Need a new P-Bass... School me guys!

[no4mk1]

Hey guys,

It's been a while since I've hung out here, grad school and a family has put a huge dent on my playing and bass obsessing.

Me and my main music partner are both back in grad school as adults and have shelved our originals project for the last couple of years.

We have decided to put together a Clash cover band in the interim. It will be strictly a fun project, opening for friends bands occaisionally, maybe parties here and there, but definitely just for fun.

That said, we're bringing in some great players on drums, keys, and second guitar and we want to do it right.

My problem? I don't have a P-Bass and I just cannot in good conscience play Clash covers with my custom fretless L-2500.

I'll have around $700 to spend unless I put up my Gibson Advanced Jumbo for trade.

I'm currently looking at the Highway one with the Badass II and the Mike Dirnt signature. I'm not a Green Day fan but the concept of the old style precision cosmetics with split-coils and a Badass II intrigue me. Whereas the new Highway One series would fit the look better. I'm looking for a pretty classic Precision sound. I tend to prefer Jazz width necks, but I have large hands and I'm not too turned off by thicker necks.

What do you guys think? I really want to stay Fender for this bass. Should I pop for a more expensive American made than the Highway One? Do the Dirnt's have a decent build quality? How about neck stability?

I'd rather not spend a mint on this bass because it won't be treated gently. It needs to be rugged, look the part, and most importantly SOUND the part.
I'd really appreciate your thoughts.

Cheers,
Chris

[bigfatbass]

White early 70s P, with rosewood board, custom hand-applied "paintball target" finish, and possibly writing "Positive" on the horn. Should be an easy enough target to find/fake.

Like this one, ending in 3 days, seller has 400+ feedback at 100%:

http://cgi.ebay.com/SQUIER-by-Fender-VI ... 586wt_1167

[Nedmundo]

Of those two, I'd probably go with the Highway One. I really dig the Dirnt cosmetics, but that neck is FAT. I'm perfectly content with the 1.625" nut width Precisions, but don't like the Dirnt's neck. That's a preference, of course, but if you prefer Jazz necks the Dirnt probably isn't for you.

The Highway One is great, and like all P-basses is well-suited to the beer, sweat, flying bottles, stickers, and duct tape that could (or should) go along with a Clash tribute band. The neck is similar to the American Standard, and those I've played have that old school woody tone like the bass in "London Calling." (That might be less true with the Badass bridge; I think I've only played the earlier ones without it.)

Also try the Classic 50's Precision, which is one of the best values out there in new Fenders. Lots of folks have been mightily impressed by these. It has the 1.75" nut, but I've found it comfortable, and the ones I've tried had the strong acoustic resonance I look for in a bass. Plus the maple board and gold adonized guard look great IMO.

Don't ignore the MIM Standards, which have improved a lot lately. They don't have the same vintage tone as the others. IME they tend to sound thicker, with less definition and a little more aggression. That's fine, but it is different. I've never played one I liked as much as the Classic 50's, but they're worth trying.

[no4mk1]

Thanks! That's exactly the feedback I've been looking for!

[aussiemark]

In that price range, I'd buy an older MIJ 70 RI.

[shamus63]

Try to avoid an Ash body in favor of Poplar or Alder for that classic tone.

Mark may have it right with the MIJ (or CIJ) 70's R.I. P-Bass, though some of the early-to-mid 90's MIM's may nail it, as well.

[bigfatbass]

All the Vintage Modified Squire series fenders are just about the best bang for the buck on any music store shelf if you are looking for a new retail P with the old school look/tone.

[no4mk1]

Well... I decided on one of the honey blonde Highway Ones. I really liked the MIM 50's P I tried, it was light and well built, but the neck was just too wide for me. I liked the HW1 I tried much better. Couldn't find the color I wanted in town so I just ordered one from Sam Ash. I'll post pics when I get it. I also picked up a new pickguard from pickguards.com. Hopefully it will fit without too much modification.

Thanks for the advice guys...

Now I just need to do my homework on those Simonon basslines!

Cheers,
Chris

[Rich M]

Nice choice. Can't go wrong with a good, solid P-bass!

[no4mk1]

Thanks... I must say though that although my goal here was to get a P and not get distracted by other shiny objects, I almost wavered.

There is an old (80's) black G&L SB-1 at a local shop that I came REAAAAALLLLY close to picking up, but I stuck to my guns and got the P. I've spent a lot of energy beating my G&L addiction and am down to on ASAT special guitar, and my custom fretless L2500. I didn't want to backslide.

Cheers,
Chris

[no4mk1]

Well... The Highway One just showed up... It seems fairly light. The neck looks good, needs a truss-rod tweak but the bass didn't come with the wrench, so I'll have to wait until I can get one. I threw on a set of DR Fatbeams that I had laying around, put some bore oil on the board, and put my chickenheads on it (my new bass ritual). I don't have an amp here to test it out on but I ran it through my Cafe Walter headphone amp and everything seems to work the way it should. The finish looks good... Overall, it looks like it will be a solid P and serve its purpose. I'll comment further after our next rehearsal though...

I really wish Fender would add a touch of amber toner to their neck finish, but what you gonna do?

I should be getting my new pickguard next week which should give me the time I need to decide whether I want to remove the greasebucket circuit.

Overall, I'm impressed with the bass.

Now I need to call Sam Ash and see if they'll send me a wrench.

Cheers,
Chris

[no4mk1]

Here she is after being Clashified... So far so good with it... I still need to tweak the truss rod a bit (not much), but I've got the action pretty close to where I want it. The sound with the bass rolled off isn't as deep as I'd like, but I'll try some different strings before I change the circuit to vintage specs.

I'm pretty damn happy with her so far!

[Nedmundo]

Definitely Clash worthy! Glad you like it. Have you heard it in a band mix yet?

Slightly off topic, I think Joe Strummer's vocal in the live version of "London's Burning" on From Here to Eternity might be the most raw, badass rock vocal in history.

[no4mk1]

Thanks...

Haven't had rehearsal yet... I'm in graduate school and it's the end of the quarter so we've been off for a couple of weeks. We'll be back to it on Monday night, so we'll see how she sounds. I've actually only been able to play it through my BassPod and my Cafe Walter Audio headphone amp for practice. I can't wait to crank it up through my Ashdown rig.

That is a great version of London's Burning! I really miss Strummer... I got to hear him and the Mescaleros shortly before his death at the Backstage in Seattle. I am about 10 years too young to have been able to see the Clash, but he was in amazing form that night.

Chris

[Nedmundo]

I am about 10 years too young to have been able to see the Clash, but he was in amazing form that night.

I'm old enough to have seen The Clash, but unfortunately my friend's dad got lost on the way to Shea Stadium in 1982, so we missed them. At least we made it in time for The Who! I did catch Mick Jones with Big Audio Dynamite a few years later, and it was a great show.