Ever since the announcement of Fender's series of New American Standards, I've been waiting to try out the P-Bass 5 string. Tonight I finally got a chance to try one out at a New Jersey Guitar Center.

This new incarnation of the P-Bass is the first time that Fender has offered the P-Bass as a 5 string that's both passive and with a single P pickup. All previous versions had either been active or equipped with an additional pickup in the bridge position.

How did it play? Marvelous, I tell you. The neck was very comfortable, but I've been playing 5 & 6 string for most of my playing career. YMMV. The setup on the instrument was pretty good for something that's been hanging on the wall at GC and still had the plastic covers on the tuners. The low B felt just right. I think that's due in some part to the graphite inlays in the neck.

As for the tone? It was that classic P-bass tone. A great fingerstyle Jamersonesque sound that could be easily changed to some Paul Simonon/Clash style grind, all with the turn of one tone knob and pulling out a pick. And the B string? It sounded tight and focused.

As for the price tag? At $1200 it's not a beginners instrument. But I think it measures up pretty well to other comparably priced 5 strings, like the Musicman Stingray 5.

So has anyone else tried one out yet? I've been eager to hear some other impressions of this modern interpretation of a classic bass.

You've got me interested enough to go check my local Guitard Center to see if they have any yet. I was mildly curious to check one out before but your review has sparked increased interest. If I can play one soon I'll chime in with my own review, ya dig?

Yep, I tried one at the local GC. Sounded good like a p-bass should but it wasn't set up to my liking which is typical for this GC. String spacing did seem a tad wide for me.

I played one at a local music store a few months ago--I emphasize local music store because I'm a trendy liberal. Anyways, it felt really good, and I've never been one to get GAS over a P Bass before. The neck was no problem to get around, the sound was evenly represented across the fretboard... no complaints really. I would not buy one new, because you can get great deals on used Fenders, but that's just me.

I'm still a J fan, but this was a bass that I had nothing bad to say about, for sure.

Believe me, I would've done the same if my local music store had any in stock. If I do move on this instrument, it would probably be as a special order through my favorite local music store. Not a fan of Guitar Center by any strech of the imagination.

Thanks for the independent reviews, I've read several trade mags and it seems that they all give a big thumbs up to this bass.

If only they'd offer it in lefty.

I was just kidding about the trendy liberal part, no worries.

Is that what you meant by 'lefty'?

I've always wanted to play a MIA Fender P in a 5er, I must make a trip to the place that has these basses. Don't worry, I won't be buying anything.

Amen!

And other colors besides Black, 3-Tone Burst and Natural.

A timely bump. Because I decided to make that special order with my favorite independent music store and laid down a deposit yesterday. G.A.S. knows no end.

Very nice.

Have you seen Ed Friedland's review on youtube?



I hope you were quoted that August price, oar something close to it.

I think the 9 months between trying it out and pulling the trigger says something about how much you are going to like your new fish.

Care to elaborate on what lead you to look for a new 5-string P?
100% satisfaction with the Roscoe, not so much with the Deluxe?

I hope that this one stands out, I'm a huge fan of P-Bass sound

Very cool. Looking forward to the pictures.

I really dug the Deluxe at first. I recorded with it and gigged with it. And I gave it almost 3 years. But at heart, I'm much more of a passive/rosewood guy than an active/maple guy.

I also wanted to be in a position where I could bring either 5 to a gig and feel cool about it. But I kept on opting for the Roscoe Beck so much more that it started telling me something. Especially since I was switching the electronics into the neck pickup's humbucking mode.

It has arrived at the store! I should be picking it up tomorrow morning.

pictures are required in order for your LDLD membership to not be canceled.

Not only will there by pics...but I'm going to set up an entire family photo!

update?

peace.
--dub $$

It is in the house! Pics to come later.

Well?

It gets played out before it gets photographed.

So we get the full road test review along with the obligatory photos? Cool.

Indeed. I already restrung it with Blue Steels. Silly stock Fender strings. BAH!

no pics, no fish.

hmmm...nicklab, wherefore art thou?

peace.
--sw

Also if we could get the option of a maple board as the lack of a maple board is a deal breaker for me if they expect me to pony up the bucks for a new model. Every maple-boarded or natural lefty Fender I've ever seen on eBay was made in the '70's (usually a '78 P with both for big bucks oddly enough).

Industry leader my eye. As an example, EBMM is far more accommodating to southpaws and MIA Fenders aren't much cheaper now with the price hikes. I haven't seen a current model available natural or maple-boarded from Fender since I started playing (4 yrs). Either that or their website/catalog is wrong.

Some nice colour options would also be good. Why they just don't offer the same colour options as righties is beyond me. I know and don't expect to see a long row of lefty models at my local store (they may sell more there was more in stock with some nice options and with a playable setup) but I should be at least able to order it if I'd like to. Heck, there is exactly ONE lefty bass in stock in the entire city (a black 2005 or 2006 MIA P w/rosewood) and it had a screwed up input jack and neck relief a mile high for two years even though I mentioned it to the staff six times before anything was done about it. Then the new guy there got of his duff and promptly took care of it when I mentioned it to him. Then they say they can't sell lefties, I wonder why, go figure!

Also if you want any variety of Fender 5-string, a fretless, a model with active electronics, a short-scale, a PJ (Fender, not Squier), a Highway One model, or even a MIM P we're pretty much SOL. If they want me to pony up over a grand for a MIA P then it had better have a maple board, a J pup in the bridge and some nice colours available. I really like the MIA Deluxe Jazz but once again, rosewood only in montego black w/a mustardy-coloured pickguard or 3-Tone Burst w/a white PG. In today's age of CAD/CAM/CNC manufacturing I find this inexplicable. Upcharges are total Bravo Sierra as well.

I'd like a nice new reasonably priced Fender but I guess that Fender does not want my business which is funny given the current economic climate. I look forward to change but it has gotten to a point where the annual lineup release just results in depression so I've kind of given up on them which is a bummer.

Believe it or not they are ahead of Gibson/Epiphone which offers absolutely NOTHING for southpaw bassists.

Thanks for putting up with my lengthy rant. This has been my pet peeve since I started playing. It's nice to get it off my chest. I'd still would like to get a nice Fender someday...

Cheers
Newf

It would be nice if Fender told the truth in their catalogues.

www.southpawguitars.com shows the lefties much love, but if the manufacturers don't make it, they can't stock it.

If Fender ever makes a lefty 5-string P-Bass, they'll have it.

Great selection, great customer service, I'll look to them the next time I want to add to my collection.

If you want a Fender-styled instrument then IMHO your best route is to build it yourself. Warmoth and USACG make excellent parts. I have a 4 string PJ that I built from a combination of Squier and Warmoth parts that rivals any new MIA Fender that I have examined. I have the body and neck for a 5 string Jazz and a 4 string maple/maple fretless neck that I will be building into another Jazz bass. Of course going the "parts build" route is not cheap, each of these instruments will cost between $800-$1000 total but I will end up with exactly what I want.

Of course you can go with the "boutique" builders like Lull, AV, Lakland and Sadowsky and get just about any option you want but you will spend big money and IN MY OPINION no standard configuration solidbody instrument is worth more than $2500, period. If you pay more than that you are buying something other than the instrument.

If you are not insistant on having a Fender-style bass then Carvin is probably the most lefty friendly company out there. They will give you almost every option available to right handers without charging extra. They offer both 4 and 5 string bolt-on config instrument in a kit form, and these are the most economical parts build option available. Their quality is very high.

The Carvin neck-through LB series is pretty close to a Precision shape if those ergonomics are important to you. Furthermore, if you are patient and keep your eyes open you can probably find one used for nearly half the price of a new one.


Cheers!

There are pictures. Therefore, it exists!







And some "family photos"








I wish I could say that I've been playing the new, proud beauty a great deal. But w*** has demanded more of my time than I would care to relate. And that's what kept me from posting these until now.

But I'll be heading out shortly to jam with the above pictured P-Bass 5 string shortly.