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NBD: Classic 50's precision

BillyRay

BillyRay

Jan 20, 2008
1,671
75
Quebec
#1
I remember playing one of these when they first came out and thinking they were very nice, even went as far as going to the store to buy one and they had sold all the remaining stock ! I got a used Glaub instead and sold that...

With the new band, I was looking to get a pj style bass, but when this came up and the seller lived very close to my job... plus the price was right... I just had to have it.

6f4mfk.jpg


It's a pretty bad picture with all the smudges and that finish doesn't photograph very well at all, but it's really nice. In new condition: the kid who had it had several other basses and had only bought it in march of this year. The hardware and build is amazing: I remember the time when MIA Fenders had neck pockets so crappily built you could drive a semi into them... This is not the case here. The only thing I'm not a fan of is the pickup. It's a bit meh sounding, but it might be the roundwounds which are on it now.

As a bonus, here's a picture of the charvel I bought for half a song a few weeks ago : it's NOT in new condition though, this one's been around the block :bassist:

2ivd91y.jpg


The Fender is going to get flats pretty soon, but which kind. I have chromes on my squier p, and have had good luck with La Bella, altough I'm not sure I want to go the full monty and get the Jamerson set. I've heard good things about the ghs precision flats, but nobody seems to carry ghs anymnore up here. Recommendations for an old school flat with medium-high tension that won't bust my neck ?
 
#2
Yes, go for the JJ-set, or if you think that's a bit hefty, take LB's that are 1 size less thick. I have the JJ-set, and despite being 0.052's, I don't find them that heavy in terms of playability. Plus they complement the P-bass very nicely, really digging in that deep P-growl. As for "busting the neck", you shouldn't be worried, it's a humongous piece of wood, it can take the little bit of extra stress, even without tinkering the trussrod.
 
#3
Mr.Fingers said:
Yes, go for the JJ-set, or if you think that's a bit hefty, take LB's that are 1 size less thick. I have the JJ-set, and despite being 0.052's, I don't find them that heavy in terms of playability. Plus they complement the P-bass very nicely, really digging in that deep P-growl. As for "busting the neck", you shouldn't be worried, it's a humongous piece of wood, it can take the little bit of extra stress, even without tinkering the trussrod.
Click to expand...

I've had the JJ set before on a bass and cracked the nut (the nut slots were probably too small). I agree that the Classic 50's neck is a beefy one, but I'm not so sure I want the bridge cables again. I remember left hand pain while fretting the F and Bb in first position... Maybe baby bridge cables :)
 
#5
Sweet purchase! I had one, and frankly, I wish I'd kept it. The Jamerson set is truly something special, and not nearly as tough to play as so many people (who've obviously never actually used them for any length of time) like to say they are. Actually, I've found them to be easier to play as you don't have to depress them nearly as much as you do lighter gauge flats. However, if the Jamersons scare you, the 0760 FL or even 0760 FX are wonderfully playable, and the tone is pretty much right there with the 0760M Jamersons.
 
#6
tekdiver500ft said:
Sweet purchase! I had one, and frankly, I wish I'd kept it. The Jamerson set is truly something special, and not nearly as tough to play as so many people (who've obviously never actually used them for any length of time) like to say they are. Actually, I've found them to be easier to play as you don't have to depress them nearly as much as you do lighter gauge flats. However, if the Jamersons scare you, the 0760 FL or even 0760 FX are wonderfully playable, and the tone is pretty much right there with the 0760M Jamersons.
Click to expand...

I've had the JJ set before on a bass and maybe the nut was cut too high, but I remember having pain in my fretting hand. I have smaller hands and I like medium action so this might be the reason why I didn't agree with them (I agreed with the tone and feel with my plucking hand though)... I have to watch out for carpal tunel since my job involves a computer a lot and I've just recently started playing again, so my hand strength/stamina is lower than it used to be.

With that said, I might just give them another try and unload them on kijiji if necessary.
 
#7
Played this thing for a few hours yesterday and today and there's no getting around it: it needs flats and the roundwound it's wearing now are really atrocious. I have the charvel for the roundwound/rock stuff anyway.

I'll reserve judgement on the pickup, but it is very high mid forward and grindy now with rounds: the tone is nasty (in a semi plesant way) with the tone dimed. With the tone just smidge away from completly rolled off, the voicing is very sweet and warm though.

What cap value are in those: .10 or .047 ? I don't want to take it apart for nothing before I change the strings.
 
#9
BillyRay said:
Played this thing for a few hours yesterday and today and there's no getting around it: it needs flats and the roundwound it's wearing now are really atrocious. I have the charvel for the roundwound/rock stuff anyway.

I'll reserve judgement on the pickup, but it is very high mid forward and grindy now with rounds: the tone is nasty (in a semi plesant way) with the tone dimed. With the tone just smidge away from completly rolled off, the voicing is very sweet and warm though.

What cap value are in those: .10 or .047 ? I don't want to take it apart for nothing before I change the strings.
Click to expand...

I think it's .1, but am not 100% certain.
 
#10
Great bass, the pride of the MIM line. Compares favorably with the late model '57 AVRI. The pickup is a pre-2012 American Standard pup according to a TBer who checked directly with Fender.

Pup height may need adjusting to get optimal tone when you set it up with new strings. Mine is wearing La Bella 760 FS. Excellent!

La Bella 760 FL and TI JF344 are two more of my faves. GHS Precision Flats are also great. Chromes are just OK IMHO. Check bassstringsonline.com. Jason is a TBer and there's a discount program for TB members.

Congrats!! :bassist:
 
#11
ShowLow said:
Great bass, the pride of the MIM line. Compares favorably with the late model '57 AVRI. The pickup is a pre-2012 American Standard pup according to a TBer who checked directly with Fender.

Pup height may need adjusting to get optimal tone when you set it up with new strings. Mine is wearing La Bella 760 FS. Excellent!

La Bella 760 FL and TI JF344 are two more of my faves. GHS Precision Flats are also great. Chromes are just OK IMHO. Check bassstringsonline.com. Jason is a TBer and there's a discount program for TB members.

Congrats!! :bassist:
Click to expand...

Thanks. I e-mailed Jason. It's between the ghs preicison flats and the LaBella. Probably can't go wrong with either.
 
#14
P. Aaron said:
New P-Bass stuff is always good. Congrats!
Click to expand...

The thing is, I now have 4 of the bloody things: this one, a squier, a defretted sx and the charvel. And nothing else, altough that's not much of a problem. Don't need no fancy schmancy two pickups basses with their small, thin necks and active pre-amps ;).

Strangely enough, this bass channels the part in me that wants to play Rush songs so I've spent the evening drinking beer and relearning the classics that I spent so much time going over when I was a teenager, instead of getting laid. Good stuff.
 
#15
lpdeluxe said:
I own both, and I agree. Both of them (all of my basses, in fact) have Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats: a great combination, in my opinion.

Here they both are, a little out of focus:

TwoPrecisions.jpg
Click to expand...

That AVRI '57 is sexy. I almost bought mary kay white model on lamusic.ca last week, but somebody got to it before I did... And now they're discontinued and 500$ pricier. I was even chatting with the guy on e-mail to talk financing when he got back to me 5 minutes later to say they had just sold it. Well, good thing, since it was too rich for my blood right now and this baby was three times as cheap.
 
#17
BillyRay said:
That AVRI '57 is sexy. I almost bought mary kay white model on lamusic.ca last week, but somebody got to it before I did... And now they're discontinued and 500$ pricier. I was even chatting with the guy on e-mail to talk financing when he got back to me 5 minutes later to say they had just sold it. Well, good thing, since it was too rich for my blood right now and this baby was three times as cheap.
Click to expand...

I gigged with the Classic '50s for several years before I got a little windfall and bought the AVRI '57. I expected a massive upgrade due to the difference in price but, given that the AVRI has a gorgeous finish (and my sweaty arms don't slide around as badly on the nitro as on the poly during outdoor gigs in summer-heat Texas) and a really cool period case, as a player I use them interchangeably, based on the "look" I want for a particular gig. The Classic '50s P is the greatest bang-for-the-buck Fender I have ever encountered. I gig with it now (another thing about poly: it doesn't chip as easily as nitro:D).

And I'm not as anxious about taking it to the job in a gig bag that will fit in the back seat of my Mustang ragtop.

One change I didn't mention: I installed a Basslines Quarter Pound on the Classic '50s. The two basses sound very similar to my ear. And, of course, a lot of owners are perfectly happy with the stock Classic pickup.

Here's a shot that shows the color pretty well (I should add, I hated the color when I got it, but now I like it):

Fender50sPrecision.jpg
 
#18
lpdeluxe said:
I gigged with the Classic '50s for several years before I got a little windfall and bought the AVRI '57. I expected a massive upgrade due to the difference in price but, given that the AVRI has a gorgeous finish (and my sweaty arms don't slide around as badly on the nitro as on the poly during outdoor gigs in summer-heat Texas) and a really cool period case, as a player I use them interchangeably, based on the "look" I want for a particular gig. The Classic '50s P is the greatest bang-for-the-buck Fender I have ever encountered. I gig with it now (another thing about poly: it doesn't chip as easily as nitro:D).

And I'm not as anxious about taking it to the job in a gig bag that will fit in the back seat of my Mustang ragtop.

One change I didn't mention: I installed a Basslines Quarter Pound on the Classic '50s. The two basses sound very similar to my ear. And, of course, a lot of owners are perfectly happy with the stock Classic pickup.

Here's a shot that shows the color pretty well (I should add, I hated the color when I got it, but now I like it):

Fender50sPrecision.jpg
Click to expand...

The colour is already starting to grow on me and the pickup too :bassist:
 

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