standard anything haha. This bass just feels so natural and the thin finish really lets it breathe! I use all 4 strings pretty frequently throughout my playing so it's kind of a bummer that they aren't balanced with this pickup since the E and A strings sound AMAZING. I've just heard so many good things about those Lollar Pickups....
 
#4
I too am a recent convert of the 57RI. I got mine on a trade last week and at first I was not really digging it. I did not like the unevenness on the string to string response and found it difficult to tame. I already have a 63 RI that had flatwounds so I wanted this one to have rounds. I tried two different sets round wounds on it that are my favorite string and neither one of them was very satisfying. Then I found an old set of Labella 760 FL....... :). The perfect combination in my opening in this base is now one of my favorites I took it on a gig Last weekend and it was amazing
 
#5
AlienLanes said:
A few weeks ago, I went in to my local guitar shop (which happens to be the only Fender retailer other than Guitar Center in my area) with my guitar player because I saw on their website that they had some AVRI basses for far less than retail price. The second I picked up this '57 off the wall, it was magic drool

Coming from a mid 2000's American Standard, this bass blew it out of the water. I quickly fell in love with the "wide and thin" neck profile. The pickup is really, really grindy too, which fits my band's style perfectly (I actually had to roll down the gain some on my SVT :nailbiting:).

I picked this blonde beauty up for $1200 even. I am very pleased. They said it's a 2005 but I'm not 100% sure since they also said that it was a '58 Reissue lol. However old it is, it has definitely been played a lot and has quite a bit of "relic-ing" on it and feels broken in, which I love.

There are 3 cons I have found with playing this bass over the past few weeks though:

1. Pickup is very unbalanced! The raised A string pole pieces have both the E and A at a loud volume and my D and G are very quiet in comparison. The D and G pickup is also raised up just under the strings too :thumbsdown: I am considering swapping it out for the overwound Lollar.

2. It has a couple of borderline dead frets way up on the neck, so it definitely needs a setup. The action is nice and low though.

3. The bridge is kinda "plunky". I also haven't gotten used to not stringing through the body yet. :rolleyes:

Overall, I'm in love with this bass. This is the best looking, playing, and sounding P bass I have ever played. I'm a P guy for life!

]
Click to expand...
Congrats on your new bass. It's quite a looker.
If the E and A strings are both too loud, just lower the whole E and A pickup. Uneven string response on a P bass should never be a problem that can't be solved. Pickups can be raised, lowered, or tilted as necessary to even out the response.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: brendanbassix
#10
mojomike001 said:
Congrats on your new bass. It's quite a looker.
If the E and A strings are both too loud, just lower the whole E and A pickup. Uneven string response on a P bass should never be a problem that can't be solved. Pickups can be raised, lowered, or tilted as necessary to even out the response.
Click to expand...
Exactly. All you need is a well done setup.
Different volumes between E&A and D&G is one of two things - Pickup and/or string height or an electronics problem (bad pickup, loose wire)
 
  • Like
Reactions: mojomike001
#11
@ShaneF
If the pickup is from origin and have some pole pieces raised, it's not a '57 P.
An AVRI '57 P has the 'Original Precision Bass Pickup' (aka '57/'62) with flush and exaggeratedly beveled pole pieces (however, pre-1998 pickups are different and have the non beveled magnets with the A one raised).
The serial number on the neck plate gives an indication for the year. A 2005 would be in the V160000-ish range.

The wear on the upper top edge (where the wood can be seen) is likely due to too much cleaning/polishing (the nitro color is very very thin).
 
Last edited:
#13
Glazenn said:
@ShaneF
If the pickup is from origin and have some pole pieces raised, it's not a '57 P.
An AVRI '57 P has the 'Original Precision Bass Pickup' (aka '57/'62) with flush and exaggeratedly beveled pole pieces (however, pre-1998 pickups are different and have the non beveled magnets with the A one raised).
The serial number on the neck plate gives an indication for the year. A 2005 would be in the V160000-ish range.

The wear on the upper top edge (where the wood can be seen) is likely due to too much cleaning/polishing (the nitro color is very very thin).
Click to expand...

Huh?

I've got an all original 57' AVRI from 2005-2009ish that has the raised A pole pieces.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Son of Wobble

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back