Fender '51 P-Bass Reissue

One vintage single coil pickup, vintage 2 peice bridge, volume-tone.

I got this bass for the vintage look more that for the tone. I was originally going to get a more modern P-bass because that was the sound I was looking for. Well I'll tell you, I am totally sold on the sound of this bass. I was under the impression it was going to sound more midrangey and trebley because of what everyone has said. Not the case at all. Yes the pickup is pretty bright, however that is easily taken care of by rolling off the tone knob. If you do that you are left with P-bass tone heaven. I compared it with my other P-bass with a split coil pickup and surprisingly it has even more bottom end and punch that it does. It also has much more dynamic range too. You can play softly enough to barely be heard then dig in and bottom out your speaker cones. Very powerful. I normally have my tone knob on 1-2 and it gives me tons of solid fundamental with just the right amount of presence. It came stock with roundwounds but I now have flats on it that further beef up the tone. I really don't see why anyone would need an aftermarket pickup for this. The hum from the single coil isn't really a problem either.

This bass was Crafted in Japan. It is very well put together. It just blows away most of the USA made Fender basses I have played on in the last few years. The body is one piece Ash that is lovely. The strings buzzed a bit at first but it was due to climate change. Waited a day and it no longer buzzed. Did have to lower the pickup a hair. I was having problems with the strings hitting the magnets when I played harder notes. The only flaw I had was the tone pot was loose, probably from shipping. Everything else was perfect, not a speck of dust on it.

Probably the toughest bass out there. No swiches to break off. Only weak point might be the pickup. Kinda unprotected sitting there. Would be cool with a Telecaster chrome cover over it.

Amazing bass for the price. I would not think it would be too much to charge $1500 for a bass of this quality.

I bought this in 2003. Crafted in Japan, and very well done at that. Has a single coil pickup, which I thought lacked oomph so I swapped it out for a Seymour Duncan SCPB Quarter Pounder, a night and day difference. Solid maple neck and ash body. I swapped out the bridge for the Wilkinson model mentioned in a previous review. Pretty simple and basic bass and that's all I need. I'm a blues rock player not a slapper and popper. I purchased and installed the pickup and bridge covers along with the thumbrest/tug bar. I really suggest installing the pickup cover. It is squared and makes a great thumb rest, that way I don't have to rest my thumb on the pickup like others have mentioned in their reviews. The covers and tug bar should come with the bass if its supposed to be a "sincere" copy of a '51, although the sunburst finish wasn't offered till '54 I think so it ain't exact anyways. I give it a 7 because it doesn't have a lot of features. BUT YOU DON'T NEED A TON OF FEATURES ANYWAY.

I love the sound. I play through a Univox U-1061 tube bass head and an Eden 410XLT. I use a Tech21 SansAmp and sometimes a Morley Bass Wah. I can get a great punchy drive for rock and blues and then I can add tone for a really dub reggae sound. The tone knob has a lot of range. Hardly any dislikes. I bought this over the Internet and I thought I might not like the thick neck but I really like the neck and prefer it over the skinny neck on my '62 Vintage Jazz. I like the sting through the body and I think it adds to the solid tone of the bass. I don't mind the non-rounded sides either, although that does make it heavier. My only complaint is that the single coil does hum a little. Not too bad though, its workable.

Mine is a sunburst, I don't like the sickly looking butterscotch color. No complaints about the finish, no marks or blemishes that I can see. It came set up great. Everything was cut well and fits well. I've lowered the action a tad when I switched the bridge. The intonation was off just a bit with the old bridge. I don't know if intonation problem is worth the $60 spent on the new bridge, but now the intonation is spot on. I plan to switch the white pick guard for a black one. I saw John Bazz of the Blasters play a sunburst Telecaster bass with a black pickguard and I think that looks better. The white is just too much.

I can't imagine the bass falling apart on me. It's just two hunks of wood bolted together. It would withstand just about anything. What hardware there is is definately solid. I swapped the strap buttons for Jim Dunlop Strap Locks so no problems there. I can depend on it and I'm going to depend on it. I plan to sell my two other basses and simplify my life. Just volume and tone on the bass, and volume, bass, mid and treble on the amp. Simple, simple, simple.

I wrote a snail mail letter to Fender customer service inquiring about purchasing a black pickguard and they emailed me back the day they got the letter with the part number, price and where to order it. No complaints from me about Fender. I'm a Fender bass fan all the way. Although I recently visited their museum in Corona, CA and I was seriously UNIMPRESSED. It was really lame and it hardly had anything on display. A real 1951 Precision, the bass that started it all was no where to be seen. What's up with that? But I digress. A 10 for their support and a 2 for their museum!

This bass is the first bass I have taken to like a fish to water. I really enjoy playing it. I've wanted an orginal P or a Telecaster bass since seeing Mike Watt play one with fIREHOSE and I wasn't disappointed. I think they are one of the best looking basses ever with a classic design. The pickup and bridge covers remind me of the '50s autos with fins. I've been playing off and on for 20 years and have recently gotten back into serious playing. I'm playing with a blues/classic rock cover/originals band. I'd definately buy it again if I had the misfortune of having it stolen. Forget the fancy crap with 5 or 6 strings. Two slabs of wood and four strings is all you need. For me I give it a ten, its got every thing I want.

I think this was build in 1999 or 2000. Japan. I don't think I'll have to explain what it looks like. I bought is new at Kees Dee's in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. No accessoiries were included.

Most of the time I play in blues or roots orientated bands. The vintage sound is what i'm looking for. This one has tons of that. Although i'll have to say that my 68 precision has more oemph.... This one has a great sound, lots of low end but also more than enough highs. That why I often turn the tone controle a bit down.

Well set up at the factory. The action was too low for me. (I like to dig in..) It looks very durable. I really do love the thickness of the neck. That's some wood you're handling!

I've played this bass on lots of gigs, it never let me down. It has lost some of the finish in the last few years, at the bottom end. The paint was quite smelly, by the way. It is a very dependable bass. The neck only has to be adjusted after changing the strings (another gauge). Good strap buttons! I never go on a gig with only one bass!! It is always a choice between a precision and a Jazz. Depends on the room.

Part of the plastic string thing on top of the neck(I've got no idea what i's name in English) broke off. It was repaired in the shop I baught it, but I had to pay for it.

I play this fass often. And most of the time when I need a "modern"sound. That's because of the highs. I love this bass because of its sound, its looks and the simpleness of the design. This bass is very heavy, so you get tired at long gigs.If it was stolen I would probably try to get another one, maybe a Sting type, although that one is not vintage enough for me.

Mfg.in 2003-Japan-fretted 4 string--Butterscotch Blonde finish-Vintage Single Coil Pickup-Passive Electronics-Ash body-Maple neck and fretboard-Body is just like a Precision but with no contours on the front or back-Telecaster type peghead,String-Thru_Body style-Vintage Style Reverse Tuners-34" Scale-No Accessories Included-There are not many features but if there were, it wouldn't be a '51 Reissue. It has what you need though. High marks for vintage styling but not a ten cause it should come with pickup and bridge covers and the original 1-screw thumbrest.

The sound suits what I play-Rock-Play through an Ampeg BA-210 200 watts-Not noisy at all for a single coil-Has a lot of tonal range especially for just 2 knobs. I used to be Mister Fancypants who likes lots of knobs and gadgets. Trust me-They're all a waste of time-one volume, one tone is all you really need (and an Ampeg Amp).The bass is for the bottom end and with the tone down, the Precision sounds (and feels) like a Brontosaurus stomping around.

Setup was very good except for the intonation.Never expect ANY instrument to be set up when you get it. Luckily, I can set up my own stuff. Other reviews call for the immediate removal of the 2-saddle bridge and replacement with a compensated bridge. Before doing that, try doing what I did-I MOVED THE D&G STRING SADDLE TOWARD THE NECK AS FAR AS IT COULD GO AND STILL HAVE THE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT SCREWS RESTING ON THE BRIDGE-THEN MOVE THE E&A STRING SADDLE THE SAME DIRECTION ALMOST AS FAR BUT NOT QUITE (ABOUT 1/8 INCH DIFFERENCE) ASSUMING YOU STILL HAVE THE FACTORY STRINGS OR THE SAME GAUGE, THE INTONATION SHOULD BE FINE. I DID THIS AND MY INTONATION IS PERFECT. IF YOU'RE USING A DIFFERENT GAUGE OF STRINGS, IT MIGHT NOT BE. Action was very good, pickup isn't adjustable. The bass workmanship is spectacular. My Mexican Jazz Bass you can see lots of sanding marks on the neck. Not this Baby !!The fretboard looks like it should be in a museum- Gorgeous !!! One tuner was a little bent- who knows how that happened?-I just bent it back.

Every Single Screw Was Tight !! Built like a proverbial tank !! Backups are always a good idea but you probably wouldn't need one. Time will tell.

Don't Know.

Have played 25 years-No other gear-Would buy again-I especially like how it looks with the proper chrome pickup and bridge covers installed. You can find them if you look around. They're pretty much the same as the Telecaster Bass covers. The pickup sticks up pretty high and the cover protects the pickup and would probably help prevent the problem some people have with the G string getting caught under the lip of the pickup.

Crafted in Japan. Not sure of the year, but it's one of the more recent re-issues. Full on 51' P detail. Can't believe it's not made in the U.S., the craftmanship on mine is outstanding. Solid as a rock maple neck-string thru body design. Butterscotch blonde finish. If you're reading this the you already know the specs of this fine instrument!

Here is where this bass shines. My band plays a cross of hard rock/punk and blues ( think AC/DC meets Social Distortion meets the Stones ). This bass handles them all with ease, and the warm rounded, deep Fender P tone that we have all come to know and love. I go straight into my SWR Super Redhead with an added Basson 1X15 cab and get the sound from hell! This bass also seems much louder than my other Fender P, and my Fender Jazz. The bass is great in both live and studio settings. Again, if you are reading this review, you probably know what you are looking for, but in case you don't: This bass is NOT for nu-metalers or jazzy fusion heads that need a ton of features. It is the perfect old school rawk and roll machine.

Great set-up and intonation when I bought it ( even with the two saddle bridge ), a few action adjustments by my tech made it even better. The stock pick-up sounds great to me, it's plenty loud enough to cut thtough my two guitarists blazing away. I'm a finger style player and my only complaint here is that there really was no good place to anchor my plucking hand thumb- Resolved that by having my tech add an old thumbrest, and problem solved.

This bass is a freaking tank! It has been out on numerous gigs and been played hard, and I mean real hard; it always stays in tune and the finish, while seeming thin, always withstands its nightly pounding. This bass will out live us all! And yes, I would use it without a back-up bass even though I don't have to.

Haven't had to deal with them, though I have heard that Fender can be a bit difficult to deal with. Too bad, cause they make the only basses that I'll play. Oh well, cross that bridge when I come to it.

Been playing 15 plus years. I own another Fender P, a Fender Jazz and an acoustic bass. if it were lost or stolen, first I'd try to find out who did and go beat their ass, and the I'd run NOT walk to the nearest music store and buy another immediately ( as a matter of fact, I'm thinking of getting another just to have as a back up! ). This bass is for simlpe straight up blusey hard rock. It is a no frills in your face rock tone machine. Do not bother with it if you are all about Korn/Metallica or anything heavier than AC/DC.

51 P Bass reissue, roughly 2 years old, made in Japan. Their craftmanship is really impressive. Beautiful grain, well matched, finish is spotless. Blond colored with black pickguard. Tuner are reverse kind and kind of sticky at first, they're getting smoother. Classic Tele bass vintage look. Really just a basic beautiful bass.

This bass is basic but it sounds bad to the bone with a few little adjustments. It has deep wooden tones, similar to the Sting bass but woodier, you can get some really nice hollow tones at times and the action is OK. Here's how to make it way better.

Buy a compensated 2 saddle brass bridge because the intonation may be OK with the original bridge but it's not perfect. Remember, this is a 2 saddle uncompensated bridge. Many have remarked here that the intonation is OK but I thought and new it could be made a lot better with a brass compensated bridge. Go here http://www.greggrogersguitars.com and get a replacement vintage Wilkinson bridge (Wilkenson 2 saddle Bass bridge, BB3355C ) for about $60. It is worth every penny. I've put a compensated 2 saddle brass bridge on a Tele recently so I have no doubts about this type of customization. It makes a huge difference going up the neck and being perfectly intonated, it really rings with the brass saddles which are not chrome plated. Don't worry that your altering the original bass because this bridge uses existing screw holes and looks like the original. The only other thing I did was adjust the pickup a little closer to the strings and MAGIC. This thing has the old school tone for many styles of music, finger or pick. It's really a classic setup made a little better with new technology and I couldn't be happier. This customization would probably do wonders on a Sting bass as well with the 2 saddle bridge.

The action was OK but I was able to dial in the action a lot better. No big deal, just get an Allen wrench set and go at it. Like I said I dialed in the pickups just a little closer to the strings to give the sounds a more focused tone. Perfect finish, I would buy a Japan Fender product any day and have in the past, most noticeably the Fender Sting Bass.

This bass feels solid and no doubt could take a beating, it's a P Bass, nuff said.

I've never dealt with them. I've mainly gone to the Fender Forums when I had issues. It's a great site.

I am mainly a guitar player whos been at it for about 20 odd years. I went through a Sting bass then finally realized these type basses were an even purer route to what I was after. Vintage sound, vintage looks. Doing the customization with the Wilkinson bridge is the secret to making this an amazing sounding bass. DO IT!! You won't be disappointed. Don't believe me? Just search around online and you'll soon discover that compensated bridges are way better than the originals, if the original is a 2 saddle type.

Very simple setup ...no wonder, it's a '51 re-issue !
But why change when simple does it ?

It certainly has some kind of typical P-Bass tone, but not quite so. There is more brightness and the sound seems more convincing when trying it in the shop: it even works fine for slapping (I thought a P-bass would not really be suitable for slapping)! However, it is somewhat too bright when cranking up the amp: I guess I'll have to wait for the strings to settle down a bit, as I think the change to flatwounds would be a step too much. An easy fix is adjusting the tone button to 1/3 or so: this will approach the P-Bass tone but kinda still missing that particular testosteron-driven tone so typical of Fender Precisions (just listen to Stranglers' early recordings to find out, or Pink Floyd's 1? song in the Meddle album), some kind of bouncy rubberyness enveloping the woody rawness of the sound. That one I have to admit I am still missing, but hey - let's reconsider after having waited for the strings to run-in, or maybe change them for rotosounds or so...

The bass was well tuned in the shop, action a bit too low (fret-buzz).
OK after adjusting the bridge a bit.

Wait and see ! ...but it sure feels solid !

Wait and see too...

I really like this bass, but I need to het to know it better. Thank You Jean-Jacques Burnel for contributing making the P-bass a monument !

Made 2003(?) in Japan.
Ash body
One-piece maple neck/fretboard
Single-coil pickup
34" scale
Vintage frets
Original 2-saddle bridge
4 string
Passive
Old P style body
String-thru
No accessories
Volume and tone controls, tele style

My style is roots "anything" from hillbilly to jazz standards to rock.
I play through a Musicman HD 130 head and some variety of Peavey 1 "18" enclosure.
It is not annoyingly noisy. In fact, noise wasn't really a concern.
From the factory, with factory strings, I'm afraid it sounded kind of metalic and unexpressive.
Out of the box, it was much brighter than I liked, and that put a scare in me.
At the outset, I would recommend stringing this instrument w/ flatwounds. Why Fender hasn't picked up on a string idea is beyond me, but flatwounds make all the difference. For 25 bucks, I have a winner, w/ GHS flats.
W/ Flats, it is just about what I expected from a "vintage" knockoff.
Stock, "5". W/ flatwounds, "9".

Very nice, if minimal, basics.

Compared to cheaper basses which I own (Peavey T-40 and OLP), this bass, frankly, doesn't seem that sturdy. I think I could count on it, but time will tell.

I guess Fender is probably OK.

I am a professional pianist, doubling on bass, and learning guitar. I've been a pro piano player for almost 30 years.
I own a TON of gear (way too much to list here).
I like this bass very much (since the flatwounds), but I must confess that I think it is obscenely overpriced for what it offers. Almost any bass for half of the price can do what it does, and more, but one is essentially paying for style here. I'm Ok w/ that, but for what it does, it should be priced considerably lower.

2003 Model made in Japan (Fender is doing a GREAT job with their overseas productions lately). Very simple 2 pot configuration (volume and tone), 1 single coil passive pickup, maple neck (beautiful!), ash body, butterscotch blonde finish (a CLASSIC!), string-thru body, vintage reverse tuners, fat (but not too fat) maple neck, jumbo frets. No accessories were included with it (not even a gig bag!) which is the only reason why I'm giving the features an 8.

This bass will suit your style perfectly if you play blues, classic rock or straight ahead rock. Funk players - go with something else!I use it through my Ampeg rig (350 watt head & 410 Classic Cab, and a cheapie rackmount effects processer for ultra bass and delay), and it wails! The single coil pickup blew me away (I was a bit skeptical about the 1 pickup config, but it KICKS!). It has a FAT, punchy sound and the lows will definately cut through any screaming guitarist. The sound shaping is somewhat limited (with only the single tone knob) but if you play a bass like this, chances are you don't get too extreme with the bottom end anyway. I haven't used it in the studio, but on stage it holds more than its own. It just rings fat and clear. I love the "classic" bass sound, and this bass produces it (think Donald "Duck" Dunn).

Surprisingly, the factory set-up was decent (I have had other Fenders where I took it straight from the store to my techie for a $100 set-up) but I like a closer action than most bass players so I took it in anyway ($15 action adjustment). The pickup was perfect and I don't feel the need to replace it with something more "modern" anytime soon. The finish was absolutely perfect, flawless! It looks incredible (magazine pics WILL NOT do it justice). It is also nicely balanced. The neck it a good handful, but not at all like the ironing board on the Sting bass.

Although I have had it for only a short period of time, it seems extremely durable. No comment on the reliability yet (I'll let you know after our frequent summer gigs).

Haven't had to deal with them (although I have heard nightmare stories).

I have been playing bass for eight years solid now (I'm a reformed guitarist) and I LOVE Fender basses (I own 3). This bass is now splitting equal time with my old reliable (American Deluxe Jazz). The only thing I wish it had was the vintage hardware extras (The chrome saddle and pickup covers, but I might get this one retro-fitted), but it is an extrtemely cool, fat sounding, classic bass. I would definately buy another if this one were stolen or broken beyond repair (heck...I'm thinking of getting the 2 tone sunburst model). The only thing that takes some getting used to (for me anyway) is the thumb position (I play fingerstyle, and I usually rest my thumb on the lip of the pickup, but you can't on this. It felt a little odd at first, but I adapted quite well). The best feature, other than the performance of the pickup is the classic sharp look. It SCREAMS vintage! I also wish Fender would have thrown in a case or even a gig bag, but what are you gonna do (try talking your local dealer into throwing one in...it worked for me).
Here's a cool tip...If you like the sound of the old R&B tunes (Motown, soul, etc.) try stringing it with a set of flatwounds. The sound will slap your face off!! This bass is very well made (for the overseas products), and very affordable. If you like to rock you won't regret having this bass.

I guess this bass was made in '03 in Japan. It is a 4 string and has 20 frets. It just has a volume controll and a tone controll. It has a single coil pick-up with passive electronics. I'm not for sure of the wood used in this bass. It does have the classic p-bass slab body with string-thru body bridge. It has vintage reverse tuners on a big fat neck.

I play Western Swing, Country, and Classic Rock. This bass is perfect for those types of music. It has a rich "wooden" sound. My brother stated taht it sounds like a bass is supposed to.

This bass came set up good from the factory. There is a slight frett buzz when you climb high on the neck, but it doesn't transfer to the amp. Everything else is perfect. Really nice craftmanship.

Yes this bass is like a tank. Very solid. I like having a backup bass at gigs, but I would feel comfortable using this bass without one.

I really haven't had to deal with the company. I hope that I don't have to.

I've been playing for almost 30 years. I was in a band that played in Willie Nelson's 4th of July picnic in '99 in front of 20 thousand people. I have a '55 Kay Upright bass, a '99 Conklin MEU bass, and a '01 Danelectro Longhorn bass. It has that long lost friend feel to it. I grew in to it the moment I first strapped it on. I would buy this bass again if it were lost or stolen. I bought this bass becuase of it's retro styling. I love the slab body and the Tele' headstock. I also have always been a big fan of the single coil pick-up. I feel that this basses over-all quality by far exceeds it's price. You can always tell the quality of work by the tools you use. This is a quality tool. Buy it. Buy 2.