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new bass day: Jap Fender 57ri P-Bass '94 2TB


Ashwood1985
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Hi Guys,

A fellow BCer was good enough to point this out to me which was on sale at a store near me. They received the bass on a part-ex and I managed to get a half decent price on it a couple of days ago. Any gaps in details that need filling or corrections are encouraged on this one! :)

It's a 93/94 Japanese (late)50s re-issue ie. not the Tele shape. 2 tone burst and with a red tort guard instead of the original. It's a Q serial.

First the bad: The bass had some old black nylon strings on and the truss rod completely disengaged so over the past couple nights I have teased the rod back into a more sensible position. The bass may also need a little fret TLC which I will have to take to a luthier for. Also the 'finish' on the head has lifted around the decal and the end of the head. The last issue with condition is some slight cracking in the finish, which is nearly invisible even close up but you can feel if you run your hand along the back of the bass. This isn't correlative with the wood joins so I'm sure it's just where the wood expanded, going from cold to hot environments at some point and has resettled as opposed to any movement between joins.

The bass now has some Labella Flats on and the neck is in pretty good shape. Action is now near where I want it but I reckon it needs a little fret levelling in the highest few frets after which I could bring it down a little more to it's sweet spot. The bass sounds and looks fantastic. Classic P thump which I've hankered after recently (never had a P before for whatever reason). Sounds incredibly organic - lovely passive tone especially when digging in. I must say that in the store I compared it to a new US standard and it was a no brainer! the Jap re-issue was just a whole other sound (much fuller and a heavier low mid punch) and had a much more classic look and feel which is what I was looking for: nice simple 2 tone burst and yellow maple neck. I plan on grabbing a white/mint guard as well as a black one to switch up. Wouldn't normally go for a red tort guard but it actually works well I reckon.

Most importantly I'm looking forward to trying it out in a band context! :)

Btw: if anyone has any idea about how the headstock blemishes could be dealt with that would be great! There seems to be a film that has lifted in the two areas as is pictured. when a finger is runover them it presses down but does not stay. What is that film? something to protect the decal?? :-/ I'm confused.

Anyway - lovely bass - my 1st P - a cracker - I'm happy - thought I'd share ;)

Time for the important bits...

[attachment=122407:photo 1 (5).JPG]
[attachment=122412:photo 4 (2).JPG]

Edited by Ashwood1985
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Cheers steve! That's the most serious P collection I believe I've ever come across my man! A man in love it would seem :)

Btw do you have any idea how I could find out what re-issue 'year' this model is? It was just advertised as 50s and the guys in store couldn't tell me more.

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[quote name='Ashwood1985' timestamp='1351696750' post='1854332']
Cheers steve! That's the most serious P collection I believe I've ever come across my man! A man in love it would seem :)

Btw do you have any idea how I could find out what re-issue 'year' this model is? It was just advertised as 50s and the guys in store couldn't tell me more.
[/quote]

it would have probably had a one ply white scratchplate and been a '57ri.

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[quote name='Ashwood1985' timestamp='1351727509' post='1854822']
Hi Lozz,

Glad to see another happy owner. Once I have the frets in top order I'm gonna push some air with this thing man! Can't wait :) in the mean time I just avoid the high G# on the D string! lol
[/quote] it's a p bass.... what you doing out of the first position???/


;)

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