Have one. It's a mid pot. If you're not hearing a difference it might be malfunctioning or maybe disconnected. The pots in my deluxe mim p bass were just plain weird so I swapped out all the electronics for EMGs.
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NBD MIM Deluxe P question
- Thread starter 1954bassman
- Start date
I have two these bases, one is black as yours but with a maple neck. Yes the control in question is a mid boost/cut control. FYI There were problems at the time with the mid pot/control circuit. Replacement pots from Fender replacement part sources did not have necessarily have the mid dent. If I recall the mid pot has its own circuit board which was known to have problems. If you are lucky it maybe the just the pot but you will have to remove it form the circuit board. If not the pot, you will need the entire midpot-circuit board assembly. These basses are a big bang for the $. They sound very well, are very easy to play, and have a Jazz bass width neck. Go luck with the repair and keep us posted with the results..
The tabs that hold the outer case on the mid pot on these loosens up. Bend the tabs back down tight and you should have your detent back. There is probably a wire in the ribbon cable that they use that broke loose either at the board (attached to volume pot) or at the mid pot itself. Easy fix. The mid pot is not soldered to a circuit board BTW
You have it right it is a talent knob (mid control) if you are not that talented, you can scoop the mids to hide some of your playing flaws amps have these as well 
No problem. I have the passive version. Great bass. I put some wilde bill lawrence pickups in it.
Attachments
"The mid pot is not soldered to a circuit board BTW"
I think he is correct after looking at the link in this post of the Fender manual. Their drawing is how I remember seeing it years ago when I opened it up to look at the preamp. What I was thinking of was the bigger dual connection to the stacked pot.
I have round wound strings on mine and a trick I have found is a little boost with the mid control really helps cut through a dense mix. Doing the same using a pick puts you on top of the mix.
Good luck with the bass.
I think he is correct after looking at the link in this post of the Fender manual. Their drawing is how I remember seeing it years ago when I opened it up to look at the preamp. What I was thinking of was the bigger dual connection to the stacked pot.
I have round wound strings on mine and a trick I have found is a little boost with the mid control really helps cut through a dense mix. Doing the same using a pick puts you on top of the mix.
Good luck with the bass.
I just noticed today that mine says: Fender Precision Special on the headstock with "Deluxe Series" in smaller typeset.
Well, after playing out live on a couple dates, I am leaning towards keeping the bass. I am a Music Man player, but I have been itching for a P bass for about a year. I am thinking this may be the Precision for me. I bought a Aerodyne Jazz a while back, but I have never bonded with it, so I will be selling it.
I plan on taking the Deluxe to my tech tomorrow for a complete setup and analysis. If it gets a clean bill of health, then most likely I will keep it. Of course that will be contingent on the electronics working correctly with a new mid pot installed.
If I do keep it I will probably replace the bridge with a Hipshot Kickass. Maybe a Hipshot D Tuner also.
One playing adjustment I am having to deal with is my right hand playing position. On the Music Man's I play right over the bridge pickup, with my thumb resting on the small "ramp" at the top of the pickup. When I play the Fender there, my fingertips hit the pole pieces on the J pickup.
I will pass judgement after I get the electronics straightened out, but right now my Music Man's are head and shoulders above this bass in every category. But I am thinking, if I am going to own a Precision, this may very well be the one for me. There is a lot to like about this bass, and it is definitely this first Fender I have played that really speaks to me.
I plan on taking the Deluxe to my tech tomorrow for a complete setup and analysis. If it gets a clean bill of health, then most likely I will keep it. Of course that will be contingent on the electronics working correctly with a new mid pot installed.
If I do keep it I will probably replace the bridge with a Hipshot Kickass. Maybe a Hipshot D Tuner also.
One playing adjustment I am having to deal with is my right hand playing position. On the Music Man's I play right over the bridge pickup, with my thumb resting on the small "ramp" at the top of the pickup. When I play the Fender there, my fingertips hit the pole pieces on the J pickup.
I will pass judgement after I get the electronics straightened out, but right now my Music Man's are head and shoulders above this bass in every category. But I am thinking, if I am going to own a Precision, this may very well be the one for me. There is a lot to like about this bass, and it is definitely this first Fender I have played that really speaks to me.
I'm with you. I've been playing a carvin Jazz 5 for a little while, but it's good to have a pbass, since it's such a standard. Mine has the same writing as yours on the headstock. What sold me was the Jazz size neck, and feels super light. I've liked the metal pick guards they have, as well. I wired mine in series with what is essentially a tone pot on the Jazz pickup in addition to the global tone pot. Works for me. Hope you get to keep it
it is a mid boost/treble. I have a 2014 model. i replaced everything on mine including the preamp. I still have the preamp board if you want it. Not gonna use it for anything else.
PM me if you want it.
Jason Hemmerlin
PM me if you want it.
Jason Hemmerlin
I dropped the bass off at my tech's shop today. He gave it a quick check over and gave it a big "thumb's up".
He is going to replace the nut (string spacing is awful) and do a complete setup. I will pick it up next week when my new pot comes in. He talked me out of replacing the bridge (at least for now). I really don't like the stock bridge, I think I might still replace it with a Hipshot Kickass, or maybe a Fender Hi Mass.
He is going to replace the nut (string spacing is awful) and do a complete setup. I will pick it up next week when my new pot comes in. He talked me out of replacing the bridge (at least for now). I really don't like the stock bridge, I think I might still replace it with a Hipshot Kickass, or maybe a Fender Hi Mass.
So my new pot has come in, and I hope to pick the bass up tomorrow. I finally decided, after much research to replace the stock bridge with this:
4 stg Vintage Bass Bridge > Store > Hipshot Products.
I went with the Hipshot Vintage style instead of a high mass replacement. I am hoping I will like the sound better. The Hipshot comes off as an improved version of the original Fender bridge.
I probably won't get it for a week or so.
4 stg Vintage Bass Bridge > Store > Hipshot Products.
I went with the Hipshot Vintage style instead of a high mass replacement. I am hoping I will like the sound better. The Hipshot comes off as an improved version of the original Fender bridge.
I probably won't get it for a week or so.
Okay, picked the bass up last Friday. Complete setup, new Hipshot Vintage bridge, mid control replaced, and it came out nice. The string spacing seems a tighter on the Hipshot. The Jazz neck is nice and comfy.
Played it Sunday morning through my Mesa D800/Eden D112XLT rig with great results. I started with all bass controls flat, and for the most part left them there except for just getting a feel for the balance and EQ. I did go with a slight bump on the now working mid control.
Overall, this may be the P bass I have been looking for. I think the active preamp suits my taste buds. It has the best sounding stock J pickup I have heard on a Fender, and the P pickup is massive.
I will try to do a complete review in the future, after I have had it longer.
Played it Sunday morning through my Mesa D800/Eden D112XLT rig with great results. I started with all bass controls flat, and for the most part left them there except for just getting a feel for the balance and EQ. I did go with a slight bump on the now working mid control.
Overall, this may be the P bass I have been looking for. I think the active preamp suits my taste buds. It has the best sounding stock J pickup I have heard on a Fender, and the P pickup is massive.
I will try to do a complete review in the future, after I have had it longer.
