NBD: Fender MIJ Midnight Traditional 60's Precision Bass

[grayn]

This my 2nd NBD in 2 days.  It wasn't planned that way.  In fact I was planning on getting a MusicMan Cutlass and
upgraded amplification.  Instead I got a rather special Jazz Bass yesterday and whilst at the shop, I A/B tested my amp
gear with the gear I was going to get.  And TBH, there wasn't enough difference to warrant the outlay.
So I had some cash left over and remembered a couple of basses I'd tried out, a couple of weeks earlier.
Both were Fenders.  A Vintera Mustang and a Precision.
The Mustang was a nice bass and I seem to have an inkling for a short scale, every few years.
The only thing was that it's overall tone just didn't quite hack it.
Pleasant but lacking in depth, fullness and quality, to my ears.
How much is down to the smaller size of the bass and indeed the pickup, is hard to prove.
But I think those dimensions do really count to the overall tone.
The Fender, MIJ, Midnight, Traditional 60's, Precision Bass however, has tone in spades.
That full, Precision tone is instantly recognisable and rather glorious to hear and play.
Yes, you can fiddle with the tone knob but basically this is a one sound bass, that lets your fingers and skill sculpt
different tones and feel.
The build quality, as you'd expect from a bass made in Japan, is really good.
The fretboard and neck are particularly well done and that U profile and 7.25" radius, is very comfortable to play.
I'm not a fan of gold hardware, but when it's on an all black bass like this, it's very pleasing on the eye.
Over the years I've heard many folk say MIJ gear is brilliantly built but lacking in the pickup department.
That is definitely not the case here.
These pickups do everything you need, from a Precision pickup, with plenty of output too.
This bass pretty much has all you could want from a Fender Precision, except for the dreadful gigbag you get with it.
They'll say it keeps the price down but surely a half decent quality, heavily padded gigbag would be appropriate
at this price point.
Other than that, well done Fender Japan.

[lonestar]

That’s lovely