New block marker P Bass

[Chris P.]

I try to post a pic soon, but Fender has released a new P. It's sunburst or white, it has a P-width maple board but with black block markers. It's called 70s P, so it has a black guard and a thumb rest on the bass side of the bass.

[hieronymous]

I'm thinking of trying one out locally today. In what I could find online, it wasn't clear where it was manufactured, so I went into a dealer and they called Fender - it's made in Japan.

Here's the Fender page: http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0266202300

When I was living in Japan they briefly had a similar one available but it was black. The paranoiac in me always wondered if maybe the inlays and neck binding were painted on...

[Chris P.]

Thanks! Didn't knew it was online already!

[Pilgrim]

That's a nice look.  Great colors, nice selection of features.

[nofi]

although i have been a life long fender defender, they are really starting to annoy me with their endless variations on a theme.

[hieronymous]

So I got to play the '70s custom & the 60th anniversary P-Basses. I really liked the '70s one! It was a lot lighter than I expected, had a nice round sound. The 60th I played was a little bit "middy" for me - the guy at the store said that the first two they got were better, this one wasn't as good, so I'll reserve final judgment.

[Dave W]

although i have been a life long fender defender, they are really starting to annoy me with their endless variations on a theme.

Same here. Block inlays on a P?    Not as bad as that "pawnshop" series though.

[hieronymous]

Apparently, they did some like this in the early '70s - I think there is one pictured in the "Bass Book" by Tony Bacon? Maybe they slapped some leftover Jazz necks on P bodies? So it's not completely made up.

[rahock]

although i have been a life long fender defender, they are really starting to annoy me with their endless variations on a theme.

Yeah, I guess that's how it's done these days. I'm more of a keep it simple kind of guy.
Rick

[Pilgrim]

although i have been a life long fender defender, they are really starting to annoy me with their endless variations on a theme.

You make a good point.  At times I wonder if anyone there has had an original idea in the last 30 years.

[nofi]

fender did have the Big Block p with blocks... ish!

[hieronymous]

Went back to the store to buy it, cash in my wallet, but held off for some reason.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

You make a good point.  At times I wonder if anyone there has had an original idea in the last 30 years.

The Roscoe Beck four and five strings were a pretty significant departure from their normal fare.

[godofthunder]

 I like it ! I envy you Fender guys endless variation on two platforms? Us Gibson players can only dream.

[Dave W]

The Roscoe Beck four and five strings were a pretty significant departure from their normal fare.

They were very good, if the one I played was representative. And they didn't sell. Neither has anything else that departed too much. That's understandable. It's hard to get dealers to order them.

OTOH that doesn't justify endless variations of the same instruments. Maybe it's because I remember a time when the only choice you had was one US-made model in either rosewood or maple, and if you wanted one in stock, it was sunburst. And yet people bought them and the company thrived.