What if Leo didn't get it exactly right the first time around?

[Drredplate]

Manhole? Round...always

Elec./Gas Vault rectangular.

No square manholes.

In the UK "manhole cover" can be any shape but think we may be drifting off topic lol

 

[FRoss6788]

^Just a bit...^

 

[red_rhino]

I was preparing to comment on this thread, but decided to go play my Jazz bass instead.

 

[Rib 13]

For the past five years, I've been using vintage-inspired Fender Jazzes and Precisions exclusively. I believed in the adage that Leo got it right the first time around with the Jazz and the '57 Precision onwards.

Yesterday, I got a "modern" bass and couldn't believe how wrong Leo had been:

• Truss rod access requires having to remove the neck
• Tuners weight so much, resulting in serious neck dive
• Bridge requires strings go through it, which is mildly inconvenient when changing strings
• Threaded saddles causes smaller gauge strings to move move around
• Single coil hum (Jazz bass)
• 7.25-inch fingerboard radius, requiring more neck relief and so higher action
• Heel design makes it had to access last frets.

Also, when we say, "Leo got it right the first time around," we usually mean the '57 Precision, which isn't exactly the "first time around."

You could Leo created a bass that works in most if not all genres, but isn't that only because it was, for a while, the only bass available on the market, more or less? Would we say the same thing of the Warwick Thumb, for example, had it been the first bass on the market and played on all those classic records?

So, what exactly did Leo get right?

As far as P-basses are concerned, I did an ambiguous opinion video last year that touches on quite a few of your points in this post. I think Leo got it right back then FOR back then. I also think Rotary dial landline telephones were great FOR back then as well -- I still think smartphones are better for our modern times

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

For the past five years, I've been using vintage-inspired Fender Jazzes and Precisions exclusively. I believed in the adage that Leo got it right the first time around with the Jazz and the '57 Precision onwards.

Yesterday, I got a "modern" bass and couldn't believe how wrong Leo had been:

• Truss rod access requires having to remove the neck
• Tuners weight so much, resulting in serious neck dive
• Bridge requires strings go through it, which is mildly inconvenient when changing strings
• Threaded saddles causes smaller gauge strings to move move around
• Single coil hum (Jazz bass)
• 7.25-inch fingerboard radius, requiring more neck relief and so higher action
• Heel design makes it had to access last frets.

Also, when we say, "Leo got it right the first time around," we usually mean the '57 Precision, which isn't exactly the "first time around."

You could Leo created a bass that works in most if not all genres, but isn't that only because it was, for a while, the only bass available on the market, more or less? Would we say the same thing of the Warwick Thumb, for example, had it been the first bass on the market and played on all those classic records?

So, what exactly did Leo get right?

The Telecaster guitar - right the first time

The Precision bass - right the first time...in 1951



I don't understand what you mean about the bridge. Every bridge requires the strings to go through it. That's quite literally what it's there for.


And a Warwick thumb doesn't work for most things now, why would it be any different back then. When Jazz, country, surf and blues were the only things anybody listened to.

 

[BlueTalon]

I don't understand what you mean about the bridge. Every bridge requires the strings to go through it. That's quite literally what it's there for.

True, but not all bridges require the string to be threaded through a hole in the bridge to get it in place. I think that's what was being referred to.

 

[tb-player]

Leo ? Who's Leo? Rob Elrick got it right.

 

[Modulus 96]

It's easy to sell something when you're the only game in town.

Did Henry Ford "get it right" the first time? Hardly! Did he sell a lot of cars? Yes he did.

We all know that to get a decent fender in those days you had to try a dozen of them in the store to find the one that worked.

 

[steveinohio]

He got it right by coming up with the sound of modern bass. Everything else is derivative.

 

[FRoss6788]

It's easy to sell something when you're the only game in town.

Did Henry Ford "get it right" the first time? Hardly! Did he sell a lot of cars? Yes he did.

We all know that to get a decent fender in those days you had to try a dozen of them in the store to find the one that worked.

No.

We all don't know that...

You don't either

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

True, but not all bridges require the string to be threaded through a hole in the bridge to get it in place. I think that's what was being referred to.

Yes, they do. Even through the body, it still passes through a hole in the bridge. Except maybe a hipshot A bridge. Where you can set it in the hole from the top, because the holes are open. But, I've never had an A bridge that I was able to get intonated. I've tried them twice. The first one had two saddles that were cross Threaded in the factory, and were unable to be set up. The second one, wouldn't work for the intonation on my Fender. I would've had to drill new holes, and move it closer to the neck. I just decided to go with another bridge instead.

 

[BlueTalon]

Yes, they do. Even through the body, it still passes through a hole in the bridge. Except maybe a hipshot A bridge. Where you can set it in the hole from the top, because the holes are open. But, I've never had an A bridge that I was able to get intonated. I've tried them twice. The first one had two saddles that were cross Threaded in the factory, and were unable to be set up. The second one, wouldn't work for the intonation on my Fender. I would've had to drill new holes, and move it closer to the neck. I just decided to go with another bridge instead.

Hipshot A, Hipshot B, and a few varieties of Gotoh bridges all allow for quick changes of strings, without having to thread the strings through a hole. I love my Schaller 3D bridges, but I wish they'd develop one with a quick change feature.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hipshot A, Hipshot B, and a few varieties of Gotoh bridges all allow for quick changes of strings, without having to thread the strings through a hole. I love my Schaller 3D bridges, but I wish they'd develop one with a quick change feature.

I thought the B style was just an ashtray version of a standard plate bridge. I didn't know they had open top holes

 

[Modulus 96]

I think Leo got it right back then FOR back then

Yes, in terms of the solution he created.

But backup a bit to the idea of the electric bass. He got that right. He also got the general layout right-ish... though it is imperfect by today's standards.

 

[BazzaBass]

For the past five years, I've been using vintage-inspired Fender Jazzes and Precisions exclusively. I believed in the adage that Leo got it right the first time around with the Jazz and the '57 Precision onwards.

Yesterday, I got a "modern" bass and couldn't believe how wrong Leo had been:

• Truss rod access requires having to remove the neck
• Tuners weight so much, resulting in serious neck dive
• Bridge requires strings go through it, which is mildly inconvenient when changing strings
• Threaded saddles causes smaller gauge strings to move move around
• Single coil hum (Jazz bass)
• 7.25-inch fingerboard radius, requiring more neck relief and so higher action
• Heel design makes it had to access last frets.

Also, when we say, "Leo got it right the first time around," we usually mean the '57 Precision, which isn't exactly the "first time around."

You could Leo created a bass that works in most if not all genres, but isn't that only because it was, for a while, the only bass available on the market, more or less? Would we say the same thing of the Warwick Thumb, for example, had it been the first bass on the market and played on all those classic records?

So, what exactly did Leo get right?

Next you will be trying to start a thread comparing

For the past five years, I've been using vintage-inspired Fender Jazzes and Precisions exclusively. I believed in the adage that Leo got it right the first time around with the Jazz and the '57 Precision onwards.

Yesterday, I got a "modern" bass and couldn't believe how wrong Leo had been:

• Truss rod access requires having to remove the neck
• Tuners weight so much, resulting in serious neck dive
• Bridge requires strings go through it, which is mildly inconvenient when changing strings
• Threaded saddles causes smaller gauge strings to move move around
• Single coil hum (Jazz bass)
• 7.25-inch fingerboard radius, requiring more neck relief and so higher action
• Heel design makes it had to access last frets.

Also, when we say, "Leo got it right the first time around," we usually mean the '57 Precision, which isn't exactly the "first time around."

You could Leo created a bass that works in most if not all genres, but isn't that only because it was, for a while, the only bass available on the market, more or less? Would we say the same thing of the Warwick Thumb, for example, had it been the first bass on the market and played on all those classic records?

So, what exactly did Leo get right?

Next you will wanting to compare Trucks that are 72 years apart

 

[2F/2F]

For the past five years, I've been using vintage-inspired Fender Jazzes and Precisions exclusively. I believed in the adage that Leo got it right the first time around with the Jazz and the '57 Precision onwards.

Yesterday, I got a "modern" bass and couldn't believe how wrong Leo had been:

• Truss rod access requires having to remove the neck
• Tuners weight so much, resulting in serious neck dive
• Bridge requires strings go through it, which is mildly inconvenient when changing strings
• Threaded saddles causes smaller gauge strings to move move around
• Single coil hum (Jazz bass)
• 7.25-inch fingerboard radius, requiring more neck relief and so higher action
• Heel design makes it had to access last frets.

Also, when we say, "Leo got it right the first time around," we usually mean the '57 Precision, which isn't exactly the "first time around."

You could Leo created a bass that works in most if not all genres, but isn't that only because it was, for a while, the only bass available on the market, more or less? Would we say the same thing of the Warwick Thumb, for example, had it been the first bass on the market and played on all those classic records?

So, what exactly did Leo get right?

You have the perfect user name.

 

[Naigewron]

Not all genres existed back then. Thus we are now in fact NOT used to hearing it in all genres.

This is objectively false there are several genres that will never use a Fender P.

Ok fine, replace "all" with "most" in my post. My point doesn't change

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I've been playing Fender and Fender-type basses for since the '80s. I've also been a product/industrial designer and maker for about 30 years. I know some things about this.

Consider available materials, production methods, and industrial standards of the era. re tuner weight. Go get some Gotoh Res-O-Lite if you need the latest and lightest tech. They drop right in without changing anything about the bushing and mount screw locations.

I only have basses with threaded bridge saddles and zero problems with any strings moving or shifting.

The truss rod access does not necessarily require more than loosening the neck and tilting it in the pocket unless you're performing a large change or adjustment for different strings.

Single coil pickups, Tele, Strat, SCPB, or Jazz, etc. are not a fault and not the first or last single coil pickups ever designed. They're simply a type.

7.25" fretboard radius in practice or reality makes vanishingly little difference in neck relief and action. Nil actually. I should know; I have, I set up and I play 7.25 and 9.5 myself. The relief on all of them is very minimal--sub 0.01"-- and very low action without fret buzz.

Approximately never is about how much I want or need access to the 20th fret.

The '57 P wasn't the first iteration. Neither was the Jazz Bass Fender's first bass design so why refer to it as an example for single coils? That kind of helps to make my point though, thank you. '51 P was designed with SC. If SC pickups are fundamentally flawed to the extent of being considered fatally bad then why did Leo Fender choose to use SC pickups on his third bass iteration, the Jazz Bass, circa '59-'60?

I could probably go on further but I think this is a fairly solid first draft.

Well the SC pickup on the '51 P-bass has its merits, tone-wise.
That's a P that I should buy as well, sooner or later ..

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

the cat invented parts basses. what's not to like?!!

Holy words ..

 

[Dust2Dust]