Guest gazzatriumph Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 HI I know this topic has probably been done again and again but I have a nice MIM P bass sounds ok through Ashdown MAG 300 EVO iii and 115ABM and MAG 4 x 10 is the American Standard P Bass that much better to part with another £700. I play in a rock band just starting to gig so any advice would be appreciated. I have also thought about getting better pickups, i like a nice deep sound so again any advice will be welcome ta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Well firstly, to me the US Precision is THE bass. That said, do I consider them worth £700 more than a Mex? Difficult, in my opinion, I think the price of a second-hand US Precision is a fair price to pay - look between £500 & £750ish. The brand new prices I think are a bit steep. All the Mex Fenders I`ve had have been good though, I seem to have escaped the bad ones that are meant to be out there. My last one especially was very good. Re pickups, well of course it`s all down to the ear, but there was a thread on here a while back that had sound-clips of different Precision pickups, and my fave was the Seymour Duncan SPB1. But the beauty of the Precision is that in the mix it sounds deep, but in reality it`s the mids that make it sound like that. I prefer to keep the standard pickups, and eq anything unwanted from the amp. It`s easier to take away what`s there, than put in what isn`t, if that makes sense. Drop mids/highs on the amp, but the bass is still pushing those frequencies out, so never entirely removed. But, change pickups and remove those frequencies - can you ever get them back via the amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I've had Fender Precisions, MIJ, MIM, US and now, well, look at my sig. Yamaha BBs lay them to waste but I'll admit they are a bit Marmite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gazzatriumph Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Thanks for your reply Loz, I think I will try one out just to get it out my system and take it from there, I believe I have a good mexican one it was made in 2011, I was sent one previous to that and sent it back as it didnt look very good quality and had a faulty jack connection, the next one they sent which I now have looked like a totally different guitar, its just as you said the American one to me is the bass to have, maybe its my mid life crisis kickin in I have read alot of posts regarding this and it appears that some american ones arent that good also, so maybe i should stick with what ive got as i would have to part exchange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 If its a good MIM the upgrade cost won't make it worth it in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Try as many as you can. There are good ones and bad ones regardless of where they are made. I'd never found a decent mex until I found the one I have now and I've actually never found a US one that I liked either. I'd always gone Japanese up until now when it came to Fenders. Have you tried your bass through another amp/cab? I used a Precision through an Ashdown ABM EVO RC something or other (big chrome rackmount thing) and ABM115 and it's where I got the belief that Ashdown stuff sounds wooly but I'm currently using a Hartke LH500 through an ABM410 and its getting close to what I'm looking for. I love the Ashdown 4x10" cabs regardless of ABM or MAG - I think they both sound great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Can someone tell us, dispassionately, what is the differenece. I know one is made in Mexico, which reduces production costs, but what other differences are there, materials wise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 MIM Classic Series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 [quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1349043006' post='1821140'] Can someone tell us, dispassionately, what is the differenece. I know one is made in Mexico, which reduces production costs, but what other differences are there, materials wise? [/quote] MIM are usually 4/5/6 piece bodies, and the sunburst ones have a thin laminate of alder on the back and front to hide the joins with a thick black burst to hide the end joins. USA basses are 2/3 piece alder. The USA necks have rolled fingerboard edges for a played in feel and graphite rods in the neck for improved stability. The USA basses are optional string through body, and have much nicer hardware and a hard case. The American Special basses are a mix of the two. The MIM's are good solid basses, workhorse type reliable basses. A good MIA bass will end up a soul mate if it works for you. The 2008 onwards basses are very special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 (edited) [quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1349043720' post='1821150'] MIM are usually 4/5/6 piece bodies, and the sunburst ones have a thin laminate of alder on the back and front to hide the joins with a thick black burst to hide the end joins. USA basses are 2/3 piece alder. The USA necks have rolled fingerboard edges for a played in feel and graphite rods in the neck for improved stability. The USA basses are optional string through body, and have much nicer hardware and a hard case. The American Special basses are a mix of the two. The MIM's are good solid basses, workhorse type reliable basses. A good MIA bass will end up a soul mate if it works for you. The 2008 onwards basses are very special. [/quote] Thanks - that's useful. I guess the pick ups may be slightly different spec as well. My son has a Mexican Tele in sunburst which is very nice - bit the trans finish doesn't seem to show so many body joints as 6 to 8. FWIW I have tried both MIM and MIA P and J basses and I agree with your description (not tried a post 2008 MIA yet though). I am a Musicman player and would draw an analogy between the SBMM (not the Sub) and USA versions of those instruments - I dont think they are 6 or 8 piece though. Edited September 30, 2012 by drTStingray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 (edited) As had been said, ignore where they're made. Fenders are so variable in sound and build quality there's no telling what you're going to get. Just play as many as possible, take your bass with you as a reference, one day you'll find a bass that's right for you. You might find it's a £100 second hand Squier, but it might be a £2500 Custom Shop and then you've got to worry about is how you pay for it I've always liked MIJ / CIJ but have a played a few MIM that sound and feel good but have terrible neck joints and misaligned pickups. I've never got that warm fuzzy feeling from a MIA Fender (apart from some vintage ones), but some people swear by them. Edited October 1, 2012 by Fat Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artisan Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 [quote name='gareth' timestamp='1349043104' post='1821141'] MIM Classic Series [/quote] +1 these are very good indeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemonCello Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 My MIM Black Top P is well built and sounds immense courtesy of the unusual PUP arrangement. In the past I've owned an AM stnd that wasn't any better than the MIM. Now I have a new FSR hand stained which I like very much, but I'm kinda thinking the extra money for rolled fingerboard edges prob not worth it. As has already been said, play lots and pick the one that feels right in your hands. I just let a Korean Squier go which was at least as good as any P bass I've played! Oh yes....enjoy yourself in the process! LC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I put a US "original" Fender pickup in a MIM bass once. It did sound different after. Much hotter high end and much more clank. Before I sold it I put the stock pickup back in and actually prefered it. That said I've heard some MIMs sound a bit lifeless and dull. Basses are strange beasts, often more than sum of their parts. It's a virtue to be able to play and hear them with an open mind to what parts they built with and where. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer61 Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 [quote name='Machines' timestamp='1349038781' post='1821058'] If its a good MIM the upgrade cost won't make it worth it in my opinion. [/quote] This.....plus I gig a Squier Matt Freeman bass over my MIA, tone is better IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Both my Fenders (J+P) are MIA. I've had the MIM's of both in the past - nice basses, but TBH, the MIA's are in a different league - both in feel, but more importantly, in tone. But a big +1 on the above mention of the Classic MIM series - seriously nice basses, and much closer to the MIA's than the 'standard' MIM's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gazzatriumph Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Hi thanks for all the very interesting replies, I'm going to try one at the weekend but must admit it will have to sound very special for me to change, will post when ive tested it, but as people have stated there is no gaurantee that i will be testing a good MIA one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 The other sad truth is that no matter how different and 'special' the one P bass might be over the other to you (and probably most others on here) 99% of the people listening to you gig in the pub won't have foggiest which one you are using. If cash is tight and you can get a half decent tone from your current set up I'd stick with that for a while if it's a new band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I dunno. If it was all about what punters thought most of the instruments and music produced wouldn't exist. I'm more in the, buy the best bass you can afford camp.[i] It's you that gets to play it[/i]. It doesn't really matter what other people think it sounds like so as you like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Try to test them blind, ie without knowing whether the transfer says US or Mexico and see which one you like best. As someone has pointed out there are real differences in the modern basses (truss rods etc) but if its an opaque finish the number of pieces of wood makes no odds. Lay them the other way and you have a boutique bass! In the end it means something different owning one with US on the transfer, a different feeling when people look for at it and knowing which one you have. The most noticeable difference will be when you come to sell it, but then it's always best to buy to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 you'll never be satisfied until you've owned one and lived with it for a while, you may then decide you've wasted your money (if you buy a second hand one you might even not lose anything at all) but you'll never know if you don't get one and that's what eats away at you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 [quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1349108929' post='1821934'] Classic MIM series - seriously nice basses, and much closer to the MIA's than the 'standard' MIM's. [/quote] exactly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 [quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1349193123' post='1823084'] you'll never be satisfied until you've owned one and lived with it for a while, you may then decide you've wasted your money (if you buy a second hand one you might even not lose anything at all) but you'll never know if you don't get one and that's what eats away at you [/quote] This is why in reality, if you can afford it, you don't need to look any further South than California. It's a bad attitude, shows little self control but is exactly why I have no Mexican basses, despite being very impressed with the only Mexican P I've played and my lad (who plays way more gigs than I) strongly believing his now well-used Mexican Jazz Deluxe is the best Jazz you could find. I have say only Seth Govan gets a better Jazz sound to my ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gazzatriumph Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Well I tried the MIA P today and I will be keeping the MIM bass, it certainly, for me, is not worth the extra cash, I actually prefered the MIM one, maybe I have a very good one. Thanks for all the replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Definitely worth trying a CIJ (crafted in Japan) model - but then I would say that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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