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Thinking about a '51 P...
- Thread starter Din Of Win
- Start date
I have a '51 RI and an AV '57. Very different sonically, with similar fat necks and reverse tuners.
The original Precision pickup was based on the Telecaster. Single coil, with four pole pieces, it was fairly hi-fi: it didn't have the midrange bump the split-coil exhibits. Besides that, it has a sharper attack and less sustain. Fender found that the combination of traits was killing the 15" speakers in the original Bassman amps, so he started designing them out. The split-coil got two poles per strings, to ease the attack, and were humbucking, which helped the sustain. He also consulted with musicians and found the signature split-coil sound. The Jazz pickup followed the dual pole-piece format of the split-coil, but there are too many differences to compare any of the types with each other.
Fortunately, we now have more robust speakers and amps, and we can turn loose the '51. It is the Thump King, with lots of personality. It encourages percussive playing and discourages the melodic. I really love mine for that style. I string it with TI Jazz Flats, by the way.
The split coil is more present in the mix, with longer sustain and a more legato feel. My AV '57 is my Numero Uno, and I expect that won't change, but the '51 is a lot of fun.
As to the Jazz, I really don't have a lot of experience with that, and can't compare them directly. But there are a lot of J players around here, and I haven't heard any of them that sounded like the '51 or '57.
If only it weren't banana yellow....
Yellow rules! ([Invalid or Expired Link Removed])
Your article is full of well thought out and insightful information and I cannot even start to ask for more details in your wonderful assessment of the pickups and instrument voicing.
I didn't know about the inadequacies of the Fender 15" cabs, and I find that intriguing. I would have thought that any cab used for bass at that time period would be weak and not capable though - since I don't believe that Fender was the only dog in the fight at the time.
Again, thanks for the great and well-written information.
I got a '51 P reissue (the butterscotch color, just like those posted on here) a couple of years ago, cheap, and debated what to do with it. I could not stand the hum from the original pickup.
After a lot of thought (some by me, some by the local "bass doctor"), I replaced the original p/u with this:
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It's strung with flats and is now to my ear a pretty good bass. However, I agree with what lpdeluxe said:
"is the Thump King, with lots of personality. It encourages percussive playing and discourages the melodic."
I agree with this. It'd be great for some of the material I'm asked to play (blues, R&B), but not others.
After a lot of thought (some by me, some by the local "bass doctor"), I replaced the original p/u with this:
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It's strung with flats and is now to my ear a pretty good bass. However, I agree with what lpdeluxe said:
"is the Thump King, with lots of personality. It encourages percussive playing and discourages the melodic."
I agree with this. It'd be great for some of the material I'm asked to play (blues, R&B), but not others.
plus, how much you do or do not roll off the tone knob makes a huge difference on this bass IMO. 
i loved my '51 RI.
thumpy and wonderous.
I used a Jazz for years so the SCPB sounded almost like a perfect blend of the split coil P and the Jazz: had nice thump, clarity and hi-mids, and nice attack.
killer with flats, as was said.
Sadly, with most of my work being done on the Jazz, i had to let the '51 go to pay bills.
sidenote, i switched out the stock 2 barrel bridge for a BadAss III, though any modern bridge will be an upgrade, and i made a thumbrest that sat at Jazz pup height over the pup so i could anchor my plucking hand. made a world of difference.
thumpy and wonderous.
I used a Jazz for years so the SCPB sounded almost like a perfect blend of the split coil P and the Jazz: had nice thump, clarity and hi-mids, and nice attack.
killer with flats, as was said.
Sadly, with most of my work being done on the Jazz, i had to let the '51 go to pay bills.
sidenote, i switched out the stock 2 barrel bridge for a BadAss III, though any modern bridge will be an upgrade, and i made a thumbrest that sat at Jazz pup height over the pup so i could anchor my plucking hand. made a world of difference.
I apologize, I hate to tell someone to search, but I don't remember the poster's name right at this moment. There IS a good review done on it, search for the Douglas Pieces. He cut the headstock and changed the pup, strung in with tapewounds and linked to a video of him playing it. Worth looking for if you are seriously considering one, IMO.
I own the Rondo '51, and I say that for $130 its a complete steal if you want a similar sound to the Fender '51. If you want a bass that plays like a fender '51, you may want to look elsewhere. The neck is jazz-thin and is not glossed, but has a very natural feel. As for sound, one thing I love about the single coil pickup on these style basses is the punchy tone of the low E string. I can't explain it very well, but when you play one you'll know.
I love the shape of the Tele-P, but the slab sides are kinda harsh on my soft skin and delicate arms - so I built my own.
Problems are personal I think - and even if I really WANTED to - I'd have to cut a belly and arm relief into any body.
Er---- not that I'm fat or even pleasingly plump - but I don't like to have sore ribs after a night of playing any instrument.
OK - sore lips from a harmonica are kinda the rule-of-the-road - but playing bass is NOT supposed to be a contact sport.
Problems are personal I think - and even if I really WANTED to - I'd have to cut a belly and arm relief into any body.
Er---- not that I'm fat or even pleasingly plump - but I don't like to have sore ribs after a night of playing any instrument.
OK - sore lips from a harmonica are kinda the rule-of-the-road - but playing bass is NOT supposed to be a contact sport.
The Squier CV 50s bass is really great for the price. And I own a 51 MIJ Reissue.
They are very close in feel and sound, and the Squier has the contoured body. Much more comfy.
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The Jay Turser model is also quite good. There was a time when my GC was blowing them out for $139, and had about 8 of them. They are pretty close to the Squier in quality, but had a really heavy poly finish in them that I didn't care for. It was the JT401 model.
They are very close in feel and sound, and the Squier has the contoured body. Much more comfy.
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The Jay Turser model is also quite good. There was a time when my GC was blowing them out for $139, and had about 8 of them. They are pretty close to the Squier in quality, but had a really heavy poly finish in them that I didn't care for. It was the JT401 model.
does someone have any soundclip of the seymour duncan's scpb-3?
I'm from Chile and I recently bought a Fender 51 body on eBay, but I'm replacing the pickups and I would like to hear how the SCPB-3 sounds, because I don't have any chances to try it on my country. I really like the sound of the split coil SPB-3, does the SCPB-3 sound like it?
If someone could provide any sound clip it would we nice!
btw, I'm a pick player
Thanks!
I'm from Chile and I recently bought a Fender 51 body on eBay, but I'm replacing the pickups and I would like to hear how the SCPB-3 sounds, because I don't have any chances to try it on my country. I really like the sound of the split coil SPB-3, does the SCPB-3 sound like it?
If someone could provide any sound clip it would we nice!
btw, I'm a pick player
Thanks!
Thank you. Fender wasn't the only bass amp manufacturer, but he had a competitive advantage in selling basses and amps out of the same store. Ampeg were more robust, but not as widely available, especially on the West Coast. And their design philosophies were different: Fender catered to the western swing crowd, while Everett Hull of Ampeg was a dyed-in-the-wool jazz guy. Ampeg, in fact, saw their clientele as the upright players -- it wasn't until the '60s that they offered a solid-body bass. And Ampeg operated out of a small NYC facility. It's been that you had to go outside to turn around! Fender, on the other hand, geared up for mass production from the start.
The changes in the Precision pickup came about partly from the warranty returns on blown 15" speakers. Fender attacked the problem from several angles, including redesigning the Bassman amp into the famous 4x10 layout. He was lucky in having recently hired Freddie Tavares, who turned Leo's ugly duckling first-generation P into the much more attractive split-coil (another example of pre- and post-Freddie design is the Tele vs the Strat: one is postwar industrial, the other is graceful and attractive).
I like the look of a SCPB much better than the split coil design . I also think Teles look better than Strats .... I think Leo got it right the first time .
The Squier 50's SCPB is not expensive . It's hard to believe they make instruments that play and sound that good at that price point . When I was picking up the bass the cheaper instruments were mostly awful .
The Squier 50's SCPB is not expensive . It's hard to believe they make instruments that play and sound that good at that price point . When I was picking up the bass the cheaper instruments were mostly awful .
It's a matter of taste. Me, I love the '51's looks and the Tele as well, but the later P and Strat are coming from a different direction entirely. Actually, I bought my '51 RI based on its cool appearance: there's something about that design that's authentic and real.
Ain't that the truth! Cheap basses were junk, back in the day. CNC manufacturing and automation have transformed electric basses on the low end.
