Fender Pbass American ? Worth it ?

[Bassfinger]

On 21/05/2022 at 15:41, Ed_S said:

In my experience, some MIAs are better than MIMs and some really aren't. I'd say they tend to feel more pleasingly tactile, but playing and sounding better is not so consistently the case.

I'd agree with this.

 

When I was shopping for a Jazz last year I found the standard of fit and finish so variable on both MIM and MIA that good MIM's were easily in the ballpark, and the poorer MIA's were easily sub MIM average.  I must have looked at and played 20 before I found one that had the perfect compromise - for me - between sound, feel, and finish, and that turned out to be one particular MIM. Others of exactly the same model didn't have the mojo, but that individual example kicked all comers in the nuts for the combination of qualities I sas after.

 

It's a product made for largely natural materials, still hand assembled and hand finished, and even some of the mechanically manufactured components rely on the diligence of the machine operator to ensure their consistency (pickups, for example), so it's natural that their will be variability that has nothing whatsoever to do with the countey of manufacture.

 

So the answer is that there is no blanket correct answer to your question. You don't know until you've played an individual instrument and tried it.  So get round some shops, try a few, and see what you think. 

[Cat Burrito]

I find as a guide, a £300 high end Squier is an incredible bass for the money. If you upgrade to the best of the MIM range it will be an improvement but not as good as the increase (ie not 150% better). The same principle applies when jumping again to the USA model. It ultimately comes down to if you want the top model, you *could* spend years buying cheaper models or just take the plunge. If you can justify the expense, bite the bullet and get the American one. If you are happy with what you have, learn to love it. 99% of your audience don't care or won't notice anyway. 

[dclaassen]

4 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

I'd agree with this.

 

When I was shopping for a Jazz last year I found the standard of fit and finish so variable on both MIM and MIA that good MIM's were easily in the ballpark, and the poorer MIA's were easily sub MIM average.  I must have looked at and played 20 before I found one that had the perfect compromise - for me - between sound, feel, and finish, and that turned out to be one particular MIM. Others of exactly the same model didn't have the mojo, but that individual example kicked all comers in the nuts for the combination of qualities I sas after.

 

It's a product made for largely natural materials, still hand assembled and hand finished, and even some of the mechanically manufactured components rely on the diligence of the machine operator to ensure their consistency (pickups, for example), so it's natural that their will be variability that has nothing whatsoever to do with the countey of manufacture.

 

So the answer is that there is no blanket correct answer to your question. You don't know until you've played an individual instrument and tried it.  So get round some shops, try a few, and see what you think. 

This...right here...100%

[BassAdder60]

Some really good points .. sadly my nearest store PMT Norwich has very little stock to try so it’s either take pot luck and order online or wait !

Edited May 23, 2022 by BassAdder27

[acidbass]

I used Squier CV basses for years and was proud of the name on the headstock.  Sometimes I would play at festival gigs and the soundman/other bassist would say 'wow' when they saw I was playing a Squier and not a Fender.  My basses were modded to suit however with CS pickups etc, and I don't think there is really any discernible difference in tone.  Essentially it's just a string vibrating within a magnetic field wired to a tone control and output jack.

 

However, having bought a few US Fenders recently I can say that they are absolutely better instruments all round.  The necks on them are superb - I love the quartersawn maple, satin finish, rolled fret edges and lightweight tuners.  The hardware on a whole is much better - the bridges have channels to ground the saddles for extra stability, the pickups are great and the basses themselves feel very lightweight.

 

Despite my stubbornness for years, I am now a convert to US Fenders

[dclaassen]

I think it all depends on the individual instrument, which is why I would probably never buy a bass without playing it. I have owned vintage US Fenders that were superb, but also remember the CBS years when a lot of them were pure crap. It's like picking out a rescue dog....you have to have a connection.

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, BassAdder27 said:

Some really good points .. sadly my nearest store PMT Norwich has very little stock to try so it’s either take pot luck and order online or wait !

Or look at the Events Section and see when the next local bash is - there are inevitably some US Fenders at these.

[Bassfinger]

2 hours ago, dclaassen said:

This...right here...100%

Lets be honest, thats rare from me!

[crazycloud]

On 21/05/2022 at 23:30, BassAdder27 said:

I like it a lot but often wonder if the current American PBass which are at least twice the price would gain anything in sound ? 

No.

[shoulderpet]

6 hours ago, BassAdder27 said:

Some really good points .. sadly my nearest store PMT Norwich has very little stock to try so it’s either take pot luck and order online or wait !

If you order from Andertons or Gear4music there returns policies are really good, that being said I hate ordering online as you never know if you will get a good bass or a lemon 

[horrorshowbass]

8 hours ago, acidbass said:

I used Squier CV basses for years and was proud of the name on the headstock.  Sometimes I would play at festival gigs and the soundman/other bassist would say 'wow' when they saw I was playing a Squier and not a Fender.  My basses were modded to suit however with CS pickups etc, and I don't think there is really any discernible difference in tone.  Essentially it's just a string vibrating within a magnetic field wired to a tone control and output jack.

 

However, having bought a few US Fenders recently I can say that they are absolutely better instruments all round.  The necks on them are superb - I love the quartersawn maple, satin finish, rolled fret edges and lightweight tuners.  The hardware on a whole is much better - the bridges have channels to ground the saddles for extra stability, the pickups are great and the basses themselves feel very lightweight.

 

Despite my stubbornness for years, I am now a convert to US Fenders

 

Correction. "White" US Fenders

 

[ossyrocks]

1 hour ago, shoulderpet said:

If you order from Andertons or Gear4music there returns policies are really good, that being said I hate ordering online as you never know if you will get a good bass or a lemon 

The only guitars I’ve bought online (2), have been Custom Shops. Both were great, but as you say, I did have the option of return because of online selling legislation which was reassuring. I actually think with basses, as opposed to guitars, it’s more important to actually play it first though, but I can’t put my finger on exactly why.

[Nebadon2000]

If Player feels comfortable to play and you like the 'Feel' full Gig length, stays tuned/intonated, holds a setup, content with Sound, fits well in mix should be great gigging Bass.

 

I have only played/owned American P basses[since '75] they do all of above; Sound being somewhat subjective  sometimes it cost twice as much to get 10-20% better.

Edited May 24, 2022 by Nebadon2000

[thewebow]

I have a thing for American/USA Fender basses.

 

I started recent arsenal with a '96 MIM jazz bass and a newer jag bass. Put hi-Mass bridges on both straightaway. tone is solid. Build quality is good/ok.

But picked up a used '90's pbass fretless and was amazed by quality of the instrument, from the tuners, through body stringing and pickup clarity and tone. So I was like ok USA is better..

So I recently p/ex a warwick rockbass for a USA jbass fretless from Bass Gallery ( turned out to be a '99 model) AGAIN sounds sublime..

 

So to give the fretless p bass a partner, I picked up a lovely USA 2009 American P bass from Camden Guitars.

However, It does seem incredibly light compared to the other USA basses I have and feels a bit flat compared to other..

Going to take it to Bass Gallery for a service and get it strung with flats- as it does have a slight electrical buzz and seems a bit flat overall.

Is this GAS subsiding? Is it me or in the week after getting something new you usually start finding little faults or niggles?

 

My question is do I sell the Mexicans now?

What do people think of the Elite USA series?

How do people feel about 5 string American Pro II P basses?

 

Thanks for any input

[shoulderpet]

59 minutes ago, thewebow said:

I have a thing for American/USA Fender basses.

 

I started recent arsenal with a '96 MIM jazz bass and a newer jag bass. Put hi-Mass bridges on both straightaway. tone is solid. Build quality is good/ok.

But picked up a used '90's pbass fretless and was amazed by quality of the instrument, from the tuners, through body stringing and pickup clarity and tone. So I was like ok USA is better..

So I recently p/ex a warwick rockbass for a USA jbass fretless from Bass Gallery ( turned out to be a '99 model) AGAIN sounds sublime..

 

So to give the fretless p bass a partner, I picked up a lovely USA 2009 American P bass from Camden Guitars.

However, It does seem incredibly light compared to the other USA basses I have and feels a bit flat compared to other..

Going to take it to Bass Gallery for a service and get it strung with flats- as it does have a slight electrical buzz and seems a bit flat overall.

Is this GAS subsiding? Is it me or in the week after getting something new you usually start finding little faults or niggles?

 

My question is do I sell the Mexicans now?

What do people think of the Elite USA series?

How do people feel about 5 string American Pro II P basses?

 

Thanks for any input

If you feel that you could sell the Mexicans and have no regrets about it then I would go ahead and sell them and put the money towards another instrument, the Fender Vintera P bass is a fantastic instrument, I know it is also an MIM Fender but I truly feel it is a much better instrument than most MIM Fenders and I suspect it could rival a lot of US Fenders

[thewebow]

8 minutes ago, shoulderpet said:

If you feel that you could sell the Mexicans and have no regrets about it then I would go ahead and sell them and put the money towards another instrument, the Fender Vintera P bass is a fantastic instrument, I know it is also an MIM Fender but I truly feel it is a much better instrument than most MIM Fenders and I suspect it could rival a lot of US Fenders

Cheers for that. I have tried the vintera a while back. I found the neck quite hard to navigate. If anything I think I would hold out for an American pro ii p bass used. 

[Dov65]

20 hours ago, shoulderpet said:

If you feel that you could sell the Mexicans and have no regrets about it then I would go ahead and sell them and put the money towards another instrument, the Fender Vintera P bass is a fantastic instrument, I know it is also an MIM Fender but I truly feel it is a much better instrument than most MIM Fenders and I suspect it could rival a lot of US Fenders

I'll second that👍the fit & finish on my Vintera really put my P Pro to shame especially on the neck pocket. I could easily get a pick in the gap.

Edited May 25, 2022 by Dov65
Blahblah

[shoulderpet]

3 hours ago, Dov65 said:

I'll second that👍the fit & finish on my Vintera really put my P Pro to shame especially on the neck pocket. I could easily get a pick in the gap.

Yeah the necks on the Vintera's are lovely, you would think such a wide neck would be really slow but they are hands down the nicest necks on a production bass that I have played and that lovely amber tinted gloss.  I also appreciate the high ratio tuners on the Vintera, I know a lot of people are fine with cheaper tuners but I much prefer these, they are rock solid.

[FinnDave]

I have three Precisions at the moment - a 2012 US Standard, a Classic 50s (MiM) and a recent Player (also MiM). They are all good instruments, but the 2012 Standard is my number one bass. I have had it for about 9 years now and it's never let me down.

As far as I can tell, the current Vintera series is simply the older Classic series rebranded. I have had a Classic 60s Jazz for the last nine years and other than the finish (mine has a cellulose finish) it is very much the same as the Vintera Jazz bass I have had for a couple of months.

I've also had a few Squiers over the years, one thing I found was the wood is softer, so the various parts that screw into the body & neck (bridge, tuners, strap buttons, etc.) needed to be checked and tightened fairly frequently. I have not found this to be the case with the US or Mexican built Fenders.

 

Edited May 25, 2022 by FinnDave
typo

[BassAdder60]

1 hour ago, FinnDave said:

I have three Precisions at the moment - a 2012 US Standard, a Classic 50s (MiM) and a recent Player (also MiM). They are all good instruments, but the 2012 Standard is my number one bass. I have had it for about 9 years now and it's never let me down.

As far as I can tell, the current Vintera series is simply the older Classic series rebranded. I have had a Classic 60s Jazz for the last nine years and other than the finish (mine has a cellulose finish) it is very much the same as the Vintera Jazz bass I have had for a couple of months.

I've also had a few Squiers over the years, one thing I found was the wood is softer, so the various parts that screw into the body & neck (bridge, tuners, strip buttons, etc.) needed to be checked and tightened fairly frequently. I have not found this to be the case with the US or Mexican built Fenders.

The wood on my Squire CV 70’s is softer for sure and the paint finish isn’t a patch on my Player Series 

 

A lower cost wood I suspect and if you’re careful with the screws etc it’s not too much of a problem 

 

My Player series is far better overall 

Edited May 25, 2022 by BassAdder27

[BillyBass]

@shoulderpet and @Dov65 How does one access the truss rod on the Vintera basses?  Is it proper vintage unscrew the neck from the body or is there hex key access somewhere that doesn't require dismantling the bass?

[FinnDave]

16 minutes ago, BillyBass said:

@shoulderpet and @Dov65 How does one access the truss rod on the Vintera basses?  Is it proper vintage unscrew the neck from the body or is there hex key access somewhere that doesn't require dismantling the bass?

My Vintera Jazz and Classic 50s Precision (same as Vintera) have the original cross head screw at the body end of the neck. With care, they can be adjusted by removing the scratch plate, but that is one period feature I could happily do without.

[shoulderpet]

53 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

My Vintera Jazz and Classic 50s Precision (same as Vintera) have the original cross head screw at the body end of the neck. With care, they can be adjusted by removing the scratch plate, but that is one period feature I could happily do without.

You got lucky there, with mine I have to remove the neck, tried removing the scratch plate but it needs just a fraction of a mm more space to adjust the truss rod, the only bass feature on an otherwise incredible bass. 

 

Edit: that being said I have only tried adjusting with one of the truss rod keys designed for a body access truss rod, I wonder if a screwdriver would allow me to adjust it

 

 

 

 

Edited May 25, 2022 by shoulderpet

[FinnDave]

On my Vintera Jazz (and my very similar but older Classic 60s Jazz) I can adjust the trussrod with a fairly large flat screwdriver after removing the scratch plate if I am careful. The same applies to my Classic 50s Precision.

[Dov65]

Aye what FinnDave said above. I've only adjusted the truss rod once via slackening the neck screws but did think about taking a scoop out on the body and using one o those truss rod cranks.