Fender Road Worn Precision

[maldy]

I have just bought a Road Worn Precision and felt a few words about it may be helpful to others. If you asked me a few months ago did I want a Precision bass, I would have answered with a resounding no! I had this idea that I didn’t like Precisions in sound, or feel. To be honest I’m not really sure where I got this opinion, but suspect it was something to do with once owning a Fender Precision Lyte. Not that it was a bad bass, but rather not the bass for me in terms of sound. From what I’ve read I don’t think a Presion Lyte is a fair comparison to a standard Precision, but maybe I was making the comparison nonetheless.

So I definitely had no intention of buying a Precision. However, after ideally browsing the basses for sale on here, I noticed a few RW Precisions for sale. Being a very big convert to the whole RW thing I decided to look into these out of interest. I first saw the Fiesta red bass and really didn’t like it. I naturally gravitated to the look of the 2 tone burst bass. That’s just looks. So I started looking for people’s opinions about this bass – how it compared with other Precisions and even the RW Jazz. I then practically found every youtube video of it to try and gauge what it might sound like. I wasn’t overly impressed with the content out there and realised the recoding quality may not really do justice to the bass. However, there were a few video of decent quality that gave me hope it was a decent sounding bass.

After looking at these basses for a while I really started to want one (even though finance wasn’t quite there). I came very close to buying a Fiesta red one and was disappointed that at the time I didn’t quite make the deal. By this point I had actually come to really liking the colour and bizarrely now think I prefer the red! Too much time staring at basses I think?!

Considering the price of these new I thought there were some really good value second hand ones for sale. After finally getting a bit more money together I took the plunge and bought a 2 tone burst one of a fellow baschatter with a great reputation.

A part of me was expecting not to really like the bass. I thought I would find fault in the neck and not really like the sound. I figured that if I really didn’t like it, I could sell it on without too much of a loss. Well it arrived yesterday and as soon as I got it out of the box it felt very right. Shockingly (to me) it felt better than my RW Jazz; which I was not expecting. I really really like the neck feel on this. I know this is a highly personal view and there is no right, or wrong, just whatever suits the individual. It is wider than the Jazz at the nut, not massively, but definitely noticeable. I think I have come to the conclusion that I quite like a wide neck (the classic stingray to my mind has a similar width, but I haven’t actually checked measurements). It felt kind of right for me. Importantly, for myself the neck wasn’t thick, or overly chunky. I was worried that it might be and this is something I don’t find comfortable when playing. The thickness in my opinion was just right. The neck felt kind of substantial (as opposed to the Jazz) but in no way over sized. The fretboard radius felt less curved that the jazz (again I haven’t checked the actual specs) and again felt very comfortable. After tuning it up I was very pleased again with the action and playability of the bass. Much much better than when I had my Jazz. I will in the future want to change the strings and maybe make a few minor adjustments, but for now the whole neck profile seems very good.

The body has a lovely feel to it and again my initial reaction was that it was more comfortable physically than the rw Jazz. Like the Jazz it felt quite light and the nitro finish felt superb. So all in all I was very impressed by the feel, balance and how comfortable it was. I was kind of not expecting this at all.

Now there is the whole road worn debate. Love it, or hate, I think this discussion has been done many times before and I won’t get into it too much. Needless to say I used to hate it, grew to accept it and now rather like it. I liked the feel and sound of these instruments so much that now I don’t really notice the relicing. For anyone who doesn’t like it (or the philosophy behind it) I can totally understand and would not really argue with you. I totally get why some people hate the look and the idea. However, I would also say keep an open mind and give one of these instruments a chance. And like I said before it feel so amazing not having to worry about that first ding you get!

So how does it sound? Well one thing I can say for sure is that the majority of youTube video really don’t do the bass justice. To my mind it does sound like what I know a precision to sound like. I think overall it has a mellow vibe to it. Even when the tone is fully on, it doesn’t sound as clanky as some precision do. When the tone is fully off, there is a lovely mellow bassy sound. I’m guessing this is the vintage vibe that was intended. I think choice of strings may be a factor in this sound and I’m not really sure what is on the bass at the moment, but eventually I think I will use some flat wounds and see how that sounds. I’ve not had first hand experience how this compares to other precisions, but for me this is a great standard, and the made in Mexico thing is totally irrelevant to me as the build quality seems great.

Once I have got to know this bass a little better I will add some more thoughts. However, my initial impressions are very favourable. I really like the feel of it and its old school sound. I must add that the jazz seems to have far more sound possibilities. Although I suspect most people knew that already. However, I have no other bass that sounds quite like this. Also, as I’m getting older I am preferring more and more simplicity. So the lack of bells and whistles is actually a positive thing for me these days. Maybe my next bass won’t even have a tone control, or volume!

[Lozz196]

Nice review. I have the same views, not over-keen on the fake relicing, but that these are some of the best Precisions around. Sooo comfortable to play, with a great sound as well. I tried one out at a music shop expecting to be underwhelmed, and was totally blown away by how good it was. I will own one of these at some point.

[Lynottfan]

I to bought a Roadworn precision in fiesta red off the forum here via badlydrawnbanjo, like everybody else it seems, the fake relicing is a put off, but I hate to admit it it does work, the neck feels well played in and very comfortable, whilst a little chunky, as a P is, it does have a nice rounded feel to it, and the important thing the bass sounds superb, nice and mellow with the tone rolled back or classic fender clank when tone wound up, so I was sceptical, but it is fast becoming my go to bass, the build quality is pretty good to, infact its as good as any of the recent USA standards I have tried, no issues at all with MIM.

[Badlydrawnbanjo]

Glad you got sorted in the end Gareth and I'm happy that you're enjoying your bass Andrew!

[maldy]

Like I said to you in a mail, I started off really not liking the red, but now I think it would be my colour of choice! I really can't explain what my mind has done here! Really wanted your bass, but didn't quite have the finance at the time. I appreciated all your help and glad it eventually worked out for everyone. Hope you are going to treat yourself to something nice with the money from the sale :-D

[Badlydrawnbanjo]

I came straight home from meeting Andrew and put in an order for a Guild Starfire III that was due to be delivered next week, but production has been delayed until the end of the year so I'm back looking for something else.........