It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 2:12 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Fender Precision Select - Need Some Help
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 5:39 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:22 am
Posts: 7
I recently purchased a 2012 Fender Select P.
The bass is absolutely gorgeous and sounds tremendous.
However, I'm running into a few things and need some expert opinions.

Question 1 - my previous bass was a 2012 American Standard Jazz. With that bass I didn't notice nearly as much sympathetic string vibration as I do with the P-Select. By that I mean, I feel like I have to work harder with the P-Select in terms of muting. Should that be the case with a higher quality bass?

Question 2 - the P Select has great sustain on each fret (up and down the board). However, I do notice a few frets on each string are a bit louder than the fret either before or after (for example A on the E string is a bit louder than G on the E string). Is this common?

Question 3 - The main room I play in is largely all hard surfaces (i.e. no carpet or anything). The P's note frequency really seems to reverberate and buzz off the walls much more than the J. Once again, is this common?

I apologize if these are silly questions. I tend to be OCD when I get something new and I freely admit I'm not knowledegable enough to know what is normal. For example, would I run into the same types of things with a $5,000 custom shop instrument?

Any expertise you can offer up would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. is there a "bat signal" for Brother Dave :lol:


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Fender Precision Select - Need Some Help
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 9:43 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:43 pm
Posts: 165
Same strings on both instruments?

If so, same worn-in condition?

Same pickup heights on both instruments? Higher-than-necessary pickups can cause tonal anomalies.

Same neck bow on both instruments?

Same action height on both instruments?

Same weight on both instruments?

You see what I'm driving at, right? Apples and oranges. Too many variables to finger one sole cause.

Q3 specifically: Reverberant rooms are never your friend but that's especially true in the bass region. The PB is a far less "middy"-sounding instrument than the JB. Cut your low bass back and that'll get you in the ballpark. It may sound like $@! on stage but may sound 10x better out front when the band is going. Also don't forget that people break up sound waves. Crappy sounding bass in an empty room can often be improved by adding a few hundred sound-absorbent (and wave-cancelling) people. Within reason, of course; high ceilings will kill you regardless.

_________________
--


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Precision Select - Need Some Help
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 9:03 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
CSJ1969 wrote:
I recently purchased a 2012 Fender Select P.
The bass is absolutely gorgeous and sounds tremendous.
However, I'm running into a few things and need some expert opinions.

Question 1 - my previous bass was a 2012 American Standard Jazz. With that bass I didn't notice nearly as much sympathetic string vibration as I do with the P-Select. By that I mean, I feel like I have to work harder with the P-Select in terms of muting. Should that be the case with a higher quality bass?

Question 2 - the P Select has great sustain on each fret (up and down the board). However, I do notice a few frets on each string are a bit louder than the fret either before or after (for example A on the E string is a bit louder than G on the E string). Is this common?

Question 3 - The main room I play in is largely all hard surfaces (i.e. no carpet or anything). The P's note frequency really seems to reverberate and buzz off the walls much more than the J. Once again, is this common?

I apologize if these are silly questions. I tend to be OCD when I get something new and I freely admit I'm not knowledegable enough to know what is normal. For example, would I run into the same types of things with a $5,000 custom shop instrument?

Any expertise you can offer up would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. is there a "bat signal" for Brother Dave :lol:


I agree with Craig P 100%.

Question 1: You have a better bass than you are accustomed to playing. You could play hundreds of American Standards and not find one with the sustain of a Select. Part of the reason for buying a Select and the chief reason it costs more is the superior wood in the body and neck which will deliver way more sustain than most people have ever experienced. Considering they have a pretty much stock type medium mass bridge the abundant sustain in a Select P-Bass is pretty amazing. The better the wood the more sustain you are going to get from the instrument. Normally wood this good would only be found in Custom Shop instruments and frankly it is better than some of those too. People often overlook exactly how important the neck wood is and tend to concentrate on the body wood as the only tone wood that counts. I think the neck is just as important as the body wood. if not actually more important. The Selects have not just great tonewood in the body but also the very best wood of any mass production necks and apparently there is some balancing between the two as part of the neck to body matching process. Immense sustain seems to be universally stock on Selects. If this is really bugging you, I suggest foam or felt wrap muting. Read here: http://brotherdave.com/add_mute.htm

Problem 2: Compare G's to G's. Not G's to A's. Often room acoustics compounded by amp settings will cause exactly what you are describing as one fretted note sounds stronger or weaker than another note. This frequently results from a standing wave in the room itself. Often when you distance yourself from the amp it equalizes things a bit, but not always. It could be that it needs a proper setup with pickup height calibrated correctly with a VU meter, but more often than not such audible variances are caused by room acoustics. Move everything to a different room, maybe a smaller room and try again. If you still have that issue then I'd check the pickup height. It could also be a string problem. Strings in a set do not all die on a universal timetable simultaneously.

Problem 3: Welcome to the world of a good P-Bass. It is voiced differently from the more midrange heavy Jazz. This particular bass not only has a P-Bass pickup but it has a Select pickup. That means it is a really, really good one with a ton of boom boom.

With proper muting, compression and EQ you can tame all the things you are having trouble compensating for in your playing style. However, to me doing that is a bit like putting a sponge under the strings on an Italian Renaissance period violin. You might do it sometimes for certain effects or in very special situations but basically you should let it sing to hear what a Fender Select P-Bass is uniquely capable of doing. You are extremely fortunate to have this instrument. Enjoy it! I know I would.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Precision Select - Need Some Help
Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 8:01 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:22 am
Posts: 7
Brother Dave - thank you a ton for responding. I needed the expert reassurance and you are most certainly an expert. Scott P - thank you for your comments as well as you are correct as well. I absolutely love the P-Select, but played J's for so long that I'm only now starting to understand all of the subtle differences between the two. I love J's, but have definitely become a P guy. Have a great 4th today and God bless you both.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Precision Select - Need Some Help
Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 11:05 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2011 2:43 pm
Posts: 670
CSJ1969 congrats on your new, FANTASTIC bass! :mrgreen:

And welcome to the world of p-bass. You have a very nice bass now and it's been pointed out to you in the previous posts the differences.
One more thing that you may need to get use to is using a lighter touch, both hands. I found that out with my FCS and I'm sure it's the same with your Select.

Enjoy.......post some pics when you get a chance and Happy 4th to you too.

_________________
2012 American Standard Precision V - Candy Cola Red
2012 Squier Vintage Modified Jazz V - Surf Green
2011 FCS Custom Classic Special Jazz Bass V - Violin Burst
1996 MIM Stratocaster HSS - Black
1975 Precision Bass - 3 Tone Sunburst


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: