Ok, technically my first American P Bass. My very first bass was back in 1983 when I was 14 y.o... a Squier Bullet bass. Sort of a P bass junior not too much like its big brother. And a year or two later, managed to get a Kramer sparkle blue P bass copy.
But ever since then, I've been a Jazz bass snob. Not sure what biases plague our preferences, but I would've never, ever considered a Fender Precision. A PRS CE back in the late 80s, a Steinberger XL2, many Jazz basses along the way (fretted and fretless, only one actual Fender (MIJ) though), one EBMM fretless, a Rondo Jazz, 5str Ibanez. And most recently, a Rick 4003S.
My bias turned a little this past Christmas... my girlfriend bought me a Squier Fretless P and I absolutely love this thing. My appreciation for the Indonesian P and frustration with my mercurial Rick neck led me to my local shop yesterday. I was flirting with the idea of doing a trade-in with my 4003 for an American Standard Jazz, possibly a P.
They were fresh out of American Standards, but a used 1983 Fender Precision hung on the wall. It was the bass of tech/luthier/bench guy who's been there for 30 years, give or take.
It played like a dream. It looked like a 33 year old bass. My Rick stayed behind and left with the '83. I was almost in shock... what the hell?
Plugged in at home (Axe FX II) and can't believe how impossibly good this bass sounds. Clear, open, full. And *articulate*. Why I ever thought these basses were 'meatheads' is beyond me. Setup a quick session in Logic, threw down some quickie guitar, then laid down my first P bass track.
Easily, by far, the best bass tone I've captured with no fiddling or f*cking around. I'm almost giddy.
I did do some some gentle post-EQ... little bump around 1.2k for a little upper mid bump, and a little bump around 2.2k to emphasize attack. The funny thing -- I dialed back the EQ way back from what I usually do simply because it didn't sound like it needed it. I'm letting the track sit for a day, and will probably go back and just remove the EQ.
This bass sounds exactly like a bass should sound. I'm still having a bit of a time wrapping my head around the fact that I'm a P bass guy. Wow. Just... wow!
This is a 1983, out of the Fullerton plant... does anyone have an idea of the finish? I'm guessing it's poly and not lacquer, right? And the color looks cream/butterscotch/blonde... not sure what the official finish was called then.
But ever since then, I've been a Jazz bass snob. Not sure what biases plague our preferences, but I would've never, ever considered a Fender Precision. A PRS CE back in the late 80s, a Steinberger XL2, many Jazz basses along the way (fretted and fretless, only one actual Fender (MIJ) though), one EBMM fretless, a Rondo Jazz, 5str Ibanez. And most recently, a Rick 4003S.
My bias turned a little this past Christmas... my girlfriend bought me a Squier Fretless P and I absolutely love this thing. My appreciation for the Indonesian P and frustration with my mercurial Rick neck led me to my local shop yesterday. I was flirting with the idea of doing a trade-in with my 4003 for an American Standard Jazz, possibly a P.
They were fresh out of American Standards, but a used 1983 Fender Precision hung on the wall. It was the bass of tech/luthier/bench guy who's been there for 30 years, give or take.
It played like a dream. It looked like a 33 year old bass. My Rick stayed behind and left with the '83. I was almost in shock... what the hell?
Plugged in at home (Axe FX II) and can't believe how impossibly good this bass sounds. Clear, open, full. And *articulate*. Why I ever thought these basses were 'meatheads' is beyond me. Setup a quick session in Logic, threw down some quickie guitar, then laid down my first P bass track.
Easily, by far, the best bass tone I've captured with no fiddling or f*cking around. I'm almost giddy.
I did do some some gentle post-EQ... little bump around 1.2k for a little upper mid bump, and a little bump around 2.2k to emphasize attack. The funny thing -- I dialed back the EQ way back from what I usually do simply because it didn't sound like it needed it. I'm letting the track sit for a day, and will probably go back and just remove the EQ.
This bass sounds exactly like a bass should sound. I'm still having a bit of a time wrapping my head around the fact that I'm a P bass guy. Wow. Just... wow!
This is a 1983, out of the Fullerton plant... does anyone have an idea of the finish? I'm guessing it's poly and not lacquer, right? And the color looks cream/butterscotch/blonde... not sure what the official finish was called then.
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Lol.. 
.....yup. 
