• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

The Ultimate 50's Precision Bass?

#21
Not quite the same thing, but I have been very, very happy with my American Original 60s P-bass. I have seen the 50s model up close and it is quite a bass - the gold copy I saw was really well-finished.

You may be able to get an AO 50s P with a price cut if you shop around. Chuck Levin's substantially reduced the price of the 50s P that they had on display in the days leading up to the release of the new American Vintage II line.
 
Last edited:
#23
Although the colours are limited see if you can find an Ashdown Arc to try. Designed by Dan Larkin, made in Korea, assembled & set up in the UK and from what I have read the neck specs could well suit you. Also, they were built to a target weight & here in Australia were similarly priced to a Japanese Fender and the FGN P. Oh, and those might be worth checking out too, but the FGN like the Ashdown only if you are happy with a different maker.

Hope to see a NBD soon - good luck!
 
#25
Play them before you buy'em, you can't rely on the opinions of Talkbass members.
Each one of these basses has slightly different necks and you have to be able to flow on them.

Personally, I owned an AVRI 57 in the past and currently own the lacquer version of the MIM Classic 50's P. Once you upgrade the pickups, even though the stock pickups are not bad at all, you have a really fine instrument. Out of the two I much preferred the 50's P.
 
  • Like
Reactions: REV and Grinderman
#26
I’ve had a great experience with the body of the MIM 50’s Classic P Bass with the lacquer finish. But in that case I put a Jazz bass neck on the body, and it’s been great for me. That’s the one with the black lacquer finish.

I got the 2018 release of the MIM 50’s Classic P Bass (Laquer) in the white / blonde finish. With that I put a Lollar pickup in it, and I was really satisfied with the tone. Aesthetically I wasn’t crazy about the orange tint on the neck, and the finish felt a little tacky. Rubbing down the back of the neck with a Scotch Brite pad really helped a lot. But in the end I wasn’t in love with the neck shape. Still, I think the bass gave me a lot of bang for the buck.
 
#27
REV said:
I had the same issue with the aluminum pickguard on a Roadworn P Bass. The brushed surface drove me crazy whenever I touched it so I sanded it down until it was smooth and then had it re-anodized. I tried a plastic pickguard but I actually thought the bass sounded better with the metal one.
Click to expand...

Apply a clear poly spray do help. I recall that AVri58's pickguard has a clear paint from factory.
 
#28
Laurent said:
Play them before you buy'em, you can't rely on the opinions of Talkbass members.
Each one of these basses has slightly different necks and you have to be able to flow on them.

Personally, I owned an AVRI 57 in the past and currently own the lacquer version of the MIM Classic 50's P. Once you upgrade the pickups, even though the stock pickups are not bad at all, you have a really fine instrument. Out of the two I much preferred the 50's P.
Click to expand...

Here's one that appears to be a bargain. I'd buy this if it weren't essentially redundant in my case.

7447c916-5a3d-4cc6-992a-8417f0e9e0d6-jpeg.4708927


For Sale - Fender Classic 50’s Precision Lacquer Finish
 
  • Like
Reactions: FronTowardEnemy, Tad and facetsquared
#29
mikeswals said:
IF the AV 57RI is on your list, you should also consider the AV 58RI.
I've had both; the 58 is a much better remake than the 57. for starters the 58 has a thinner more authentic finish, and overall was a nicer bass. The 57 (&62) was laid on pretty thick.
Click to expand...

Are you sure you haven't got this backwards? I own an AV '57 P-bass and it has the thinnest finish I've ever seen on a bass. Also the most fragile. It looked 50 years old after one year of touring (and I take good care of my instruments). More or less instant relic whether I wanted it or not.

I've also owned an AV63 and played several of the '58s from the same series. Both had considerably thicker finish than my '57.

They were all excellent basses but that particular '57 is one of the best basses I've ever played. Certainly the best Fender. Easily as good as any Custom Shop I've ever played. Unfortunaly the wide neck isn't really my thing so it's not my personal favourite bass. But certainly up there with the best basses I've ever laid my hands on from a purely subjective point of view. The pickup is unusually bright and aggressive for a Fender P, which makes it crystal clear and articulate with old school flats like LaBellas, even with the tone control at 0. Much better with flats than the overly dark/bloated PV63 pickup Fender used in the later Vintage/Original series. At least for my taste.

The only thing I don't like about the '57 is the "vintage" tinted neck. They went a step too far and made it almost orange. Mine is a white blonde btw.
 
#32
Do you want the historically correct raised pole pieces under the A-string? Most of the basses you refer to don't have this. The only one of those I know for sure has the raised pole pieces is the long discontiued Fender American Vintage '57.
 
#36
ShoeManiac said:
I got the 2018 release of the MIM 50’s Classic P Bass (Laquer) in the white / blonde finish. With that I put a Lollar pickup in it, and I was really satisfied with the tone. Aesthetically I wasn’t crazy about the orange tint on the neck, and the finish felt a little tacky. Rubbing down the back of the neck with a Scotch Brite pad really helped a lot. But in the end I wasn’t in love with the neck shape. Still, I think the bass gave me a lot of bang for the buck.
Click to expand...

Wow that's almost exactly how my reply was going to read. I rock a white mim 50s Classic Nitro with a Lollar, I also scotchbrite the back of neck for a great feel. Overall I'm very happy with it. The neck tint really bugged me at first but I'd actually forgotten about it until you went and mentioned it :)

Neck width and anodised guard felt uncomfortable for a short time, now they feel just fine.

The nitro thing is snakeoil. I believe it's nitro over poly and doesn't seem like it'll wear down in the next few years. Go AVRI or MJT if you want that.
 
#39
The main things I want are a really solid finish and a really fat neck (preferably with the 1.75" nut width). I would 100% prefer nitro vs poly, but that isn't totally a dealbreaker. More than anything I just want it to be sturdy and play great.

FWIW I'm not interested in anything relic'd. The nitro Classic 50s p bass just looks cheesy to me since they all look basically the same.[/B][/QUOTE]
If you want a fat neck, you might consider a ‘58 AVRI. They have nice thick neck that’s like a sweet badonkadonk. Very close to 1.75… mine is slightly under. Buttery. Supper comfortable.

3176A5A1-7CD0-4B1C-B2F0-2866C9D0226A.jpeg


62805AD7-E131-47E9-B950-6EC392BFF438.jpeg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Shawn Luckman and Garret Wheeler
#40
I was very impressed with the Fender MIJ '58 P bass that I had for a while. The look of a '58 with the 3tsb paint, all maple neck and anodized pickguard has always been my favorite P. I plan to build a '58 very soon. I don't think I'll be able to bring myself to sell it. It will have every spec and the bells and whistles that I love. I'm not trying to promote my basses.... I've got more orders than I can handle and not taking any more at this time. So, I guess I'm just wanting to let the OP know that there's the option of looking at small time builders for a '58 that has exactly what he wants.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Matt Dean

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back