new American Vintage Fenders...

[GazWills]

oooooh!!

[url="http://www.fender.com/en-GB/basses/?&series=American%20Vintage&brand=Fender"]http://www.fender.com/en-GB/basses/?&series=American%20Vintage&brand=Fender[/url]

very much like the sonic blue '63 P!!!

pickups aren't 'custom shop' like the american standard though...

[GazWills]

£1,705 though!!!

almost as much as custom shop, and £600 more than an american std...

[Mr Fretbuzz]

oh, thats just put me off one Lovely looking though, the Jazz too.

Tell me, how do you use the finger rest at the bottom of the strings? Do you rest your little finger on it or something? Always wondered about that..... I use my thumb on the top pick up usually

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1358278073' post='1936256']
Tell me, how do you use the finger rest at the bottom of the strings? Do you rest your little finger on it or something?
[/quote]
It's called a tugbar. See Brian Wilson demonstrating it here:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=654H4xfDYKM[/media]

[GazWills]

and for 99% of bassists, totally pointless and gets in the way!

[Mr Fretbuzz]

Looked like he was just strumming his thumb downwards..... rather than first/second finger upwards?

[Mr Fretbuzz]

[quote name='GazWills' timestamp='1358279570' post='1936289']
and for 99% of bassists, totally pointless and gets in the way!
[/quote]

I guess its useful if you are a lefty and play the Bass upside down

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1358279629' post='1936292']
Looked like he was just strumming his thumb downwards..... rather than first/second finger upwards?
[/quote]
Exactly.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='GazWills' timestamp='1358279570' post='1936289']
and for 99% of bassists, totally pointless and gets in the way!
[/quote]
I must be in your 1% then because it's never got in my way. I don't quite see how it could get in anyone's way but you can always unscrew it, it's easy.

[kerley]

It gets in my way when I am using a pick as my last two fingers hit it. It is pointless to me as I have never once used it and probably never will and certainly wouldn't have it on there from new by choice.

[GazWills]

yeah, same here. plus when you remove it you have nasty holes in your new scratchplate... they don't mount the pickup covers on these, so why bother mounting these? hey ho...

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='kerley' timestamp='1358280706' post='1936333']
It gets in my way when I am using a pick as my last two fingers hit it. It is pointless to me as I have never once used it and probably never will and certainly wouldn't have it on there from new by choice.
[/quote]
Then don't buy an American Vintage '58 or '62 or '63 or '64. Get the '74 with the thumb rest above the strings which always would get in my way.

[Schnozzalee]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1358280893' post='1936341']
Then don't buy an American Vintage '58 or '62 or '63 or '64. Get the '74 with the thumb rest above the strings which always would get in my way.
[/quote]

Hahaha, I think it looks cool on or off, the more holes in the scratchplate the better - just wish they had the mutes by the bridge so there would be even more holes when I didn't need them. Seriously though, I've owned 2 American Vintage Fender's and neither were worth £1,700.

[martthebass]

Alternatively don't put it on.....all the chrome bits and other gubbins are in their original plastic bag with my AVRI. Simples.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Schnozzalee' timestamp='1358281373' post='1936353']
... I've owned 2 American Vintage Fender's and neither were worth £1,700.
[/quote]
No, that's why it's best to buy second hand at half that price.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='martthebass' timestamp='1358281436' post='1936357']
Alternatively don't put it on.....all the chrome bits and other gubbins are in their original plastic bag with my AVRI. Simples.
[/quote]
What a good idea. In fact my pickup cover ashtray is still in its bag.

[Hutton]

The bridge and pickup covers that came with my 62 reissue were unmounted. However, when you read the specs for the 63 reissue it states that the covers are mounted. If this means that the bass comes with the covers already fitted then I think that is a shame as why create the holes for the covers when there are those of us who would rather not have the covers in place.

[Lozz196]

Like the 63 Precision - pop a tort pickguard on there, mmmmmmm.

[AndyTravis]

gutted there's not a 56.

other than that...er, yeah.

nice basses, but nothing too far from expectations - but it's all lovely if you like Fenders; which i do.

[thodrik]

I think that they look nice. Play 3 or 4 and you might find the bass of your dreams.

[pobrien_ie]

I really like the look of the Precisions. No mention of a nitro finish in the specs though. The 57 and 62 seem to be taken off the site which is a shame IMO. They've hardly stopped them after 30 years have they?

[mckendrick]

[quote name='Mr Fretbuzz' timestamp='1358279629' post='1936292'] Looked like he was just strumming his thumb downwards..... rather than first/second finger upwards? [/quote]
It's not really called a tug-bar - that's a nouveau-colloquialism that has sprung up over the years describing the way many people utilised it's position. Conversely you can call it a finger rest; it's catalogue description is 'thumb rest'.

In the vid above, you'll see Mr Wilson has one finger over and finger under utilising it to steady the plec action.

It was put there by Messrs Fender and Tavares as it was precluded that more former guitar players would switch to or double on bass, an assumption being that players would use a plectrum and that this would aid those people.

Finger style precluded it's use and made it pretty redundant - tho' I always keep mine on there for the sake of the original aesthetic.

.

Edited January 16, 2013 by mckendrick

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='mckendrick' timestamp='1358357094' post='1937749']
It's not really called a tug-bar - that's a nouveau-colloquialism that has sprung up over the years describing the way many people utilised it's position. Conversely you can call it a finger rest; it's catalogue description is 'thumb rest'.

In the vid above, you'll see Mr Wilson has one finger over and finger under utilising it to steady the plec action.

It was put there by Messrs Fender and Tavares as it was precluded that more former guitar players would switch to or double on bass, an assumption being that players would use a plectrum and that this would aid those people.

Finger style precluded it's use and made it pretty redungant - those I always keep mine on there for the sake of the original aesthetic.

.
[/quote]
Agreed that 'tugbar' is a more recent formulation but the old catalogues I've seen call it, if they mention it at all, a 'finger rest' not a 'thumb rest'.

And I think Wilson used his thumb not a plectrum.

[mckendrick]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1358359871' post='1937826']
Agreed that 'tugbar' is a more recent formulation but the old catalogues I've seen call it, if they mention it at all, a 'finger rest' not a 'thumb rest'.

And I think Wilson used his thumb not a plectrum.
[/quote]
Thumb style/plec action. How's that for pedantic.

Catalogue description - "ORIGINAL [b]THUMB[/b]REST P&J BASS BLACK TW P.N. 0992036000"

Let's all be pedants! What fun!

*smiley*

.

Edited January 16, 2013 by mckendrick

[Telebass]

It was called a tugbar by George Fullerton way back in the beginning.