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Post subject: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 11:16 am
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Hey everyone. Brand new to this forum and don't know a whole lot about the bass. I've been looking at getting a p-bass but I'm not sure what to look for. I was told that I should avoid Squier if possible. I mostly play punk/rock stuff. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 1:10 pm
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Welcome to the forum.

You are starting with a pretty wide open question. Because there are so many personal details that go into selecting a bass, it is difficult to give you a direct response. Depending on the type of rock you play, you may even prefer a jazz bass to a precision.

Quality wise, Fender products made in America are superior, but they are also the most expensive. I would personally rate Fender made in Mexico as having the second highest quality. There are folks in this forum that will say MIA products are not worth the difference in price from MIM.

You are correct that Squire is a ways down the food chain, but there are many being sold and used each day. I have a good friend that swears by his Squire precision.

Assuming you are well versed in the variations available, I would start with a MIA that has the options you are looking for. New is nice, used is much more affordable.

If you are not well versed in the variations available, I would go to a big box store and try out as many Fender variations as possible, and discuss those differences with a knowledgeable musician or technician.

But when it comes down to it, if you own a MIA P and a MIA J, you can do just about anything, and enjoy doing it.

Good luck on your first Fender. You will not be disappointed.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 1:13 pm
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Squire may be your best choice. i don't know how much you have to spend and Squires are good to great values depending on the model.

I have played bass for 46 years and I used a Squire Classic Vibe Precision on my gig this past Monday night.
It sounded great and it only cost me 200 bucks used.

Don't knock Squires. Those are the best basses made for players on a budget IMHO.


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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 1:30 pm
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Depending on your budget maybe a secondhand MIM, the classic vibe precision is the best of the Squier line IMO. Good luck in finding the right bass :) .

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 3:16 pm
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In terms of my budget I am looking at about the $400 range. I currently Have a Peavey Mileston IV International series. Like I said, I don't know a whole lot about basses but I was told that that's probably not the right kind of bass for what I play. I usually play stuff similar to the ramones. Not really anything too complicated. This is the one I'm gonna be taking a look at tomorrow.

http://www.musicgoroundduluthmn.com/p/1 ... ecial-bass

How can I tell where the bass was made?


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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 3:51 pm
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On the headstock it should say "Made in Mexico" or Japan, nice looking bass like the colour.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 11:05 pm
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I think a Squier would be good for Punk music. If you should slam it- it wouldn't cost much to replace. Plus you can find that some Squiers sound pretty darn good.


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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 6:35 am
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As a guy who spent years playing in punk bands. For a tight budget I know a friend in a local punk band has been rocking a Squier Vintage Modified Precision for a few years. It can nail a modern punk/hard rock tone dead to rights. It's got a stock Duncan Designed pick up. If you really can't swing any more than in the neighborhood of 400 then that would definitely be my recommendation. If you can afford more than then Squier and Fender Mexico make TONS of solid punk style Precisions. The Dirnt Sig, The Dee Dee Ramone Sig, The Matt Freeman Squier Sig, The Squier Classic Vibe 70's Precision are all "go to" models for punk players. Down the line if you're looking for something American made the American Special is a solid offering.

http://www.squierguitars.com/basses/precision-bass/vintage-modified-precision-bass-rosewood-fingerboard-olympic-white/

http://www.squierguitars.com/basses/precision-bass/squier-classic-vibe-p-bass-70s-maple-fingerboard-black/

http://www.squierguitars.com/basses/precision-bass/matt-freeman-precision-bass-maple-fingerboard-black/

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 6:35 am
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http://www.squierguitars.com/basses/precision-bass/squier-mike-dirnt-precision-bass-rosewood-fingerboard-with-pearloid-pickguard-black/

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 6:37 am
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For going the used Fender route my recommendation would be either the old Fender FSR Antigua Precision with the alinco pups, or the old model Fender Classic Series 70's P. I owned both and both were similar in capabilities to my actual old 78 Precision. Without weighing 13.5 lbs.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:12 am
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Squier 70's Precision, Squier 60's Precision (you can always upgrade the pickups later with Duncan Quarter Pounders)
Squier Matt Freeman Precision.

In your price range these would be the best choices as you can get them brand new with warranties etc. Otherwise look around for a used MIM Precision. I have three MIM that I love and a Squier that I reloaded with Duncans... I can speak very highly for all of these.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:23 am
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The very first thing I'd take into consideration is where this bass is going to be used live, and under what conditions. Some punk gigs qualify as severe duty when it comes to instruments and amps. If I were asked to sub for a true punk band in a true punk environment, I'd never bring an Am or Mex Precision. I'd find a Squier somewhere whose neck was straight and whose string alignment was within reasonable bounds and that stayed in tune, and I'd bring that. For punk, tone doesn't really matter that much, because, well, it's punk, and because those environments are always pretty loud and rude and the room designs are frequently awful and sometimes so are the sound people. Combined, this will totally mask any improvement a Mex or Am would bring to the table. Besides, tone can be tweaked to get 90% "there" at the amp and/or at the board, if the people spinning the knobs at the amp and at the board know what the heck they're doing in the first place (don't get me started on that...).

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:44 am
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First, If you think tone doesn't matter in a punk band. You're probably not playing punk. Second, There aren't really any "true" punk bands any more. That died when the Ramones called it quits. Most of what passes for punk now days is either pop music that copies the aesthetic, or some sort of hardcore which isn't punk and never was.

If you're playing hardcore then tone probably doesn't matter. Play whatever is the cheapest and don't be afraid to hit some hipster idiot with it. If you're playing pop music that borrows from the punk aesthetic then any squier P can get you there. If it's got duncan designed pick ups or an SD 1/4lb then you are in the "gold zone" for that range of tone. Any of the ones I linked, or even the Wentz can hit that tone. (The Wentz much Like Mark Hoppus' Sig lacks the tone knob. So it will be very treble-y and will need any adjustment to that tone done at the amp) If all you ever want to play is punk based music then those basses are fine. If you eventually want to branch out then you might want to play something with a tone knob. (and without a weird sticker on it)

If you're really trying to nail classic punk then tone and what you play most certainly matters. For that you want a 70's Precision or as close as you can get in a modern bass. Freeman's bass is supposedly modelled after his 70's P and designed for him. That would lead me to believe it's probably a standard vintage style P pick up that is slightly overwound. Which is basically what a 70's P bass would sound like and would get you the tones he was probably chasing when he started playing. (Paul Simonon, Dee Dee Ramone, Glen Matlock's P tone, Jean-Jacques Burnell) Those are your benchmark Classic Punk Precision tones.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 8:40 am
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Yep, you're right -- when I think punk, it's Dead Boys, Pistols, Clash, Ramones. I played all that stuff in the late '70s & early '80s in front of SVTs, or my own pair of V4Bs if a backline wasn't provided. Some of those gigs were terrifying. Total anarchy, people crawling all over the stage, all kinds of airborne stuff. Tone didn't matter. Basically you just wanted your gear to be able to get loud and survive, and if it broke during a show, you wanted to be able to replace it with the same thing cheap.

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Post subject: Re: Looking to get a precision bass!
Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 7:15 am
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That Squier 70's P-Bass looks pretty cool, especially with your budget. Something like that would be my choice for punk, but yeah punk to me, that influenced me early on, was the late 70's/early 80's, not my girlfriend broke up with me at the prom. :P In the end though, what matters comes from your heart, not necessarily the gear you have.

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