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Precision "upgrades" that should be stock on new model - poll

Select a max of 3 that you think could/should be stock on a Pbass.

  • 21 (or more) fret neck

    Votes: 70 26.9%

  • Truss rod wheel at heel

    Votes: 122 46.9%

  • Drop tuner on E string

    Votes: 40 15.4%

  • Reverse P pickup option

    Votes: 67 25.8%

  • Better string tree for ADG strings

    Votes: 79 30.4%

  • Upgraded nut material

    Votes: 76 29.2%

  • Make Jazz profile necks optional

    Votes: 128 49.2%

  • 2 Jazz pickups on the P body

    Votes: 19 7.3%

  • A bound Aerodyne style P

    Votes: 15 5.8%

  • Put the jack on the side of the body

    Votes: 63 24.2%
  • Total voters
    260
#101
awilkie84 said:
Here's the thing. Aside from people who know nothing about guitars, how many of us buy a bass & leave the stock strings on? We all have our personal preferences. Why should Fender offer a choice of strings if we're just going to change them for new strings anyways? Even if the bass is brand new from the factory, I ALWAYS put new strings on.
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Me. (Although, I may be one of those guys that knows nothing about guitars. I know a fair piece about basses, though.) I have string preferences, but I am open to other options. Sometimes factory strings are junk, and sometimes they are carefully picked to suit the instrument. My newest bass still has the factory strings. I hated them at first because they sounded "hollow," but with just a little playing time I found them workable. I'll change them when the tone is no longer workable.

Here's the thing about all these options. Fender has sold a variety of "flavors" of P basses over the years. Being a for-profit business, if it sells, they stick with it. They discontinued the 5-string P deluxe; does anybody want to guess why? They still make the American Standard to specs that are very similar to what they have used for the last fifty years. Again, does anyone want to guess why?
 
#104
wvbass said:
They still make the American Standard to specs that are very similar to what they have used for the last fifty years. Again, does anyone want to guess why?
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No one needs to guess, and no one is suggesting they change the American Standard either, so there's no need for anyone to go pissing in anyone's cornflakes over the idea that *maybe* a new model should actually feature new functional elements rather than just a different colored paintjob, pickguard and some player's oddball logo as the 12th fret marker.
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#106
MarkoYYZ said:
No one needs to guess, and no one is suggesting they change the American Standard either, so there's no need for anyone to go pissing in anyone's cornflakes over the idea that *maybe* a new model should actually feature new functional elements rather than just a different colored paintjob, pickguard and some player's oddball logo as the 12th fret marker.
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Wow. The internet really has been tough on manners, as indicated by your response. My intent was not to belittle anyone for their preferences. I was simply pointing out that Fender has tried a lot of stuff, and what people buy is likely what they stick to.
 
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#111
wvbass said:
Wow. The internet really has been tough on manners, as indicated by your response. My intent was not to belittle anyone for their preferences. I was simply pointing out that Fender has tried a lot of stuff, and what people buy is likely what they stick to.
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I'm sensing a little backtracking here after being called out on your own bad manners, way to try to put that on me ;)

You say yourself "Fender tries a lot of stuff" which is exactly what this is poll is about, not making changes to the historic or established models you got needlessly defensive over.

It was in the text of the OP, but I've modified the thread title to be even more clear.

chris_b said:
My 68 P bass came with a J neck option, so Fender have done this in the past.
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I guess a whole different question would be "should the J neck be standard and the P neck be optional?". I had thought to make the poll option "Put a J neck on it" since this is about what features should be stock on the bass.
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#114
My only addition would be the thumbrest that came on them in the '70s. Do you guys that like the tug bar actually use it for thumbstyle playing (not sarcasm - I'm actually interested to know)? I find the thumbrest useful for reggae and ballads, and I'd personally add one to an instrument that didn't have one.
 
#116
The American standard strat has had monumental upgrades over the years that don't take anything away from the vintage design benefits. .... my 2010 has new metal composite in sustain block to improve tone and sustain, new hardened bent steel saddles, roller tree instead of bent steel, improved fret and neck edge rounding for smoother feel, and 2 point tremolo instead of 6.

Some authentic American Standard designs CAN be improved upon without veering too much from the vintage lovable qualities we want.

I'd simply like to see those sorts of engineering upgrades from fender for both American Standard basses, p and j.
 
#117
Fun Size Nick said:
My only addition would be the thumbrest that came on them in the '70s. Do you guys that like the tug bar actually use it for thumbstyle playing (not sarcasm - I'm actually interested to know)? I find the thumbrest useful for reggae and ballads, and I'd personally add one to an instrument that didn't have one.
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When I first started playing in I plucked the strings with my thumb. Later, I switched to fingers. In have never used the tug bar, in either case. Actually, I took it off soon after I got the bass, and I don't have a clue where it is now.
 
#119
Stealth Fighter said:
When I first started playing in I plucked the strings with my thumb. Later, I switched to fingers. In have never used the tug bar, in either case. Actually, I took it off soon after I got the bass, and I don't have a clue where it is now.
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I think the tug bar and thumb rests can look pretty cool on the right color scheme, but are ultimately useless to me as well. If anything, a thumb rest should be on the exact same horizontal plane as the top edge of the P pickup, in essence extending the anchor point that the P pickup itself usually provides. Mounting it up and away the way they do, on an angle and with as thick a material as they do, is ineffective (for me). A thin rail would make much more sense, and I've seen people make these (or ramps) for this exact purpose.
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