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NBD! Fender CS 59 P and Fender's current USA offerings...


TJ Spicer
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After seeing this Fender Custom Shop 1959 NOS come up on the GuitarGuitar website, and seeing that it was in stock at my local store, I had to try it!

I headed over there on Wednesday and compared it to the new American Original 60s P in LPB. The American Originals really are pretty killer for the price is what I discovered! I love a thicker neck on a P, and the shape they've chosen for this series remains full in the hand all the way down to to the first fret. The tone of it was nice and thick with plenty of midrange punch, a tone that reminded me of slightly overwound pickups. If anyone's thinking of one, definitely check them out, I was really impressed! (I also played a Elite V Jazz whilst there to see what the fuss was about - it's certainly impressive too, and it would definitely give my Sadowsky decent competition! I really feel Fender have massively upped their game, even over the past 12 months.)

However for me, it was always going to be this CS. The woods were visibly of a higher quality (fewer/no blemishes etc.) and the pickup, whilst not as hot, retained more detail and definition, particularly with the tone rolled all the way off. The neck is similarly as thick as the AO60 from the 3rd fret onwards, with a slightly slimmer profile under the first 3 frets, which makes a lot of sense to me. This bass is an absolute joy to play and having seen my MIM Classic 50s make its way into to position as my no. 1 in recent times, (despite competition from Fodera, Sadowsky, Warwick etc. in the collection!) I can see this being my go-to for many years to come. I threw it straight into the deep end,  playing it every show over the past week on the Forever Dusty UK Tour. It really is a joy with killer tone! 
 

So there we have it, I finally have my dream combination on a Fender P,  without the relic-ing and for a much better price than the CS Pino! One very happy bass player!

I've attached a really super short simple video I did during the week to give an idea of the tones. Now back to practice, it's been out of my hands for long enough writing this! ;) 
 

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Edited by TJ Spicer
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1 hour ago, LewisK1975 said:

Congrats, Very nice! Nice gig too ( I assume it's a Dusty Springfield tribute)..

Thank you! It’s a biographical musical (Bio-musical?! Sounds wrong to me 😂) that was just ‘off broadway’ in the US. Pretty good show to go along with a number of great basslines, so great fun! 

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18 minutes ago, CameronJ said:

Somewhat off topic but my eyes widened at the sight of your TC Blacksmith and Big Twin 2 rig! The output of that combo must be mistaken for earth tremors by passers-by at gig venues xD

The master volume doesn’t get too far clockwise before the soundman gives me dirty looks, it must be said! 😂 Always sufficient headroom let’s say...! 

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1 minute ago, bootleg said:

Thanks for the posting. From you other video, the MIM Classic 50s is to my ears anyway still very strong competition to the CS 59P. Sames strings as well. 

In fact the very same set! I’m intending to do a video with exactly the same parts as the MIM 50s video and do a direct comparison. I think they both sound good tbh and I don’t feel at all dissatisfied going back to the 50s which I’ve now strung with rounds. The difference for me is that the CS has a little more of a refined and detailed tone, in the right ways, and just feeling better in the hands. I will keep them both and use them as needed, both great instruments! 

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4 minutes ago, TJ Spicer said:

In fact the very same set! I’m intending to do a video with exactly the same parts as the MIM 50s video and do a direct comparison. I think they both sound good tbh and I don’t feel at all dissatisfied going back to the 50s which I’ve now strung with rounds. The difference for me is that the CS has a little more of a refined and detailed tone, in the right ways, and just feeling better in the hands. I will keep them both and use them as needed, both great instruments! 

Excellent. I look forward to that comparison. My Road Worn 50s MIM is something else with rounds, and I've got a set of Low Tension La Bella flats to try.

Edited by bootleg
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