For over 40 years now,
Fender has been manufacturing and perfecting the electric bass. The first electric bass
guitar to roll off the production line was the Precision Bass, or P-Bass. For the past few
months, I’ve been practicing my bass playing skills on one of these fine instruments.
Although the model I’m playing is the Standard Precision Bass and most likely
manufactured in Mexico, I’ve really grown fond of this instrument. I understand the
fascination that many musicians have with the American model guitars and basses in the
Fender lineup, but if you’re a budding bass player you can’t go wrong with this
axe.
Primarily, the difference between the American and Mexican versions of the Precision
Bass is in the body and hardware. The Standard P-Bass has a body made from poplar wood,
versus the alder or ash bodies found in the American versions. The necks are both one
piece maple models with the primary difference being the radius ( 7.25 inch for the
Mexican version and 9.5 inch with Bi-Flex Truss Rod for the American version ). With the
less expensive standard model you’ll only get a rosewood fretboard, standard machine
heads, and less expensive split coil hum canceling pickups. As a beginning bass player,
you’d be hard pressed to notice the difference in sound, and with the addition of a
decent bass effects processor in your setup, many of the sonic qualities of the more
expensive American sibling can be reproduced.
The point here, though, is not to compare the two. Fender fully intended the Standard
Precision Bass to be an instrument for those who are just getting started, or who are on a
budget. You can often find the P-Bass at a street price of around $300 new, so, compared
to $800 - $900 for the American version, some of the differences tend to become even more
subtle.
The Standard Precision Bass is no slouch, though. I’ve played all types of music
with this bass from metal to country and I’ve never had anyone come up and tell me
that I’m playing a Mexican Fender. Most people recognize the Fender name on the
head-stock and immediately associate it with quality and value. After all, Fender is one
of the most recognizable names in the music gear industry for good reason. If you’re
looking for a solid bass guitar at a great price, the Standard Precision Bass is the way
to go. Many of the parts used on this model are certainly cheaper, but compared to the
offerings from some other manufacturers out there, it won’t take a whole night of
slappin’ to figure out that you’ve got your paws on one decent instrument.
Fender’s blurb on the Standard Precision Bass goes like this:
Fender invented the Electric Bass in 1951 in response to requests from musicians
for a louder, easier-to-handle bass. This new instrument was named the Precision Bass.
Unlike its predecessor-- the acoustic stand-up bass, the P-Bass® had frets, which allowed
bassists to play with precision. Needless to say, a "new playing sensation" was
born and the sound of popular music changed forever. The new Fender Standard Precision
features a comfort-contoured body, rosewood fingerboard and split-coil hum canceling
pickup.
- Body: Poplar
- Neck: One-Piece Maple (7.25" radius)
- Machine Heads: Standard
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- No. of Frets: 20
- Pickups: Split-Coil Hum Canceling
- Controls: Volume, Tone Bridge: Standard P-Bass
- Scale Length: 34" (864 mm)
- Neck Width @ Nut: 1.625" (41 mm)
Strings: Fender Super Bass 7205
Bottom Line:
If you’re a beginning bassist or even an experienced bassist looking for a second
bass to beat around, you can’t beat the Standard P-Bass on value. It looks just like
it’s more expensive cousin, and although some of the hardware and the body
aren’t made from the best materials around, you’re always going to get what you
pay for. Somehow, though, Fender always manages to squeak out a little more and the
Standard Precision Bass is evidence of that. We here at Music Gear Review, would certainly
recommend this bass as a good, solid entry level model.
