Fender Player Series

[Heathy]

Hi All

 

I have owned a number of American Fenders over the years. I switched from 4 to 5 string basses as a lockdown project, but have recently joined a punk band and am looking to get a 4 string Precision for that gig.

 

I admit to being a bit of a gear snob in the past, but am now wondering what the extra grand the American pro costs over the Mexican Player series will actually deliver in practise. Any thoughts?

 

Also, if I do go for the Player series, should it be the Precision or the Jag. Or in other words - Dirnt or Hoppus?

 

Cheers!

[FatDrunkStupid]

I'm a J bass person and I've had a number of MIA Js and MIM Js (and one P) and build quality wise there's very little, if any difference. However, the electronics on the MIM instruments don't sound as punchy to me. I'm no electronics expert so I can't speculate on why this is the case so it's a "seat of the pants" subjective opinion. Be warned if you're looking at the Player Plus variants - the pre-amp is nasty. Not in the least bit subtle, over-sensitive and the cardinal sin (for me) - no passive switch! My main bass is currently a Player Plus J with an John East J-Retro preamp (with passive switch, wired to run at 12V) and it sounds massive. Yes, I should've just bought a Player (non Plus) in the first place. Live and learn... play a bass before you buy it (duh).

[Lozz196]

I’ve had a couple of Player Precisions, am currently selling one (white/pau-ferro). I’ve also got - and am selling - a Professional 1 Precision (white/rosewood). The Professional is better (for me), feels nicer in my hands but I’d struggle to describe £1000 of better-ness. 

[lidl e]

Its really hard to justify, but as a fellow gear snob even the placebo of having the MIA label makes a difference (to me). 

 

I know it's ridiculous,  but it is what it is.

 

That said, i am currently building a bitsa fender and i went with a player neck as i just couldnt justify 2.5x the cost for an MIA neck. It is excellent quality. Very pleased with it, although I just put it on and it is currently in the shop being set up so i havent really played it yet.

[BassAdder60]

I gig with two Player series PBass and my new Player Series Jazz 

 

All needed a decent setup by myself and they all sound very good, definitely good enough for gigging 

[LeftyJ]

1 hour ago, FatDrunkStupid said:

Be warned if you're looking at the Player Plus variants - the pre-amp is nasty. Not in the least bit subtle, over-sensitive and the cardinal sin (for me) - no passive switch! 

There is though. The current issue Player Plus Jazz and Precision both have a mini toggle switch between the last two knobs to switch to passive. 

 

To echo your comment about the lack of subtlety: the passive mode is a lot quieter than the active mode. It really boosts and colours the tone a lot, even set to neutral. 

[NancyJohnson]

On the 'what's the difference?' question, Fender are as guilty as all the prime movers in instrument manufacture, reinventing 60 year old designs year in, year out.

 

I'd say pretty much all of us here wouldn't have a clue what bass we were hearing unless we had some kind of visual clue; a few basses do have a distinct/identifiable tone out of the box (IE Rickenbacker 400*), but let's face it, even then what we thought we were hearing, wasn't necessarily what we were actually hearing (point of fact, Geddy Lee's using a Fender Jazz).

 

I know this may sound odd coming from someone who has basses costing thousands, but it doesn't (and shouldn't) matter whether anyone is using a non-US Fender, a Squier, or an Epiphone or a Sterling?  Not in the slightest.  If the decal on the headstock facia says Fender, nobody will know where the thing was made and frankly, nobody will/should really care.  There shouldn't really be any stigma using something made in Japan, Mexico, China or Indonesia.

 

If anyone does look down on someone because of their gear choices, then f*ck 'em.

 

 

 

 

[Lozz196]

9 hours ago, lidl e said:

Its really hard to justify, but as a fellow gear snob even the placebo of having the MIA label makes a difference (to me). 

 

I know it's ridiculous,  but it is what it is.

 

I have to admit I was the same with my Precisions, although the Mex basses are fine instruments I just didn`t feel "right" unless I was playing a US one, however since going Mustang I`m more than happy with my Mex JMJs. But if they were to ever make a US version, well I`m sure we all know what I`d do.