NBD - Precision, an unexpected gift!

[Urban Bassman]

My sometime bandmate (plays guitar) and business partner and me were having a chat the other day about selling some surplus gear he has on ebay and he mentions that he has a Precision Bass sitting in his cupboard that he bought on a whim years ago and how much do I think it's worth. This is news to me, he's never mentioned it before. So being a fan of the P-Bass I said, "well I'll buy it off you", let's have a look at it.

Yesterday he brings it over and says if I want it I can have it for nowt! So here it is.

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Now, it's an MIM and for some reason has Strat-style knobs but it's seems really well put together and the S/N dates it to 1995/96 and I'm liking the colour a lot - Sonic Blue I think. Not very heavy either and un-plugged it sounds good and resonant.

I plugged it in to my Line6 110 and it sounds very good indeed. I initially thought that I'd need to replace the PUps but these seems to have a quite hot output and the tone control has a reasonable range. No crackles or pops - I won't even need to clean or replace the pots.

All it needs right now is a good clean up and some Lem-oil on the fretboard, a set of new strings and replace those knobs and - presto a very usable bass. The only thing I might upgrade is the bridge, but there's no rush to do that unless anyone reading this has a high-mass bridge going spare - get in touch and we'll take it from there. Can wait to play it with my Ashdown rig it should sound fab.

She'll be coming with me to South East Bass Bash next month that's for sure.

So how about that? Christmas has come early

[stingrayPete1977]

Bonus! I'm not to hot on fender basses but my Mexican strat had USA pickups which they replaced on later ones with cheaper versions, I presume your bass may be the same at that age? Double bonus if it is!

[Geek99]

Early MIMs did have strat knobs I think

[Jono Bolton]

In the 90s Mexican Precisions came with Strat knobs, my P is from 2000 and had them too. I think that colour's Daphne Blue, but it's hard to tell from the pics. It's definitely not Sonic Blue, it's too dark and looks ever so slightly metallic, Sonic Blue's super pale. Very nice for a freebie!

Edited August 14, 2013 by Jono Bolton

[gary mac]

What an excellent band mate/partner.

Nice looking instrument.

[discreet]

Well that's the bargain of the week for sure. Joining in the colour debate, I reckon it's Lake Placid Blue.

[url="http://www.themusiczoo.com/product/10678/Fender-Standard-Precision-Bass-Lake-Placid-Blue/"]http://www.themusiczoo.com/product/10678/Fender-Standard-Precision-Bass-Lake-Placid-Blue/[/url]

Edited August 14, 2013 by discreet

[Geek99]

Yep agree

[Jono Bolton]

Changed my mind, it's Ice Blue Metallic

[url="http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=daphne+blue&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=SFILUoSBGorKhAe5toEg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1264&bih=427#bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&fp=1d6e4718c3c04a1b&q=fender+ice+blue+metallic&sa=1&tbm=isch"]http://www.google.co...c&sa=1&tbm=isch[/url]

I think LPB's fairly new finish option that they brought out when they updated the Mexican Standard models, as far as I know it wasn't an option in the nineties.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Jono Bolton

[Urban Bassman]

I thought the colour could cause some debate. I thought Lake Placid Blue was very pale...but I don't really know. It does have a bit of metallic finish also. Time to do some research methinks.

If it has US made pick ups that would explain the unexpectedly high output, definitely don't need replacing if that's the case.

Yes a most excellent mate...I think I'll need to say thanks with a bottle of some sort!

[discreet]

[quote name='Jono Bolton' timestamp='1376473899' post='2174313']
Changed my mind, it's Ice Blue Metallic
[/quote]

You could be right. The pics are inconclusive! Any advance on LPB or IBM..??

[pobrien_ie]

To my eyes it looks like Lake Placid Blue. I bought an MIM bass in the late 90s and I remember LPB being an option. I went with Midnight Blue though

Either way it's a nice colour and a real bargain!

[paul_5]

Score!

[Urban Bassman]

Oh, the other thing I forgot to mention is the neck. It's more like a Jazz, not at all like the P Basses I've had in the past. It's really slim and very comfortable for my hands, which are on the small side.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Urban Bassman

[Jono Bolton]

LPB looks too bright to me, from the OP's pictures it's more of a grey/blue which makes me think it's Ice Metallic. To be honest it's one of those things where we'll probably never be able to decide, the only way to tell is by seeing what's written on the tags!

[Urban Bassman]

I agree Jono, it's also probably faded since it was new. The thing is it looks great and sounds like P should

[Nibody]

[quote name='Urban Bassman' timestamp='1376474958' post='2174335']
Oh, the other thing I forgot to mention is the neck. It's more like a Jazz, not at all like the P Basses I've had in the past. It's really slim and very comfortable for my hands, which are on the small side.
[/quote]

I had one of the Early MIM's with the black logo and that had a very jazz like neck.

[discreet]

[quote name='Jono Bolton' timestamp='1376474988' post='2174336']
LPB looks too bright to me, from the OP's pictures it's more of a grey/blue which makes me think it's Ice Metallic. To be honest it's one of those things where we'll probably never be able to decide, the only way to tell is by seeing what's written on the tags!


[/quote]

You're right, but remember the above pic is professionally-taken and the OP's (with all due respect) are not.
This is bugging me now - because I've got far too much time on my hands.

[Urban Bassman]

None taken Discreet. It was taken with a Canon G10 in Natural light, but it does look a little greener in the flesh but as I said it's probably faded a bit after 18 years...so who know what the original colour was like! If I get time I'll have a fiddle with the colour balance to see if I can get it closer to the actual colour on the bass.

[discreet]

It's not important really. It looks great and if it sounds great and plays well then that's what really counts.
I think I'm just gobsmacked that you got such a brilliant freebie! Never happens to me!

[ezbass]

What a lovely thing to do! Not a bad thing to receive either. This kind of thing restores my faith in human nature; not everyone is on the make.

[Wylie]

Definitely an Almost Blue (Elvis Costello).

Nice bass, what a great gift.

[Donnyboy]

I love a good news story!

did you haggle?

[Dave Vader]

I borrowed one just like that back in about 1995, it was blue.
Hope that helps.

[cocco]

Lovely looking bass! That's either daphne or lpb though, sonic isn't metallic I had a mexi Jazz with strat knobs too.

[discreet]

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1376494942' post='2174882']
I borrowed one just like that back in about 1995, it was blue. Hope that helps.
[/quote]

Thanks Dave, we can always count on you to come up with the goods.