PRECISION BASS? One million different models!!!

[thebrig]

I'm looking to get a Precision bass, as I want to form a classic 60/70's style rock band.

I had an American Hot-Rodded one a few years ago, which was great, and now wished I had kept.
But now I'm looking for another Precision, and am quite confused as to which model to get, as there seems to be so many variations out there.

Do they all give a similar sound, or are there quite big differences in them?

I must admit, that the current American Standard is a model that appeals to me.

[url="http://www.dv247.com/guitars/fender-american-standard-precision-bass-olympic-white-maple--48137"]http://www.dv247.com/guitars/fender-americ...te-maple--48137[/url]

Having seen it in the flesh, it certainly looks a well made and solid bass , but will it give me the classic rock sound that I want?

Are the Mexican and Japanese models capable of doing the job as well?

I'm not a snob as far as which country it was manufactured, I just want a bass that will give me that classic rock tone.

I have a budget up to £1,000

All advice and opinions will be much appreciated.

Cheers!

[bigthumb]

I'd be buggered if I'd ever spend 1K on a new Precision! Hang out for a S/H Japanese one and save yourself a lot of money.

[hillbilly deluxe]

A £100 Westfield is capable,a Precision is a Precision if is MIM,MIJ,CIJ,MIA,or anywhere else they are/have been made.Im not sure about active ones,as that just seems wrong to me.
As with everything,try before you buy,if you can,and buy the one that best suits you no matter what it says on the headstock.

Edited April 17, 2011 by hillbilly deluxe

[outsider70]

I've had several Precisions over the years both MIA and MIJ, and they have all done the rock thing really well.

[Musky]

[quote name='bigthumb' post='1202372' date='Apr 17 2011, 09:01 AM']I'd be buggered if I'd ever spend 1K on a new Precision! Hang out for a S/H Japanese one and save yourself a lot of money.[/quote]
+1!

MIJs are at least the equal of MIAs and a damn sight cheaper. I've not tried an MIM myself but from comments on the forum quality control seems to be a bit more variable. I think I'd have to try the actual one I was buying if I was looking for an MIM myself, but I'd be happy enough to take a punt on a MIJ without laying hands on it first.

[Lozz196]

I`ve had Mex Standard, Mex Classic Range, Japanese, and US. For me, the US is the best of the bunch, it just works with me best. And that is the thing - it`s which works with you the best that makes it the right choice. Likewise, I`m not fussed about country of origin, my hands and ears made my choice re the two that I`ve kept.

However, I wouldn`t buy new - 2nd hand, on here, you`ll pick up a US for £700ish, for the 2008 (or onwards model), less than that for prior to 2008, between £550 & £650. For info as to why, the 2008 has the new high-mass bridge, and some other features as on Fenders website - they really get a great rep on here, with Fender lovers that is.

In answer to the sound issue - they will all sound like a Precision, that great low-mid chunkiness that works with rock so well. You may however find that even with basses of the same country of origin, that there are differences in the sound . Out of my two US Standards, my 97 is noticeably deeper and more resonant, and both are the same model, and both have had a professional set-up, so density of woods must come into it. Again, let the ears decide. One thing though, you just can`t beat a Precision, imv.

[Musicman20]

Ive had a few MIAs and a few MIJs.

They ALL vary.

I had a MIJ bass for 15 years and whilst it was great, I wouldnt pay the modern prices. Far too expensive, and the prices of second hand models (more so from dealers and importers) are crazy high.

The premium MIJ models with USA pups are much better.

My current MIA P bass cost me the least out of all my MIA Fenders and it is my favourite P bass. I havent found one that tops it.

Just be careful with QC on any MIJ/MIA and MIM Fender.

Id make an offer to the shop, because most stores want to make a sale and will meet you on a price.

If I had to buy again, 2008 onwards MIA P all the way. Great upgrades!

Edited April 17, 2011 by Musicman20

[Happy Jack]

Are you going to use flatwounds or roundwounds? With a pick or fingerstyle?

Are you planning to play "clean" or through a pedalboard like the control room at Windscale?

Are you using a solid state amp or valve? Going through an SVT810 or a Barefaced Compact?

A Precision will respond wonderfully to [i][b]any [/b][/i]of your answers to [i][b]any [/b][/i]of the above questions, but the less "pure bass tone" you plan to be able to hear then (IMHO) the less you need to spend on the bass.

The Precision is the ultimate workhorse bass.

If your audience is going to hear an uber-high volume wall of distorted FX then buy a Westfield (no disrespect intended - they're very good, cheap basses).

If your audience is going to hear classic rock basslines from the Stones, Free and Deep Purple, all played clean at pub-rock volumes, then buy a Precision that sounds good in its own right.

[Soloshchenko]

Before blowing £1000 on a precision make sure you try one of these:

[url="http://www.drumandstrum.co.uk/product/squier-bass-guitars/76/squier-classic-vibe-60s-precision-bass"]Classic Vibe[/url]

It can't be overstated how wonderful these instruments are. I'll never buy another precision.

[arsenic]

As with anything like this - a hundred replies will suggest 100 different options.

As had been said above, try as many as you can, and choose the one that suits you best.

As a personal observation, I have played many precisions, and one of the nicest was the [url="http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~Fender-50s-Precision-Bass~ID~6868.asp"]MiM 50's classic[/url]. The one with the gold anodised pickguard. It was well put together, and was a dream to play. If I have any negative comments on it, it was that the pickup output seemed to be a little on the low side, to me anyway. However, a replacement pickup would solve this relatively cheaply. Comes in Black, Honey Blonde and Fiesta Red.

It retails new at around the £600 mark, and a replacement Seymour Duncan or Wizard Thumper pickup is about £50/£60.

At the end of the day, it has to be right for you, so if you get a chance, try brfore you buy.

Edit to add : Yes it does give that classic precision sound - even with the stock pickups.

Edited April 17, 2011 by arsenic

[Macko1968]

The country of origin makes no odds to me, I've played gems & dogs from Japan, Mexico & USA. Try a few & buy with your ears, not your map.

[lojo]

I did a gig at a private school fundraiser recently as a favor to a friend, the school band used our backline, the bass player kept leaning a P bass against all sorts of things during the sound check, no stand ! and I thought it would go over soon, sure enough crash it did, I picked it up I noticed it was a shiny new looking MIA !

So some rich kid has almost a grand (or perhaps more) worth of bass as a starter, and no respect for the instrument

We can talk on here about the differences in quality, but like a lot of items for TVs to oak flooring, you can buy cheap, middle and top, depending how its marketed

A brand new MIA IMO may or may not be a better player than a good MIJ CIJ or good MIM

Regardless of the component differences, stand at the back of a pub gig with a decent bass player, and tell me if its a CV or MIA without looking, id be impressed

[skej21]

[quote name='gareth' post='1202645' date='Apr 17 2011, 02:48 PM']MiM 50's classic is the way to go - used from £250 - great buy, value and sound[/quote]

MASSIVE + 1

Even new, totally worth the cash! These are a LOT of Precision for the money, second hand or new!

[chris_b]

+1 to the comments above.

If you want a good Precision you don't have to spend £1000, but if you want to spend £1000 I wouldn't buy a Fender.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='lojo' post='1202685' date='Apr 17 2011, 03:52 PM']Regardless of the component differences, stand at the back of a pub gig with a decent bass player, and tell me if its a CV or MIA without looking, id be impressed[/quote]

+1, except I'd go further ... I think most would struggle to tell a Celinder from a Westfield at a typical pub gig. You hear the "classic P thump", you see the "classic P shape", and you think "It's a Precision". And that's about it for most people.

[hillbilly deluxe]

Exactly,a precision is a precision,who what why or when is mostly unimportant.IMO.

[watchman]

I agree with many here that the details are fairly unimportant and that any Precision will tend to give you the sound, but try as many as you can to get one with a neck that you really like. For me that's the main thing, that and decent balance.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='Soloshchenko' post='1202511' date='Apr 17 2011, 11:58 AM']Before blowing £1000 on a precision make sure you try one of these:

[url="http://www.drumandstrum.co.uk/product/squier-bass-guitars/76/squier-classic-vibe-60s-precision-bass"]Classic Vibe[/url]

It can't be overstated how wonderful these instruments are. I'll never buy another precision.[/quote]

Same here. Had Lakland's and Fender's and while all good basses, and i suppose better looking, none of them play better or sound better than my CV P.

[Circle_of_Fifths]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1203587' date='Apr 18 2011, 05:46 AM']Same here. Had Lakland's and Fender's and while all good basses, and i suppose better looking, none of them play better or sound better than my CV P.[/quote]

If it's for the 'sound of a Precision' then almost any precision-type will work if it has the right p'ups and strings.

I'd stay totally away from a heavy bridge since that wasn't part of the original design and the concession to adding them now is to improve marketing since some people actually believe a bridge make any difference at all.

I totally don't believe the 'wood-tone' dialog since I just finished my own Precision-type bass (OK - don't yell about the head decal) and it has the lightest body I've ever lifted or felt. It sounds exactly like a Precision should and so I deduce it's not the wood either.



[size=3][b][color="#8B0000"]My Homemade Fender No-Caster at 6lbs/2ozs - 2.778253254 kilograms[/color][/b][/size]

(yeah - the string tree isn't on it in this pix.)



But consider this::: It's an ELECTRIC BASS and the tone's in the electrical parts being excited by the strings, passing through whatever capacitor(s) and pots and then it's on to the amp where color is added or taken away.

The tone-wood and HM bridges are an abomination to me - 1) for the fairy tale anecdotal testimonies and 2) the other as a pure fantasy.


All in all - I have played the RWs however - and they are pretty sweet and sing very well - but they are awfully scratched and worn out to me. I like new-shiny-sparkles and a good wax job. They are MiMs too.

Don't turn you nose up at MiM basses as they are just as good if not just a lot less expensive than the USA versions.

I live just about 40 miles from Fender Corona and they send all the necks and body wood that is used in Mexico to be assembled there after the parts are machined here, rough-finished, for the cheaper manual labor and illegal-in-the-US paint processes that they get away with there.

My MiM Deluxe Jazz is fine and dandy even though some people would not even consider buying one with that Mexican assembly line DNA. Too bad for those snobby people since they miss a lot of great gear that way.

[dave_bass5]

I cant really comment on the differences wood etc make, certainly not with authority, but i do know that my Squier CV Jazz and HW-one Jazz sounded very, very different with the same pups and stings (literally).

Ive also not really noticed much difference between the Squier HM bridge, the Fender vintage bridge and a Gotoh 201 bridge, tone wise, when i went through them on my Squier. I love the HM bridges for their looks but i wouldn't buy one to change the tone or sustain.

With the rise in popularity that Squier are now getting with the CV and VM lines it just shows that you dont need to spend a fortune to get a decent "Fender".

Edited April 19, 2011 by dave_bass5