So I was in Guitar Center (
) the other day trying to buy a wall wart (computer said that had four, guy at the counter couldn't find it). I like to just glance at what they have, and saw a cool looking P-Bass, black with black pickguard and maple fingerboard. Up on the wall, it looked great! Plus it was reduced to $899 - seems they normally go for $1199. I've been imagining getting a P as a counterpart to my
Alembicized Telecaster Bass which lives in Massachusetts while I live here in California. When I realized maybe I could trade something in, the GAS really set in. So yesterday I took a side-trip over to GC to give it a whirl.
Fortunately it was quiet since it was the middle of the afternoon, and an older salesman helped me out, set me up with a Mesa Boogie combo that actually sounded really good. So here are my impressions of the bass:
1. The body and pickguard looked played - probably why it was marked down. Fairly lightweight. But I was bummed with the way the neck looked. I guess I'm spoiled by my mid-'70s Tele, but I didn't like the color of the maple - too pale? or the way the logo and "Precision Bass" looked - on that front, I think I'm spoiled by the Fender Japan reissues, which look more old school. Or maybe I've just turned into a vintage snob?
2. I was really surprised how uncomfortable the neck was. This is obviously the biggest bummer of all. I found it really awkward to play with good hand position (thumb behind the neck, which I use about half the time). I always assumed that my Tele neck was fat and chunky, but I think it might just be U shaped and actually not all that wide. Maybe it was the sharpness of the edge of the fretboard? But then again, I have an Alembic 5 string which I find comfortable, and even my 6-string Ibanez (one of the things I'm considering trading) feels comfortable and that neck is super-wide, though very shallow. So maybe I'm just out of practice? I've been playing keyboards more lately, haven't really played my basses for a month or two now.
3. The sound was great. Sounded like a P-Bass should - lots of bark, but nicely tamable with the tone knob or amp controls.
I actually played it for quite a while - they actually had some half-way decent music playing in the store, so I got to play along with the Doors (Roadhouse Blues?), the Sweet (Ballroom Blitz), Joe Walsh (Life's Been Good - I thought this was Manfred Mann!
) and Kiss (Detroit Rock City). It was fun - the salesman insisted I turn it up!
So, sorry for the rambling post, but I'm still considering this bass. I think I should pull out my Rickenbacker 4001 and play that a bit tonight, see if maybe I'm just out of practice! Maybe take a strap by the store and try it standing up too. Any thoughts on these American Standards? They have the graphite reinforcement and new bridges that you can do standard or string-thru-body. Or am I being a fool - if it didn't feel good, then I shouldn't even be considering it?!!