Roger Waters Precision Surprise

[AndyTravis]

So I took a trade I didn’t really want, but it was for a Basschatter who I consider a mate and it was a fair deal and he wanted my bass more than I did so went ahead.

He offered a Roger Waters Precision in great nick and all the bits.

It sat in my car overnight, such was the way - I’ve got a new daughter who’s been in hospital since she was born on the 4th April.

I came home and plugged it in.

Christ it’s lovely.

So what do I do? I wasn’t selling to raise funds, I don’t “need” it. But the neck is very similar to my old MIM 50’s which I enjoyed...and it plays really well.

I thought I liked skinny necks?!

The black/Black/Black/chrome thing doesn’t work for me...so it’d have to see a few new bits to stay.

The Bitsa I was debating keeping definitely has to go if this stays...

Edited May 2, 2018 by AndyTravis

[Cosmo Valdemar]

Maple cap neck too, IIRC the only Fender bass that has one. At least outside of the Custom Shop.

I'm surprised Fender don't make a bigger deal of it - in fact, I don't think they even mention it having one.

Congrats on the new bass 😎

[Lozz196]

Keep it, you`ve got a Mexican Wall before Trump gets his

[Graham]

Keep it, but get some black tuners on it

[markdavid]

Keep it ,you will regret it if you get rid of it 

[AndyTravis]

33 minutes ago, Graham said:

Keep it, but get some black tuners on it

Or a chrome bridge and knobs. The “all black” look is a bit too rawk for me...

[CameronJ]

Pearl pickguard perchance? 🤔

Edited May 3, 2018 by CameronJ

[AndyTravis]

Just going to leave this out there 

Edited May 3, 2018 by AndyTravis

[Bigwan]

I'd go the chrome hardware route myself. Lovely looking basses. I've never had the opportunity to try one myself, but they're on the radar!

[Geek99]

I heard him playing the original in a concert on YouTube and it sounded mighty. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one wherever it was made 

[fretmeister]

Chrome bridge and knobs.

 

And swap the scratchplate - still for a black one, but with the Black / White / Black construction so you get the outline.

Would be perfect then.

[Daz39]

Oof, bit sparse, but if it feels good keep it!

 

best wishes for your little one btw, i’ve had one newborn be seriously unwell, not fun.

[fretmeister]

Or, swap the tuners to black, leave the bridge and knobs but swap the scratchplate for a white pearl one.

I liked that look on Newsted's jazz bass.

[Marc S]

You thought you liked skinny necks - and maybe as a general rule, you do
However, it seems to me, that just now & again, when you pick a bass up it just feels "right" - even if it doesn't fit your usual requirements
Perhaps it's just the feel of the neck? Maybe it's the radius? Perhaps it's just well set-up? Perhaps it's all of these things?

From your post, it seems that you are reluctant to move this bass on, because it has been a pleasant surprise
I think if you did sell it on, you may well end up regretting it! There is one bass I wish I'd never moved on, and I'm really regretting it now

I'd say, keep this bass - even if it's just for a while. Play it, play it as much as you can, and in a few weeks you will probably know the answer to your own question
Sell something else if you make up your mind to keep this one..... but giving it a fair crack of the whip, means you are making a more informed decision, either way
Look at it this way, it's actually a "nice problem" to have, one bass too many, and no immediate financial pressure to sell. Let us know what you decide.

Perhaps a few of us need to leave our new basses in the car overnight?

More importantly though - congratulations, and I hope your new baby daughter is ok

[AndyTravis]

1 hour ago, Marc S said:

Perhaps a few of us need to leave our new basses in the car overnight

Spring in Manchester - Cryogenically frozen...

[thegummy]

On 5/2/2018 at 22:13, Cosmo Valdemar said:

Maple cap neck too, IIRC the only Fender bass that has one. At least outside of the Custom Shop.

I'm surprised Fender don't make a bigger deal of it - in fact, I don't think they even mention it having one.

Congrats on the new bass 😎

What does the maple cap neck mean?

AndyTravis - best wishes to the baba

Edited May 6, 2018 by thegummy

[prowla]

On 5/3/2018 at 07:03, AndyTravis said:

Just going to leave this out there 

I have something not dissimilar...

[Cosmo Valdemar]

19 hours ago, thegummy said:

What does the maple cap neck mean?

 

Maple cap necks have a separate maple fingerboard glued on to the neck. Most maple necks are usually one piece, with the truss rod inserted from behind - hence the skunk stripe.

From my own experience I find basses with maple cap necks have a bit more going on in the upper mids and highs  - a more aggressive growl than usual.

[Raggy]

I own 2 of these, one I've had sprayed white, really are cracking basses.

 

I emailed Fender to see if i could buy one of the necks (i want to replace the Jazz neck i have on my bitsa) but they don't sell them separately 

[Jono Bolton]

I'd swap out the bridge and knobs for chrome, but bear in mind that you'd also need to swap the scratchplate screws and the strap buttons too. It would be cheaper than a new set of tuners though. All-black hardware looks a bit 'metal'.

 

FWIW, the Squier Matt Freeman Precision basses also have a maple cap neck, it's not a common feature.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

32 minutes ago, Jono Bolton said:

 

 

FWIW, the Squier Matt Freeman Precision basses also have a maple cap neck, it's not a common feature.

I did not know that! I knew I should have bought one!

[Lozz196]

Probably why they sound so punchy then. I had two, great basses. A mate of mine has one and he gets a great sound from it, via a Behringer BDI21 and a Peavey amp - not fashionable gear, nor expensive but a cracking sound.

[Ed_S]

I picked one up that I saw second hand for cheap a couple of months back and gave it a bit of chrome replacement therapy to balance out the tuners.

Didn’t bother with the scratch plate screws, jack socket nut.. or even the bridge screws; just did the bridge, knobs and straplock buttons because they’re what I had in the bits box.

It’s a chunky ol’ neck for sure, but I like that there’s a certain ‘physicality’ to playing it!

[AndyTravis]

Very rare occasion to sit down and play tonight and I went straight to the white jazz.

decision made.

Edited May 12, 2018 by AndyTravis

[AndyTravis]

Well, my other P sold so I’m gonna keep hold of this for now and see if I’m afforded some more time to play now Iris is home and doing well.

I am however going to go the route of making it less black rather than a refinish. Just while I’m making sure. All mods will be reversible.