Boodang Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 Talking of the ubiquitous Fender Precision bass in another thread here has reminded me of something I read ages ago but can't find again and thus makes me think I'm making this up.. so any clarification gratefully received! It goes like this; in an interview with Leo he states that the Precision name came less from the frets and more from the fact the scale length was carefully chosen to give a precise tone where unlike an upright the overtones did not overwhelm the fundamental note. So in his experiments they were after the longest scale length where this would be the case and thus ended up at 34" and the precise tone they were after. Plenty of mention in the history books about scale length experiments but not about the reasons for it and the precise tone. Did I dream this!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 It's all about the frets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 Does that mean a fretless Precision is an oxymoron? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boodang Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 1 minute ago, Bridgehouse said: Does that mean a fretless Precision is an oxymoron? Maybe it comes with exceptional intonation built in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 3 minutes ago, Boodang said: Maybe it comes with exceptional intonation built in! Not with my fingers it doesn't! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 6 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said: Does that mean a fretless Precision is an oxymoron? A fretless Precision is someone saying Leo didn't get it right first time. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boodang Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 7 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said: Does that mean a fretless Precision is an oxymoron? Of course, if the name refers to the tone rather than the frets then it's not an oxymoron! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 It's all in the anagram: Fender Precision = Reinforced Penis. 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 6 minutes ago, Muzz said: It's all in the anagram: Fender Precision = Reinforced Penis. Ah, but so is "nope, cries friend" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boodang Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 Aha, well some clarification in the 'five watt world' YouTube history of the P bass; the name purportedly comes from a combination of the frets, the precise tone from the scale length, and the precise way in which they were machine made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 Next up: The Ford Granada 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 43 minutes ago, Doctor J said: A fretless Precision is someone saying Leo didn't get it right first time. Outside, right now! No one is allowed to say that about Saint Leo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 1 hour ago, Happy Jack said: Next up: The Ford Granada So named for the design influence coming from the Alhambra Palace. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boodang Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 1 hour ago, Bridgehouse said: Does that mean a fretless Precision is an oxymoron? Maybe a fretless model should be called a Precision (not) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Geek99 said: No one is allowed to say that about Saint Leo Not on this planet, not yet. Edited November 30, 2021 by Doctor J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 And the Ford Cortina. Named, err… after a pair of curtains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 1 hour ago, Geek99 said: Outside, right now! No one is allowed to say that about Saint Leo Wouldn't the very existence of the '57 Precision, the Jazz bass, Music Man and G&L be proof that even Leo thought that Leo didn't get it right first time? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StickyDBRmf Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 The only Fender Precision Bass I ever owned was a maple neck fretless. And I wore the stinky poo out of it and had to replace the neck and pu's and everything else on it. But my was it a fun unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 2 hours ago, neepheid said: Wouldn't the very existence of the '57 Precision, the Jazz bass, Music Man and G&L be proof that even Leo thought that Leo didn't get it right first time? No, they were just different kinds of “contemporary perfect”. should have used some emotes …doh … Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: And the Ford Cortina. Named, err… after a pair of curtains. Was it Jasper Carrott who noted that the Escort and Fiesta were both jazz mags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinB Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 The Fender Bass - an Illustrated History says "Precision" refers to the accuracy of notes, i.e. because it's fretted, but the authors don't reference where they got that from 🤷♂️ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 19 minutes ago, Steve Browning said: Was it Jasper Carrott who noted that the Escort and Fiesta were both jazz mags. Aye, but he wasn't the first 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 18 hours ago, Muzz said: It's all in the anagram: Fender Precision = Reinforced Penis. That is literally amazing and might well be one of the top five things I have ever read. Congratulations on winning The Internet - just be careful what you do with it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 13 minutes ago, Bassassin said: That is literally amazing and might well be one of the top five things I have ever read. Congratulations on winning The Internet - just be careful what you do with it. Yeah, hold it really carefully and with reverence, like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 Precision certainly doesn't relate to how the instrument was made. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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