Pick the actual Fender

[StuartV]

I got a Yamaha BB415 recently to try out. 5 string, P/J, passive. I wanted to compare it to my Fender Precision. My Precision is an American Standard Precision (4-string) body, with a Warmoth Jazz neck and Fender '62 Reissue pickups.

I put a set of flats on the Yamaha and a set of flats on the Fender. I played them both through my Ampeg SVT 2 Pro with Aguilar GS210 and GS115 cabs. The only change to the amp settings between recordings was adjusting the input gain so that both basses just barely flashed the clip light when playing.

I recorded them using my handheld Olympus LS-10 recorder sitting on a stool just a few feet in front of the rig encoding directly to MP3 320kbps.

Both basses had the Volume set to max and the tone knob rolled all the way off. The Yamaha had the pickup selector set to solo the P pickup.

Can you tell which bass is the actual Fender?

 

[Korladis]

They sound a little different, but I can't tell which is which. I liked the 'tighter' sound of Bass 2 a bit more.

 

[Kromwarp]

I think bass 1 is the Fender. IME, the Yamaha BB series sound a bit tighter

 

[StuartV]

I'll be watching this thread, but refrain from commenting or responding for a day or two, or until the voting tapers off. Then reveal which bass is which.

One bass has used flats of an unknown brand and the other has brand new flats, but I don't want to say any more than that, so as to avoid giving any hints that skew the poll.

 

[mathewcanhaz]

bass 1= fender

 

[Hopkins]

I don't know which is which, but I liked 2 better

 

[Ivan M]

I say BASS 1 is a FENDER.

 

[tehbassist]

This isn't fair when you own a bb415

 

[StuartV]

Well, this didn't attract much interest. I'll reveal the identities tomorrow.

 

[Tonegasm]

1 = F

 

[GeneralElectric]

Wow. So you're asking which of these P-bass pickups is the Fender? I never really got these threads, considering we're dealing with electric instruments.

Not to mention the samples push the mic to clip...

 

[plangentmusic]

It's hard to say since much of the sound is the crappy recording. Everything sounds similar when it's distorted.

They sound similar. The first has more low end.

 

[David Jayne]

Warmoth neck? Not a Fender. Won't sound like a Fender because of it.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

Too many variables. If you really want it to be a valid test, both basses need to have identical strings (age, make, hours use) and both basses need to have the vol/tone set full up.

Rather than adjust gain on the amp, you should leave it alone for and then normalize both recorded files via a recording software. Better yet, bypass the amp altogether and record direct, then normalize.

 

[Korladis]

I think it's a valid test if he's playing through what he'd be playing live.

 

[BoRadBass]

I have had a MIA standard P bass and I sold it in favor of my 86 Yamaha BB 300 and I think bass #1 is the fender..... But I am usually wrong.

 

[Alucard817]

IDK something tells me 2 is the fender.

 

[Bassmickeyd]

One is a Yamahaha the other is a Fender body with a Warmoth neck and re-issue pickups? ........ Technically neither one is a Fender.

 

[parsons]

crap recording.... tone full off... different aged strings... and its a P bass. They all sound the so similar that I dont care which is which.

with what's given, I'll guess Bass 1 but without the tone up, you dont get much character whether its a real Fender or some POS knockoff.

 

[DTF]

#2 is the fender