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Post subject: Re: american vintage 57 p-bass
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:37 am
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chromeface wrote:
@brotherdave

I've heard that a few '57 Ps feature jumbo frets and a 9,5" radius as opposed to the AVRI editions. True or false?


Anything is possible, but I've never seen one. Still they could exist so if I said false, someone might actually have one! But it would not be a mass production model. Fender was always doing custom neck work for their advisory players. Leo Fender didn't actually play and valued input from working professionals so he often accommodated them in special builds or would ask them to try a special build with different specs for feedback.

Regarding the Medium Jumbo or Jumbo frets, those are probably re-frets. However there would have been a few made, again for the advisory people to try out. This would probably mean that a few were made a year or two before the larger frets were introduced into mass production.

The first jumbo fret instruments were done by Gibson. It took a while for the larger frets to catch on at Fender. This could have been because many Fender players used to the small original sized frets felt that the larger frets were like putting speed bumps on an Interstate highway. I know that sounds silly today, but once you get used to playing vintage frets on a P-Bass medium jumbo frets do feel like they are huge. I like the comfort and speed of vintage frets, but sadly they are not as durable as medium jumbos.

The standard line is that the first 9.5" radius necks in mass production on a Fender P-Bass came with the introduction of FMIC's new American Standard Precision in the 1986 model year and were built in Corona. All CBS Fullerton and Pre-CBS Fullerton regular production P-Basses should have been 7.25". Again, there might have been special builds at numerous points. FMIC didn't just pull the number 9.5" out of thin air and likely Leo Fender also did some special builds for his advisory players to try as well.

When you put the two things together, a 7.25" radius and re-fretting it with modern MJ or J variety fretwire you also would probably be doing some fretboard shaping work to enable installation of the modern pre-cut fretwire which is generally available in one radius shape, 9.5". It seems whenever you re-fret that you wind up with a larger radius as a result of the fingerboard work anyway. For example, when refretting a 9.5" neck it seems to feel more like 11" when the job is completed...which frankly feels way more comfortable to me.

While starting about 1962 you could order various width necks on a P-Bass by custom order, the radius was still 7.25" no matter what nut width you ordered. Same is true for all the neck back shape variations over the years as they all had a 7.25" fretboard radius.


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Post subject: Re: american vintage 57 p-bass
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 7:40 am
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The four saddle bridge was a necessary feature of the '57 remake. I've never seen anything that indicated differently. Whether individual instruments made it out the door (or, as Bill Carson put it, "over the fence") with the older bridge or other anomalies is another question. The issue of the fingerboard radius comes down to what tooling was used to produce them. I have read that there were many inaccuracies with the early ('80s) reissues, and the fingerboard radius is something that could easily have escaped notice, given that grosser errors were made (not specifically on basses).

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Post subject: Re: american vintage 57 p-bass
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:18 am
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after an extensive wait,,,my bass has finally arrived....i must admit i am loving this thing,,,owned it for about 12 hours now...i will be sure to post a video and pictures later on......honestly cant keep my hands off the thing. beautiful piece of work, i am not sure but i think the body may be one piece of ash!!! i cant see any seams in the wood...BEAUTIFUL neck as well, i am fuckin floored by this thing!!!! THANK YOU FENDER!


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Post subject: Re: american vintage 57 p-bass
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:19 am
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i think this bass has "it"


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Post subject: Re: american vintage 57 p-bass
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:37 am
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Great: post some pics. Mine gets played at least twice a week, when I have sessions with friends.

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Post subject: Re: american vintage 57 p-bass
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:24 am
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LEDREW wrote:
i think this bass has "it"



GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! :D


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Post subject: Re: american vintage 57 p-bass
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 11:27 am
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stroker vance wrote:
LEDREW wrote:
i think this bass has "it"



GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! :D


+1 ZoomBa!

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One day they shall name a GREAT city after me, and they shall call it LINNINGRAD


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Post subject: Re: american vintage 57 p-bass
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 4:40 pm
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brotherdave wrote:
chromeface wrote:
@brotherdave

I've heard that a few '57 Ps feature jumbo frets and a 9,5" radius as opposed to the AVRI editions. True or false?


Anything is possible, but I've never seen one. Still they could exist so if I said false, someone might actually have one! But it would not be a mass production model. Fender was always doing custom neck work for their advisory players. Leo Fender didn't actually play and valued input from working professionals so he often accommodated them in special builds or would ask them to try a special build with different specs for feedback.

Regarding the Medium Jumbo or Jumbo frets, those are probably re-frets. However there would have been a few made, again for the advisory people to try out. This would probably mean that a few were made a year or two before the larger frets were introduced into mass production.

The first jumbo fret instruments were done by Gibson. It took a while for the larger frets to catch on at Fender. This could have been because many Fender players used to the small original sized frets felt that the larger frets were like putting speed bumps on an Interstate highway. I know that sounds silly today, but once you get used to playing vintage frets on a P-Bass medium jumbo frets do feel like they are huge. I like the comfort and speed of vintage frets, but sadly they are not as durable as medium jumbos.

The standard line is that the first 9.5" radius necks in mass production on a Fender P-Bass came with the introduction of FMIC's new American Standard Precision in the 1986 model year and were built in Corona. All CBS Fullerton and Pre-CBS Fullerton regular production P-Basses should have been 7.25". Again, there might have been special builds at numerous points. FMIC didn't just pull the number 9.5" out of thin air and likely Leo Fender also did some special builds for his advisory players to try as well.

When you put the two things together, a 7.25" radius and re-fretting it with modern MJ or J variety fretwire you also would probably be doing some fretboard shaping work to enable installation of the modern pre-cut fretwire which is generally available in one radius shape, 9.5". It seems whenever you re-fret that you wind up with a larger radius as a result of the fingerboard work anyway. For example, when refretting a 9.5" neck it seems to feel more like 11" when the job is completed...which frankly feels way more comfortable to me.

While starting about 1962 you could order various width necks on a P-Bass by custom order, the radius was still 7.25" no matter what nut width you ordered. Same is true for all the neck back shape variations over the years as they all had a 7.25" fretboard radius.


Everyone can order a '57 P with modern playability features (from 9.5" to 12", even with a compound radius 9.5"-14") from the CS.


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Post subject: Re: american vintage 57 p-bass
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 6:54 pm
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heres a couple pictures...ill have some audio or video of it in action soon!

its funny how you turn the tuning keys the opposite way on this! ahaha caught me off guard. i am loving this thing,,,getting lots of playing in.

Image

Image


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Post subject: Re: american vintage 57 p-bass
Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 2:44 pm
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I have a Classic '50s, an AV '57, and a Classic '51, all with the reverse tuners, so I'm used to them. I just have to ask others to not try to tune it themselves. :mrgreen:

Meant to say, very pretty!

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Post subject: Re: american vintage 57 p-bass
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 6:42 pm
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lpdeluxe wrote:
I have a Classic '50s, an AV '57, and a Classic '51, all with the reverse tuners, so I'm used to them. I just have to ask others to not try to tune it themselves. :mrgreen:

Meant to say, very pretty!


Wow.... great collection, lpdeluxe.
Do you mind introducing some comparision between three ? like.. tonn, weight, neck feel blah blah........
Thanks.


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Post subject: Re: american vintage 57 p-bass
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 8:04 pm
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daahoud wrote:
Wow.... great collection, lpdeluxe.
Do you mind introducing some comparision between three ? like.. tonn, weight, neck feel blah blah........
Thanks.


Thank you. Starting with the '51, it has a slab ash body, and is a little heavier than the others, and is a little more awkward...but I sit when I play, so it's not too bad. The other two are alder, and a bit lighter, and the contours fit me like a glove. I'd love to have a contoured '55 style, but it's OK. The necks are quite similar in feel, nut width, and radius and of course all three have the reverse tuners. The chief difference is the sound of the single coil versus the split coils: the single coil is more hi-fi sounding, and much punchier, with a faster attack and less sustain. It sounds really good at low volume levels, as when accompanying guitars in the living room, while the others are better ensemble instruments.

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