I finally GET precision basses

[Geek99]

My first bass was a noname copy and I really hated it, I've always played jazz basses and shied away from p bass necks due to concerns about width and profile.
Couple of weeks ago I scored a cheap broken squier p bass on evil bay to do up. It turned out to be a stock Indonesian squier VM Precision in faded white/rw. It's brilliant in every way and so nice to play. I havent touched my jazz since - I finally "get" p basses

[Graham]

It's funny, I've found a similar thing myself and observed it in others, you start off on a Squire Precision, then discover exotic woods, active pickups and extended range instruments before giving a 4 string jazz ago until you give up, come full circle and just buy a decent precision

[budget bassist]

I just don't 'get' fender basses in general. They're expensive, don't play that well and sound boring. All in my own opinion of course.

[charic]

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1347377515' post='1799967']
you start off on a Squire Precision
[/quote]

Peavey Millenium BXP but I'll let that pass

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1347377515' post='1799967']
then discover exotic woods, active pickups and extended range instruments before giving a 4 string jazz ago until you give up, come full circle and just buy a decent precision
[/quote]

Sounds like my ACG


[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1347377515' post='1799967']
and extended range instruments
[/quote]

Sounds like my Yamaha RBX6JM


[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1347377515' post='1799967']
before giving a 4 string jazz ago until
[/quote]

I don't get on with Jazz necks (too skinny)

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1347377515' post='1799967']
just buy a decent precision

[/quote]

Was my second bass, MIM P bass (modded)

[Lozz196]

Yep, started out out on a Kay EB-0 copy, had all kinds of basses trying to get the sound I wanted, actives, T-Birds etc. Tried a Precision, and found it. Should have known, as virtually all my fave bassists played them, dur!

[spongebob]

I too shied away from Precisions for a long time - first bass was a Sunn Mustang P-cpoy.....dreadful!

Tried the odd one in the meantime, good and very good.....couldn't quite find the 'one'.

2012 picked up a used US standard - that's the spot, and what a difference to previous P's.

Like the above, I should have done it years ago instead of faffing about with the others. Go for a good one, and realise what a bass should be.

[cloudburst]

I'm the opposite. I've fallen out of love with Fenders after a lifetime.
Played my Fender Jazz since I was 9 (I'm 47).
Dabbled with other instruments along the way - Fender Musicmaster, Fender P/J, MM StingRay - but always went back to my Jazz. Thought that was it forever.
This year I bought a 51RI P-Bass with Quarterpounder. Great sound. Horrible colour. Sold it.
Took a real flyer and bought my Bongo. Nothing comes close for me. Oh man, I'm so happy that very few folks 'get' the Bongo.
My 74 Jazz is under the bed (possibly forever).
I now automatically pass over Fenders when scanning the basses for sale section. That saves a shedload of time.

CB

[Lozz196]

Traitor

[BassTractor]

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1347379956' post='1800005']
Took a real flyer and bought my Bongo. Nothing comes close for me. Oh man, I'm so happy that very few folks 'get' the Bongo.
[/quote]


Yeah! Shush, you traitor!

best,
bert

[Doddy]

[quote name='budget bassist' timestamp='1347378692' post='1799981']
I just don't 'get' fender basses in general. They're expensive, don't play that well and sound boring. All in my own opinion of course.
[/quote]

Funny....none of mine were expensive (most were secondhand),they all play well (good set up's),and they all sound
great.
I've always favoured Jazz Basses but I've been picking up my Precision's quite a bit,especially when I'm practicing.
A Precision Bass will probably never be my 'go-to' instrument,but they do what they do and just 'work',and sound right
for certain situations.

[Mr Fretbuzz]

I play my first Bass, a Squire P Bass every day and bring out my Fender P on the weekend :-)

I heard a guy from the Affray play a Bongo and it sounded great though :-)

I tried a Stirling the other day in a shop but didn't like it so I grabbed a Mexican Jazz and that sounded better but both sounded fairly crap on the orange combo :-(. .... Maybe because they had it turned down way low and I could hardly hear the Bass

[risingson]

I've just picked up a later Japanese Squier P-Bass from the early 90's. Slimmer neck profile than your average P and it really is a bit of a winner, sounds really great and inexpensive too. It's going to get a lot of gig time.

I'm a Jazz bass player mostly, probably always will be but I really get on with P's as well. They bed a track so brilliantly, very solid, chunky supportive low end that hasn't really been overtaken by the qualities of any other instrument I've ever played or owned. I still have a bit of an issue with Fender's quality control across the board, but if they were able to improve on this then I'd play Fenders a lot more than I do now.

P-Bass + flats = absolute fundamental brilliance!!

[paul_5]

I'm putting together a P bass (with a slightly thinner neck profile) just to get [i]that[/i] sound. Still can't get on with the necks though.

[Grassie]

I too started off with a Sunn Mustang (the horrible 90's one with the plastic knobs), then bought an older P-style one (yes, I've had two of them! ). Bought my first 5er (an Epiphone thingy with reverse headstock and active electronics), then a USA DLX Fender Jazz 5, back to a Mex Jazz 4, bought an SX Vintage Series P back in May and that is a revelation, even for a cheap P copy. So much so that I've sold my Mex Jazz and am now in the market for another reasonably priced Precision. Just think about some of your favourite basslines. Chances are it was played on a Precision bass...

[risingson]

[quote name='Grant' timestamp='1347391340' post='1800227']
Just think about some of your favourite basslines. Chances are it was played on a Precision bass...
[/quote]

Que the pendants and Fender critics giving you their alternative answers to this one

It is very true, for the longest time a lot of producers wouldn't have anything else but Precision basses in their studios. This was probably as much down to a fear of the unknown but it's also pretty telling of just how trusted they were in the hands of the right players.

[paul_5]

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1347391767' post='1800245']
Que the pendants and Fender critics giving you their alternative answers to this one

It is very true, for the longest time a lot of producers wouldn't have anything else but Precision basses in their studios. This was probably as much down to a fear of the unknown but it's also pretty telling of just how trusted they were in the hands of the right players.
[/quote]

That and they're relatively simple to bed into a mix, and sound great once you've done it.

[Grassie]

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1347391767' post='1800245']
Que the pendants and Fender critics giving you their alternative answers to this one
[/quote]

Actually, some of [i]my[/i] favourite basslines were played on Wals, Jaydees, Schecters and Warwicks, but the [i]true[/i] classics were played on Precisions. We all know that don't we...?

[krysh]

never liked the p and probably never will.
there might be a fender I could really like, but it probably never will come close to my custom jazzes and my starfire.

well, but each according to his taste...

[Doddy]

[quote name='Grant' timestamp='1347392286' post='1800253']
but the [i]true[/i] classics were played on Precisions. We all know that don't we...?
[/quote]

Except the one's that were played on a Jazz

[Musicman20]

Most beginner basses are cheap feeling P basses...hence it puts people off. It did me, for a while. When I got into bass, Fender type basses were on a bit of a lull, probably because the American Standards werent that great for a long time. Plus the popular grunge stuff was all about picking odd instruments. I used to go to a few stores and all the guitars were Ibanez, etc.

[Musicman20]

Everyone must have noted that Precisions seem to be on a massive come back? I know they have always been popular but recently everyone seems to be converting haha.

[Hobbayne]

I have been playing a Precision since about 1984. I dont like Jazzes with their skinny necks. Bought one recently off the cuff, and promptly sold it. Always fancied a Stingray. Bought one and didnt think the sound was for me, so sold it.
Cant stand those awful pointy basses, especially those Bongo things.
So a fender precision all the time for me.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Hobbayne

[risingson]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1347392031' post='1800247']
That and they're relatively simple to bed into a mix, and sound great once you've done it.
[/quote]

Exactly!

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1347397717' post='1800377']
Everyone must have noted that Precisions seem to be on a massive come back? I know they have always been popular but recently everyone seems to be converting haha.
[/quote]

I don't think they've ever disappeared, although genres and such have dictated what bass gets used where over time I guess. I can't figure out whether bass guitar design in general is all a bit retrograde in this respect, or whether nothing truly a lot better has come out over the years (by better I mean the real blueprint of the P-Bass as opposed to build quality and such).

I know there are some people on here that really want to push past Fender and get onto something new, which I can understand. For me though, I don't see the point just yet as nothing captures my imagination in quite the same way as a good quality Fender bass guitar.

Edited September 11, 2012 by risingson

[skej21]

[quote name='budget bassist' timestamp='1347378692' post='1799981']
I just don't 'get' fender basses in general. They're expensive, don't play that well and sound boring. All in my own opinion of course.
[/quote]

Funny really, because this echoes my views on Warwicks... Just shows that taste means sweet F.A outside your own head (thank goodness!) and that can only be good as it means more Fenders for me and more Warwicks for you

[chrismuzz]

I used to hate P's too... Love the sound of them now, but they just don't fit my style at all!