Bass arrived yesterday, as luck would have it I got a call to sub with a blues band the same night, so I hauled the TFP along with my regular Precision. Here's a mini review for those interested:
Let me just say right up front this is easily the best Fender I have ever played, and I have played a bunch. It's brand new and not relic'd or anything, but it looks and feels old. The neck is deeply tinted and has a glossy but smooth nitro finish. Frets are perfect and mine arrived with the straightest neck I have ever seen, I mean DEAD straight.
The bass had been set up and was very good right out of the box, but I like my action high enough that I don't get any fret rattle at all, so I raised all the saddles a bit. Intonation was spot-on, didn't have to touch that at all. It played just great with the straight fretboard, no trussrod adjustment required.
Mine weighs 8.5 pounds exactly so it's very light and comfortable to wear. Any less would actually be a problem because the neck is substantial and would dive with a lighter body. Playing unplugged it was very lively and resonant. Even though it's light, it feels rock solid.
All the hardware is first rate and 70's vintage, saddles have slotted screws instead of hex heads. It also comes in a an old school tolex hardshell case that weighs about twice as much as the bass...might have to swap that for an SKB!
Barely 2 hours after the bass arrived I was at the club setting up for my gig. I set up my amp to get a good P sound out of the front pickup, and then dialed in a different EQ on my Boss GEB-7 pedal for the Jazz pickup. I like a real honky Jaco finger funk tone from the rear pup.
Everything sounded great, but the real test of course is hearing it in the mix. We started off with some jazzy blues tunes and I used the P pup for a vintage sort of tone. This pickup sounds HUGE. It is deep and clear with lots of bottom and a pronounced throaty growl when you dial in some treble. I've played a number of old all original Fenders...a '57, '64, '66 and lots of 70's models...this P has the same sort of tonal vibe I noticed on those, and specifically what I mean is that it's very thick and full on the E and A strings, and somewhat less but more defined on the D and G strings. I raised the lower half of the pickup as high as it would go and angled the upper half down at an angle and that evened things out nicely.
Then we did a Tower of Power tune where I get to motor around the fretboard doing the 16th note boogie, so I switched to the Jazz pickup and hit my EQ pedal. Holy mother of pearl Batman!!! That thing is NASTY! The tone just leaped out of the mix, I could clearly hear every note with bell-like clarity, including ghost notes. It was exactly what I've always wanted from a Jazz bass but never quite got to.
I also tried using both pickups, but that didn't quite make it for me. It rolled off the deep muscular bass from the P and gave a sort of glassy edge to the J, but just didn't have the mojo that either pup had by itself. It's certainly a very usable tone and I'm certain when I work with my amp a bit I'll find the right settings to make it sing.
Bottom line - Every guy in the band and all the musicians in the house came up and commented on my bass tone, it was certainly the best sound I've ever gotten on stage. This bass is expensive, but I'm keeping her and I can already see it's going to be my main gigging instrument. No more hauling around a P and a J or debating on which one to take...I've got the absolute best of both in one guitar.
Yeah baby!
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