2008 vs 2012 Precision

[Graham]

I've just got back from GAK where I tried out a couple of 2012 model Fender Precisions one with a rosewood board and one with a maple. They were both very good, I particularly liked the weight (couldn't get over how light they were) and the neck - found it very comfortable.

I wasn't blown away by the tone though, there was an awful lot of low end and I had to have the tone on max to get a sound I really liked, it was a sound I liked, but I didn't feel it was as good as my Fralin equiped Lakland Duck Dunn which whilst still unmistakably a P, sounds a lot tighter than the Fenders I played today

So it got me wondering about the 8 models as they changed the pups for the 2012 model, did they change anything else? Does anyone have experience of both and can let me know how the pickups in both compare and do the '08 models have the same neck profiles and weight?

Cheers

[Dingus]

As far as I know , the only change was the introduction of the Custom Shop pickups . Your Duck Dunn will have a swamp ash body , whereas the Fenders would be alder , so that is one difference , but , from memory , the Fralin pickup is a vintage-style P Bass tone not dissimilar to the Fender CS Vintage one in the 2012 Am St Fenders , so in that respect you would expect them to sound more similar . The 08 Am St. P Bass with the stock pickup probably wouldn't sound hugely different to the post -2012 CS-equipped one , in all likelihood . Bear in mind that you presumably will have got your Lakland set up how you like it with strings you are familiar with and like the sound of , whereas the Fender in the shop might benefit from a bit of tweaking in those respects , most likely , which can have some effect on the overall sound and your perception of it . When all is said and done , don't forget that those Laklands are very good basses that are well-made with good quality componants and materials used throughout , so it's not surprising that your Duck Dunn would give something like a Standard U.S Fender a run for its' money in terms of how they sound .

[Lozz196]

I have a 2011 US Standard, so one of the 2008 Series. I also had a 2102, and far preferred the 2011, hence selling the 2012. The 2008 Series to me have a more "modern" sound, clearer lows and highs, whereas the 2012 seemed a lot more traditional, being low-middy and "thumpy". This said, that`s in home use. Would I notice it in the mix, probably not, but side by side, soloed I prefer the sound of the 2008s.

So I think, going by the comment re tightness on the Lakland, and that the 2012 had a lot of low-end, I reckon you`d prefer the 2008 Series.

I agree re the weight comment, my 2011 is about 8.5lbs, and the 2012 was noticeably lighter. Re neck profiles, aside from one being rosewood and the other maple I didn`t feel any noticeable difference between them.

Edited August 11, 2013 by Lozz196

[neepheid]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss...

[cocco]

The laklands have a slightly different circuit than the fenders. I think the main difference is a different rating on the tone pot.

[Graham]

[quote name='cocco' timestamp='1376201105' post='2170684']
The laklands have a slightly different circuit than the fenders. I think the main difference is a different rating on the tone pot.
[/quote]

Now that's interesting, thanks for all the replies, at the moment I can't get the white/maple board one I played out of my head, particularly if I swapped the pickup and tone circuit over for a Lindy Fralin and equivalent tone control....

I didn't realise the Duck Dunn was an ash body, I always asaumed it was alder as it had a rosewood board and a solid finish

[spongebob]

I had a 2012, which was sold on.

Have now got a 2009, bought used. TBH they sound identical to my bass-blasted lug-holes, like a P-bass! [size=4] [/size]

[Dingus]

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1376207252' post='2170717']
Now that's interesting, thanks for all the replies, at the moment I can't get the white/maple board one I played out of my head, particularly if I swapped the pickup and tone circuit over for a Lindy Fralin and equivalent tone control....

I didn't realise the Duck Dunn was an ash body, I always asaumed it was alder as it had a rosewood board and a solid finish
[/quote]

All Skylines have ash bodies . Alder is only an option on U.S Lakland models .

[Graham]

Cheees for that Dingus, strikes me as slightly odd as I always thought ash was more expensive than alder? I'm probably wrong though.

I did forget to say, the chap running the bass section in GAK on Saturday was an absolute gent, I didn't get his name, but he was one of the most accomodating sales reps I've come across, despite it being a busy Saturday afternoon (and Brighton was rammed because of the weather, so probably a fair few walk in custom too) he bent over backwards to accomodate me.

I've always thought of GAK as a shop that sells brown boxes that happen to contain guitars and amps, but would be more than happy to buy from them now.