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PBass S-1 Sucks!?! Or is it just me?..

N

NathanTbass

Jun 16, 2010
56
1
Nashville, TN
www.myspace.com
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: Aguilar Amplification, dAddario, Kala uBass
#1
I have a PBass that I bought back in 2004 that was in the short lived "S-1" series. Its basically equiped with a button on the volume knob that would switch your pickups from series to parrallel...the only problem is, mine sucks! I was young so I made the huge mistake of ordering it from Musicians Friend, so of course I received the worst feeling and sounding instrument they could find. I never thought I would play a PBass (let alone Fender) that I didn't like.
Has anyone else played one of these and found them to be dissapointing? Mine just sits in the corner. I haven't touched it in 5 years or so.
I thought about buying a new neck and pickups, but I feel like thats just a waste of money. Might as well buy another PBass...
Thoughts?
 
#3
I always thought the S-1 switch was rather pointless on a P; for a Jazz, it's actually pretty useful.

In regards to sound and feel, have you had a pro setup done? If you haven't, there just may be a whole bunch of mojo waiting to be released.
 
#4
Musician's friend gives you 45 to test drive your instrument. If you didn't like it you should have sent it back. I have ordered many basses from MF and most I have kept. I did have a 2007 Jazz bass with the S-1 and long story short I ripped it out and wired it as a regular Jazz bass.
 
#7
HMZ said:
Musician's friend gives you 45 to test drive your instrument. If you didn't like it you should have sent it back. I have ordered many basses from MF and most I have kept. I did have a 2007 Jazz bass with the S-1 and long story short I ripped it out and wired it as a regular Jazz bass.
Click to expand...

"I have a PBass that I bought back in 2004 that was in the short lived "S-1" series."
 
#12
Agree with those above saying simply don't use it ... I had a 2006 MIA P-Bass (with S1) and a 2009 MIA P-Bass (without S1).

With the '06 in regular mode, there's no difference compared to the '09 ... it's an MIA pickup wired in series.

I simply took off the volume knob off the '06, took out the "post" that activates the S1, put a regular volume knob on so it could never be activated again. Problem solved.

But you mentioned wanting to change the neck? Whole other issue obviously ...
 
#17
It's not just you -- the S-1 feature did suck, if for no other reason than a lot of them broke down. The supposed wide array of sounds didn't impress me, either. They didn't make a P sound like a J and vice versa.
 
#19
I doubt you're the only one. If it were just you, then Fender would likely still be making them. I'd say they don't because it was an unpopular feature and failed to improve sales to the point where the extra cost of manufacturing S-1 basses outweighed the returns.
 

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