Fender '51 P-Bass Reissue

Fender P-Bass 51 Reissue, Japan built, Butterscotch Blonde. Beautiful build, simple but eye-catching design. Thinner headstock than the modern P-basses, lighter than the modern P-basses too.

The sound has a real thump to it as well as having a nice clank at the top end. Warm sounding with fingers, aggressive sounding with a pick. Perfect for my style (weird indie rock/pop).

When I first tried it in the shop the E string kept 'grabbing' the pickup and making a horrible pop, but dropping the pickup fixed this in an instant.

Came with a very low action from the factory, I prefer quite a high action (I love to feel what I'm playing). It's a shame you have to remove the neck to adjust it.

Internation from factory was spot on, which is lucky as the bass has twin saddles, and my friend has had may problems with his twin saddles on his guitar (Fender Jag).

Looks great, feels great, shame about the bridge.

Although it's lighter than the standard P-Bass, it feels more solid. the thicker neck adds to the rigid feel.

You just have to look at it to know it'd last forever.

I wouldn't gig without a back up, but this is due to past experience, and has nothing to do with the bass.

I've never dealt with Fender. I feel like I'll never have to.

This whole review I've compared it to a P-Bass. I also have a P-Lyte. This in my opinion surpasses both these. It looks great, it sounds great and it feels great.
I think you have to make a few minor adjustments to it so it fits your tastes, but tell me a bass you don't have to!

I enjoy playing solid basses. Thick necks and high action, raw thumpy sounds, bulky shapes.. This is the bass for me.

It's a rather low price (due to the Japan build I expect), but don't let that fool you. This is the best bass I've ever played.

Made ('scuse me..."crafted") in Japan, probably in 2008. As basic as you can get. One original-style single-coil P-bass pickup. One low-pass passive roll-off. Two-saddle bridge. Slab body with butterscotch finish. No ups/no extras.

I was lucky enough to find it for $400 brand new. Apparently the bass had been hanging on the wall for a long time and the store just decided to get rid of it. The usual sticker as of this writing is $940 and I'd say it's worth that much, but I probably wouldn't be willing to pay a whole lot more.

The rating here is 9. The bass is what it is. Adding features would just make it something else. But I'll dock it a point because trying to get proper intonation with a two-saddle bridge is an exercise in approximation. Yes, I realize that's how they made them in the '50s, but it's an instrument, not a museum piece.

Okay, this is NOT the most versatile bass ever made. If you're a jobber or a studio musician, this probably won't be the One True Axe you'll bring to every gig without backup or alternative.

But versatility isn't everything, and the sound this bass makes is wonderful! My primary bass for the last few years is a Stingray, and the '51 is a great alternate voice. With the filter wide open, as I'd usually run it, the bass has a bright (but not thin), mildly electronic tone. Rolling back on the filter gives you a nice usable thump that would be at home on a Motown record.

The single-coil pickup is a bit noisier than some of the more modern designs, but that's pretty much irrelevant once the band starts playing. I'm very happy I stumbled across this bass!

The bass was set up pretty well when I found it. I had to play with the intonation a bit, but string height and neck adjustment were very comfortable.

I haven't gone over it with a magnifying glass, but the finish is flawless as far as I can tell. Even after hanging in Guitar Center for who knows how long. I suppose that bodes well for durability.

One nitpick: the plastic "skin" that covered the pick guard left a little bit of sticky residue behind. I understand this isn't uncommon. I ended up taking the pick guard off and scrubbing it with Goo Gone, then washing the Goo Gone away with some water and dish soap. It was perfect after that. If you do the same, make sure the guard is completely dry when you put it back on!

I won't gig with it until next week. That said, I've felt some flimsy basses in my time and this isn't one of them. The neck joint feels solid and I don't anticipate any problems with the hardware or electronics. Really, there isn't a whole lot there to break down.

I would consider gigging with it without a backup. I'd only want a second bass to give me a different sound.

I haven't dealt with Fender, so I have no opinion on this.

I started playing in the early '80s. Basses I've owned include: Fender Telecaster Bass, Washburn Vulture, Ibanez Musician, Danelectro short horn, Musicman Stingray, Kustom short scale, semi-hollow something-or-other, and the '51 P-Bass.

I love this thing! Some people don't like the slab-style bodies, but to me, it's like coming home to my old T-Bass. The sound rocks. The short, vintage-style frets took all of about half an hour to get used to. I even like the color and the primitive, non-beveled pick guard.

This isn't an exact repro. It doesn't include the chrome pickup or bridge covers and there's no finger rest. That's fine with me. As I said before, I'm not interested in a museum piece. Those are parts I'd probably remove anyway, and this way I have no extraneous holes.

If it was stolen, I'd definitely want to replace it.

Mine's the butterscotch blonde one, I love the finish on this bass, it shows just the right amount of woodgrain. The neck is great just the right balance of width and depth for my liking and there's just something so cool about the small headstock. It's hard to fault this instrument on features as it has everything it needs and it all seems pretty great at the moment, the only problem I have with it is that I feel the tone control could have a bit more of a range on it.

I play a lot of different music (jazz, metal, indie, blues, rock etc.) and I feel confident that this bass should be able to cover them all as long as you vary your technique according to whit you're playing, I found righthand finger placement and how hard you hit the strings makes a profound difference on this bass.

This is where I felt this bass really shone, It was set up perfectly to my tastes from the factory, not a rough edge on it, like I said earlier the finish is gorgeous the black p-guard really contrasts well with the body and the neck.

I'm pretty certain this bass will hold up, compared to the basses I have played (either cheap to medium priced intermediate basses, or second hand Japanese models) the fender feels well constructed and solid, my other main electric bass is an old grant fretless made in japan in the late 70's early 80's and it's held up brilliantly, so I fully expect the quality of japanese manufacture to shine through.

not dealt with them

I've been playing 10 years now and bass playing is my full time job, and now that I've got this bass I feel it is the instrument that I'll turn to again and again for almost everything. If this were stolen I would buy another in a heartbeat (if could get the spare cash again) when I chose this bass I compared it to the 2008 jazz and p-bass standard models, the j and p-bass deluxe active models and the 50's classic p-bass and this just felt much more special and more of a complete instrument, other basses all had things I liked but this bass doesn't have anything I don't like, my one problem I wish the tone control did a wee bit more, but it does do it's job. This is a winner of a bass.

CIJ written on the back of the neck, reg. to serial number it was made in early 90`s. The body of this one is made of two pieces of nicely figured ash wood, not centered but the other part is small enough that its actually fells like 1 piece. Not bad For 500 bucks-I didnt try to ask in Fender custom shop how much would cost me 1 piece ash body for 51 bass.

I play all kinda stuff from early 60`s to modern electronic experiments and this bass with a little help from nice preamps and/or stompboxes do it all with pleasure. You got a play with tone and volume a bit and at the end wow -the sound you`ve been looking for is there. Of course played live or studio or in the bed. I changed plastic nut for graphite one, original bridge to Leo quan III and tried to change pickup for Seymour duncan scpb-3 but I ended up with original one.

Action is a bit of disapointment at first but due to the plastic nut, tiny frets and not very well made japanese bridge. After months of playing on original setup I have made few modifications that made this bass whispering, singin or yelling at my wish.

You`re kidding? Japanese guitars withstand WW III and our grand kids will play them after year 3000

japanese guys are ready to talk anytime.. based on my experience with TOKAI and GRECO companies

I`ve been playing for 20 years now and I have played or owned bunch of guitars. I think that americo-mexican craftsmen should go to some japanese guitar factory to learn how should Leo Fender ideas sounds like. Of course thumbs up for deluxe or custom shop builded fender models. Anyway for 500 dollars and another 200 for extra parts + 3 hours of modification time with this japanese fender you can get the sound thats coming from 1500 + american guitars ..and not all of them.... Not bad huh?

This is the awesome Butterscotch Blonde reissue, 20 medium jumbo frets, slab body, simple volume and tone control, single four element pickup, maple neck with Leo's original Precision style block body and bridge; thirty-four inch scale neck with a maple finger board... sorry this Japanese manufactured bass has no accessories or case.

I play a lot of older rock, jazz and country... this bass fills the bill very well. I play it through a Fender BXR 200 with a built in Chorus, and practice on a Peavey 112 or an AXL two channel sixty watter. Use clean, well maintained cables to avoid unwanted hum. The instrument can pretty much delivery anything from a clean bright wiry slap to a really nice full muddy bottom... you have to dial it in to what you like. I loaned this to a guy who took it to a gig with some guys from a name jazz act in Kansas City. They loved this instrument, it brings back a lot of memories for older players.

Set up from the Japanese factory was excellent... action was low with no buzzing. The single pickup had all the power I needed. The only flaw with the instrument was the jack plate... it hung loose from the body.

The Butterscotch finish is so thick on this bass, I may have to buy a Squier and have it reliced to ever get a bass with a wore appearance. I would take this instrument anywhere without back up.

The Fender service center at Woodsongs in Boulder were no trouble what so ever, had the instrument repaired in two days under warranty, and this is the first Japanese Fender I've owned (4) that ever had an issue.

Started playing bass in '67, but has not been my main instrument for thirty years... I wanted this instrument the moment I saw it, and after seeing and original on sell in Vintage Guitar Magazine for $24,500 this looked like a bargain. If it were stolen I would replace it... What's not to love, it's a butterscotch Fender Bass... I've played a number of basses over the years, and own a lot of guitars, but when it comes to basses, I'm definitely a Fender guy.

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 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.

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.

I've had a 51 reissue for almost a year and it's perfect for me. I like power trio style blues rock like ZZ TOP. Fills in the bottom end real nice. True, not much range but true to it's original fat sound.

I would like to have had all the parts to it. Like pickup cover and finger rest. And a big F on the back plate. I also have a problem with the nut. Any one else? Rate 9

i have a Fender Bassman 100 watt amp. Good for jaming and giggin. I wish it were Louder. It could be the 51.

This bass was made in 2002. It is the new 51 reissue made in Japan. It has a slab p-bass style ash body, no arm or belly cuts. It is Butterscotch Blonde. 20 fret maple neck/fretboard with Telecaster style headstock. 1 single coil pickup like a Strat except has only 4 polepieces. It has a 2 saddle string thru body bridge, reverse nickle tuners.

This bass has that vintage Fender vibe. It may not have tons of features, but this is a reissue of the first electric solid-body bass. It is true to the original, which is why I am giving it a 10.

This bass will not suit all styles of music, but it does suit my styles. I play classic rock and country. It works just fine for both. Metal, Grunge, New-Wave players stay away. You won't like this basses tones.

The single coil pickup packs some punch, and is incredibly quiet for a single coil. It doesn't have the split pickup p-bass tone, it is much more punchy and the notes are better defined.

I play it through a Peavey BAM 2x10. I use as little chorus or flange depending on the song. It gets the Sting/Police early era sound perfectly.

You won't be able to dial in multitudes of different tones with this bass, but then again, that isn't why you buy this bass.

This bass was constructed very well. All the frets were dressed and seated properly. The action is nice and low with no fret buzz. The neck body joint is nice and tight and there is no noticable side to side movement.

My only complaint is that Fender should have included the bridge and pickup ashtrays. It would have been a nice addition.

It seems very durible. I only had to adjust the truss rod during initial setup. The neck hasn't moved since.

The Japanese have constructed a nice solid bass.

Never dealt with them

I've been playing for over 20 years. I have always wanted one of these. If it were stolen, I would definately buy another one. At $599.00, this bass is a great value. Very good construction, vintage vibe. As I said before, the ashtrays would be a nice touch.

Mid 90's Japanese '51 P-Bass reissue. Tobacco sunburst, white pickguard and maple neck.

I was initially interested in the '51 primarily for it's looks - a couple of the bands I play in have 50's and 60's overtones so I wanted something that looked "authentic". I've played it a lot since and my only complaint was that at live shows it lacked punch on the E and G strings. I replaced the stock pickup with a Seymour Duncan BassLines pickup which cured that problem nicely. At first I was concerned about intonation because of the paired bridge saddles, but it hasn't really been a problem. The only complaint I have now is the all-too-familiar single coil hum but as long as I keep my hands on the strings it's not too bad. The two systems I use are a Fender BXR 400 or a Gallien Krueger 400 RB, through either a BXR 410 or EV 15. All in all, I like this bass a lot. Very solid, lots of sustain and just good all around sound. My much-cherished, customized Aria Jazz Bass copy was stolen recently, so the '51 P-Bass has now become my main weapon and it's doing great

No flaws, good quality all-around.

Built like a tank and very durable. A little action and intonation adjustment, and the new pickup and it was ready to go. Oh yeah, the original input jack used to come loose all the time, so I replaced it with a Stewart MacDonald Electrosocket - now I feel like I've got a bass that won't ever let me down at a show.

25 years on bass, many years of piano and violin before that, but I switched to bass hoping to get chicks, lol. Still have a piano, several guitars, and lots of cheapo basses that I wish I'd never bought, lol. If it was lost or stolen, I'd definitely try to replace it.

Mid 90's Japanese 51-P Bass re-issue. Butterscotch Yellow w/ Black Pickguard. Maple Neck. Single coil Pick-up. Original Tweed case

Strung with flat-wounds, it's great for Rockabilly. Which I play often. For this style of music, it's the only electric bass that is
really authentic since it's a re-issue of the only bass around in the 50's, and it was the bass used by Gene Vincent & Jerry Lee Lewis's bass players.

Deep warm bass.
Especially when used with an old tube amp like a Fender Bassman 135.
Not very versatile though, can sound muddy in certain rooms. (Concrete ex-disco's are the worst)

Maple Neck is fast + Comfortable.
Hardware is sturdy
looks awesome

Had the exact same problem as other user. String caught under edge of pick-up at gig, ripping pick-up right out of body, rendering the bass useless. Had to replace with Seymour Duncan Single coil tele bass p/u, which sounds even better. Can not rock too hard because of this.

I rarely rely on any bass without back-up.

Replaced strap buttons with Dunlop.

Cloth Material on outside of tweed case is not holding up too well. Tolex case would have been better.

Used independent repair shop

Been playing 31 years
Other gear I Own:

Sunburst 74 Precision w/ Rosewood Neck
Maple 72 Precision with Rosewood Neck
Maple 75 Jazz Bass re-issue (Japanese)
Cherry Red 1968 Gibson EB2
Mid 90's Jerry Jones Longhorn Bass (Black)
2000 Dan Electro Longhorn Bass (Blackburst)
2000 Dan Electro Baritone Guitar (Black)
Tobbaccoburst Custom P-Bass (non-Fender) W/ Rosewood Tele Style Neck
1983 Fender Catalina Acoustic Guitar (Black)
2000 Dan Electro U2 Copperburst
GK 400RB
1970's Fender Bassman 135 w/ 2-15 Cab
1970's Traynor Bass Amp w/ 1-18 & 2-8's in original reflex Traynor Cab

Love the Looks of the 51 Re-issue
It's great for Rockabilly & Country Western, even some Blues & Rock N Roll, but it is limited compared to a later P-bass or Jazz Bass.

Non contoured body can be cumbersome & uncomfortable. Bass is heavy. Neck is Huge. Not for the novice.

Would buy again if lost or stolen, if I could find it. They're getting rare.

This is a mid-90s Japanese 51 P Bass. My dad owns an early 1968 Telecaster bass, and that thing wails. When I got the opportunity to get a tely style bass, this came up on ebay. This bass is Blonde with a black guard. Awesome original features with Surprizingly excellent Japanese craftsmanship.

Four words: Duck Dunn, James Jamerson

Excellent setup, with absolutely no flaws.

Hey, it's a Fender....what do you expect from a 55 year old company!

This bass is the S**T!!!!!!!!Poop on other basses.

Two years ago i acquired for #IR350 (Euro 440) c.US$420 a slightly
used but otherwise mint Fender Japan '51 P-Bass reissue from the company's deleted 'Collectibles' series. It is a 2-tone sunburst finish with a one piece maple neck, and large single-ply white pickguard.

I play a lot of jazz, light rock, country and pop and this bass is,
despite its mass, a delight to play as one can rest the forearm along
the slab body while playing fingerstyle.

The neck feels very smooth and the action is very low and buzz-free.
The bridge and pickup are replicas of an original and have some disadvantages to them-but hey, things have moved on this last half century ! The large Tele-type headstock looks great!

Soundwise this bass has a 'woody' tone, not surprisingly given the
sheer amount of ash and maple used in its construction! As the strings are anchored at the rear of the body by large ferrules, sustain is good.

All in all, a surprisingly versatile bass with superb build quality-
the Japanese made good Fenders at very competitive prices.

1996 Japanese Made reissue of original '51 P-bass. Blonde transparent finish, black pick guard. Maple neck, tele style headstock. Single vintage re-issue P-bass pickup that has a clean, brighter than normal bass sound to it. It does not have as much beef as a regular P-bass, but the sound is great if you want to get some ring and overtones on your bass sound, esp. if you use a pick. Great for playing bass chords. Old style string through body bridge that has 2 saddles, 2 strings per saddle. This makes it hard to get into perfect intonation as you have to compromise between the E/A and D/G strings that share a saddle. Came with a really nice tweed case with fuzzy orange lining.

Sound is great if you play bass chords or drone, good for distortion on bass - the single coil pickup allows new strings to really ring out. Definitly not a 'funk' bass though, as the low end does not compare to most quality basses. Depending on what sound you are going for, I think the sound is great.

Finish was superb, action is very nice and easy to play.

It's pretty solid and always stays in tune. The only problem I have is with the pickup - there is no pickup guard on it and the top of the pickup has a lip that hangs over the edge. Playing a show in front of 3000 people, I once caught my G string under the lip, and in an attempt to 'unhook' the string mid-song, ripped the pickup right out of the body. That and the dual saddle thing - though I believe that is what makes it the '51 re-issue, now isn't it.

When I destroyed the pickup, was able to get a new vintage-reissue pickup without problems from the factory.

I bought it because I liked the sound, but pickup/saddle issue bug me. I love the sound and how it plays - almost like a guitar, so smooth. My other bass is a 5th anniversary P-Bass deluxe that has it's own range of sounds but is not as easy to play.