New block marker P Bass

Chris P. · July 30, 2011, 10:57:24 AM

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 · July 30, 2011, 11:17:28 AM

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. · July 30, 2011, 12:01:54 PM

Thanks! Didn't knew it was online already!

Pilgrim · July 30, 2011, 12:50:46 PM

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

nofi · July 30, 2011, 03:45:00 PM

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

hieronymous · July 30, 2011, 05:16:44 PM

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 · July 30, 2011, 05:43:42 PM

Quote from: nofi on July 30, 2011, 03:45:00 PM
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 · July 30, 2011, 07:55:45 PM

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 · July 31, 2011, 06:33:23 AM

Quote from: nofi on July 30, 2011, 03:45:00 PM
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 · July 31, 2011, 07:01:03 AM

Quote from: nofi on July 30, 2011, 03:45:00 PM
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 · July 31, 2011, 07:07:02 AM

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

hieronymous · August 01, 2011, 10:13:36 PM

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

Psycho Bass Guy · August 02, 2011, 07:42:32 AM

Quote from: Pilgrim on July 31, 2011, 07:01:03 AM
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 · August 02, 2011, 07:51:26 AM

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

Dave W · August 02, 2011, 09:52:00 AM

Quote from: Psycho Bass Guy on August 02, 2011, 07:42:32 AM
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.