Best era for vintage Fender Ps?

[Bassman Steve]

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1449774969' post='2926770']
i am not talking about selling basses, I am talking about getting people's opinions on what is the "best" precision they try out without seeing is out of a sample of members précisions that cover the whole gamit of era and price

My own opinion is that it will show the myth that is mojo
[/quote]

You can see that bit where I say I agree with you can't you? Maybe you're contributing while blind-folded. :-)

[gareth]

[quote name='Bassman Steve' timestamp='1449781283' post='2926856']


You can see that bit where I say I agree with you can't you? Maybe you're contributing while blind-folded. :-)
[/quote]surely you buy a bass mainly for what it sounds like?

[Marc S]

[quote name='Sumbabba' timestamp='1449780046' post='2926834']
Yes someone needs to do the blind test and clear this up once and for all! Hopefully that'll bring the price of vintage P-basses down and then I'll be able to afford to buy one :)Except I'll then be buying an inferior bass I have to say I'm not keen on the look of those Roadworns, I think there's something a bit naff about artificially reliced basses. I'm after a rosewood fretboard anyway, I just don't get on with maple ones. Maybe I'll look at some of the RIs, what are people's opinions on those? Let me guess... they vary in quality right?
[/quote]

I used to think that "artificially worn" guitars are naff. However, that was before I actually played one
I'd heard people rave about the Fender roadworn basses, and tried one which was for sale on BC
I was instantly smitten! - I honestly cannot express just how good these are, apart from saying neither of my 2 US Jazzes was anywhere near as good. Fender have obviously built these with very high spec and finish
The aged, worn-in feel is very convincing too - somehow, Fender have made it feel like it's been round the block

As for its' appearance - I've had several bass players come up to me at gigs and ask how old that Jazz is!
When I tell them it's only a few years old, they're amazed! It's a convincing look, apart from the fact that they all have the same wear pattern
I've owned many basses over the years, and tried many many more, and nothing would make me part with my Roadworn Jazz
It is more playable, comfortable and sounds better than basses I've tried which were 3 times the price

Honestly Sumbabba, don't knock them till you've tried them. I was off Fenders for years, having had a real vintage one
My RW has made me re-evaluate my thoughts.....

Re the discussion about blindfold tests. There are videos somewhere on youtube of such tests
Guitars and basses are tested. In the main the tests are Squier Classic Vibe guitars, v Fender US, v Custom shop
Surprise surprise, most blinfolded players choose the Squiers!

EDIT: I also usually wax lyrical about playing RW's at gigs - it's really liberating. I'm usually over protective about gigging mint basses
But rather more relaxed with my RW - it really doesn't matter if it picks up another scratch

Edited December 11, 2015 by Marc S

[Lozz196]

[quote name='Sumbabba' timestamp='1449780046' post='2926834']
Yes someone needs to do the blind test and clear this up once and for all! Hopefully that'll bring the price of vintage P-basses down and then I'll be able to afford to buy one :)Except I'll then be buying an inferior bass I have to say I'm not keen on the look of those Roadworns, I think there's something a bit naff about artificially reliced basses. I'm after a rosewood fretboard anyway, I just don't get on with maple ones. Maybe I'll look at some of the RIs, what are people's opinions on those? Let me guess... they vary in quality right?
[/quote]

We did this at the Herts Bass Bash a couple of years ago. many different Precisions, including a 57, 65 (or 66), 72, 78, current US, current Mex etc.

The runaway winner, voted by everyone based on sound alone, as they couldn`t see the basses, was the Mex Mark Hoppus Sig Precision. the next on the list was the current Mex version. the 57 & 65/66 were about 7th & 8th.

[gareth]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1449826594' post='2927145']


We did this at the Herts Bass Bash a couple of years ago. many different Precisions, including a 57, 65 (or 66), 72, 78, current US, current Mex etc.

The runaway winner, voted by everyone based on sound alone, as they couldn`t see the basses, was the Mex Mark Hoppus Sig Precision. the next on the list was the current Mex version. the 57 & 65/66 were about 7th & 8th.
[/quote]thanks for that lozz, as I thought, so why buy mojoed, beat up, over priced pre-cbs précisions? No I realise that's a sweeping generalisation but I do wonders

So in that Herts test, were the blind testers prevented from feeling the bass they were playing? As the hoppus only has one knob it would be easy to identify which then might prejudice the testers judgement

Edited December 11, 2015 by gareth

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1449671115' post='2925816']
Wow just went on the Classic and Cool website - he's got some nice stuff there! Shame it's in Devon - I reckon I could spend a good few hours there!....
[/quote]

This guy is a bit closer to you: [url="http://cotswoldbassguitars.co.uk/for-sale.htm"]Cotswold Bass Guitars[/url]

[Lozz196]

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1449830303' post='2927226']
thanks for that lozz, as I thought, so why buy mojoed, beat up, over priced pre-cbs précisions? No I realise that's a sweeping generalisation but I do wonders

So in that Herts test, were the blind testers prevented from feeling the bass they were playing? As the hoppus only has one knob it would be easy to identify which then might prejudice the testers judgement
[/quote]

It was done with me playing each bass from behind a curtain - with the amp on stage in front of the curtain - the audience didn`t know what bass I was playing, they just voted purely on what they heard.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1449836033' post='2927311']
It was done with me playing each bass from behind a curtain - with the amp on stage in front of the curtain - the audience didn`t know what bass I was playing, they just voted purely on what they heard.
[/quote]

Was it in a band context, or solo...?

[Lozz196]

It was solo. Must say the results really surprised me.

[Chiliwailer]

Not really a fair fight IMO given that the Hoppus has a Quarter Pounder pickup with bigger poles and output.

Still must have been a cool comparison experience though.

[Dazed]

Strange that the bass that won has a reversed p in a slightly non stock location, was it the jazz bodied hoppus version?

Surely it's not a true Precision?

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1449839967' post='2927370']
It was solo. Must say the results really surprised me.
[/quote]

I always take how a bass sounds in isolation with a pinch of salt...

[Marc S]

Not a blindfold test, but interesting comparison with Squier P's and J's, compared directly with US and Japan Fenders
Ignore the overdramatised commentary a few minutes in - and watch out for the edit clips where he switches between basses
I think the Squier CV's come out really well in this comparison

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6Cd98DH__U

[chris_b]

More Ed Friedland comparisons.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMNTN-9SAUQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMNTN-9SAUQ[/url]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoJUz1oajXo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoJUz1oajXo[/url]

[Beedster]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1449836033' post='2927311']
It was done with me playing each bass from behind a curtain - with the amp on stage in front of the curtain - the audience didn`t know what bass I was playing, they just voted purely on what they heard.
[/quote]

Yes, but if you knew what you were playing, that's 50% of any effect right there....

[Lozz196]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1449868816' post='2927723']
Yes, but if you knew what you were playing, that's 50% of any effect right there....
[/quote]

Yeah, but with my pretty ham-fisted attack playing I`m not sure if that made too much of a difference. I could only get my own 78 in at 5th as well, so managed to get higher scores for 4 basses I wasn`t familiar with playing.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1449841278' post='2927390']
I always take how a bass sounds in isolation with a pinch of salt...
[/quote]

Agree - I`ve often found that what I really like soloed doesn`t work so well in the mix, and likewise if I`m not overkeen on a bit of kit soloed inevitably it thunders in the mix for me.

[Sibob]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1449846375' post='2927485']
More Ed Friedland comparisons.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMNTN-9SAUQ[/media]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoJUz1oajXo[/media]
[/quote]

Seen these before, and I have to admit, the Lull 5 was the only one that sounded particulaly different really, the rest I absolutely wouldn't tell apart in a band mix. So then it just comes down to how they play and feel to the individual

Si

[Hooch]

I tried quite a few Ps, the best one for me was a non-Fender late 70s Navigator, which really shined in the mix. If you needed that Motown thumpiness, you only had to roll the tone back, and open it to have much more presence and some kind of grindiness. Weighed a ton, or something like 11lbs, though. Had a 66 P Fender too, lovely bass, thumpier would have been too much, but she didn't have that growl the old Navigator had... depends on what you're looking for too.

As for the replicas, what nails vintage Fenderish tones best for me are Vanzandt PBVs. You can find them sometimes on Ishibashi's Ubox, they give you a lot of P sounds for the money. I came to that conclusion after A/Bing quite a few Ps, from Fender (66P, Fullerton 57 reissue, AV57) to Greco-Tokai-Fernandes lawsuit basses, Navigator, ESP-made Lakland and so on. As for the other brands, i hear quite a few differences within the same model, even on high-end stuff. It's not only "identity", it's about their "power" in the mix too. Vanzandt basses have always sounded just right to my ears, they're great.

Anyway, for me the best P around isn't a Fender nor a replica. It's my early 80s BC Rich Eagle. So many nice Ps tones in this bass, and so many more !

[Sumbabba]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1449868816' post='2927723']
Yes, but if you knew what you were playing, that's 50% of any effect right there....
[/quote]

Very true, should be double blind to be truly scientific. Although how you'd do that I don't know!

[oldbass]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1449841278' post='2927390']

I always take how a bass sounds in isolation with a pinch of salt...
[/quote]
Too true. I'm always amazed if I'm noodling on my P with the tone turned down a bit..you know that slightly indistinct muddy sound....until that is the room fills with people, someone in the kitchen making a racket, a plane goes overhead etc etc....all of a sudden that muddyness starts to cut clearly through....ha one of lifes little mysteries I guess.