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Ok last post...Which bass should I pick?

Which P bass should I choose?

  • MIM 50's P bass

    Votes: 48 32.4%

  • MIA American Special P bass

    Votes: 100 67.6%
  • Total voters
    148
#82
IMHO and experience, I really like my MIM P Special. The best Fender I have ever owned. Hands down. In all fairness though, most of mine is no longer fender. The body and neck are the only Fender parts. Everything else has been upgraded..
 
#83
bordinco90 said:
Ok I have decided on a passive, 4 string P bass. Now which one should I pick. The choices: A MIM 50's P-Bass or a MIA American Special P bass. I like the look of the 50's P bass better, but is the American Special better than the 50's P bass? Ther American Special is a cheaper MIA P bass version. The American Special is $799 and the 50's P bass is $749. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

The main difference is the neck. Do you prefer 1.75" nut with 7.25" radius or 1.625" nut with 9.5" radius?
 
#85
Gospel Bass Player said:
Neither, go with the Sire MMV7 for $599.00 or less. Here is mine, you won't be disappointed ! Tobacco Sunburst in Swamp Ash...Invalid Link Removed
628825

628827
Click to expand...
That isn't a P bass.... :eyebrow:
 
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#86
What neck do you like? That is really what it comes down to. They are very different. Everything else can be changed, if not immediately then in the future. The Special's neck is really nice and fast, 1.625" at the nut. The MIM has that 1.75" at the nut. This is a substantial difference. I like them both. YMMV.
 
#87
hdracer said:
Used Amarican Standard.
Why buy new second rate when you can get a nice used top of the line?
Click to expand...
I question the notion of "second rate". I have a few Amercan Standards, several American Specials, and at least three MIMs, as well as a few Squiers, and I'm in a position to afford any of those without blinking an eye, but I spend my dollar on MY perception of value, not another's attempt to "class" instruments in order to justify a higher price.

Continuing my personal opinion... regardless of class, instruments can be like cars. I don't want one made on Monday morning or Friday afternoon, but that's just me. I won't, however, simply dismisses non-AmStds without physically putting them to the test on an individual basis. The two AmSpecs I have were CHOSEN by me following onsite side-by-side comparisons with AmStds, which on those two particular occasions felt like the ones I wanted to take home. And yes, there have been instances where the AmStds won out, as well as times when the MIMs did the trick.

For my money, an axe on the stage is worth two on the wall, regardless of class. I can honestly say that there's been times where I've suffered buyer's remorse for a bass regardless of class, feeling after some period of time that I'd ultimately paid more than I should have (or maybe not bought to begin with), but that's the road we all travel on the road to Utopia.
 
#92
I have an american special P. I bought it because of the neck profile, slim-C. No other reason.
According to the service manual the tuners are part number 0036400000. I recently purchased a set for a fretless neck, the package says made in Korea.

I replaced the bridge with a Hipshot quick release bridge, but only because I like quick release..

I do prefer the look of the mim over the black one. There is a honeyburst american special but it's not quite as nice looking.
 
#93
One you might want to consider, the Fender American Special Nitro Satin Precision, I got one last year from GC, now MF is selling them. It kicks my Highway One's @ss, the pickup is loud, bright if you want, and plays great. And it's not buried in 1/4" of polyawfulness. I don't take mine out much, I don't want it to get beat up. I think it's pretty nice looking.
93357419-0ef4-4d7a-b55d-86733c6e0a2e_zpszl75bnzn.gif
 
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#94
bordinco90 said:
Ok I have decided on a passive, 4 string P bass. Now which one should I pick. The choices: A MIM 50's P-Bass or a MIA American Special P bass. I like the look of the 50's P bass better, but is the American Special better than the 50's P bass? Ther American Special is a cheaper MIA P bass version. The American Special is $799 and the 50's P bass is $749. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

mia all the way around
 
#97
bordinco90 said:
Well I dont wanna buy used becuase, when you buy used you buy somebody else's headache lol.
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree... I have bought many a used bass on TB and have NEVER ended up with someone else's headache. I'm currently playing a 1973 Fender P, purchased used here on TB that is an amazing instrument.
 
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