Fender P Bass Thoughts...

[Yoda]

I have my eye on a new (MIM according to the sales chap) P bass, here: [url="http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/bass_guitars_detail.asp?stock=11092910403058"]http://www.guitargui...=11092910403058[/url] (needs to be black I'm afraid )

That's kind of about the money I'm prepared to pay for another bass.
I've been looking around here & on 'another auction site' recently for second hand Fenders, most of which are either for sale in the States and/or are up around the £1k region.

My query is really whether the new one (above) is of good quality, and is the price difference between new & second hand purely down to collectability.
Also MIA P basses are available new, but again, they're out of my reach financially....is there a huge difference between MIM & MIA as new? the price would seem to suggest that there is...

TIA

[EliasMooseblaster]

[quote name='Yoda' timestamp='1470568922' post='3106746']
Also MIA P basses are available new, but again, they're out of my reach financially....is there a huge difference between MIM & MIA as new? the price would seem to suggest that there is...

[/quote]

With the more recent models (and if this MIM P is new, it's probably been built in the last few years), the MIM and MIA do feel and sound quite different. I did A/B one of each in a shop a little while ago, and the MIA had a better neck feel (those rolled edges do feel nice!) and a more clear and robust tone from the pickup. The MIA also offers through-body stringing; I will leave it to more experienced members of this parish to debate the merits of that!

This is not to say that the MIM is in any way a bad bass! Up until just yesterday I owned a MIM Jazz (fretless, so a slightly different beast) and it was a lovely instrument - think of it as the difference between playing your favourite album through a good-but-affordable stereo and then through one of the huge expensive rigs in Richer Sounds: you'll hear the difference, but you can't really fault the sound through the moderately priced setup.

Edit /PS: or see if you can track down one of these: https://www.gak.co.uk/en/schecter-model-t-bass-13-black/80011 - they were roughly the same price as a MIM P when I bought mine, and I thought the feel and sound were better. I have seen a few floating round the For Sale forum on here in the past!

Edited August 7, 2016 by EliasMooseblaster

[Grangur]

I don't know if you're 100% wanting a Fender branded, but I have a really cool, Matsumoku made Westone Jet. It's got a great sound, but I simply have too many to choose from in the rack to pick this one up. It's a real shame as it's an amazing sounding bass.

The previous owner didn't sell. He died. This was THE bass he played for years. It can be yours if you'd be interested?

I'm in Stortford, so you could come and try it out.

[thegummy]

[quote name='Yoda' timestamp='1470568922' post='3106746']
My query is really whether the new one (above) is of good quality, and is the price difference between new & second hand purely down to collectability.
[/quote]

The more expensive second hand ones will be MIA. If not then the seller is taking the piss.

The MIM standard P-Bass is okay. I preferred the Classic 50s when I compared the two but it is a good bit more expensive.

According to a lot of people, the Squier Classic Vibe 70s P-Bass is better and cheaper than the Fender standard P. That wouldn't surprise me if it's true, especially the pickups, because Squier CV guitars have better pickups than standard Fenders. It does have "Squier" on the headstock though which may or may not matter to you.

[PaulWarning]

being a lefty I had to get a MIA P because strangely they don't do a MIM one, but I glad because if I'd got a MIM one there would have always been this nag nag nag doubt about how much better was a MIA one, and, in the end I would have bought one anyway.
Get a second hand MIA P would be my advice.

[JapanAxe]

A used Roadworn should also fit within your budget.

[afterimage]

Squire's are great buys you can easy take the decal off and put a fender logo on it

[thegummy]

[quote name='afterimage' timestamp='1470591484' post='3106949']
Squire's are great buys you can easy take the decal off and put a fender logo on it
[/quote]

I hate that idea so much

[Grangur]

[quote name='thegummy' timestamp='1470591739' post='3106954']


I hate that idea so much
[/quote] +1

[Sausages]

I would say that more expensive doesn't [b]always[/b] mean better. I have a MIM Fender Jazz, and have played MIA Jazz's in music shops and can't hear a lot of difference. There is a difference, but is it £7 - 800 worth of difference; not in my opinion. Price is about desirability. Also, some MIM and MIA basses sound better than others. I wouldn't go for a MIA over an MIM without hearing them both first, that's for sure.

[thegummy]

[quote name='Sausages' timestamp='1470593213' post='3106968']
I would say that more expensive doesn't [b]always[/b] mean better. I have a MIM Fender Jazz, and have played MIA Jazz's in music shops and can't hear a lot of difference. There is a difference, but is it £7 - 800 worth of difference; not in my opinion. Price is about desirability. Also, some MIM and MIA basses sound better than others. I wouldn't go for a MIA over an MIM without hearing them both first, that's for sure.
[/quote]

If sound was the only difference you could just get the MIM and buy the Custom Shop pickup used in the MIA for 100 quid and save a fortune.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='afterimage' timestamp='1470591484' post='3106949']
Squire's are great buys you can easy take the decal off and put a fender logo on it
[/quote]
[quote name='thegummy' timestamp='1470591739' post='3106954']
I hate that idea so much
[/quote]
[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1470592571' post='3106964']
+1
[/quote]

Instant upgrade - what's not to like?

[thegummy]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1470594538' post='3106979']
Instant upgrade - what's not to like?
[/quote]

If you put the gold USA Fender logo on instead of the black Mexico Fender logo on it, it's an even bigger upgrade

[Yoda]

[quote name='thegummy' timestamp='1470574750' post='3106796']
The more expensive second hand ones will be MIA. If not then the seller is taking the piss.

The MIM standard P-Bass is okay. I preferred the Classic 50s when I compared the two but it is a good bit more expensive.

According to a lot of people, the Squier Classic Vibe 70s P-Bass is better and cheaper than the Fender standard P. That wouldn't surprise me if it's true, especially the pickups, because Squier CV guitars have better pickups than standard Fenders. It does have "Squier" on the headstock though which may or may not matter to you.
[/quote]

Thanks. I'll have a look at the Squier more closely.
I've already got a Squier P bass (1996 era) which I put flatwounds on, but it just doesn't [i]feel[/i] quite right if I'm honest. The other problem (haha) is that I recently bought a Ibanez SR500 which completely overshadows the P-bass. I'd just like something a bit nicer to put my flats on The Classic may just do the trick.

[Ed_S]

[quote name='thegummy' timestamp='1470574750' post='3106796']
According to a lot of people, the Squier Classic Vibe 70s P-Bass is better and cheaper than the Fender standard P. That wouldn't surprise me if it's true, especially the pickups, because Squier CV guitars have better pickups than standard Fenders. It does have "Squier" on the headstock though which may or may not matter to you.
[/quote]

I've had both and unfortunately that wasn't my experience.

The 70s CV was nice for the money, don't get me wrong, but it had a few small finish issues out of the box and the pickup was, to my ear at least, quite bland. Changed the pickup and gigged it for a while on those "I'd prefer not to take my best gear" gigs, but then after a while the fret ends started to lift and become noticeably sharp whilst playing so I moved it on to somebody who was happy to put the money into getting that sorted. I just couldn't do with the fuss and I had my eye on something else anyway.

The MIMs (I had a pair, one W/W/M and one B/W/R) were great - they were solid, had no fit-and-finish issues and the pickups had some real grunt and grind to them, for want of more descriptive terms! Played some of my most memorable gigs on those basses and, if I'm honest, some days I kinda regret selling them.

[gareth]

If you can stand the 1 3/4" width neck, I'd get a used MIM Classic 50's series bass. Much better bass

[Yoda]

I've just bought a second hand MIA Fender P bass from a seller on this forum...it's a red one, but hey, I'll have to live with that!

I'm hoping that this'll scratch that itch. After some thought, I realised that if i went for a MIM Fender or the Squier CV I'd spend all the time I had it wondering what the MIA would be like. So thought it would be best to just dive in...it's not [i]that[/i] much over my initial budget...really.

Thanks to all that contributed to the thread.

[thegummy]

[quote name='Yoda' timestamp='1470672135' post='3107529']
I've just bought a second hand MIA Fender P bass from a seller on this forum...it's a red one, but hey, I'll have to live with that!

I'm hoping that this'll scratch that itch. After some thought, I realised that if i went for a MIM Fender or the Squier CV I'd spend all the time I had it wondering what the MIA would be like. So thought it would be best to just dive in...it's not [i]that[/i] much over my initial budget...really.

Thanks to all that contributed to the thread.
[/quote]

Just watch you don't spend your time wondering what a Custom Shop would be like

[Painy]

[quote name='Yoda' timestamp='1470672135' post='3107529']
I've just bought a second hand MIA Fender P bass from a seller on this forum...it's a red one, but hey, I'll have to live with that!

I'm hoping that this'll scratch that itch. After some thought, I realised that if i went for a MIM Fender or the Squier CV I'd spend all the time I had it wondering what the MIA would be like. So thought it would be best to just dive in...it's not [i]that[/i] much over my initial budget...really.

Thanks to all that contributed to the thread.
[/quote]

Well you can anyways colour it in black with a sharpie...

Edited August 8, 2016 by Painy

[bassjamm]

If you're not bothered about the name on the headstock, but still want a decent instrument, for £600 you've got a lot of options on the P Bass front.

For instance, I'm pretty sure a Maruszczyk Jake would be awesome, though, nearer the £700 mark.

Though, Bass Direct have a Jap P Bass in for just over the £600 mark. Another 'Fender' option is to hang out for a Highway One Precision. My HW1 is the only bass I don't think I will ever sell.

*** EDIT - Sorry, I realise I kind of missed the point of your question. Below is probably a little more 'on topic' ***

I was in a music shop today and I tried a MIM Jazz. Compared to my JV Jazz it was like playing an Encore £89 starter bass. It felt horrible. Granted, the JV Series basses are exceptional. But the gulf is vast.

Previously I've owned a MIA Jazz, from the mid 90's I believe and it too was a solid bass.

Me personally, I've always preferred any Squier's that I've played over MIM Fenders. But maybe the more expensive MIM's are decent, I don't know.

Edited August 8, 2016 by bassjamm

[tom1946]

My main go to bass is a 2014 MIM LPB & maple P bass with an SPB-2 pickup, best bass ever, never part with it.

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='Yoda' timestamp='1470672135' post='3107529']
I've just bought a second hand MIA Fender P bass from a seller on this forum...it's a red one, but hey, I'll have to live with that!

I'm hoping that this'll scratch that itch. After some thought, I realised that if i went for a MIM Fender or the Squier CV I'd spend all the time I had it wondering what the MIA would be like. So thought it would be best to just dive in...it's not [i]that[/i] much over my initial budget...really.

Thanks to all that contributed to the thread.
[/quote]a wise choice, IMO of course

[interpol52]

[quote name='Ed_S' timestamp='1470649997' post='3107274']

The MIMs (I had a pair, one W/W/M and one B/W/R) were great - they were solid, had no fit-and-finish issues and the pickups had some real grunt and grind to them, for want of more descriptive terms
[/quote]

I've got a 2013 MIM B/W/R model and it also has a really aggressive pickup. The fit and finish is flawless, I can't fault it at all.

As has been discussed many times before, there are many great and poor MIA Precisions and MIM ones too. My last USA P was great, but not a patch on the MIM one I have now.

I like this video

https://youtu.be/rgzD3vcrExE

It would be interesting to just hear the audio and see what people thought of each one!

[Lozz196]

That`s a great clip. For me - concentrating on the pick playing of course - I`d say the later US model, the Mex and the MIJ are all pretty similar, with the US having a slightly better definition to the notes. The 77 US is way more aggressive sounding, and having had a few 70s Precisions myself am not surprised at this.

[interpol52]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1470769997' post='3108350']
That`s a great clip. For me - concentrating on the pick playing of course - I`d say the later US model, the Mex and the MIJ are all pretty similar, with the US having a slightly better definition to the notes. The 77 US is way more aggressive sounding, and having had a few 70s Precisions myself am not surprised at this.
[/quote]

That 77 is a beast! Even with the tone rolled off it won't calm down!