Fender American Standard Precision Bass

I love this bass - I went into the local Fender distributor and weighed all their basses and this was by far the lighest at 3.8 kgs (interestingly they had a rather ugly looking Jazz Bass special at the same weight).

So glad that I bought this baby - I have been playing off and on since I was 13 years old (that's 35 years) although i admit to having an over riding fascination with acoustic guitars for the last ten years till I had an epiphany to play the bass again.

I love the new bridge - feel so grounded. The new pick up design doesn't provide the best site for your thumb even when its screw is fully released but its big enough.

The best thing about the P bass it has all that you need - Fender has really got it right with this 2008 model.

The case is a real bonus for us traveling musoes

The sound it full and sweet - I have tried it with a few set up and have most recently bought a Bassman 300 with a 410. Ugggh - perfection - liquid black bassness seems to be squeezed out when I play this beauty.

I also have a GK100RBMkII also wonderful but these things were made for valves - lifes too short for anything less!

Usually have the treble turned up most of the way and the amp settings only need to be pretty flat - tend not to use any compression. So smooth!

Set was perfect - a surprise that it has been sitting in a tropical environment for a year or so (I live in Jakarta, Indonesia).

No flaws after a few months of getting into it.

No buzzes and I leave it out on it's stand all day - stay stable even in the non AC heat.

All seems very dependable.

Fender has the quality!

Shop were great but you would be on your own out here!

Been playing off and on 35 years. have a custom made Schecter which is far too heavy! Also have had a old fretless Richenbacker which I found a little gutless.

2008 American Standard Precision Bass. Basswood body, maple neck and maple 22 frets fretboard.
Black with 3-ply white/black/white pickguard. 1 volume, 1 tone, and 1 single split coil passive pick up. And it's all you need.
For 2008 Fender put on this bass a new bridge never seen before. It looks like the old classic Fender bridge, but it's a string through body bridge with a little bit more modern look.

The bass can make two sounds. If you keep the tone open the sound will be metallic and bright, and you'll hear the noise of your fingers also. With the tone closed the sound is warm, fat and noiseless. The classic sound of P-Bass. I play Heavy/Glam Metal and it's perfect for me.

The action is quite high, and the PU is not perfectly orizhontal. It's lower on the E string (bass coil) and lower to the G string (treble coil).

I's an American made Fender, and if there's a thing that Fender surely does, it's make a good durable instruments. It's not indestructible, of course, but very good.

I have no idea. I didn't need to deal with fender.

I play since 2000 and i was lookin' for a P-Bass, with the sound of a P-Bass.
I'm very satisfied and it's perfect for that I play. The n.1 Hard Rock and Heavy Metal bass guitar.

Familiar Fender P-Bass with upgraded tuners, bridge, finish, etc. Lots of nice case candy, and a GREAT plastic hardshell case included (airplane cargo-hold worthy).


The new 2008 American Standard Precision Bass is a total triumph for Fender. This is from a 30-year P-Bass player for whom, till this point, nothing but vintage was good enough.

From the time I bought a new ???78 off the rack at Sam Ash (that bass was a real POS, by the way) through to the joyful generation I spent playing a spectacular fly-weight ???61 (now returned to it???s original owner), nothing stood up to the feel, sound, physical solidity, and downright rightness of a vintage P-Bass (and by vintage, I do not mean mid-to late ???70s, that now-bygone era stunk for Fender). Any gaps in my vintage P-Bass ownership I filled with a 1982 G&L L-1000 (another one-PU masterpiece by Leo F., naturally), and, surprisingly, $200 P-style Danelectros, which - probably by total accident - caught the right vibe.

Like many of you, I???ve be exposed to tons of Fender-corporate-generated hype about ???upgrades??? made to the new Fender American Standards. Well, after trying one out at length at the local Guitar Center, I soon found myself on Musician???s Friend eagerly plunking down a grand + for a Charcoal Frost & rosewood bass. I am thrilled to say that this bass is a natural; it???s not a reissue in any sense and has with a feel completely different from a vintage Precision, but every bit of that unmistakable Fender mojo is intact, and the many little upgrades are indeed improvements.

When you???re right, you???re right ??? and Fender has gotten it right once again. Try, buy, and believe. If I could do it, I think anybody can.

Sounds good, like a Fender bass should. Ripping middy growl, tight, focused bass, twangy treble. That's the beautly of hte P-Bass: just about all the tone is there, and you can let your amp bring out what you want.

Really a wonderful job -- tight neck pocket, flawless finish, smooth fretwork, good action, and right-on intonation right out of the box -- a very classy build, worth the extra $$$.

I imagine it's a little more fragile than my old '61 (which went under a taxi and remained in tune), but you have the feeling you are holding a rock-solid instrument when this baby's in your mitts.

Never dealt with them, cause I never had a problem with a Fender product. Hopefully, I'll never find out!

Limited lifetime warrantee.

2006 precision you know the deal 1 pickup 1 tone 1 volume just the way it should be.... low on features big on sound

this is the sound i have been looking for......had a ibanez srx 700.....looked like a killer but sounded like a dud ...the term MUSICAL instrument was incorrect ,it was an instrument with not a musical sound in it.....I HATE ACTIVE EQ...... i like tone and this fender has buckets of it.... in a 3 piece band this thing filled the bottem perfectly this guitar sounds like a bass should sound

every thing was good ..just fine tuned the intonation and string height to suit me ...i love the BIG chuncky neck...this feels like a mans bass ...not some bass that thinks its a guitar with their skinny narrow necks and active eq......

this is build like a brick shithouse ...this will last my life time .....

never needed any support from fender ....never had a problem with any of the 8 fender strats or teles i have owned

been playing guitar for over 40 years ...dabbled with bass on and off but now playing bass in a 3 peice (blues/jazz/rock)...i never liked the look of the precision ..much prefered the look of the jazz bass ....but that was when i was playing guitar...now i am playing bass the first time i hit the open E on this bass it blew me away ....this is the sound ....its got this grand piano ring to it that is so musical that it makes you play better ....i am starting to like the look of it ...it does look cool....a bit vintage

This a 2000 Fender American Standard. Made in the USA. Black w/White Pickguard Maple neck and Maple Fretboard. This is 1st Maple necked (fretboard)that I have owned. I have to tell you that there is no greater feel and sound than a P Bass with Maple neck. 20 frets, 4 strings. Strung with D'addario Chromes flatwounds. Body is very light for a P Bass. I traded a 2003 Ernie Ball Stingray for this Bass. It's the tone I have inside my head. String through body and one great neck, feels like a B style Fender neck. Smooth as silk and lighting fast. It has improved my playing dramatially.

It the perverbial Classic Rock and Roll tones from the 60's and 70's. A rich full Thundering, building filling, wall shaking, bowel rumbling, foudation cracking, Leo Fender got it right the first time Tone to the Bone Tone. Good for stage or studio. I previously made a reveiw of a 97 American Standard but traded it for a Stingray. That was a dumb move. I liked the playability of the Stingray but not real happy with the active electronics tone. Some like it and some don't. I have come back to my roots with this Bass.

Bass was well set up from the guy I traded with. He did a great job. Pickups adjusted perfectly and have a nice output with some growl and a ton of low end. Punchy too. I like it. Bass has some nicks and scratchs but it is a used instrument used professionally.

Of all the Fender Basses that I have owned I have never had a problem.
A very dependable Bass.

Never needed them.........

Played stringed instruments since 1963. Guitar, Bass, Banjo, Mandolin, etc. Own just this P Bass. Would buy it again. Love everything and hate nothing about it. Overall, Leo got it right the first time. I feel sorry for all the young smucks who go out and buy 20 different Basses in search of a Fender P Bass. Of course they don't know it's a P Bass that they desire but they know when they finally find it. God I love this bass. Please don't let anything happen to it. I'll take care of it and use it to bring you Glory on our Church's Worship Team. Amen!

1997 Fender American Standard. Black with White Pickguard. Passive, one pickup does it all. Volume and tone controls. Fat neck. This is a Man's Bass. Grab hold of that Fat Neck play it. Rosewood fretboard. Simple but what a Bass. Not many features. All the case candy was included. Tuners are schaller and solid. String through body. Great sustain.

I play on our CHurch's Worship team and it suites the style of music perfectly. By itself it does not sound great but when it sits in the mix with all the other instruments it can't be beat. My amp is an SWR Workingman's 15, 160 watts. I do have the option and capibility to go to sound board if needed. All I need for 200 capacity Church. Thundering Tone is the best way to discribe it's sound. You can add treble if you like to slap and pop and all that, great way to tear up the frets. I'm a groove player and like to key in on the drummer's foot and keep it simple. Find the pocket and enjoy the ride. I'm not a showboat, it not about me, it's about the music and the worship. Never had it in the studio but on stage it's gets the job done really well. Nothing sounds like a P Bass but a P Bass. A little heavy but worth it's weight in Tone. I use no effects.

Bought used so needed a setup along with some D'addario Chromes Flats. These Chromes make this P Bass really sond great. Bass was used but in mint condition. What a deal.

It will forever withstand live playing. A rock solid Bass for all occasions. Try one buy one. Every Bass player should own a P Bass. I always gig without a backup.

Never have used them. Never had a problem with Fender Guitars...

Been playing since 1963. Bass for the last 13 years. I play a number of stringed instruments but all I own is this P Bass. I would buy it again. I love everything about it. Worth every penny I paid for it. My favorite feature is the split coil pickup, it's a great pickup. I chose the Fender P Bass because I've played all the brands and the P Bass had the Tone I desired.

This review is for a 2001 American Standard 4-string P-Bass, made in USA with a candy apple red finish, black pickguard, with a rosewood fingerboard with 20 frets and passive electronics. This bass in retrospect looked a little nicer than it actually played. Featured the standard split pickup found on all P-basses, very simple layout with single volume and tone controls.

I play mostly classic rock and some funk in two different bands. I have owned many of these P-Basses throughout the decades (I have been playing for 42 years) and with the exception of my first bass that my Mom bought me new in 1965, a real Leo Fender P-Bass (he sold the company to CBS in late 1965), most of the dozens of P-Basses I have ownd and played since then have been crap, with this 2001 version falling into that group. The sound is fairly weak and honky, with the single tone control not doing too much as far as shaping a usuable sound. I guess I have been spoiled by my "real" Fender basses, which are Leo Era Music Mans and G&Ls, which totally blow away the CBS era P-Basses in EVERY category of sound and quality.

Most P-Basses I have played have wide and uncomfortable baseball bat necks and this one was no exception. I am a big guy with a big hand and still, this bass does not allow you to play "risky" riffs, but I feel holds you back to playing more standard and safer passages. It is a difficult bass to play and needs to have one more fret to give you the high "E" and a three octave range. On the other hand, my Music Man Stingray and G&L L-1000s and SB-1/SB-2 axes encourage you to take risks because of their unique playability.

The American Fender P-Bass has some quality, fit and finish, and parts matching issues. Also, the cheapo bridge is a joke and looks like it cost $1.95 to make it. Compare that to the massive saddle lock bridge of a Leo Fender G&L bass and there is NO COMPARISON. A G&L is more Fender than any post 1965 Fender.

The neck was very sensitive to temp changes on this 2001 P-Bass requiring frequent adjustment, but the candy apple red finish was fairly well done. The bass had a very annoying tendency to be top heavy, and fell forward toward the tuning keys every time you took your hands off the neck. This told me that the body was too light and that the bass was out of balance.

Never had to call them.

I have been playing 42 years professionally and have owned many Fender basses (over 25). This will be the LAST Fender bass that I buy, simply because Leo Fender would have had nothing to do with this bass, which in my opinion, is a mockery of his name and legend. My preference is to play REAL Fender basses, like the Music Man Stingray and the G&L basses from 1980-thru-1991, when he was running the show there. For more info, see my L-1000 and SB-1 G&L reviews. I sold this bass to someone who was looking for a P-Bass in good condition. I wish them luck, as there was NO compelling reason for me to continue to own or play this USA P-Bass. Life is short. If you want a Fender bass, get a G&L, period.

I own a 1996 American Standard Precision Bass. It is the same as everyone else's American Standard P-Bass. Passive electronics, string-through body bridge, thick neck, one volume control, one tone control, single split-coil pickup, and so on. There are not a lot of knobs, dials, and other crap with which to deal on this instrument--just the way I like it.

It came with a traditional hardshell case. One problem with the case is that when putting the bass back in the case, the way the case is made, it pushes on the G-string tuning key, putting it out of tune. This isn't a big deal because I tune up before playing each time, but it just seems sort of weird to have a case like that.

The sound is very pure. Even though it does not have a lot of variety, it covers a lot of musical styles really well. The first time I plucked the E-string, I thought to myself, "Sounds like a grand piano" and I haven't changed my opinion much since I bought it. It is a rich sound without a lot of high-end.

I play many different styles: pop, rock, hard rock, blues, punk, funk, and even contemporary christian. I primarily play with a pick and it sounds great that way. Fingerstyle is fine, too. This bass covers them all really well. In my opinion, if you are looking to play "lead bass" this probably wouldn't be your best choice. When I play bass, I support the guitarist and vocalist and I look to be the rock bottom foundation. This bass gives that to me.

I have done a little studio work and the P-Bass records well.

All in all, it has a nice sound with good sustain. It is solid and grooves nicely.

I bought the bass as new old-stock. I purchased it new in 2001 and it is a 1996, so I can't give much of an evaluation of the factory set-up. I was able to set it up without any major problems.

I have the action set at 3/32" at each string (measured at the 17th fret, without a capo at the first fret) and I get just a slight buzz on the E-string if I hit the string moderately hard. I may eventually raise the action on the low E slightly to eliminate any trace of buzz, but I really like the action where it is now. I play with 45-105 strings (medium gauge).

The truss rod adjustment is a little stiff, but it moves. The stiffness of the truss rod worries me just a little bit, but so far I have had no problems with the neck. I like the fact that the neck has graphite rod reinforcements. I will never buy another bass without this feature. With the amount of tension on a bass neck, I like the security (real or imagined) of having the rods in the neck.

The pickup was fine and easy to adjust. The volume and tone controls are fine. The little internal screw on the volume knob like to come loose every so often though and I have to tighten it down otherwise the volume knob could slide off. This is not a big deal though. I cranked it down the last time I needed to adjust it and it has stayed.

The saddles were fine, but the saddle height adjustment screws have sharp edges. I have caught my hand on these edges and it didn't tickle. I need to file them down, but this would be the worst aspect of the fit and finish on the guitar. The screws stick out quite a way because I have the saddles low to get the action down to 3/32".

The frets seem to be really well finished and the overall construction is fine. It is not the best bass in the world, but it is solid. I am sure that Spector, Sadowsky, and others make a better quality bass, but not for the same price as the Fender. I did the best I could with the budget that I had.

Again, this is a solid, professional-level bass.

This bass withstands live playing just fine. I take very good care of my instruments though. I have owned it for three (almost four) years now and it is doing fine. The hardware is fine. The finish is wearing slightly, but I gig with this bass a great deal.

The bass came with strap-locks. Strap-locks are essential, so get them unless you are a chump and don't mind watching your bass fall to floor in the middle of a performance.

The truss rod needs a seasonal adjustment and that's it.

I would never go to a paying gig without a backup, but I would prefer to play this bass instead of my backup. I keep using the word "solid" and that is just what this bass is all about.

The Fender company is hit or miss. Sometimes you can get great help, other times they are enormous dork-monsters. If I could get an endorsement deal from any company, I probably would not sign with Fender. I would probably go with a smaller company like Sadowsky, Wal, or somebody else.

Overall I would recommend this bass. I bought it at a time when I was really struggling (personally, emotionally, and financially), so I have an emotional attachment to it.

If it were stolen again, I might buy something different, but it just depends on how much money I had to spend. When I found it, it was sitting lonely and dusty on a stand in the back of the store. It was a bass that the music store had "forgotten they had in stock" (whatever that means). I think what that means is none of the younger players who frequented the shop thought it was hip enough for them. It worked for me though and I still really love it (emotional considerations aside).

I compared it to other basses. These included Ibanez (I use an SRX-400 as a backup), Fender American Jazz, Fender Standard Jazz and P-Bass, Fender Mark Hoppus, Fernandez, Gibson Nikki Sixx Blackbird (way too neck heavy and too focused on rock/metal only), Warwick, and other much more expensive brands. In the end, the Fender Standard P-Bass worked best for me. It may not be the very best bass on the planet, but it is pretty good, and was the best choice for me at the time.

A Candy Apple red finish with a maple fingerboard,and S1 switching.Also a black pickguard.You know all of the rest.This bass is a real shoemaker bass in the constuction department.

Your typical P bass tone.The S1 option is a real joke.This is no big deal as far as I'm concerned.

Action was too high,intonation was horrid,cheap looking maple neck.A real shoemaker of a bass.Everything else was passable.Just a real cheapy looking bass for an American bass.I'd buy a Squier and save money,just as good as this.

Didn't purchase but it would last cheap looking or not.

Played this and a jazz bass both on the same day and I told the salesman at the Guitar Center in Mays Landing,N.J. that I felt Fender basses aren't what they used to be.He told me to try the Spector basses but as usual in the Guitar Center supermarket of stores they never go that extra mile to pull one off the rack for you to try.Never deal with them again.I don't know why I even bother with them,there are other stores who have better customer skills.

I have been playing for 28 years on and off and I know a good bass when I see and play it.

It's a basic American Precision bass, factory everything. String-through.... Maple neck, probably Alder body, and a kinda sickly looking, but bearable, glossy turquoise color. Came with nothing: no case, strap, cable...

Too many features would probably just get in the way, so it's fine with me.

Can't rate it high for feaures because it doen't have many!

I've just picked up bass after years and years of not playing anything. I played a little in high school but got sidetracked and finally picked it back up. I bought a Squire P-Bass, which was a big mistake. The sound was so bad on the Squire that it really discouraged me. But I found a great deal on a American Precision and the difference is amazing. Duh.

Warm sound, no noise. Playing through a Berenger practice amp and a Peavy TKO 80.

Used bass, but the finish was almost perfect. The only thing that was loose was the plug, the nut won't stay screwed on.

Seems built like a tank. Everything looks good. I kept my Squire bass just in case the other was stolen!

Bought used, so haven't talked to Fender.

I think I got a good deal on this bass, so I'm pleased about that, being a cheap bastard and all.

I've only been playing a year or so, not counting the year or so I played in high school. I would definitely buy the same again. I like the solid feel of it, which is a good thing for a bass! I think I need a thumb rest for it.
Tried Peavy, Yamaha, old Music Man (1978, I think), bunch of others. Always wanted a decent Fender bass. Thought about a Mustang bass, but decided against it.