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Please help me decide on first bass - narrowed down to 2 Precisions

Mike Vee

Mike Vee

Inactive
Oct 8, 2012
3,718
8,234
Los Angeles
#1
I am currently a producer/engineer of electronic music. Style is like modern disco-ish dance, Indy/hipster style. I specialize in drum and synth production but I want to learn to play and add live bass to my setup. I realize it will take a year or more to get OK at playing bass, but I want to get the best I can to begin with and keep it for life. Bass will be going DI into UA LA-610 mkII for mostly recording purposes into Cubase.



After much research, I am TORN between these 2:

- 2012 Sunburst American Vintage 62 Reissue
- 2012 Jade Pearl Metallic American Standard

I can get both for roughly the same price. Which is a better first (and kept for life) bass for me???

Thanks a lot.
 
#4
Hipster is a style?

It only takes a year to get good on bass? What have we all been doing wrong?

Both are nice basses. Sunburst is a more classic and timeless color (you can also get it on the American Standard). The Jade Pearl is cool, but you may get tired of it after a while. Besides that, pick the one that is more comfortable to play on hour 2 of the gig.
 
#6
^ a little cynical, aye Boris?

This bass, as I said, will not be gigged...but used only for recording. I did not say I would be GOOD in a year, I said OK. Try to stay positive, my friend. Thanks. I agree that the Jade may get old...but I was planning on putting a tortoise pick-guard on it which in Photoshop looks amazing.

As far as GAS goes, I have been diseased for years, but just for recording gear and analog synths! I can see how basses will only add to my GAS though, I already have a Classic Stingray IV in raspberry sorbet set as my second bass.
 
#7
bassgod0dmw said:
They are both great basses, The necks are going to feel fairly different, so it's really a personal choice that only you can make.

Electronics are slightly different too, but they both sound like a P.
Click to expand...

Problem is, I will not be able to play the 62 because there are none around me. I have played a few American standards and like them a lot. I like the neck most of all on a MM Stingray classic IV, is that helps at all, which seems very different to the AMSTD. Would the 62 be more like a classic stingray in the neck?

I lean towards the AMSTD because i feel like it will be more "mine" instead of trying to copy something that already exists. It will be mine to age and to love, and the color will be more unique. I kinda feel like the 62 is a reproduction which turns me off a bit, even though its beautiful!!! Plus the new AMSTD has the 60s custom shop pickups anyway.
 
#9
I'm surprised you aren't using the Stingray for your modern disco? I always thought of Bernard Edwards and Louis Johnson as kings of bass on disco music - using Musicman basses.

I would have associated passive Fender instruments with pre mid 70s music (although obviously they're popular over the last 10 yrs or so).

But the advice to try them out is sound - I am a died in the wool Stingray player but I have found modern Precisions relatively comfortable to play. I really didn't used to like the 60s ones because the neck profile didn't suit me at all.
 
#10
If weight is an issue, the Am Stds are now generally pretty light. Plus, you'll get the HMV bridge which I like better than the vintage bridges because the saddles stay in place due to the new nylon threading on the height adjustment screws. The new tuners are also very light and high quality. I also love the new SKB cases which are really light, comfortable, and durable. I'm still not big on the Jade for a lifetime purchase -- I'd get a burst or a white personally for classic color longevity, but that's your call. Just more things to think about.
 
#11
And then I'd get a Stingray Slo Special, a Lakland USA Joe Osborn, a Lakland USA Bob Glaub (with Joe Osborn neck) and a Markbass LMIII to round out the collection! GAS!!

Oh, yea... Don't forget to buy Roy Vogt's "Teach Me Bass Guitar."
 
#12
Mike Vee said:
Problem is, I will not be able to play the 62 because there are none around me. I have played a few American standards and like them a lot. I like the neck most of all on a MM Stingray classic IV, is that helps at all, which seems very different to the AMSTD. Would the 62 be more like a classic stingray in the neck?
Click to expand...

The nut width on the 62' is 1 3/4". If the Stingray Classic is the same as a regular Stingray, it would be 1 5/8, which is the same as the Am Std P.

However, the SR Classic has a gloss neck which is similar to the 62' The Am Std has a satin finish.
 
#14
After going through piles of basses I've come to this conclusion: you can always swap out guts but the feel of an instrument is something that's way harder to remedy. Ive owned some killer sounding instruments that ive moved along because they dont feel good to me. I'd go with the Am standard P for this reason and the newer ones are great!

The Standard P would be closer in neck profile to your Stingray, the Vintage ones have some meat to them and may take a bit of getting used to.

If you want something a bit more vintage sounding a wide variety of pickups can be had for a reasonable price.

One of my favorite basses is a Lull P/J 5. I didn't care for the fairly bright sounding stock pickups but love the feel and weight of the bass so I threw in a set of Nordstrand Pickups. The bass kills in every way now.
 
#17
I think the Jade American Standard will look pretty sick with a tort guard:

Here is a quick Photoshop:

bass.jpg


pretty damn sexy - and unique as well.
 
#20
Do you play other instruments? (808's and MPC's are not instruments)

My honest advice would be get something far more affordable and appropriate, I would never recommend to any one of my students to drop this kind of cash on their first bass.

If it is for recording only you can get a decent recording bass for much less. You are paying for playability and craftsmanship in this price range more so than tone.

Personally I like the 62 more, but they are very different feeling basses. Play both extensively and get whichever feels ore comfortable. You can always change the pickups and get either one to sound pretty much like the other.
 

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