wateroftyne Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 (edited) (This is a fairly pointless ramble. Be prepared.) Hi all I've recently been thinking about getting a nice PJ, as I love the solo'd P but I sometimes need a J burp. Jazz neck pups just aren't quite there for me. After a bit of research, Fender's 2011 Precision Deluxe is on my list, so I made my way into Newcastle to have a look at one... which is rare for me, 'cos I hate going to the shops. [b]WoT's Checklist:[/b][list] [*]PJ? Yep. [*]Rosewood? Yep. [*]Sunburst? Yep. [*]Passive mode? Yep. [*]P profile neck? [*]TV logo? Yep. [*]Tort guard? Nope. [*]Block markers? Nope. [/list] (I can live with the last two, though.) The one in GuitarGuitar was black & maple, but it I had a go to gave me an idea of how they play. The staff were very helpful and ushered me downstairs to the basement, where all the Fender CS and Sadowsky stuff lives, along with the Aguilar gear, and left me to it. I plugged into one of the new Tonehammer stacks. The strings were floppy as hell, so I checked it and it was tuned down a tone(!). Bringing it up to pitch sorted the tension, but consequently the action was a bit high... I bore that in mind while I played it. What a nice bass! The neck P width with a nice chunky profile, not far from my beloved '71. Solo'd, the P pickup sounded just like a nice, meaty P. Favouring the J gave a lovely, lively burp.. and that was just in passive mode. Switching to active made everything 'bigger'. I played it for quite a while and really enjoyed it. I also had a shot of this fella: It's a Metro... very pretty. It was a smidge heavier than the P. Fit'n'finish-wise, I couldn't choose between the two of them.. both seemed great. The Sadowsky's neck looked really pale, though... both the headstock and the board. Not to my taste. The Sadowsky actually didn't do it for me tone-wise (as much as I can tell in a shop). It seemed very 'polite' with a pronounced upper-mid which probably appeals to plenty of people apart from me. It £1800... the Fender wasn't cheap either at £1350. The thing is, the Fender has really rung my bell, and they have the Sunburst and Rosewood in stock in their other shops. Hmm..... *scratches chin* Edited December 27, 2011 by wateroftyne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 On looks alone... the Sadowsky once again prooves they can make a very pretty bass. The P would have a tort plate as soon as I could get it to Sims.. On my visit to Gtrgtr down here tho... all the basses I looked at were pretty damn rank and hardy got off the stand because a) either the action was plain ridiculous or the general build didn't warrant a closer look, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1325023978' post='1479282'] On my visit to Gtrgtr down here tho... all the basses I looked at were pretty damn rank and hardy got off the stand because a) either the action was plain ridiculous or the general build didn't warrant a closer look, IMO. [/quote] Same with my visits to the Newcastle store, but this was at least a year ago now, so things hopefully have changed. I think with this one WOT, I'd 100% go with the P. Sadowsky basses are very nice, but they don't offer the traditional Fender tone, (which is a good or a bad thing, depending who you are) it is more polite, I agree. I really like the new Deluxe Fenders. Can you blend the pups properly, or is it neck/middle/bridge? Good to hear the quality was up there with the Fender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 hmm idea for you WoT... ill PM you..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1325023978' post='1479282'] On my visit to Gtrgtr down here tho... all the basses I looked at were pretty damn rank and hardy got off the stand because a) either the action was plain ridiculous or the general build didn't warrant a closer look, IMO. [/quote] [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1325025443' post='1479302'] Same with my visits to the Newcastle store, but this was at least a year ago now, so things hopefully have changed. I think with this one WOT, I'd 100% go with the P. Sadowsky basses are very nice, but they don't offer the traditional Fender tone, (which is a good or a bad thing, depending who you are) it is more polite, I agree. I really like the new Deluxe Fenders. Can you blend the pups properly, or is it neck/middle/bridge? Good to hear the quality was up there with the Fender. [/quote] Yep.. I'm a bit amazed that a £1300 bass (although the price is irrelevant) can sit on the wall tuned down a step (at least). of course the last person to play it could have tuned it down, but it seemed to be set up to that tuning. And Gareth - yep, the pickups are blended rather than switched. It seemed to work really well, i.e. the P really did sound like a P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 I would go for the P. I've really not liked the sadowsky metros I've tried- the electronics are awesome but the trick is the turn them off and see what the bass sounds like, in the ones I've tried they have been quite dull and boring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M-N-Y Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 (edited) Hi, Just a thought but would you not consider one of these? It seems to tick a lot of the boxes that you require and having owned one I can say they play and sound amazingly.Lovely basses. [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/fender-reggie-hamilton-standard-jazz-bass-3-colour-sunburst/21728?gclid=CLfT0Ke0pK0CFSFItAodW1EX1A"]http://www.gak.co.uk...CFSFItAodW1EX1A[/url] Edited December 28, 2011 by M-N-Y Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 [quote name='M-N-Y' timestamp='1325063129' post='1479440'] Hi, Just a thought but would you not consider one of these? It seems to tick a lot of the boxes that you require and having owned one I can say they play and sound amazingly.Lovely basses. [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/fender-reggie-hamilton-standard-jazz-bass-3-colour-sunburst/21728?gclid=CLfT0Ke0pK0CFSFItAodW1EX1A"]http://www.gak.co.uk...CFSFItAodW1EX1A[/url] [/quote] I do like the look of them (especially the [url="http://www.doctorbass.net/imagftp/Fender-CS-Reggie-Hamilton-4.jpg"]CS model with the blocks[/url]!) but I do like the P shape and neck profile... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1325025443' post='1479302'] I really like the new Deluxe Fenders. Can you blend the pups properly, or is it neck/middle/bridge? [/quote] [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1325061690' post='1479432'] And Gareth - yep, the pickups are blended rather than switched. It seemed to work really well, i.e. the P really did sound like a P. [/quote] Strange that you should've found that - I've always found with mine (and indeed it was commented on a BC thread not long ago) that although it feels like a standard non-detented pot, there were 3 definite positions to it and no real 'blend' between them. Maybe it depends who wired it, when, and which bucket of components they were picking from! But yeah, despite being openly critical of the preamp in mine (another story), I still love it for the build quality and passive tone. I say go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 [quote name='Ed_S' timestamp='1325064161' post='1479444'] Strange that you should've found that - I've always found with mine (and indeed it was commented on a BC thread not long ago) that although it feels like a standard non-detented pot, there were 3 definite positions to it and no real 'blend' between them. Maybe it depends who wired it, when, and which bucket of components they were picking from! But yeah, despite being openly critical of the preamp in mine (another story), I still love it for the build quality and passive tone. I say go for it! [/quote] Oh - that's interesting. I must admit I only really checked the Solo'd P, middle & backed off the to bridge tones. i didn't pay much attention to what was going on between those points... Tell me about the preamp. I'm intrigued! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 Ah - I've found the thread on it. I guess it is a switch in knob form, then. Interesting..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1325064354' post='1479446'] Oh - that's interesting. I must admit I only really checked the Solo'd P, middle & backed off the to bridge tones. i didn't pay much attention to what was going on between those points... Tell me about the preamp. I'm intrigued! [/quote] Not a whole lot to tell, really - I just think it's garbage. I've had plenty of active basses in my time and never once had to resort to the instructions to know 'which control does what' because my ears can't discern it. Not just me, either.. I took it along to the studio when our band was recording an EP and between myself and the producer we dubbed the EQ controls "bass, nothing, not much, and interference". Still, makes no difference to me because the plan was always to get a new, less busy pick-guard made for it (so it looks like a Precision again), pull out the preamp and wire it up fully passive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 [quote name='Ed_S' timestamp='1325065058' post='1479451'] Not a whole lot to tell, really - I just think it's garbage. I've had plenty of active basses in my time and never once had to resort to the instructions to know 'which control does what' because my ears can't discern it. Not just me, either.. I took it along to the studio when our band was recording an EP and between myself and the producer we dubbed the EQ controls "bass, nothing, not much, and interference". Still, makes no difference to me because the plan was always to get a new, less busy pick-guard made for it (so it looks like a Precision again), pull out the preamp and wire it up fully passive. [/quote] Ta for that. FWIW, the pre on the one I played definitely did stuff. Even set flat, switching it in really opened it up, and it seemed silent. Mind you, a shop isn't the best environment to check this stuff in detail. That said, I'd run it passive most of the time, I think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1325065482' post='1479453'] Ta for that. FWIW, the pre on the one I played definitely did stuff. Even set flat, switching it in really opened it up, and it seemed silent. Mind you, a shop isn't the best environment to check this stuff in detail. That said, I'd run it passive most of the time, I think... [/quote] Yeah, I thought that in the shop I do agree about leaving it in neutral and just using the toggle as a 'big switch' - that still works on mine, and when we'd turned off the fluorescent lights in the control room and pulled in a couple of bedside lamps instead, the interference dropped to the point where we used that as the tone on the EP. Just a shame that as much as they seem to be getting better of late, Fender still don't appear to excel at consistency or quality control, bless 'em! Still, I'll take perfect woodwork and buggered electronics over the reverse any day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1325065482' post='1479453'] Ta for that. FWIW, the pre on the one I played definitely did stuff. Even set flat, switching it in really opened it up, and it seemed silent. Mind you, a shop isn't the best environment to check this stuff in detail. That said, I'd run it passive most of the time, I think... [/quote] second hand japanese fender 62ri, a jazz pickup and your local luthier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 This GAS attack wouldn't have been triggered by a certain Hot-Rodded Precision that appeared in the 'basses for sale' forum recently would it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1325067634' post='1479464'] second hand japanese fender 62ri, a jazz pickup and your local luthier? [/quote] Yip... something along these lines is a possibility. [quote name='bassman2790' timestamp='1325067871' post='1479469'] This GAS attack wouldn't have been triggered by a certain Hot-Rodded Precision that appeared in the 'basses for sale' forum recently would it? [/quote] Maaaaaaybe...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panamonte Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 I haven't tried the Sadowsky, but I've had the Fender for a year and I'm very happy with it. Despite my previous assertion on that other thread that the pick up selector pot operates as a three way switch rather than a blend pot, closer inspection reveals that it's not quite as cut and dried as that. Moving the pot a tiny amount in either direction from the central detent does give a different blend, although you soon get either just the P or the J on its own if you carry on turning. IME having it edged slightly towards the bridge gives a more pleasing blend of the two than the central position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigster Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Forgive me WOT, but something like this maybe.. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/153135-1983-squier-sq-series-pj-bass-mij-back-up-for-sale-l400/page__st__40__p__1470241__hl__squier%201983__fromsearch__1#entry1470241"]http://basschat.co.u..._1#entry1470241[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Pre amps can be funny beasts. You like to have a lot of sweep...but also, that isn't really useable. I switch mine in to boost a tad live...rather than the full 15bd..which would be as unusable as the MM one, for exmaple. In practice this generally means the bass is on half on one bass, and the treble between nill and half..whatever that equates to. The other bass..with the same pre...has Zero bass always. They cut through like a knife so you can hear everthing that I do..for good or bad... but they also sound very nice passive and where you have a bit more control, I go with this option..ie studio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 The pre probably appealed to me because it was so subtle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 IMO, its the best bet for a PJ that's currently available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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