I love my Squier Pro-tone 5'r!

[Tim]

I always wanted one. i could have picked up a next to new one about 15
yrs ago for a couple hundred, but i didn't then after their production
ended and people started seeing what their playable value was then the
prices started to go up. Most selling for more than what they cost
new. So i did find one locally on ebay that had some construction
issues. basically what was happening was thee tiny tuner screws were
splitting in the neck, so it was sold as "parts or repair"

Being familiar with such,and knowing it wouldn't hurt the playability,
I bid it and got it.

I have an extensive bass collection worth some pretty good bling, but
I like to gig with cheap basses because if it ends up stolen or
knocked over and busted then I'm not out any serious bread. That's why
I normally play a Squieer P-bass Special. The special is good. I have
it set up well and it's always met my needs even though the 4-string
pickups are a little weak on the B string. It still does the job and
makes a great utility bass.

But the pro-tone blows it away on tone, and it had a great set
up.Concerning the playability and tone, I love the responsive punch n'
growl provided by the soap bars. Both basses feel the same from the
body and neck profile, and I love the in-line tuners too. even though
I'm not a big fan of the MOT pick guard and gold hardware I love it.
This is going to be the new gig monster.
BTW, I saved a bit on local pick up too.

Now, Any suggestions how I can make great even better? Or, "if it
works don't fix it?"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230792413271?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

[bjacoby]

Hey, if I'd have seen that, I'd be fighting you for it! I've been
looking for a pro-tone ever since I fixed up my Squire special 5
so-called P-bass. Sorry the Special P is NOT "good". Mine was for sure
one of the worst playing and sounding basses on the planet! It's totally
STOOOPID! Single coil Jazz pickups on a P-bass and not only that, they
are FOUR string pickups that don't cover the strings as well! Idiocy!

But I was dying for a P-bass 5er and someone offered one of his Squier
special 5ers. So. A humbucking Dimarzio Ultra J 5 in the bridge position
and a NOS REAL HONEST TO GOD Fender 5 string -P-bass pickup in the
"P-bass" position. A new pickguard, shielding, and knocking down some
high frets and...

http://www.mrk-inc.com/users/fjacoby/PJBody.JPG

is that GORGEOUS or WHAT? And if you think it LOOKS great, you should
HEAR IT! Totally amazing! And I LOVE the feel of that P-bass fat neck!

But I've still been looking for a Pro Tone. I'm not sure what the
pro-tone wood is, but the Squire is Agathis (pine). I'd love to do this
again with a real tonewood body. But as you note. Pro-tones or for that
matter ANY p-bass 5er are totally scarce out there. But I'm really hot
to do this whole exercise again but next time make it active! Fender
doesn't even sell a PJ 5er.

By the way, I trust you've fixed the splits in the headstock by forcing
gorilla glue in there and clamping. Hey, I've done that a lot and it
works great. I even broke the neck completely off of one of my guitars,
gorilla glued it back on, sanded and painted it and I've been playing it
without incident for YEARS! I used to do this with epoxy which is also
good and permanent, but you must be REAL certain you mix it right or you
can have the disaster that it doesn't set up right. You do NOT want that
to happen!

So you scored a Pro-tone 5er that only needed minor repairs! You lucky
dog you!

[Pt]

> >http://www.ebay.com/itm/230792413271?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid...

> dog you!- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Nice looking bass but I think with all the work you have to put into
it you are better off buying a Fender.

Pt

[bjacoby]

On 6/11/2012 1:33 AM, Pt wrote:

> Nice looking bass but I think with all the work you have to put into
> it you are better off buying a Fender.
>
> Pt

And what would I buy? The irony in all this is that after all these
years, finally Fender starts making B strings that don't sound like they
came off some other bass, but their catalog still has a million
different variations of 4 stings, but you can't buy a PJ fiver. Period.
Apparently Jaco only needed 4 strings...

Fender obviously now has the wherewithal to "solve" the PJ problem (both
pickups need to be hum cancelling and outputs must balance without
changing the tone when set to P-bass only) But I swear all they ever do
is solve problems, sell a couple and then discontinue them until some
other company steals the idea and starts selling them like mad! The
current crop of ultra lightweight amps is a perfect example. I've got
this 750 watt Fender Amp I use: 1 rack space. It's been discontinued for
MANY years...LONG before light weight amps became popular!

[Derek Tearne]

Tim <tsch...@gmail.com> wrote:

> So i did find one locally on ebay that had some construction
> issues. basically what was happening was thee tiny tuner screws were
> splitting in the neck, so it was sold as "parts or repair"

Are they actually cracking the neck? They look more like cracks in the
lacquer to me.

> Now, Any suggestions how I can make great even better? Or, "if it
> works don't fix it?"

It's a Fender/Squier made instrument, so there almost certainly isn't
enough shielding inside.

Get some shielding foil from Stewmac and reduce hums and other noises.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Supplies:_Shielding/Con
ductive_Copper_Tape.html

--- Derek

--
Derek Tearne - de...@url.co.nz
Vitamin S: improvisation from New Zealand http://www.vitamin-s.co.nz/
d'Groove: 12 piece party/covers band http://www.dGroove.co.nz/

[Tim]

On Jun 11, 3:45 pm, bjacoby <bjac...@iwaynet.net> wrote:

> Apparently Jaco only needed 4 strings...
>

Supposedly someone asked Jaco why he didn't play a 5 string?

He said. "What for?"

[Tim]

On Jun 11, 5:34 pm, de...@url.co.nz (Derek Tearne) wrote:

> Tim <tschna...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > So i did find one locally on ebay that had some construction
> > issues. basically what was happening was thee tiny tuner screws were
> > splitting in the neck, so it was sold as "parts or repair"
>
> Are they actually cracking the neck?  They look more like cracks in the
> lacquer to me.
>
> > Now, Any suggestions how I can make great even better? Or, "if it
> > works don't fix it?"
>
> It's a Fender/Squier made instrument, so there almost certainly isn't
> enough shielding inside.
>
> Get some shielding foil from Stewmac and reduce hums and other noises.
>
> http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Supplies:_Shielding/Con
> ductive_Copper_Tape.html
>
> --- Derek
>
> --
> Derek Tearne - de...@url.co.nz

> Vitamin S: improvisation from New Zealandhttp://www.vitamin-s.co.nz/

> d'Groove: 12 piece party/covers bandhttp://www.dGroove.co.nz/

Thanks Derek, but this Pro Tone doesn't hum a bit. Probably because
it's not running single coils.

[JD]

I've been playing a 5 string exclusively for 15
years. It's not about getting below the E, it's
about economy of motion. Perhaps Jaco had his
moves down to where he didn't care to booger
things up with more choices. I kind of think that
movement along the length of the 'board works well
on a fretless anyway. The more I think about the 5
string fretless I used to have, the more a 4
string fretless makes more sense. Just a wild ass
guess.

[Derek Tearne]

Heh.

You do know, don't you, that he owned a custom ordered 5 string bass
acoustic guitar...

He knew what they were for.

The actual reason why Jaco didn't play a 5 string is that his career was
effectively over before the first mass produced 5 string basses came on
the market (Yamaha BB in 1984 and Musicman Stringray 5 in 1987).

--- Derek

--
Derek Tearne - de...@url.co.nz

Vitamin S: improvisation from New Zealand http://www.vitamin-s.co.nz/

[Derek Tearne]

JD <jdblac...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On 6/11/2012 4:27 PM, Tim wrote:
> > On Jun 11, 3:45 pm, bjacoby<bjac...@iwaynet.net> wrote:
> >
> >> Apparently Jaco only needed 4 strings...
> > Supposedly someone asked Jaco why he didn't play a 5 string?
> > He said. "What for?"
>

> Perhaps Jaco had his
> moves down to where he didn't care to booger
> things up with more choices.

I think Ben and Tim are joking here.

In reality, if there was any bass player for whom four strings weren't
enough it was Jaco.

When he started out his career no one had even dreamed up the idea of
extending the range of the bass guitar by adding more strings - or
rather the attempts up to then were so thoroughly wrong headed that no
bass player really played them[1].

Desperate to extend the range of his instrument Jaco developed/perfected
a whole series of false harmonic techniques. To really master the Jaco
method of false harmonics you also need surprisingly large hands and to
spend an inordinate amount of time practicing.

You don't hear that kind of thing any more, people still use it
sparingly (including myself), but rarely will someone play an entire
solo mostly using false harmonics like Jaco would.

The reason for this I believe is that by the mid 80's any new player
coming up who wanted that extra range was buying 5 and 6 string basses.

By the mid 90's those same players were purchasing extended range
instruments which they could also rent out to the navy as aircraft
carriers if the gigs dried up.

--- Derek

[1] like the Fender V and VI the former had an extra string but fewer
frets, giving the same effective range, the latter had its uses, but
with the slightly shorter scale and close together strings it didn't
appeal to many bass players).

[Tim]

On Jun 11, 6:48 pm, de...@url.co.nz (Derek Tearne) wrote:

> Tim <tschna...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Jun 11, 3:45 pm, bjacoby <bjac...@iwaynet.net> wrote:
>
> > > Apparently Jaco only needed 4 strings...
>
> > Supposedly someone asked Jaco why he didn't play a 5 string?
>
> > He said. "What for?"
>
> Heh.
>
> You do know, don't you, that he owned a custom ordered 5 string bass
> acoustic guitar...
>
> He knew what they were for.
>
> The actual reason why Jaco didn't play a 5 string is that his career was
> effectively over before the first mass produced 5 string basses came on
> the market (Yamaha BB in 1984 and Musicman Stringray 5 in 1987).
>
> --- Derek
>
> --
> Derek Tearne - de...@url.co.nz

> Vitamin S: improvisation from New Zealandhttp://www.vitamin-s.co.nz/

> d'Groove: 12 piece party/covers bandhttp://www.dGroove.co.nz/

Allyn Robinson shares a Jaco-quote:
Q. would you ever consider playing a 5 string bass?
JACO: what for?

http://www.jacop.net/quotes.html

[JD]

Jaco also owned a flugelhorn, sold to him by a
friend of mine. That doesn't mean he played it.

[Derek Tearne]

Tim <tsch...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Allyn Robinson shares a Jaco-quote:
> Q. would you ever consider playing a 5 string bass?
> JACO: what for?

Interesting.

It's worth noting that Jaco often contradicted himself and also told
whopping porkies in interviews.

He also, one suspects, started to believe his own PR. As did many of his
fans.

I wonder if these are as accurate as most of the Winston Churchill
quotes.

Anyway, there are two 5 string related quotes there.

"What for" - given that he owned one either this is a) made up by the
person relating the story, b) was said before he worked out the reason
and ordered one of his own, or c) was said after he had his built and he
conveniently forgot.

http://www.jpastorius.net/hammock.html
http://www.jpastorius.net/images/jaco_acoustic.jpg

The other - "5 string bass? Low E's been good enough for the last 200
years, what are you trying to prove?"

There is one major problem with this quote. Low E *hadn't* been good
enough for the last 200 years - 5 string upright basses had been around
at least that long, and low C extensions on 4 strings had been around
for a long time also.

--- Derek


--
Derek Tearne - de...@url.co.nz

Vitamin S: improvisation from New Zealand http://www.vitamin-s.co.nz/

[Derek Tearne]

JD <jdblac...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On 6/11/2012 6:06 PM, Tim wrote:
> > On Jun 11, 6:48 pm, de...@url.co.nz (Derek Tearne) wrote:
> >> Tim<tschna...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>> On Jun 11, 3:45 pm, bjacoby<bjac...@iwaynet.net> wrote:
> >>
> >>>> Apparently Jaco only needed 4 strings...
> >>
> >>> Supposedly someone asked Jaco why he didn't play a 5 string?
> >>
> >>> He said. "What for?"
> >>
> >> Heh.
> >>
> >> You do know, don't you, that he owned a custom ordered 5 string bass
> >> acoustic guitar...
> >>
> >> He knew what they were for.
> >>
> >> The actual reason why Jaco didn't play a 5 string is that his career was
> >> effectively over before the first mass produced 5 string basses came on
> >> the market (Yamaha BB in 1984 and Musicman Stringray 5 in 1987).

> > Allyn Robinson shares a Jaco-quote:
> > Q. would you ever consider playing a 5 string bass?
> > JACO: what for?
> >
> > http://www.jacop.net/quotes.html
>
> Jaco also owned a flugelhorn, sold to him by a
> friend of mine. That doesn't mean he played it.

Custom ordered.

http://www.jpastorius.net/hammock.html
http://www.jpastorius.net/images/jaco_acoustic.jpg

Also

http://www.tcelectronic.com/media/Jaco_Moerch.jpg

Again, custom ordered in 1978.

So, this kind of ruins my premise that he was waiting for the mass
market to catch up.

But it also pretty much shoots out of the water any suggestion that Jaco
never played or owned 5 string basses.

What's even more interesting, if the 1974 date on the Breslin 5 string
Acoustic is correct, this would actually make his one of the earliest.

I suppose Jaco fans want to keep this quiet as 'Jaco, inventor of the 5
string bass' would kind of mess up the whole 'four strings are enough'
thing. Although perhaps not, as both of his were high C models, and the
Fender V already has the invention of those covered.

--- Derek

--
Derek Tearne - de...@url.co.nz

Vitamin S: improvisation from New Zealand http://www.vitamin-s.co.nz/

[Tim]

On Jun 11, 8:42 pm, de...@url.co.nz (Derek Tearne) wrote:

> Tim <tschna...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Allyn Robinson shares a Jaco-quote:
> > Q. would you ever consider playing a 5 string bass?
> > JACO: what for?
>
> Interesting.
>
> It's worth noting that Jaco often contradicted himself and also told
> whopping porkies in interviews.
>
> He also, one suspects, started to believe his own PR. As did many of his
> fans.
>
> I wonder if these are as accurate as most of the Winston Churchill
> quotes.
>
> Anyway, there are two 5 string related quotes there.
>
> "What for" - given that he owned one either this is a) made up by the
> person relating the story, b) was said before he worked out the reason
> and ordered one of his own, or c) was said after he had his built and he
> conveniently forgot.
>

> http://www.jpastorius.net/hammock.htmlhttp://www.jpastorius.net/images/jaco_acoustic.jpg

>
> The other - "5 string bass? Low E's been good enough for the last 200
> years, what are you trying to prove?"
>
> There is one major problem with this quote.  Low E *hadn't* been good
> enough for the last 200 years - 5 string upright basses had been around
> at least that long, and low C extensions on 4 strings had been around
> for a long time also.
>
> --- Derek
>
> --
> Derek Tearne - de...@url.co.nz

> Vitamin S: improvisation from New Zealandhttp://www.vitamin-s.co.nz/

> d'Groove: 12 piece party/covers bandhttp://www.dGroove.co.nz/

Well, I have a 6-string bass but I don't play it. too many strings for
me. And it's possible that J was comfortable with a fretles four. and
may have ordered the acoustic 5 for noodling around at home. I confess
I'm limited in my Jaco knowledge, however, I don't know of any
recording or project that indicates he used it =on stage or in a
studio.

[Tim]

On Jun 10, 11:47 pm, bjacoby <bjac...@iwaynet.net> wrote:


>

> http://www.mrk-inc.com/users/fjacoby/PJBody.JPG
>
> is that GORGEOUS or WHAT?  And if you think it LOOKS great, you should
> HEAR IT!  Totally amazing! And I LOVE the feel of that P-bass fat neck!

Very gorgeous bass!

>

>
> By the way, I trust you've fixed the splits in the headstock by forcing
> gorilla glue in there and clamping.

I might, just out of a bit of piec of mind, but strucurely, it's
really not that bad. My beloved '73 J has the same type of hairline
cracks on the E string tuner and it 's been that way since i got the
bass in about '78.

Still very playable.

>
> So you scored a Pro-tone 5er that only needed minor repairs! You lucky
> dog you!

Thanks man. Even a blind pig scores an acorn occasionally.

[Tim]

On Jun 10, 11:47 pm, bjacoby <bjac...@iwaynet.net> wrote:

> >http://www.ebay.com/itm/230792413271?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid...

>
> Hey, if I'd have seen that, I'd be fighting you for it! I've been
> looking for a pro-tone ever since I fixed up my Squire special 5
> so-called P-bass. Sorry the Special P is NOT "good". Mine was for sure
> one of the worst playing and sounding basses on the planet! It's totally
> STOOOPID! Single coil Jazz pickups on a P-bass and not only that, they
> are FOUR string pickups that don't cover the strings as well! Idiocy!
>

Dude, I'm wondering if you got a factory bummer. Mine plays and sounds
pretty well, and the only complaint I've got with it is the signal in
the B string is a bit weak. Other wise it's been satisfactory.

But I'm easy to please. Here's a pic of one identical to my p bass
special

http://fenderbass.net/files/2010/09/-82642206703169520.jpg

[Derek Tearne]

Tim <tsch...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Jun 11, 8:42 pm, de...@url.co.nz (Derek Tearne) wrote:

> > The other - "5 string bass? Low E's been good enough for the last 200
> > years, what are you trying to prove?"
> >
> > There is one major problem with this quote. Low E *hadn't* been good
> > enough for the last 200 years - 5 string upright basses had been around
> > at least that long, and low C extensions on 4 strings had been around
> > for a long time also.
>

> Well, I have a 6-string bass but I don't play it. too many strings for
> me. And it's possible that J was comfortable with a fretles four.

That's a perfectly reasonable position. If someone asked you in an
interview why you don't play a 5 or 6 string you'd probably answer.
"Well, I've got one, but I don't play it, I'm more comfortable with a 4
or 5 string".

That's quite different from answering the same question with "I don't
know what they are good for" or "what are you trying to prove?"

> and
> may have ordered the acoustic 5 for noodling around at home. I confess
> I'm limited in my Jaco knowledge, however, I don't know of any

> recording or project that indicates he used it on stage or in a
> studio.

The last time I bothered looking into this I'm fairly sure I recall
mention of a recording with the 5 string bass acoustic, but I can't find
that anywhere.

I must say, I'm kind of surprised he bought the Morch and never did much
with it - he also bought a 4 string - but the only one there's evidence
of him playing (on one of his instructional videos) is a fretted one he
borrowed from someone else.

--- Derek


--
Derek Tearne - de...@url.co.nz

Vitamin S: improvisation from New Zealand http://www.vitamin-s.co.nz/

[Tim]

On Jun 11, 11:43 pm, de...@url.co.nz (Derek Tearne) wrote:

Well, as far as performing or recording, I feel that the quote (if
factual) was to say "Thanks, but no thanks. I do everything I need
with a 4"

[bjacoby]

I agree with this. In fact somewhere I saw a picture someone posted of
Jaco playing a 5 string! I haven't found it again. Those saying Jaco
only needed 4 strings are mostly putting words in his mouth that
probably weren't there originally.

http://www.jacop.net/gear.html

Note: "1974". (was strung high C rather than lo B)

[Paul]

On Sun, 10 Jun 2012 20:02:47 -0700 (PDT), Tim <tsch...@gmail.com>
wrote:

it's cool what you said about cheap basses, I agree.

also "cheap" doesn't mean anything, there are so many options that can
make a bass good and the price is not one of them

--
You will find the BEST Guitars and Gear at
http://guitar-centre.biz/ and http://guitar-pro.biz/

[bjacoby]

On 6/12/2012 12:46 AM, Tim wrote:

> Well, as far as performing or recording, I feel that the quote (if
> factual) was to say "Thanks, but no thanks. I do everything I need
> with a 4"

Then why order and keep a 5er? Apparently he kept it until the
headstock broke and he returned it. That's the one I saw the picture of
him playing.

Personally I own two 7 string basses and I'm not ready for prime time on
them. I just don't have the notes down on the top string yet. But I have
no problem finding my way around a 6 string or a 5 string. All of these
pretty much play the same except for the upper ranges.

On the other hand, in spite of playing only 4s for God knows how many
years (and starting on upright) I found them "limiting" back then and
STILL find them limiting! So when people ask if I'd go back to a 4
string, I reply, "Why would I do that?" :-)


PS. The answer to my question, by the way, is "for the limitation!". In
other words to FORCE you into old school bass lines, for example!

[JD]

I've owned Alembics, Tobias, Pedulla and an
assortment of Fenders. I recently picked up a
Peavey grind bass on Ebay that makes me wonder why
I bothered to spend big bucks on boutique basses.
It's better than any passive bass I've owned and
after adding Nordstrand I'm betting it'll be the
equal to any of the others.

[bjacoby]

On 6/12/2012 12:26 AM, Tim wrote:

> Dude, I'm wondering if you got a factory bummer. Mine plays and sounds
> pretty well, and the only complaint I've got with it is the signal in
> the B string is a bit weak. Other wise it's been satisfactory.

I've been told that as of SOME date they changed the pickups improving
these. On mine BOTH the B and G were QUITE weak. And didn't sound so hot
either. I mean it's supposed to be a P-bass so what is with the J-bass
pickup?

> But I'm easy to please. Here's a pic of one identical to my p bass
> special
>
> http://fenderbass.net/files/2010/09/-82642206703169520.jpg

That is a fine looking bass! I really do think there is a lot of
potential with these basses. In fact, I'd like to find either a pro-tone
or another just like I have to build a backup PJ.

I have really become a fan of the P-bass neck vs my Jazz neck. A jazz
bass with P-bass neck is a mod with promise too!

[JD]

More than promise, that's a mod that's been common
for at least 30 years that I know of. It's *first*
thing I'd do to any JB I'll ever own.

[Paul]

great! yes, the problem is mainly that also expensive gear can be
defective.

the solution is to try different brands and prices until you find the
one you like and without defects

[Sam Wilson]

In article <4fd81689$0$14901$c3e8da3$f017...@news.astraweb.com>,

Can you guys explain what it is about the p's neck that you prefer? I
had a j for several years (until it was stolen more than 20 years ago)
and since then I can't cope with a wide neck. I now have 4 and 5 string
headless Hohners and a 5-string Shine (a Korean low-to-mid-range brand
that I defretted). They are all, or at least they all feel, quite
narrow at the nut and I find they suit me. I don't have particularly
small hands.

I've thought about trading up many times and I've tried Precisions,
Warwicks and Musicmen and I really don't like any of them. A Spector
Euro LX seemed OK but I wasn't struck with the tone.

Sam

--
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

[Tim]

On Jun 13, 7:55 am, Paul <not-work...@not-working.not> wrote:

> On Tue, 12 Jun 2012 19:27:31 -0700, JD <jdblackwe...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >On 6/12/2012 7:11 PM, Paul wrote:

> >> On Sun, 10 Jun 2012 20:02:47 -0700 (PDT), Tim<tschna...@gmail.com>

> >>>http://www.ebay.com/itm/230792413271?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid...

>
> >> it's cool what you said about cheap basses, I agree.
>
> >> also "cheap" doesn't mean anything, there are so many options that can
> >> make a bass good and the price is not one of them
>
> >I've owned Alembics, Tobias, Pedulla and an
> >assortment of Fenders. I recently picked up a
> >Peavey grind bass on Ebay that makes me wonder why
> >I bothered to spend big bucks on boutique basses.
> >It's better than any passive bass I've owned and
> >after adding Nordstrand I'm betting it'll be the
> >equal to any of the others.
>
> great! yes, the problem is mainly that also expensive gear can be
> defective.
>

You got that right!

A friend of mine paid out huge bucks and ordered a brand new Fender
custom shop Jazz bass. When he got it he knew something was wrong
because some of the frets buzzed,

Find out it had a warped neck right out of the case!

[JD]

I *like* wider necks because I have big hands.

[Tim]

On Jun 13, 10:37 am, Sam Wilson <Sam.Wil...@ed.ac.uk> wrote:
> In article <4fd81689$0$14901$c3e8da3$f017e...@news.astraweb.com>,

I have no preference over a p or a j neck. Come to think of it, I have
no preference over a p or a j. I

[bjacoby]

On 6/13/2012 11:37 AM, Sam Wilson wrote:
> In article<4fd81689$0$14901$c3e8da3$f017...@news.astraweb.com>,
> JD<jdblac...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On 6/12/2012 7:37 PM, bjacoby wrote:
>>>
>>> I have really become a fan of the P-bass neck vs
>>> my Jazz neck. A jazz bass with P-bass neck is a
>>> mod with promise too!

> Can you guys explain what it is about the p's neck that you prefer? I
> had a j for several years (until it was stolen more than 20 years ago)
> and since then I can't cope with a wide neck. I now have 4 and 5 string
> headless Hohners and a 5-string Shine (a Korean low-to-mid-range brand
> that I defretted). They are all, or at least they all feel, quite
> narrow at the nut and I find they suit me. I don't have particularly
> small hands.

Of course necks are a personal preference thing. I'm not one to throw a
fit over neck profiles, but I just have to admit that there is SOMETHING
about the Jazz neck that just doesn't feel right in my hands. I don't
think it's especially wide or anything (Hey, I play 7 strings without a
problem) It's just something about the shape.

I never owned a P-bass until recently, so I really wasn't aware of how
they felt in detail. But I had always noticed that my favorite necks
were the ones everybody else called "fat" or "thick" or some such. Those
would be for example, my SX jazz basses which clearly have thicker
feeling necks than my Fender Jazz or my G&L basses (main 5er axes) which
are well known for the same syndrome. Many people seem to hate that and
won't own those basses for that reason. For me it's a plus.

But when I got the P-bass going and got used to it, somehow that neck
shape just felt to me like "coming home". Now I'm not going to make a
big deal out of it because I have a lot of basses with a LOT of
different neck shapes from my thin Ibanez to super chunky Wishbasses,
that I can play without having a nervous breakdown or something, but
somehow that P-bass is "just right" for me. Yes a P-neck on my Jazz bass
would be a great mod for me! YMMV.

[Oci-One Kanubi]

Can't really articulate the "why" of it, buut I hate a skinny little Jazz neck.

I few years ago I thought I should have a Jazz in my asenal, so I bought a made-in-Mexico Jazz. I immediately hated it, so I went on eBay and bought a MIM Precision, exchanged necks, and then sold the Precision with the J neck. So now I have a nice Jazz with a nice Precision neck.

-Richard, His Bassic Travesty

[Tim]

On Jun 14, 8:57 am, Oci-One Kanubi <rhop...@earthlink.net> wrote:


 I immediately hated it, so I went on eBay and bought a MIM Precision,
exchanged necks, and then sold the Precision with the J neck.  So now
I have a nice Jazz with a nice Precision neck.
>
> -Richard, His Bassic Travesty

Duck Dunn did just the opposite. P body, J neck. Lakland still makes
his sig. bass that way.

[Nil]

On 14 Jun 2012, Tim <tsch...@gmail.com> wrote in alt.guitar.bass:

> Duck Dunn did just the opposite. P body, J neck. Lakland still
> makes his sig. bass that way.

So, are Fender Jazz and Precisions Bass bodies and necks interchangable
without modification?

[Derek Tearne]

The scale length is identical, and the dimensions around the neck pocket
are identical, so pretty much yes.

Fender have occasionally changed the number of screws required for a
bolt on neck. So you to have to check to see if you have a three or
four screw neck plate. There are also probably a few other caveats now
what with 'Fender' guitars being made all over the world.

[Nil]

On 14 Jun 2012, de...@url.co.nz (Derek Tearne) wrote in
alt.guitar.bass:

> The scale length is identical, and the dimensions around the neck
> pocket are identical, so pretty much yes.
>
> Fender have occasionally changed the number of screws required for
> a bolt on neck. So you to have to check to see if you have a
> three or four screw neck plate. There are also probably a few
> other caveats now what with 'Fender' guitars being made all over
> the world.

OK, that's good to know. So I take it that J necks are the same width
as a P at the heel, but taper narrower at the head. Right? I own a
Jazz, but I've never had a P, even though I like the wider neck better.

I'm used to mix-'n'-matching Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster guitar
necks and bodies. You're probably aware that their neck pockets and
heels are a little different - the Tele heel/pocket is very square, and
the Strat is rounded. That means a Strat neck will fit in a Tele body,
but a Tele neck won't fit in a Strat body (unless some wood is
removed.) I've always wondered if P and J basses had similar issues.

[Pt]

I have a Telecaster neck on my stratocaster.
Bolt-on.

Pt

[Nil]

On 15 Jun 2012, Pt <pea...@yahoo.com> wrote in alt.guitar.bass:

> I have a Telecaster neck on my stratocaster.
> Bolt-on.

If they are real Fender parts, either the neck pocket or the neck heel
will have had to have been re-shaped. The squared-off Tele neck won't
fit in a rounded Strat pocket without something being modified.

[Oci-One Kanubi]

On Thursday, June 14, 2012 10:40:31 PM UTC-4, JimmyM wrote:

> Usually.

As Jimmy says: "usually."

Japanese Fender parts are not interchangeable with Mexican and American. Also, I have one Mexican P-Bass Special with a "Dinky-P" body and a 22-fret neck: probably not interchangeable.

But I have twice swapped Mexican P and Mexican J necks, and I have put an American P neck into a Mexican P body.

-Richard, Hs Bassic Travesty

[Nil]

On 15 Jun 2012, Oci-One Kanubi <rho...@earthlink.net> wrote in
alt.guitar.bass:

> As Jimmy says: "usually."
>
> Japanese Fender parts are not interchangeable with Mexican and
> American.

What would be the issue? I have a Japanese Fender Strat neck, and I
found that the heel was a little thinner, front to back, than a USA
one. I can still use it in a USA body, but it requires a shim to raise
it to the proper height,

> But I have twice swapped Mexican P and Mexican J necks, and I have
> put an American P neck into a Mexican P body.

I've wondered about that. I've heard that some of the MIM hardware
isn't interchangeable with its USA counterparts, but I didn't know
about the wooden parts.

It was so much simpler when all Fenders were like Legos and you could
just snap them together in whatever combination you wanted.

[Tim]

On Jun 14, 8:39 pm, Nil <redno...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:

For the most part , yes, that is unless you have a tele-bass and it's
neck heel and body is squared like the guitar. So mods are obviously
needed.

[Oci-One Kanubi]

On Friday, June 15, 2012 1:18:24 PM UTC-4, Nil wrote:
> On 15 Jun 2012, Oci-One Kanubi <rho...@earthlink.net> wrote in
> alt.guitar.bass:
>
> > As Jimmy says: "usually."
> >
> > Japanese Fender parts are not interchangeable with Mexican and
> > American.
>
> What would be the issue? I have a Japanese Fender Strat neck, and I
> found that the heel was a little thinner, front to back, than a USA
> one. I can still use it in a USA body, but it requires a shim to raise
> it to the proper height,

Your right, Nil; I wasn't thinking properly. The Japanese Fender I had was a P-Bass Lite (P&J pickups, active electronics). 'Sbin awhile since I sold it, because it had a skinny little J-width neck, that I wasn't clearly picturing it as a "Lite". I loved the "Lite"ness of it and it sounded good, but I was unable to put a P-Bass neck on it. Ths was because the Lite had a smaller body and a 22-fret neck, so the intonation would have been off if I had installed a shorter, 20-fret, P-Bass neck, so I never explored the pocket size.

Good catch; you're right: Japanes-made Fenders might be interchangeable.

-Richard, His Kanubic Travesty

[Pt]

On Jun 18, 9:41 am, Oci-One Kanubi <rhop...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> On Friday, June 15, 2012 1:18:24 PM UTC-4, Nil wrote:

> > On 15 Jun 2012, Oci-One Kanubi <rhop...@earthlink.net> wrote in

I had a P Lyte years ago.
Nice bass.
If I recall it had a different bolt pattern.

Pt

[Tim]

Agreed. thee Lyte is an animal all of it's own. But it was replaced in
(2001) with the "Zone" bass which for all practical purposes was the
same bass only with humbuckers.

[Nil]

On 18 Jun 2012, Tim <tsch...@gmail.com> wrote in alt.guitar.bass:

> Agreed. thee Lyte is an animal all of it's own. But it was
> replaced in (2001) with the "Zone" bass which for all practical
> purposes was the same bass only with humbuckers.

A friend of mine has a P-bass Lyte, and he loves the thing.

[Oci-One Kanubi]

I would have loved mine, except for that skinny J-Bass neck with the 1.5" nut.

-Kanubi

[Sam Wilson]

In article <XnsA0737F7...@wheedledeedle.moc>,

Nil <redn...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:

> On 14 Jun 2012, de...@url.co.nz (Derek Tearne) wrote in
> alt.guitar.bass:
>
> > The scale length is identical, and the dimensions around the neck
> > pocket are identical, so pretty much yes.
> >
> > Fender have occasionally changed the number of screws required for
> > a bolt on neck. So you to have to check to see if you have a
> > three or four screw neck plate. There are also probably a few
> > other caveats now what with 'Fender' guitars being made all over
> > the world.
>
> OK, that's good to know. So I take it that J necks are the same width
> as a P at the heel, but taper narrower at the head. Right? I own a
> Jazz, but I've never had a P, even though I like the wider neck better.

That's traditionally true but it turns out that for 5-strings (I'm
primarily a 5-string player) Fender put the same width necks on most of
the P and J, at least according to all the specs I can find. Some of
the specs on the Fender site are just wrong, so I'm not sure we can
believe them.

Fender 5-string nut width:

Marcus Miller Jazz 1.825" (47.6 mm) [but 1.825" is 46.4 mm]
American Standard Jazz 1.875" (47.6 mm) [right this time]
[same for all the other Fender and Squier Jazz 5-strings except...]
Squier Deluxe Jazz 2.008" (51 mm) [??!!]
American Standard Precision 1.875" (47.6 mm)

Compare typical 4-string nut widths:

American Standard Precision 1.625" (41.3 mm)
American Standard Jazz 1.5" (38.1 mm)

Anyway, thank you all for an enlightening discussion, even if it really
does just come down to taste in the end.

[Mike Fleming]

In article <4fd7fa9f$0$15639$c3e8da3$fdf4...@news.astraweb.com>, JD

<jdblac...@gmail.com> writes:

> I've owned Alembics, Tobias, Pedulla and an
> assortment of Fenders. I recently picked up a
> Peavey grind bass on Ebay that makes me wonder why
> I bothered to spend big bucks on boutique basses.
> It's better than any passive bass I've owned and
> after adding Nordstrand I'm betting it'll be the
> equal to any of the others.

I have a Grind 6-string which is one of the most playable 6-strings
I've encountered. They're cheap enough new and they go for
ridiculously insignificant sums on That Ebay.

--
Mike Fleming

[sbon...@gmail.com]

> http://www.ebay.com/itm/230792413271?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

For Sale!!!!I have a fabulous Squire by Fender Pro Tone in Candy Apple Red, Mother of Pearl pickguard that is tricked out in gold hardware. I bought it new in 1997 and it has been played a total of 3 times.

I am retired and now thinning out my collection of instruments . I am a guitar collector and professional musician and have been playing for fifty years. I only buy quality pieces or those that are unusual and this one fit the bill both ways. It is visually stunning. It is big long with a huge but comfortable neck.I didn't need a bass, but I just had to have it.

It plays as smooth as silk. The build quality on it is nothing short of amazing. I have a dozen other Fender guitars- strats and tele's that I wish were all as solid as this beast. It's tone is exceptional too. I bought it in Geneseo NY from Buzzo Music and Buzzo made me a great deal on it. He explained that Fender had developed the Pro Tone line as a competitive response to the business trends of the day which forced production off shore. Korea at the time was the largest manufacturer of musical instruments and Fender placed the production of the high quality Pro-Tone lower line to become king of the hill of the second brand of a main line builder market. The problem is that the Koreans built these "too good" and were competing with American built Fenders that were twice as much.It only took them a couple of years to discover the cannibalism that they managed themselves into. ( Eastman did the same thing with their Potomac brand and Guild did the same thing with their DeArmond brand) The MSRP on this bass was $779....Now I ask ya.... who in the hell is going to pay anywhere near that for a Squire by Fender??? Answer= Nobody in their right mind!!!!

Since nobody pays MSRP except on extremely rare occasions or they have too much money,I bought this one for $350 brand new, out the door tax tag title and freight with a gig bag. Since I bought it "right" I am willing to let it go for a fair price. Any takers? email me with a fair offer @sbon...@gmail.com and we can talk about next steps.
Keep rockin'!

[tsch...@gmail.com]

Somebody ought to enquire about this bass. They're a great value!