Fender '51 P-Bass Reissue

A brand new 2008 Japanese Fender '51 P Bass. It's a miracle of simplicity. Big piece of wood with a longer and thinner bit of wood attached. A few shards of metal and one pickup. Voila! The electric bass is invented. Features? I listed them- slabs of wood that electronically reproduce bass frequencies. It couldn't be simpler. You want features? Get a modern bass that has active pickups, graphite construction and a clock radio.

OK, here's the deal: I like it, but I've found that there's a bit of distortion when I'm really digging in. Not the bad kind really, but not what I want. It's a little distracting. I don't mind some growl out of an amp that's slightly overdriven, but I don't expect it out of a bass. A pickup swap? I'd rather not. Otherwise, a full bodied thump and even throughout the neck.
A few people have said they get a Rick sound out of it... I play Ricks and I don't hear it myself. I've always found a Rick has far more definition. When the treble is really wound up on a Rick you get 'clank'; on this you get more treble.

Construction was solid and no problems. A fine compromise between reissue (e.g. the barrel saddles) and functional. A setup and we're ready to go.

It's early yet, but it certainly appears to have been built like a tank. That's what I expect out a prehistoric beast like this.

It's funny how everyone loves to proclaim their superior assessments of gear by virtue of the fact they have more experience and better equipment than the reader. Me? Yeah, I gig a lot. Recorded? Yep. Played with anybody famous? Not really. Do I have the best of everything? Nope. Been playing a lot of years and I tend to be 'retro' in my tastes.
I'm a Rick player but I always wanted a Fender '51 bass. It is what it represents: the simplest design ever, and one that works. It's a quality instrument that performs the task for which it was designed. Other than the complaint about sound I think it's value for your retro dollar.

One thing to keep in mind with this reissue is that its similarity with vintage Fenders ends with its appearance. Fender has "updated" everything from neck dimensions to electronics. Fender kept the neck radius at 7.25" but whittled down the width and thickness from the original "baseball bat" 50's necks to something resembling a Stingray bass. I personally prefer the fat, bulky vintage neck profile but Fender obviously thought most would want a faster, modernized feel.

The most significant difference is tone. When compared to my '68 Tele bass (the original '51 reissue) the '51's tone is thin and lifeless, lacking a lot of low end. This doesn't mean you won't find a usable tone here, just that if you want a tone to inspire you, you'll need to swap out some electronics.

I routed out a cavity under the pickguard, added a bartolini preamp and now it sounds full and rich like a bass costing 3 times as much (the nice thing about a $600 bass is it's not a crime to customize it a little).

I've played 7 or 8 '51 reissues in various music stores and it seems that the construction quality is either hit or miss. Considering that Fender Japan craps these things out by the thousands, it's not surprising you'll get a few slipping through quality control with overhanging fretwire, cracked finish, and sloppy neck joints. If you try a few like I did, however, I'm sure you'll have no problem finding one with a good set up and a neck joint so tight a piece of paper can't fit in.

I've been gigging over 20 years and I can't imagine a scenario where this bass would quit working.

Fender relies on Leo's legacy and his patented designs to turn a profit; they have no need to provide customer support- welcome to corporate America.

In my first review of this bass I covered the positive aspects of this nearly perfect reproduction, however, to be fair, I need to address a few of the easily fixed, issues.
Now, if you are a serious 'player' and if 'accurate' intonation is important to you, I strongly suggest that you replace the two saddle bridge with any bridge that will allow all four strings to be set. Try to find a bridge that will allow you to string it 'through' the body, as this type of string attachment really does contribute to the unique sound of this bass. Also, spend the extra cash for a set of 'Thomastik jazz flatwounds' They sound amazing, last forever, and get better with age.
Now, regarding the electronics, The stock pickup is 'OK' and I suspect most novice bassists will find it acceptable, but those few that are really looking for that elusive throaty, rich percussive 'pop' found in ancient p basses, consider the 'Jason Lollar' I went through a 'Lindy Fralin' an SD 'antiquity', and even had one custom wound. It was the lollar, that had that 'sound'.
By all means, buy this bass! It is an excellent value and with just a bit of tweeking, you will have an awesome, truly 'vintage' sounding instrument for a fraction of the going price of an old Fender.

Full time pro since 1968. Having toured the world backing up well known, and not so well known acts, and yes, I would replace this bass if something happened to it. I've owned an original 1955 P bass, as well as an original 1962 Jazz bass. Thus, I feel 'qualified' to talk about true 'vintage' tone.

As described below. Crafted in Japan; one piece maple neck, etc. etc.

I give it a 7 because the two barrel bridge is iffy.

I really like the neck on this thing. Not as wide at the nut as a standard P bass and not as narrow as a Jazz. The 7.25" radius is also very cool. This neck feels just right to me.

This is what this bass is all about. The tone is just beautiful. For blues/rock this single coil puts out just the right deep, smooth bottom that holds it all down. I use it straight into a Yorkville XM200 T with the 15" extension cab.

This is THE definitive electric bass tone, the one that set the standard that all others emulate (unless they're trying to not sound like a P bass).

It comes with round wound strings: not vintage correct but I think they work really well with this bass. Haven't tried flats but I've never been a fan of those.

I have not had any problem with noise from the single coil pickup.

Noted already - this is not a slapper's bass but it does have a nice woody slap and pop sound. The geometry of the bass is not good for a hardcore slapper though.

Fit and finish this bass arrived flawless. I agree with those who think Japanese Fenders may be the best. Neck relief and action were a bit off but I've come to expect that in a brand new mass-produced bass.

Though period correct, the weakest link is the two barrel bridge; makes exact intonation difficult. However, I am rarely up to or beyond the 12th fret and very few listeners would even notice any intonation issues in a live setting so it's not really an issue for me. Wilkinson make a more adjustable two barrel replacement. I might go that route in the future.

Truss rodd access is at the butt of the neck. I thought I would just take off the pickguard and adjust it but discovered the guard is glued on (partially). It means taking the neck off, which is a pain (but a vintage one)

The simplicity and quality construction of this bass suggest it is very hardy. I'm easy on my gear regardless so don't expect any problems. Everything about it feels very solid.

I would never gig without a back-up but that's more from the standpoint of broken strings (which has yet to happen). I've never had a bass of any kind suddenly give me problems in the middle of a gig.

Never needed them.

I've been playing 25+ years but haven't really owned a whole lot of different gear. THis is the first bass I bought purely on its sound alone. I saw it in the store (never seen one before) plugged it in, and was smitten at the first note I played. The tone is exactly what I've been looking (listening?) for. As said above, I also really like the neck on this. The colour is a bit too yellow for some folks but I don't mind it. With the maple neck and black p-guard I think it looks quite sharp. I also love the simplicity of one pickup, volume and tone.

I was worried at first about the lack of body contours, especially for the forearm but so far haven't found that to be a problem.

This is my main "go to" bass (I also have a Jazz and a fretless bass). If it was lost or stolen I would want to replace it (but would probably use the opportunity to try something else - with potential disappointment).

Highly recommended

Made in Japan like all the others. I picked this as I wanted a good Fender bass without paying American series prices.

Mine is the 2 tone burst, passive, single straight pickup with the staggered poles, 2 saddle string through body bridge, passive, one piece maple neck/fretboard with skunk stripe, reverse tuners.

Nice and simple.

i had to give it a 10 because it has all the features i need

I love the way the bass balances. I've had a long line of unbalanced basses and this one is perfect.

I play in 2 entirely different bands; wedding and rock covers and this bass is perfect. Its all about right hand placement, how hard you hit the strings and slight variation of the tone control.

I use a GK700RB II amp and when i play it hard it sounds very much like a Rick which I believe someone else mentioned. I used to own a Rick and couldn't get it to sound like a Rick!

It has a very full, warm sound but like I said this can be varied. It sounds fantastic for slap as well as fingerstyle. I don't use a pick so couldn't comment on that.

I love the sound of this bass.

The only downside is that it has the pickup with the staggered poles. From what I've read, this was only on them during the transition from '54 to '57 models when the 'modern' split pickup and strat headstock was added. Since the original '51 model didn't have staggered poles, there was no need to include them in this model as it was only used to balance the strings with the crap amps of the time so that string response was equal.

All it does now is make you have to jack up the action on the A string and to a lesser extent on the D string.

everything else on this bass has been perfectly finished

This bass is made from the same type of wood as the originals with poly used for the finish rather than nitro so if anything, it should last longer than the original before it starts to look scabby.

i always use strap locks so the originals are in a box should I ever sell it (the only reason I would sell it would be to buy an original one)

I have only ever adjusted the saddles initially. Other than that it gets tuned and that's all.

The bass is rock solid and will outlast me

Never had to deal with them. I only buy Japanese Fenders because I know that they are made to higher standards that anything else that Fender does with the exception of the masterbuilt line - cha ching.3

I've been playing for 20 years and have been through 40 odd basses. I also own a 1973 telecaster bass and go through a Gk 700RB II and Schroeder 1212L cab. I use a tapco Squeez rack compressor - no effects.

I love its simpicity: I've had top-end Ibanezs, Yamahas and Warwicks and find 6-8 different controls to be stupid - isn't that what the controls on the amp are for? Volume is always on full and the only adjustment I need to make is slight movement of the tone control.

the only thing I don't like are the staggered poles on the pickup so I may swap it out for an SD antuquity one with flat poles to keep the original sound but gain better action

Features? Are you kidding?

OK, it has a nice two-piece swamp ash body in two-tone sunburst finish. The neck and board are maple with a vintage aged finish. It has a 34 inch scale with 20 frets. Electronics include volume and tone pots, with a single coil Precision pup. The bridge is rudimentary, and is a string through design. Tuners are vintage reverse-gear Klusons.

There's not a lot going on here, but what's here is nice.

This sounds nothing like a split-coil P-bass, and there's nothing wrong with that. It has a bright, aggressive tone that sounds almost like a Ric bridge pup soloed. You can change the tone by changing your right hand technique or rolling off some treble with the tone pot, but there isn't a huge amount of variety here.

I play classic and roots rock, so this bass is tailor made for the style I play. I'm running it through a Traynor YBA 200 tube head and Avatar 2x10 and 1x15 Neo cabs, and it sounds just fine.

The fit and finish on this bass are incredible. Fender Japan really has their act together in the QA/QC department. The tech at the shop I ordered it from pulled the neck for a truss rod adjustment, and he was dumbfounded at the the neck pocket fit. It's like Tupperware.

The finish on the body and neck is first-rate. All hardware is mounted snugly, with no rattles or loose bits.

Well, the basic design has survived since 1951, so I think that's a testament to the durability of a fundamentally sound design. It's built like a tank, so I have no doubt it will hold up just fine.

I replaced the stock strap buttons with Schaller strap locks, as I do will all my basses.

The bass is solid enough to gig on its own, but I always bring a back-up bass.

I haven't had any issues yet, so no worries.

Kudos to Tigard Music in Tigard, OR and Russ their tech. They ordered the bass for me (two-tone sunburst is an uncommon finish---most are butterscotch)and Russ did a great set-up job.

I've been playing since 1977. The '51 P is sharing the stable with a '90s Gibson T-bird, '62 Jazz reissue, '79 Franken-P/J, an MIJ acoustic/electric fretless Precision, an Epiphone Jack Casady, and a '74 Ric 4001.

The '51 P is basic in the extreme. I didn't expect a lot of features, but I did get a well-made bass that sounds pretty damn good. I've been wanting an old-school P-bass since I started playing, but vintage prices kept one out of my reach. I've been looking at the reissue for a long time. I should have gotten this bass years ago.

I love the tone and the vintage vibe this thing puts out. There's nothing to dislike about it.

90's--Japan. Two Tone burst finish. Simple and thats all you need.

The best sounding bass Ive played. Midrangy PU with tons of bass to spare as well. Huge flat wounds help to the boomy tone ala upright bass.

One of the nicest finishes Ive ever seen. Japan made models RULE.

The best.

Never needed it

The best bass for the money. Used MIJapan models rock for this and many other Fender guitars as well.

Made in Japan, just tone and volume knobs, 2-saddle bridge, butterscotch with a black pickguard, maple neck. Vintage everything, plus a trussrod. The original precision design, with what is now the Tele headstock (but was originally the headstock for a p bass). Came with gigbag. Features are exactly what you would expect for a 51 reissue. One single coil pickup.

There are certaint things I really love about this bass, and a couple things I don't enjoy all that much, probably due to the fact that I am not a bass player by training, but a guitarist who bought a bass for recording purposes and for fun in general. As such, I am running it through a SWR workingman's 12. For a single coil bass, there is surprisingly little hum. The original pickup is wound around the outer pole pieces, which means that the poles below the A and D strings are not making as much contact with the wound. I realize this makes it no longer a reissue of a vintage bass, but I made two rather common modifications to this bass: I replaced the pickup with a Seymour Duncan SCPB-3 (aka Quarter Pound), and I replaced the bridge with a Leo Quan Badass III, which drastically increased the sustain. The sound did not change to an ultra modern tone or anything, but it definitely sounds deeper, fuller, and more evenly distributed across the strings. I also put flatwounds on it, and now I love how it sounds.
One problem, however, which is not necessarily the basses fault, is that it has extremely small frets, probably vintage correct. This increases probability of buzzing, and makes it so I have to press down much harder than on other basses to get a clear note, even after a professional set up and truss rod adjustment. Having said that, it is not such a problem to prohibit me from enjoying playing it or enjoying its quality tone.

Previous to my modifications I would give it a 7, and after, a 9.

I bought it used, so I didn't get to experience the factory settings. However, I am going to take this opportunity (since it is the "finish" are for commentary) to note that the finish is much, much deeper and beautiful than it appears in pictures. The butterscotch is pretty yellow, but the woodgrain is visible from underneath, giving it a depth that really grew on me. If I had to buy this bass again, I might get the sunburst instead of the butterscotch, and then put a black pickguard on it. The neck comes with a vintage tint, which makes the maple truly beautiful.

So far so good. I have not played it live, as I am using it for recording and just general jamming, but like most p-basses, it is extremely solidly built. Also, it has the reverse tuners - which is a vintage correct feature - and it stays in tune very well, reliably.

Like I said, I am a guitarist who purchased this bass for recording and jamming. It suits these needs perfectly, providing clean tonal variety. The perks: it is a vintage reissue. The drawbacks: it is a vintage reissue. But, in my case I made a couple modifications, and I have exactly the bass I want, aside from slightly too small of frets.

made in Japan
I replaced the pickup with a Duncan 1/4 pounder (the original pickup did't have a very even output); replaced jack and socket with an "electrosocket" and switchcraft jack. sunburst finish is great;
nice piece of ash for the body; narrow frets; medium weight; this model is not true to a '51, but has features that sorta combine 51, 54, and even the early telecaster bass-they should probably just call it an early 50's model bass

pickup is way too spikey. not sure if they were trying to recreate the 50's pickup that had those characteristics, or if it's just crappy. in my experience, all of the Japanese basses (jazz, p-bass, etc.) that don't use aftermarket or american pickups, have crappy pickups. the basses themselves are fantastic, but I've always wound up replacing the pickups.
I play 60's psychedelic rock, and this fits perfectly in a kenny rogers/1st edition kinda way.
not much variety in the sounds it can make, but it's an articulate, yet warm tone with a hint of leather and woodland moss, with light amber aftertaste.

flawlessly constructed and finished; set up was perfect.

built like a tank; would work well as a defensive weapon, or baseball bat too.

I've been playing since the late 70's;
i own all kinds of stuff;
I'd buy another if lost;
i wish it had a reissue leather gig bag and also came with an early 50's bassman 15" amp at no extra charge.

Japanese made bass from 1990-1991, according to Fender's website. 20 tiny, vintage frets, maple neck, black dots, plugged truss rod hole on the bass' Telecaster-like headstock. One string tree, and tuners that go in reverse. The nut was replaced. One volume knob, one tone knob, and one single coil pickup nearer to the neck. Slab, flat two-tone sunburst body with a white pick guard (whose screws are spread out rather far). The bridge has two barrel-saddles with no grooves for the strings. Two strings on each saddle; adjusting the intonation affects both strings, and adjusting action is little more than changing the height of each side of the saddle. This thing weighs about 12 lbs on my bathroom scale.

As far as features go, this thing is dire. Features aren't what this bass is about though; in 1951, this was the first and only electric bass available. Our bass playing forefathers finally had an alternative to running around with a 6 and a half foot tall, bulky, difficult to play, and nearly silent upright acoustic. They now had a heavy, rather noisy, impossible to intonate electic bass with high action. Oh, and back then, this bass DIDN'T HAVE A TRUSS ROD. They would sit at the back, out of the view of anybody, quietly playing their new bass. Maybe, just maybe, someone in the audience will hear them play their root-5 basslines.

I play this bass proudly, paying homage to those trailblazers. Here we are in our advanced age of active electronics and solid state modelling amplifiers, forgetting our past. Sure, this bass might seem a little lacking in this day and age (I mean it doesn't even have body contours, for God's sake!), but that's why I love it so much; it's true to it's original spec (but with a truss rod this time), looks incredibly retro, and is just plain cool. Your nice hand-made boutique bass with 21 strings, 85 frets and a 6 band EQ with 4 cutaways might make you stand out a little, but playing a vintage number like this is what really gets you not only noticed, but respected.

Long story short; the features are dire, but the aura surrounding this bass is just incredible.

When I got this bass, I thought the pickup was going to be all bass, no treble, like the neck humbucker of a Gibson EB-0/1/2/3. I thought I was going to load it with flatwounds, crank down the tone, and just shake the walls with the muddiest and dubbiest bass tone known to man.

The bass came armed with nickel roundwounds, and I started playing it. As I played more and more, I realized how wrong my premonitions of this bass were. The tone of this bass is very bright, very clear, and very round. You get your hum of a single coil pickup, but the clarity of this bass blew me away. It also delivered a great passive low-end, with it's own cute happy version of the famous P-Bass bark. Some reviews stated that they've changed the pickups to a Seymour Duncan Antiquity (or even a Basslines! Talk about defeating the purpose!), but I couldn't imagine doing that. Sure, the A and D pole pieces are raised, making those strings wolfier than the other two, but that's what compression is for.

Harmonics rang out clear and true, even clearer than the split P-bass pickup (I find that humbuckers in general, especially at the neck, tend to dull out harmonics rather severely). The harmonics were almost comperable to the bridge pup of a J-bass! Well, one thing to note is that the harmonic on the 4th fret (or 9th fret, or 16th, they're all the same harmonic) is almost completely dead. All the other harmonics ring out clear and true (even stubborn ones like the 6th fret), but not that one! I find it amazing that the pickup was positioned and balanced just so that that harmonic got cancelled out.

When the day was done, instead of stringing it with flatwounds, I put on some Rotosound stainless steels. This bass is clear and deep, and I am as taken with the sound of the bass just like I'm taken with it's looks.

I bought this used. The nut had been replaced. The action required some lowering (which was difficult since one of the saddle's screws was stuck for a while), but keep in mind this isn't a slapper's or a shredder's bass. There were some knicks here and there, but this bass is 16 or 17 years old, so I can't blame it. I actually thought it was new with some nicks put on it via delivery. The bass was fitted with the buttons of Straplocks (luckily all my other basses are too, so I just use one of the straps with locks on them like normal). The bass' body is 2 piece ash, and it's two tone sunburst and white pick guard looks a million times better than the butterscotch finish nonsense. I love the neck; it has a 1.625" width at the nut (as opposed to a Jazz Bass' 1.5"), which I find strange, because '57 and '58 P-Basses have an even thicker 1.75" nut width. This nut width is as big as I'll go for on a 4 string. I love maple necks on bass and I love this bass' smooth thick shiny finish on the neck.

Oh come on... a P-bass? This thing weighs 12 pounds. The structural integrity of this bass is about as high as it gets. You don't get much tougher than this. However, the frets are vintage style, which means they are smaller and shorter. This also means that the frets will wear out quicker (and the strings might even dig into the fretboard a bit), but you're not going to ever wear out frets during a gig.

Nope, I always work through my dealer.

I love this bass very much, it's a valued part of my collection. I have another Japanese Fender (in the form of a Fretless Jazz) and a new US Deluxe 5-String Jazz. I run them through a Fulltone Bass Drive, a Digitech Bass Chorus, and a Digitech DigiDelay. My amp is a Fender Bassman 250 210. If this bass were stolen, I'd be heartbroken. I could replace it, but it wouldn't be the same.

All the things I 'hate' about the bass are actually some of the things I love about it. It's vintage vibe and rock-n-roll lineage tells a story of days long past, and it's sweet sound says it'll play loud and clear into the future. A lot of companies try to doll up their reissues, making them better than they were originally, but all Fender added here was a truss rod. This is a very honest reissue of a bass that I'm proud to own. I doubt this bass will every be your main axe, but I guarantee it'll never collect dust under your bed.

'51 reissue P-bass made in Japan in '06. Gloss finish Butterscotch blond ash body w/maple neck/fingerboard, black dot fret markers, matt black pickguard. Two chromed knurled control knobs on chrome base plate. Plug socket on lower side. The body is a non-contoured slab-cut shape in what later became the Telecaster Bass in the late sixties. One single-coil pickup placed mid body. 4 string long scale (87cm nut to bridge length)w/20 frets. String-thru body over simple two pole bridge. Reverse tuners (like an upright bass) in chromed long-stemmed style. Headstock cut in Telly style. Purchase price included nice Fender 60th Anniversary gig bag. Basic features, and excellent in it's simplicity.

Plain and simple (as it is in every way) its sound is unmistakably "Fender bass". It's a no-frills bass guitar and that's it's strength. Variety can be achieved at the amp. It's distinctive in it's sound and that's why I purchased it. It's one of a few basses I own, each for it's particular and unique sound. For what it is, it sounds great!

Bought it new from a local music store, and the setup was good. (I assume a factory set-up) Action seems alittle high but very playable and most likely correct for this type of bass. It has only one pickup, and it seems fine adjustment-wize. No flaws whatsoever. The overall quality was spot-on. Again, for what it is, it is "fabulous".

Overall, I continue to rate this instrument for what it is; a simple well made 4 string bass guitar that has that solid Fender stamp in sound and vision. It's beefy and rugged and ready to go the distance. I can't imagine anything going wrong w/it as it's so basic and "rock" solid. It's all about playing it, not fussing over it.

As far as Fender goes, I just bought it, so no issues or problems. It comes with a Fender lifetime warentee and I assume they are going to back it up. The music store I bought it from did well by me. Just having it in stock to play saved me time and having to deal with the hassel of shipping/possible returning etc. The deluxe gig bag was a bonus(no additional cost) and the price was right. I will be a return customer. (Support your local music store!)

I've been a bassist nearly my whole life (I'm 53 and bought my 1st Woolworths purchase "Japanese" made bass when I was in grade school-1966?) The 51 reissue is also a Japanese-made bass. A huge improvement (since then) and a fine instrument! I have owned a '64 Gibson T-bird since '78, and have an '86 Philip Kubicki X-Factor and a custom (frankenstein) fretless. (Kubicki fretless neck/tuners on a custom Koa T-bird (style) body w/EMG active J-bass pickups)
There was nothing 'wanted' to further ask when I bought the '51 P-bass. I sat and tried a few other basses, had free reigh to do so, and was not 'hounded' to buy it. I don't like to think in terms of 'stolen or lost', but would get another one if I could. I have fallen in love with this instument because I always wanted to own a Fender, as I love that Fender sound/tone. I love the way it looks and feels and sounds. If you are a cyclist, it's like a classic fixed-gear (single speed) bike. One gear, no brakes, pure bicycle. The '51 reissue Fender P-bass is all of that. Long live Fender!

2004 or 2005 made in Japan.

Same featured as mentioned here and on the Fender website. The reverse turning tuners is a little bit of a headtrip when tuning, kinda cool.

A passive pickup with a minimal bridge (limited intonation) and tone controls... these may seem like sparse features, but they are great features when somebody is looking for vintage vibe.

Everyone always thinks that little single coil pickup is going to sound as thin as it looks... it is very deceiving!

The pickup has a big fat sound, with lots of thump and thud. It also has the ability to have a little more Treble, as well as a very welcoming midrange that sort of barks and growls.

Not sure really how much the Ash body or Maple fretboard (as opposed to Rosewood) affect the tone, but this bass sounds great. Can hum a little bit when played through a loud amp.

Perhaps since everyone is used to hearing split coil P-Basses, single coil Jazz Basses, and the rest of the classic pickups, the sound on this can be unique and surprising. It certainly stands out as different in it's overal tonal character.

As a guitar player, I have a nice little collection of guitars going on already. I've got MIM Fenders, Korean made Fenders, and Indonesian Squiers... right alongside the American made heavyweights (3 Gibsons, a Jackson, more Fenders, etc, etc).

The fit and finish of the bass is excellent. My first Japanese made Fender, and it is nearly as good as an American made one!

Action needed a little bit of tweaking, as the bass hung instore for sometime being abused and drooled on by Green Day fans.

To be expected, so it would be unfair to mark against her for action/setup.

Nice fat neck, nice solid Ash slab body. The old style lacquere on neck feels like it will protect well too.

Looks and feels solid enough to me to compete with my 10lbs CShop Les Paul :)

Have had many guitars from Fender, never once had to deal with customer service... to me that is a powerfull sign of good quality. As far as service compares to the quality, I have no idea.

Started on bass, went to guitar, and now am playing both for well over a decade by now. I own a ton of guitars and I have built 7 or 8 tube amps mostly based on vintage circuits.

I was deadset on a Classic 50's P-Bass, but walked out of the store with this bass instead after trying it out. I still want a 50s Classic, but they didn't have my color :)

The neck is not a clumsy "baseball bat" at all, but is comfortable. The slab body has no contours and this is often a complaint as some folks say the square edges get uncomfortable. This has not been my experience at all, but I do sag my straps real low, so this may be why.

Another common complaint is the lack of fine tuning in the intonation aspect. I play a lot of Telecasters with similar "barrel" bridge saddles. Wilkinson makes compensated saddles to relieve this problem, but again, it's not really a problem for me. Intonation matches up very well across the fretboard.

The pickup's A and D string magnets are slightly rised to make for better string balance as it follows the fret radius, but alot of folks say this makes for A and D strings that are unbalanced and louder than the E and G. I fixed this by simply adjusting the string saddles to comform more to the natural radius of both the fretboard and the pickups magnet poles.

I have an early 50s circuit Fender Twin head I built that is similar in some ways to some really old Fender Bassman circuits. I ran the bass into that and then through a Jensen P15N AlNiCo magnet 15" reissue speaker - the same type of speaker as found on another very early Bassman amp... not loud enough to do rock gigs with, but it nails vintage bass tone EASILY. In fact it nails any bass tone I could imagine as "rocking" without any effort... and I like ACDC and The Cult, so it's MUCH more usefull than just a vintage reissue "blues" or "country" throwback bass.

If it were stolen, I may or may not buy it again... it'd be a toss up between this bass and the Classic 50s P, but those are the only two basses I'd probably EVER buy anyways!

I'll rate it at 10...It doesn't really have loads of features but it does exactly what a vintage P-Bass should do. Reverse tuners, Single coil pu, P type volume and tone, vintage 2-saddle bridge assembly, excellent maple neck with thin vintage style frets and lovely butterscotch body which shows the ash grain through to great effect. Its made by Fender Japan who I've long considered to be top dog...often better than American made instruments.

Straight out of the box the sound is vintage P...and surprisingly powerful for a single coil pu. The tone controls do what they should and seem to be sturdy enough. The output accross the stings is a little uneven in output though I understand that the original 51 Fenders suffered from the same problem. I've solved this by exchanging the pu for a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder - a direct replacement which still captures the Fender sound but is a little fuller and definitely more even accross the strings.

I bought this second hand very recently. It was virtually un-used and was probably set up exactly as it was from new. It was set up very well indeed with no major issues. As well as replacing the pu I've also replaced the 2-saddle bridge assembly with a direct replacement BadassIII which allows for proper adjustment of action and intonation which isn't possible with the original configuration. Its a departure from the vintage concept but in my opinion its an essential modification. The bass is now a joy to play. I'm a pick player, I play traditional rock and pop styles..no slapping or whatever..and it sounds great through my Ashdown amplification.

Only the cheapest of Squier P-Basses are likely to give problems with reliability/durability. These vintage re-issues are built like a proverbial tank...possibly better than the originals from which they are copied. These are perfectly suitable for live work and would easily withstand plenty of it. Neck/trussrod adjustment may have to be done ocassionally as with most Fender basses - particularly if it is subjected to big temperature variations. Its a bit of a pain on these as you have to remove the neck in order to avoid damage...the same as on my 57 re-issues. I accept this as part of the deal. Some guys may want to have the bass professionally set up from new though I don't think its necessary with Japanese Fenders. The frets should last a long time and be trouble-free. Totally trust-worthy on a gig..no back-up required.

I doubt that I'll ever have to use Fender's customer support...I never have done in the past with my other basses. I'm not an expert but I know enough about basic setting up and maintenance to get by.

I've been playing bass for over 30 years, professional for a while, though these days a couple of gigs a month as a paid hobby plus home studio song-writing and recording. I own 2 other Precisions, both '57 re-issues made by Fender Japan along with a Mexican Jazz. This is a great addition to my setup, an instrument which I'll probably use quite a lot. I havn't owned it for long but I'd definitely replace it if it were lost/stolen. I think my modifications have improved it and I'd do the same to another if I bought one. The 51 Precision is not a bass to suit every player but its wonderful for all things rock n roll.

This is a new, 2006, Fender, made in Japan with the "butterscotch" finish. As others have noted, there ain't many features: one passive single-coil pickup, two knobs for volume and tone (treble roll-off), four strings. 34" scale, 20 frets, one-piece maple neck, slab body. Strings load through the back of the body. Everything else is on top, including a large black "amoeba" pickguard, which has squared-off edges, rather the bevels we have become accustomed to. What shape is it? Precision, of course, this is the great-grand-daddy P bass.

The neck finish is gloss transparent over maple on the front and back. The body is "butterscotch" which a friend called "banana." It's more attractive in person than in pictures: photos make it appear opaque, but it is transparent, and the ash body grain shows through. Several friends have complimented its looks. It is postwar industrial, not postmodern froufrou. Plain, well finished, made with the same kind of care that you would expect to go into a well-made wooden rowboat. Since I added the LaBella black strings (see below) it looks like it ought to be called the "Black and Decker Bass." Personally I think it's beautiful.

The bridge has two adjustable saddles, which means that at least two strings cannot be properly intonated. Metal hardware is all chrome plated. It came strung with Fender round-wound strings.

The tuners are modern remakes of the vintage Klusons, and the appearance (and the backwards action) have been duplicated, but they have a modern high-ratio mechanism. The tuners are attached like the original,with a noticeable bow in the plate because Leo hadn't figured out a way to get them to mount flush to the headstock (it took until 1964 to figure out that a relief could be cut into the headstock to allow this). The neck is chunky, with a 7-1/4" radius, very different from modern basses, which typically have 9-12" radius on the fingerboard. Large black dots on the fingerboard are at the III, V, VII, IX, XII, XV, XVII and XIX frets, with corresponding, smaller, dots, along the edge.

It's just like Leo made it, with the exceptions that Phillips head screws are used everywhere instead of slot heads (the originals used Phillips screws only for neck attachment), there is neither a pickup nor a bridge cover, and the tug bar was left off.

It came in a cardboard box. No documents, just an inspection checklist hanging from a tuner.

I guess I can't rate a bass this simple as a "10" so I'll give it a "9".

I play roots bass: no Jaco, no Billy, just fundamental play-on-the-beat style bass. We do a wide variety of material, drawing from CS&Y, Neil Young, C&W, along with show tunes. I use a MusicMan HD-130 head with a Hartke 410XL cab for rehearsal, and an Ampeg B100R for gigs. Retro, in other words.

I haven't encountered any noise so far, but I haven't been in a lot of environments with it yet.

The sound is the definitive P Bass sound: round, deep, warm, good articulation. Not much variety, unless you count "round, deep, with no treble" at one end of the spectrum and "round, deep, very little treble" at the other extreme. This is the sound we all grew up with, the aboriginal electric bass.

It was a bit clangy with the roundwounds, but I already had a set of LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass (corporations ought not try to sound so hip) nylon-tape wound strings, and insatalling them cured the problem. I don't expect this one to record as well as brighter basses, but live, it's no problem.

Do I like it? Well, there's only one way to get this vintage P sound, and that's with a vintage P bass: I wanted it, I bought it, and now I've got it. It's not my only bass, but it just might be the last one I'd give up.

The difference between this and other basses is that, there is no tweaking here: you plug it in and play it, and if you don't like the sound, you unplug it and go get another bass. The upside of that is the sound is gorgeous and rich.

Very nice fit and finish: I looked it over pretty closely (it came from Japan in a cardboard box, after all!) and found no flaws. As I mentioned above, it's postwar industrial, so it doesn't have the glassy finish other basses have.

Action was very nice, neck was properly adjusted, the pickup seemed to be in the right place, no complaints about that. The strings were detuned by a quarter tone or so, and in correcting that I noticed what another reviewer had said: the tuning keys are more than just stiff: I thought at first they were locked into place! Hopefully use will loosen them up. The intonation was very good, given the limitations of the primitive bridge.

Nothing loose, chipped, marked, or other than very nicely finished.

This is the original canoe paddle bass. It would take a pretty big hit to make a dent in it. A lot of the ol' originals are still out there, and, not counting the ones in glass cases, are still doing the job. If something happens and you need to work on them, they come apart like a Stromberg 97 carburetor.

I haven't had to adjust anything yet. I could gig with it without a backup, but there are several songs for which it doesn't have the appropriate sound, so I'll probably end up with two basses at the gig.

No experience

I've been playing guitar for 35 years, and bass for 25. The P is one of 6 basses I currently own, but with this and one other I'll be covered. Basses for sale! A quick list of the basses: Carvin LB20 with DiMarzio Model J pickups, Global mutt with Select Bass Humbucker pickups, Ibanez 5-string acoustic bass guitar, Squier II Precision with Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickup and a Tribute by G&L L2000. The amps I listed above. I also own 9 other guitars from a couple of acoustics to a pedal steel, and operate a digital project studio.

The other keeper is the L2000, which might reasonably be called the grandson of ol' P, here, since it was the third style of bass that Leo Fender designed. (Short history lesson: Leo devised the Fender bass -- the P under discussion -- then went on to modify it into the Jazz Bass and a few other variations, all of which had passive electronics and solid bodies. After he sold Fender Musical Instruments, he developed the active MusicMan basses, and when he left there, he came up with the G&L line of active basses. So the Precision '51 Reissue represents the first of the line, and the G&L L2000, the final heir.)

Between the '51 P and the L2000, I can get every sound I want. The importance of the P is that it goes where the G&L can't, which is into 1951 territory.

All my other basses are less competent, don't sound quite as good, or don't feel as good as these two.

You can't buy love or happiness, but you can buy a great, warm bass sound, and it's pretty inexpensive, especially considering that the real vintage thing goes for 5-figure prices, and probably smells like stale tobacco smoke into the bargain.

There is no question that I'd buy another one. This is the one bass I can't live without.

I bought a '02 '51 P bass reissue brand new. It has an ash body which is heavy but too heavy to gig with. The one piece maple neck is really fast and has a great feel. If you ask me the single volume and the tone knob are all you need and the sinle coil pickup has such a versitle sound it can be used for any gender of music. The only thing I wish it came with is a hard case or any kind of case for that matter.

The sound if fantastic! I play classic rock and it can make so many different kinds of sounds for any type of style. If the tone knob is down than its a warm smooth sound like you might hear from a John Entwistle (The Who) type sound. If you turn the tone up its a real bright and poppy sound like you might hear from Geddy Lee (Rush). It great for live gigs or in the studio.

The action from the factory was ok but with the adjustable trus rod it was easily fixed and really not a big deal. The only compllaint I have as far as hardware goes is that about a year after I bought it the output jack started to get loose but all that it took to fix that was two pairs of needle nose pliers. Again no big deal.

The bass itself is a tank but all fenders are. I have had one major problem with this bass. I was playing a gig and playing some slap bass and as I was slapping and popping the pickup cover and all the coiling inside came off and the magnet poles stuck to the strings. I took the bass and the rest of the pickup to my local fender repair shop and had it fixed though there was a hitch in that to. I'll get to that later.

The fender support for me sucked! When the pickup broke on my bass and I went to the fender repair center (3rd Coast) and told them what happened. They said that they could get it fixed and luckily it was still under warrenty. (1 year) It took fender three months to get the pickup to third coast and another two weeks for them to install it. I was not happy when I got my bass back and I let them know it.

Even though I had the problem with the pickup I would still buy this bass again in a heartbeat even if I had to go through all the repair work again. The playability and sound totaly make up for the problem I had.

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 pac