I have a stock ‘13 MIM Standard P with Chromes. Super low action. Effortless to play. Nice tone. It’s perfect for me. But it may not be for you.
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P Bass choices
- Thread starter J Sudjian
- Start date
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
TB classified. I got an MIA, with custom shop pups, in case, in good shape, for less than your price.
Here's an option for ya:
This page has a Vintera for under $1,000, and a MIM P for under $700 (new).
These are good guys to deal with - they'll make sure the instrument they send you is a good one and is playing well. I bought the MIM P bass below from them a couple of years ago. It's a pleasure to play, and I gig with it regularly. (Uhmm, it plays almost as well as the one next to it . . . said in a whisper).
I checked this store out while on a trip to Denver, then made a purchase with them by phone and online later.
Bass Guitars | Wildwood Guitars
(Free shipping, and maybe no sale tax either.) Whatever you decide, have fun with your new bass!
This page has a Vintera for under $1,000, and a MIM P for under $700 (new).
These are good guys to deal with - they'll make sure the instrument they send you is a good one and is playing well. I bought the MIM P bass below from them a couple of years ago. It's a pleasure to play, and I gig with it regularly. (Uhmm, it plays almost as well as the one next to it . . . said in a whisper).
I checked this store out while on a trip to Denver, then made a purchase with them by phone and online later.
Bass Guitars | Wildwood Guitars
(Free shipping, and maybe no sale tax either.) Whatever you decide, have fun with your new bass!
Attachments
My choice for that budget would be a Lakland Skyline 44-64 (without the J pickup at the bridge). Brand new, they’re slightly over $1,000. Used, you can find them for under $1,000.
I would build a Franken P as they are called. I bought a 90s Mexi body. A new Mexi Jazz neck. Aftermarket tuners, knobs, pickguard. Then really focus the most spending on the pickups, electronics and strings. Fender Custom Shops 60s pickups, Fender bridge and TI Jazz Flats. All in this bass was around 675 and that included having a local guy I use assemble the parts I couldn’t at the time. Which was the pickups and electronics and do a full setup. Turned out great and it’s in my rotation and of Ps I gig with.
Could very easily buy a cheaper used Mexi Pbass and then just gut the electronics. This is done by LOTS of people. Build quality is solid but pickups and wiring are often lacking.
Mine turned out great I think.
Could very easily buy a cheaper used Mexi Pbass and then just gut the electronics. This is done by LOTS of people. Build quality is solid but pickups and wiring are often lacking.
Mine turned out great I think.
I went through a similar process several years back and settled on a new Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn. I love the Thick C neck and 1.59” nut. Such a weird spec, but it feels great to me.
Why not buy what was used on Old School blues? A used American PB will give you exactly what you are looking for in your price range.
Yep. If you’re patiient, look regularly, something that is perfect will usually come up.
Hiya,
My recommendation would be Warmoth. For me, the ability to choose every aspect of the bass is important. Over the years I've found that I'm never really satisfied with off the rack instruments and I end up swapping parts. The problem with this is I end up paying for a lot of the components twice. Don't get me wrong, I have some instruments that are exactly as they left the benches 40+ years ago, (my oldest was made in '72) I wouldn't change anything but strings on them however, these are the minority in my collection.
An important aspect for me is that I'm so accustomed to a Jazz profile neck after 40+ years of playing, I feel out of place on anything but, so as much as I love looking and fondling them in the store, store bought "P" basses, or anything else with neck specs other than Jazz don't work for me once I get them to rehearsal.
I recently put together a dual-P Precision with a MIJRI Jazz neck, swamp ash Seafoam green body, Gotoh vintage bridge, Stew-Mac pickups and a concentric volume, single tone control setup with a series-parallel switch. I figure the components cost me about $700 total however, I could not have gone to a store and purchased one like it off the rack and if I had had one made, it would have cost me 3, maybe 4 times that amount.
Don't let the prospect of assembling a bass for yourself scare you, Leo's gift to the guitar and bass players is that his designs let players tinker and come up with component combinations that are as unique as the players themselves. There are many people here that have put together their own instruments, it does get addictive. Another aspect is that once you put them together, you really understand how to setup the instrument for yourself and can make the adjustments that suit you, rather than relying on a tech.
Feel free to message me if you want more detail,
Tom
Edit: Figured I'd contribute a little to your GAS with a picture...
View attachment 3791550
Yup. Build a mutt. You control every aspect of it from components to cost to timeline. You become your own custom shop using the aftermarket parts of your choice.
Respectfully, I have to disagree. I had a 2013 American Standard Jazz that weighed in at 8lb.13oz., and if I remember correctly, Jazz bodies take up more space than a Precision's.
You are right about the J being larger than a P. The Fender catalog listed the P at 45" and the J at 46". This is no doubt due to the offset body design.Respectfully, I have to disagree. I had a 2013 American Standard Jazz that weighed in at 8lb.13oz., and if I remember correctly, Jazz bodies take up more space than a Precision's.
Thanks for that, Jamro. I wasn't 100% sure if that was right or not.
As a scientific experiment try cramming a J into a P case. AARRGGGHHH!!!!Thanks for that, Jamro. I wasn't 100% sure if that was right or not.
That makes sense, like when I bought a supposedly "universal" Roadrunner polyfoam case for my Aerodyne. It fits, but for some unknown reason it has a nice, little divot on the inside of the foam chassis that just so happens to be the size and shape of an end pin.As a scientific experiment try cramming a J into a P case. AARRGGGHHH!!!!
I've owned quite a few precision basses over the years (old). Until you have some personal bass-specific, in your hands, you adjust to it, then adjust it to you experience, it's impossible to make a recommendation. Pure solid, last-a-lifetime, bang for the buck, pro quality instrument, I'd recommend a Guitar Center used (great return policy - 45 days - no questions) Fender American Standard/Professional bass. It's not often mentioned these days, but there was (supposedly) a significant increase in Fender quality control after 2008.
That said, the most complements on tone I ever got were on a 2009ish Fender "Road Worn" precision. I didn't care for the relic job much and didn't love the 50s wide spaced neck, but damn, that bass sounded sweet.
That said, the most complements on tone I ever got were on a 2009ish Fender "Road Worn" precision. I didn't care for the relic job much and didn't love the 50s wide spaced neck, but damn, that bass sounded sweet.
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If you don't know what kind of P bass you want, how can you build one to your tastes??
4 of my 5 basses are self built parts basses. I know what I want. But, like many of you, I've been playing bass since my teens. 66 now. Since we're posting pics, this is what I want (built) in a P-bass (probably wouldn't suit the OP at all):
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Let's not make this more difficult than it needs to be. You said a solid P for under a 1000, used is fine. You can find used Fender American Standards all day long for under a grand on TalkBass, Ebay, Reverb, Guitarcenter.com.
Problem solved.
It'll be harder deciding what flats you like than finding a solid Pbass for under a 1000.
Have fun
Problem solved.
It'll be harder deciding what flats you like than finding a solid Pbass for under a 1000.
Have fun
Find a mid-2000s fender American Series, and slap an EMG GZR set in it.
