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Thoughts on Fender Road Worn Precision Basses?

#81
Setting aside the "road worn" bit, which I am ambivalent about, they are nice bases and if I was in the market I would not hesitate to buy one. They are a bargain, particularly used.

I am close to the point of getting one for club gigs (well, a jazz one), as my Fullerton era 62RI Jazz is irreplaceable to me. If it were stolen, I'd be crushed.
 
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#83
Gbass75 said:
I've always thought it a bit silly to buy a new bass that looks used... but, to each, his own.

That said; folks love 'em, and they DO sound great (from what I've actually heard with my own ears)... and, that's what really matters in the end, no?

Do you have a "look" you're going for?
Click to expand...

^^^^^

What he said!

I don't get the whole paying extra for wear thing. If you send me your bass I will bruise it up for way less money. But... they do feel good, they have a certain look that some players prefer and they sound and play great so if you dig em it doesn't seem like you can go wrong.
 
#84
Gaolee's RW is one of the nicest sounding Precisions I've played. It doesn't hurt that it has a pretty old set of Sadowsky Black Label flats on it. I don't personally care for the bronze pick guard, but the relicing doesn't bother me at all. Playing his has occasionally tempted me to pick one up and slap a Jazz neck on it. He's also slowly getting me to come around on Gibsons.
 
#85
A quick comparison of a Pino CS P-Bass and the Road Worn:

Model Name Road Worn50s Precision Bass® $11.99.00
Model Number 013-1712-(Color #)
Colors (303) 2-Color Sunburst, (340) Fiesta Red,
Body Alder (Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Neck 1-Piece Maple, ; Shape, (Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Fingerboard Maple, 7.25” Radius (184 mm)
No. of Frets 20 Vintage Style Frets
Pickups 1 Precision Bass Split Single-Coil Pickup (Mid)
Controls Volume, Tone
Pickup Switching None
Bridge American Vintage Precision
Machine Heads Vintage Style Reverse Tuning Machines
Hardware Nickel/Chrome
Pickguard Gold Anodized Aluminum
Scale Length 34 (864 mm)
Width at Nut 1.750 (44.5 mm)
Unique Features Distressed Body, Neck and Hardware Creating an Aged and Worn Appearance,
Synthetic Bone Nut
Strings Fender Super Bass 7250ML, NPS,
Gauges: (.045, .065, .080, .100),
Accessories Deluxe Gig Bag
Case Deluxe Gig Bag

Model Name Pino Palladino Signature Precision Bass® Price: $4500.00
Model Number 015-8200-(840)
Colors (840) Fiesta Red Over Desert Sand,
Body Select Lightweight Alder (Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Neck Quartersawn Maple, Shape,(Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Fingerboard Round Laminate Rosewood, ; Radius (184 mm)
No. of Frets 20 Vintage Style Frets
Pickups 1 Vintage Precision Bass Split Single-Coil Pickup (Middle)
Controls Volume, Tone
Pickup Switching None
Bridge American Vintage Precision Bass
Machine Heads Vintage Style Reverse Tuning Machines
Hardware Nickel/Chrome
Pickguard 4-Ply Tortoise Shell
Scale Length 34” (864 mm)
Width at Nut 1.750 (44.5 mm)
Unique Features Shows natural wear and tear of years of heavy use, nicks, scratches, worn finish rusty hardware and aged plastic parts.
Strings Thomastik-Infeld Flatwounds,
Gauges: (.043 .056 .070 .100)
Accessories Vintage Tweed Hardshell Case (Gold Interior), Strap, Cable
 
#86
I've never seen the point in making a finished instrument and then pay extra for the effort of making it look used.

BUT: It may be a cool finish for some, and what counts is how it plays and how it looks to the owner. I haven't heard negative things about the sound, and if the gloss has come off the neck, I actually count that as a plus for playability.
 
#87
I would LOVE to own a Fender RoadWorn P-Bass... The only thing keeping from doing so is the price. New, they go for about $1k. At that price I can get a SWEET G&L JB-100. There's just no way I can justify spending that kind of money for a Mexican made instrument of far less quality than the G&L. There are other companies also building great stuff in that price range of far better quality... Carvin/Kiesel for example.

That said, if I could find a good one used for about $500, I'd be there. Any more than that, my money would be better spent elsewhere.

Just my $0.02 :)
 
#88
I really like my RW P & J basses. The only thing I've done is put spoke wheel truss rod nuts on both, and swapped out the J pups for Fralin splits. The both sound like an early P and a J should, and are easy players.

full.jpg
 
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#89
pacojas said:
here's a challenge to the cosmetic criticism crowd
  • go to a large dealer and play as many different basses in every price range.
  • next , play a Fender RW bass.
  • then, report back.
Click to expand...
I went through this, mostly.

I bought my RW Jazz without planning to after going into my local shop intending to buy an American Standard Jazz. I picked up the RW just as a joke, as I'd always sneered at the fake mojo finishes on them. A couple of astonished hours of back-to-back comparing it to about four different MIA Jazzes and a couple MIM Jazzes (and through a few different amps, just to be sure), and I walked out with the RW. Light, wider range pickups, great feel to the neck, rolled fretboard, thinner body. It all adds up to an amazing instrument...
 
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#90
One of the nice things about the road worn models or any reliced model is that if you buy them used at a fair price, they are unlikely to ever go down in value. If you encounter a few more scrapes and bruises, so what? If you cause some additional wear from playing, it doesn't matter. Belt buckles...who cares? It gives you a level of freedom that you simply do not feel with pristine basses. I have no qualms about letting other folks play my relic that I built. What are they likely to do to cause it any harm?
 
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#91
I absolutely love mine. I take such good care of my basses that I would never have a bass this reliced. I was messing with the electronics and the screwdriver slipped and I put a little gouge in the body. For a second my heart dropped and my nuts rose to meet my heart in a pit of agony that was my stomach, then I realized the dang thing is already beat up and it was all good! I shared this story with my dad (from whom I learned how to obsessively care for basses) and he said he has done the same thing and got rid of the bass because of it. He is now building a parts bass with a relic body and hardware.

The roadworn P is never leaving my stable. It has my all time favorite neck. I'm pondering buying a RW P neck and a burst RW jazz body. Have the best of both worlds!
 
#94
lea56 said:
What it really came down to was the tones. It had the '62 Custom Shop Pickup and it just didn't sound right. The neck also felt a bit too narrow to me. I prefer very beefy necks as I have slightly larger hands. This is the reason I dislike Jazz basses as I don't like the thinness of the necks.

I have a '51 Reissue Precision and I absolutely love it!
Click to expand...
Does the Road Worn P have a different size neck from the MIA you had? Does it have the same nut width as the 51 that you love?
Hmmm... Ive never heard anything bad about the 62 Custom Shop pickup?
 
#96
A large number of our favorite recording/touring bands use "fake" "empty" speaker cabs on stage as props/back drops. So maybe us amateurs should stop worrying so much about being labeled a "poser" if we play a bass with a "road worn" finish.
 
#97
Just go a Fiesta Red RW. Got a 15% discount, so the price is somewhat reasonable. It's new, so I could well be in the honeymoon period, to become disillusioned later. Love the neck, setup is perfect. Sound is exactly like a 1970s Precision I sold years ago. Back when I had plenty of money, I had a Sadowsky, Pedulla, Mike Lull, a few others and some top dollar amps. But, I think this RW is as good as any of them, maybe better. Of course, I play for myself now and will mostly use this to accompany my acoustic guitar, mandola, or just play solo.

I'm not thrilled about the road worn body, but I wanted this color and a lacquer finish. So not many options. On mine the pickguard doesn't look as worn/dirty as in some photos. The volume/tone knobs and saddle are bright metal. I kind of like the tuners. They aren't pitted or anything, look kind of like pewter.

Pickup sounds perfect to me. I don't think there is a better neck available. It's kind of a satin finish, rather than the gobs of finish you see on some maple necks.

I've been playing a 2015 American Standard a good bit since I decided to get back into bass. The RW is so much easier to play and I think it sounds much better. The neck doesn't feel as wide as the 1.75 might lead one to believe. It's very easy to play/fret. I think the action being so low helps in that respect.

I ordered a thumb rest, will probably go for a tortoise pickguard at some point. And, I've ordered some Guitar ReRanch Fiesta Red lacquer. Will likely try putting a very thin coat(s) on some of the most worn areas at some point. But, I think I could live with it as is considering the decent price, sound and playability.

It looks very cool sitting next to my dark brown acoustic instruments. Haven't recorded with it yet, but I think it is going to add a nice foundation for some of the acoustic stuff I do. And, I'm looking forward to playing along with some heavier rock CDs when the mood hits me.

Not gonna go for costly amps either. Picked up a Rumble 100 and it sounds nice and versatile at relatively low volumes.

I think if I choose to sell the RW down the road, I'd lose a couple of hundred bucks. Small price to pay for this much fun and inspiration.
 
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#98
hoytmonster said:
Just go a Fiesta Red RW. Got a 15% discount, so the price is somewhat reasonable. It's new, so I could well be in the honeymoon period, to become disillusioned later. Love the neck, setup is perfect. Sound is exactly like a 1970s Precision I sold years ago. Back when I had plenty of money, I had a Sadowsky, Pedulla, Mike Lull, a few others and some top dollar amps. But, I think this RW is as good as any of them, maybe better. Of course, I play for myself now and will mostly use this to accompany my acoustic guitar, mandola, or just play solo.

I'm not thrilled about the road worn body, but I wanted this color and a lacquer finish. So not many options. On mine the pickguard doesn't look as worn/dirty as in some photos. The volume/tone knobs and saddle are bright metal. I kind of like the tuners. They aren't pitted or anything, look kind of like pewter.

Pickup sounds perfect to me. I don't think there is a better neck available. It's kind of a satin finish, rather than the gobs of finish you see on some maple necks.

I've been playing a 2015 American Standard a good bit since I decided to get back into bass. The RW is so much easier to play and I think it sounds much better. The neck doesn't feel as wide as the 1.75 might lead one to believe. It's very easy to play/fret. I think the action being so low helps in that respect.

I ordered a thumb rest, will probably go for a tortoise pickguard at some point. And, I've ordered some Guitar ReRanch Fiesta Red lacquer. Will likely try putting a very thin coat(s) on some of the most worn areas at some point. But, I think I could live with it as is considering the decent price, sound and playability.

It looks very cool sitting next to my dark brown acoustic instruments. Haven't recorded with it yet, but I think it is going to add a nice foundation for some of the acoustic stuff I do. And, I'm looking forward to playing along with some heavier rock CDs when the mood hits me.

Not gonna go for costly amps either. Picked up a Rumble 100 and it sounds nice and versatile at relatively low volumes.

I think if I choose to sell the RW down the road, I'd lose a couple of hundred bucks. Small price to pay for this much fun and inspiration.
Click to expand...
Awesome! Sounds like you found a winner. I noticed that the neck finish is different on the newer roadworns. I had a 2010 roadworn P and the neck had a glossy poly finish, where the new ones are definitely more satin. Food for thought. Also, FYI, the reranch may not match Fender's fiesta red exactly... I refinished a Jazzmaster in reranch fiesta red and it is a bit more pale than my '98 AVRI 62 P in factory fiesta red...
 

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