Fender American Vintage '63 P-Bass
By the third design revision of the 1950s it was pretty much there, but in the latter months before the CBS buyout, the Fullerton firm refined it even further by adding a round-laminated rosewood fingerboard.
This bass reflects those final months of tinkering, with characteristically contoured ash body, maple neck with a C-profile and a slightly more generous width, plus the aforementioned rosewood fingerboard.
The
vintage-style bridge features threaded steel saddles and surface
stringing, while the shamrock tuners have the authentic reverse action.
It's available in Olympic White, Frost Red, Faded Sonic Blue and the
classic Three-colour Sunburst but the price stays consistent for all
colours, and includes a fully fitted Fender hard case.
Sounds
"The Precision sound remains one of the most well known in music"
The
Precision sound remains one of the most well known in music, as it has
appeared on so many recordings over the years; it has become the
benchmark for all other bass sounds to follow.
With just
volume and tone controls, it has the simplest of circuits but it does
benefit from the new American Vintage '63 split-coil pickup as developed
by Leo Fender back in the 50s. This pickup is all about being able to
balance the output evenly from each string and the minimalist circuitry
allows the true sound of the bass to be reproduced.
For
those of you yet to experience a Precision, it possesses a generally
warm, full tone but with clearly defined notes whether you operate at
one tonal extreme or the other.
With all the tone rolled
back it gets full and fruity but never muffled, while at the other end
the top is edgy and full of bite but never thin or twangy. In between,
you get a gentle transition of tone without ever losing any power or
delivery. It really is the most balanced sounding of any single-pickup
passive bass.
Although all Precisions look and sound
fantastic, to these eyes, this early 60s model was always far more
refined in looks, feel and overall sound - no wonder it became the firm
favourite of many players for stage and studio alike. In all honesty,
nothing has changed here, because attention to period detail and feel is
what the American Vintage series is all about.
As
history reveals, the Precision is man enough and subtle enough for all
genres from smooth jazz to death metal, and although it lacks the
ability to get those funky hollow sounds associated with the two-pickup
Fender Jazz, it still sounds soulful in the hands of the right player.
Within
this new American Vintage series you can also experience the nostalgic
looking 1958 model with its slightly brighter sound - another beauty.
Rating
4.5 / 5 stars
Pros
Build quality, looks and those trademark tones. Attention to period detail.Cons
Price.Verdict
A real time warp - it's no cheapie, but dangerously close to the original and just as valid today as it ever was.
- Specification
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