Fender Vintera '50s Precision Bass Review

Can’t go wrong with a P bass

Decided to spoil myself, and I didn't go wrong. For bassists who want that classic tone heard in Rock n Roll, Blues, Indie rock, etc. this is the way to go. The instrument feels, plays, and sounds like butter on toast.

---

Cancel Comment

2021 seafoam green

I had to spoil myself and get this new vintera 50s precision bass. I love how sweetwater photographs and weighs each individual guitar so if you want, you can choose which one you want based on weight and looks. My 50s p has a gorgeous AAA flamed maple neck which would be at least a 200 dollar premium, by luck of the lumber. This is why the guitar gallery here at sweetwater is the… read more best!. I got a 9 pound even alder body. I think only the blonde is ash(which i would prefer). Because it was cold during the shipping all the way here in Texas, the bass only needed a slight truss rod adjustment and the saddles needed to be flush with the bridge(not to disturb the radius). Only 2 saddle basses and 3 saddle guitar bridges need to have the saddles themselves match the neck radius because each string isn't able to adjust up and down individually. The new redesigned Tim Shaw pickup sounds awesome! Very nice sound especially through my 59 bassman ltd(eminence bass speakers). I wish it came with the pickgaurd pre drilled for the covers and the rest included but thats another 60 bucks if you really want it(i do). I also adjusted the pickup heights to my liking. Didn't have to intonate and it might just be me but fender strings that come installed from the factory are extra bright and last longer than the ones they sell normally.

---

Cancel Comment

Tone/playability master

I have been a jazz bass guy since the age of 14. Now at the ripening old age of 41 I have owned my first P-Bass for over a year now. I hadn't much of an opportunity during the pandemic to get together with my bands or other friends to play, but this past weekend I finally did. With flats and my Orange AD200B through the OBC 2x12 I could not dream up a better sound. These items… read more have flipped me 180 degrees (always used a jazz with rounds through a solid state amp). I felt like it was time to grow up a bit and get down to the roots of my bass playing and the love of the bassists ROLE. I love rediscovering my bass playing through this bass and it's completely natural sound. Yum!

---

Cancel Comment

Great feel, great tone, great everything.

I bought this and was sceptical because every review said the neck was very chunky. I am 5'9" my hands arent large. It feels great in my hands. Sounds great also. Thanks Sweetwater and Geoff

---

Cancel Comment

Fender Vintera '50s Precision Bass

What can I say? I'm not a bassist by history. I'm a guitarist, but I was looking for a bass to round out my home studio. I struggled with this purchase. I looked at used basses. I thought of building one. But when I saw the Mexican Vintena series from Fender, I kept coming back to this P-Bass. I knew a P-Bass was what I wanted based on the other bass players I have played with in… read more the past. This Dakota Red color is awesome. It has the warm tone associated with a P-Bass. I love it more each time I play it. Yes, I'm a novice, so your mileage may vary, but it gets better each time I play it. I purchased the Fender Rumble Studio 40 modeling amp at the same time. Absolutely no regrets. It was set up well, and the intonation was spot on. Get one.

---

Cancel Comment

Steve Ullery

Where to begin? Amazing tone and feel, killer looks, excellent build quality. I have been a Jazz guy all my life (1979, 2009 fretless American, 2019 Aerodyne) but this one makes me think about what I was missing in the Precision world. Simplicity and great versatility. I put some D'Addario XL flat wounds on it and love the chumminess. I highly recommend this bass and Sweetwater's… read more setup, next day delivery and amazing customer sevice!

---

Cancel Comment

Upgrade to full size

Being a full grown adult and having spent some time starting out on a Gretsch short scale , I decided to up grade. I love the rugged simplicity of this instrument. It's vintage style neck shape and 7.25 radius fretboard are fast and very forgiving so the short scale is stored away now and my future is P bass. The only change I have made is addition of a Hipshot chrome thumb rest… read more ( was lost without a nice big humbucker thumb rest). Did not have to feel bad about drilling 1 hole in a MIM instrument using excellent instructions on the Fender web site. This is the only bass I found with these specifications and this great early P bass sound. Freddy Fender arrived very securely packaged and beautifully set up with La Bella 760FL ,was in tune (almost)and more attractive in person. Worth twice the price at least:) thank you Bryan Leo!

---

Cancel Comment

Now that's TONE

Simply magical. If you want a P-bass, THIS is the one. Best fit and feel for the money and an absolute winner among even the best with a decent setup and a quality set of strings. You won't want to put it down, I promise. Thank you Fender for the amazing product and thank you Sweetwater for the amazing customer service along the way.

---

Cancel Comment

THICC

This is my first bass after being an avid guitarist for over 10 years, I've owned it for about 4 months now. If you're looking for that fat, I don't care if the windows in my house break, unapologetic sound... get it. It feels great, sounds great and the retro color (I have the red one) is fabulous - it's a work of art. Cannot speak highly enough about this instrument.

---

Cancel Comment

I love this bass!

This bass arrived a day after I ordered it and I love it! The color is beautiful, and the pickguard is better looking in person. Previously, I was not partial to anodized gold, but now that I own a bass featuring this pickguard, I recognize the merit. The tone is huge and so smooth. I play it through a Vox Amplug, and once it's turned on, I'm in the tone zone. I would highly recommend… read more this bass, as the build quality is phenomenal. Sweetwater is known to only take in the best quality pieces into their company and on the sales floor, and this is no exception. Thank you, Jack, for working with me so well! I would buy a second one as a backup.

---

Cancel Comment