shoulderpet Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) So after considering my options with short scale basses I actually ended up going the opposite route, I found a lovely used Fender precision bass, I think it is a Vintera. Anyway, I tried it out and not only is it a looker but the action was setup nice and low (just a hair above 1.5mm at 17th fret), the neck is also one of the nicest feeling necks I have played and with a gloss finish which is nice because I'm not crazy about satin finishes, the neck is definitely chunky at thennut, the hardware all seems solid and the overall build quality is impressive. The strings on the bass are flatwounds and I am fairly sure they are TI Flats as despite being flatwounds the strings feel low tension and very flexible for flats, not sure whether to keep to flats or change to rounds yet, if I go for rounds it will probably be nickel rounds as I want to keep the frets nice but I may change them to Labella low tension flats as they are slightly stiffer but are close enough in tension that I shouldn't need to adjust the truss rod One question I have that I am hoping someone can help with... The truss rod is at the body end rather than the headstock end, does that mean the it operates opposite to a headstock end truss rod ie on a truss rod that is at the headstock end turning the truss rod towards the E string side of the neck tightens and turning towards the G string loosens the truss rod, is it the opposite of this with the truss rod as it is at the body end? Edited January 10, 2022 by shoulderpet 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 I think that the best way to describe it is that it is the same as turning a screw - clockwise to tighten and anticlockwise to loosen regardless of what end the truss rod is on. I bought myself a Vintera P a couple of weeks ago and luckily got the truss rod adjustment spot on the first time I did it. There is a way to do it without completely removing the neck but mine has the tightest neck/body join I've had on a bass which is good in one way but not as far as removal goes. I had to completely remove mine to do it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) Righty tighty, Lefty loosely, always. TI flats are fabulous. The king of strings for me. Absolutely awesome on a P bass. Edited January 10, 2022 by Rayman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshy Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 20 minutes ago, Rayman said: Righty tighty, Lefty loosely, always. TI flats are fabulous. The king of strings for me. Absolutely awesome on a P bass. Yup absolute killer flats on a P. My go to flats now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 1 hour ago, Rayman said: Righty tighty, Lefty loosely, always. TI flats are fabulous. The king of strings for me. Absolutely awesome on a P bass. Unless it’s a Maruszczyk (that was an interesting learning curve, pun unintended 😆), or a two way rod. The Vintera will be single action, right tight, left loose though. I played a Vintera at the guitar and bass show in London, pre Covid and really liked the V profile of the ‘50s basses and guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 2 hours ago, Rayman said: Righty tighty, Lefty loosely, always. TI flats are fabulous. The king of strings for me. Absolutely awesome on a P bass. Ditto. I have them on all my basses, love the feel and tone. Well, all bar an EB-3 shortscale as the mudbucker I feel needs a little extra help up the top end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misdee Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) I too have learnt to love TI flats, and I say that as someone who was brought up from an early age to believe that flatwound strings were something they had in the olden days, kind of like hooping cough and diphtheria. I would describe TI's as flatwounds that even a dyed in the wool roundwound player can enjoy. Just be aware of the low- tension feel. I have to set the action on my basses with them on a bit higher to make of for the slackness, but it's all part of their charm. Great fun to play and very versatile sound on a P Bass. Hollow clank to deep thud and everything in between all available. Edited January 10, 2022 by Misdee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badscrew Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 I love this color Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulderpet Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Misdee said: I too have learnt to love TI flats, and I say that as someone who was brought up from an early age to believe that flatwound strings were something they had in the olden days, kind of like hooping cough and diphtheria. I would describe TI's as flatwounds that even a dyed in the wool roundwound player can enjoy. Just be aware of the low- tension feel. I have to set the action on my basses with them on a bit higher to make of for the slackness, but it's all part of their charm. Great fun to play and very versatile sound on a P Bass. Hollow clank to deep thud and everything in between all available. Yes, I havent used flatwounds for a couple of years and I suspect that with a little bit of a boost in the highs and upper mids I can probably get a pretty biting rock tone from them, haven't used this bass with my band yet, that will be the true test. I am finding with the TI's I am having to be conscious to lighten up my attack a bit, I could raise the action but this plays like butter so I think I will leave it where it is Edited January 10, 2022 by shoulderpet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulderpet Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) 10 minutes ago, Badscrew said: I love this color Yes, is a great color, I was pretty psyched to have a P bass that I dont have to change anything to make it look (or play) the way I want it, the colour, the gold pickguard, the gloss neck, visually it ticks so many boxes for me Edited January 10, 2022 by shoulderpet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misdee Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, shoulderpet said: Yes, I havent used flatwounds for a couple of years and I suspect that with a little bit of a boost in the highs and upper mids I can probably get a pretty biting rock tone from them, haven't used this bass with my band yet, that will be the true test. I am finding with the TI's I am having to be conscious to lighten up my attack a bit, I could raise the action but this plays like butter so I think I will leave it where it is Funnily enough, I was watching on old episode of Rockschool on YT the other day and there was Neil Murray talking about how when he joined Whitesnake he switched from rounds to flats to get a tone more appropriate for heavier music. It's a new one on me, but I've seen a couple of YT videos recently that claim that if you use an octave pedal it will track better on flats than rounds because there are less overtones to cause glitching. Regarding set-ups, it's a recognised idiosyncracy of the TI's that the A string tends to rattle/ buzz a bit more than the other strings, so don't worry if you are finding that. I have a bit more relief in the neck on both my basses( Fender American Standard P and 74 AVRI Jazz) with TI's on and they feel and play noticeably better as a result. Edited January 10, 2022 by Misdee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulderpet Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 And some more pictures, because, well why not 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Great basses Continuing on from the Classic Series If you want a p bass you simply can’t go wrong with these Yours is in one of the best colours If it were mine, I’d consider fitting a 10 hole white pick guard which would frame the body colour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulderpet Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 1 hour ago, gareth said: Great basses Continuing on from the Classic Series If you want a p bass you simply can’t go wrong with these Yours is in one of the best colours If it were mine, I’d consider fitting a 10 hole white pick guard which would frame the body colour To be honest this must be just about the only bass where I haven't wanted to change the pickguard, my camera doesn't show the colours that well but the gold pickguard is gorgeous in person Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 1 minute ago, shoulderpet said: To be honest this must be just about the only bass where I haven't wanted to change the pickguard, my camera doesn't show the colours that well but the gold pickguard is gorgeous in person I agree with you - like most things Fender - it’s great the way it left the factory - why mess with perfection? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misdee Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 33 minutes ago, gareth said: I agree with you - like most things Fender - it’s great the way it left the factory - why mess with perfection? Big +1 on that. This colour combo is a classic! Love the off white with the gold anodised pickguard. The maple board offsets it beutifully, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulderpet Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 And....... I found a crack in the finish of the bass that I did not see when I brought the bass in the shop😥 I went back to the shop half expecting to keep the Vintera as I got it for a good price and it is a cracking bass and I spoke to them about it and played about half a dozen basses P basses in the same price range and a little bit over however compared to the Vintera Precision they all felt a bit cheap, didn't sound as nice, didn't look as nice, didn't play as nice (the Vintera practically plays itself) and had satin finishes and narrow necks (both of which I really dislike), long story short I kept the Vintera P bass. Happy that I tried out the competition and happy that I made the right choice in keeping the bass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 5 minutes ago, shoulderpet said: And....... I found a crack in the finish of the bass that I did not see when I brought the bass in the shop😥 I went back to the shop half expecting to keep the Vintera as I got it for a good price and it is a cracking bass and I spoke to them about it and played about half a dozen basses P basses in the same price range and a little bit over however compared to the Vintera Precision they all felt a bit cheap, didn't sound as nice, didn't look as nice, didn't play as nice (the Vintera practically plays itself) and had satin finishes and narrow necks (both of which I really dislike), long story short I kept the Vintera P bass. Happy that I tried out the competition and happy that I made the right choice in keeping the bass. These basses and their predecessors, the classic series, are absolute bargains i like American vintage reissues and the new original series but to be honest they are twice the price but not twice as good 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulderpet Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 7 minutes ago, gareth said: These basses and their predecessors, the classic series, are absolute bargains i like American vintage reissues and the new original series but to be honest they are twice the price but not twice as good They really are, when I compared to the Player series the Player series felt really cheap in comparison, basically felt like Squiers with Fender decals 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 12 minutes ago, shoulderpet said: They really are, when I compared to the Player series the Player series felt really cheap in comparison, basically felt like Squiers with Fender decals Yes I agree Proper basses have truss rod adjusters at the end of the neck not in the headstock 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 And rough anodized scratchplates that can file your nails and take the callouses off your fingers. Seriously though, I'm thinking about changing mine as after 1 gig it looks like a giant nail file covered in powdered skin. Disgusting I know but I've spent the last 34 years building up my callouses and I'm not about to buff them down to the level they were at when I was 12 years old with a scratchplate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badscrew Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 I hate these metal pickguards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 7 hours ago, Badscrew said: I hate these metal pickguards Easily replaced No big deal 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 I love the anodised plates. Not sure I could ever describe them as rough... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 They ain’t smooth, but I don’t tend to touch it during playing so not an issue for me. Technique-dependent, I guess. Love mine - been gigging it for 10 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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