I tried FOUR Precisions yesterday!

[thebrig]

Yesterday I tried out FOUR precision basses in my local shop, through the same amp, and on the same settings for all of them.
First up was an [b]‘American Special’ rosewood board at £793[/b], and my first impression was that it felt quite good, well balanced and light for a P, and Sounded not bad at all.
Next was an [b]‘American Standard’ maple board at £1048[/b], and I was absolutely blown away by it, definitely the best P bass I’ve ever played, sat just right, not too heavy, balanced sound across all strings, and great build quality.
Then I tried a [b]‘Squier CV’ maple board at £310[/b], and was very impressed with the build, but not too keen on the sound, and was a bit noisy, although it did play very nicely.
Finally, the guy in the shop insisted I try the new [b]‘Fender 60th Anniversary maple board at £1167[/b], it was a beautiful looking bass, (although the headstock doesn't look right to me), it played and sounded good, but too pricey for me.

I started off hoping that the cheaper Squier would do it for me, as I don’t really want to spend £1000 on a P bass, but unfortunately, the [b]'American Standard'[/b] was by far and away the best of the lot IMO, so now I’m really gassing for it, but don’t know whether I should shell out a grand + for a Precision.

Help!

[wateroftyne]

Bear in mind all four will probably be set up differently... if at all.

Try and keep that in mind. You'll be amazed how a set up can change a 'meh' bass into something that plays like 'buttah'.

[Ed_S]

In general, you get what you pay for. The Squiers may well 'punch above their weight' (or some other such hackneyed phrase) and a lot of people are very happy with them, but in the grander scheme of things they're no Mexican Standard, which in turn is no American Standard. The American Special is a slight oddball in that (to me, at least) it just feels like a really good example of a Mexican, but you're paying American money for it when much less than the difference spent in petrol / local train fare would likely take you to enough shops to just find a really good example of a Mexican.

If I had any advice it'd be to go and try some Mex Standards and see if you can find a good one. It won't feel the same as an American Standard, but if you find a nice one that plays how you want it to, it could save you £600 and feel every bit as good as the American Special. You could even splash out and get USA pickups for it, and still come in under-budget.

[citymariner]

Go secondhand.

Do the usual checks and there in no reason you can't pick an American Special up for the price of Mexican Standard new.

Your luthier should support you if you ask him what to look for.

[Marvin]

Personally I would go S/H for an American, or mod the Squier.

[4 Strings]

s/h is the way to get what you want without paying new money.

However, it depends what you're after, people have reasons for buying new or s/h, if you want a new bass then you should buy one (after all if we all bought s/h there'd be no new ones!).

While the comments about setting up etc are all true, from the enthusiasm in your post it seems to me its the American Standard you should buy as things like guitars are all about satisfaction and perception. If you're unhappy about the cheaper one later on, for any tiny reason, you'll not like it and regret your decision.

You're more likely to grow to love the bass you want than another one. Also - it has a maple fingerboard!

Great you're buying from your local shop. Can you get them to knock the price at all?

[Happy Jack]

Don't buy any of them until you've tried some vintage Precisions.

Each of the four you mention (if new, as I assume they are) will lose roughly a third of their value as you walk out of the shop, and may be down by 50% by the time you come to sell. I have yet to work out why so many people want new instruments. If it's not a Custom or something really unusual that you just [i][b]have [/b][/i]to own, then let someone else take that initial hit.

Push the boat out a bit, double your budget, and you can buy something that plays & sounds at least as good as any of them, but is a [i][b]jen-you-wine[/b][/i] vintage bass and will either lose you very little or, more probably, make you a profit when it's time to sell.

You can't afford a 60's bass, and late 70's basses often have issues (including, for me, excessive weight) but with a bit of shopping around you might find a decent mid 70's bass you can afford, especially if you sell/trade one or more of your existing herd to help fund it.

[Grand Wazoo]

Get the Squier, you said it played well but sounded noisy, well that is not a problem, if it plays well and felt well that is a big bonus, as far as noise and sound are concerned I can give you the lowdown on how to make it sound proper for way less than a grand.

[Ed_S]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1264684' date='Jun 11 2011, 10:12 AM']I have yet to work out why so many people want new instruments.[/quote]

It's purely fetishistic in my case. I get pleasure from taking them out of the original packaging.

[gary mac]

Have to agree with Jack and infact that's the route I'm planning on at the moment, once I've got clearance from the good wife.

But if you are talking about the American Standard in Coda then I understand your enthusiasm. The one I tried in there a while back was a beaut and had me all gassed up.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1264684' date='Jun 11 2011, 10:12 AM']Don't buy any of them until you've tried some vintage Precisions.

Each of the four you mention (if new, as I assume they are) will lose roughly a third of their value as you walk out of the shop, and may be down by 50% by the time you come to sell. I have yet to work out why so many people want new instruments. If it's not a Custom or something really unusual that you just [i][b]have [/b][/i]to own, then let someone else take that initial hit.

Push the boat out a bit, double your budget, and you can buy something that plays & sounds at least as good as any of them, but is a [i][b]jen-you-wine[/b][/i] vintage bass and will either lose you very little or, more probably, make you a profit when it's time to sell.

You can't afford a 60's bass, and late 70's basses often have issues (including, for me, excessive weight) but with a bit of shopping around you might find a decent mid 70's bass you can afford, especially if you sell/trade one or more of your existing herd to help fund it.[/quote]
I've never really entertained buying new for the same reason. I've never bought a brand-new car, either. I don't want to take that hit.

[Lozz196]

Buy 2nd hand - both of my US Standards were £500 (a couple of years ago mind).

At present they seem to be between £550 - £700 on here.

[chris_b]

Welcome to the world of Fender basses!

I'd worry about the sound later. The most important thing is to find a good used bass that feels “just right”. Then if you find the sound is not to your liking you can then replace the pickups and electrics with any one of a dozen units and make a better sound than any stock Fender.

[Musicman20]

I'm the same, i like new.

Ive bought second hand and lost out with poor instruments, (although not always) and really you dont have any way of changing that.

When it's new you can choose the one you want. The one in store no good? Ask for another until you are happy. Plus you have a guarantee.

A well made American Standard (2008-) will last you for a long time. Plus, they don't need mods. Fender P pickups are perfect.

The Squier CVs are stunning for their money but I know deep down I'll always prefer my MIA P because to me it's perfect out of the box.

Don't worry about resale. People will soon realise the Fender prices have shot up so second hand 2008- models will gain value in the second hand market.

Edited June 11, 2011 by Musicman20

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='chris_b' post='1264788' date='Jun 11 2011, 11:51 AM']Welcome to the world of Fender basses!

I'd worry about the sound later. The most important thing is to find a good used bass that feels “just right”. Then if you find the sound is not to your liking you can then replace the pickups and electrics with any one of a dozen units and make a better sound than any stock Fender.[/quote]

I disagree, up to a point. Having owned 4 different Fender jazzes in the last year, and swapped out pickups, fiddled with set-up etc on these, I think the acoustic sound translates a lot to the tone of the instrument plugged in. If the CV sounds good unplugged, nice and resonant in the range you like, then a pickup upgrade will get you a great sounding instrument for a bargain price. But if it doesn't, then with a pickup upgrade you could make it sound 'modern' and crisp but IMO a bit characterless in the mids compared to a nice example of a Fender sound.

Mind you I know Grand Wazoo has said elsewhere that the CVs sound good with a pickup upgrade!

[Ancient Mariner]

Another possibility is that you've just found a great instrument at any price, and it just happens be to a grand. I don't know if basses are as variable as guitars, but it's likely that many are just 'OK' at the prices, while there will exist the occasional real gem regardless of price. It's worth playing a few more similar US models ASAP so you know what they are generally like. If this is anything like my experience with Les Pauls then you may be hunting for a long time to find another that's as good.

[chris_b]

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='1264870' date='Jun 11 2011, 01:22 PM']....with a pickup upgrade you could make it sound 'modern' and crisp but IMO a bit characterless in the mids compared to a nice example of a Fender sound....[/quote]
That's why you wouldn't choose a replacement pickup which made you sound "modern and crisp" if you wanted to sound "full, deep and warm". From Wizard to Bartolini there are replacement pickups for every need.

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='chris_b' post='1264948' date='Jun 11 2011, 02:30 PM']That's why you wouldn't choose a replacement pickup which made you sound "modern and crisp" if you wanted to sound "full, deep and warm". From Wizard to Bartolini there are replacement pickups for every need.[/quote]

But without the sound in the bass, the 'vintage' voiced pickups don't quite give you the sound - a pickup can only reproduce what's there. The reason I said 'modern and crisp' is because in my experience that sound is more independent of the acoustic tone of the instrument so you can get it with almost anything. But the classic middy Fender growl is much harder to get just right - the reason I say this is because I have tried all this swapping about.

[Musicman20]

IMO, unless you are buying a budget bass, you shouldnt have to swap pickups really. Otherwise, buy something else, as you are spending on what you dont need.

Totally understand people upgrading cheaper basses.

[pete.young]

Maybe I'm biased, but I think the CIJ or MIJ not for export Precisions with US hardware and pickups offer an unbeatable combination of quality and value. I'd strongly recommend you find someone who has one and give it a try before you commit.

[4-string-thing]

[quote name='chris_b' post='1264788' date='Jun 11 2011, 11:51 AM']Welcome to the world of Fender basses!

I'd worry about the sound later. The most important thing is to find a good used bass that feels “just right”. Then if you find the sound is not to your liking you can then replace the pickups and electrics with any one of a dozen units and make a better sound than any stock Fender.[/quote]

Surely you meant to say "make a different sound to" rather than "make a better sound than"?

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1264684' date='Jun 11 2011, 10:12 AM']I have yet to work out why so many people want new instruments. If it's not a Custom or something really unusual that you just [i][b]have [/b][/i]to own, then let someone else take that initial hit.[/quote]
Maybe I just have a talent for buying awesome basses at very reasonable prices, even when they're new?
I've only bought 2 s/h basses so far. I have taken a slight loss here and there on some I sold on (through lack of use) but nothing major. I reckon at least five of my instruments purchased new would break even or hit profit if I sold them s/h. One would make sufficient to cover any losses on the others in any case!

Meanwhile, back on topic;

How can £1048 (surely some bizarre Trace Elliot reference!) be acceptable, and £1167 be too much? There's only about 10% difference, and you can always stretch a little bit...
I don't get the big price differential between the Rosewood Am Std and the Maple Am Std either.. Did I miss something?

In any case, sounds like a toss-up between the Maple Am Std and the 60th Anniversary to me.
The 60th might re-sell better... Until the 65th, 70th, 75th etc. come along.
You could always start saving for the centenary edition. When will that be? 2051?

[Davo-London]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1264684' date='Jun 11 2011, 10:12 AM']Don't buy any of them until you've tried some vintage Precisions.

Each of the four you mention (if new, as I assume they are) will lose roughly a third of their value as you walk out of the shop, and may be down by 50% by the time you come to sell. I have yet to work out why so many people want new instruments. If it's not a Custom or something really unusual that you just [i][b]have [/b][/i]to own, then let someone else take that initial hit.

Push the boat out a bit, double your budget, and you can buy something that plays & sounds at least as good as any of them, but is a [i][b]jen-you-wine[/b][/i] vintage bass and will either lose you very little or, more probably, make you a profit when it's time to sell.

You can't afford a 60's bass, and late 70's basses often have issues (including, for me, excessive weight) but with a bit of shopping around you might find a decent mid 70's bass you can afford, especially if you sell/trade one or more of your existing herd to help fund it.[/quote]

I'm totally with you Jack. I wish I had a 60's P and that's the only era I would consider if I was to buy a P.

That sounds poncey but the P is the most basic instrument going. Paying £1000+ for a new P just sounds all wrong. Correction, I would also consider an early 80's MIJ P, '82-84 ideally, especially if it was a reissue of a 60's P and had the same neck profile from that era.

Cheers
Davo

[chris_b]

[quote name='4-string-thing' post='1265233' date='Jun 11 2011, 07:11 PM']....Surely you meant to say "make a different sound to" rather than "make a better sound than"?....[/quote]
My point was that if the "the sound is not to your liking" you can get a "better sound" with replacement pickups.

Any cheaper bass, as good as they might be, will have cheaper pickups. You can buy "better" replacement pickups because they (Fralin, SD, Delano Nordstrand etc) will put more effort into them and use better materials and build processes.

On the other hand you may prefer the stock pickups. It's for you to decide whether to put £150 pickups on a £250 bass, but my point is that liking the feel of the bass and hating the sound isn't a reason not to buy it.

[gjones]

I did the same a couple of weeks ago. I played a 50's classic P with a maple neck, a Mex standard with a rosewood neck and a Squier CV. The best sounding was the Mex standard as it gave me that woody sounding punch I always imagine a P bass should have. The 50's classic was a bit clanky for my taste and the CV pickups sounded a bit on the cheap side.
I have also recently tried the US standard and it beat the others hands down but like you I hate the idea of carting around a bass I paid £1000 for which will instantly depreciate by about £400 as soon as I take one step outside the shop. I'm seriously considering buying a 2nd hand Mex and popping a US standard pickup in it.