It’s Staring Fender in The Face!

[thebrig]

I love everything about a Precision bass, but I don’t like the chunky neck, I prefer the thinner Jazz neck, and others love everything about a Jazz bass, but they don’t like the narrow neck, they prefer the chunkier Precision neck, and many like either bass just the way they are, but why do they not offer each bass with a choice of either neck?

 

I have always played Precisions with a replacement Jazz neck fitted, but I would love to be able to buy a Precision with a Jazz neck fitted straight out of the factory, you only have to read the many posts on here, and on Talkbass, to know how many would love to have the choice.

 

I know there are a few Precision bass variants out there that have a Jazz neck, but most are usually in a JP configuration which many don’t have any need for the Jazz pickup.

 

I'm now looking at the Fender American Professional II, but I won't buy it because of the neck, but if I had the choice of buying it with a Jazz neck fitted, then I would pull the trigger now.

 

Surely a standard Fender Precision fitted with a Jazz neck would fly out, wouldn't it? 🤔

[Lozz196]

I think you’re right, if they did a Precision model where all specs were identical but there was a choice of P or J neck I reckon they’d be quids in.

[T-Bay]

Same here, love the precision sound, hate the cricket bat neck. Seems strange that with such a wide product range of both that they don’t offer a few options.

[Doctor J]

Are you saying Leo didn't get it right first (third) time, brah?

[Bridgehouse]

Thinner, or narrower? I find most P necks wider, but thinner front to back, and Jazz necks the opposite….

[Lozz196]

45 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

I think you’re right, if they did a Precision model where all specs were identical but there was a choice of P or J neck I reckon they’d be quids in.

I should add, this wouldn’t be for me, love Precision necks but I do think it would be a real seller to many.

[Nail Soup]

Sounds like a good idea 👍

So questions from my side is........ is this already a popular option for people who mod basses and do 'bitsas', is there some technical issue stopping people from doing it?

[fretmeister]

Sandberg VS4.

 

Job done.

[thebrig]

I've made plenty of bitsas over the years, all typical Precisions but with a Jazz neck, and all have been very playable and have given me a lot of pleasure playing them, but I really would like have own a Fender made standard Precision with a Jazz neck.

[Doctor J]

8 minutes ago, Nail Soup said:

Sounds like a good idea 👍

So questions from my side is........ is this already a popular option for people who mod basses and do 'bitsas', is there some technical issue stopping people from doing it?

 

None at all. I'm putting together a 54 style P with a roasted maple J neck. Fender spilt-coil P and J necks are interchangeable. The single-coil p P  and Tele bass, on the other hand, had square heels which makes swapping over require sawdust.

[Downunderwonder]

10 hours ago, thebrig said:

Precision with a Jazz neck

That's pretty much what you get, along with a Jazz sound available, on a 'P Deluxe'. Even the body is tending towards Jazz cut. Base covered. 

[Crawford13]

What you are talking about here is a custom shop. They will quite happily make you a P bass with a Jazz neck, and anything else you can think of. You just have to pay for the privilege of them making you exactly what you want as opposed to what they want to make in bulk.

[Geek99]

1 minute ago, Crawford13 said:

What you are talking about here is a custom shop. They will quite happily make you a P bass with a Jazz neck, and anything else you can think of. You just have to pay for the privilege of them making you exactly what you want as opposed to what they want to make in bulk.

For the dubious privilege of them

picking a neck off a different shelf ? They used to allow jazz bass profile necks to be ordered 

[Crawford13]

Just now, Geek99 said:

For the dubious privilege of them

picking a neck off a different shelf ? They used to allow jazz bass profile necks to be ordered 

I'm just providing an honest and business orientated answer to the OP's question. The most likely reason he doesn't see what he is looking for is that Fender believe they already do this with their custom shop. 

 

Also to be fair if he is happy to spend nearly 2k on an American Professional II, it's not too big a jump to a non extravagant custom shop.

[Downunderwonder]

30 minutes ago, Crawford13 said:

What you are talking about here is a custom shop. They will quite happily make you a P bass with a Jazz neck, and anything else you can think of. You just have to pay for the privilege of them making you exactly what you want as opposed to what they want to make in bulk.

 

28 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

For the dubious privilege of them

picking a neck off a different shelf ? They used to allow jazz bass profile necks to be ordered 

 

24 minutes ago, Crawford13 said:

I'm just providing an honest and business orientated answer to the OP's question. The most likely reason he doesn't see what he is looking for is that Fender believe they already do this with their custom shop. 

 

Also to be fair if he is happy to spend nearly 2k on an American Professional II, it's not too big a jump to a non extravagant custom shop.

Have you ever played a P Deluxe?

[Crawford13]

2 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

 

 

Have you ever played a P Deluxe?

Does the P Deluxe not have a J pup in it? Which the OP doesn't want.

 

I did have a CS 62' P bass with a Jazz neck that was brilliant. Only sold it as it was always in it's case, as I preferred my Alpher.

[Downunderwonder]

55 minutes ago, Crawford13 said:

Does the P Deluxe not have a J pup in it? Which the OP doesn't want

You can turn it off!

 

1 down, how about @Geek99?

Edited December 22, 2021 by Downunderwonder

[Skybone]

And what about those people who love the Jazz bass, but hate the neck. What about offering the P, the J or the PJ with either the P or J style necks?

 

Gibson did it with the Les Paul, by offering the thicker 50's style neck and the slimmer 60's style neck.

 

A Jazz or PJ with the P style neck would be superb.

[Downunderwonder]

11 minutes ago, Skybone said:

And what about those people who love the Jazz bass, but hate the neck. What about offering the P, the J or the PJ with either the P or J style necks?

 

Gibson did it with the Les Paul, by offering the thicker 50's style neck and the slimmer 60's style neck.

 

A Jazz or PJ with the P style neck would be superb.

Afaik you are SOL for stock offerings, being a total outlier.

[OliverBlackman]

My MIM precision has a B width neck which is perfect for me. It was a 60th anniversary addition so might not have been standard. 

[joeystrange]

I think this would be a no-brainer for Fender too but it seems like they’re more set on continuing to put out almost identical versions of the same basses but with a different prefix/suffix. And signature models.

 

For years I played Precisions that I had swapped out with Jazz necks and really liked them. Then I got a new P and loved the neck so I left it. Now I struggle to play a Jazz-type neck.

My preference is a wide nut with a shallow neck, as opposed to a fat, chunky neck, but either is fine.

Edited December 22, 2021 by joeystrange

[Downunderwonder]

12 minutes ago, joeystrange said:

I think this would be a no-brainer for Fender too but it seems like they’re more set on continuing to put out almost identical versions of the same basses but with a different prefix/suffix. And signature models.

 

For years I played Precisions that I had swapped out with Jazz necks and really liked them. Then I got a new P and loved the neck so I left it. Now I struggle to play a Jazz-type neck.

My preference is a wide nut with a shallow neck, as opposed to a fat, chunky neck, but either is fine.

Have you tried a P Deluxe?

[Cat Burrito]

I'm the other way around, I had a Jazz bass with a P neck for years which I loved. I thought the 70s RI P-basses had slimmer necks. I know the 57RI ones tend to  be wider and the 51RI tend to be chunkier. 

[cetera]

My Fender FSR '70's classic' Precision has a Jazz neck with blocks from factory. Stunning bass....

[thebrig]

2 hours ago, Crawford13 said:

I'm just providing an honest and business orientated answer to the OP's question. The most likely reason he doesn't see what he is looking for is that Fender believe they already do this with their custom shop. 

 

Also to be fair if he is happy to spend nearly 2k on an American Professional II, it's not too big a jump to a non extravagant custom shop.

£1,550 for the American Professional II, and yes, it's a lot of money to some, but I'm 70 and retired, I'm not rolling in money but a nice proper Fender Precision with a Jazz neck would be my final purchase in the bass department.

 

But it won't be the American Professional II because of the neck.