P Bass - UK icon?

[arthurhenry]

A bit of a random thought, but for some reason I feel there's something very British about a P Bass.

[Akio Dāku]

Not sure I follow, what's your rationale? Personally I feel there's something very American about them. 

[yorks5stringer]

Fender did produce a model in the 60's especially for the UK market: instead of the contoured body that was sold elsewhere,  it was a slab version.

Edited June 10, 2018 by yorks5stringer

[arthurhenry]

34 minutes ago, Akio Dāku said:

Not sure I follow, what's your rationale? Personally I feel there's something very American about them. 

The workmanlike, no nonsense, get the job done qualities I think. 

[Dan Dare]

10 minutes ago, arthurhenry said:

The workmanlike, no nonsense, get the job done qualities I think. 

I'd regard that as a quintessentially American quality. 

[FinnDave]

They're as American as an apple pie made by an American using American apples, in America. I love 'em (Precision basses, not so keen on apple pies, difficult to get the intonation right).

[arthurhenry]

A bit like an old Landrover, an outside toilet or a Yorkshire pudding.

[Frank Blank]

As a P Bass does not hit any of the OEDs definitions of the word Icon, I would say not, however, I think might hit (if not, at least graze) the OEDs definition of the word Iconic (the misuse of which I one of my pet hates along with literally)...

Designating a person or thing regarded as representative of a culture or movement; important or influential in a particular (cultural) context.

...so I would suggest that a P Bass may well be Iconic to bass players specifically but I am unsure if this actually makes it Iconic per se as I think the object has to relate to secondary signifiers for lay people as well as those involved in the field that the iconic object originates from.

Edited June 10, 2018 by Frank Blank

[arthurhenry]

1 minute ago, Frank Blank said:

As a P Bass does not hit any of the OEDs definitions of the word Icon, I would say not, however, I think might hit (if not, at least graze) the OEDs definition of the word Iconic (the misuse of which I one of my pet hates along with literally)...

Designating a person or thing regarded as representative of a culture or movement; important or influential in a particular (cultural) context.

...so I would suggest that a P Bass may well be Iconic to bass players specifically but I am unsure if this actually makes it Iconic per se as I think the object has to relate to secondary signifiers for lay people as well as those involved in the field that the iconic object originates from.

 

Well it can't actually be defined as British either, but as my "tags" read: Random nonsense.

[gjones]

38 minutes ago, arthurhenry said:

The workmanlike, no nonsense, get the job done qualities I think. 

Understated is probably the quality you're thinking of.

No bells and whistles. Nothing flash.

Edited June 10, 2018 by gjones

[arthurhenry]

3 minutes ago, gjones said:

Understated is probably the quality your thinking of.

No bells and whistles. Nothing flash.

Exactly, perhaps qualities not frequently associated with America.

[gjones]

2 minutes ago, arthurhenry said:

Exactly, perhaps qualities not frequently associated with America.

The Precision is whatever the opposite of Donald Trump is. 

[Lozz196]

12 minutes ago, gjones said:

The Precision is whatever the opposite of Donald Trump is. 

Precision Bass as defined in the Oxford Dictionary - Without dodgy hair

[NancyJohnson]

9 hours ago, FinnDave said:

They're as American as an apple pie made by an American using American apples, in America.

Except for the ones made in the far east, eh?

[FinnDave]

13 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

Except for the ones made in the far east, eh?

I forgot about those, I was playing an all-American Jazz made in Mexico all day yesterday!

[Norris]

9 hours ago, gjones said:

The Precision is whatever the opposite of Donald Trump is. 

No orange basses then

[xgsjx]

10 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

I forgot about those, I was playing an all-American Jazz made in Mexico all day yesterday!

Are you saying it was made in Mexico all day yesterday?  😉

[FinnDave]

22 minutes ago, xgsjx said:

Are you saying it was made in Mexico all day yesterday?  😉

Yes, the attention to detail was exceptional! As was the speed with which they got it to Leicester!

[Thunderbird]

Slightly off topic but is there any English made mass produced bass guitars I can't think of any 

[Cato]

8 minutes ago, Thunderbird said:

Slightly off topic but is there any English made mass produced bass guitars I can't think of any 

There's a couple.

Status would probably be the most high profile.

Edited June 11, 2018 by Cato

[Mykesbass]

The 70s ones certainly could have been made by British Leyland.

[yorks5stringer]

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 1, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Nicko]

16 hours ago, gjones said:

Understated is probably the quality you're thinking of.

No bells and whistles. Nothing flash.

 

16 hours ago, arthurhenry said:

Exactly, perhaps qualities not frequently associated with America.

Absolutely, but this applies to most of Fenders guitar output so Telecasters would also be English.  NOt sure about the Jaguar with all the trick tone circuitry, although Vox were very keen on onboard effects at various timesthroughout their history

[SpondonBassed]

17 hours ago, gjones said:

The Precision is whatever the opposite of Donald Trump is. 

They do also come in orange however...