Fender '51 P-Bass Reissue

Japan, Maple Neck, Single Coil, Tone & Vol

Original pickup was real bright, put a seymour duncan quarter pounder in. big full sound, real modern. kind of wish i put a Antiquity in, but is sounds killer. have labella flatwounds on there great for pluckin!!!

pretty good set up from the factory. after putting the labellas on major dead spots, set up fixed the problem. finish is beautiful!!!!! the maple neck is so pretty you dont want to touch it, the buttersotch doest look like it does on the telcaster. more musterd colored.

TANK!

dont know

know a good bass when i feel one

Ash body: it's a hunk of wood. solid sound and substantial heft. you know you have a bass in your hand with this on. that or a bag of baseball bats.

One-piece maple neck/fretboard: i've only played a fretless jazz since i started playing in '93, so this was a very foreign feel to me. but once i got used to it, it's all right. used it for a country gig, so there wasn't much movement. the neck is definitely wider and thicker, so it's a bit of a chore, but when you pluck a note, you get a solid tone. i put flatwounds on it because i'm used to the fretless's warm tone, and that fret "zing" was too much for me. with this kind of bass, you're playing to get BASS: harmonic foundation and lines. if you're looking to slap'n'pop, this probably isn't the answer for you.

Single-coil pickup: in keeping with the "reissue" thing, the original unprotected pickup was manufactured, so you have to be a little careful not to man-handle it a lot. i covered the poles with a strip of gaffers tape to minimize clicking when i really laid into it. sounds good, but the placement is a little odd. (again, the "reissue" thing. warts and all.) i'm prone to using harmonics a lot, and the pick-up placement cancels out the 4th overtone (2 octaves + 5th) on an open string. however, this is crucial to its particular tone, so it's a trade off. and the tone is pretty good.

34" scale: you know the drill

Vintage frets: seem fine. i didn't do any setting up aside from adjusting bridge and filing the nut. no noticable buzz on any one fret. good feel.

Original 2-saddle bridge: ok. again, the "reissue" disclaimer. there's limited adjustment since it slaves two strings together, but how much do you really need. also, there's not much metal to help sustain, but with the ash body, i usually end up killing most notes with my hands rather than needing more sustain.

tone and volume: that's all you need if you're playing "bass". a one-trick-pony is fine if that one trick is good. i usually played with the volume wide open and the tone rolled back to about 2 or 3. it doesn't seem to be a very linear response on the pots, though. most of the action happens between 7 & 10.

tuners: this is a bone of contention for me. they're backwards. instead of turning counter-clockwise to tune up, it's clockwise. minor, but off-putting.

for the style i use it for (bassic traditional bass lines), it's perfect. a nice full tone with a slightly throaty tone. just a simple bass.

i've been playing it through a Peavey Combo 300. no effects. very clean and true. not much variety.

i haven't recorded with it yet, but the live sound is extremely relliable. (been using a Jack Cassidy w/ flatwounds for recording.) great for the road since it's a hardy piece of wood and maintains tuning like a rock.

it is a very beautiful instrument. the gloss neck is easy to play on, and any nicks and dings only enhance its looks.

factory setup: ok. it was playable "out of the box", but i my preferences definitely called for adjustments. i changed the strings, raised the pickups slightly, filed the nut, lowered the action, and re-adjusted the intonation to compensate for changes.

electronics: very quiet and no scratches when adjusting volume/tone. i've given it a decent amount of rattling (bouncing in the trailer around the country in a gig bag amidst amps and miscellaneous gear with temperatures fluctuating rapidly from 10-85 degress) and have noticed no perceivable changes.

body: it's usually even within a cent or two from being in tune when i get on stage. really. it's a hunk of wood.

as stated above, definitely road ready. feel free to use it for a round of cricket between shows and feel confident it'll be all the better for wear when show time comes.

the hardware seems durable enough, but i've only been playing it for about 9 months on the road.

the finish will outlive me it seems.

and i haven't taken a back-up bass for the past 30+ shows, so i have no concerns about it being good for the go, even with the poor care i take of it.

haven't dealt with customer support. but it's fender, so take it from there.

i've been playing bass for about 15 years, but exclusively on a Fender Jazz with Elixir Roundwounds, Barolini pick-ups, and a BADASS bridge.

other gear i own: Dano U2, Dano 12-string, Ashbory bass, Jack Cassidy bass, Alvarez 12-string acoustic, Wurlitzer 145, Oscar Schmidt mandolin, various brass & wind instruments, Gretsch Catalinas (w/ DW hardward, Zildjian cymbals), Acoustic 150 head, and all the rest are homemade amps and cabinets, plus studio stuff.

if something happened to this bass, i don't know that i'd buy it again, but i'm more particular to music than the instruments that make it.

what i love about this bass: sounds good, aesthetically pleasing to look at, feels pretty good to play, few things to go wrong with it, and extremely reliable.

what i hate: if the strap is not wide, then its weight gets burdensome rather quickly. strings seem to "pop" the pickup too easily, even before i adjusted anything. gets a little hollow sounding on some stages.

why i bought this one: i was in a country band, so my Jazz wasn't quite the sound they wanted.

closing comments: if you're planning on playing prog rock, metal, slap'n'pop, or any number of "notey" styles, this probably isn't the bass you want unless you plan on doing extensive mods.

if you're looking for a solid, reliable instrument and are playing music with "bass lines", this is a good pick.

suggested styles: more "organic" and/or technically simplified music such as americana, country, indie, folk, blues, jazz, etc.

Y2K '51 Made in Japan. 9lbs in weight. Three piece, slab alder body and a one piece, fat maple neck. One volume knob, one tone knob and one single coil pickup. What could possibly go wrong?

As most will point out, the colour is a bit too yellow and it didn't come with the chrome covers or finger rest. The latter are low cost items and should be included.

People who purchase this bass will not be looking for features.

I bought this bass as a beginner and it makes all the right noises for what I need. I installed a set of TI flats to get a more 'authentic' sound and they make it really nice to play as well. The mates prefer electric and acoustic blues and I'm privately working on some jazzier stuff. This bass works well for both styles although I like to stuff a loose cloth under the strings at the bridge to muffle some of the sustain.

There is a little hum but that is to be expected. There are many suggested remedies for this but it doesn't bother me enough to justify fiddling with it.

I got mine as a well used, second hand bass. Not exactly immaculate but it does show that it can take some abuse. Ignoring the cosmetic damage, I could not fault the set up. The bass was spot-on in all regards and I didn't need to adjust anything. The bass had been set up well by Fender or the previous owner.

In a room full of clubs, this would be the Caveman's choice. You could take down a Mammoth before breakfast, rinse off the claret and gig with it that night. Most basses seem delicate in comparison.

It also stays in tune for ages.

I've heard they can be difficult in Australia but I've never had to deal with them. With this bass, I doubt they'll ever hear from me.

If I ever had to, I would replace it with another. The only thing that concerns me is that the replacement might not be as good. I love this bass!

I run this bass through a Roland 100W Cube. No problems there as I only play at home with the mates. I'm not a musician but I wouldn't hesitate to use this bass if I were. It's really nice to play.

I had looked at other basses but nothing pushed my buttons like the '51. One particular G&L was attractive and the same goes for a Stingray I played. Both were fantastic basses but I felt they were overkill for what I needed. Having a hundred different sounds is no use to someone who can't use them. The '51 supplies exactly what I need. No more, no less.

If you need more features than this, buy something else.

Crafted in Japan 2003

A close replica of the original 1951 Fender Precision Bass
(the Fender site can give you an accurate list of facts and
features) minus a few details (like the pickup and bridge covers).

I replaced my MIM Standard P-bass with this because I was blown away from the sheer playability and surprised by the strength of the sound of that harmless looking little single coil pickup. After a re-string it sounded a little bright, even with the treble rolled off but it warmed up and fattened out in a few weeks as the new strings settled in. And then it became my main electric bass (I also play double bass)as it sat where I wanted it to in every recording I put it into and provided a tide of bottom end live. My outfit plays electronica which I wanted to warm up with a Fender bass. My other electric gives me more pure boom and warmer mids but when I want them I use that one. Mostly it's the Fender P.

I bought this used and it needed some work on the truss rod and the action. A little trial and error later I had it just right. The neck is the fastest of any fretted bass I've played, a sheer joy. The reputed quality of the craftsmanship is very high in these Japanese Fenders and I cannot dispute that.

This is not as solid feeling as my last P-bass and if I were into bass playing as an extreme sport I'd go with something else. It does feel more delicate than other basses I've had. The finish hasn't had any serious tests nor have the strap buttons. That said, the way I play won't endanger this instrument in the slightest and it should be with me for years to come.

Never needed it.

Been playing for over twenty years, mostly guitar and keyboards. I also have a hofner double bass, a Cort Curbow fretless, a Gretsch Jet Baritone and a Roland RS-5.

I'd get another if it were affordable, otherwise I might do as well with a more modern style P-bass.

Loves: big P-bass sound a little extra hot treble when needed (great for tic tac style sound), it's light and very comfy, extremely playable neck. Some people have lamented the lack of a rest or the covers for use as rests but I find the squared off slab style easy to use a floating thumb for finger style playing. The few occasions I use a pick with this bass can get exhausting for the same reason. Lucky I got me a baritone guitar for the Bert Kaempfert sound.

Hates: truss rod adjustment is through a cross screw at the body end, requiring either removal of the neck or use of an s-shaped phillips head screwdriver (with the pickguard removed). This one was rigid and very hard to budge. It gave in the end and I got my adjustment working well (with a little damage to the wood around the screw, or a little added damage as someone else had tried before me). If they're going to ditch the metal covers and be that shy of authenticity, couldn't they also give us a more normal rod adjustment arrangement?

Having said that, I'm glad I went ahead with this one as it delivers such a strong and flavoursome tone in a beautiful and highly playable package.

I have a 51 Fender P-Bass Custom Shop reissue. great feel to it, even though it only has the one single coil pickup, you can play with the sound with the volume and tone knobs. the neck is thick, but if you can't play on a thick neck, you're just a pussy!

Not noisy at all, very warm sound. Better suited for blues or pop rock, not very versatile if you want to use it for different genres like metal. But then again, why would a metal bass player buy this guitar??? it has a very nice sound.

action is a little high and the neck is thick. There are alot of no talent pussies out there who can't play anything that doesn't have super low action and a thin neck. so if you fall into that category, don't buy this bass

never had to contact them

2003 '51' MIJ P - bass
Butterscotch Blonde-one piece ash body-one piece maple(Sting)neck
Four saddle Fender Am. Srs. bridge refit
Stock pickup(lowered A&D pole pieces)
Added thumb rest

This bass sounds great in that 'really old school'way, which is the point of owning one. I had a dummy load installed to lose the single coil buzz, and also shielded all body cavities.
I play in a touring New-Country band. This bass is perfect for that fat country sound.
I use a G-K RB 1001 with two Peavey 4-10 TVX cabinets, and a comparativly extensive pedalboard (in a country band?).
The bass tracks well in the studio, especially with flatwounds and a little tube compression, e-e-e-h-a-w

These basses are bears to play, but they're supposed to be. I put a Sting neck on mine for that very reason. The Sting neck is way more true to size than the necks that come on the 51's from the factory.
My action is low, and it REALLY helps to put a 4 saddle bridge on there, but it's still a big honkin' piece of wood. Got a permanent dent in my rib cage from that slab body.
The finish and fit were perfect from the factory. The MIJ instruments absolutely ROCK!!!

It's a TANK! All it needs are a couple of branches, and it would be a tree!
It gets bashed around quite a bit on the road, and it's always good to go ( I can't say the same for my Roscoe Beck's finish, which is now TOAST.)

Fender is Fender....Nuff' said!!

I've been playing professionally since 1967.
I'm a Fender boy all the way: Roscoe Beck 5, Am. Srs. Jazz Bass, '61' P-bass, and the '51'
Love the G-K heads....Always tour with Peavey cabinets....They always work and, if you ever need to, you can get them fixed anywhere! I use Hartke cabinets for local gigs.
The '51' is where it all started. It's great to have affordable access to where it all began.

Standard '51 P-bass reissue, MIJ. Butterscotch, maple neck, absolutely beautiful bass. Not much in the way of features, but this bass doesn't really miss them. I was surprised at the versatility that one volume knob, one tone knob and one pickup could offer; more than most p-basses I have played. Don't let my low rating here throw you off. This bass sounds very nice without bells and whistles. I bought the tweed case with it. Tweed looks nice, but for durability, I wish I had gotten the brown tolex.

When I first played it, let's say I had issues. Not major, but it needed some tweaking. Most notable was the uneven sound made by the raised A and D poles on the pickup. Another reviewer described how he lowered his. I tried this, found it very easy to do, and have been very satisfied.
I also put .45 flatwounds on. It sounds great, but needed a truss rod adjustment. This was also fairly simple, but unless you remove the neck, you have to angle the screwdriver to the bolt in the rod. Come on Fender, I know you are a huge name and all, but that's just plain lazy. Make a faceplate with a routed slot! Maybe I'll rout it myself.
I'm considering replacing the bridge, but still looking at options.
After these adjustments, this bass gets all the way from dark to bright and back again. I play a Peavey Classic 400 head into an Ampeg SVT 410 hlf cab. I play mostly rock and pop(think James Taylor, not BSB) and this bass can handle all that and more.

The factory set-up seemed to be pretty good. Aside from the pickup issue, it was in good order. Now that I have adjusted the truss rod, I can say it seems to do what it's supposed to. The finish is just gorgeous. This bass certainly gets it's fair share of compliments.

I have only had this for a few months, so I can't fairly rate this category. I also have a Gibson Ripper, reviewed on this site, but this p-bass is just plain fun to play. I hope it lasts decades.

I have a 2 year warranty, but haven't needed it so far. I've heard good and bad things about Fender.

I've been playing bass(and guitar) since 1978. This is my first Fender bass. I decided a while back I wanted the '51p and the '75 Jazz bass. The Jazz is currently on order, due any day now. I used to play a Carvin fretless in a rock band, as well as an assortment of off brand copies. I chose this bass over the American p-bass based on sound/tone versatility, cost and it's look pushed me over the edge. Another bass I considered was the G&L ASAT, but my wife asked,"How many guitars and basses do you need?" I smiled and admired her 3 very nice keyboards.Maybe next year.

Want to echo Sonny Collie from 8th Street. I always mention that I'm going for a Ron Wood-as-bassist-with-Jeff Beck Group-Rod Stewart-singer Sound. Most folks can't even remember that classic band that set the bar. What a funky, growling, hot, trebly tone! My tobacco sunburst '55 re-issue gives me that sound & vibe - but with 2005 quality, electronics and manufacturing techniques.
I added the Duncan Quarter pounder and Wilkinson Bridge (Baddass 4-sadle probably would have been better but too much $$$.) I also put a Fender "F" bridge cover to rest my palm. Then I sprayed (yes!) the pickguard a parchment color for a vintage, mat, off-white look. I have the softer "D" problem people mention and need to toy with the pole distance of the D pickup mic but no biggie - what punch.
This is the best bass out there and one that turns heads as soon as I take it out. And, baby, keep it simple - one pickup, two knobs, right into the amp. It is about the music not the gear!!!

ADDENDUM to my review of 01/01/2005

I made mention of a problem with the single coil pickup -- that the A and D pole pieces were raised, causing difficulty getting a strong G string response in particular. This is a feature of the old pickups from the original '51 P-basses, too. I guess the thinking was that the raised pole magnets would follow the fingerboard radius better, but in effect it doesn't give an even response.

I recommended moving the pickup away from the strings to minimize this, but the results on the G string were still something less than perfect. It was not only difficult to get the G string loud enough, but also the tone was a little thin, and we all know that going up the neck on the G string, you have to retain the volume and bass response or the notes kind of go away.

I have now discovered that the A and D pole pieces can be pressed down flat in the bobbin like the E and G poles. They are not glued tightly into the bobbin. Doing this GREATLY improves the evenness of the response across the strings, and allows you to set pickup height for your preferred loudness and tonal quality.

I cannot guarantee that this will not damage your pickup, but it did no harm to mine, and made the bass even more perfect sounding.

I de-tuned the strings, unscrewed the mounting screws and lifted the pickup from the body. I noted that the A and D pole pieces are actually longer than the E and G poles, which sit flush with both the top and bottom plates of the bobbin. But if you press the A and D poles flat with the top surface, then they will protrude from the bottom. So, you can't just press down on them on a flat surface -- you must support the pickup from underneath so the pole pieces can be made to protrude from the bottom of the pickup. I scotch taped a washer around the poles on the bottom to create the needed clearance, then put a C-clamp over first the A and then the D poles and barely tightened it, which easily slid the poles down flat to match the E and G. Maybe you could just support the pickup between two books or wood blocks and simply press the poles down with something like the handle of a screwdriver or a dowel.

Having done this, I glued the newly moved poles to the bobbin, top and bottom, to prevent any future movement. I reinstalled the pickup and voila, the string response was even and matched, giving the formerly wimpy G string all the volume and thumpiness of the other strings. The results are fantastic.

FYI, the copper coil wire is wound around the entire pickup, not the individual pole pieces, so the A and D poles have little contact with the wire -- it just runs alongside them, but wraps tight around the end pieces, the E and G poles. So, moving the A and D is easy. However, the four poles and the top and bottom fiber bobbin plates are the entire structure of the pickup, so you want to re-glue the poles to the bobbin after the adjustment is made.

I understand that the Seymour Duncan Basslines replacement pickup has the flat pole pieces, so buying one of these for $65 or so is an alternative to modifying the stock pickup in this bass, and is the solution if the stock pickup should be damaged. But no damage whatever was done to my pickup by this mod, the cost was $0.00 and the improvement was dramatic.

The SD Antiquity line of pickups, with two different impedances available, has raised A and D poles. By my experience with this bass and with a Telecaster Bass I once owned, you do not want this.

So, buyer beware and all that, but if you have problems on the ?51 Precision Bass Reissue with the A and D being too loud and the G being wimpy, this modification will end that problem forever, and make a good sounding bass even better. Then play on...

Described in other reviews... 2003/2004 model.

A close repro of the 1951 with an updated, less massive neck profile.

I play blues, R&B, rock, soul. Line 6 Bass Pod, power section of a Behringer BX3000, various Carvin cabs, LaBella 760FL's or Thomastic JF 344's.

This bass has the unique early P-/Telecaster bass sound. Deeper lows and higher highs than the split pickup Precision. The single-coil low impedance pickup (7.5k ohms vs. 11k on the split P) is oddly louder than the split pickup version, and much more dynamic and responsive to playing touch. A Seymour Duncan OEM pickup, it matches the original '51 pickup with E and G pole pieces flat in the bobbin and A and D poles raised 1/8". This can cause a weak E and G string if the pickup is set too close to the strings. Fortunately, this is not necessary for good output due to the loudness of the pickup. By lowering the pickup and slightly raising the G side over the E side, a balanced response can be obtained. That done, you must restrain your attack to a good solid medium touch to get a clear, thick, deep sound. Slamming this pickup wil yield a splatting, overhyped tome that will readily rip speaker cones right out of their surrounds. (I had a Telecaster bass as my first electric bass in the late '60s and blew several JBL D140F's before I figured this out.)

The tone is beautiful and versatile, just the gut-bucket thing for traditional styles. It makes people dance, and makes R&B ballads solid as a rock. Alternatively, played with a pick through the Marshall Super Bass model on the Pod, it nails the roaring, grinding sound Ron Wood got on the first Jeff Beck Group LP on tracks like "Ain't Superstitious".

The bass sounds great. It sounds authentic to a million great old records, does a good upright sound as well. Just roll off the tone knob to taste.

CNC milled in Japan with good maple in the 1-piece neck and lightweight ash in the 3-piece body. Quite playable and wearable, strong and stable. The weight is 7lb 4 oz -- very nice on the shoulder. The crude 2-piece bridge intonates almost perfectly and yes, it could have been mounted 1/4" closer to the neck, but run the bridge pieces forward and the bass intonates well.

Thin polyurethane on the neck and thin high yaller butterscotch polyester on the body. The body finish is inauthentic: too glossy and too yellow. You can fix this by rubbing the body out with 000 or 0000 steel wool, very gently and slowly with little rubbing pressure. This whitens and fades the yellow and gives the body the satiny or ivory-like patina of the original nitrocellulose lacquer, and still retains a durable finish.

The neck is straight (thanks, CNC), the frets are narrow original size giving excellent pitch focus and smooth feel with comfy action. Jumbo frets don't help any bass and this one proves it. If you have to eat frets with sharp stainless steel roundwounds, I don't kow what to tell you...

Built like a brick porta-potty -- simple, solid and strong. Nothing to break but strings, and I never break strings. Reverse Kluson tuners hold pitch all night. The neck, bridge and pickup stay where you set them.

The only possible durability issue is with the pickup, which you will use for a thumbrest. Sometimes the bobbin comes apart, as the pickup is naked with no plastic cover as provided on the split P pickup. If this happens, the pickup is ruined. I addressed this by coating the entire pickup with epoxy, black string coil wrapping and all. This stuck the thing together into a hard mass which will never come apart, and did not affect the tone. Covering the exposed pole pieces with epoxy prevents the nasty oil-can popping that can occur if the strings touch the pole pieces as well, though with the pickup lowered for balanced string response, it would seldom happen.

In 35 years I have never used a backup bass. I set up, maintain and play my basses so they will not fall apart. Backup basses are mostly good for getting stolen while you are onstage playing. I have learned this from other cats, not from my own experience. Har-har...

Fender usually gets mediocre-to-poor marks on this, but I have never sought repairs on any bass. If one breaks in a non-fatal way, I can fix it and so can you. This bass is utter simplicity. If you can handle a phillips screwdriver and tinkertoys, you are your own bass tech.

Playing a long time, s**tload of gear. Should have come with a gig bag, but Fender Japan ships in flimsy cardboard boxes. They ship fine instruments in flimsy cardboard boxes, though, so I ain't complaining. This bass is wonderful for what I do, and that's a lot of things. I play 300+ nights a year, and I don't want to screw around or have issues with my gear. The '51 Precision reissue makes the cut. And it's beautiful to look at, esp. since I took off the hyper-glossy final finish.