Fender American Professional II Precision Bass, Rosewood Fingerboard, Dark Night

The American Professional II P Bass: Upgrading Perfection

Leo Fender nailed the essence of a great instrument when he launched his Precision Bass in 1951. Today, the Fender American Professional II Precision Bass draws on over six decades of innovation, evolution, and inspiration to exceed the requirements of today’s working bassists. The ’63 C-profile neck feels just right, with its smooth, rolled fingerboard edges, “Super-Natural” satin finish, and newly sculpted neck heel that gives you effortless access to the upper register. Fender’s new V-Mod II Precision Bass split-coil pickup serves up classic P Bass punch and growl, with more articulation than ever before. A genuine bone nut and string-through-body or top-load 4-saddle HiMass Vintage bridge deliver solidity and sustain for authoritative tone, while lightweight vintage-style tuners with tapered shafts provide outstanding tuning stability and fast, hassle-free string changes. Rocking premium appointments, flawless playability, optimized electronics, and classic visuals, the Fender American Professional II Precision Bass offers you a new standard of comfort, tone, and performance.

Session king

The Fender American Professional II Precision Bass carries on the tradition of the first mass-production electric bass guitar. The Precision has driven the bass lines of some of the biggest hit records ever made. The ’60s were a typically prolific decade, with the instrument in the capable hands of session bassists like LA Wrecking Crew stalwart Carol Kaye, who lent her Precision chops to countless iconic recordings such as the Beach Boys’ “California Girls” and “Good Vibrations.” Then there was Motown bass legend James Jamerson, whose ’62 Precision (dubbed “the Funk Machine”) delivered the infectious bounce that buoyed a slew of Motown hits like the Temptations’ “My Girl” and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” In fact, the Precision Bass was standard issue for Motown recordings. After bassist Bob Babbitt auditioned for a slot in Motown’s in-house studio rhythm section (the Funk Brothers), he was told his playing made the cut, but was instructed to “get a Precision” before returning for his first session. He did, and remained a P Bass player for the rest of his career.

The industry standard

Producers and engineers know that the Precision Bass always sits perfectly in the track, with minimal processing and the ideal amount of punch and growl. It’s the de facto industry standard. Perhaps that’s why many of today’s first-call bassists who had been playing exotic active instruments, such as LA session ace Sean Hurley (John Mayer, Gwen Stefani, Alanis Morissette, Robin Thicke), have come home to the Precision. Precision players often cite how “balanced” their instrument feels, whether they’re playing seated or standing; indeed, the P Bass is a supremely balanced instrument, from its playing feel to its fat, punchy, authoritative tone. The instantly recognizable P Bass sound is the end product of a number of factors, including scale length, tonewoods, its bolt-on neck, and of course, Fender’s one-of-a-kind Precision Bass split-coil pickup — the latest, state-of-the-art update of which comes standard on the American Professional II Precision Bass.

V-Mod II Precision Bass split-coil pickup

The Precision Bass split-coil pickup bucks the hum, but it’s technically two single-coil pickups working in tandem, so it has the note definition and harmonic richness many humbucking bass pickups lack. It’s placed in an optimal position along the string length to capture and deliver girthy low end along with midrange growl that cuts through thick arrangements. And it also makes a great thumb rest! The American Professional II Precision Bass features Fender’s latest upgrade to their venerable split-coil bass pickup. The V-Mod II Precision Bass pickup delivers greater note articulation than previous versions, while serving up the epic punch and growl the P Bass is famous for. The V-Mod II P Bass pickup brings out the rich harmonic overtones that enhance the expressive nuances in your playing, while maintaining the solid fundamental that makes the P Bass perform admirably cross-genre, onstage and in the studio. Bass players at Guitar World are blown away by the flawless playability and amazing tone of the American Professional II Precision Bass and its V-Mod II pickup. Trust us: you will be, too.