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Precision basses other than Fender

#102
jlepre said:
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:rollno:
Just had to get that one in there, huh? Heaven forbid the StingRay goes unmentioned in a thread about P basses...
Jeeeeeeez.
Might as well have posted a picture of a Sire...
:rollno:
 
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#105
The neat thing with the G&L, if you buy brand new, is the possibility to get a custom build for a fair price. When I started looking for a passive 4-string, I decided to rent a generic MIM Fender P-bass and live with it for a month (played through my rig, took it to rehearsal, etc.). I dug the tone but the neck, not so much. Then I did the same with a J-bass: Loved the neck, but preferred the tone of the P. So I ordered my LB-100 with a J-like neck profile (1.5'' nut width, 12'' radius) and I'm happy as can be. It's the fastest, most comfortable neck I've played and tone-wise it's everything I wanted from a P-bass.
 
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#106
I dunno, for me it's all about the attention paid to the neck work. Years ago I had a Reverend Rumblefish (not a P of course) and was amazed by how a brand new neck felt like it had been played for 30 years. I also tried some Jack Read custom basses when he was still building and his necks were equally great.

I've got four Fender Ps from different eras and each one plays (and sounds) quite different.
 
#111
Try to find a pre-1987 Schecter P-Bass, one of the Tom Anderson designed models. Or, as others have mentioned, Lakland, Lakin, Lull, or Sadowsky.
And if you're not too caught up in the aesthetic being identical to a Fender P-Bass, check out a Rob Allen Solid 4:
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#112
Antisyzygy said:
That bass is really expensive if I'm not mistaken...I feel like it's more of a boutique level bass at the price I remember those being at.
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Prices have really gone up recently with the introduction of the 3rd generation. But they've been made since the late-'80s/early-'90s, so you can find good deals on used ones if you're lucky.

Personally, I prefer the 1st generation version, but they're getting hard to find these days. The 2nd generation sold a lot and you can find them on the used market for under $1000. There are also variants (like the Custom and Deluxe) that are frequently a lot cheaper than the Limited, even though they share the same basic construction...which is a large part of what makes the bass unique.

Antisyzygy said:
How does it compare to some other brands in fit and finish?
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I put them into the same category as basses like the original Ibanez Gary Willis Bass (the GWB-1). Quality control, wood selection, fit, fretwork, finish, set-up, consistency, etc. are every bit as good as a Sadowsky or other high-end boutique bass.
 
#114
Find pretty much any "P" bass made in the late 70's or early 80's. That seemed to be a great era for "P" basses. Ovation Ultras, Washburn Force 80's are two American ones off the top of my head, I'm sure the list of Japanese ones is quite long as well. They are all of more or less the same quality as a Fender from the same era, but they are all a fraction of the price.
 
#117
Nunovsky said:
I get an awesome p-tone with my Yamaha BB1024X. That neck pickup just sounds so good.
In fact, I wouldn't trade it for any Fender and I just have no P-Bass GAS since I got this bass.
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I was just going to post something similar. I have 415 and 425x basses, and love them. Darker than a standard P, but the neck pickup is Freddie Washington all the the way. You have to buy high-end pickups to get that sound. 414 and 415 used can be had for cheap.
 
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#119
If I was buying a P and wanted the P sound, I'd look at Fender. I like the MIM a lot. Last one I played sounded more like an old P than many old Ps.

I have a philosophical problem paying stupid money for a P. They were always designed to be and ultimately became the working player's bass. That said, if I wanted to spend a chunk on a P, I'd be looking at something with a more modern neck, meaning a flatter radius. I like 16", but the flattest P neck I've seen was 12" radius, on a GL SB-2.
 
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