I want to celebrate this bass right here on Talkbass. I'm very happy with this one.
“Classic Series 50’s” precision bass in Honey Blonde.
The night I picked it up, I almost threw up. I hated it. The neck, the tone, the pick guard……, everything but the color. I didn't hate the color but I didn't love it. I knew that I was dealing with new strings which can take a lot of playing time to break in. So I was annoyed that I wasn't going to have the Precision tone that I was expecting to hear. I didn't want to wait really.
I also struggled with the neck. It was too big and I couldn’t get comfortable. The bottom side towards the nut felt very sharp against my palm while I was playing, making it as if it was impossible to get past. Then the tone. I just couldn’t dial in a tone that I thought was a P Bass tone. I was missing the ‘Thick Thunk’. All I could hear was a lot of new string overtone and harmonics. Zingy? Well maybe but for sure it was nothing that sounded good. The pick guard was bothering the back of my thumb too. It reminded my of nails on a board or something. "Ugh! this isn’t it". So then I think, "I have to make a decision about this bass. Keep it or take it back and get the ugly one with the missing knob" because that felt right and had the tone I wanted or take it back and keep hunting.
That really was the last time I thought that because the next day after work, It seemed that the bass was opening up some so I kept at it. Now, after about 14 hours or so of playing, I believe that I finally have gotten the strings broken in and the neck just isn’t that big, really. I mean, it is but it certainly doesn't feel like it bothers me anymore and I also think that its just as comfortable as my others. As far as tone, it just keeps getting better and better. Its got a nice thick thunk and the tone its warm. My buddy called it 'Marshmallow' Not as sharp or hard sounding as I’ve heard on Youtube or in the stores. Just a little softer but still, thuncky. And this whole sonic nirvana of sorts is also heard in the mix. Im playing this with two guitars……no drums.
The reverse tuning keys are solid. Everything stays in tune. No problem there either. The color is slightly transparent. Very slightly. Its also sensitive to the light around it. Its hard to pin down the color. Its kinda coffee with Half n' Half. Some light gives a pinkish hue. Other times it looks like wood color without the grain. Its nice. Blends in very nicely whereas a Red would stick out. There is one thing that I don't like..........the plastic knobs. Just cheap feeling. Cant tell by eye
I may change the pick guard to a black one and I think it will look really cool next to “Grand Dad”, my upright bass. She's a blonde as well. But I might just leave it alone. Either way I still dig the look.
After listening to the recordings from band practice on Sunday Feb 25, I’m even more convinced that this 50s bass rocks. It rolls and its thick.
“Classic Series 50’s” precision bass in Honey Blonde.
The night I picked it up, I almost threw up. I hated it. The neck, the tone, the pick guard……, everything but the color. I didn't hate the color but I didn't love it. I knew that I was dealing with new strings which can take a lot of playing time to break in. So I was annoyed that I wasn't going to have the Precision tone that I was expecting to hear. I didn't want to wait really.
I also struggled with the neck. It was too big and I couldn’t get comfortable. The bottom side towards the nut felt very sharp against my palm while I was playing, making it as if it was impossible to get past. Then the tone. I just couldn’t dial in a tone that I thought was a P Bass tone. I was missing the ‘Thick Thunk’. All I could hear was a lot of new string overtone and harmonics. Zingy? Well maybe but for sure it was nothing that sounded good. The pick guard was bothering the back of my thumb too. It reminded my of nails on a board or something. "Ugh! this isn’t it". So then I think, "I have to make a decision about this bass. Keep it or take it back and get the ugly one with the missing knob" because that felt right and had the tone I wanted or take it back and keep hunting.
That really was the last time I thought that because the next day after work, It seemed that the bass was opening up some so I kept at it. Now, after about 14 hours or so of playing, I believe that I finally have gotten the strings broken in and the neck just isn’t that big, really. I mean, it is but it certainly doesn't feel like it bothers me anymore and I also think that its just as comfortable as my others. As far as tone, it just keeps getting better and better. Its got a nice thick thunk and the tone its warm. My buddy called it 'Marshmallow' Not as sharp or hard sounding as I’ve heard on Youtube or in the stores. Just a little softer but still, thuncky. And this whole sonic nirvana of sorts is also heard in the mix. Im playing this with two guitars……no drums.
The reverse tuning keys are solid. Everything stays in tune. No problem there either. The color is slightly transparent. Very slightly. Its also sensitive to the light around it. Its hard to pin down the color. Its kinda coffee with Half n' Half. Some light gives a pinkish hue. Other times it looks like wood color without the grain. Its nice. Blends in very nicely whereas a Red would stick out. There is one thing that I don't like..........the plastic knobs. Just cheap feeling. Cant tell by eye
I may change the pick guard to a black one and I think it will look really cool next to “Grand Dad”, my upright bass. She's a blonde as well. But I might just leave it alone. Either way I still dig the look.
After listening to the recordings from band practice on Sunday Feb 25, I’m even more convinced that this 50s bass rocks. It rolls and its thick.
