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Need some advice before I check out a used P MIM

bumperbass

bumperbass

Jun 19, 2012
2,494
1,491
#1
Hello TB!
First post, long time lurker. Been playing for a VERY long time.
HOWEVER I really need some help.
Saturday morning, I am meeting a guy that's selling a MIM Precision from craigslist.
I'm kind of scared I'll get duped, but I need some suggestions to make sure this thing is really a MIM, or if I'm being conned into buying an Affinity with a MIM neck.
Any tell-tale things to look for? Sure, it would be a lot easier in a store, with a bunch of other P basses around, or even with buying a new one.
The thing has white, numbered knobs on it, but that doesn't bother me too much, I guess. I guess!
But....HELP!
Thank you very much!
 
#4
PBassClist.jpg
Thanks, Dan!
I know Mexican P's serials start with 'M', but that still can mean the guy put a MIM neck on a clone.
Hope my attachment came through. Pic is not very good.
 
#6
Tough to say. I think the MIM bodies from that time period were poplar, while the Affinity/Squire stuff were probably basswood or something else. In any case, if the price is right and it plays and sounds good, it's hard to go wrong. Likely worth risking a couple of hundred bucks.

Dan
 
#7
Serial number is MZ0165659. Made in 2000, so you must know your stuff, Dan.
I've been staring at P's on here for 100's of hrs. and haven't noticed any knobs like these.
Thanks, Rocky.
Don't know if I can tell what kind of wood it is, but I'll just have to trust my instincts.
I can get it for $225.00. I'll probably come home with it.
 
#8
Without taking the pickups out and neck off, I know of no sure fire way to figure out if a mim fender is truly a mim fender. At that price, if it's got a fender neck and plays and sounds good, then I'd go for it. The neck alone would usually go for at least $100. If it turned out to be a squier, you could always throw some fender original pickups and a new fender bridge in for another hundred bucks if you really wanted to. I got a mid nineties mim fender P from CL a year and a half ago for $200, so that price is not way out of line for an older mim, though it is $100-150 less than what a really nice one goes for in my neck of the woods.
 
#9
MrRobert, what kind of knobs are on yours?
I will have to check out the neck very carefully. If I get bad vibes from that, I'll have to pass.
Haven't been around the music scene for about 15 years, so I'm not aware of what were 'good' or 'bad' years for MIM P's, or if there were any years to stay away from.
I had a late 70's P that was the heaviest bass I ever held.
 
#10
bumperbass said:
MrRobert, what kind of knobs are on yours?
I will have to check out the neck very carefully. If I get bad vibes from that, I'll have to pass.
Haven't been around the music scene for about 15 years, so I'm not aware of what were 'good' or 'bad' years for MIM P's, or if there were any years to stay away from.
I had a late 70's P that was the heaviest bass I ever held.
Click to expand...

This will be your best clue. MIM's are always heavy. If it is a lightweight it has a replacement body.
 
#11
I believe that mine came with the plastic, skirted knobs. Here's the quick story of that bass: it was owned by a woman who's friend gave it to her to practice on, but she decided not to learn how to play and wanted to get rid of it. When I first saw it, it was a total beater... The neck had a ton of relief, it did not play great, and overall looked pretty scummy. But there were no cracks anywhere on the body or neck, and I thought it could be brought back to life. So I bought it and took it to Bass Emporium here in Austin, and Chuck gave it a very good setup. I ended up also buying a new set of the chrome barrel knobs, and a new black pickguard. Once I got it back it was my favorite bass until I got my roadworn P.
 
#12
hdracer said:
This will be your best clue. MIM's are always heavy. If it is a lightweight it has a replacement body.
Click to expand...

I have no scale, so I couldn't tell you if the bass was 'heavy' or not... But it felt like the proper weight for a fender P. But I do like my basses 'heavy' so there you go! That said, my roadworn is noticeably lighter than my classic 50s P, my mid 90s mim Jazz, my 2012 highway 1 P and my Squier CV P. I love them all regardless of their weight!
 
#13
hdracer, I've never heard that about MIM's weight. Obviously my late 70's model was made in America. I just was unlucky with that unseen purchase.
Thanks, MrRobert, but right now I can't afford a Roadworn. I can set up my own basses so I figure the most I'll ever do to it is put Dimarzio's in it or maybe replace the pickguard and bridge, but only one thing at a time.
It would be so much easier to just try out a few MIA's at the music store and come home with one, but I've yet to make any money playing 6 nights a month. I've had to buy various PA gear because nobody else wanted to pony up. I'm done with that now and have moved on to another group. MIM's are on sale online for $529. I can't even do that so this purchase is important to me. I just want to be DONE for a while and just PLAY!
 
#15
bumperbass said:
hdracer, I've never heard that about MIM's weight. Obviously my late 70's model was made in America. I just was unlucky with that unseen purchase.
Thanks, MrRobert, but right now I can't afford a Roadworn. I can set up my own basses so I figure the most I'll ever do to it is put Dimarzio's in it or maybe replace the pickguard and bridge, but only one thing at a time.
It would be so much easier to just try out a few MIA's at the music store and come home with one, but I've yet to make any money playing 6 nights a month. I've had to buy various PA gear because nobody else wanted to pony up. I'm done with that now and have moved on to another group. MIM's are on sale online for $529. I can't even do that so this purchase is important to me. I just want to be DONE for a while and just PLAY!
Click to expand...

I have absolutely been there (many times!) and when I bought that P it was amazing. I had a real Fender precision, at long last! I am now fortunate enough to have a good job that allows me to afford more expensive instruments, but to be honest, that bass was great. Once it was cleaned up and set up properly, it was a great bass. I'd proudly rock it today if I still had it, but once I got my other basses I traded it for a mim tele, also a fantastic instrument! Obviously I have no problem with mim fenders, but I think they're very undervalued... Or maybe just under appreciated.
 
#20
I have a '98 that looks just like that photo. I switched out the strat knobs for fender chromes. It's a heavy bass and the pickups are really hot.

The neck has the skunk stripe and the truss nut opening at the headstock. If the truss nut turns, you should be good to go.
 

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