Monday, September 24, 2018

Review: Steve Harris Signature Precision Bass

Longtime readers of the blog know that I am a huge fan of the Fender Precision bass.  Fender, G&L, Lull, Music Man, you name it-- if it's a P-bass, you already have my attention! 

However, I've never been a big fan of signature basses; I can appreciate them for what they are, but none appeal enough to me to spend the money one one-- until this one.  

There are two bassists that really grabbed me from early on: Geddy Lee, and Steve Harris.  Seeing Geddy playing his Rickenbacker on, "Exit... Stage Left" was what inspired me to play guitar.  Steve Harris was the stand out sound to me when I first listened to Iron Maiden after buying "Maiden Japan" at our local MusicPlus record store.  Rush and Maiden were huge influences in my musical life.  

When evaluating my collection recently and deciding which basses to sell, which to keep, the less expensive Steve Harris Precision survived where other, much more expensive basses did not.  How did that happen?  While some of the reasons are personal preferences, there are some objective points as well:
Overview:
Fender released this new version of Steve's signature in early 2015.  What makes this version different than the others is the white color (vs. blue), the pinstriping with West Ham football club sticker, Seymour Duncan pickup, and Fender's BadAssII bridge.  Detailed spec's are available on Fender's website, so no need to repeat those here.  What appealed most to me was the nod to it's 70's roots with the big headstock, bold lettering, and the fatter neck.  The other details are nice too-- especially for the price.  

Fit & Finish:
Neck pocket: Left, Steve Harris/ Right, American Standard
Compared to my Fender American Standard Precision, the made in Mexico Harris model actually has some advantages.  The Harris neck pocket is nearly air-tight compared to the significant gap on the US version.  Weight on the Harris model is quite a bit heavier, which is attributable to the different body woods: maple body on the Harris, and alder on the US.  Action was fantastic on the Harris, while I had to spend a few hours dialing in the US model.  Fretwoork was great on the Harris, but slightly better on the US with the fret ends being more rounded on the US.  This November will mark 1-year living with the bass, and I haven't had to adjust a thing on it-- just plug & play!

Feel & Sound:
Even though I'm a huge fan of Steve Harris and Iron Maiden, I'm not interested in replicating Steve's sound.  The bass is supposed to come strung with rounds, with a set of flats in the case.  Mine was missing the flats, but I didn't pursue the issue with the seller-- why make a fuss about something I will never use?  As you might guess, the bass sounds like what it is; a big, aggressive Fender P.  However, roll off the volume just a bit and you can get all the classic tones your heart desires.  Comparing the Duncan pickup with the MFD in my G&L SB-1, I discovered the two sound very similar.  That just made my SB-1 redundant!

A lot of press and advertisement call the neck a "U" shape.  How Fender comes up with that stuff is beyond me.  It is not a large neck on it's own; compared to the typical Fender bass, this neck is better thought of as a chunky "C" shape.  There is a little more depth front to back, hence calling it chunky.  Make no mistake, this is not a large neck-- it's simply larger than the modern Fender necks.  Should someone only have experience with a skinny-necked Ibanez, then pick up this bass... perhaps that person would be surprised by the size difference.  Otherwise, the neck is nicely rounded and feels really comfortable.  

The weight is about 11 pounds, but using a wide padded strap really zeros out the  feel of having such a large instrument.  Again, part of the appeal of this bass is it's nod to the 1970s, a time when the P-bass was considered a "man's bass."  Fender nails it with this one.  

Keeper?
When evaluating my collection and deciding which basses to keep/sell, one of the reasons the Steve Harris model survived the purge is that big, bold, beautiful headstock!  That was the style I grew up with and when someone mentions "Fender Bass" the 70s style is the image that comes to mind; it's what it should look like.  Then consider the Harris fit & finish, bridge, pickup, neck feel, sound... it represents the quintessential Fender Precision bass.  
Richly colored decal & stripes are under the clearcoat
Ultimately, I chose it over the G&L LB-100, SB-1, Fender American Standard, AND the new Music Man Cutlass Bass.  The fact this one is a Steve Harris signature model is just a bonus; the pinstriping & castle/hammers sticker simply make it more fun to look at than the typical bass.  It should be mentioned that those finish details are actually part of the bass-- under the clearcoat so there is no option to remove them.  At the same time, for those who like the unique finish details, being under the clearcoat makes it even more resistant to wear.  For those who don't follow football and have no idea who or what Wes Ham United is, the decal looks great on its own-- again, a fun detail.

If the Steve Harris P-bass looks like your kind of instrument, either as a collector item for Maiden fans, or simply as a fun solid bass guitar, you might want to consider buying one sooner than later.  Many of the signature basses have specific production time frames as did the previous Harris models, and considering that this version has been on the market for several years, it's likely nearing the end of its production.  These are great instruments and are a great value within the Fender catalog.

If you aren't a fan of Fender basses, perhaps you would like Music Man's take on the Precision and P/J platform; I've got a review of both coming soon-- till then...

...Stay tuned & in tune!


Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Quick Tips: How To Sell My Bass?

Most of us eventually decide to sell a bass either to upgrade to a better one, or to thin a herd that became a collection now requiring its own room in the house(!)

Once the decision is made to sell, you have a lot of options; sell online, to a friend, or even a music store-- just to name a few.  

Online:
Popular places include eBay, Reverb, or your favorite instrument/maker specific forums.  Be ready to pay additional fees for selling via eBay or Reverb.  Shipping charges have to be factored into the sale price as well.  In this case, photos are your friend.  Don't be stingy with the photos, and include enough that detail the condition so the new buyer knows exactly what to expect.  DO NOT attempt to hide flaws, or something that might raise concern.  Doing so will not slip a flaw past someone -- a lot of folks expect perfection, so being up front about the life your instrument has lived will weed out those who will likely return it to you.  Be honest, take pride in your time as the instruments custodian, and be willing to have it return if need be.

Selling locally:
Either to a friend or through CraigsList will save you having to pay fees or shipping.  However, there is an old, wise maxim that teaches selling anything to a friend is never a good idea.  Again, photos are a great way to provide a visual description of the instruments condition and will flush out some of those CraigsList Flakes.

CraigsList (LetGo, OfferUp, etc.) exposes you to a whole list of unsavory characters along with a few actual prospective buyers.  The frustration with using CraigsList may be worth the effort to find the right buyer, just be sure to set specific boundaries for prospective buyers and don't let yourself become a sheep among wolves.  A few basics:

- Don't hesitate to turn away a buyer that makes your Spidey Sense tingle

- Arrange to meet at a public location of your choosing, but NEVER at your house.

- Be clear on the type of payment you will accept, and only meet when you agree on a specific price

- Take a friend with you; there is safety in numbers

- Always be aware of your surrounding, handling cash as discreetly as possible


Selling to a store:
Don't expect to get full price; it is buying from you in order to make a profit selling to someone else.  Selling to a shop is convenient and frees you of having to sift through all the flakes and tire-kickers to find the right buyer.  The downside is that most places will give you about 60% of what they will sell it for.  

Do your homework before selling to a shop; check various online retailers yourself to get an idea what your shop will sell it for.  Stepping into the shop with a clear, realistic expectation will make the process go much smoother for both you and the shop employee; doing so may also result in receiving a little more for your item in appreciation for your pleasant disposition.  

Always try to keep things in the proper perspective; you are selling a musical instrument, and the process more often than not will require a good deal of patience.  Thinking of the process as an adventure will position your mindset in a way that elevates much of the stress associated with selling an instrument.  Have fun and look forward to meeting the next person who will be caring for your beloved instrument~

Stay tuned, and in tune!