Precision advice - don't read if you hate P basses

[Cuzzie]

Mike Dirnt is he off Green Day

[dmccombe7]

4 minutes ago, thodrik said:

CC Music in the West End area of Glasgow had a couple of cracking Precisions in when I was in about three weeks ago: 

S9 Precision. I would guess it should go for £1200-£1500(it shouldn't cost any more than that as it isn't from the desirable period). Could be awesome like mine, could be a dog. 

http://www.ccmusicshop.co.uk/product/fender-usa-precision-bass-1979-sienna-burst/

USA 1997 60s Precision for £1200: http://www.ccmusicshop.co.uk/product/fender-1997-usa-60s-precision-bass-in-vintage-sunburst/

Also a 2001 US Standard on the site for about £800. 

Would be a fun morning/afternoon before or after wading through the options at Guitar Guitar. 

 

 

 

Sienna burst is pretty nice

[thodrik]

Just now, dmccombe7 said:

Sienna burst is pretty nice

I have basically a more used version of that bass. Same finish though I always thought it was just 'cherry sunburst'. The neck should be the same profile as mine. The neck on my Precision is my favourite neck of all of my basses, which includes two Sadowskys. Not too clubby or wide but substantial enough. 

The pick up appears to have been changed, though that will probably improve the bass. The original pick up on mine is frankly a bit 'so so' and could do with having a bit more output.

[dmccombe7]

On 19/03/2019 at 11:37, Steve Browning said:

If you are a Jazz player I would be looking for a B profile neck (between a Jazz and a standard Precision). These necks were prevalent between 1966 to 1973. A 66 would be well outside the budget but a later one could sneak in under your limit.

These basses are seriously good value in that they are nice and light (later 70's basses are famous for weighing a ton) and have proper tort plates.

If I were you, I'd be looking for a Fender Japan 70s reissue or I would go down the Limelight route. I have dealt with Mark and he's a great guy and he's not so far from you.

Maple is certainly brighter than rosewood so a B profile maple neck/board would be my recommendation.

Whereabouts is Limelight based. I got an approx price from Mark but afraid he takes a few days to reply to emails and would rather try before buying from him.

If its not too far i would take a drive down as its always worthwhile meeting face to face.

Dave

[Steve Browning]

Devon!!

I did correct myself as I thought, for some reason, you were near Swindon!!!

Edited March 29, 2019 by Steve Browning

[Ricky 4000]

Yeah, here's a coincidence!

 

[dmccombe7]

3 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

Devon!!

I did correct myself as I thought, for some reason, you were near Swindon!!!

Thanks Steve. I must have missed that. Sorry. I see someone has started a thread on Limelight already and Ricky 4000 has posted the link after your post.

Dave

Edited March 29, 2019 by dmccombe7

[Ricky 4000]

We seem to like the same things, Dave. 👍 How about the old 50s P bass shape?

This one "The Paradigm" has perked my interest:

 

[itsmedunc]

I might be totally wrong but I would have thought that a lot of 70's players would have owned 60's maybe late 50's P basses, 80's bands using 70's basses etc etc. So looking right might be subjective? I know there are definite exceptions to to this though.

Getting a 70's P that sounds right could be very difficult too, especially if the tracks you want to cover were indeed recorded and played on a bass 10 years older! Perhaps no-one but yourself would know the difference anyway! Good luck with the search, I'd like to be looking for an Oly white 70's P bass myself! 😀

 

[dmccombe7]

3 hours ago, Ricky 4000 said:

We seem to like the same things, Dave. 👍 How about the old 50s P bass shape?

This one "The Paradigm" has perked my interest:

 

That's quite nice.

I'm now looking at Sandberg VM4. Tried Thomann but the blue burst with maple neck is out of stock until July. I'm looking at another all white one with Rosewood neck.

They seem to get really good reviews especially the necks and set up.

Dave

[ead]

2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

That's quite nice.

I'm now looking at Sandberg VM4. Tried Thomann but the blue burst with maple neck is out of stock until July. I'm looking at another all white one with Rosewood neck.

They seem to get really good reviews especially the necks and set up.

Dave

Sandberg necks are indeed the dog's danglies.

[Ricky 4000]

3 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

That's quite nice.

I'm now looking at Sandberg VM4. Tried Thomann but the blue burst with maple neck is out of stock until July. I'm looking at another all white one with Rosewood neck.

They seem to get really good reviews especially the necks and set up.

Dave

Not sure about the look of that VM4, Dave. Is it a P-Ray? or even worse, a Ray-P !? 😬

[ead]

9 hours ago, Ricky 4000 said:

Not sure about the look of that VM4, Dave. Is it a P-Ray? or even worse, a Ray-P !? 😬

I used to have a VM4 and ended up selling it as I now know that I prefer a P/J setup.  THe P sound was OK but it was no MM bass.  Just my view obvs.

[ezbass]

58 minutes ago, ead said:

 The P sound was OK but it was no MM bass.  Just my view obvs.

Agreed. I had a VM4 too and I found it did the P thing very nicely. Although there was a great big MM pickup on it, its positioning meant that it sounded like a big J bridge pickup (not a bad thing) rather than a ‘Ray (again, not a bad thing). A really well made bass that eventually, for me at least, lacked a bit of character, which might have been down to the pre-amp.

[dmccombe7]

I have a Fender Precision deluxe with the J pick up and i find it a little limited. If i move the blend either way from centre i get one or the other pick up and its not what i would call an even balance plus the EQ is a bit extreme for me too. Oddly enough i find the Fender PJ has no real character compared to my Geddy Jazz. Its just ok and does a reasonable job as a working bass. I just want a better quality working bass that will give me options to use in any style of band i'm playing with.

Having tried a VM4 2 years ago when i was buying the Fender PJ i was very impressed with it both tonally and build quality but at the time i wasn't prepared to spend £1400 on the Sandberg and they only had relic'd basses in stock at Guitar Guitar. On hindsight i wish i had gone that bit more and just ordered one in.

I've gone for the Sandberg in all white with black chrome and white Scratchplate with Rosewood neck. I was offered the bass at a fantastic price and will hopefully get delivery this week. I've only read positive reviews on the Sandbergs guys and this is first time i've heard anyone getting rid of them for any particular reason.

Dave

 

[ead]

Excellent.  Pics will be required of course.

[dmccombe7]

32 minutes ago, ead said:

Excellent.  Pics will be required of course.

This is the shop pic. Should be delivered next week tho.

 

[Stub Mandrel]

45 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

This is the shop pic. Should be delivered next week tho.

 

A veritable Swiss Army Knife of basses.

Precision, Musicman and the headstock works as a can opener 🙂

 

Actually, very nice but what are the four dots above the neck joint? Just a logo?

 

[Cuzzie]

Yep 4 dots is the Sandberg logo

Very classy

Dave - congrats - that is the nuts, welcome to Nirvana

[dmccombe7]

I never actually noticed the headstock looking like a can opener but that's handy. 

Cheers Cuzzie i know you are a big fan and your PM's certainly had a helping hand in what i was looking for. Much appreciated sir.

Having already tried them i know i'm gonna love it.

Dave

[Cuzzie]

Pleasure 

Are they the black label Sandberg’s pick ups or the older ones?

[ead]

They are the Delano/Sandberg items.

[ezbass]

Nice!

[Cuzzie]

Delano?

pick ups have the sandberg symbol 

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

I never actually noticed the headstock looking like a can opener but that's handy.

To be fair, I think it's a trick of the light.