How to Ship a Fender Bass Guitar

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You’ve just sold your Fender (or other) bass guitar online, and now you have to ship it. For many people, packing and shipping such a large and precious object can seem like a daunting task. However, it doesn’t need to be. Keep reading, and we’ll explain the ins and outs of how to ship a bass guitar.

I’ve personally shipped dozens of basses over the years with no issues at all.

If you follow these simple steps, you can easily and safely pack and ship that bass to its new owner without much hassle.

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Willie Weeks: Bass Legend, King of Tone & Taste

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Some bass players impress us with their chops, their speed, and their fancy playing. Willie Weeks does it with great tone, perfect time, and an uncanny ability to know exactly what to play, and when to play it, for any given tune. Of course, Willie has the chops to play virtually anything, but it’s how … Read more

Poly vs. Nitro Guitar Finish – Does It Matter?

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Ask any two bass players about nitrocellulose versus polyurethane finishes and you’ll often get a heated argument. The debate over which finish is better has been raging for over 40 years now. Fender, and other manufacturers, have used both over the years. And, as vintage collectors clash with modern techniques and sensibilities, we’re left asking if the poly vs. nitro guitar finish debate is even worth fighting anymore.

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Jazz Bass vs Precision Bass: The Ultimate Fender Fight

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Probably one of the most argued and passionate dilemmas in bass history centers around the Fender Jazz Bass vs Precision Bass debate. For many bass players, once you decide on a Fender, the decision over which axe to choose, the Fender Jazz or the Fender Precision, is one that takes much thought and consideration.

Both instruments are legends in the music world. Over the years, musical legends themselves have created their specific sound playing these amazing instruments. And, both basses have been time-tested to the nth degree.

The Jazz and the P Bass are both used by amateurs and pros alike. And, for a lot of people, myself included, the decision is so difficult that you have to have both. However, many bass players, especially beginners, can only afford to choose one. And, we get it, the choice is not easy.

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Fender Bass Setup Tips

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One of the most important things you can do for your Fender Bass is a general setup. Unfortunately it’s also one of the most neglected things for many bassists.

If you have a serious set up issue or a major mechanical problem you should take your bass to a professional, but minor adjustments to your bass can help avoid a serious issue later on and make your bass sound and play better.

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Donald Duck Dunn: The Groove Master

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Donald Duck Dunn: The Groove Master

Donald “Duck” Dunn is one of my all time favorite bass players. There’s a deep, soulful feel to his deceptively simple bass lines.

Best known for his impeccable, rock solid bass playing with Booker T. & the M.G.’s, the house band for Stax Records all through the 1960’s.

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The Fender Bass Player Gift Guide

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Buying a bass player a gift can be a tricky thing. That’s why we put together this bass player gift guide. The first thing to consider is the level of the player. Buying a gift for a beginner is the most straightforward because you most likely will be looking at budget basses and accessories. For more experienced players it can get a little more involved but I put together some bass gift ideas that hopefully will help.

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James Jamerson: Bass Genius

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James Jamerson: Bass Genius

There’s so much myth and mystery around the brilliant Motown bassist James Jamerson that it’s sometimes hard to know who he really was. Thankfully though, we have his amazing basslines to listen to, and for many bass players, these recordings are a sort of sacred archive. They represent the beginnings of modern bass playing and … Read more

Fender Rumble Bass Amp Review

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After picking up a Fender Rumble Bass Amp, I thought it would be a good idea to write a review about it. To be totally honest, I had never been a big fan of the Rumble series amps in the past. I always thought they sounded kind of sterile. And, I wasn’t in love with the looks either. However, while browsing through the music store a while back, I noticed that Fender had a new series of Rumble amps, and it immediately caught my eye.

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Top 10 Vintage Fender Bass Years

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Coming up with the top 10 vintage Fender Bass years is a tall task, especially when you consider all the years that Fender produced great basses. I decided to concentrate on the vintage years between the 50s and the 70s, even though there are many awesome years after that, including up to today. It would be almost impossible to play a vintage Fender from every year, and of course, any given bass from the same year could either be amazing or not so great for many reasons. For instance, one bass may have some hidden electronics issues, a warp in the neck from damage or weather, and many other possible problems.

I, therefore, put the main criteria on the significance of a particular bass in Fender’s history, on the great players that used them, and the overall reputation of that year’s quality when I was working on this best vintage Fender bass years list.

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