Fender Sting Precision Bass

2002 Japanese, natural finish ash body, one passive, single coil pickup, maple neck, vintage nickel reverse tuners, string-through, dual-saddle bridge.

I've had this bass for three years, and it's long been my primary instrument. I play mostly classic rock, some oldies, and occasional jazz. First off, this is a no-frills, meat and potatos, old-school P-bass that basically does one thing and does it very well; namely, put out deep, throaty bass tones. The tonal range is surprisingly varied within this sound, going from deep, upright bass to a crunchy wooden snap at the high end. The single-coil pickup has a very strong output (despite comments to the contrary) and I would see no reason to replace or upgrade. I don't play in a studio, but thirty-five years of stage work tells me it's a very strong presence in any mix. The pots have become crackly on occasion, but a little contact cleaner sprayed at these easily accessible parts takes care of it. There is a very rapid drop-off from the highest volume setting to lower, so I usually play it full out and adjust from the amp. I love the rich full sound, and slightly dislike the precipitious volume drop-off, as it leaves little to no head-room for fast adjustment.

This bass arrived perfectly set up (so long as you like higher settings), and the scary-looking twin saddle bridges proved easly to adjust and have not produced any significant intonation problems. The string-through the body aspect makes for a very stable feel. Other reviews have commented on the strings getting caught in the pickup, but I have never found this to be a threat; I did have a '55 pickup cover and bridge cover isntalled (along with a thumbrest above the strings for functionality, and--as one commentator noted--this limits the sideways motions of the string. Also makes it look very vintage. Note: see the Fender '55 at Fender's website for correct positioning of the covers. Pickguard scews work well to hold them down. The bridge cover has an open back, and string changing is not adversely affected. The added thumbrest helps when you play higher up on the body. The maple neck is thick but very playable (and I have small hands, and the smaller, vintage frets lend it an almost fretless feel. Flat-wound strings work best for a great feel. One thing I do not like, and which has been widely commented on, is the tendency for the jack assembly to come loose. I tighten it with a needlenose pliers before the gig and it usually holds up; wrap the cord through your strap to avoid any potential catastrophies. The finsih is beautiful and indicative of Japanese Fender craftsmanship. Over time, the tuners have acquired a lovely nickel-patina. Would a modern bridge like a BadAss help? Maybe, but the unnotched saddles aren't a problem, and the slightly extra tension of flats prevent any side-to side motion

This is a heavy piece of equipment and likely would have held the Visigoths at bay. I've seen it knocked over, stepped on, and generally abused in the hot, humid environs of Florida summers, and it holds up fine. Just wipe it down, polish the covers once in awhile, and fear not. No backup is needed, though I would be careful with the one achilles heel of this baby, namely the jack socket.

I make my own modifications, and have never dealt with Fender. Truss rod is easily accessible as are all of the internal compoents.

I've been playing bass on a semo-rpo basis for nearly forty yars and have owned too many instruments to count. This is my third P-Bass and it is definitely my favorite. The little "Sting" block on the fingerboard is mildly annoying, but no biggie. I play it through a Hartke Kick-Back 15, as the sound is almost always run through a board or larger system. For a big, heavy instrument, it has wonderful balance and there is very little fatigue even over the course of a long gig. I also own jazz basses, a modern SRX700 Ibanez (curse those battery operated beasts!)and would grieve if this were ever lost or stolen. If you're an older player who wants that old-school look without endangering your collectible vintage axes, this one is for you.

2000 Made in Japan. What can you say about the features? Its a reissue of the granddaddy of e-basses. Volume, tone, strings and the other basics that any boy needs to make loud thumping sounds.

For my musical style(garage punk) I thought it was just what I was looking for. Ever since I saw Tommy Stinson of the Replacements with one in his sweaty hands on the cover of the "Sorry Ma..." record, I knew I needed one. I was happy that It was reissued. With my ampeg v-4 it just ruled from the instant I plugged it in. It doesnt have much versatility as can be expected, but for a driving boomy sound without mich clicky metal overtones,its the cats pajamas.

The factory set up was a bit lacking as usual for most fender products, and the strap holders were loose after 1 session(but I tend to bop around a lot. Im a little bit disturbed by the sting signature on the neck, where to my embarrasment, all can see it. I was dreaming of routing it out and putting STINSON in it instead.A lowering of the action, some match sticks with a drop of glue for the newly installed strap locks, and I was ready to storm the stage with my new bargain boomer!

O.K....this is where I was really let down. I was so gung ho about the sound of this hunk-o-wood, that I expected a wonderful maiden voyage. this was not the case. I dumped a gallon of sweat in the sucker, and...50% output. Fair enough I thought, maybe its got something to do with the guy with the mohawk that emptied his beer on us as we were rocking out. I just turned up louder, as I have had this happen with my Gibson SG as well. Then some pogoing stage diving fool steps on my cable, and the output jack rips out, but like really easy. This is not normal says I, and I strap on the trusty Gibson Grabber to finish the show. How can he take this you ask? Well im a trooper, and I say to myself, "just use it in the studio". Nope. After fixing the gig damage with the typical tools of the trade(hairdryer, duct tape, and solder), I strap up a few weeks later for a recording session. Three songs later and BAM! The G-String slips under the pickup and rips the cheapo pickup apart, destroying the coil. I thought to myself" if I was Sting, this would not be happening). Determined to make my investment make sense, I take out the ex-pickup to have my buddy rewrap it. He does it by hand, and whats this????!!! It sounds better than Sting? It had tons more output(granted my buddy did make it much hotter, and he is a pro). the same day practice and the e-string finishes the ten minuts of extacy by doing the same thing that his little brother G did 2 days before. Ouch. Solution? Use a pickup guard?Duct tape the entire pickup? Buy a seymore duncan quarter pounder?Start to play more like Sting? I dont think so. Ive played squire junk heaps for 100 bucks that were more solid. I even think a paper mache bass would hold up better under the line of fire. Its unfortunate that the boys at fender didnt try a little bit harder for the rockers out there that were looking forward to this long awaited reissue.

Im rarely peeved enough to dedicate so much complaining over a guitar...BUT:
Ive been playing in gigging bands for about 20 years, run a recording studio,and I have had a lot of instuments in and out of my hands in the last years. If looks and nostalgia were the only factors at play, this bass would be a winner. But I dont buy an instument to just look at it and pluck out groovy bass lines at social gatherings. This "thing" is not an instrument, or a tool of any kind. It is purely a wall hanger. And the only walls it should be hanging on is in a music store, and with a price tag that equals the performance...5 dollars

New, made in Japan. Stock instrument. Gets a 5 rating because it doesn't have a ton of features, which is exactly why I chose it...closest thing to a Telecaster guitar there is, but in a bass.

Yes, if you turn the tone up full there's a slight bit of noise. I have no problem with that since I rarely have tone up full and if I do, it's during a performance and nobody hears a little pickup noise over the drums etc.
I was pleasantly surprised at full range of tone and excellent string balance (volume equal for each string).

I spent all of 15 mins setting intonation of the 2 barrel bridge. No problem. Everything else was set just fine. Workmanship is excellent and no flaws in the materials. Neck is a little thinner and narrower than my '62 P bass, which makes is dead easy to handle and play.

No problems and I use it without backup.

I made inquiries to Fender on two occasions and each time they came through for me. I've owned a lot of amps and guitars and basses over the years and Fender is my rock of Gibralter. Had various Gibsons, but keep coming back to Fender.

I can't rate everything a 10 but I am delighted with this bass. I own a 62 RI and the Sting is lighter, has a little more tone variation and is a pleasure to play. The 62 has such tiny markers on the side of the fingerboard that I can't see them on a darkened stage. Main complaints from others have been the intonation and single coil pickup noise. I checked those out carefully before buying and for me, there was no issues there whatsoever. The Sting bass has become my #1. And who cares about the 12th fret inlay - get a grip.

2003(?), Made in Japan, '51 P-Bass style ash slab body with arm contour, single volume and tone pots, one passive single coil pickup, reverse tuners, 2-barrel style bridge. No superfluous garbage - simple, effective design.

Has a surprising amount of tonal variation for having only one pickup. I usually keep the tone control on full when playing pickstyle, where it has a decent amount of bite, but roll it off when playing fingerstyle for a 'thumpier' sound. Live, I play it through an Ampeg SVT Classic + an Ampeg 4x10 cab; in the studio I ran it through a Millennia Media TD-1 D.I. and an SWR Workingman's 12 (+ a 1x18 extension cab). In both setups, it has enough mids to cut through the mix, but still retains an authoritative low end presence.

Got it second hand, so I can't speak for the factory setup. I had to reset the intonation and pickup height. Due to the nature of the Tele-style two barrel bridge, getting the correct intonation can be tricky. I've noticed that the barrels have begun to show some rust. The finish was flawless. Good fretwork - the frets are seated well, with no sharp ends, though I think I'd prefer rounded edges on the fingerboard.

It's survived many beer-soaked gigs with nary a hickup, save for this: while playing, the E string can get caught underneath the top of the pickup bobbin, which can damage the pickup. In my case, it caused the copper wire to begin unravelling, effectively destroying the pickup. I had it replaced with a Seymour Duncan SCPB-3; sure enough, the E string got caught again. The pickup was undamaged, but now I'm extra cautious to not let it happen! Also, the reverse-style tuners took a little getting used to, and can be a little stiff when tuning up, but that's not much of an issue.

Haven't had to deal with them.

Overall, this is a good, solid, quality instrument. With the exception of the E string getting caught on the top of the pickup, I haven't had any problems with it. It's a little unwieldly for me (my main axe is a Fender Mustang reissue - also Japanese made, and totally awesome), but is still totally playable. It's suitable for most types of music, though I can't envision anyone doing Steve Harris runs on it, and slap & poppers probably would be better served by a different instrument. Aesthetically, it will appeal to those seeking a classic, classy looking axe. I could do without the "Sting" signature on the 12th-fret inlay - I don't care for 'signature' anything. I'm a musician, not a billboard. And besides, Sting's already gets enough publicity. But I digress...

I've played bass for around 13 years, and guitar for about 7. This bass is akin to my Telecaster - a solid, no frills, rock & roll instrument. No batteries to replace, no knobs to ponder over, and beautiful in its simplicity.

This bass will soon be returned to its original owner, and I've moved on to a '57-reissue P-Bass, which I still have to break in. But I would consider purchasing a '51-style P in the future.

53 re-issue. Singlecoil Fender P pickup, tone/volume pots, one piece maple neck, 53 style head, ash body, 2 color sunburst, reverse vintage-tuners, 50s bridge, made in japan.

Standrd 50s features

I play mainly rock, and usually through a line 6 bass pod direct into a desk. For the rock - this is great, bottom end punches enough, and with a good valve amp - this thing is a classic. Not so hot when playing funk, and is is passable for jazz, but the mids are better on a jazz bass anyday. I am very happy with it but the plan is to replace the pickup with a quarterpound seymour duncan, and the bridge with badass II. Can't complain abous the sustain, but would get heaps better intonation from a badass.

Eberything was beautiful. Had to raise the action slightly, feels like it was set up for a pcik player and the "e" was giving just the slightest fret rattle. But there were no flaws. But I expect nothing less from a japanese made fender. The balance is beautiful, the ash body is superb. For those who haven't played a japanese fender, please do. I trust them more than the american ones, and whenever buying a bass try and find a SH japanese one before looking at an american one.

This is a quality fender, I have no doubt it will be going string in 20 years, though I have only had it a few months. Gigs beautifully.

I love this bass, I might give the mike dirnt bass a go if I had to replace this, but this bass makes me happy.

this is a very barebone instrument:
one singlecoil, tone/volumepoti, thin 50's style frets, onepiece-mapleneck, onepiece-ashbody, reverse vintage-tuners, very simple bridge, made in japan. well everybody knows this instrument...

it's actually one of the sweetest sounding instruments, i ever played. my main bass is a '81 fender precision, which was the best sounding precision i personly found and player for over years.
this sting signature is pretty close to it, with a bit more deep growl, more deep mids and bass. very warm, woody sound with bright, sparkling highs, if needed. i play it through an orange or120 head and an ampeg 4x10/1x15 cabinet with a bunch of stompboxes such as tubescreamer, bigmuff, eh bass-synth and eh memory man deluxe.
i play different kinds of music, from noiserock (shellac-style) and hardcoresounds to blues/indierock and the bass suits it all.
it not versatile, but it has 2 ore three very good sounds depending on how you play (pick/fingerstyle)and what string/tonepoti combination you dial in. at least, i never understood, why one instrument should sound like hundert different ones...
this one sounds unique and very responsive to what you do with your fingers - and thats what an instrument should do!

everything perfect. i personally even like the very simple bridge. everthing is pretty good adjustible and works and looks great.

it's very well made!

don't know...

thats how an instrument has to be.

Not sure, of date. Hafta check ser. # 1 single coil p/u, vol. & tone. There you got it. That's why I bought it....

Old school thump, stock pups were rather weak. I replaced them. Put rio grande Muy Grande for '51 p-bass in, like that MUCH better. Dusty Hill can't be wrong....

When I got it, it was used, don't know. Loved the finish tho. Real purty....

It seems pretty solid, neck stays straight, only used it a couple times for gigs. I'm fidna take it out tonight, but will bring another bass w/ me.

I've put a fender deluxe bridge, a rio grande muygrandefor51pbass pup, a bridge cover on it. I've got 170.00 in mods into it. These basses are actually very nice, but limited tonally. I like the tone, but some folks may not. I also send it thru a sansamp bass driver before amp. But I still like it. It's also got a big ole neck, some may not like it. It's really a classy instrument, but an aquired taste. It's like do you want a harley, or a cafe bike?

This is a rehash or update of a previous review on the same bass, after two years of gigs and practice. I play (and croak) in a blues or blues rock band, Stones, Who Kinks etc. Since I bought it, prices have dropped. Also I've tried other basses, and although this is a very good bass, specially after the updates, and it says Fender on the headstock, it is an expensive way of getting this sound.

Changed a few bits and the sound is phenomenal. Bad Ass 2 bridge, Seymour Duncan SCPB2 pickup, and I like pressure wound strings, sometimes called half rounds, cos they give you the tone of a roundy without string talk or fret damage. That lot fitted cost just over #100, but it ws well worth it. No hum, wider tonal palette, nearly made my Stingray obsolete. (but it didn't.) Score is with my mods, which may not suit everyone.

Bridge replaced with a Bad Ass 2 cos the original drove me and my guitar tech friend mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now we can set up the intonation and it works. Dropped twice, no damage to the bass but I broke a table, a bit....... Again, score after mods.

Dropped twice, gigged often, still nearly in showroom condition. Only problem now is the reverse tuners, which don't seem to hold on the G and D strings.

Never met them. Informative website for wiring and intonation.

Still use this and a Music Man. Now through a Hartke VX3500 combo with paper cones. Still playing in bands for fun. No effects necessary. If this were to be stolen, I'd replace it but I don't know if I'd buy another Fender- take a long hard look at Shine copies. For one third of the price you can get a very good bass, and spend the balance on anything you want.

2003 model, Crafted in Japan. Features? As simple as it gets, just as Leo intended.

I use this bass with an Ashdown EB15-150 combo, single 15" speaker.
Just about any sound I might care to look for, it's there. Maybe the P/U has a bit less poke than the humbucking post '57 type, but not a lot in it.

Supremely well made. As good as any bass I've owned. Tried a '55 Custom Shop Time Machine Precision at UK Music Live in November 2003. Wasn't a patch on the Sting.

When a Fender is as well put together as this, it's gonna rock for years...

I paid full UK list for this, so it was a bit pricey by USA standards, but it's so good, it's still worth it.
Only thing I dislike is the inlay - a bit naff.
I've 'originalised' mine with bridge and pickup covers and a finger rest, and it looketh dead cool, matey.

My Sting Bass is 2 years old and is still in production although it is suppose to be a limited made bass. It is made in Japan, has 20 vintage frets,has one telecaster type single coil pick-up, passive electronics of course, 3 piece swamp ash body, black/brown 2 tone, maple neck with a vintage tint finish, string through body on a 2 saddle vintage bridge, vintage tuners reversed tuning, 34 inch scale and the bass comes in cardboard box. ha ha

This is a very good "all purpuse meat and potatoes" bass guitar! It is good for most styles of music except extreme slapping and it can't get that Music Man bark sound but all in all it'll fit most of a bass player's needs. I use this bass with a Peavey solid state 200 watt head and one 15 inch and one 12 inch cabs. I like rich full bottom sound and the first thing I did was ditch the round wound strings that come on it from the factory and put on a set of Fender Flats 50,65,85,100. Since this bass is a single coil, it has a fairly bright sound and I cut the treble on my amp. The pick-up has great low/lows, thin mid range and is fairly bright. This is not a muddy sounding bass. All frequencies have excellent defintion! Some tweaking with the amp controls can give almost any type of sound that you want. Want the J. Entwhistle sound? It is there. Want the J. Jamerson sound? It is there.

For a single coil, it is fairly quiet, a tiny bit of hum but that is normal. I like the sound of this bass. In my opinion, a muddy sounding bass can not be made to sound clear but a clear sounding bass can be made to sound muddy. So, you can get clear sounds from it or with differnt strings and amp settings you can go muddy too. This bass is a clear single coil sounding bass by nature. Prehaps a little bit thinner sounding than the neck pick-up on a Jazz Bass. Ain't nothing wrong with it at all!!!!!

The bass was set up pretty good right from the factory. I think most of us bass players have our own personal tastes for set up. I jacked the strings up a bit but I like high action. The truss rod was perfectly adjusted right out of the box. Great neck joint! You can't even fit an ameba between the neck and body! Nice finish, flawless! No high or low frets. All in all, this is a good looking bass for $550. ( I don't care much for the rectangle white pearl 12th fret marker with Sting's signature on it! Big deal! Should have stayed with with the double black dots. )

But, but, but......it wasn't perfect. The 3 piece swamp ash body is kind of cheap. I mean 3 pieces? Is wood that expensive? Should have been 2 piece like my 1997 Jap reissue of a 1951 P-Bass!

The tuners are a little bit sticky. Hopefully will loosen up with use.

And now, the worst thing about this bass!!!!!!! The bridge!!!!! It was mounted 1/4 of an inch too far back from the neck!!!! That means when I set the intonation, the saddle screws for the G & D string are right on the very edge of of the bridge plate!!!! YIKES!!! If I use round wounds or light guage strings, I am screwed!!!!!!

This is really a bad error! And guess what? I recently bought a 1951 Jap reissue and the bridge is 5/16s of an inch back too far!!!!! Strange because the 1951 I bought 7 years ago has a properly mounted bridge and is dead on with my real 1962 P-Bass. Why did these 2 nicely made basses have incorrectly mounted bridges? Strange!

Well, if you are the "handy man" type. The bridge can safely and easly be remounted 1/8 of inch forward. This will give some extra space for intonation. This can be done without leaving any signs of the original screw holes. But still, this is a big pain in the butt! If you want to put the bridge exactly where it belongs, now you've got problems. If you are a fanatic ( like I am ) and want to remount where it belongs, you got two choies. Either buy and cover up the "boo boos" with a 1951 bridge cover or use wood repair dowel rods and putty and paint to cover up and it'll still show, right? Well, like I said, what do you expect for $550? Can't have perfection at that price! One last small complaint. The pickguard is on the thick side. A thinner plastic should have been used like on my '51 Jap P-Bass from 7 years ago. I'd say I got what I paid for on the Sting Bass. No biggy! If it weren't for the bridge, I'd give this bass a 10 in the construction area.

This bass is very reliable and very durable. Built like the originals with the same materials. Pete Townsend would have to give this bass 10 or more whacks to get it to break! This is the only contoured early 50s P-bass that you can get as a production model. So, I would have to replace it if it it was gone. I love these old P-basses!!!!!! They are so cool!!!! The Japanese build 'em nice!!!!

Customer support? It is a Fender. You don't need any support. I didn't tell them of the bridge problem. What good would it have done? It seems all the basses have the bridge mounted incorrectly. A head scratcher for sure!!!!!

Over all rating. On looks alone this bass is worth owning. Been playing since 1967. Too bad about the bridge, otherwise this bass gets a "10"!

The features are well detailed in other reviews.

My score for this category is based on what a bass like this NEEDS to have, not what it has compared to other basses. In fact, LACK of features, is sort of a feature on this bass.

I am in a band that plays '50's and '60's covers mostly, so this bass is well suited to that era. It is capable of more variation in sound that you would think from 1 pickup and 2 knobs. For example, with the tone all the way down plucking notes gently or using your thumb gets a vintage type sound similar to many old recordings. Using a pick with the tone all the way up (and treble on amp up) gets a more ringing type sound that cuts through the rest of the band. To my ears (and through my setup) it sounds a bit like a ric when played this way.

Listening to recordings, this bass gets exactly the sound I want at this moment in time (this subject to change, as my tastes can change).

I have seen reviews where people say the pickup in this bass (and other fender basses that use the same SCPB pickup) is weak, but I don't know what they are comparing it to. To me, it is fairly powerful. I brought it to band practice after using a ric a few times before, and my bandmates were saying how "loud" it seemed in comparison (this with the amp settings the same).

The pickup is noisy, it will hum especially with the tone/treble up.

This is where this bass really shines. The finish on the neck, body, and hardware on this bass is top notch. I own/have owned 6 fender American basses, and the finish on this bass beats them all. No bull.
I always thought people talking about how good the japanese stuff was were exagerating a bit, until I got a mustand bass reissue. I ended up returning the mustang, because I didn't like the short scale, but in showed me how good the japanese instruments are.

It would be hard to find something under $1000 that has fit and finish to beat this bass.

I can't comment on the action, as I bought it used, and the previous owner had put on flatwounds. When I switched to roundwounds, I had to adjust the trussrod a bit. Now the action is fine, I could probably get it a teeny bit lower if I messed with it, but I am happy where it is at.

This is a solid feeling bass, and seems very tough. Fender basses in general are tough, and this is tougher than most, structuraly. The neck is very thick and hefty, so it would take a lot to hurt it. The vintage style frets are smaller than on the American or Mexican fenders, so I suspect they will wear out faster.

I replaced the strap buttons with schallers (but I do that for anything that doesn't have them).

I had read on here than there is a problem where the G string can "catch" under the edge of the pickup. Also, I have heard of people resting their thumb on the top of the pickup, and pulling off the top bobbin. I can see this happening fairly easily. On my bass, the previous owner installed the chrome pickup and bridge covers. It's worth noting that the pickup cover's sides come up very close to the edges of the pickup, and should prevent the strings from getting caught under the "lip" of the pickup. I guess that was part of the original purpose for the cover.

Also, the telecaster jack "cup" seems a bit flimsy.

I have owned many fender instruments, but have never dealt with them.

I have been playing 20 years, and have a lot of stuff you don't care about. At various points in my life, buying and reselling guitars and basses has been a hobby/source of spare money, so I have owned many different basses.

If lost or stolen, I'd buy another one without question. I looked at
the '51 reissue as well, and it is pretty similar (but has a few differences, such as the body contours on the Sting model).

The only thing I dislike is the "sting" signature. I think sting is okay, and a fine bassist, but I bought this bass more for what it is than as a signature instrument. I'd rather have it be a '54 reissue.

I actually wish someone would make a Single Coil P-bass pickup with a "cover" like a jazz or modern P pickup has. It might be cool to have a "rail" type humbucker that would retrofit a bass like this.
That would eliminate the hum, at least (not sure how good it would sound).

THIS "STING" PRECISION BASS IS ACTUALLY A RECREATION OF A 1954, NOT A 1953 AS MUSICIANS FREIND STATES.(FENDER DID NOT COME OUT WITH A CONTOURED BODY UNTIL 1954) ANYWAY, MINE IS A 2003 MADE IN JAPAN WITH VINTAGE FRETS, VINTAGE 2 SADDLE BRIDGE AND A VINTAGE SINGLE COIL PICKUP. THE NECK IS MAPLE WITH A FLAWLESS ASH BODY IN 2 TONE SUNBURST. IT IS THE BEST NECK THAT I HAVE PLAYED SINCE I HAD A 1961 EBO.THE NECK IS 1-5/8" IT HAS ONE VOLUME & ONE TONE KNOB. SIMPLE, YET EFFECTIVE.

I PLAY AUTHENTIC ROCK & ROLL THROUGH A HARTKE 3500 WITH A 15 & 4 10'S. IT SOUNDS THE WAY A REAL BASS SHOULD WITH A RICH FULL SOUND. THIS HAS REPLACED MY AMERICAN PRECISION AS MY #1. IT PLAYS BLUES, ROCK & ROLL, SURF.

THIS WAS PERFECT FROM THE GET-GO. THE FINISH IS THE TYPE THAT YOU WOULD SEE FROM THE CUSTOM SHOP. PERFECT IN EVERYWAY.

SO FAR, SO GOOD. I PLAYED FOR A COUPLE OF LIVE GIGS. THEY DID A GREAT JOB ON THIS MODEL. I NEVER PLAY OUT WITHOUT A BACKUP.

I'VE NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH FENDER SO NO OPINION.

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR OVER 20 YEARS, I HAVE AN AMERICAN PRECISION, STANDARD STRAT. HARTKE HEAD & CABS, 1968 FENDER BASSMAN HEAD.IN THE PAST I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PRECISIONS, A JAZZ, A STENBERGER, A GIBSON EBO, BUT THIS ONE IS MY FAVORITE.
I STOPPED BY THE GUITAR CENTER ONE DAY I TRIED OUT SEVERAL NEW & USED BASSES AND I KEPT ON COMING BACK TO THIS MODEL. I PLAYED EVERYTHING FROM A '62 JAZZ RE-ISSUE, CUSTOM SHOP PRECISIONS, A '64 PRECISION REISSUE AND I KEPT ON COMING BACK TO THIS MODEL. IF IT WERE LOST OR STOLEN I WOULD BE BUMMED, I WOULD HAVE TO GET ANOTHER. THE NECK IS INCREDIBLE, IT FIT MY HAND LIKE A GLOVE.

As previously listed. Dead simple, dead standard.

Used at home with a Fender Sidekick bass, or gigged with Trace Elliot head and two Ashdown cabs. Big boomy bass, great for early Eagles, Beatles, classic rock. Pickup is weak and poor, Seymour Duncan do 3 alternatives which make it truly great.

Nicely set up from new. No problems with action or finish, but the glossy look might put people off. I bought it to play, not to look at.Setting up the intonation is a joke:- two strings per saddle means you have to settle for an average or get it professionally done. Apparently Hipshot do a bridge for this design of string through bass.

In the event of nuclear attack I'll lie under this thing. It's light but seems it could be used to bridge a river. Basic reverse tuners, solid neck, great. Strap buttons no prob. Pressed from tin jack socket, awful. Why????

N/A

Got this as my passive bass. It does a good job, but a bit more attention could have made it really brilliant. Music Man SUB as an active, truly brilliant at this price. Fender Sidekick 50 for practice, Trace Elliott 300W with Ashdown 2x10 and 1x15 cabs for annoying the public. Korg ToneWorks bass effects box for the odd bit of delay or overdrive.

The Sting Signature model faithfully replicates Gordon Matthew Sumner's' Fender Precision Bass, this one made back at the Fullerton factory in 1953. Features a contoured lightweight ash body, a vintage-style P-Bass single-coil pickup, a 20-fret one-piece maple neck with Sting's signature at the 12th fret and the classic Tele head, as well as an original vintage 2-saddle barrel bridge.

This '50s P-Bass offers a wide palette of sounds, although the P-Bass pickup was the single-coil model of the early '50s, not the regular split-coil humbucking pickup found on most modern basses. Precision Basses made from 1951 to 1956 had a smaller pickguard shape and a Tele-style peghead, until Fender decided to redesign the P-Bass with a modern pickguard styling, a split-coil humbucker and a Strat-style headstock in 1957, although the '50s P-Bass design was briefly revived from 1968 to 1977 as the Telecaster Bass (By 1972 a Wide-Range humbucker replaces the classic single-coil pickup, perhaps due to the enormous success that gained the humbucker-equipped Tele Thinlines, Customs and Deluxes during that particular period). The Sting P-Bass suits any kind of music style and was almost perfect for picking, popping and slap.

Although the Sting P-Bass was Japanese-made, most bassists felt that this recreation of The Police frontman axe "looked too new". After the enormous success of the American-made Custom Artist Jaco Pastorius Relic Jazz, a Sting Relic Precision can also be available, the fact that most of the Japanese-made Fenders hadn't the knocks, ding, tears and tarnishing of a battered old original, apart from few, rare exceptions.

Besides his '53 P-Bass, who had the traditional '50s styling, Sting has a variety of miscellaneous basses. One of his famous basses was undoubtedly a natural-finish P-Bass, made in 1974, who had a solid swamp ash body and a fretless maple fingerboard. Fretless all maple-neck Precisions still extremely popular during the '70s. Sting used it on various Police tracks, especially on "Roxanne" and "Message in the Bottle". He also played a fretless Ibanez Musician, a Spector NS-2, a '65 J-Bass, a '61 P-Bass and some various upright basses few months before Police split.

None.

From his tenure in the pop trio The Police, to a prolific solo career, Sting is responsible for helping bring the bass out front in contemporary music. The Sting Bass features a contoured body, one vintage single-coil pickup, and sports his signature in the block pearl inlay at the 12th fret. Though not a relic, this '50s P-Bass had however the traditional American styling and tone, although it was crafted at the Fujigen factory, near Nagoya, Japan. It's a pity that a Relic Sting P-Bass was currently unavailable, the fact that only the '59 P, '64 J and Custom Artist Jaco Pastorius models had the overall look on a battered old vintage instrument.

hecho in japan. the look has a groove.

alright. the 60 cycle hum. the signal to noise is unreal. the thing is so damn noisy i could not beleive my ears. i took it to a trusted guitar tech and he said that is is a single coil p/u made true to its 1953 spec. the noise is included. the bass notes sound great. maybe its just mine. and when i orderd it online and received it i had 2 dead notes that didnt come out with a 40$ set up. so back it goes and now ill pay taxes and buy one at a local store that everyone has handled.

action was high

noisy

i wanted this bass to be my passive bass and i really love the look and i wanted this bass to work our for me but i have to send it back. i loved the simplicity of the tone knob and volume. i'm gona try the geddy lee bass now

2002 Japan made Maple neck, one volumn and tone knobs, one single coil pickup and sunburst finish Precision Bass. The tuners are backwards. the bridge is the fender bridge from the a50s I would rather have had on from the more modern Basses. It has a String-thru body.and the tele head stock.

I play Classic Rock and this is a perfect mate for that style of music.
I play through a ampeg B5R amp A Harke 410 and 115 speakers. I also have a ampeg BA115 for practice and small joints. It has the great Fender warm sound. Would not be good for slaping. I am looking forward to recording with it.

It was ready to play the minute that I took it home. the finish was great.The only thing that I didn't like is the bridge and backward tuners.

I don't need a standby Bass when i play this one on gigs. But i alwaystake one with me. You just don't know. I switched out the strap buttons with schaller Strap locks. I do this on all my guitars.

Haven't needed to call for anything from fender on any of my gear.

I have been Playing for 35yrs. I own an Italia Bass Korean made a Fender Deluxe active 5 string Bass. a Fender Nashville Tele. A Ampeg
BA115 amp and An Ampeg B5R Head with Harke 410 and 115 Cabs. I would replace it if something happened to it. I just love the deep Fender
sound.It was exactly what I wanted. The only Draw back is the Bridge and tuners and I would really like the Pickguard to come in tortious shell. Great for the money.

one pickup, maple neck (which for no reason i love..), fake sting sign. on 12th fret, tone and volume knobs...

fanfrickentastic, i played through some crappy peavey milestone for years and i hated it but never had the extra money to get anything else, then i went to a casino and one 600 bucks i said hey the price of a fender sting precision...it's a sign...so i bought it, it's about 1000% brighter, better...great great great

love the action....but...man had a crappy jack in it, one day during practice it's laying on the floor the way they got it rigged in there sucked, the wire for my jack broke i had to solder it back, on tricky when you don't know how to solder...anyway now it hums, so i think i have more work to do and the jack won't stick in very well, it's really a crappy system they got there...it's not a jackplate screwed into the guitar say like on a gibson les paul, it's just the jack plate bolted on the jack, held in place by a piece of metal bent jammed into the wood, simple yet complicated and really ridiculous if you see it...
other than that it's good

not as much as i'd like...see above...otherwise nice

eh who cares warranty cards are for losers

love this bass, even with the problems...it's so awesome...if it gets broken, i'll bury in my back yard...no i won't...but i'll be a little sad til i got something else...anyway, that's my story and i'm sticking to it...in the mean time got any ideas on how to fix my jack problems feel free to send me a suggestion...

you must know what it is if you are looking here!
very basic and simple gets the job done!

Very boomy, lots of low end thud. it only does one thing but does it real well!

great right out of the box!

I love the thick chunky maple neck, i have big hands so i'm cool with it

never had to deal w/ them.

i own a 71 p-bass nad a 90's jap jazz and this bass is going to blend in fine with my collection. For what i paid this bass is definately worth it.

what features,simple this is a bass.no gimmicks,just play and go!!!

I play for manny years bass.and this is the sound i am looking for
there is for me only one bass sound,and that is comming from this bass

i have to adjust the neck a bit,and the hight of the strings,i wanted to adjust the pickup a bit lower but that was not possible
the finnish is great,only the pickguard is a bit loose on the bottom end,that is because the thumbrest is not installed(to less screws on the pickguard) so i put one on myself)

baseball bat!!it will last forever!!! i don' need a backup

what???

i play for more than 20 years.i had several fenders (all precision's)
and a rickenbacker 4003,but this is the bass for me

Features? This Tele type bass is as simple as can be. Four strings thru body, simplistic 2-part bridge, a very lo end pickup and very nice assembling. The finish is as good as the american Fender custum shop work. IMO Fender Japan did a great job.

I was looking for that heavy bottom bass sound as heard in many many reggae and dub records, well, here it is!
But be aware that this Sting bass is not the perfect instrument for fast soloing and extensive slap and pop funk style, but you did expect that, did'nt you?

Well I had to do some extra adjustment just to fit in my personal playing style; but that was no problem at all. I put on a set of flatwound strings and the bass really boomed as I wanted it to .

Not much to say in this category. As long as you don't throw this beast out of your window it will last as long as you are able to play, i think.

Who the f.. needs customer support with such an instrument?

I simply love this Fender Tele!
Right now I am playing this bass in a Dub/Reggae project and there is no other instrument, may it be synth or bass guitar, in my really impressive collection of musical instruments that is able to produce such a great fat lo end bass sound. I have been searching for this special sound for such a long time now but no Jazz, Precision or active bass made it.

2001 Sting, 2-tone sunburst over ash body, 20 fret maple fb neck. Single coil p-bass pup, 1-v 1-t. Simplicity at it's finest. Leo got it right the first time. Light and well balanced, can play for hours. The fit and finish on the bass is excellent. Frets were well done and needed no work, fret ends were smooth as a baby's bum. The reverse tuners were a little tight at first but loosened up with use. Neck pocket is nice and snug. Grain matching on body was done so well you have to look very hard to find the seam. With the two saddle bridge perfect intonation is not possible but with a low action is close enough for the drunken ear. The jack could stand to be a bit beefier but a right-angled cord eliminates loosening from bumping.

I play mostly blues and calssic rock and this bass is perfect. I have used it on many gogs with great satisfaction. The sc pup is hot. It has a big beefy sound and fills any room. I use a GK 400RB with either a WM 210 or a Peavey 410tx. The pup has a good growl to it when the vol is wide open. The tone control has a large sweep to it and can yield a punchy growl to a deep full sound. I use Dean Markeley flats with a low action and get a nice thuddy sound. I play fingerstyle and I tend to use the pup as a thumb rest and my only concern is that I'm afraid I may eventually damage the windings even though they have the thread covering.

The bass arrived in tune and ready to play out of the box, I was amazed. It was set up well and could have gone straight to a gig. I replaced the stock roundwounds with flats and adjusted the relief, action and intonation to personal taste. There were no noticeable flaws in the finish or hardware. The reverse tuners were stiff at first but loosened up after a while. I did have to tighten the screws holding the tuners but other than that this baby was ready to go. I know some people who have installed the bridge and pip covers but I like it just the way it is. This is a signature model, not a reissue. I would probably take them off anyway.

I have used this bass on several gigs and recently took it to a jam halfway up the east coast. This bass is completely dependable. The strings will go before any component goes. The finish is pretty tough and has taken a few bumps with nothing more than a little dent (ouch). I replace the strap buttons with lockers on everything so dropping is not a consideration. After the first couple of weeks of getting the relief and action right I haven't had to make any other adjustments. I use this bass regularly without backup.

Not for this instrument but past contact with Fender support has been fast and courteous. The customer support at Samash.com is also very fast and helpful.

I have been playing off and on for about 35 years. I have two passive Fender jazzes and one active. I have one other Fender p-bass and a G&L L-1000. I had my eye on the 50's p-bass for a long time but the vintage prices were way out of my range. When this model came out I jumped at getting one. If this one were stolen I would be heartbroken.. The Sting could easily become my number one. The weight and balance were a very nice surprise, so was the big full sound from the single-coil pup. I highly recommend this bass.

bassic reissue of the old mid 50's model ,made in japan.i had a 55 p/bass and the sting reissue is close but no cigar . the overglossy urethane finish is nice but lacquer would have been a better choice. single coil p/u w/ tone and volume controls.light weight alder 2 tone sunburst body and a nice maple neck. the tuners are JUNK.
no case or accessories included. i was surprised that fender ships this model w/o the bridge and p/u covers , which were the coolest looking ones they ever made.they also omitted the finger rest. WAKE UP FENDER !!!!!! do your reissues correctly

i play w/ a group that does r+b and soul oldies.i use different amps depending on the gig. at large venues/outdoor gigs i use an ampeg svt and w/ this bass and it is fat,punchy and clean.in bars i use either a (73)sunn model t + a 1/15 jbl cab or a (77) music man hd 130 w/ the jbl and both sound good.i use a ampeg b/15 around the house and for rehearsal (cool tone).
it is a little noisy around "bar lights".when you get close to your amp you get the single coil hum.i do not use any effects other than a dbx 166A compressor w/ the svt.
the bass has that old fender sound,perfect for this type gig.
nice "road" bass except for tuners and cheapo pots

the bass set up was o/k but i removed the light gauge roundwounds as soon as i brought it home and put on a set of thomastik jazz flatwounds.the pickup is great. fit and finish is good.the frets could have been dressed better.the bridge is the two strings on one saddle type so perfect intonation is impossible.

bass will be fine when a few minor issues are improved. ie frets dressed,tuners and pots replaced w/ better parts and a pro set up is done.urethane finish is durable but it will never get that funky died down finish like lacquer will but that is a personal taste,you may like a new look shine.i have used it on gigs w/o a backup.

no dealings w/ fender but i'm sure they would back up a new product for the warranty.

i'm 50 yrs old,been playing for 37 years and i bought this so i could leave my 58 p/bass and my 64 p/bass home when i'm on the road.if it was lost or stolen i wouldn't be upset,i'd get something else.i like the cool look and the (surprisingly) nice big tone. it's not thin sounding like a telecaster bass .i don't like the tuners although i can't really complain due to the resonable price .

Like the other's have said, it's pretty basic but very nice. I'm not crazy about the tuners as they don't seem that smooth. The tuners are my only real complaint. It's an absolute beauty with that old school vibe. I love it!

It sounds deep and clear, very nice. I've used other Precisions so I know the Precision sound and this thing has a great deep tone. This obviously would work well with many types of music.

I've had to adjust the string height and intonation probably because the person I bought it from adjusted it. No big deal. It's a beautiful bass with great grain. Fender of Japan definitely know how to make great basses. The workmanship is excellent. The action is great as well. I've found it easier to play than most Precision's I've played.

I'm using it mainly for studio work but I believe it's built like a tank.

Don't know because I've never dealt with Fender directly.

This one just arrived from Japan. I ordered it over three months ago from Sam Ash. It has a maple neck, volume and tone control, sunburst finish.

It sounds great, through my Acoustic 360, traynor YBA, and Kustom bass amps. The sound is full and balanced. It kicks butt no matter what style you use (slapping, pick, etc.)

It was setup and inspected by J. Gonzales from Fender. Thanks Mr Gonzales, it was ready to play right out of the box. The action is great the neck feels better than some of the more expensive basses I own.
It is very quite no hum, or harsh tones. The strings are good (they work well with this bass)but I will probably replace them with the brand I am use to using.

I gigged with it the same night I unpacked it with no backup. The fit, finish, and hardware are first rate. Its the best $599.00 I have ever spent.

Have not had to deal with them yet.

You have to get one of these. They are worth the wait, this is my fourth Fender bass and I love it. I won't be playing my Ken Smith, or Rick basses for awhile. Its a keeper!

Features? There arn't any really! This is simplicity at its best. One volume, one tone, one single coil pick up, 4 strings, 20 frets, a body and a neck. Lovely!

This thing is powerful, and deep. Before I bought the Sting bass I was playing an early eighties Tokai Jazz (which, as anyone who has ever played one knows, is a fantastic instrument). The jazz is great for slappy funkier stuff, but I was also after that early Chuck Rainey sound (listen to Peg by Steely Dan or Donald Fagen's Green Flower Street to hear it). I played it in the shop and it took all of three minutes to decide I must to have it. Not so much a funk bass, but if you're after a wonderfully smooth, powerful low end, this is the one for you!

The bass hadn't been set up by the shop, and off the wall felt pretty good. I brought the action down slightly and it feels great!

I have only had this bass for a couple of months, and only gigged it a few times. But judging by the feel of it the sting would take to being dropped off stages better than most!

Haven't had to deal with Customer Support.

If you're after a bass that is as simple and effective as it gets, has a big, warm sound and feels the same, then this could be the one for you. Fifty years on from the original Precision and still nothing produces that sound better! I doubt I'll ever sell this bass, it has too much of a unique sound. Not really a funk bass, and not a bass if you have small hands. This thing's pretty chunky, and you can tell that by plugging it in. Fantastic sound, fantastic feel. What more can I say?