Can I get some help/advice on this instrument....

[michael.e]

So, I am looking in to getting a versatile bass that I can record with. Does this seem to be a good candidate?

How is that bridge going to differ from the smaller ones on the earlier precisions?

Thanks

http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/55U-4262.htm


Think I would be better off with that Lackland Duck Dunn bass?

[alotawatts]

Not an unreasonable price......for what it is. With the J pickup being that unusually close to the bridge it would be un-usable tone for my taste. I would never dial it in....
I do not know what the Dunn basses go for but I'd bet it's way more then this.
See the thread below on BadAss bridges : They were the SH*T in the 70's
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/sho...d.php?t=539224

[Bassomatic]

Originally Posted by alotawatts

With the J pickup being that unusually close to the bridge it would be un-usable tone for my taste. I would never dial it in....

I can see why you'd think so, what with the placement of the J pickup.

That said, my old number 1 Is a '65 J neck mounted on a modified 70's P body with a similar J pickup placement. It was modified well before I bought it 25+ years ago, and it sounds great in the middle position (in my opinion, and that of many others I've known, from engineers and production guys to other players):

I agree with you that it's a risk. May be worth checking out with the guarantee you could return it if unhappy.

[Bassomatic]

Michael -

For an absolute workhorse for recording, I'd check out the Fender Jaguar bass, which has a really wide range of great tones, from passive to active. It would be the one F bass I'd have if recording was my primary goal. The good ones play like buttah, too.

Other great sounding and versatile Fenders include the Roscoe Beck V (never tried the IV, but it might be swell, too), the Geddy Lee or Marcus Miller Js, or....look into getting an early (90's) version of the Hamer Cruise Bass, with the Basslines II pickups and the wonderful-sounding 2 Tek bridges. I record a *LOT* of bass on lots of different material, and often when I hear something older I've done and say to myself "wow, that tone sounds terrific" I realize it was my old Cruise five string. Problem was it was *not* a dream to play, and weighed a ton. Damn it sounded good, though.

[Thor]

Just to muddy the waters futher I would add to that [already excellent] list

Old Guild Pilot bass
Lakland Darryl Jones

[Bassomatic]

Originally Posted by Thor

Just to muddy the waters futher I would add to that [already excellent] list

Old Guild Pilot bass
Lakland Darryl Jones

Yup on both.

(Caveat: Some of those 80's Pilots have killer necks, while I've also come across some twisty ones. I had a fretless P/J w EMGs I bought new in '86 that I still kick myself for selling. It weighed about 7 or 8 lbs, too).

[Bassomatic]

Played a few recent Fender/Squier offerings yesterday:

Fender Road Worn J - Very nice bass, and pretty light. But insanely overpriced for a Mexican instrument, imo. Neck was broader from 12th fret to end of fretboard than what I associate with vintage Js. (Has Lakland raised its prices on their Skyline line?).

Another Squier Vintage Vibe. For $350, was more like 70-80% of the bass the Road Worn was. With upgraded pickups, tuners, and bridge, would be more like 90% of what the Road Worn was. I'm really astonished how nice the two of these I've now played have been. Biggest downside is the weight.

I briefly owned a Highway One P bass that was terrific and light as a feather, especially for a sub-$1k instrument. Would've kept it if money wasn't so tight right now.

(Maybe it's just the ones I've been exposed to, but the regular USA Fender Js I've picked up and played in stores over the past couple of years have been pretty unimpressive.)

[Bassomatic]

Originally Posted by michael.e

Think I would be better off with that Lackland Duck Dunn bass?

I'd make sure i played it in person. Played my first absolute dog of a used Skyline yesterday (not a DD) - sonically dead, a struggle to play, and it weighed a *ton* (and I'm usually not fussy about weight, unless the bass is really not happening on other fronts).

(It's 'Lakland', btw).