Precision Advice

[HarryPotter]

[quote name='King Tut' post='81082' date='Oct 29 2007, 11:56 PM']Pleeeease don't buy mail order - you gotta try the actual one you're buying first![/quote]

Couldn't agree more, unless it's cheap enough to take a risk on. They're all different to play.

[jwbassman]

Thanks guys and good advice - I actually went round Liverpool yesterday on my day off to have a look and try some out, very dissapointed by what was on offer, nobody had what I wanted but I did look at a couple of stock US Precisions similar to the one I'm thinking of buying

It's not easy for me to try out the actual instrument in question (due to geogaphical differences) but I do believe that it has been 'preloved' by a couple of guys on here so I am still considering it at the moment... if possible I would like to try it out, might see if I can organise it somehow...

[john_the_bass]

[quote name='HarryPotter' post='81123' date='Oct 30 2007, 07:50 AM']Couldn't agree more, unless it's cheap enough to take a risk on. They're all different to play.[/quote]

Is there that much to differntiate between them? I bought my USA (black/black/maple mmmmmmm) on ebay and it plays as well as any that I've picked up in the shops. Maybe I'm a ham fisted goon when it comes to playing the bass, but I would have thought that CNC machining would make every instrument [i]fundamentally[/i] the same - I appreciate that the particular bit of wood that your bass was made out of can differ slightly to the next one, but surely they are made within certain tolerances - the major factor for me is in QC and I would have thought that they were made out of good enough bits that any decent set up would sort any minor problems?

[HarryPotter]

I have only been playing bass for 8 weeks in total, but have found the hard (and expensive) way that it's a must to try out instruments as they all feel different (to me) - I am talking guitars here, not basses.

[King Tut]

How do you use the 'quote' function?

To 'John The Bass' - the biggest reason you need to try imo is that Fenders in particular are notorious for dead spots around the 7th fret on the G string. If you get one with a bad dead spot - there'll be little you can do about it and it may end up niggling you so much you can't live with it.

Then there's the cosmetic appeal of the bas - especially if it's a see through colour. If it's been hanging around in a shop - is it scratched?

I'd be seriously wary of buying unseen - I'm sure there's thousands of great basses sold mail order, but to me it's such a personal thing I'd be loathe to take the chance!

[BigAlonBass]

[quote name='King Tut' post='81525' date='Oct 30 2007, 11:12 PM']How do you use the 'quote' function?[/quote]

Click on the "Quote" button. When you see a red "-" sign, click on the "reply" button. Type away!

[G-bitch]

I normally just read reviews and get a few impressions and then am more than happy to mail order, but given that Fenders can be hit or miss (more hit TBH but not by a huge margin) and they are so widely available it would be better if you could get around a good few stockists to lay hands on them. No harm in phoning ahead to avoid disappointment either.

[Tait]

[quote name='BigAlonBass' post='81973' date='Oct 31 2007, 09:53 PM']Click on the "Quote" button. When you see a red "-" sign, click on the "reply" button. Type away! [/quote]

and it also has to be add reply, not fast reply

[dave_bass5]

Ive just recieved my MIM from Thomann. It looks really nice.
Its a bugger to play at the moment. Action is all over the place. It could just be im not used to the wide neck.
My biggest complaint is there is a gap down one side of the neck pocket. Should this be anything to worry about?

[King Tut]

[quote name='BigAlonBass' post='81973' date='Oct 31 2007, 09:53 PM']Click on the "Quote" button. When you see a red "-" sign, click on the "reply" button. Type away! [/quote]

Ahh - thank you glasshopper - now I unnerstan!

[Soulfinger]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='82380' date='Nov 1 2007, 06:03 PM']Ive just recieved my MIM from Thomann. It looks really nice.
Its a bugger to play at the moment. Action is all over the place. It could just be im not used to the wide neck.[/quote]
You will get used to the neck in no time. I did, and I have laughably short fingers.
Other than that, maybe it needs a setup?

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='82380' date='Nov 1 2007, 06:03 PM']My biggest complaint is there is a gap down one side of the neck pocket. Should this be anything to worry about?[/quote]
No. That´s the Mojo Compartment. It fills up with Mojo over the years and makes your bass even cooler.

Really, that gap can be found on a lot of Fenders (except those made in Japan ) and is nothing to worry about.