Fender Precision Bass

This one is an '05 Mexican in the 'upgraded' blond ash body. Rosewood neck, standard configuration.

The sound is pretty good. Rolling the tone off tends to be mushy and not very pleasing with these electronics, but when it's bright it's nice.

The factory setup was a travesty, but that's no surprise. That said, I have my gear professionally set up for me, and he couldn't even get this thing right. It's badly and sloppily assembled - the string spacing is off at the nut, the neck doesn't *quite* fit the body right, one of the tuning pegs isn't properly seated, there's a mysterious bulge in the pickguard where the p'up sits (bunched up wires underneath maybe?) and the jack makes poor contact with the cable. How didn't I notice this in the guitar store? I have no excuse, but BECAUSE of this bass I've really slowed down when making a purchase to inspect the gear more closely.

Since it looks and feels so sloppily built, I doesn't give me confidence about it's durability. That said, it still works although the jack is not long for it.

The bright clear sound sold me in the noisy guitar store, but I regret not looking this thing in the mouth because it's poorly made. It also weighs A LOT! I've played so many nice basses that are so much lighter; I realize you don't need this immense weight to get a rich sound.

2007 MIM model, in a creamy white finish. 20 frets, one volume one tone knob. All the stock parts of a MIM Fender P-bass, and it's got just the one split coil pickup.

One thing I really like about it is the satin finish, but I'll address that in detail later.

It's simple, no frills, but still classy, and it screams "play the **** out of me" to which i oblige heartily

I guess I would dig having a bridge pickup on it for more variation in tone.

I suppose I play all sorts of things on bass (it's not my main instrument; guitar is), but I really love the style of King Crimson era John Wetton. He's just got this monster tone which is pounding, punchy, and crunchy as hell, but that's mostly due to his huge tube amps which broke up amazingly. The best description of his tone and playing style I remember seeing was "bruising funk". This bass delivers in spades. I've got this plugged into a Yorkville Stage 120B and I run it through an Ibanez TS-7 tubescreamer to get some nice drive on it (occasionally a dunlop wah also). I also prefer to play inbetween the pickup and the neck; it gives me a more punchy tone (I love the neck position on my strat as well... so go figure)

I learned from one of the guys at my local guitar shop that most of the more recent fender guitars to come out of mexico (2006 onward, i think) have higher output pickups, and it's noticeable here. When I crank the volume and/or tone knob, there is a noticeable leap in bite and crispness. Therefore I love cranking them both, but I tend to roll back on the tone about 1/4-3/4 depending on what i'm doing.

I can really coax a bunch of different tones out of this bass, although some people see P-basses as one-trick ponies. I think having a good amp helps in that regard (and so does a pedal or two), because the lack of frills on this bass does restrict your options somewhat. However, it delivers the sweetest trick possible for bass to deliver, so it gets full marks

I've heard some horror stories of mexican made fenders, but I've been lucky I guess; I've had only great experiences (I'm 3 for 3). The action is pretty low, although I'm considering lowering it just a smidgeon. The neck seems to be well bolted on, and i've yet to find any rough edges on either the frets, the bridge, or the rosewood fretboard itself.

As mentioned earlier, I really love the satin finish on the neck. It feels super smooth and I can glide my hand effortlessly. Occasionally when I'm playing a poly finished neck for a while and my hand gets sweaty, i find i may stick a little on the neck when moving. This problem does not exist on this neck; it's classy all the way.

I also raised the pickups slightly from the stock setting, but only under the E and G strings, as I felt they needed a little more mid rangy punch that the middle two strings get from the centre-tilted pickups

The only problem I've had so far was having to get the input jack replaced, but that was due to the fact that I have a ridiculous planet waves cable which is just slightly too large for some input jacks and has caused them to come loose. I actually had the same problem on two other guitars with this cable, so I guess i never learned from my mistakes. Point being, I don't hold the bass responsible for this; I mismanaged it

Apart from this problem, the bass has been perfect in every way. I would definitely gig (and have done so) without a backup

haven't contacted fender in regards to the bass yet, but i have in the past for other things, and they've been pretty helpful. i'll use that as my benchmark here

I've been playing for almost 7 years, but playing bass seriously for only a year or so. Honestly, I was looking for that big thumping P-bass tone and I found it in the natural place to look. It's a no frills ***-kicking machine which, with a couple small tweaks to pickup height, has some amazing tone. While some may call it blasphemy, I think I like it more than my buddy's '79 model; it just rings in a special way to my ear. Considering how much I paid for this thing, it's one of the best guitar purchases i've ever made

1975 (USA). Ash body. Clear nitro finish - I removed the ugly
thick flaking poly sunburst paint when I got it in the 80's. I don't
regret it, it looks and feels great as it is now. This is a very
heavy body.

Maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. Poly coated, as usual with 70's
Fenders. I prefer a worn nitro coated neck. The neck is a bit more
narrow at the nut than the older Precision bass I have (a '66).

Bridge pickup added, tone control converted into volume for the bridge
pickup. It has Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder hot pickups (Basslines).
These are passive.

Stock bridge and tuners. The tuners are not that good quality (ears
get easily bent), but they are OK.

I got it with a '65 beige tolex case.

I play mostly rock, rarely jazz.

I use a SWR 350 W red face bass head, together with an Ampeg 1015 cab.

The sound is very colorful thanks to the bridge pickup, thin neck and
heavy body I think.

You can choose bassier sound by turning down the bridge pickup (and
vice versa). There's no tone control anymore.

I haven't recorded with this bass, but it works great live. The
sound of the bass is more audible compared to the stock Precision
thanks to the bridge pickup.

The polyurethane coating on 70's Fenders is not very nice.

This is a well proven work horse of course.

I have not had to change out any hardware.

The polyurethane coating does not wear out easily, but chips off ugly.

The strap buttons are stock, no strap locks. So you need to watch out.

I last adjusted the truss rod 15-20 years ago, don't remember.

I've used it frequently on gigs without a backup.

I got the bass used, out of warranty.

I've been playing for about 25 years. I also have a '66 P, a '95
5-string J (rarely used), and a cheap Frankenstein fretless. Also
a Jasmine semi-acoustic.

I'm about to receive a beater '87 JB special any day now, which could
fill in for this bass in case I lose it I guess.

The bass sounds great, it is just a little heavy. I'd prefer nitro
coating before the polyurethane.

Made in february 1966 (USA). The body is alder, all paint has been
stripped. It used to be white, overpainted with red metallic from what
you can see in the neck pocket and pickup routes. Apparently Fender
had a lot of older white bodies in stock, that they re-painted
according to the changing fashion trend.

There is one volume control and one treble reduction control.

Neck is maple.
Fingerboard used to be rosewood, was replaced by ebony in the 70's -
it was fretless for about 10 years, but is now fretted. Jumbo frets.

Badass bass II bridge, stock split coil pickups (excellent).
It has those really solid riveted tuners.

The bass is really light, yet it has a deep solid sound.

I got it with the original beige tolex case.

I play mostly rock, rarely jazz.

I use a SWR 350 red face amplifier, and one large Ampeg 1015 cabinet.

The bass produces one great bass sound. You can roll off the treble if you like.

I haven't been to the studio much (one LP and a couple of demos).
I'd say it's great both live and in the studio, at least for the music
I play.

I sometimes use my other Fender P (a '75) because it has a bridge
pickup added, i.e. when I prefer to have more midrange.

I bought it used. It was flawless when I got it.

I've used it live lots of times. Never needed a backup.

The finish is mostly removed, from the neck by playing, body paint
removed by a previous owner (in the 70's).

I adjusted the truss rod 15 or 20 years ago, can't remember.

Usually only the G string needs tuning.

Strap buttons are the old kind (no strap locks), so you need to
watch out with them.

I once drove over the neck with my BMW (the bass was in a softcase)
No damage whatsoever.

It was out of warranty when I bought it.

I've been playing for about 25 years.

I also have a '75 P, a 5-string '95 J (don't use it much), and a cheap
(but pretty good) fretless Frankenstein P-bass. Also a semi-acoustic
Jasmine (by Takamine).

I would replace this bass by a similar one if I lost it.

I love the solidness of this bass, both sound and dependability.
I hate that It's becoming valuable, which means replacing it would
be difficult.

It could use a bridge pickup.

This review refers to an MIM model, probably made in the mid- to late 90s. I'm really not sure about the woods used, but we're basically talking about a no-frills workhorse. No pointless "make 'er sound like a jazz-bass" buttons or nonsense like that. If a 10 here means "tons of features," I'll give it a 3, and in this case, I'd rather own a 3 than a 10.

This bass doesn't have that growling tonal quality you'll often find with Jazz basses or Rickenbackers, but it's still a fantastic utility bass. I played it in a power-pop group, often through a cheap Ibanez TS5 overdrive pedal into a Crate combo amp with a 15" speaker. The result was a nice clean tone that was always prominent in the mix of the band, and a really nasty, punk-like tone with the fuzz on. I will describe the sound as 'warm leaning toward dark.' It's great for stage or studio - I had decent results with both, though given its lack of growl, I personally think it's better suited for gigging.

I enjoyed the action just as it came out of the box. It was a little high, but really didn't tend to hinder anything too much. And hey, if you don't like it, adjustments are no big deal. I have no qualms with the pickup, and the overall finish appeared flawless.

My band trucked this bass all over the country for the better part of two years and it never let me down once. The hardware is quite durable, the finish, as on all newer Fenders, seems impervious to wear and tear. The strap buttons never let me down. I might also note that this thing keeps excellent tune. Now and then in times of drunken stage jitters I wouldn't even remember to tune it before a gig, but it was usually right in tune from the night before. I don't really know of any bassists who bring more than one bass to a show. I never did, and I never needed to.

dunno

I'd love to own a Rick one day, but until I wind up with a grand to just drop on a bass, the MIM precision bass will be just fine. As I mentioned, it lacks the "growl" you tend to hear from the Who or Yes (favorite bass tones of mine) but the P-bass DOES sport the signature Motown sound - subtle, yet clear and prominent (James Jamerson laid down some of history's greatest basslines on one of these and NEVER changed the strings once!). It's a practically indestructible workhorse that'll do justice to your music while being thoroughly dependable and thoroughly affordable. This bass is perfect for any bassist, really, and furthermore, if looks matter to you, it's the most dignified-looking bass you can buy. No meticulous Amish woodwork or lame extra strings on this machine, just the basics. This thing comes especially recommended if you're a young bassist who might end up taking some twists and turns in your musical preferences and styles - you may never need to buy another bass as long as you live.

1983-87 production, made in Japan. Sunburst, rosewood fretboard, probably an alder body, but I'm not sure. I wanted to add some info here for people looking at the 80's Japanese-made basses. The quality of these instruments is excellent. It was very light and rang out nicely even when unplugged. The neck had a nice nitro-cellulose finish and was thin, but not too thin. Frets were the right size and installed well. It's hard to mess up a P-bass, but Fender did a good job with these.

The original pickup had a vintage-y tone that didn't fit my style (poppy-punk) so i installed a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder and it dramatically beefed up the sound. More output, more tone, more bite, more attack. I highly recommend this upgrade, or any similar upgrade.

I played this bass through an Ampeg SVT-350H, Ampeg 210, and Mesa 115 and it made the perfect rock rig, except for that the 350H wasn't quite loud enough and lacked real tube tone ("tube emulation" is a fictional term).

I bought it used, so I can't comment on this. But I will say that the paint is a little on the thin side. It chipped easily, and when it did, i could see that the finish wasn't very thick.

It's a P-bass. Throw it out of a moving car and it will stay in tune. Set the intonation once a year and you're fine.

No idea.

These basses hold their value well. Buy one to play out, keep it a few years, and sell it what you bought it for. It should not lose it's value as long as you take care of it. I sold mine only to change up my sound, but i think one day i will end up buying another one. I've been playing about 15 years and have owned a number of basses, and played dozens more, and this one belongs in everyone's collection. It's an affordable way to get the classic P-bass sound in a light-weight package. With the action set low you can do anything on this bass - pick quickly, slap, use your fingers, whatever. But like all P-basses, it has its limitations, namely in its one pickup and two knobs.

I own five 70's precision basses all made in the US. Just wanted to offer a few observations to explain what to look for if you are buying a 70's bass. All are 20 fret basses, body woods are alder, ash and mahogany. They all have the standard split pickup from Fender or Seymour Duncan. One has been modified with a SD vintage Jazz pickup for some extra pop.

Even if it may sound a bit flat or boring when playing in your bedroom, play it with a loud band and you'll see why the Precision is king. You'll have no trouble keeping up with a loud drummer, not because you play loud, but because there is so much bottom in the pickups. The Standard 70s pickups are normally great, I have no idea why people changed them back then. They go for 200 USD on Ebay these days. On one of the basses I have a SDuncan quarter pounder which is a great pickup, but not that different sound, just louder. The Fender reissue '62 pickup is actually a great sounding pickup, warm and woody, suits my 1970 very well. Why they have to wrap them in the shiny plastic pickup shields that makes it look like crappy Squier PUs, I'll never know. This bass also has a SD vintage Jazz bass pu near the bridge, but don't do this to your 70's bass. (I am talking about carving out a hole for the J pickup.) Get an already mutilated body or buy a newer Hot rodded bass instead.

The PJ setup actually sounds great when practicing, but out on a gig, I find myself turning off the J pickup to get the clean P sound.

Just remember that all P- basses have a dead spot at C# or D on the G string. It is just a quirk of the design, nothing you can do about it, play the D string if you want endless sustain. Marcus Miller loves his 77 Jazz bass with the same dead spot.

This is where the most changes are. The early 70s up to 73 are basically much the same as the 57. The body roting is minimal and the neck fits well. In 73 they started to carve a route between pickups and controls so they could put in the whole harness without soldering with the guitar in their lap. The bodies are still quite nice though, well curved and deep reliefs. In about 76, they changed again, and the bodies turned much more clumsy and heavy due to smaller reliefs and smaller edge radius. Not so nice to play in your sofa anymore. On stage it does not matter too much. The disaster came with the 79 body revision, where the arm relief is practically gone, and the neck pocket is so oversize they had to cover the gap with a foam strip.

The necks are more or less the same, may be a little fatter over the years. The 71 I have is fantastic. In 79 they started to route the neck from the back even on rosewood capped necks. This makes it easier to change the truss rod should the need arise.

These basses can fall off your car without needing a retune. Nothing beats the Fender design in simplicity and puttng the money where it is needed. My '73 Rickenbacker 4001 has a 50$ bridge and the cheapest tuners ever. The Fender has a 5$ bridge and military spec tuners. Guess which one plays the best.

Total Morons. Even in 1979 they were better than today.

I have playeed for about 30 years. I have a 1970 Sunburst with a 78 maple neck, PJ pickups. A 1971 Sunburst RW neck which is totally stock. A 1978 SB/RW which is stock. A 1976 mahogany body with a 1979 RW neck. A 1979 Natural stock fretless. I play through a 1978 Bassman 130 with a 4 x 12 trapezoid cabinet, one cool rig.

If they were all stolen I would sell the Rickenbacker and get a nice 1970-76.

1970 dense american Ash, 4 strings and a 20 fret hard rock maple neck. Single split P/U, bass-ic controls, tone and volume (who needs anything more?) White turned to vintage yellow, crazed and heavily worn. Absolute relic.

Throaty, punchy quintessential P bass sound that defined the genre. Works great with my 120 watt acoustic 140 and 150 amps, and a Peavey 210 cab. Rotosound round wounds, snappy or subsonic, this combination does it all. Badass bridge and steel nut. It can ring like the bells of Notre Dame!

Action is superb - perfect balance and plenty of heft too. Feels like a real bass! Heavy wear, finish ranges from natural ash to white to almost amber color. Real cool.

This bass has exactly 1,976,272,122,856,981.8 miles on it and never needed servicing. It is indestructable.

Never dealt with them.

I have played since 1967. If it were stolen I would be obligated to murder whomever stole it. I could not really replace it . . . Probably I would buy a new Music Man Stingray, or a Peavey Cirrus with a maple neck.

1964 ORIGINAL Vintage Off White, later sanded down to natural finish.Rosewood finger board.Standard Fender P Bass.

What can I say, the Precision is the king of all basses, this is where it all started and in my opinion has not been surpassed!
Back in the 70's I played heavy rock/blues and this bass suited my needs for a bass with punch and tone, both a rich and full sound.
For live performances I used a Marshall 100w with 2x 4-12" cabinets and later a 200w Marshall top. I also used a Fender Bassman with an 18" reverse. This Precision bass was equally good for both studio and live performances. The only dislike I had was the neck nut width, a little on the broad side.

I bought this bass in 1969 from a store in Charing Cross Road, London, it was perfect from day 1 and after many years on the road it never let me down. Vintage Fenders are supreme, the new stuff and the re-issues do NOT come anywhere near an ORIGINAL Fender Precision.

It has all been said before, this bass will last forever, no issues whatsoever. I used it countless times without any back up - could not afford one in those days, a starving muzo!

Never dealt with Fender support so no comment.

I have played for more than 30 years, I also own a Rickenbacker 4003 Jetglo, black fittings, no trim from 85. I used to own a 69 Fender Jazz, Sunburst which was also superb and also a 72 Rickenbacker 4001 FireGlo.All my basses have something special about them.
If my Precision was stolen I would weep, then hunt down the thief and subject hin to slow torture! If I could afford it then I would buy a GENUINE vintage Fender P again. If I was to buy another bass it would be a Precision Special with a J pu and Jazz neck.

1985 STANDARD U.S. made precision bass. Four string fretted. It is Black with a white scratch plate. It has a maple neck.Passive single coil pick-up. Everything works well on this instrument.

I like to play a variety of music with this instrument and it serves me well from country to punk. I generally use a peavey mark 4 bass head through one or two EV TL 15 speakers. Have started to use some distortion types of effects in the punk band.It gives a very full sound through the frequencies so that it does not seem to get lost in the sound of the band. Great for studio and stage. Very quiet instrument.

The bass had a twisted neck when I bought it. I had that repaired and the pick-ups adjusted.

The bass has done about 500 gigs in a twenty year period and has never missed a beat. I use it without a back-up although I always carry spare strings. However I have never broken a string ever in twenty years.

Never needed to return it to the manufacturer.

As my one bass guitar I would not own another instrument. I have thought of buying a Jazz Bass or a Rickenbacker 4001 but neither of these instruments are as pretty as the precision.

2003 made in Mexico. Passive pickups with 1 volume 1 tone. Maple neck with a rosewood stripe and a rosewood fretboard. I was lucky enough to get one of the last Metallic Black finishes made.

Not too bright, not too warm, it's pretty mellow.

The bridge is trash. The E and G strings raise and lower themselves when they want to, even when I'm playing the E will lower itself and buzz past the 7th fret.

If it broke down at a gig it wouldn't be a big shock for me. The material and finish on the back of the neck is so weak it's already dinged and scratched up pretty badly. The strap buttons aren't bad but they aren't straplocks either. If you have gigs, you better have 2 backups for this one. Better yet, don't even make it your primary bass.

Never dealt with Fender, but I'm sure they wouldn't be much help.

When the bridge isn't freaking out it's a pretty good bass. I'm planning on replacing the bridge and putting straplocks on it. Sometimes the sound doesn't through the mix very well if you play fingerstyle.

First electric bass ever made in history. It's made in Mexico, a standard Precision bass not only for beginners but for most bassists. It has 20 frets, 4 strings, with passive electronics. I prefer passive, because I'm always paranoid the batteries will go dead during a gig if you use Active. Anyway, I love the finish (Midnight Wine), I think it's the best finish compared to Blue Agave and Metallic green. It makes it look expensive and rich. I bought this bass new at a local music shop. I've tried several basses before selecting this one and for $620CDN (with tax), no bass comes close.

I play mostly hard rock, worship, and anything inbetween. Obviously, these are two different styles of playing, but it covers a range of music styles. The only thing holding me back is my crappy amplifier I got which I will be switching soon. However, when I play this bass on better amplifiers, it really sounds awesome. You can get a warm sound and also a punk sound. I've played Blink182 to L'arc en ciel and it matches it nicely. I wouldn't say this is the best bass out there, but again, for the price, what more can you ask? In my opinion, it sounds better on stage than at home.

I've tried other brands, such as Musicman, but I wasn't willing to spend $1000 on that. Because I am on a tight budget, I chose a bass that fit me perfectly. However, when I brought it home, I found a few scratches. I couldn't see it at the music store, because the lgihts were so dim. From far away, you can't notice it, but if you're playing it, you can see some wood chipped. This is clearly not Fender's fault.

I've played live and it hasn't failed yet. My previous bass had loose strap buttons, because I wear the bass very low and I tilt it several times. I'm not a stationary bass player and often times my guitarist wants us to move around. For the Fender, the strap buttons are tightly screwed.

1961 Precision Bass,
Bartolini pickups(original pickups wereonly half original)
Reverse tuning pegs, why did everyone including Fender change?
Light as a feather, never pulls on your neck ,just sits there comfortably.
Seldom needs tuning, I do use Rotosound strings and D'Addario rounds etc, but started out 30 years ago with flats, may go back.
Ampeg SVT 4 pro purchased recently,hope I got a lucky one that won't let me down.
2 Eden 2x10 XTS cabinets.
Play blues,few gigs,but look forward to taking the P-Bass out.
Did play it 30 years ago 6 nites a week as a pro musician and it never let me down, no warped necks or anything, solid.
Replaced pickups not quite the same as originals were but they are not offensive, not overly bright or boomy, more neutral.
The finish was scratched up sunburst with toroise pick guard,
it has been au natural ala Denny Gerrard(Rember the Paupers?)for 30 years.
I have had Gibson EB3, Rick 4001, different newer Fenders and Sting ray basses, only the P-Bass was the Keeper.
In short it was not my first bass but will be my last.

Never a problem

1989 Japanese P-Bass. I bought it used in '92. Stock pick-ups, heads and knobs. Finished neck with rosewood fingerboard. Basically, bare-bones features, but who needs more than that?

This is the best sounding bass I've ever played. I get positive comments about the tone from other players, sound guys and techs. Records like a dream, even with out eq-ing. I set the tone for high end and let my Trace pull out the lows. The result is smooth and warm with clear punchy highs when I need them and bar rattling lows. The action is kept low and that really speeds up my playing. The neck and bridge have to be adjust from time to time, but doesn't every bass?

The finish has held up well. With the exception of a few drummer related gouges (the first night I played it) the bass looks new. The knobs are chromed and starting to crack. Its 16 years old, so its okay.

The Jack need to be tightened to the pick-guard pretty regularly, but it might just be the new clear lucite pick-guard I put on.

Never needed it. Use local guys!

I've been playing since '89, from classic rock, metal to free-form improv jam rock. This bass has been with me through most of it. My sound has evolved, but stayed steady for the last 7 years. The classic design of the P-Bass didn't always go with the music, but the sound did. Low end holds it together, and a strong bass sound can fit in with any genre. I also own a 2003 OLP MM5, a $200 5 string that plays like an expensive bass.

1963 P-Bass, U.S.A.
Standard frets, 4 strings
Volume, tone
Olympic white with rosewood slab board and clay dots, tortoise shell pickguard. Pickup cover, bridge ashtray, and all else original except for a respray years ago of the same original color.
Standard P-Bass C neck, stamped 5 OCT 63
For 1963, these were all the features you'd need :-)

The sound of this bass is what all others have been trying to imitate for years. Typical P-Bass thump, yet notes are clear and well defined. It probably doesn't hurt that my strings of choice are Rotosound Swing Bass 66 mediums. The tone can go from the clearness above to that Noel Redding mud with a turn of the tone knob and by playing with your thumb. Haven't gigged with it, but if I did it would never leave my sight.

It's currently at my local vintage pro guitar shop getting set up. High action may have been good for James Jamerson, but not for me. It wasn't bad, but I felt it could be better. Will reserve comment until I get it back. It's interesting to note that although the action was higher than I liked, it still didn't prevent me from being able to play some of the faster riffs that I have created. Of course, there was no fret buzz at all.

This bass has lasted this long, and it feels bullet proof. I would use this bass to gig without a backup and not have to think twice. I had a Steinberger XL-2DB before the Fender, and this Fender feels every bit as durable. Undoubtedtly, this is the reason that pre-CBS Fenders are still highly desirable today.

Never used it. Warranty? We don't need no stinkin' warranty!

I've been playing for 27 years and have the '63 Fender, a 1979 Mighty Mite bass in Koa with brass and gold hardware and P/J EMG pickups (1986 passives), and a 1955 Sting Reissue bass, which will shortly be getting the same pickup he uses in his--Basslines stacked single coil humbucker. I have had the Steinberger, a Paul Reed Smith with maple top in wine, and a 3/4 scale Ventura was my first bass (sheesh). An Ampeg BA-115 rounds out the three basses nicely, but I'm looking for another bass with a 2 octave neck for my solos :-) If you're a Fender fan and find a pre-CBS P Bass for a good price, just buy it.

1975 p-bass, natural (which has crazed/aged to a mellow butterscotch colour), all original hardware & case, maple one-piece neck A-WIDTH!!! 1-1/2" at nut, so basically the same sort of feel as the jazz neck.
9 for this rating, even though it's not covered in knobs or detuners, simply because this combination of "features" is time-tested & has more real endorsements than any other guitar.

it makes "that" noise. with the low action that I prefer, there's a familiar growl along with the genuine precision thud. I was delighted to note that this is still the case with the narrower neck. my girlfriend has a '69 sunburst p-bass with the same A-width.

I play through a 1972 orange or120 (the non-overdrive version) & an ashdown 4x10 w/ horn.

these 70s fenders were variable to the extreme in build-quality- I have a late 73 p-bass that's a total dog. persevere- if you find a good one, it will stay that way & become an heirloom. the cbs period is rightly regarded with some suspicion, but some absolute beauties escaped all the same, & they are all out there still plugging away (read the other reviews of the post-cbs fenders on this site) & appreciating in value.
this one is a peach.

it's 30 next year. I wish I'd been this attractive when I was 30. the 70s polyurethane is like bullet-proof glass, & appears to be gradually going opaque. to reiterate, if you find a good 70s fender, it will stay good. the bad ones are the ones that were bad in the first place & have been fiddled with some more in a vain attampt to improve them. keep trying til you find one like this.

fender? you're kidding me. find a decent local luthier. this can only be done by talking to other guitarists, especially folks who've used their instruments a lot & have had to have major surgery done (like refrets & so forth). I've got a guy who I trust. he took the lacquer off the back of the neck of my '74 4001 & transformed it. but factory-type support? forget it.

I have 16 basses, 5 guitars & 20-some keyboards, including moogs, mellotron.... the other basses are all decent- rickenbacker, ibanez (musicians fretted & fretless), other fenders (a 71 jazz defretted, a 78 jazz/p hybrid, a 73 p-bass, a reissue VI) but there's something compelling about this 75 p.
it is an heirloom. if it got nicked, I would become patrick bateman.

Not a lot of features on a Precision bass. One big fat pickup, slab body, big neck. I'm using jazz basses a lot. This Precision bass feels almost like a five string Musicman bass. Some may find it manly, but I think it's just too course. Fair enough...it's based on the first bass ever made. No very versatile though. Made for simple music.

Sound is fat, thick, big, you name it. There's only one sound though. Good enough for a night full of straigh forward rock or blues. Hell, James Jamerson used one. Put some distortion in it (Big Muff or something) and you got a sleazy funk machine. Okay...not so with the Mexican made basses, they sound thin to me. Often muddy too. You need a good amp to compensate. Bottom line: one sound, nut not mine.

Good enough for a Fender. Mexican basses are well made.

Detunes a bit when playing long and hard. Tune after 3 or 4 songs. Pull the strings hard enough and you might break the neck. The neck wood is thick and heavy. The neck joint is weak. Using a pick is easier on the bass. Personally I think the playability of this bass is total cack. I can't play anything fast on this bass. Not even with a pick. Not a bad thing if you are a cool, laid back bobo, but I'm not. At least not a whole evening...And a backup is required. Maybe even two.

Did anyone really call Fender while living outside the US? I think not. Go back to your dealer if it breaks.

This bass is okay if you play one syle and one syle only. Rock, blues or funk. This bass was not made for fusion, metal, anything fast or anything considerate. Sound is weak, unless using a good amp with a lot of EQ tweaking. Playability is bad (for me) because of the big neck and for not staying in tune long enough.

Bottom line (again): buy it for $200 or less. Then you might have some value. Anything more than that is just wasted money.

Better find another decent brand. Try an OLP bass for instance. Or a Peavey. Warwick Rockbass maybe? Why? If you want tobuy a mexican Precision, you are not looking for a quality bass. Better buy an alternative.

1978 Fender Precision Bass. Fretted. Sunburst. Volume and Tone controls. Fender case in rough shape. Needed some screws and tape to keep it together. But keeping it in service.

Suits my style just fine. Contemporay Worship. Right now I use an SWR Combo, but I'm looking into a Fender either 200 or 400 watts combo. Not noisy with my current amp. This is a simple Bass. I like simple rigs. Too many knobs and you can lose the setup you like real easy, and too hard to get it back. Sound is warm with good low end thump.

I set it up myself. Tweaked the truss rod and put on new set of D'addario Chromes Flatwounds, adjusted the intonation, real easy with the Badass bridge installed. A recommended upgrade. Pickup was fine. Finish is rough in spots, 26 year old ax, been played.

78 P Basses have always been reliable, need I say more?

No need..........

Started playing the day after watching the 1st Beatles appearance on Ed Sullivan. They can still rock my world........amazing talent. It's the only Guitar I own. I can play many instruments but got rid of everything but this old Bass. Compared it to Washburn, Ric and Ernie Ball. I like the way the neck feels in my hand. Once you pick it up it's hard to put down.

Made 1978 in USA. Standard number of frets, 4 stringed. 1 volume & 1 tone pot for standard PBass pickup. Pickups currently active EMG (9V), replaced a set of Fender replacement pickups. Body - black painted alder (I think) maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, high gloss finish on body & back of neck. Stock bridge & tuners, brass nut. I have also used this bass with a Fender Jazz Bass neck (made between '68 & '73 - 4 bolt, block inlays with bindings). I purchased a bridge cover from Musician's Friend which I use. Black Metal pickguard (aluminum?). The green date on the bottom of the P neck wore off, but the serial number starts with S76.

In addition to the above mentioned features, here is some of the history. The original pickups to this bass were wired along with circuitry to give this bass filters (high and low), and to make it active (18V). There is a hole cut into the side (below the output jack) so that an external power supply could be used. The pickguard (not original, but purchased like that) was modified to accomodate said adjustments. There is also a battery cavity in the back, with a plastic cover. Electronics were replaced with gray-colored pickups (Fender?). I replaced those pickups after 10 years of use with EMGs this past April (2004).

My main music style is jazz & fingerstyle funk, so this bass fits it perfectly. I use it with a vintage Ampeg B-15 Portaflex & a new Ampeg BA-115. Quiet on all settings (the BA-115 hisses on its own!). The sound of this bass is great with the EMG pickups. It is bright, due to the brass nut. It makes the standard P-bass sounds. I play with the tone & volume all the way up. I have only played this bass live. If you want to hear soundclips of my band featuring this bass, contact me at the email address listed below & I will send the link to my band's website (so that I am not promoting our band in this review board). It isnt the best sounding bass, but it gets the job done.

Action - Because of the poor pickups, I used to have EXTREMELY high action, but have the action at a reasonable height with the EMGs. I had to shim the neck with pieces of credit card when I used the old fender jazz neck. I adjust the pickups to be as high as possible but not to affect my fingers when playing.

Fit - the P-neck fits reasonably well in the neck pocket - there is some overhang of the body, but it doesnt move so there is no problem.

Finish - Good and Bad. Fender switched to the high gloss poly(urethane??) coating in order to save money (lower production time compared with the nitro lacquer). On one hand, the finish protects the back of the neck and the body VERY well. On the other hand, the back of the neck tends to be a little sticky because of the high gloss. I played this bass in an extremely humid environment & the finish on the body turned a milky white color so that the bass looked like a dull gray. I tried to wipe this off & ended up scratching the bass quite heavily. The gray went away when I took it home, but the scratches did not (obviously). I do not want the finish of my bass to be hygroscopic! I wish I could wear the finish on the neck down to the bare wood. I am considering having a local luthier sand the high gloss coating off of the neck. I treat the rosewood on the fingerboard with copious amounts of Old English oil. It feels beautiful under my fingers.

This bass has withstood live playing by me for the past 11 years. This includes 4 years at college (moving back & forth) as well as a solid rehearsal and gigging schedule with my band. The hardware will last for many many more years. I only treat it with several drops of 3in1 oil. The tuners are fantastic. There is definitely a difference in the quality of the tuners then & the tuners on the brand new tuners. The gear ratios are different & so is the feel. Saving money, Fender? The finish is excellent, to a fault. I wish it would wear off. The strap buttons are very solid & I have not needed to mess with them in 11 years. I adjust the truss rod once or twice a year. I have used this bass for 11 years without a backup.

I am not a fan of the Fender company for customer support. They do not have much information regarding older basses (or necks, for that matter!). Everything I have learned about Fender basses has come from external sources and books (Klaus Blasquitz's The Fender Bass). The warranty has long expired. I do not (and would not) look to Fender for any help with this bass.

Fender could learn a lot from the customer support at Spector. They are fantastic & super-helpful.

I have been playing for 11 years. I also own a 2002 (or 2003) Spector Q5 5 string and a German plywood upright from the 1940s. I played this bass through HS, and my dad gave it to me for HS graduation. It is more important for sentimental reasons. If it were lost or stolen, I would be extremely upset, and I would immediately try to find it/ purchase another. I would much rather have a pre-CBS PBass, though. I love the feel, sound, & look of a PBass, and the history I have with this bass. My only real complaint is the EXTREMELY tough finish. I do not feel that I am able to purchase something like this new off the shelf. I wish it had the original hardware, such as the pickguard, pickups, and covers, and a nitro finish, but I am very happy with what I have. When I am able to get a pre-CBS Fender PBass, I will retire this to the closet, but I will never sell it.

78 P Bass. Black. Black pickguard. Maple neck. Some chips in finish, but who cares. Totally awesome bass. Features? Only what you need.

Deep rich sound. Perfect for rock playing, espeically with a pick. I loved it through my SVT Classic and 8x10 and 4x10. Even sounds good with no amp at all.

I bought this in pieces off Ebay. Had is professionally set up and it is awesome. Stays in tune. Perfectly balanced. No complaints. Nice action on the neck. The paint is worn and chipped in some places, which I feel is ok for a 78 and it also makes it look credible.

I would depend on this guitar without hesitation. Built like a brick house.

Never needed it.

I love this bass. Almost bought a Rickenbacker. Glad I went with the American made P Bass. No need to ever buy another bass. Well, a Jazz might be cool, just to see how they differ.

20 fret 4 string 2003 mexican p-bass 1 volume 1 tone one split coil passive pickup im not sure what the body is made of but the neck is maple with a rosewood fretboard

this bass works with almost any style it sounds gret with effects its never noisy

i bought it used the action was all messed up the pick up was way to high and the truss rod needed adjustment the original own had no clue what they were doing but after about an hour of work it was back to normal

this bass like many fenders is a tank itll whithstand live playing ive banged it around alittle and it never dented or scrched the finish the star buttons wouldnt due i highly recomend straplocks if you plan to be in a band or play live

i would give this an average rating because theres been problems that i shouldnt have to deal with like i always have to tighten the knobs theres alot of rattlling evan after the action has been raised stuff like that nothin seriouse it still sounds great

2003 fender p bass mexican made 20 frets 1 volume 1 tone knob regular split coil pickup im not sure what the body is made of but the neck is maple with a rosewood fretboard has all the fetures you would expect from a standerd p bass made by any company

it suits almost every type of music besides jazz im running on a hartke b90 its never noisy except for a little buzz when playing on extreme xolume full fat p bass sound

when i got the bass it was used the person before me to own it screwed up everything i had to adjust the intonation the action pickup hieght and i evan had to take the plastic cover off the pickboard the person never toke it off but it was easy to set it up it toke like a half hour tops veary user friendly bass

this is a tank of a bass i dropped it on to the hardwood floor didnt evan nic the paint the stap buttons werent that great but my strap was falling apart so i had to go out and buy strap locks and a new strap i couldnt see ever having to bring more then extra strings and an amp to a gig with this bass extremly reliabile

ive been playing about 2 years ive owned ibanezs yamahas and a squier and this is the most solid relibile bass ive ever played i love it its definatly one of those basses that youll have for 10+years

it was made in 2001, mexico
20 huge frets with 4 strings
theres a Volume and a tone
n/a
n/a
active electronics
redwood neck
midnight wine finish
precision
n/a
n/a
fat neck
Case

it fits Punk, Rock and christian music
im using a Yamaha 30XJB witch is really big for 30 watts
It sounds great
Its great i love it

i like when i put it realliy loud and my and can take it so it sounds distorted and i like muteing it cuz it sounds cool

Its well set upi havint seen any problems so far

Ya its amazingly good i mean FENDER.

n/a

Ive only been playing this bass for a week and im stuned by its performance and it sounds so gfood that i would have payed an extra 200$ for it.

Fender Precision Bass, made June 1965. Serial number begins with an "L". All original. I have owned this instrument since Dec. 1974. Color is Olympic White, however it has aged into into a light banana yellow. I'm wondering if any others have experienced a similar change in color over time. The main feature of this instrument the awesome sound. And thats far more important than lots of other features to me.

The sound is the REAL DEAL. Powerful, deep, fat, warm, growls when you want it to. My 1965 Fender P-Bass has noticably better tone than any other bass guitars I've owned, including 1964 Fender Jazz Bass, 1951 Fender, 1965 Epiphone Rivoli, 1968 Gibson EB2, 1968 Danelectro Longhorn. The best amp matchup I've found for the 1965 P-BASS is a 1968 Marshall Super Bass head (100W), thru Marshall 4x12" bottoms, or for louder a Sunn 2000S (2x15") bottom, or for softer (clubs)a 1961 Gibson 1x15". In studio I go direct to the mixer with no amp.
I've used it rock, funk, pop, jazz, country, bluegrass and more. The same strings have been on my bass since 1976 - Flatwound heavy gauge Gibsons, which were the heaviest gauge I could find. I also play string bass (upright acoustic bass), and I think Fender designed the Precision Bass to duplicate the power and tone of the upright.

The 1965 Fender Precision is a relatively heavy instrument with a very wide neck. The neck on these early Fenders is one of the most difficult to play in my experience, including Fenders which were made later. But the mass of the instrument probably contributes to the great sound, so its worth it to me. It has on it the heaviest gauge flatwound stings I could find, set at medium height. However, due to the big strings the neck bows lightly even after full truss rod tension, which creates some notes to be slightly out of intonation. This is a trade-off for the great sound.

My 1965 Precision bass is all original. This is a testament to the incredible ruggedness of the instrument. Nothing has broken in 39 years, including the time when I forgot that I had left it behind my car after a gig, and partially ran over it. The case was crushed, but the bass was unscathed! (Don't try this youself. Ha!)

I have never needed a repair.

1975 Fender Precision Bass.
Overall: Top rating.
Best feature- Sound! Unsurpassed power and tone quality.
Worst feature- Wide neck is one of the more difficult to play.
I would replace it with: Same thing.
Time playing- Since 1965. Rock, funk, pop, jazz, country, bluegrass, classical.
Also own: German upright string bass, circa 1920's.

1975 Precision Bass, made in the U.S.A..
All original except I replaced the cheap looking thumbrest with one I made out of cocobolo wood a friend of mine brought me from Costa Rica. It is rounded and lower than the Fender thumbrest so it it better for slapping and looks cool. Natural gloss finish over ash.
Maple fretboard. I still have the original ashtray with the original foam, but don't use it. I threw away the pickup cover years ago - dang!!! Original black Tolex Fender case. Original frets which show almost no wear and play great.

Believe it or not right now I am playing in a country band, and a nu metal/punk band. That this bass can fit in with both tells you something. I have two amp set-ups, a 1970 Traynor YBA-3 custom special 100 watt all tube amp, and a rack with a Sennheiser wireless,
ART power conditioner, JoeMeek compressor, SWR 4004 amp, and Behringer Ultra DI direct box. This runs through two 1 x 15" Trace Elliot cabs and the PA through the direct box.
Amazingly enough for an unshielded bass with passive electronic this bass makes NO noise. I have Thomastick Infeld flatwound strings on it for the old-school thumping style sound, although you CAN slap and tap flatwounds despite what anyone will tell you. I have the original '75 Fender flats in a safety deposit box - they have a deep reggae/Motown sound that CANNOT be duplicated - the new Fender flats are much brighter. I have used this bass in the studio and on stage with excellent results. I love it. I have no dislikes. Both pots got noisy and I replaced them with DiMarzios. Only trouble I have had with it in 29 years.

I set up all my instruments.
It has no flaws.

Will survive a nuclear war.
Truss rod needs adjustment once or twice a year.

Never dealt with them.

Playing guitar 40 years, bass 30 years. Other gear includes a Digitech BP-200 bass multieffects pedal which was a waste of money,
Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray 5 - nice bass but VERY heavy - I use an old-school style 1/2" strap on the P-bass, I can't use it on the Musicman, 1970 3 humbucker Les Paul Standard, Fender silverface Bandmaster Reverb, Hartke B-20 practice amp, Taylor 310 acoustic guitar, Baby Taylor acoustic guitar, and the only autographed Naoko Yamano Signature Model guitar by Fugigen Company in the world - Shonen Knife rules!
If it were lost or stolen - well, I train in martial arts and collect weapons :)
Basses come and go. 100 years from now people will still be playing P-basses. Mine has only one 1/2 piece of belt buckle rash that goes through the finish only - my 7 year old daughter will inheirit it when I die.

Fender Precision Bass made in Mexico probably in the 1990's.
It has 20 frets on a rosewood fretboard.
I believe it is a solid top.
Has 1 Volume control and 1 tone control.
Has 2 new Bartolini pickups that replaced the stock Fender ones.
It is either a maple or alder body.
Metallic Light Blue colored Precision style bass.
Has stock tuners, big frets on rosewood.
Included a gig bag.

This guitar sounds awesome for my styles and needs, especially with the Bartolini pickups. I play alot of rock and heavy metal with a dash of jazz and funk in a band, and this fits my needs perfectly. the sound is rich and full. Very good bass sound with plenty of functionality. I usually play in a garage during practice, but have used this for all our live shows, and it kicks butt both ways.

The action on this model is perfect. I'm not sure how well the stock pickups were adjusted and how they sounded, but the Bartolini's are amazing. When I bought the bass, there was only 1 noticeable ding on the back of the neck, probably caused by its previous owner, but it doesn't interfere with playing. Other than that, the P-Bass is awesome.

This will most definetely suit anyone's musical needs. It will sound awesome in both live and private shows, on a variety of amps. The finish is not even near flawed, as I cannot see any cosmetic defects or anything of the nature. The strap buttons last and are very sturdy, although I would recommend getting some new ones put in with locks. The truss rod never had to be adjusted, in my time with it or my friend's. I would use this during a gig without a backup with no hesitation, as it is very reliable, but I don't recommend it, because anything can happen during a live show.

I never had to deal with Fender, my friend, or Guitar Center (the closest music store by me) because this was made to perfection.

I have been playing it for about 2 years now, and love it. If I lost it, I would mst likely get another one and have Bartolini pickups installed again. I love how it is built and sounds great with any style you use it for, and I hate nothing about it. I looked around at other basses, but this one appealed to me the most.

2000 mexico
20 frets, 4 string
solid top
1 volume, 1 tone
1 split coil humbucker
passive electronics
alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard
brown sunburst
polyurethane finish
percision bass
standard bridge
stock tuners
34" scale neck, precision (1.62")
none, used

suits music style (christian on sunday, hip hop/dance beats, rap beats, funk beats)
ampeg ba 112, fender bxr 60, hartke 1200 combo, whirlwind imp 2
bright, warm sound, alot of mid range
lacking lows, holloe highs, sounds metallic without some compression and eq, emphasis on mids
nounds tight and punchy in studio, easy to play live, but lacking in depth.
slightly muddy and weak lows, highs sound hollow, punchy, but needs some eq work. some warbling on lows.

bought used in terrible condition: high action, corroded strings, dust on surface - was able to adjust to personal specifications, bass very good at adjustments, currently has nice low action, clean glossy surface and new rotosounds.
pickups were stock - readjusted to compensate for different string gauges.
tuning pegs loose when strings are loose, not all frets fitted properly, nut too big for slot, sticks out 1/32" from side of neck.

built to take abuse
tuners may need adjustments over time, but built to last
heavy polyurethane finish, may chip when hit against hard surface, but seems very durable.
back strap button loose
dependable, neck needs adjustment every month or so due to playing atmospheres
never gig without a backup.

no
no
not applicable

3 years, ampeg ba 112, shure sm 58, monster cables (standard 100), dynamike cables, korg tuners, whirlwind imp2, levy straps and gig bags.
probably upgrade to american jazz
plays very nicely, prefer more tonal capabilities, looks great.
yes, very expensive ones, the price
maple fretboard, better pick ups
steve danielson has a sexy haircut.

One pickup, one volume, one tone, one warped neck.

It sounded OK for what it is, but it can't get the sounds that a dual pickup bass can get. Lack of tone control was a big minus, but if you want one basic sound, and don't need the richness that dual pickup basses have, then the P-bass can sound OK.

I mail ordered this bass, because I was in the military in Alaska at the time, and the local selection was poor and the prices were high. The neck came with a warp, an S-curve warp to be exact, and no amount of truss rod adjustment could remove it. The body had ripples in the wood from poor job of rounding the body edges, which showed through the finish. The pickups were cocked over at a bit of and angle, and the pickguard had some screws that were out of perpendicular to the body. It was a 75 P-bass, from the infamous strike era, and some workers had to have been in a bad mood to put that junker together the way they did. There was no way to get a low action without buzzing because of the s-curved neck.

It never failed me, but that S-curved neck constantly aggravated me and there was no way to get a low action.

I was so disgusted with the bass that I sold it a couple of years later. Never dealt with the company.

6 for sound, 2 for action, that gives about a 4 overall. I was very didsappointed in this bass. I had played some used ones from the 60's that were light years ahead of this piece of crap, and they were lighter to boot. I replaced it with a Rickenbacker bass that was considerably better, but my Spector ReBop bass is even better yet. There are lots of basses out there that are better than the P-bass, and no P-bass has ever been made that can touch my Spector. Even my cheap Chinese OLP MM2 (StingRay copy) and OLP SB4 (Spector copy) beats that old P-bass like a redheaded step child.

All of these are included in my other review, it came without the case, but, I bought it when I bought the bass so I got it 10 percent off, which kicked total ass.

Changing my review, put through different amps it sounds quite nice. I should've thought about how it does as a precision, and I get what I get. It's a nice sound, but, if I want a jazz bass, then I shoud just buy one.

I figured out my problem with my action, just changing the screws and it'll be solid.

Yes, it will withstand live playing, and once I change the screws in the saddle, then it will be fine. It stays in tune for a long time as well. I can definately depend on this bass, it's a good MiM.

Never dealt with them.

All of this is in my other review. I decided to change it just because I was looking for other basses, but found that I would miss this bass dearly if I sold it. I've also changed the way I practice(and not just play and call it practice) so it makes this instrument sound like a gem. Don't make a mistake that I was about to make and think that it was the instrument when it was in-fact me. I love this bass and it kicks total ass, and for the money it's killer.

1977 USA (CBS) precision.
Passive electronics, everything original.
Antigua sunburst finish.

Its just a plain seventies Fender p bass, need i say more?

The neck is chunky, but the action is extremely low. The bass is flawless. For a '77, its near MINT.

Its a sturdy workhorse.

N.A.

I own this bass since summer 2003. Its fantatstic. The looks, the sound, the playability. With antigua finish, or you like it, or you don't. Back than, I felt it was real ugly, but now, hey, its from the seventies!

This is a passive 4-string, 2001 Fender made in Mexico Precision Bass, in a Midnight Wine colour, with the standard "C" maple neck, with an alder wood body. It's got a rosewood fingerboard that has medium-jumbo frets, and a standard precision single-split coil pickup. It's got a 3-ply white pickguard, with 20 frets and comes with one volume and tone knobs, and a standard vintage style bridge, with standard machine heads and chrome hardware. I would've liked to have more options tone-wise though. One is not enough as it doesn't give me enough variety.

I can get a decent sound out of this from a small-wattage guitar amp with the mids boosted up. I've had it run through many different amps, Fenders etc, and it sounds pretty good. In my opinion though, it just kind of sits there, it's either got too much treble, or not enough of a low-down bass sound. If you put it in the middle it just kind of sits on the fence. Although it's not extremely noisy, but a bit of buzzing. I would not use it in the studio though, but rather for a live setting. I like to play a lot of things that range from Metallica to Chris Isaak, and from things such as rock to pop. I tried to play funk with this bass, and it does not work. You cannot get a good slap or popping sound out of this and make it sound good, which is kind of disappointing for me. I bought it when I didn't know a lot about basses and hadn't started popping/slapping yet, so I really didn't care at the time. It's definately better for punk music, used with, or without a pick.

I cannot comment on the action directly from the factory, because the store had since set it up. The saddle isn't very good to tell you the truth, it is often loose, and likes to lower itself, and has been that way since I bought it, mostly noticeable on the E string, and rarely on the G. The finish has been amazing since I bought it, it has a few scratches but nothing major. I try to take care of my equipment, though. I don't like to let other people play it anymore, though, because I found more accidents were happening because other people were careless, but, even those can be cleaned out with guitar cream, so, nothing major. Things such as the tone knobs have not fallen off yet, either, and the machine heads are sturdy. This thing is seriously built like a tank, and has the weight of one too.

The intonation is fine on it and has been since I bought it. I would go to a gig without a backup, as it is a passive, and nothing is loose inside, and it has been a consistant bass. The hardware and finish have both lasted, and the strap buttons are extremely solid as well. It's kind of heavy, and will tire you out after playing for awhile, but, it is still quite a sturdy bass.

It was under warrenty, but I haven't needed to use it. Anything I've ever had to do, I took it to my local guitar shop.

I've been playing bass for about three years, and I've had this bass that long as well. It's pretty much grown along with me, and I have a lot of memories with it, which is why, despite it's many flaws I will not get rid of it. If it were stolen or lost, I'd probably be upset just because of all the time I've spent playing with it, but I'd ultimately have to buy something else. I wish I would have inspected the saddles a little clearer though. I also own a Yamaha DP series drumkit, a Washburn acoustic guitar, a Squire 20th Anniversary Telecaster(yeah, it's not the best, but, it's kinda cool), and an old classical acoustic guitar. I've played this bass through a PH-2 Super-Phaser and a DD-5 Delay pedal, and it sounds great. If I had known the musical direction I have taken, I would have never bought this bass, but it's kind of good to know where I'm at now compared to where I was, and how it's lasted while doing that. It was a great bass for what I used to use it for, and I have no regrets about buying it when I did. Not enough sound variation and the fact that it's pretty heavy kind of weighs it down.

1977 Made in USE P-bass. Usual features. Black body, maple neck. Bridge and pickup-covers (but i play it with those removed)

I play mainly 70's rock covers (Thin Lizzy, Deep Purple, Wishbone Ash) so its perfect for that. I used to play it on a Marshall 100w Lead (yes, LEAD) but use a Trace Eliott GP11 now. Much better. Zoom 506 bass pedal makes a good sound.

I can vary a lot more with my Ibanez SR405 5 string, but this thing still is the best.

I dropped it once (shame on me) and there's some small damage. But it even stayed in tune. Perfect. Loose controls? What is that? Keep them guitar boys in our band tuning and tuning and I just pick it up out of the case and play.

This thins will withstand the apocalyps. Really. I DO have a backup, but you really don't need it.

Dunno. Once checked the serial number on the UK Fender website and I got an answer right away (I just wanted to know the year and make; I bought it second hand in 1979 for about ? 400,- ($350 or so)......

I play in bands for about 25 years now. Had an Egmond first, a Sakai after that. Then bought this one. Still have another Harmony Jazz bass (made it fretless) and an Ibanez SR405. If this one was stolen? I'd hire them guys from Mission Impossible and get a contract on the guy who stole it. If possible I would buy it back yes...

1978 P bass american made, Sunburst
Standard 20 fret neck 4 string
3 piece ash body
Vol tone pots
Standard Fender split pickup
All passive, Volume and tone controls
Glossy finish, lots of checking now, perfect then
Precision body, the one that started them all
Standard bridge
Standard Fender / Schaller tuners
B-width maple neck, 1 5/8 inches at the nut Rosewood board.
Original hard shell case

Perfect for rock'n roll, blues, RnB
Played through a 1979 Music Man 130 amp with 4x12" cabinet. Flat settings, no effects. Planning on getting a conmpressor though.
Not particularly noisy
Rich full sound, you can take off the treble but that's about it.
Makes big bass sound, but you just don't get the dry Jaco sound.
Haven't tried the studio yet, great for gigs.
You just play better using a classic Fender bass.

Action and fit good, but not to 90's standards. Rather a heavy bass to play, but the vibe can't be beat. Neck pocket allows some movement of the neck, but I removed the "timesheets" sticker at the heel of the neck, and pulled the screws real tight, which cured the problem.
Hardware is bulletprof. I also like the truss rod at the heel adjustment, simply don't trust the bullet tuss rods. (with good reason, the bullet may crack the wood below it and ruin the neck. Be aware, that the P bass was NEVER made with a bullet adjustment and 3 bolt neck fixture)

You would not think of bringing a backup to this bass, it is built like a tank. Bring a set of strings and an extra cable and that's it. Finish is hard wearing, too much so, at this age you would welcome some finish checking and cool wear marks, but they are hard to make the natural way due to the thick skin finish. Notice that the bodies are all clear coated first to seal the wood, so they all look like they are refinished naturals when you wear through. Not so.

After you find your string gauge and the bass settles with them, you don't need to touch the truss rod, unless you move from Greenland to Indonesia.

Used to be good, they swapped the neck for me back in 79, since there was a fault with the truss rod.

Today the support is average I guess, BUT they sell cheap replacement parts that don't fit or break when you fit them on.

Example: I got a '62 tortoise pickguard, it was 5 mm too small in all directions and would not fit at all. The seller claimed that the '62 Pbass was different from the 78, and only took it back after a big row. Got another part from the states, exactly same spec, and it fit perfectly.

Got a replacement bullet for my 77 Jazz bass, its made from BRASS and stripped the threads the minute I got it on. Neither were the threads deep enough. Who do they think they are fooling?

Got an "authentic replacement '62 Pbass pickup" which looks much more like a 1999 Squier or El cheapo Pbass excuse. Havent bothered to put it in since it looks so bad I went on Ebay and got a Seymour Duncan Quarterpunder instead.

Bill Schultz, you are digging your own grave, if the replacement parts hoax is allowed to continue.

Started playing 1975, own 3 other P basses, and an Ibanez musician.
Wish I knew they were available with A-widht (1 1/2") neck on special order. Just made myself a hybrid P bass with Jazz bass neck, but havent got the quartepounder Pickup yet so I haven't tested it properly yet. Acoustically it is awesome.

The late 70s Pbasses are good instruments, not like the same era Strats and Jazz basses. Unlike these, the Pbass and standard Tele never got the infamous 3 bolt neck and bullet adjustment. The only possible weak point may be the electronics, but I never had any problems. Not too much variation on the sound, though, wich is why I got the Ibanez with 6 pots and neck through. Beautiful guitar, but no mojo. Life has not been the same until I got an identical 78 Pbass back a couple of years ago. Same price as in 78, as well.

These basses are very good value now, but beware, in 5 years they are going to increase in value as they turn 30.

I bought this instrument in 1975. I was the third owner and it had already been used pretty hard. It is completely stock, never refretted, no bells/whistles...completely original. It has a Rosewood fretboard and the neck is more like a Jbass neck (thin and fast). It has the original Sunburst finish though most of it has worn off. It came with the original case but I've gone through two cases since I bought it. An original work horse, a real beauty!

The classic Pbass sound. Sounds best through a tube amp though currently I play it through a small Fender bass cube and mic/DI it through the PA. Pickups are sort of noisy but that's one of the characteristics of the beast and I would not trade it off. This instrument has become a part of me over the years and is comfortable to play.

Over the years I've had the neck tweaked a bit but generally the guitar is as smooth and easy to play as it was back in '75.

This has been my main instrument since 1975 and it has never let me down once. In the early years I didn't have money for a backup bass so it was let it hang out and see what happens. I've played R/R, blues, country, jazz, and bluegrass with this guitar and it has adapted well to all styles. My impression is that the instrument will go another 30 years without any problem.

N/A

One thing I have learned is that Fender instruments will go the distance without a whimper or whine. At a recent gig a guy came up and offered me $5000 for the '64 right there on the spot, which I turned down. After that I bought a newer Made in Mexico Pbass to take to gigs because I got worried about having the '64 stolen. While the MiM Pbass is no match for the '64, it still has that quality Fender feel and playability.

I have a 1998 Fender precision bass made in Mexico
standard neck lenth , frets etc
rosewood fingerboard on maple neck ...body ?? (poplar)
standard split pickup
in a wine red metallic finish (mmm nice)
with a white tortoishell pickguard

the good old Fender Precision ... you cant beat it !! I play in a rock n roll/rockabilly/blues Band and it suits my style perfectly, it has an amazing fast neck and punchy low sound or ringing high notes
I run it through a Peavey sessionmaster Bass head and enclosure rated at around 300 watts .. Ive used the bass for around 70 gigs so far and the only thing thats let me down was a saddle grub screw !! I like the weight and its balance ...

I bought secondhand so I made my own adjustments to the action and set up and changed the crappy strings to rotosounds .. apart from the above mentioned bridge saddle the guitar was excellent when i got it .

As Ive said Ive used the bass for 70 gigs + and still going you can bang it drop it, throw it, stand on it ...its very solid typical Fender quality .. It now has several chips and heavy arm wear on the body and the hardwear is tarnishing badly due to sweat , but hey its a workhorse and I gig without a backup !!

My local guitar shop keeps me happy ...

Ive been playing guitar for about ten years, Bass for about three , I also own a Fender DG3 Acoustic, a 1993 Fender Jaguar (jap reissue) and a 2001 Gibson SG Special (Pete Townshend model) ...stunner !!!
I had a Vester p-bass copy before this and a Epiphone EB0 but they were both crap !! ....do not be put off by Mexican Fenders !!

I have recently bought this '84 Fender Precision Bass made in Japan.

I play rockmusic and the sound this bass gives is really the best I can get out of my MESA/BOOGIE 400+ Bass Head and MESA/BOOGIE 2x10" and MESA/BOOGIE 2x15" cabinets. I have to admin I make my sound mainly with my amp because the Bass doesn't give that much different sounds with just the precision pickups. But, what it has it do, it does well.

The bass was build in '84 and it's previous owned said he played it a lot, but there are hardly any marks on it. It looks brandnew.

I haven't dealt with them so far...

I play bass for a couple of years now and this is the best Bass I've owned so far. My Ibanez Artist '78 is degraded to a backup bass when I bought this one but I would replace my Fender with a precision USA if it would get stolen :)

I own a 1968 Fender Precision Bass with the classic sunburst and tortoise shell pickgaurd look. I purchased the bass about 2 years ago from its original owner, who bought it brand new. Everything on this bass is entirely stock, so it's your standard p-bass. Only a few scratches and dings here and there, overall in excellent condition. The original case, also in outstanding condition, was included as well.

This bass epitomises the stereotypical bass tone of the late 60s and early 70s. From a roaring thud to bright, warm highs, this is the most versatile bass i have ever owned/played. Tonality wise, this bass's niche is definitely rooted in a stones, zeppelin and cream sort of groove, but with the potential to go in many different directions. I occasionally use an old mxr distortion + on it and it sounds amazing, really dirty growl. I had been using an early 80s Spector NS-2 with dimarzio pickups and an EMG active 18 volt inside along with a 1979 Fender Bullet Deluxe fretless (Made In the USA). Once i bought the p bass, the others have been taken to gigs solely as back up instruments. I play through an Ampeg SVT-350 and a Fender Concert (1983 Riverra series) pushing an Ampeg 4 10 cab and a Musicman 15. This setup easily allows the bass to cut through the mix and put out more than enough punch!

After many, many adjustments the bass is finally "perfect", for me atleast. The action is just right, slightly low and very fast. The only drawback is that the neck is slightly warped, due to its age (35 years old!). But, like i said before, through many,many adjustments the bass feels flawless.

The guy i bought the bass from had been using it as his main gigging axe for well over 25 years, so it has obviously showed that it can handle the rigors of the road. In the 2 years that i have owned the bass it has never given me a moments trouble.

Considering the age of this guitar, I'm sure the warranty has ran out many years ago.

This is the best bass i have ever owned, hands down. The sound it produces is killer. This is the only bass ive played that allows me to get the tones of such bass legends as John Paul Jones, Jack Bruce and John Entwistle. I suggest to anyone looking for these vintage tones and are about to buy a "reissue" to seek out the real deal. there is no comparisson. If this guitar were stolen or lost i would be utterly heartbroken. A guitar like this is irreplaceable. Truly an excellent bass guitar that has stood the test of time.

you can view this bass guitar and my spector at www.vintage-bass.com in the gallery under "Jeremiah Shriver"

My Precision bass was made in 1963; I bought it in 1967. It's USA- made in Fullerton, CA. 4-string, of course. Frets: enough...never counted. Two passive pickups, offset from each other and original. Tone and volume controls. I run the tone at full bass all the time, because that's the sound I like.

The original finish was glossy Olympic White, if memory serves. It was so dinged up that I had an auto shop re-paint it Ford metallic gold in about 1969 or 70. (Didn't realize till recently that all Fender's original colors were automotive paint, too.)

Tuners and all hardware are 100% original and work as nicely as they did in 1963. Tuner are chrome-plated, and never slip. Original pickup guard and bridge guard are still in place, as I like to use both. Neck was replaced in 1972 when the original truss rod broke right before a job and I had to get the neck replaced; it has a rosewood fingerboard and frets with edges which are much smoother and less prone to grab clothing than the frets on newer P-basses.

I have the original tan color hard case with orange velour lining;very nice for preventing damage, as this bass has been carried and shipped around the US a fair amount.

I have always used flatwound strings on this bass, and I see no reason to even consider round-wounds.

Overall rating is 9 because the features are not exotic, but they're solid and it does exactly what it was designed to do when built in 1963. I don't need active pickups, I just need P-bass sound.

I will give this bass a 7 because compared to modern units, it doesn't have tons of features that compare with active pickup units with hi, middle and low tone controls and that kind of foo-foo. OTOH, I don't need or want a unit with that kind of versatility - I want a P-bass that sounds like a P-bass.

This bass defines the Fender sound. Crank the tone down to full bass and the tone on my '67 Bassman head (driving a 2x15 Fender cabinet)down to full bass, and what you get is a rumble similar to Jack Bruce on the Disraeli Gears album. Since I like a "thud" sound rather than a sound with overtones, I use strings a LONG time. The flatwounds on it have been on for about six years, and I won't be replacing them anytime soon. If I want a bit more overtone, I can ass some treble at the amp, but I don't change the tone on the bass itself.

I play mainly surf music and classic rock and jazz, and the deep rumble of this bass is perfect. It's not a bass to use for a wide variety of sounds, although processing could easily be added in the signal chain to create variety.

I've never used it in a studio, but I have used it to play rock, big band music and jazz, and it meets all those needs. It would work in a studio just fine - if an engineer can't work with a '63 P-bass sound, you need a new engineer.

Likes: Solidly built; can't break it without trying. Action and intonation can easily be adjusted as needed (directions are on the Fender website in the Mr. Gearhead section) and you can get a low, easy action with little work. I like the SOUND of a P-bass turned down and thudding along in music - you can't beat it, and it built the whole modern electronic music industry. Everything else tries to sound like a P-bass.

Dislikes: It's a bit heavy after you wear it for a while. When you lean over, watch out because the neck is heavy enough it will tend to tip and try to hit things. Just be aware of this and it's no problem.

The factory setup is lost to history, but I played the bass for years just by picking it up and playing. Its action and intonation were not adjusted between 1967 and 1992...and they didn't change! The neck installed in '72 has never bowed or given problems, and the truss rod has never needed any adjustment. Let's call that solid!

Pickups have never been adjusted, but there's no apparent problem with them and they work fine, so I presume they're great.

Tuners are very dependable, and almost never slip (it probably helps to have six-year-old strings on it, as there's not much stretch left in them). I can tune it, walk away for a week, pick it up and it's still almost in perfect tune.

One thing I notice in particular is that newer P-basses and other instruments often have sharp ends on the fretwires that will catch on clothing. The ends of the fretwires on this P-bass are smooth and nice, and have never caught on anything. I think the attention to fine detail and finish on instruments was much better in '63.

The original paint job was better than the one on it now, but it was very fragile and easy to chip. That's worth dropping the rating to a 9.

This bass has never been beaten around or mishandled, so it hasn't been tested in that environment. However, since it is extremaly stable, never goes out of tune and hasn't had required a truss rod adjustment or had a single part fail with extremely intermittent and occasional use over 30 years, it has to rate high on durability.

Strap buttons have never come loose or given any trouble. I would use it anywhere, any time with no backup. Never even thought about having a backup until I read these reviews. With a P-bass, backups are totally optional - you only need them if you want to change instruments during a gig.

Never needed support, but the Fender website is very helpful for someone like me who is coming back to the electric bass after a laoyff of many years. I'll give them a 7 because they provide more online help than most manufacturers.

I played for years in the late 60's and early 70's, mostly in a dance band playing big band music. In the 80's my younger brother used the bass on and off. I've taken it up again in my early 5-'s to play classic rock and surf music.

Amps:
1) 1967 Fender black-panel Bassman head and 2x15 Fender cabinet.
2) 1980's Fender Bassman 120 combo amp with 1x15 speaker.
3) 1962 Fender Champ practice amp - the bass totally overwhelms it, even with a new Fender speaker installed.

This bass is all I could ask for as a dependable, consistent performer with great sound. I may buy a fretless bass for grins, since I started on orchestral string bass and I think playing a fretless might be a hoot. However, this P-bass will never leave my hands! It fits me, never loses its tune or has problems, and will perform dependably longer than I'll be able to. If it were stolen or lost, I'd probably try out a Jazz bass and maybe a Gibson Les Paul (had a friend who played one in the early 70's professionally and loved it) but chances are I'd buy something that says Fender on it again...most likely a P-bass.

And this summer, I'll probably go to Reranch.com and get the materials to re-paint it to its original Olympic White again. it will help resale value if I ever do sell it, and I'm tired of the gold metallic color after 30 years.

Fender Precision Bass, 70?s reissue, crafted in Japan in 2002. Olympic white finish, black pickguard, 20 fret rosewood fingerboard. The body is made of alder, and the U-shaped 34? scale neck is made of maple.

The electronics is the standard P-Bass one : passive electronics and vintage Precision Bass pickup (made in USA). Volume and tone control.

The bridge is a standard one, too. Strings are mounted on vintage mode (no string thru body).

This bass came with a gigbag.

Well, this is a Precision Bass, and you don?t have to expect for lots of features. Actually, what makes P-Basses magic is their simplicity.

I mainly play rock, blues and rhythm?n?blues. This bass is THE bass for that. Besides, I also own a Music Man StingRay 5 and a Status Energy 4. My main amp, for live situations, is an Ampeg B-100R. For studio recording, I use either the B-100R or a Line 6 Bass Pod. This bass is really quiet.

The sound of this bass is deep and warm. It has basically one tone, but what a tone ! My favourite one is when tone control is around 8. I always adjust level control at 10.

Despite of this one tone, this bass is so versatile that you definitely can?t say it?s a one-trick pony.

Out of the box, the action of strings was a bit high. Well, as you may know, setting up a P-Bass is very easy. A 5-year old kid could do it. So it took me a couple of minutes to have this bass properly setup. Now it has very low action, no buzz and no dead spot either.

This bass seems to be built to last. I?ve been owning it for one month now, and it is still in mint condition. Nothing suspect for me at this time.

I didn?t have to deal with the company. I only had a question to ask the dealer, and they replied within a couple of hours.

I?ve been playing for 27 years, always on. I?ve owned dozens of basses, in many different styles : Rickenbacker, Jacobacci, Music Man, etc. The only Fender I had owned before was a 72 Telecaster Bass that I owned for only a few months.

If this Precision Bass was stolen, sure I?d get another one in a heartbeat, but I?d also hunt the stealer until I find him and shoot him down.

The most incredible thing with this bass is that I spent 27 years of my life playing bass, but without ever owning a Precision Bass.

An early 80's Fender Japan Precision bass, 20 frets, stock issue with no modifications whatsoever. Ash body, 3 color sunburst...essentially a '62 reissue. We all know what we're getting into when we go with a Pbass right?

With my Ashdown and Eden 410XLT it sounds smooth and fat, like a good well behaved Pbass should sound- even, balanced, punchy, with some serious girth! The low mid thing that P basses are noted for definitely shines this one. Slight deadspot in the area of the 6th fret, but nothing that's bothersome or really noticeable. Records great and sounds huge on a stage too.

I purchased this bass used so I can't comment on the factory setup. With my personal setup however, this bass plays and sounds kickass.

At almost 20 years old this bass is holding up very nicely, and as I take good care of my gear it should last indefinitely. The trussrod works and everythings solid.

I've been playing a long time, own plenty of gear, and I'm a busy player. I have absolutely no complaints about this bass whatsoever. It's a great bass. In fact, I'd say it smokes the new USA Fenders I've played. Not that the USA Fenders are bad at all- but this one simply *sounds* better. Go figure. I got lucky.

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.

I think it was made around 1994 or 1995. It's just a standard, cookie cutter Mexican Precision Bass with the standard bare bones set-up. I bought it because a friend of mines band needed a bass player and I didn't have a bass of my own (was a guitar player for another band).

I've used this bass in a few live situations and some recording sessions. It's really good for what I paid. Live it thumps like you would expect a Precision Bass to do. I like to keep the tone around 4 or 5, because I like a really fat, non-bright tone (I don't do much slapping, if any). This seemed to be the best setting because I used both my fingers and a pick. I also set it up with Regular gauge D'Addarios. It has a very rich, deep sound and I've never had a problem getting a tone with the bass. I used an older, borrowed Peavey Black Widow equipped bass amp live with no effects. It doesn't always sound that great in the studio, and I've often found myself using the nicer American-made Jazz Bass that the owner of the studio owned where some intricate tonal qualities and definition were needed, but for straight ahead thump it's a great bass.

Ithas a really nice candy apple red finish that has held up well. I'm tyically not kind ot my instruments in live situations, but overall the appearance and finish have maintained their shine. The neck required some shimming, but other than that no major adjustments have ever been made or required. The saddle springs seem to vibrate more than they should (accentuated with new strings) but it doesn't go through the amp so I don't mind.

This thing is a beater. Again, in my performing heyday I was pretty rough with my gear and this bass has held up like a champ. It's been slammed down on the floor, had the strings ripped off of it, dropped/tossed repeatedly, it's headstock used as a drum stick, doused with beer....I can go on and on. I've never smashed it or thrown it or done anything with the intention of breaking it into tiny little pieces, but I've not been kind to it. But even cosmetically it's held up well. It's the only bass I own (I was a guitar player with previous bands as mentioned above), so I don't have the option of a backup immediately available to me...but that should tell something about the confidence I have in the workmanship of this thing :)

never dealt

If you're just looking for a knock-around bass with the understanding that it's only going to sound a smidgeon like the better Fender basses, this is your bass. I've found it does the thump thing well, and has worked well for me in many instances that don't necessarily require tonal versatility or a tone that will cut through the mix for lead purposes. I can't say enough about it's durability. A decent choice if you don't have the extra dough to throw down for one of it's cooler brothers (I was considering a gorgeous American Standard P Bass...but it was out of my price range and I definitely wouldn't have done the types of things I've done to my Mexicision, which might have been as fun:) ). Just make sure you test drive a few, because I've found the quality varies from one to the next.

I've just bought this, it's a 1966 Precision. I've owned heaps of basses over the last 20 years, but now I understand what all the fuss is about with these old P-basses. This thing just sits right, sounds right, plays right .... well, you know what I mean. On a vintage scale, its about a 7.5 - its all original, but its missing a bit of paint (it's sunburst), and generally its been used a lot, although definately not abused. I have to say that, having been through Steinberger, Musicman, Warwick and countless others, it really is amazing how something as simple as this can be so on the money.

Only one real sound, but it's amazing. Very versatile, and really responsive to the way you play. I play in a number of styles, and the sound just seems to be right whatever I throw at it. You can use a pick, then swap over to some mad slapping, and it just seems to sound right, with no major eq changes. It would appear that the philosophy here was "one sound, but we'll make it a really good one"!

Like I said, this is a 35 year old bass that's been played. Feel wise, it's like putting on an old pair of shoes, really comfortable. The neck shape is just right for my hands. As for the finish, it's played but it just has so much character. I think the fact that it still looks as good as it does after 35 years is testament to the quality of the original finish.

Everything about this bass is a testament to it's longevity. It plays well, it looks good, and it sounds great. I'd say another 35 years shouldn't be a problem.

I think if Fender were to offer warranty on instruments of this age, they'd probably go out of business. Having said that, there's not a lot needed on this baby anyway.

As I said, I've been through quite a few basses, but I've not had one that felt so good from the start. I tried a lot of P-basses out, and the only other model I directly compared this to was a Jazz bass of the same vintage. I love Jazz basses, but for the money I paid for this I would've been looking at a mid 70's Jazz, which wasn't what I wanted at all. This bass just oozes character, and it shows why these babies just keep going up and up in value. I think its a shame that the market value of these has risen to the point where a lot of working musicians can't afford them, but I'm afraid that's an economic issue rather than a musical one. All I can say is that if you've saved hard for a Sadowsky/Alembic/Ken Smith etc etc, just try one of these out first - you might be pleasantly surprised. Probably the only thing I wish this bass had was the original American case - because I bought it in England, I ended up with a case that was supposedly supplied by Selmer, and it sucks in a big way (Selmer imported Fender during the Sixties, and they supplied a locally made case with the guitars).

1983 Fender Precision Bass. 34 inch scale, 20 fret bolt on maple neck with a rosewood board. The electronics (as we all know) are not complex. 1 split pickup, 1 volume, 1 tone, and a input jack. The pickup is the stock Fender passive P bass pickup. Simple black body with a white pickguard. Oh, this is also made is the USA, and yes, that matters to me.

First off, the reason I play a Precision Bass is Steve Harris of Iron Maiden (and about 5 million other bass players). At the moment, I'm using a Crate B160 XL 1-15 combo and it works fine with this bass BUT I'm getting a Ampeg or a EBS amp shortly that should sound a lot better. I like the growl of a good Fender Jazz Bass better for most of my music (metal), but I don't like the Jazz neck that much. The Precision has a little beefier neck that suits me better. The pickup can be a little noisy, but overall its not that bad. Its good a good heavy bottom end to it that kind of surprised me for still having the stock pickup in it. This bass pretty much has 1 tone to it, but its a good one. You can get a little variety by adjusting the volume and tone controls on it, but not much unless the tone is rolled full on, they its extremely muddy. I pretty much just leave everything wide open.

I had to adjust the action to suit me, but I have to do that with everything. The bass looks almost new, and its 18 years old. Whoever owned it before took very good care of it. The neck fits solid in the neck pocket, the nut was cut the right height, and it still intonates easily. No complaints here.

When I play live, this is the bass I prefer. Again, it has very simple electronics that do the job and there isn't much to mess up on it at a gig. I think thats part of why these basses are so popular. I installed Dunlop Straplocks are they are cheap insurance and I use them with everything. I keep all my instruments pretty well set up and do it whenever they don't quite play 'right'. However, I havn't had to do anything to this one for 6 months, but again, I stay on top of it. Last thing I did was the initial setup when I got it. So far so good.

I'm not sure I'd want to deal with Fender or any other big corporation at this point in time. With that being said, I'll let you know how it goes if I do need service from them.

I have yet another Precision Bass (a non stock 1976) I also like so I don't think I'd worry about this one much. I play guitar maybe 60 percent of the time and bass the rest, but I'll play either depending on what is needed. I really like the simplicity of the P basses. Not a lot of options and none needed. It gets the job done. Just like guitars, you'd really need several basses to do several different things. I like the Rickenbacker 4003s for certain things (like playing Rush and Motorhead), the Kubicki Factor 4s are excellent basses as well (but different looking). You really can't compare this to a Kubicki, as they are completely different animals. If I only had one bass to play, it would be one of these. Thousands of you know why.

I have a Fender P-Bass it was made in the late 90's not too sure exactly when. 4 strings. full scale 20 fret 34" neck. one volume one tone. passive. alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard.

Great sound for the price you pay! I play rock, contemporary hawaiian, punk, swing, big band...all the good stuff. has dark punchy sound. I wouldn't recomend it if you like to play jazz or some swing songs or if you play "high up". Has a nice slapping sound.

Very solid, excellent construction! Could use it to chop down a tree. very nice finish. a little heavy for me, my shoulders get sore after playing a 4 hour gig.

very reliable very durable. my stuff gets bangged up alot and it has NEVER failed me yet! after owning one you'd never even think of bringing a back up.

I've been playing for 5 years now and this bass is a awsome bass! this would be a great bass to start up on. it's solid, nice sound, simple and my best friend... well was I sold it not to long ago. if it got stolen i'd buy a new one...a fender. wish it had a better high end. i play it with my fender bxr25, great amp! remember to keep your shit going and sounding great you got to take care of it! polish , oil, keep it in a case, dust it, and for gods sake don't leave it in your car..especially under the hot sun!

Built in '93, ash body, maple neck, 20 small size frets, one peace neck, just a Fender Precision Bass. I got it used, payed 650DM = ca. 310$US, equipped with a Bartolini pickup. Neck and body have a transparent finish, the whole instrument was in perfect condition (except a scratched pickguard). The neck is rather fat, compared to my Mexico Jazz, seems to have a slight D shape. The natural finish and the black pickguard make this instrument look very good, better than sunburst oder other non-transparent finishes. The bass is very well made, only the bridge was replaced by a Schaller 3D4 (I dont like the floppy Fender bridges). The bass came with a case. And it weights a lot less than my Jazz Bass.

I do only know its sound with the Bartolini pickup. However, coming from a Jazz Bass it was something quite different. Very rich and earth-shaking lows, a crisp but transparent attack. The right bass for ready-steady rock and solid progressive things. With my TE AH300 and a 1048H speaker it gives a very clean and detailled sound. The next surprise was the sustain and the clarity of natural harmonics. I really like its sound and feel.

Well made, that's all to say. Excellent work. No flaws. Because of the good fretwork I can have a very (very!) low action with nearly no fretbuzz. The only point is that I will replace the tuners. I dont have to but the newer tuners help restringing. However, I will never understand why Leo used those bridges, as I said earlier.

Built to last. The finish is a very hard one, even after 6 years playing there is only one little mark in the fretboard. I cannot see now how stable the neck is, but I expect it is.

n/a

For the last five years my Mexico Jazz was my #1, even after a massive buy-and-sell-phase (Dean, Epiphone, Washburn etc.). This bass is now my new #1, the JB will become backup. Only my Guild Pilot4 fretless will stay untouched in this contest as he is one of his own. This Japan Precision Bass fits for me in every catagory, sound, playabilty, handling. I never believed that one pickup would be enough :-)

This is an 83 Fender bass..one pickup..maple neck..black with white pickgaurd. It has the same features as other Fender Precision basses. It's made in USA.

It sounds good..I am not a bass player by trade..but tone comes from the hands...so I get a good tone out of it.

I don't know, I traded a Cort Curbow for it..I set it up myself..I've set up guitars and basses for 20 years..didn't seem to be any flaws, other than the neck profile.

It's in mint shape and it was made in 83...it seems durable.

Been playing music since about 1968 or 32 years..but been a full time guitar player for 20+ years and a sometimes bass player since about around 87.. See my Cort review..I list some gear there. I don't play the bass, unless someone asks or I need to play a bassline any available bassplayers find too difficult..if it were lost...oh well..I would just buy another Cort Curbow 4. It feels nice and it has a good acoustic tone...the neck profile was designed by a hand surgeon in need of business. I got this on a trade from someone who wanted a better playing bass, for his means, than he had. I can play it fine, but the Curbow by Cort just plays more naturally.
I'd say..it's a good bass..it's a real good bass, if you can trade a less expensive bass for it...and no..I probably wouldn't have bought it for it's full cash value.

Made in 1994, and Mexican. 18 frets, 4 string. It has modified knobs, EMG pickups, and a Mother of Pearl fretboard. Knobs are volume and tone (all you really need). It is a wonderful sunburst with a few chips in it.

The strings on this bass are 4 years old, but it still sounds nice and warm. It fits my style of rock and techno, and I use it with a Danelectro practice amp (I don't play bass mainly). I think it will be the only bass I need.

Awesome, but I got it used, so it has three chips in it near the top, bottom, and back. I couldn't care less though.

As I said, this is all I need. It wouldn't break unless I intentionally did it.

I am mainly a guitar player though I play over 10 other instruments, and as a bass, this is all I would need. I would have to buy another one if stolen, and replace the pickups and pickguard just like this one is. I love how easy it is to transport, always ready, no hassles. It is great.

-1978 American Fender Precision Bass
-4-string
-Volume and tone controls
-Sunburst Finish
-Case included

-Excellent warm sound
-Perfect for all ranges (lows, mids, etc)
-I play it =through an older crate head and an EV 15 in a crate cab

-The bass is virtually flawless

-This base has made it 22 years, and it isn't going anywhere
-Hardware is in excellent shape
-Strap buttons are solid
-Never used a backup!

-Never needed it

-this bass has emerged as my favorite
-I would recommend to any bass player that they must have a vintage P-Bass at one time or another

Mexican 4-string with 20 frets. Standard volume and tone controls
with a single split pickup. Not sure about materials but it seems
like Alder. It's got a cream finish and a WBW pickguard.

This bass is excellent for the stuff I play. It's very slappable
and the pickups don't get in the way. It's also easy to play fast
as the strings stay tight and the action is low. I play a lot of
punk/soft rock stuff with some harder stuff thrown in there. It's got
a pretty sweet sound when it's on a bass amp but I'm stuck using a
little 15 watt Fender guitar amp until I can afford a bass amp for home.

Action's good and low, easy to play. Love the neck, it's a good size.
No problems whatsoever.

It's a Fender. Sometimes they're annoying but they're all built like tanks so I think it's fine for agig with no backup if you're not afraid of broken strings.

Never Dealt With Fender

I actually just started playing bass 3 days ago. I've been playing guitar for a year or so and it's not too much different so far. I couldn't pass this up since I got it at below cost at the store I was at (I know the owner and they were doing clearance). Remember...the amp is more important than the bass!

My P-bass was built in 1995 and was built in the USA. It has 20 medium jumbo frets, maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard. It has a nice solid alder body with a Fiesta red finish. It also has the W/B/W pickgaurd. The bridge is the string-thru-body, and the tuners are the standard Schaller. It has the Strap locks. Everything on this bass is original except the strings, I changed them to Fender flatwounds. They give it a really warm mellow sound. The case a strap and tools were included.

My bass fits my style well. I like to play rock, blues and jazz. I haven't been playing for very long(about 3 years). I run my bass through a Fender BXR 25 and I use a DOD fuzz and a DOD bass overdrive. It has that full low end when no effects are used and when I add fuzz and overdrive it opens it up a bit but it still holds its solidity. This bass makes no noise at any setting. The passive pick-ups stay nice and quiet. I really enjoy its sound, it's a classic sound other basses can't copy

I feel that it was set up well at the factory. I felt the action was low for me when first started so I just adjusted the strings and it was fine. I feel that the pick-ups are properly adjusted I haven't had to tweak them at all. The neck joint is very tight, the frets have nice crowns, the nut is properly cut and sanded. The finish on the neck is smooth. The finish on the body is smooth and I haven't seen any rough or thin spots.

I believe this bass could withstand just about any punishment it is put through. The hardware is solid and I feel it will hold up for the life of the bass. The finish is pretty durable, I've bumped into things and the finish hasn't chipped off of the body. I have hit the headstock and the finish cracked but I feel that's to be expected with use over time. I have only had to adjust the truss rod twice. If I was to go to a gig I feel that this would be all I need

Lifetime warranty. I have not had to contact the company, but I give it a high rating for the length of the warranty.

Since I've only been playing for about 3 years this is the only instrument I own. If it were stolen or lost I would probably buy another one, if not then I would probably buy a Jazz bass. I love how it just feels right when I play it. Fenders were the first basses I looked at. I'd always liked their sound. I feel any Fender American Standard instrument is worth the money spent. I feel that this bass is definitly a good value

Standard precision features, 1 tone, 1 volume knob.

I have owned several precision basses, including a '79, '78, '96 and a '66. This is by far the best sounding of them all, and none of them were slouches. Maybe it's in the wood (alder stiffens and sounds better with age), the pickup (the early-mid '60s precisions had alnico pickups), or the fretboard which is Brazilian rosewood (not available since the mid '60s). It's punchier, deeper sounding, and much warmer than the other p's I've owned or played.

action is perfect, low but not too low, the old bridges hold their settings much better than those from the '70's or '80s

lightweight, but tough as a slab of granite

don't think Fender warrantees their products for 36 years

been playing bass for 15 years, mostly precisions. The pre-cbs ones are much, much better sounding than any of the later ones I've heard or played.

This is a pretty good guitar, I think it has 21 frets, it has p style pickups and there pretty good. I use this guitar in a jazz band. The think I like the most about thins guitar is the neck on it is so sweet. I love the feel of it.

The sound is pretty good on this baby. I play it thru a 100 watt crate amp and it sounds pretty dam good. I like the tone really low like at 2 or 3.

The guitar was set up pretty good at the factory. Everything was pretty good.

This thing is very durable. THe finish is pretty good and it would definatly stand live playing.

This is a great bass!!!!!!!!

This bass is a 1974 US made bass, Sunburst finish, stone stock standard. One split pickup, one volume, and one tone control, both metal, non-locking open geared tuners, stndard tailpiece/bridge, chromed steel bridge cover and chromed steel "pickup tunnel", and a wooden finger rest. Sounds great from mello to funky.

No noise, and great tone range from the single pickup. It's played through a homemade amp with a 12" speaker, no effects. Wonderfully easy to play.

The action is superb, but the finish is showing some crazing and cracking. No obvious flaws.

This is one tough bass and I have been using it for over 12 years. Perfect gig bass and it's a good studio bass too. It'll probably outlast me!

I bought the bass used and have never needed another. It is strong and sweet and will probably outlast me. It is plenty versatile. 'Nuff said. Solid workhorse.