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Post subject: Difference in bodies of USA and MIM Precision Basses?
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:56 pm
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Have decided to work on a project bass and was wondering if there was any difference in the body of the American precisions versus the MIM's. Looking at the bodies on ebay they all seem the same "alder body", except a price difference of about $200. What am I getting for my money when it says "American" in relation to just the body. Any help is much appreciated. Rock on.

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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 7:00 pm
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New/newer Mexican P's are made of 5 or so pieces of alder. Somewhere along the way they started putting veneers on the front. They also now have Ash Mexi Precisions...and some of these are 1 piece. I believe they're called "Special Edition".

Older Mexican Precisions are made of many pieces of poplar wood.

New and old American Precisions are 3 piece alder...2 piece ash. There have been some exceptions in type of wood and number of piece.

In my opinion the ash bodies sound cooler. The wood grain seen through the clear finish looks so purty.

**Theres also the Highway 1 series. Made in America out of alder. Not as fancy with the finishes on these...


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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:46 am
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Thanks for the info. Yeah, reading a lot of the listings I'm noticing that the American's say "select alder" rather than just "alder". Is it just a matter of the grade of wood? Big sound difference, especially if I'm throwing some hot pickups in their? Thanks anyone that helps. Rock.


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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 1:42 pm
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I don't know that there's all that much difference between "select" and normal alder, tonally or otherwise.. I suspect it's just marketing speak to perhaps excuse the higher cost of an MIA.

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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:24 pm
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ash gives a better bottom and sustain compared to alder..

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Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:59 am
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eyecandy wrote:
ash gives a better bottom and sustain compared to alder..


Ash has a snappier feel and great resonance.

Northern Swamp Ash is ideal for slap playing (think Will Lee, Victor Wooten and Marcus Miller). You can't go wrong with an ash-bodied Jazz Bass with a maple neck, BadAss bridge and roundwound strings!

Image


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Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:25 pm
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Golly that's a nice bass. Shame on you for leaving it on the floor tho.


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Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 8:19 pm
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You can't fall off the floor.


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Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 8:26 pm
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But you might step on it..especially if you don't take your meds.

I do take mine.


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Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:22 pm
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nice bass... well as what i've said before the ashwood bass has a better slaptone.. well that's just me..

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Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 6:54 am
yep


Last edited by 6163asfj on Fri Sep 17, 2010 4:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 1:21 pm
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Body and neck blanks arrive in Corona. They are sorted by quality. Best ones (fewest pieces of wood in the blank, best grain, etc) go to the Custom Shop. The blank quality sorting order after that is USA Deluxe, USA, Highway One, MIM. The designated MIM blanks get trucked to Ensenada. At least this is the way it used to be. They may have changed this in the past few years but that is how it was being done. So I guess you could say that they are all "select" woods as someone selects what grade instrument they will be used to make.


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