Which Bass And Why?

[phil.c60]

Having sold my Jazz bass because I decided it was not really me, I now only have one bass - a Hot Rod Precision - which I gig regularly. Only having one bass makes me slightly nervous! I prefer a P Bass (which is not the point, we've done this before....) so my choice is between an older bass maybe from the 90's or a brand spanking new one (American Standard). I have looked at the competition, but I'm a Fender kind of guy. Even if that makes me dull, that's how it is. What would you do?

[FinnDave]

The current US standards are bloody good basses. I have both types (P & J), the P is 2012 and the J 2016, both are excellent. I also have a CiJ P (60s style) and a Classic 60s J, both good basses but not as good as the US standards.

[Happy Jack]

I recently bought a Sandblasted Precision, the only new Fender I've ever bought.

I went to look at it simply it was so pretty. I bought it because it sounds so good.

[Barking Spiders]

Not a fan of P basses meself. If I were only ever limited to owning one bass it's a toss up between the EBMM Stingray and the Aria Pro II SB-1000. I need three basses at a minimum - my Sterling SUB Ray 4 for funk slap n pop, my Peavey Cirrus BXP 4 for fingerstyle and my Cort B4FL for fretless stuff. The Peavey is good for slap but not as powerful as the SUB. For fingerstyle the Peavey is better as I can rest my digits on the pickup which I cant do with the SUB as it's closer to the bridge.

Edited September 8, 2016 by Barking Spiders

[FinnDave]

If I could only have one it would have to be a Precision. I play my P far more often than I play my J.

[phil.c60]

Being a lefty - I should have said at the beginning really - choice is limited. It comes down to a 1996 left handed P currently for sale, or a new American Standard. The 96 P is considerably cheaper and apparently in good nick (but I haven't seen it yet...) which would leave me with some useful spare cash out of the proceeds of the Jazz, maybe for another acquisition.....

[bassjim]

I recently tried out a whole lot of basses and visually they all looked top drawer but I found them to be (IMO) a load of old toilet.

Its the same old thing........try before you buy unless you know for a fact its a winner.

You have one working bass that is functioning ok so take your time. If its just a back up you need then get something cheap as you can warrant going for now.

Apart from breaking a string whats going to go wrong with a precision? (unless there is a whole saga I know nothing off!)

Edited September 8, 2016 by bassjim

[Number6]

I only use my Jazz for practicing new stuff at home but my gig bass is a Precision. I have a Yamaha 424x as back up just because i wanted to try something different. The Yam is excellent btw

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1473314390' post='3128901']
Having sold my Jazz bass because I decided it was not really me, I now only have one bass - a Hot Rod Precision - which I gig regularly. Only having one bass makes me slightly nervous! I prefer a P Bass (which is not the point, we've done this before....) so my choice is between an older bass maybe from the 90's or a brand spanking new one (American Standard). I have looked at the competition, but I'm a Fender kind of guy. Even if that makes me dull, that's how it is. What would you do?
[/quote]

If you are able to get to a Bassbash, there are usually plenty of P's for you to try and P owners to enthuse about their P's.

If you are anywhere near the South East, the SE Bassbash is soon...

[wateroftyne]

I appreciate you're a Fender guy, but I feel compelled to ask if you've checked these basses out ([url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/263423-nbd-maruszczyk-jake-pj-fender-sandberg-lakland-killer/"]Jake 1[/url], [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/274164-nbd-maruszczyk-jake-pj-humbucker/"]Jake 2[/url]). Just in case :-)

[phil.c60]

[quote name='bassjim' timestamp='1473328999' post='3129090']
I recently tried out a whole lot of basses and visually they all looked top drawer but I found them to be (IMO) a load of old toilet.

Its the same old thing........try before you buy unless you know for a fact its a winner.

You have one working bass that is functioning ok so take your time. If its just a back up you need then get something cheap as you can warrant going for now.

Apart from breaking a string whats going to go wrong with a precision? (unless there is a whole saga I know nothing off!)
[/quote]

No saga at all. Current bass plays nicely, stays in tune all night and has never let me down. It is, however, a 1999 P/J and I have a hankering for a straight P - I've never owned one. When you say you tried a whole load of basses do you mean new or old? I'd love to try a whole load, but you try finding a whole load of lefties!
Similarly MacDaddy at the last Sussex bass bash I went to., I think the only lefties were me and Sylvia! And I think I know what she'd say...."Warwick"!
Did look at the Jake, Wateroftyne but......
I suppose my real question is, does anybody know anything about 90's P basses?

Edited September 8, 2016 by phil.c60

[discreet]

Been playing Fenders for more years then I care to remember and am definitely a P man. I have owned and played a few P basses in my time, old and new. My recently-acquired 2011 Road Worn P is the best example I've had yet and it's not going anywhere.

If you're a P person and you want the essence, sound and playability of a vintage P in a bass built to classic spec then you'd have to spend a lot more than a RW would cost you, particularly if you can find a used one.

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/287289-nbd-fender-road-worn-precision-bass-fiesta-red/

Edited September 8, 2016 by discreet

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1473330977' post='3129117']

Similarly MacDaddy at the last Sussex bass bash I went to., I think the only lefties were me and Sylvia! And I think I know what she'd say...."Warwick"!


[/quote]

Doh!

[Lw.]

If you've got the money for the new American Standard go for that one; the current crop of USA Fenders are generally excellent whereas, while you can get a nice 90's Fender, it wasn't the best period of their history & the basses from that time had nothing particularly inspiring about them - if you had the two next to each other, I'd be VERY surprised if the 90's one felt/sounded better.

[FinnDave]

I love the vibe of older basses, but for my money, the current crop of Mexican Fenders are better than 15-20 year old US Fenders. My Mex Classic 60s Jazz is effectively a road worn without the wear (though being a nitro finish it has picked some real wear now). I de-glossed the back of the neck and it's a fine bass.

[RockfordStone]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1473314987' post='3128905']
I recently bought a Sandblasted Precision, the only new Fender I've ever bought.

I went to look at it simply it was so pretty. I bought it because it sounds so good.
[/quote]
i have a sandblasted jazz and can echo this, they look pretty and play beautifully.

not sure they are still making them tho, think they were a limited run?

i also picked up a japanese ltd edition fender aerodyne jazz a few years back and that is a bloody fantastic bass.

Edited September 8, 2016 by RockfordStone

[ezbass]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1473329309' post='3129096']
I appreciate you're a Fender guy, but I feel compelled to ask if you've checked these basses out ([url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/263423-nbd-maruszczyk-jake-pj-fender-sandberg-lakland-killer/"]Jake 1[/url], [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/274164-nbd-maruszczyk-jake-pj-humbucker/"]Jake 2[/url]). Just in case :-)
[/quote]You beat me to it. Maruszczyk fanboys we might be, but with very, very good reasons.

[bassjim]

[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1473330977' post='3129117']
No saga at all. Current bass plays nicely, stays in tune all night and has never let me down. It is, however, a 1999 P/J and I have a hankering for a straight P - I've never owned one. When you say you tried a whole load of basses do you mean new or old? I'd love to try a whole load, but you try finding a whole load of lefties!
Similarly MacDaddy at the last Sussex bass bash I went to., I think the only lefties were me and Sylvia! And I think I know what she'd say...."Warwick"!
Did look at the Jake, Wateroftyne but......
I suppose my real question is, does anybody know anything about 90's P basses?
[/quote] yes see your point.. i tried a whole load in gak and guitar guitar. personally was so unimpressed Im having a custom build. no garuntees there till its in my hands but I do at least get to say what im unimpressed about and they are listening. but thats another story.
although there are disagreements here on basschat the overall advice is pretty good. the regular precision players at least can steer you in the right direction

Edited September 8, 2016 by bassjim

[police squad]

[quote name='bassjim' timestamp='1473328999' post='3129090']
I recently tried out a whole lot of basses and visually they all looked top drawer but I found them to be (IMO) a load of old toilet.

Its the same old thing........try before you buy unless you know for a fact its a winner.

You have one working bass that is functioning ok so take your time. If its just a back up you need then get something cheap as you can warrant going for now.

Apart from breaking a string whats going to go wrong with a precision? (unless there is a whole saga I know nothing off!)
[/quote]

My p bass pickup went open circuit at a gig. That means no sound.
Its the reason I now carry a spare bass.
Although atm my main bass is my flea jazz. If one pickup dies there's always the other to get me through

[FinnDave]

[quote name='police squad' timestamp='1473340967' post='3129300']
My p bass pickup went open circuit at a gig. That means no sound.
[/quote]

That happened to me, my first genuine Fender back in the early 80s. That's why I always take a spare to gigs. Still love P basses, though!

[discreet]

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1473341063' post='3129303']
That happened to me, my first genuine Fender back in the early 80s. That's why I always take a spare to gigs. Still love P basses, though!
[/quote]

The electrics couldn't be much simpler and hence super-reliable (mainly). I've not had a bass fail on me (or broken a string) in forty years. Which is not to say it won't happen, of course... I buy insurance, i.e. have KiOgon fit new wiring, pots and jack sockets in my basses.

[wateroftyne]

It's happened to me twice with P's. A pickup going open-circuit mid-gig, and knocking the jack at the input, breaking the harness.

Two times too many...

[blue]

[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1473314390' post='3128901']
Having sold my Jazz bass because I decided it was not really me, I now only have one bass - a Hot Rod Precision - which I gig regularly. Only having one bass makes me slightly nervous! I prefer a P Bass (which is not the point, we've done this before....) so my choice is between an older bass maybe from the 90's or a brand spanking new one (American Standard). I have looked at the competition, but I'm a Fender kind of guy. Even if that makes me dull, that's how it is. What would you do?
[/quote]

I own 9 really cool basses. However my main gig basses are 2 MIJ Fender P basses. They're 1950s reissues.

If you like thin necks, MIJ Fenders are great. The MIJ Squires are also really nice.

Blue

[peteb]

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1473314841' post='3128904']
The current US standards are bloody good basses. I have both types (P & J), the P is 2012 and the J 2016, both are excellent. I also have a CiJ P (60s style) and a Classic 60s J, both good basses but not as good as the US standards.
[/quote]
I recently tried out a new Am Std P bass and I was really surprised at how good it was! By comparison, a MIM roadworn P bass I played at the same time was pretty poor.

Edited September 9, 2016 by peteb

[molan]

If the choice is between the two P's you've mentioned then the price differential is a pretty big factor.

Any new bass is going to depreciate rapidly as soon as it leaves the store. Fenders hold value better than most and seem to have a slightly different depreciation cycle than some other brands.

Very loosely you tend to find that a new one won't drop too far in the first couple of years so long as it's kept in near perfect condition.

Then it'll go a bit further until it's about 5-6 years old when it'll take a real dip.

Once it's got over that it'll sit at the same value for a long time.

Reason for saying this isn't that you'd be looking at your 'investment' value, lol.

It's just meant to be a bit of a guide on pricing. The older one ought to have reached the point where it'll hold value well. That means you could keep it for a decent amount of time and shouldn't lose money if it doesn't work out.

The new one is likely to be an all round better bass (a lot of current new US Fenders really are great instruments) but you will certainly lose money on it if you decide it's not a long term keeper.

Slight Edit - the lefty market is a bit tougher to judge. Generally a decent used lefty will command a premium over a righty simply because of supply/demand.

However, sometimes they are just impossible to sell so you can pick up the odd bargain. This tends to be on new basses and/or more 'esoteric' or custom basses than a good old Fender P or J though.

Edited September 9, 2016 by molan