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Nash vs Vintage P

#6
Love my PB63

How it compares to a vintage PB, probably depends on the the vintage PB.

Waitng list is about a year long atm, so buy direct from whatever Humbucker or someone else has in stock or wait if you need it built to taste.
 
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#8
My Nash PB63 is my soulmate instrument, many other basses have come and gone but that Nash will stay with me forever. As much as I love that bass, I’m not sure they are built to the exact specs as a vintage Fender. If you’re dead set on owning something that is spec’d to vintage Fenders, Olinto, Moollon, and Fender Custom Shop would probably be a better (and pricier) option.
 
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#9
I had at one time a 66 P bass and I own now a Nash 57 PB. They are very different instruments. The 66 was a little lighter than the Nash but the Nash has a certain heft in the way it sounds that the 66 lacked. I can't say that the Nash is the best P bass I've ever played but it is a really good P bass. I've had two Fender Custom Shop P basses and neither of them were as good as the Nash.
 
#11
A P bass is a P bass. But what makes a P bass great, magical, one of a kind? Something different for each one of us. So it doesn't make sense to make recommendations.

If you know whay you like and you know what made that pre-CBS special to you, you can commission someone to build you as close a clone of that as possible.
 
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#12
I owned a Nash PJ that was very good. And I owned a Lakland USA Bob Glaub signature that was amazing. Were they as good or better than a vintage P? It depends on which vintage P you’re comparing it to.

Every Pino Palladino signature P Bass that I’ve ever played has been wonderful. Same with the Moollons. There are a lot of good options out there.
 
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#13
The only Nash I have played was a guitar, this beautiful rust colored Tele. We were visiting Chicago and I visited Chicago Music. Wonderful place, loads of great instruments but that Tele is the one that stood out. I was mostly gigging on bass by then and also had most of my guitar needs covered (although not a Tele) but it was beyond my budget at almost $3K. Hard to describe other than the action was perfect and it played like a dream. I’m not a big fan of relicing but this was very nicely done. If I found that in a bass today, I don’t think I could walk away.
 
#15
dc-upright said:
I got to play a pre CBS P and it was truly a magical experience! I can’t afford one so was wondering how the Nash bass compared to an early 60s P?

There are none around to play so would love to hear how they compare.
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Nash in my experience playing them is NOTHING like a pre cbs p aside from maybe the lollar pickup. 10” radius, and I think his necks are 1 5/8” allparts necks. You’d be better off with say a moollon or american vintage reissue.
 
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#17
If you have access to a USA Lakland, I would give it a try.
Might not be the exact same sound as a real vintage p but very sweet and rounded.
The one I tried inspired me to play some Fleetwood Mac as this is how it sounded.
 
#18
Bass4ThePublic said:
Nash in my experience playing them is NOTHING like a pre cbs p aside from maybe the lollar pickup. 10” radius, and I think his necks are 1 5/8” allparts necks. You’d be better off with say a moollon or american vintage reissue.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

What I will say for Nash is they are very well set up and with good fret finish work.

Still, they are off the shelf parts instruments (vs something like Bravewood, which I mentioned earlier, who scratch builds the necks, bodies, pickguards, etc - and are much more true to pre CBS specs - disclaimer, I've only played several of his basses, I don't own one so this is not confirmation bias - though I did have him refinish a '66 J).

Also the Nash relicing looks very artificial (compare to the work by someone like Joe Riggio and others).

Case in point, Nash headstock:

Nash headstock.jpg


Refin headstock by Bravewood:

IMG_20200723_103810.jpg


A Bravewood scratchbuilt bass:

417404085_122093512874226291_148958708560384430_n.jpg


A Joe Riggio bass:

10548672_322393911263539_1140012321788966742_o.jpg


Nacho Guitars:

428606887_433130619065152_7539793893277808918_n.jpg
 
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#19
Dynacord said:
Exactly.

What I will say for Nash is they are very well set up and with good fret finish work.

Still, they are off the shelf parts instruments (vs something like Bravewood, which I mentioned earlier, who scratch builds the necks, bodies, pickguards, etc - and are much more true to pre CBS specs - disclaimer, I've only played several of his basses, I don't own one so this is not confirmation bias - though I did have him refinish a '66 J).

Also the Nash relicing looks very artificial (compare to the work by someone like Joe Riggio and others).

Case in point, Nash headstock:

View attachment 5375262

Refin headstock by Bravewood:

View attachment 5375269

A Bravewood scratchbuilt bass:

View attachment 5375276

A Joe Riggio bass:

View attachment 5375271

Nacho Guitars:

View attachment 5375279
Click to expand...
Nacho Ts are 3x what a Nash costs and more than a CS so it doesn’t belong in the set. Also Fender doesn’t have the technology to paint headstocks. If you want Advanced Headstock Painting Technology the Nash is a good option. They play very well.

If I was shopping I’d make the choice based on neck as they’re otherwise really similar. What feels best to you?
 

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