Fender Precision Bass

American Standard fretted. I bought this bass brand new in early '95, I think it was the first year that Fender built the P with a graphite trussrod system. Beautiful 3 tone sunburst. Classic passive P- style pickups. Comes with black molded hardshell case and allen type adjust wrenches. String through body with standard Fender bridge. Heavy chrome hardware throughout. 34' scale on rosewood fretboard. Body made of Alder. Comes with white pickguard which I immediately changed for a custom look.

This is what I bought a PBass for... Classic, dark, warm, punchy, thick, juicy, meaty tone. When I bought this bass, I strung it with flatwounds, and I have used flats ever since. I have played countless gigs and recorded a couple of CD's with this bass and it never leaves me wanting more. It kicks!!! This bass has been described as a one-trick wonder, but if you like classic tones then this bass will never let you down.

I think the guys at the store where I bought it set it up... it was perfect. This instrument was flawless in every respect. Since then, I learned to set the bass up myself as my playing has evolved, and the PBass is emminitely adjustable. Intonation and action is primo, if set up correctly.

I don't abuse my bass, but over the years it has withstood a heck of a lot of playing. The electronics are dead simple, and the neck with the graphite trussrod is set it and forget it. Super solid pro bass. The hardware is heavy duty, too. It is a heavyweight bass, and sometimes I feel like I have a railroad tie strung over my shoulder, but this is a man's bass and I like it!!

I've never had to deal with Fender, so I don't know. The store where I bought it was first-rate, but they went out of business a few years ago... a shame really.

I've been playing 15 years, and I've never regretted buying the PBass. If it were stolen, I would murderize whoever did it, then I would either buy another P or maybe a Fender American Jazz. I love this bass and they'll have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

1965 USA (did they make them any where else then?) standard split pickup sunburst, maple neck & rosewood fretboard, standard tuners & bridge. no control or pickup modifications. Bought from original owner in '70 or '71 for $200 with original black tolex case. Features - I no got to show you no steenkin' features.

This bass is a lot like me - simple and made for the long haul. Built with the heft of a Peterbilt 18-wheeler and the balance of a sports car-you can play it all night long without getting tired out from jerking a heavy 'head' around. These days I use my ancient (circa 1975) Acoustic 370/Bogen 2-12" combo for occcasional gigs but formerly used a GMT200B/18" folded horn and then the Acoustic 370/Acoustic 408B 4-15" cab for my paying gigs. Tone controls are still quiet after all this time. Can't really say what it 'sounds' like or what kinds of sounds it can make other than to say it sounds like a p-bass. Since I play mostly blues and country-rock in a style 'borrowed' from equal parts of Chris Ethridge/Wayne Moss/Harvey Brooks & Rick Danko (gimme a break guys, all I had was a record player-how else 'ya gonna learn?)I don't use a lot of tonal variation or pedals but just try to keep it solidly in the pocket for the guitar & k/b to work from. Dislike - hated that weird chrome pickup cover, what the heck was that for anyway?

Bass has always been like a stone - been dropped by accident, dropped on purpose (when a drunk tried to kill a patron with a 30-30 and the whole crowd in a 'shotgun bar' panicked for the door). Neck was slightly adjusted in 1986 by Guitar Crazy of Portland,OR after 16 years of some hard gigs (see above).No flaws except those caused by sweaty hands, damned country beltbuckles and the hard heads of dancers on stage-level dance floors.

Seems like I covered this topic pretty much in the last category. This P-bass has withstood rehearsal, travel & gigs for 37 years and appears ready for another 50 or so. Backup ? What's a backup ?

I know Leo's boys made it. I don't need no steenkin' support, it's a Fender.

1. Played since 1968.
2. "Will you sell it for $175 ?
3. Lost? Stolen? Aggggghhhh!
4. (a)Stays in tune forever.(b)Machine head fingergrips sometimes buzz if not in 'right'angle to shaft. (c)other bassplayers always wish it was theirs.
5. There are other basses?
6. 3-position Jaco Pastorius/Eberhardt Weber/Jack Bruce switch.
7. When the guitar player says "Man, you got that Fillmore Auditorium sound down tonight", I say to myself - "Thanks, Leo!"

1 fender us precision bass humbucker pickup
1976 usa
Frets 20
Alder body
maple fretwood
natural finsh
really good tuners
nice case
vol and tone
Black pickguard

good for precision bass and not slap
Full sound
bad elictronics
good for gigs becuase it looks so sweet
sounds good thourgh anything

great action
the frets are decaying
it a great bass

this bass can withstand anything
it been around since 1976 so its very durabal
the strap buttions are really good
i would bring a back up but its so good

Mrs. L

is the best bass in the world
nothing is better then it

1973 FENDER PRECISION 4 STRING 20 FRETS
MINIMAL FEATURES TONE AND VOLUME CONTROL
I PLAY IT THROUGH A SERIES OF 3 FUZZ BOXES AND A COMPRESSOR
PLAYING RHYTHM AND LEAD PARTS SO FEATURES DON'T REALLY MATTER
A GREAT BASS HOWEVER THAT I GOT NEW WHEN I WAS 15 AND PLAYED IT EVER SINCE

THROUGH MY RIG IT SOUNDS GREAT. I PLAY AN ORIGINAL HYBRID OF PUNK
INDUSTRIAL PROGRESSIVE AND EXOTIC WITH THE BASS AS MAIN INSTRUMENT ALONG WITH A HUGE ARRAY OF FLUTES A TROMBONE AND EVEN INDIAN INSTRUMENTS AS SHAHNAI AND SNAKE CHARMER.BAGPIPES AND DRUM MACHINE.THERE IS NOISE WHEN ADJUSTING VOLUME CONTROL. FUNCTIONS GREAT PLAYING TRADITIONAL BASS PARTS

D-STRINGS PERIODICALLY BREAK FOR NO GIVEN REASON
IN THE OLD DAYS I HAD TO BRING A SCREWDRIVER TO ADJUST BRIDGE FROM FALLING DOWN

IN 1976 A NUMBER OF TIMES A LOUD STATIC NOISE WOULD ISSUE
SEEMED TO CLEAR UP
A REAL WORKHORSE

PLAYING 30 YEARS
ALSO HAVE A CARLO ROBELLI ACOUSTIC
BOTH SURVIVED HOUSE FIRE LAST YEAR
I'M GOING TO BUY A SQUIER P-BASS AS BACK UP

1976 Fender Precision Bass USA
Finish: Black and worn
Neck: Maple and worn
PU: Dimarzio Passive P added sometime in '70s.
Controls: Vol,Tone
Not many features, it's a P!

The tone of this thing is perfect. Fat and punchy, and the old Dimarzio pickup really brings out the upper mids for a nice growley slap sound. It has good string balance and no dead spots. It is the keeper.

The finish has seen better days. The edges are worn off on the body from stage nicks, dings, and drops. Completely worn off from armwear, belt checking, worn on the thumb rest (I added where the bridge pickup lies on a Jazz bass), and completely from both sides of the neck. Action is very low and even. I set it up when I got it, and I have not messed with it since. Looks like a road rough Fender, and I love the way it looks feels. The neck edges are worn round. When I pick up another P, it does not even feel like the same instrument. It is beautiful.

This bass has never let me down. I gig it relentlessly without a back up. I have re soldered the jack and pots, and replaced a broken pick guard but that's it.

Never needed them.

I got the bass in 1990 from a shop who bought it from a local recording studio. It was the studio bass since new. It turns out I know the engineer that bought it. He said that he bought it at Manny's after shopping all weekend in NYC. He was looking for the right bass, and I think he found it. I am glad it found me.
The '70s for Fender was up and down as far as instruments go. Just be patient and find a good one, because they are still really good values.

I first used this bass about about 10 years ago , when a good friend of mine owned it, and thought at the time how very playable it was.I was especially impressed by the lightness and comfortable neck profile plus a very good action.When I saw it advertised in the local paper I just had to buy it, apart from anything else ,to save it from being used by someone for a few weeks and then dissappearing into an attic or cellar!
Originally sunburst with tortoishell scratchplate but always a stipped and sealed finish since I've known it.Came with a replacment bridge (original is a little corroded)but I've chosen to stick with the old threaded saddle bridge.So,just a typical well used but not abused Precision,original except for body finish and now a set of EMG active pick-ups (and what a transformation)

I have found that it suits everything I do better than anything else I own(Musicman Sterling, Peavey Pallaedium(with EMG's)and Westone Thunder 1)Anything from blues to country rock to improvisational fusion-light weight means you can comfortably play all night as well!I use a Trace Elliot GP12 SMX pre-amp and the Trace PPA 600 stereo power amp,with 2x10 and 1x15 EV loaded cabs.Funnily enough ,not the most punchy set-up, but can be very hi-fi.The P-bass and the Peavey work best with this, but the P-bass has more "guts", although with the EMG's can be as bright as you like(and very nice slapped)Don't use any effects except a very occasional bit of chorus (once in a blue moon!)

How well set up 35 years ago? Can't say of course-it really needs a refret when I can find someone to do it well and suffers slightly from the usual Fender "flip" at around the 16th fret(Can be sorted at re-fret time though)

Obviously it has stood one hell of a lot of live playing.One of the things I like is that it started playing the same time I did!Hardware is all original except for Schaller strap-locks and as long as I stick to the same strings (Trace-Elliot 40/60/80/100) I never need to touch the truss rod.I freqently have used it without a back-up while it had the passive pick-ups,now I worry about battery failure and of course I'd have to remove the scratchplate......I take the Peavey too.

As I said before , I've been playing since 1966 and wish I still had every bass I've owned in that time! Other gear owned includes Musicman Sterling,Peavey Pallaedium and Westone basses and Trace Elliot Amplification.If it were stolen my biggest regret would be that I could NEVER replace it-at this time in my playing career all the basses that I own have something that makes them special, and what the P-bass has is history by the bucketful.Call me a sentimental old fool,I guess ,but I remember various playing highs(and lows) and find myself wondering where it was at those times.The Musicman and Peavey I had from new and inherited the Westone from a friend who is now dead.How do you rate all this?

1963 Precision Bass, US made
Dimarzio passive pickups
Originally sunburst, it's been refinished natural.
New tortoise shell pick guard 1980
Rosewood fingerboard
Original bridge and tuning heads
Both original covers
Non stock bronze volume and tone knobs
Refretted in 1990 with jumbo frets

I've owned this instrument since it was six months old. I've played nearly every type of music on it over the years and I've been gigging at the rate of at least 100 gigs a year since I've owned it.
I've owned several other basses - Hofner, Gibson, Ernie Ball, Washburn - but this is the one I always take.

The addition of the Demarzio pickups in 1976 was the only real change I've made and these pickups really made this into a wonderful bass.

Over the years I've used Ampegs, Sunns, Fenders, Peaveys, and oh yeah... Kustom (haha). Right now I use a little 50 watt/2 8" Ampeg and a bigger rig with a new SVT Pro Ampeg head pushing 2 15" JBLs in PA tubs and a 4/10" Ampeg speaker.

I play mostly blues with this instrument. I also play a lot of acoustic music but use a stand up bass for that.

I've settled on Dean Markley Blue Steel strings, they don't last but about 2 months, but they give a nice bite to the attack during their short life.

I love this bass and will pass it on to my bass playing son one day. I'm sure he'll be playing this instrument long after I'm gone.

Sounds just like a vintage P bass, and plays so well that anybody picking it up can tell immediately.

If you can find one of these fine pre-CBS instruments and can afford it - buy it! Although there are some that have been abused badly, so check it out - they're not all created equally.

I've only had the action and intonation adjusted once (when the refretting was done). It hasn't needed it otherwise.

Of course, it's lacking its original sunburst finish, but I like the way it looks. It looks like the nearly 40 year old/5,000 gig bass that it is: Back of the neck is grey from wear and my sweating hand. Theres's a few slight dents and dings in the body and the tuners aren't very shiney any more.

I adjust the pickups once or twice a year, if they need it. Otherwise it's fairly maintenance free. Needs pot cleaning on a monthly basis to keep the buzz out though. I've also replaced the pots probably six times to cure the same buzz.

I've used this in the studio many times over the years and it gives the same phat warm sound that it does on stage.

It's never let me down. Not once in 38 years.
Never had a bit of trouble with it, other than the pot replacement(s) and the refretting (once) due to excessive wear (after 27 years).
Never adjusted the truss rod.
I do take a fretless Mexican P-Bass to gigs sometimes. Not really for back up, but for a change. Never use it much though. The old one is just too much fun to play. Even after all these years it still teaches me things, if I let it.

Never had any contact with the company.

In addition to this 63 P Bass, I also own a 90's Mexican fretless 4 string P Bass, a (70's?) Mustang Bass, an acoustic single cutaway 50's Framus plywood piccolo bass, and a carved wood German acoustic 3/4 size bass of unknown manufacture or year.

In my opinion, there just isn't a better all around bass than one of these. Slappin', poppin', riding the scales, walking, whatever you want. Of course, if you like the extra strings, this wouldn't be for you, but even after playing various five strings and a seven string, I find that there's more I can actually "do" with this bass.

It's my baby.

Made 1965 January, USA 4 string with P-bass EMG Active split pickup.

Most versatile bass I have ever owned in 28 years of bass playing.I play it through 3 different Ampeg rigs and it sounds good through all. Very clean and warm with lots of personallity in the tone. Tough and rarely needs tuning much less adjustment.

I like the action sort of high since I play hard. The original finnish was white but the previous owner sanded it down to natural and just put a sealer on it. I have played at least 2000 gigs with this and it's never failed me. It' my old standby. I play other basses now depending on what band I'm working in but I always will keep the Fender. Controured Body has always been nice.

Tough as nails. I had this bass on the road for years and it got tossed around and exposed to temperature extremes regularly. No trouble with anything. I bought this in 1981. I traded a Rickenbaker 4001 to a dude for this P-bass. Never made a better deal.

Ive been paying in bands since 1966 and playing bass since 1973.

Made in Mexico (mid 90's?)
20 frets
Rosewood fretboard
Black with a white 3-ply pickguard
Standard P-bass pickup
Schaller tuners

The bass suits our style fine (R.E.M, Tea Party).
I play it through a Yorkville Bass Master. 200 watts.
It's got a slight punch, a good, strong low end and a nice, ringing sustain.
You get a buzz that gets louder when the tone is set higher and higher, but it's not noticable when you're playing.

The bass was set up well. I've had this baby for 8 months now and I haven't had a problem with it yet.
The pickups were adjusted, but not for the sound. It didn't have enough volume on the low end, so I raised that side of the pickup.
I had to fool around with the bridge settings so the strings wouldn't buzz on the frets.
Alltogether, the bass was put together fine, but *I* had to adjust a few things to make sure it sounded clean and even.
I'm getting bored with the black/white look, so I'm gonna replace the white pickguard with a red tortoise-shell one, I'm gonna snag a chrome bridge cover and I'm gonna get a set of chrome volume/tone knobs just to dress it up a bit.

This bass gigs very well.
It's been put into a gig bag and crammed into car trunks and survived... and stayed in tune!!
I'm confident that the hardware will last at least another year or two. The finish aquired a few tiny scratches and a tiny ding or two, but they're not at all noticable unless you're REALLY looking for them.
Never had to adjust the neck rod.
I always make sure there's someone else's bass I can use if hell freezes over and mine doesn't work.

I *thought* it may have needed a new nut once, but the bass was not under warranty anymore. That's OK. The nut wasn't bad enough that it was worth spending 35 bucks on, so I lived with it.

I've played upright bass for a little over a year now. I bought the P-bass in an effort to expand my bass-playing abilities. So far it's done me well. She plays well, sounds good, and I've never had a problem with it.
I'm considering an Epiphone Rivoli bass (I like the sound and looks), but I'll never let go of the P-bass. She's a mighty fine bass.

My Bass was made in 1988 in some place in Japan.
It has a fretted fingerboard for 4 strings work using controls for volume and tone.
I'm using the stock Fender P-Bass pickup that is a passive electronics system.
The 34" neck is made with Maple and the fingerboard too. I don't know the wood used for the body, but I think is Alder or Ash, which is Red painted in contrast with the Black pickguard. The strings set is supported in the tiny standard Precision bridge.

I spend part of my time playing in a Jazz-Fusion Band (one drummer, two guitarists and one singer-keyboard player) The Band is very rock oriented, and for that item I have zillions of reasons for feeling me satisfied and completely stimulated, just ear a few of very big sounding P-Basses played by Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, John Deacon of Queen, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd......but, we're talking 'bout Rock, Hard Rock and soft Heavy Metal. If we talk about other heavier expressions of the Metal School that We used to work, or Funk, or Jazz, I would say that I'd Prefer to play with a Jazz Bass; and for Latin-Jazz and Latin music with a 5 strings Fodera Lincoln Goines Signature. Maybe in future times I'll complete my BASSic collection!
I use a 35W Peavey MINX-110 Bass combo. And for practice, and sometimes with the Band, a tiny 25W Marshall Park combo. I think that's not enough, the Marshall for its power, and the Peavey for its more-less sound quality. I'm searching for a 35W (of more) non-Park Marshall.
I plug thru my AOD-2 Peavey Acelerator Overdrive Pedal , that can make some interesting sounds.
Sometimes you can hear a little noise from the pickup, but it doesn't drives you crazy, because you should be droved by that warm P-Bass bottom end. Well, but... My bass is not a Bright sound machine at all. You doesn't have to try too hard for knowing that is has a poorly Bright sound. And for a slappper boy, huge fan of FLEA, Stanley Clarke, Vic Wooten, and Marcus Miller, like me, Brightness can be necessary.
I have available only one kind of sound in this bass, but this sound is a kind of trademark so much traditional and vauable, and I have the fortune of having in my power that trademark.

Could use it to destroy a safe-deposit box.
The action came to me fine, is a very comfortable and playable machine. The pickup needed a little bit of adjustment. There are some details on the finish, but still looks beautiful. (whatever, the finish has an excellent quality)

I think this Bass is a delicious on-stage. Good made hardware, good made finish, good made neck installation.

Never Dealt

I played guitar three years and six months, then I switch to Bass Guitar and I've got one year and four months playing.
At times I like play my totally-acoustic guitar. A spanish handcrafted Admira-Paloma. Occasionally I use it in my Band for some compositions, thru a conventional mike plugged in a Crate Amp. Maybe I play guitar 10% of my time and bass the rest.
If it were stolen or lost, probably I'd get a Jazz Bass.
As I said, I'm charmed about it for all its warm sound power. And I miss a lot more Brightnes precense (...or more versatility)
Anyway, when I play the Machine, and I'm feeling those sound, I know that Music is something Beautiful.. and I see that the Fender Precision is a Beautiful, Powerful and so good instrument.