Precision V

[abc]

Have been thinking of trying a 5-string for a couple of years.

 

Today a bought one, a Precision V.

 

 

Have to admit: it's only a Squier , made in Indonesia, not much money at all, just to test on......

 

But, woaw, this is such a nice bass! The bass is put together just perfectly with nice parts, has a nice sturdy bridge, an excellent fretwork and a threeply pickguard. The controls and tuners are like butter and the sounds I can bring out from it is just excellent!

 

How is this possible? This dirt cheap bass feels as good as my american made Fender and almost as my 60's classic jazzbass (yeah, I rank this mex higher than my amstd).

 

Used to a thin neck, this one first felt overwhelming. Wide as a autostrada, but still managable. I think I will adopt to it quickly.

 

The question is, will it be possible to switch between a four and a five?

 

best regards.

[Bottomgottem]

Congrats on finding a 5-string that you like.

 

Myself, I've been a 4-string snob for the last twenty years and am only just beginning to see the light.

[Prague]

I won't rain on your parade too much, but those basses have a 4 string pickup inside a 5 string housing. I don't care for the bass at all. I have played the AmStd Prec. 5's and they are vastly superior to any of the knock-offs.

 

But, I regularly switch between 4's and 5's with no problems. Oddly, I prefer the position my hand is forced into with the wider 5 string neck. Go figure.

[abc]

Originally posted by Prague:

I won't rain on your parade too much, but those basses have a 4 string pickup inside a 5 string housing. I don't care for the bass at all. I have played the AmStd Prec. 5's and they are vastly superior to any of the knock-offs.

 

But, I regularly switch between 4's and 5's with no problems. Oddly, I prefer the position my hand is forced into with the wider 5 string neck. Go figure.

Yeah, the narrow PU's was the first thing I observed. So they are actually 4 string pickups, the poles between the strings I guess. Have to check. Still sounding good I believe.

[Nicklab]

Congratulations on your new purchase. I was actually eying a Fender 5 string P-Bass deluxe last week and I was really impressed. Pickup issues aside, if you're enjoying the instrument then you should have some fun with it.

 

As for switching between 4 string and 5 string? It's going to take a little time for you to get acclimated to the 5 string. There's definitely going to be a learning curve for you. I think what you should do at first is immerse yourself in the 5 string. Just put the 4 string basses away for a while and play the 5 exclusively for a month or two. That isn't to say that you should sell off your other instruments. On the contrary, it's good to have options with other instruments. But if you make a concerted effort towards learning the 5 string you should be fine. The weird moment is going to be when you've been playing 5 string for a couple of months and then you finally pick up a 4 string for the first time in a while. You'll be amazed at how small the 4 string neck is going to feel in your hand!

[abc]

Originally posted by Nicklab:

Congratulations on your new purchase. I was actually eying a Fender 5 string P-Bass deluxe last week and I was really impressed. Pickup issues aside, if you're enjoying the instrument then you should have some fun with it.

 

As for switching between 4 string and 5 string? It's going to take a little time for you to get acclimated to the 5 string. There's definitely going to be a learning curve for you. I think what you should do at first is immerse yourself in the 5 string. Just put the 4 string basses away for a while and play the 5 exclusively for a month or two. That isn't to say that you should sell off your other instruments. On the contrary, it's good to have options with other instruments. But if you make a concerted effort towards learning the 5 string you should be fine. The weird moment is going to be when you've been playing 5 string for a couple of months and then you finally pick up a 4 string for the first time in a while. You'll be amazed at how small the 4 string neck is going to feel in your hand!

Thanks for your kind advice!

 

BTW The deluxe your are mentioning is actually my dream bass.

[abc]

Originally posted by Prague:

I won't rain on your parade too much, but those basses have a 4 string pickup inside a 5 string housing. I don't care for the bass at all. I have played the AmStd Prec. 5's and they are vastly superior to any of the knock-offs.

My post wasn't intended to p**s anyone off, but I can't get it how it's possible to manufacture an instrument this good for more or less nothing.

[Nicklab]

Originally posted by abc:

Originally posted by Prague:

I won't rain on your parade too much, but those basses have a 4 string pickup inside a 5 string housing. I don't care for the bass at all. I have played the AmStd Prec. 5's and they are vastly superior to any of the knock-offs.

My post wasn't intended to p**s anyone off, but I can't get it how it's possible to manufacture an instrument this good for more or less nothing.

There's a pretty wide assumption that almost all of Fender's instruments that are manufactured in America are superior to the rest of their product line. In some cases that is accurate, and in other cases it's inaccurate.

 

There are actually some really good instruments that are not made in the United States. Fender is manufacturing in the US, Mexico, Japan, Korea and now even Indonesia. The manufacturing processes tend to be better in certain countries, but in many cases many of the parts and materials are the same. However when you start talking about some of the non-US instruments, the parts aren't always of the highest quality.

 

Additionally, the workforce may not be as skilled. In the case of the instruments produced in Indonesia, the labor rate is probably the lowest that Fender pays internationally. What that translates to is that the Indonesian workforce is not as skilled as the people who are making instruments in the US and Japan. What this means is that you're much more likely to get a high quality instrument that's built in the US and Japan than you are to get one from Korea, Mexico or Indonesia. That's not to say that those countries don't turn out some good instruments. There are probably some that are better than others, but I think there's less consistency in the overall quality. In your case you may have gotten the gem of the lot.

[The Geoff]

So it should be possible to replace the 4 pole p/ups with, say, EMGs for 5s?

 

Especially if you like the rest of the bass.

 

Geoff

[abc]

Originally posted by Geoff Byrne:

So it should be possible to replace the 4 pole p/ups with, say, EMGs for 5s?

Geoff

Ok, but will I still have a P-humbucker in the neck position? I suppose there's a HB in the Squier though the similarity to a J pickup?

 

Are there any direct replacements for the Fender Prec. V (2+3 config)? I'm quite good with the router

[The Geoff]

I've seen a Yamaha P/J 5 with a body like a P. The P pickup has 3 poles on the bass side and 2 on the treble side. As to whether they are available to buy - ?

 

I suppose you'd need to look at the usual suspects - Duncan, Armstrong, DiMarzio etc.

 

Incidently, I was at a show recently (MoTown) and the backing band's bass player had a Fender P/J 5 and I fell in love with it, although I'd be happy with a P/J 5 Jazz.

 

G.

[kenfxj]

Originally posted by abc:

Are there any direct replacements for the Fender Prec. V (2+3 config)? I'm quite good with the router

Thy this - Bartolini 5-String Deep Voiced P-Bass Pickup - a bit expensive, but not crazy.

[abc]

Originally posted by kenfxj:

Originally posted by abc:

Are there any direct replacements for the Fender Prec. V (2+3 config)? I'm quite good with the router

Thy this - Bartolini 5-String Deep Voiced P-Bass Pickup - a bit expensive, but not crazy.

Thanks for the link. Will stay with the bass as is, first learning to utilize a five properly. Sooner or later I may sell some equipment and go for a P deluxe.

 

B.R

 

/Christer