The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Fender Basses => Topic started by: Chris P. on May 26, 2008, 06:34:53 AM
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Hi there,
I want to write an article about Precisions with maple fingerboards. Of course the sound's very spikey and I guess that's the reason they're used by bands like The Ramones, The Who and The Jam. What's your opinion about maple vs. rosewood and the artists playing them?
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Maple boards give you more snap and attack and of course the first electric bass had one so it's also something a bit for the purists among us. I like the maple board on my Fender Sting - it goes well with the singcoil I think -, but when I bought myself a Stingray I made a conscious decision for a rosewood board one, a maple board would have been too much snap and bite for me with the active MM pup. Of course, there are enough people out there that don't consider a non-maple board Stingray a "real Stingray".
Uwe
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To my ears the "spike" of maple is pronounced upper mids, while rosewood is more even through the whole tonal range. Like everything else, just a matter of preference. Given a choice, I'll always take rosewood.
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Of course, there are enough people out there that don't consider a non-maple board Stingray a "real Stingray".
Fools! >:(
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I just got this maple board ASAT after not having a maple neck for quite a while (think my last one was a translucent teal Stingray a few years back) and even with flats you can hear the snap. Plus it looks cool.
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I have always been a rosewood fan, but maple has its charms. I recently got a '74 P with a maple board and love it. My Jimmy Lea bass also has a maple board. Rosewood will always be my fav though.
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I go for a deep dark sound, but I usually prefer the feel and tone of maple . I just roll back the treble control. I don't dislike rosewood , but if I'm doing side by side comparisons, I'll usually end up with maple. I've got a 70 P that came with a rosewood neck and I changed it to maple, a 51 P RI that's maple an Earthwood ABG that's maple and an Olympia ABG that's rosewood.
Rick
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i prefer both the sound and feel of maple.i had a aftermarket neck with an ebony board on my P bass for years and that was also great.but i've never really liked rosewood so much.not really sure why.
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To me, fretboard material is the single most important variable in a bass's sound. More than the old ash vs. alder debate. For many years I was big on 70's maple board P's, but now I prefer rosewood boards for the tone. I still like the feel of the lacquered fretboard, but with the rosewood board I can get the sound I hear in my head when I think classic Fender P.
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I got this SX bass 'cause I'm a Roger Waters fan.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v383/iamthebassman/telewatersbanjojan8013.jpg)
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Nice SX ! I am a big fan of these lots of bass for very little dough.
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Over the 40 years I've been working with Fender basses, I've had on the gig more than 30 of these instruments, mostly rosewood, but in the last five years my No. 1 call has been a maple board 1/59 gold guard, which is hands down, the best Fender P I have ever played. Extraordinary tone, huge punchy bottom-end, sweet mids, with plenty of growl and crispy highs that cut through just the way I like 'um. This bass is so percussive it's like a kick drum with notes.
George
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That just goes to show that there can be exceptions to your general preferences that will pleasantly surprise you.
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I took the 50s P out yesterday. The sound quality of this vid is very poor, especially the bass sound:(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGVQ4La1mqM
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Needs TBird overdubbing like all your vids!
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:D I guess I'll do that!
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Great deal, Robert!
Here's my maple board '72 P:
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll127/ilanlukatch/72Presized.jpg)
Light weight with a great baseball bat B-width neck.
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hey that looks just like mine! '75 with an earlier pg (i have the original black one with the thumb rest on the otherside)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x120/yrofrat/hhhhhhhhhhh002-1.jpg)
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For many years I was big on 70's maple board P's, but now I prefer rosewood boards for the tone. I still like the feel of the lacquered fretboard, but with the rosewood board I can get the sound I hear in my head when I think classic Fender P.
What ilan said goes for me also.
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Heres my 72 Jazz bass
(http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t253/Freuds_cat/Jazz/72jazz723.jpg)
I dont mind either way but I do agree with the "Maple Spike" theory. With this bass I can get almost a Ric sound whereas basses I have with the rosewood board and the same pickups/body wood dont get anywhere near it.
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Nice bass but shouldn't a '72 have black blocks?
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A few years ago I bought a 73-74 maple board P from a fellow "pitter"(The Dude Pit, a older in the past much visited bass forum) One of the nicest playing 70's Fenders I have ever played. Most Ps I can't stand the feel of the necks on the lower register but this one is very easy to play. I'm a Gibson guy so I don't know if it is a A, B,C neck. The bass is light, very resonant I am pretty sure the body is alder, less snap than a ash body and that works nicely with the maple/maple neck. Lots of resonance and sustain from the body combined with the brightness of the maple neck make for a very well balanced sounding bass. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/74pbass003.jpg) Btw I only bought this because I was listening to The Who Live at Leeds and said to myself man I got to get a maple board P ! Yeah I know its not a 60's slab but it's as close as I could afford.
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Nice bass but shouldn't a '72 have black blocks?
I've had a few people ask me that before. The only thing I can work out is that people are so used to hearing about Geddy Lee's bass that the pearloid block ones have been less noticed. I have seen/played a couple of other early 70's Jazz basses with pearl blocks and the guy I bought this one off back in 1979 was the original owner. I'm still in contact with him and he said he bought it here in Australia new in 1973.
Over the years I have contacted Fender asking questions and the most common response has been that in that era a lot of the parts (Necks/Back Plates, etc) were kept in drums or bins and sometimes the dates on different parts where quite different.
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I've had a few people ask me that before. The only thing I can work out is that people are so used to hearing about Geddy Lee's bass that the pearloid block ones have been less noticed. I have seen/played a couple of other early 70's Jazz basses with pearl blocks and the guy I bought this one off back in 1979 was the original owner. I'm still in contact with him and he said he bought it here in Australia new in 1973.
Over the years I have contacted Fender asking questions and the most common response has been that in that era a lot of the parts (Necks/Back Plates, etc) were kept in drums or bins and sometimes the dates on different parts where quite different.
The serial number should give you a definite answer. What kind of headstock logo does it have? The TV type ot block font? Also, if Fender were using old parts, then a late black block neck in the pearl block era is possible, but not vice versa, because the black blocks predated the pearl inlays in maple neck J's. But as we all know, with Fender, never say never!
I'm a Gibson guy so I don't know if it is a A, B,C neck
Measure the nut width: A = 1 1/2", B = 1 5/8", C = 1 3/4". No C necks in the 70's so this is either the standard (for a P) B neck or the more rare A width.
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1 1/2" Nut so I guess that means an A neck. Serial number from the back plate comes back as 1974 when punched into guitar dater project. But the following message also comes up.
FENDER SERIAL NUMBER
By ROBERT BURKE
Posted: November 14, 2007, 06:40:26 PM
I checked the serial # on my fender jazzmaster and got a return answer that it was made in 1960 or 61 and I know I purchased it in 1959. Is there another source that I can get a month and year from?
(http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t253/Freuds_cat/Jazz/72jazz706.jpg)
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Yep, MOP inlays are correct for a '74 maple neck J. MOP/white binding replaced black blocks/binding on maple neck J's some time in mid '73. So that conforms with your serial number.
The headstock decal is the pre-76 "TV logo".
You can also check the neck stamp. This is from the reliable Vintage Guitar Info (http://www.provide.net/~cfh/fender.html#serial) website:
1972 to 1980 Neck Stamps Explained.
This information was provided by Greg Gagliano. The 1972-1980 eight digit code is similar to the previous 1969-1971 system. Example, Music Master (s/n 595121) with code 49002153. The first 6 digits are paired off and the last two digits are taken singly. So that gives us 49 00 215 3 where:
49 = model code (Musicmaster, Mustang, Bronco)
00 = neck code (rosewood fingerboard)
21 = week code (week 21)
5 = year code (1975)
3 = day of the week code (Wednesday)
Model Codes Used from 1972 to 1980.
Model codes (first pair of digits):
01 = Precision Bass
02 = Jazz Bass
04 = Mustang Bass
08 = Telecaster Deluxe
09 = Stratocaster
13 = Telecaster, Telecaster Custom, Telecaster Thinline
49 = Musicmaster, Mustang, Bronco
Neck Codes Used from 1972 to 1980.
Neck codes (second pair of digits):
00 = rosewood fingerboard
01 = rosewood fingerboard
03 = fretted maple neck OR skunk stripe neck with rosewood board
10 = fretless maple neck
Now try and decode a Precision Bass (s/n 647149) with code 01031051. You should get:
01 = Precision Bass
03 = fretted maple neck
10 = Week 10
5 = 1975
1 = Monday
Here's a Telecaster (s/n S725092) with rosewood fingerboard and code 1303167?.
13 = Telecaster
03 = rosewood fingerboard on skunk stripe neck
16 = Week 16
7 = 1977
? = day unknown as digit was illegible
BTW, all J's are A-necks. P's you can find in all 3 widths.
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Cheers ilan :toast:
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/gcarlston/Basses/78Precision-1.jpg)
This was my third maple necked P and my first with an A neck. I've had it since 1986 and it's going nowhere! It's fairly heavy but the bottom end makes it worth it. It's cut through the mix in every situation I've ever played it in, and has been the favorite (out of many other basses) of everyone I've ever played it with.
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Wow George, it's a lot like mine...............................
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b65/bassVI/MostellarTele.jpg)
This is my '74, my first real bass, purchased new when I was much younger!
Of course like everyone else, when it was a few years old I put DiMarzios in it and some other improvements, ( hey I was young! ) and then around '81-'82 it was stolen from a friends' garage, flash way forward to '02 and a friend who was familiar with the bass, called and told me he thought it was at a local music store ( known to sell gear of questionable origin ) a little fussing with the owner and I had my old bass back. Of course the goon that had "borrowed" it for the last twenty years had managed to break the headstock off ( on a P-bass!?! ) and a few other mods, luckily for me I'd saved the original pickups and electronics, found a Japanese reissue neck ( so it's not quite as chunky as the original B neck yet not as this as an A, must be a A+ or B- ) I refinished in Blonde, as the original natural ash was pretty ragged. Of course by the time I got it back I had gone full circle from Fender basses to the Thunderbird, so it spends most of it's time guarding the other basses from the criminal element. It is a great player, I've got it strung with flats ( like it had when I took it home back in '74 ) and it definately holds a most special place in my heart ( insert crying smiley here )..................................
Cheers to all owners of maple board Precisions,
S.
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Over the 40 years I've been working with Fender basses, I've had on the gig more than 30 of these instruments, mostly rosewood, but in the last five years my No. 1 call has been a maple board 1/59 gold guard, which is hands down, the best Fender P I have ever played. Extraordinary tone, huge punchy bottom-end, sweet mids, with plenty of growl and crispy highs that cut through just the way I like 'um. This bass is so percussive it's like a kick drum with notes.
George
Mmmmmm Bein' primarily a drummer, I love your description.
I've got a '78 Maple Blank Plank Black on Black Lefty Precision.
It's Modded with a Jazz pickup added.
Haven't played her much...but hope to sound like Tony Franklin someday....
His Sig basses are maple with ebony fret(less)boards.
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I have a preference for neither. I like a nice P and have found that while there is a difference in the feel/vibe of the two boards, a nice one is just that. I tend to prefer the older C necks, and the post-82 necks more than the 70s B necks. As far as the tone of either the Ramones or the Jam, I would say that clanky roundwound and pick tone would be not much different if either were using rosewood board basses. They just honked up the knobs on the basses and amps. As of now I have owned I think 8 Ps, and 2 Tele basses.
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I can't say that I know the difference.
I have a '63 P with a '72 neck that's rosewood.
About a year ago I got a Turser JTB-401 copy of a '54 P with the single coil pickup and maple board. It's the only thing I have with a maple board, but the pickup is too different from my other basses to make any judgments.
How does one compare a split-pickup P with a single coil P? As far as I can tell, they both sound like basses, and I like the way they sound. I guess that works for me.
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Hi there,
I want to write an article about Precisions with maple fingerboards. Of course the sound's very spikey and I guess that's the reason they're used by bands like The Ramones, The Who and The Jam. What's your opinion about maple vs. rosewood and the artists playing them?
I 'am more of a Gibson man, but strangly enough I 'am definitively a maple fan. (Just received a maple '73 P-neck for my Fenderbird project, really looking forward to getting it togheter). Also three of my favourite bass players use/used the Fender P with maple neck, John Entwistle, Steve Harris and Phil Lynott.
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I've read somewhere that Leo first made the Broadcaster with a maple board to complete the all-blonde look, as blonde was a popular finish then. It wasn't the sound.
A bit like the Marshall slant cabinets, Jim Marshall did that because the amp head didn't look right standing on top of a deeper straight cab. Years later all the sound theorists started speculating about sound projection. But Jim did it just for looks.
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I just read the Jim Marshall story and that's true. But they did found out soon that it had a better spreading of sound, but that was sheer coincidence.
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Why can't weeee be friends...
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/fender/DSCF0177.jpg)
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This Fury has become a real favorite of mine. Thanks Scott!
(http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz62/ack1961/Guitars/Fury.jpg)
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Zombie thread!
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Zombie thread!
Do zombie threads want to eat your tuner?
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Zombie this ....... ;D
(http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/2064/75087674.jpg)
(http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8657/pbodyshow.jpg)
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(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/emotipics/zomb2.jpg)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/emotipics/zomb1.jpg)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/emotipics/zomb3.jpg)
;D
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(http://i52.tinypic.com/97jjn7.jpg)
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OK, somebody please clue this old man in...What is a "Zombie Thread"?
One that won't die or something?
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OK, somebody please clue this old man in...What is a "Zombie Thread"?
One that won't die or something?
One that gets dug up after years of inactivity... or never dies....
Its the thread equivalent of Jethro Tull.
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Its the thread equivalent of Jethro Tull.
Yikes...say no more.
Thanks.
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It died on August 1, 2008
Now it's Undead. All because Joe wanted to show us an illicit love affair between a T-Bird and a maple board Precision.
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It gets even more perverse when you throw in the inter-species ménage à trois! (http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/synth/minimoog/DSCF0174.jpg)
Btw, that old Mini was my latest refin project - not quite as exciting as a BaCHBird, but fun nonetheless!
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/synth/minimoog/2-exploded-view.jpg)
Zombie thread- check!
My usual OT content- check!
;D
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Zombie this ....... ;D
(http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/2064/75087674.jpg)
(http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8657/pbodyshow.jpg)
Ah yes, the cream/maple Zombie...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/gcarlston/Basses/78Precision.jpg)
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Here's my maple "P." I don't turn my nose up at rosewood 'Rays, but when I bought it new, I wanted maple for the classic snap. I only have two maple board basses, this one and my Marcus Miller Jazz. I've always preferred rosewood's warmth overall as my string attack is VERY hard and I get tons of bite just from the way I play already.
(http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/uu183/PsychoBassGuy/Purdy%20Ray/75d0b006.jpg)
BTW, Photobucket has a spyware popup that downloads to your temp directory, places an icon on your desktop and tries to masquerade as a spyware remover. If any of you go to my album, be warned. Whatever you do, don't install it. Delete the icon and clean out your temp directories and you'll be fine.
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Of course, there are enough people out there that don't consider a non-maple board Stingray a "real Stingray".
Uwe
Accept no substitutes!
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/Chrome%20Soapbar/CHROMED/76Ray-1.jpg)
My LEO TRIO
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/Chrome%20Soapbar/CHROMED/Charlie/DSC00176.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/Chrome%20Soapbar/CHROMED/Charlie/DSC01365.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/Chrome%20Soapbar/CHROMED/FretlessP-1.jpg)
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I have one of each ! My 73-75 fretless parts bass with rosewood board (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/walnut001.jpg) and my '74 black/maple P(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/74pbass003.jpg)
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My RD has a maple neck...
(how long do I have to stand in the corner for...? :sad:)
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My allegedly owned by Keith Ferguson P bass copy.
(http://i51.tinypic.com/28rfomq.jpg)
(http://i55.tinypic.com/21nmgq8.jpg)
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Here's my crusty '74.
Before:
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/DSC05431a.jpg)
After
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/Fenderp-bass.jpg)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/DSC05430a.jpg)
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That's an ol' warhorse alright ...... :thumbsup:
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i got lots of maple. you asked for it....
1972
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/fender%20stuff/fendtele1.jpg)
sting
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/fender%20stuff/fendersting.jpg)
never understood what leo was thinking...
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/fender%20stuff/fenderpaisley.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/fender%20stuff/fenderflowers.jpg)
83 precial special
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/fender%20stuff/fender83pspec.jpg)
another special need to refinish - i actually have a nos circuit and a pup
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/fender%20stuff/fend83specnat.jpg)
fender clones by signature
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/fender%20stuff/signgoldjb.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/fender%20stuff/signswampds.jpg)
leo's later stuff
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/other%20brands%20-/mmsabr1.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/other%20brands%20-/mmsting.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/other%20brands%20-/GLASAT.jpg)
i have a 5 string g&l also. no pics..
my warmoth creations
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/warmoth/warmothredswamp.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/warmoth/warmothlace.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/warmoth/warmcarolk.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/warmoth/warmgold.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/warmoth/warm2pbass-1.jpg)
some misc brands
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/DP%20BASSES/warwick/warblond1.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/DP%20BASSES/dpbuck2.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/DP%20BASSES/dp5a.jpg)
2 curlees. - double cut and tulip bass. i will have to get a picture of that.
and the 2 worst basses ever built by a real company......
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/AMPEG%20STUFF/ampbigstud.jpg)
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/AMPEG%20STUFF/amplilstud.jpg)
all that being said I prefer a rosewood or ebony neck and have discovered some other nice stuff in recent years like purpleheart, bubinga, bloodwood, ipe
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(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/fender%20stuff/fenderflowers.jpg)
I can't look at those without thinking of a shower curtain.
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i agree. if you look you can still see the hang tags. i won't be seen in public. I have the matching guitar for this one , not the pinkie....
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Refin... :vader:
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not worth it. play ok, sounds ok , worth pretty decent money especially if i sell as a pair. i will probably sell them and buy something i really want or pay some bills......
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... pay some bills......
I think I need to go and sit down somewhere... I just had a very nasty shock... someone just said something sensible... ;)
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(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac102/desantisjn/other%20brands%20-/GLASAT.jpg)
The ASAT Bass was released a year or two too late for me, but most every one I see is highly worthy of serious GAS .......
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Jumbodbassman; Please tell me how does the P split coil sound in the bridge position?
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those pups are schaller /dimarzio so they are very hot. thats why i have switches for series/parallel which actually does something on these pups.
before these i had two 62 p bass ri in it. the bridge pup sounded like a post 1972 j pup with out the hum and maybe a little thicker on the low strings. If i were to do it again i would switch around the pups ( L sklar ) so that the part closest to the bridge would be the E A half.
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The ASAT Bass was released a year or two too late for me, but most every one I see is highly worthy of serious GAS .......
nice sounding bass. somewhat neck diver but manageable. I don't use it enough..... thinking abut putting some flats on it to thump it up
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My only maple board at present is on my Bronco, which is rapidly assuming status as one of my favorite basses. That TV Jones pickup I installed is an absolute joy!
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Bronco%20Bass/IMAG0109.jpg)
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My only maple board at present is on my Bronco, which is rapidly assuming status as one of my favorite basses. That TV Jones pickup I installed is an absolute joy!
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Bronco%20Bass/IMAG0109.jpg)
where did you get the pup from??>
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Luthier named Jack Read. He mentioned he had it as a take-out from an Electromatic Jr. Jet and I bought it. I had no idea what a good pickup I was getting. He said it was good, but I had no IDEA!
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Was this a while ago? I thought Jack Read had dropped from sight.
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(http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/1442/p51show.jpg)
(http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/9799/p51neckfretboarddetail.jpg)
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Was this a while ago? I thought Jack Read had dropped from sight.
Yes, it was 2-3 years ago...I don't recall exactly. I had it sitting for a long time, intending to drop it in my Lyle hollowbody - but it was too tempting to put it in the Bronco.