Until recently, I didn't play bass often enough to even think about buying a new one. My Peavey Fury's skinny neck felt great to my hands, and its tone (while somewhat generic) was perfect for punk rock. Although the Fender Precision Bass is widely considered one of the key components to "the" rock bass tone, my ears now prefer the sound of Fender Jazz Bass-style pickups. When I started looking for an upgrade to my faithful punkrock bass, I wanted a bass with a Jazz-style neck and pickups, and the Precision-style (lighter) body. Fender's recent Deluxe series P-Bass Special and Hot Rod P-Bass were close, but the American Hot-Rod P-Bass had a P-Bass-width neck. A used 1980s MIJ Fender Jazz Bass Special was also considered, but it also had a P-Bass-width neck at the nut.
In early summer 2003, I saw a used Mexican-made Fender P-Bass Special (with its stock pickups replaced by Duncan Basslines) for just $400 at one of the local "big box" musical instrument stores. I was really not in a position to buy anything at that time, so I walked away (to later regret). But as luck(?) would have it, in late June a different store had a "new" (shopworn) Fender Precision Bass Special in stock, with exactly the preferred options (candy apple red body/rosewood fingerboard; actually, I would have much preferred a natural finish ash body, but the P-Bass Special is not available in that finish). I tried it out, and after my hands and ears were satisfied, I took it home for $500 (including sales tax and a SKB hard case). The general knock against Mexi-Fenders is their generic-sounding pickups, but the combination of the two stock pickups are great so far (that J-bass bridge pickup makes all the difference in the world). Finally, the P-Bass Special is also noticeably heavier than my Fury bass (especially after 3 hours of band practice), and balances a lot better when strapped on.
[ back view | body, front ]
Vital statistics:
- Serial number: MZ0183713 (made in Mexico)
- Body: probably solid alder
- Neck/fingerboard: maple/rosewood, with "skunk stripe"
Scale length: 34"
Neck width:
- at nut: 1 1/2"
- at 12th fret: 2 3/16"
Neck radius: 9 1/2"
- String gauges (standard tuning):
GHS Bass Boomers, light gauge (set L3045, .095-.040)
- Electronics:
Pickups (polarity/DC resistance):
- Middle: Standard Alnico split-coil Precision Bass pickup (EA coil = north/DG coil = south/10.5 kOhms as wired)
- Bridge: Vintage Special single-coil Jazz Bass pickup (north/6.79 kOhms)
(both pickups: 4.29 kOhms)
Controls: individual volume controls for each pickup; master tone