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P bass question

#81
mcm said:
used american standard 08 newer. they kick butt
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Since FMIC has decided to minimize differences in the basic models in favor of grading by appointments and finish, I would personally never buy another American Standard. You're mainly paying for an expensive, extremely fragile finish and some unpredictable additional detailing you as likely as not won't get.

The basic MIA Precisions aren't that different where it matters.

I dislike the machines and bridges on both the American Standards and The Highway Ones (the only substantive differences), but when you switch out the BAII on the HO for a more sensible traditional bridge you can at least unload the BAII for a princely sum on eBay -- one TBer got $184 (!!!) for his off an HO yesterday. :eek: Considering he bought the new Highway One for chump change on sale, he effectively got the HO for far less than a MIM or even a Squier after he dumped the BAII. ;)

For some strange reason, Highway Ones turn up on long sale frequently when other Fenders don't. Because of this, the new ones are often a no-brainer choice for a top-quality player.

The wood on the 2011 Highway Ones that came through here recently are about three grades better than on my American Standard. :hmm:
 
#82
Bongolation said:
WHY, in an instrument that overpriced, could they not have spared a buck or two to have a flap over the storage compartment so that if someone opens the case when it's leaning against a wall the entire contents don't spill directly out on the instrument?
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Yeah! And could they not have spared another buck or two to put some straps around the instrument so that if someone opens the case when it's upside down, the instrument doesn't spill directly onto the floor?

:ninja:




(P.S. I think the new cases are great.)
 
#84
Febs said:
Yeah! And could they not have spared another buck or two to put some straps around the instrument so that if someone opens the case when it's upside down, the instrument doesn't spill directly onto the floor?
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People don't intentionally do that. To the extent most people I know use oblong cases to casually store and protect their instruments at home, they usually have them propped up against a wall and just open the front to take the instruments out.

Anyway, I'd love to hear why it's such a brilliant idea after having doors on the accessory storage compartments in instrument cases for a hundred years or more to suddenly remove them.

Give me one intelligent reason why they would do that except to cheap-out on the case.

It's freakin' moronic.
 
#85
Febs said:
(P.S. I think the new cases are great.)
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Ya know, when I bought my MIA Standard, the SKB case was the one thing I wasn't excited about. I even tried to swap it around for a vintage type hardshell case at the point-of-sale (tweed or black), but they didn't have any they could seperate from their respective basses ('62 RI). It didn't take long at all for me to appreciate the extra room, light weight, and especially the latches. Now I want one for all my basses, because all their cases have at least one broken latch or hinge...
 
#86
Bongolation said:
People don't intentionally do that. To the extent most people I know use oblong cases to casually store and protect their instruments at home, they usually have them propped up against a wall and just open the front to take the instruments out..
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Most people I know lay the case on the floor to take out an instrument. YMMV, I suppose. The feedback I've seen and heard on the new cases is overwhelmingly positive.
 
#87
tquad17 said:
Been in the market for my first p...ive got 3 jazzes so i think its time to try something different. I'm looking used, so my question is...i've seen a few mim p's in good shape going for around 250 and i've also seen the highway1 p's going for around 500-600 used in good shape. What would you do? how big of a difference would that extra 300 dollars make...i havn't had a chance to try any out recently, so any input would be great thanks
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I would also consider a Squier CV series. Those 'classic vibe' basses are very good.
 
#89
Bongolation said:
People don't intentionally do that. To the extent most people I know use oblong cases to casually store and protect their instruments at home, they usually have them propped up against a wall and just open the front to take the instruments out.
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Are you saying most people open the case while it's standing?????? Did you like take some sort of poll?

If crap falls out all over, then you deserve it. Fender's cases weren't meant to be opened while standing. I'd like to think that most of the people I know are smart enough to realize that, and care enough about their gear than to do something like that...... door over the storage compartment or not. In fact, in over thirty years of playing, I don't think I've ever seen someone open a bass or guitar case while it's standing.

About the only thing a door would be needed for is to keep stuff from coming out of the compartment when the case is closed. If the cases lid closes over the storage area (a detail in the lid that closes down into the storage area), as the new Fender cases do, then it shouldn't be a problem.
 
#92
ljazz said:
Are you saying most people open the case while it's standing?????? Did you like take some sort of poll?

If crap falls out all over, then you deserve it. Fender's cases weren't meant to be opened while standing. I'd like to think that most of the people I know are smart enough to realize that, and care enough about their gear than to do something like that...... door over the storage compartment or not. In fact, in over thirty years of playing, I don't think I've ever seen someone open a bass or guitar case while it's standing.
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I've played for nearly fifty years.

EVERYONE used guitar and bass cases like this before stands were cheap and common. You either had the instrument propped up against a wall or you had it in the case propped up against the wall with the topmost latch (at most) on to keep crap off of it and to reduce the chance of it falling over, especially with a traditional Fender flat-ended oblong case. You didn't have that many options.

You just pivoted the door open and lifted the instrument out.

In real life, you don't set cases down flat to remove the instrument because you usually don't seem to have the unimpeded room to do so without something in the way or someone putting his foot in it. I don't even in my own house most of the time, much less in a playing environment. I'd guess that in the untold thousands of times I've taken instruments out of cases, probably 85%-90% of the time it's been more vertical than horizontal simply because I had no choice. I can't be alone in that.

Even when I have the room on the floor, I still open a case with it more or less upright in a chair because it hurts my back to bend over.

In any event, a hundred-plus years of common practice says these compartments should be secured, so you and this stupid case are bucking that much precedent.

It's a uniquely cheap, stupid move with no upside, enda story.
 
#93
Again, I've got an old Fender case here with no separate storage. The old G&G cases for the G&L SB's didn't have a door, but they had the mating area on the lid that kept everything secure when the lid was closed.

All I'm saying here is that the cases weren't designed to be opened while upright..... door over the storage or not. Heck, even with the door, I seriously doubt the intent of the door was so that you could open it upright..... it was put there so that they didn't have add mating detail to the lid. Getting upset about the case not being designed for it is akin to being mad that you can't go muddin' in a Ferrari because it doesn't have enough ground clearance....... it just wasn't designed for it.
 
#94
If price is an issue, I would definitely consider the Squier Classic Vibe Basses. If it doesn't bother you having Squire on the headstock, you can find used ones all day long for $250. I played a the 60's CV P and was impressed with both tone and build quality. Tuners stayed tuned, it had a nice vintage tint to the neck, no pickup hum, and the setup was actually better than the mile high action on their MIA basses. Made me embarrassed I've spent so much money on some of my other basses. :rolleyes:

Ed Friedland does a shootout with both CV P and J basses and compares them to '88 MIJ P, CS '64 jazz, and a 51 RI MIJ P.

YouTube - Squier Classic Vibe Basses
 
#95
To the OP.

Look for a CIJ or MIJ Bass. The quality rivals MIA and the price should be less. Save your pennies and hold out for a Bass that will remain with you for a lifetime.

Out of the last 5 Fenders I have owned two of them were MIA and the other three were CIJ. I parted with the two MIA as they were boat anchors that did not have "that" sound. That light airy spank that is difficult to describe but you know when you here it. The CIJ Basses I have, have that classic old school Fender playability and tone and weight.

I owned in the past a real 53 P Bass, a real 69 P Bass, 69 Tele Bass, 72 Tele Bass, all these "the real deals", not reissues.

Also an American Standard 2006 P Bass ash, and an American Standard P V for 2009 as well as a 2005 CIJ Sting, 2008 CIJ 51, and an 2006 CIJ 62 P. IIRC on some of the years.

I still own the three CIJ Basses. Why? They are fun and exciting to play. They are light and have that spank to them. They pull out my creative juices and make them flow. That is why one should play anything.

A Jazz Bass however, makes me go limp. :D
 

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