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What if Fender named the Precision differently back in 57?
- Thread starter EmaTheMirror
- Start date
wmhill
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- Aug 20, 2012
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devnulljp
Supporting Member
devnulljp
Supporting Member
Imo, the Precision bass was the perfect name. I never liked the Jazz bass name, because you could play any genre of music with it,not just Jazz
For a sec I wondered why they didn't change the name in '57 (and keep making the single coil, which would have made me happy).
But then I thought of cars and how sometimes the same model name has covered some very different designs over the years. (Corvette, Beetle, etc.)
Then I wondered why Fender hasn't done any "bumper to bumper" redesigns on the Precision since 1957. Like they've done with, say, the Chevy Impala. (Whatever the reason, I'm kind of glad they didn't.)
But then I thought of cars and how sometimes the same model name has covered some very different designs over the years. (Corvette, Beetle, etc.)
Then I wondered why Fender hasn't done any "bumper to bumper" redesigns on the Precision since 1957. Like they've done with, say, the Chevy Impala. (Whatever the reason, I'm kind of glad they didn't.)
There's lots of poorly named popular things. iPad anyone? So I think the name wouldn't have really mattered. I mean heck P bass isn't exactly a great name. Precision Bass is but we're all too lazy for that, me included.
We know Leo liked Deluxe for a bass name, as it was originally the name for the Jazz Bass. So I'm going to guess that. I love Leo Fender, I just don't think he had a lot of names in him. He kept that brain space for more important things.
Some names I think could work are: Split Bass, California Special, Corona Bass, Ensenada Bass, Jazz Bass (it may have just taken the name first so... sure why not?), the Mark II (playing on fret markers, precision, sounds more like military-tech-style named), Ergonomic Bass, Stage Bass (playing off the noiseless pickup), Performer Bass (gets to keep the P but same sort of idea as Stage), or maybe even just New Bass or New P Bass.
I like Corona Bass personally but a) I don't remember where Fender made their instruments at that time and b) it was probably neither Ensenada or Corona.
We know Leo liked Deluxe for a bass name, as it was originally the name for the Jazz Bass. So I'm going to guess that. I love Leo Fender, I just don't think he had a lot of names in him. He kept that brain space for more important things.
Some names I think could work are: Split Bass, California Special, Corona Bass, Ensenada Bass, Jazz Bass (it may have just taken the name first so... sure why not?), the Mark II (playing on fret markers, precision, sounds more like military-tech-style named), Ergonomic Bass, Stage Bass (playing off the noiseless pickup), Performer Bass (gets to keep the P but same sort of idea as Stage), or maybe even just New Bass or New P Bass.
I like Corona Bass personally but a) I don't remember where Fender made their instruments at that time and b) it was probably neither Ensenada or Corona.
Nobody cares what it was named. It could have been called the Stinky Pile Of Poo and it would have become just as legendary, although I imagine some would have put black tape over the name 
I think Leo Fender appreciated the importance of precision in manufacturing, and the novelty/usefulness of a fretted bass. And I believe he was well aware that people would have to be shown somehow that it was different and superior in that particular way. He was a logical guy and Precision is a logical type of name for this bass.
To the question; maybe Accu-Tone, Pitch Perfect, Fret-Master, Accu-Pitch, Fred or Carl or Billy, ANYTHING but Sue! I think it would have been just as popular.
What if all the rats in the world turned into cute little fluffy kittens? Ponder that, Nellie .
Tom
To the question; maybe Accu-Tone, Pitch Perfect, Fret-Master, Accu-Pitch, Fred or Carl or Billy, ANYTHING but Sue! I think it would have been just as popular.
What if all the rats in the world turned into cute little fluffy kittens? Ponder that, Nellie .
Tom
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No matter what it was called, I'd prefer the split pickup version. The original single coil pickup was probably decent with flats, but with rounds, I think it'd be too bright. Aside from that diversion, the main even is....the split coil doesn't HUM. That, to me is worth A LOT - I can't stand hum.
I once owned a bat-wing Epiphone Accu-bass. Suggestive.
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. He could have used any name at all as it was an original with no commercial or business father to be named after. Maybe call it the Leo. But Precision Bass has a nice scientific sound for the go go jet age 1950s.
