The fret ends isn’t because of quality control, it’s because the wood shrunk during the international shipping. That shipping honestly explains a lot of your problems
Wanted a 50s P bass but definitely didn't need one .For a hundred bucks? No need to ask.Mine came in great setup wise,no sharp frets.A loose tone pot is my only concern but I'll probably upgrade the guts.I have an HB rb-414 Rickenfaker that's cool so I've done well with HB.Great mod platforms.
It's really interesting listening to someone else's opinion on something you already own and have played a lot. Perhaps I got lucky but the fret ends on mine are great, really comfortable to play and no concerns with the nut either. The default tuners are also fine as they are. I've got instruments from all price brackets and not once have I thought that this bass would be better for having upgraded tuners or a new nut. The roundwound strings this comes with are a bit hot with the pickup - problem immediately solved by putting some tapewounds on it. I don't think anyone has ever got a P bass to play it fast... But compared to a standard fender p bass the string spacing is closer together making it easier to play, and I am 99% sure this is lighter than a fender p. Also because the neck doesn't have a finish on it, it's easier to slide from one end of the neck to the other. People often sand off any finish on the back of the neck for this reason. Overall I like this bass because it's just so easy to play. It's not likely to be your prized stallion for life but it's a lot of fun but it's visually appealing (in my opinion, especially with the bridge and pick guards) and priced so well I would urge anyone even considering it to pick one up and try it out. New players are going to want this because of the price tag and how easy it is to play. The build quality is also perfectly fine so you're not getting mugged off with firewood with strings on it. Experienced players will want this if they are looking for an alternative to the standard p bass. Gigging musicians are going to want this because it's light enough to be comfortable to play for hours, and at the price range it's not the end of the world if it gets scratched, dented, scruffy or dirty. Nor are you going to be that horrified to find that some drunk idiot nocked it over during the break at a gig. The only hardware upgrade I'd make would be to replace this pickup with the Seymour Duncan vintage single coil. But that's personal preference rather than there being anything wrong with the alnico V that this bass comes with.
I have one of the old Squier Classic Vibes in Lake Placid blue. Super light. Great neck, vintage style frets, surprisingly good pickup. Look for those if you want something like this.
I know there's a few bass snobs here with our Fenders, Warwick's, Ibanez and Dingwalls etc who will turn our noses up at this and that's cool! We've all had bad basses in our time and now with our knowledge and bigger wallets can buy whatever we want. But Think about the next generation of musicians who are now more likely to get parents to get them a first bass without breaking the bank and sounds pretty cool for $100?! The pickup is pretty nice, I'm not saying they're like S'Duncan ¼lb 51's but definitely not far off for versatility of a 1951 style bass.
Got it today, and i'm in shock! It's georgeus and the quallity is as good as any Squier Affinity. Nothing to complain about, had to tighten some screws, tune it and that's it. Can't believe they can make a guitar like this for that kind off money!?
@1:45 You're in Nevada and you're complaining about fret sprout on a bass that comes from SE Asia? Really? That's not a QC issue it's an environment issue.
I just moved from one part of the UK to another (only 120 miles, but to a much drier apartment) and I'm having to slowly work my way through my guitars fixing fret sprout. It's amazing how many people don't look at the environmental issues with international shipping. I'm surprised he can't shave with it...
In winter when i have my heating on the frets on all my guitars stick out at the ends. actually the best time to dress the frets is in winter then it never happens again.
I live in the Mojave Desert, and I have to go over the frets on all but the most expensive instruments. Not really a big deal, and I rather honestly enjoy doing it.
This bass is my main gigging bass. Bought one and modded it up. Two saddle string through bridge, paint job, custom Jerry sentel pickup, varitone, and flats. With the massive neck and the rest of my mods, it has a huge "p with flats" tone👍 PS: the finish was a pain to get off, if you want to paint one, save yourself the trouble and just scuff the finish and paint over it. It took me days to sand down to the wood
I think it's more about the playability (though I haven't gotten to that part of the video yet), I have one myself and the neck is super thick, combine that with the pickup placement (lots of noise and a bit of a farty tone) and it works, but it's defo not great.
Mitchell Vink fair enough, however I’m sure the noise is something a decent compressor could sort out. The video itself exhibits that though probably not ideal, you COULD slap da bass with this $100 functioning instrument. Thanks for the reply amigo
I think he's referring more to how the output of the bass naturally 'clips' and distorts when he slaps it but then a 51 bass wasn't ever the best bass to slap on anyway.
Mine came without sharp fret edges the bridge is fine in fact it has machined grooves for the saddle height adjustment screws love the alnico5 pickup extra large poles and tuners are adequate, neck has C shape so it's comfortable, it's a cool bass.
Looks and sounds cool. Got an American P Bass with the same sharp badly finished frets, so more expensive doesn't always mean better finishing / quality control (although it's still my fav).
Plenty of room to work with. Run a file up the side of the fretboard for those frets, adjust the truss and string height. Probably sand the logo off the headstock. Easy fixes to make it into a good playing affordable bass.
100 Dolllars,, it's worth every penny ! I am a regular 6 string player , but I been wanting to get into learning a little Bass,,,, this is perfect for me to start with !!!! I can't wait to put my order in ! TY Bro,,,, 😁🖒✌
I get my PB in a few days...Deciding if it will be wall art or I will make the plunge in regards to mods...How far down the rabbit hole remains to be seen. And prioritizing what to do first remains a mystery at this time...
You could rub a little Tru Oil on the neck if it's unfinished and you don't want it to get dirty. I finished my whole Harley Benton kit guitar with the stuff and it turned out great, the neck is tasty smooth to play.
What is it with Dudes who have to change the Tuners. Just out of the box in an hour - you cannot see if it keeps in tune! Brand Snobbery raises its head once again.
I ordered this bass in the same color and im changing all of the chrome hardware on it to black not expensive hardware just to get it tp look different. I think the original hardware is fine purely cosmetic. Considering running a dual pickup on it with seymour duncans.
Hey Nick, any way I could convince you on doing a Lowdown on the discontinued Squier or Fender Dimension Bass. There really isn't any great info, reviews or jams out there on these basses.
I cut a small piece of mahogany and screwed it into the hole location for my pickup cover that I removed. It turned out looking great! Just a suggestion. Great video!
Thanks for this video; me being a fan of Dusty Hill, and of vintage style basses in general, i really like this 50s Precision Bass style. I also like the Esquire Bass. So i lokked around some time .. saw the Fender Sting Bass (Japan), the Telecaster Bass. Finally i ordered this Harley Benton 50s P Bass (in sunburst, not in red). Played it for 6 weeks ..and really liked it. Really like the fat neck. By the way, i do not think the wood is totally without any finish, its just veeeery little satin finsih. I agree that it will get dirty. So, because i liked that Bass, 6 weeks later i also ordered a SQUIER 50s classic vintage. When i got it, i noticed that it is heavier than the HB. - The Squier looks better IMHO, because the sunburst is darker(no so much yellow in it) and i like the painted neck on the SQUIER. And yes, the fretwork on the HB is ra pain in the ass.. cut my left index finger many times. BUT overall the HB neck feels thicker in hand! the width might be the same (i measured this) but the thickness on the HB seems thicker (so better for me). - to sum it up: i returned the SQUIER and keep the HB !! Really like it. Within the next days, i will remove the neck and give it to a luthier to get good fretwork. Mayby i will also put some lacquer on the fretboard. - over all, a GREAT Bass for me. Cheers, Erik
be aware that "only $100" may be false depending on where you live; for me, the shipping costs ballooned this to somewhere around $189. still a great price point for a budget bass but not what i was hoping to spend!
Reminds me a lot of my Squire Bronco bass in terms of the look (although the bronco was a mustang style bass), the weight, and the fact that the neck is really chunky and u finished
The new Squier paranormal is almost the spitting image of it besides having two jazz pickups and being made a whole lot better. What's the body made of? If it's a decent wood then it might be worth modding.
Just save up a little bit and get the Squier Classic Vibe 50s. I'm not a wealthy man. I have one, changed the pickups (SCPB-3s), sounds great, looks great, plays great if you don't mind a thicker neck. The super glossy neck might not be for everyone though. The jack plate is really the biggest flaw for me, it comes loose pretty easily, so I'd recommended getting a screw-in jack plate. I agree that neither version of the 50s style P would be the right place to start playing the instrument. So, for a 2nd or 3rd bass onwards, the 700AUD I paid for the Squier Classic Vibe isn't a big asking price for the quality you get.
@@jonnyguitar4464 If you're really on a budget and plan on changing a lot of things about the bass, I guess it makes sense. Especially if you know exactly what you'd like to replace the parts with. But it's not the kind of instrument you'd buy as a first bass, and even if you like the look and sound of it, it's just going to be a lot of work. You'd also likely have to take delivery prices into account, and because it's such a niche bass, you might not be able to find it locally. EDIT: To get it sent to Australia, the total cost would end up being 239AUD, which isn't too bad. I could still get a better deal buying a used bass that sounds and feels better, locally. Yamaha have some great basses for a small price, but if you're really into the 50s P aesthetic, you could do a lot better, right out of the box, if you're willing to pay the price. But, if you plan on fixing it up, the Harley Benton would be fine.
Have you ever heard of a Tempo bass? It was the first one I ever bought in the 60s; was made by a store called Lafayette, which I think is no more. Thanks.
I picked one up, through a cover on the back, flats and a piece of foam under the cover and it's a great little bass for the $$. Over time I'll start swappin out the tuners and such. Oh, and the bridge. I traded out the bridge. Love playing it!
Am i being very Amateur saying I Play yes n Rush on It adding a little Overdrive And It sounds quite good (quite good. Not "ooooooohhhh Im sounding like Geddy Lee in My room"). The Neck is could be better.
Easy, Bone nut($1-2@ philadelphia luthier, that is a blank mind you but you can get a 10pack as well for eleven dollars), gotoh 203b bridge($22@ Guitar Hey Parts), mojotone custom taper pots(2×$6@ mojotone), cloth pushback wire(3ft@ $0.76/ft also mojotone), fret end file(~$30@ stewmac- if needed), neck shim blanks($11@ stewmac- if needed), Allparts Vitamin Q black candy .047mfd tone cap(~$11@ various suppliers on reverb), proper 50's single coil pickup($124@ nordstrand audio). You can build quite a beast with the parts list that I just gave you--- and it will likely sound good enough for a professional recording. It will aboulutely blow any thing off of the map for a total investment of under $300(Except a classic Americal-made Peavey Bass of course) Good Luck!
Definitely don't get a kid this bass. The neck is thicker than a baseball bat. I have one. This isn't a good starter instrument. It's great for vintage tones with flats, though.
Although you were fairly positive towards this bass; this is probably the worst quality review of a HB bass I've seen. What do you guys think about their $200-300ish basses?
90% of other PB-50 videos are better sounding than this one so check your sound first before giving any opinions... Gonna ignore this channel you really give of a snobby vibe...
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