peteb

Funnily enough, you are selling me a bit on 08-12 period basses - I quite like the idea of a P bass with a relatively flat / shallow neck! I do like the 98 jazz bass that I have (that I originally thought was a 09), so I wouldn't mind trying a same period P bass. I know that the 12-15 series are just well made, good basses - I remember playing a 2012 one once and it was great, a really well put together P bass, top notch. The thing is, I grew up on mid to late 70s Fenders and most of the best ones that I have played come from that period. Unfortunately, the worse ones I've ever come across come from that period as well! I know that this is an age thing as I am too young to get too misty eyed about vintage 60s ones (not that I could afford them), but a lot of the newer models just don't feel quite the same to me! I suppose that I would ideally like to find something with a bit of that feel about it, but with a more modern level of consistency / finish. I wouldn't rule out another 70s / early 80s P bass, but I would have to really try it out to be sure about it. The last time I got one for what seemed like a decent price, I ended up a bit disappointed and losing a fair amount of money on it.

TBF, the only Fender where I've ever kept the stock pickups is the 2015 American Standard Jazz that I use currently for the Zep tribute that I play in. Every other Fender I've had (four Precisions and three Jazzes - I'm not counting the Musicmaster that I had as a kid), I've swapped the pickups out! I'm more interested in the build and playability.

What I am trying to find out is how the 'standard' American P basses of the day varied from era to era, and what are the ones to look for / avoid. I can quite happily pay up to £3k for a Custom Shop or whatever, if something special comes up that takes my fancy. Alternatively, I have the option of getting a Japanese bass and save more than a couple of grand. Of course, I could get something in between those two price points, which is what I'm enquiring about. I did have a Japanese Jazz bass for a bit. I dropped some barts in it and used it on a gig and thought that it sounded great. Then I went down to Bass Direct to pick up some cabs and played an old American Standard that blew it out of the water. I still have that bass. TBF, directly before I got the Japanese JB, I had a 2005 USA standard that wasn't as good. I did have an AVRI 58 Precision for a while, which was a nice bass. I would have kept it, but unfortunately it had to go to pay for my old 78 P bass, when I had the opportunity to buy it back many years after I unfortunately sold it (something I always regretted).

I believe that there have been agreements put in place that have made easier than it was at first, but there are still issues that need looking at. As the OP alludes to, you may need to look at how things differ from country to country. I understand that in some countries it ma be easier to hire backline, etc out there. I would be interested to see what Loz reports back from people who have first hand experience of playing out there recently.

I've just noticed that I commented on the later American Standard Precision models from 2011 to about 2015 at the beginning of this thread a few years ago, so obviously I am aware of them. I supposed that I really want advice on the 90s models compared with those from the early and late'00s periods.

Looking for a bit of advice please if anyone here can help me. I am currently looking for a Precision with a rosewood board. Beyond that I'm not sure what to look for. I could spend £3k on a Custom Shop, as I nearly did a few months ago, or I could get a Japanese one for £850 or so. I might not even go for a Fender and get something like a Lakland, or a Lull or a Valenti, should something interesting come up. However, I may well go for an American Standard as a middle option and I'm wondering what is the best period to look for. I currently have an American Standard Jazz, which I originally played when I tried out some s/h cabs I had bought from Bass Direct and ended up buying as I liked it so much. For some reason, I thought it was a 2009 model, but when I checked the serial number recently, found that it was a 98. I did have a 2005 Am Std Jazz before, which was very heavy and nowhere near as good. So, I'm wondering what the consensus is on what was the best period(s) for Fender Am Std P basses?

Same here - all of my basses these days are FSOs, so the same strap works for all of them. I always make sure that I carry a decent spare, as well as a cheaper nylon one without straplocks for emergencies, loans, etc.

Is the B the 41mm one?

The Zep tribute played at the Nightrain in Bradford on Friday night, a hometown gig for 60% of the band these days and the only one we're playing anywhere near locally all year. We hadn't played (or rehearsed) together for a month, so it a bit rusty but a pretty good performance overall. A few people reckoned it was a bit loud at the start of the set, although a muso mate of mine who was near the back reckoned it sounded awesome! First gig since the drummer got his driving ban, so the logistics were a bit of a challenge! I think the reality of the situation has started to affect him and he even managed to forget his bass drum pedal! Fortunately, there was one there we could borrow, so no harm done. Same rig as normal (Fender Jazz / Handbox amp / Berg cab) and the new Vans pigskin hitops got an outing! Before and after show pics:

For some reason, I've never really taken to Spectors. I has a Czech 5 string for a while, but was happy to sell it on as soon as I didn't have a need for it. This is despite lusting after one for years in the 80s / 90s and then gigging a couple of Streamers for years that looked just like them...!

Again, not the sort of thing that lends itself to a display for a room full of people at a Bass Bash. You could absolutely discuss why a bass player may want to use a HPF, but difficult to demonstrate in the same way you could show the benefits of, and the different ways of how to use a compressor.

I would still suggest that a demonstration of using a HPL with a fixed cut-off frequency would have limited appeal, even at a Bass Bash: 'So that's what the bass sounds like on its own and this is what it sounds like once we've engaged the Thumpinator that removes frequencies below 25Hz, which you couldn't hear anyway'!

Having a high pass filter in your chain is different to using a compressor! Unless I'm misunderstanding your point here!

True - if your amp isn't trying to boost inaudible low frequencies, then it won't clip unnecessarily and can be more efficient in amplifying useful frequencies and of course, you are protecting your speakers from those frequencies.

No, it really wouldn't be interesting in a situation like a Bass Bash. The Thumpinator filters out frequencies below 25Hz, which you can't hear, but the amp still tries to boost. If you are trying to A/B a bass with or without a Thumpinator, in a room at a normal volume, then you will not be able to hear any difference. But if you are putting the bass through a PA in a large room with a wooden floor, brick walls and a high ceiling, then a HPF stops the sub-bass frequencies (that are too low for you to hear anyway) from bouncing around causing havoc with the overall sound. https://sfxsound.co.uk/microthumpinator/

Maybe your amp has an internal HPF, but none of my amps do. I never saw the point of a HPF, until I did. There are some rooms we play that get a weird bass response, most notably a community centre come sports hall in Chelmsford. The only way round it was take all of the bottom end off the amp. I added a thumpinator to my board and next time we played there, no problem!

That's kinda the point of them isn't it? The idea is that they take out inaudible sub-bass frequencies, thereby making your amp more efficient and making it easier to get a decent sound in bass-trap rooms.

Dunno about that, some people will complain about anything! Obviously, I prefer playing the bigger, better gigs but I'm perfectly happy to play bars as well. Sometimes the bad gigs can be fun in a perverse way and provide you with the best stories!

Yea, of course there is! It's really the lowest level of fame, a bit of recognition because someone has seen you on stage. I was in a couple of bands that were quite well known locally several decades ago. When I went into a pub, quite often someone would recognise me. Later on, I would meet someone through work and it would turn out that they used to be a fan of a band I was in. To this day, people will come up to me in pubs and start talking to me as if they know me. I will chat away for a bit, always referring them as 'mate' or whatever, then after they've gone the person I'm with will ask 'Who's that'? Of course, I've no idea, but generally they will have seen me play over the years and probably talked to me after a gig one time. It's no big thing - it's not like someone genuinely famous walking into a bar and everyone trying to work out if its really them. I imagine that real fame may become a bit tiresome after a while, but the odd person vaguely recognising you because they used to like a band you were in several years ago is cool.

I've got a pretty much identical 2015 American Std that I picked up from Bass Bros about three years ago for use in a Led Zep tribute. As you say, you can't really knock it - sounds like it's supposed to, looks the part, plays well and very robust. A great bass for not an awful lot of money. I've also got a 09 Am Std in natural with a white scratchplate, which is a really nice bass that I bought for less than a grand...!

Not the right time (when is it ever), but if it's still there when I get back from holiday I might be in the market for something like that! The thing with late 70s P basses is that you really need to have to look at them first.

This one on eBay is inviting offers for his 78 P bass. I wouldn't know where to start putting right what ever the hell he's done to the paint job. Apart from that, I dunno. Its got an old Badass, which I think is pretty cool, but apart from that there might be a decent bass in there, even if it currently looks like a dog's dinner. It's not silly money, but still too much for the condition (to me): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267360313595?mkevt=1&mkpid=2&emsid=e90001.m161799.l174482&plmtId=700008&mesgId=3015&mkcid=8&ch=osgood&bu=43398990830&trkId=047e9bb3-4020-33a3-9807-5e8107c4e99f&cnvId=700003&recoId=267360313595&recoPos=1

I've seen something similar in an Irish bar in Budapest!

I used to go to school in Bingley / live in the next town and I can safely say that JSG (later Spectre) was a big part of me starting up playing in bands. We used to go walk across town to go there at lunchtime (or get the bus on Thursday late night opening) to hang out, look at guitars that we wouldn't be able to afford for several years and try out ones that might be our next instrument. On weekends and Thursday nights, there were always local musos hanging out who would give impromptu lessons and advice about gear or playing or whatever. A few years later, I was the one of the guys giving advice or showing kids how to play Smoke On The Water or Wishing Well properly. Quite a few of my mates / bandmates worked there and as I walked in they would put the kettle on, or if they were busy, ask me to put the kettle on, or answer the phone, etc. Then we would go to the pub after they locked up. As I said, a big part of my early musical journey. The demise of these sort of places (and Electro in Doncaster was another one) was a symptom of the decline of local music scenes. It's where musos would hang out, put bands together and share knowledge. All gone now unfortunately...

What's the blueburst bass dude??