Fender American Professional II Vs. I - Precision Bass

[@4deuce31]

Both awesome but the red one just has the punch and clean wooden tone I love.

[@SonicXRage]

I LOVE the Pro 2! It has almost the exact same level of highs as the Pro 1 but with much better lows and evenness across the strings. Also, I bet it could easily imitate the Pro 1 with just a tweak here and there to your amp's EQ.

[@american-professor]

Modern Fenders have gotten so good that I don't really think there's much of a difference anymore

[@rommelrivera1186]

Pro1 wins in my ears. P basses naturally have a tone that is fat and punchy with that big bottom that we all love to hit. I also like to mix in treble and definition, which the Pro1 obviously provides. Messing around with varying degrees of this or that sounds suspect. Only time will tell. For now, the Pro1 wins.

[@edwin.declerck]

I prefered the tone of the Pro1. More defined and less muddy on the D and G string

[@luigi.zanini]

FINGER APII 3:52 AP 4:43 PICK APII 5:26 AP 6:11 SLAP APII 6:56 AP 7:39 I prefer the APII, like for the Jazz model...in P-model the difference between V-Mod and V-Mod II pickups looks less pronounced but I can feel the bigger bottom end of the new pickup

[@SurPraw]

the original (red) has much more definition in its tone

[@unfinishedworship3173]

I got my daughter a Dark Night American Professional II P-Bass and she loves it!

[@BADDying]

Useful! I prefer the sound of the first series

[@Phaidrus]

I have a 2008 AmStd Pbass fitted with an "Original 62" pup that has a fat tone, strung with flats for reggae dub stuff. I also have a 2017 AmPro I for slapping and modern stuff, strung with NYXL roundwounds. I really like its fresh contemporary sound. It's not just another Pbass.

[@funkbasscorsario1400]

Better tone on the red one!!!..I don't mind about loud sounds but quality..=)

[@MacHernandez1]

I have an Original 50's which is a beast and really bright with the maple neck so I bought the American Pro II and it's exactly what I needed, super balanced in sound, a little bit warmer and with that elegant dark night finish. I guess I don't need any other P Bass, those two are marvellous instruments.

[@TheLateBoyScout]

This was very helpful-the video, AND the comments. Thank you!

[@juanticimo]

Thanks for the video, my 2 pennies, are that after owning the Pro 1, and not really digging the pickup, due to it feeling a little light in the low mids. thats exactly what they fixed. Just ordered one today.

[@EsseaMusic]

Just received a maple board pro II it’s incredible and a huge upgrade in quality and sound from my other basses (jazz deluxe) I play with flats but the maple board brings in some extra highs for that extra snap

[@keinname629]

Definitely: more bite on the "original" - more funk!

[@ericjiajulee8402]

My sentiments exactly. I would miss the bite on the new one.

[@alexmiranda2652]

The newer one has more punch on the low E. The low E on the older one gets a little drowned out

[@searay45]

Alex Miranda I have the pro i and you are correct. I flipped the pickup so Alnico 5 under E/A and Alnico 2 under D/G. Now it kicks serious butt.

[@HillsongBrussel]

@@searay45 how did you flip the PUs? So that the pu with the D string pole is Under the E now? Or that the G string pole is Under the E? [e-mail]

[@krushinghead246]

Both have that lovely precision growl

[@patrickschade9452]

For my taste. The p1 is more open sounding. The p2 has a tighter sound. I prefer the p1.

[@christosfragias592]

I love the 5 bolt contoured heel on the Professional II. However, I love the candy apple red finish on the outgoing Professional model.

[@greatwhite61967]

Isn't that always the case when it comes to the body finish & i've found unless you order from Fenders Custom Shop then your pretty much stuck with what Guitar Store's or Online Sites have in stock & its more often than not, not in the finish you would want yet these bass guitar's aren't on the cheap side to buy & its about time we got to choose or our own finish rather than whatever the limited amount of finishes they have built & released them in... I've been buying/trading in & buying many more various brand named bass guitar's for decades & not once have i ever bought a bass guitar in the color finish I wanted... For instance i'd see a sweet Precision or Jazz Bass for sale that i was seriously interested in buying but only the 5 string model came in the color i was looking for!.. As a same every day analogy It's very similar to buying a car & unless your minted & can get the company to paint it in the finish you want your stuck with a car you wanted but not in the color you wanted & its been like this for way too long... My humble suggestion is to find a reputable independent luthier who has been making guitar's for year's & ask them to build you the equivalent of the American Fender Precision as the indy companies will go out of their way to help you in every department, whether thats choosing the wood for the body/pick ups et al & of course your desired color... I've found that many of the independent builder's build quality & overall finish on their guitars are amazing & the concept of buying a bass guitar off a company like Fender that just mass produce their instruments & only do a few changes every few years just isnt worth the price they are asking for anymore... As an example: I'd recommend ordering or buying a Sandberg equivalent of a P Bass from them as Holger Stonjek's bass builder's have taken the templates of the P&J Bass Guitar's & really building them so much better than Fender have & they pride themselves on making each bass guitar by hand with only a bare minimum of machine work used... Holger is a big fan of the American Fender P&J Bass Guitar's & he wanted to pay homage to them by building his own variation of those bass guitar's... About 5 few year's back I figured i'd give one Holger's Sandberg bass guitars a go as at the time my local guitar store had just gotten in a preowned Sanderg California TM4 Bass & i asked them to put it aside with the option of buying if i liked said bass & since I've spent a small fortune with them since they opened they were more than happy to do this & it wasn't until i held that Sandberg in my hands & then played it through an in store amp that i felt that the bass i was playing had been specifically built for me & I've never felt that with regards all the bass guitars I've owned over nearly 3 decade's... I ended up trading it back into the same store 18 months later for a one off Warwick Special Edition Streamer which was a beauty but before i knew it i had to get a Sandberg back again which i eventually did & this time i bought it new & like the preowned one i traded back in the new Sandberg California TM4 (again) felt like it was made for me yet this has become a regular stock model... Its up to you but i think that shopping around & looking at other independent builder's is the best way to get the exact bass you want & tailored exactly to your specifications... It doesnt have to be Sandberg , even though i think they make better P&J Bass Guitars than the American Fender versions , but give it a thought & look into having your own bass built as the prices are very reasonable now, plus you get a bass guitar built to the exact specifications you asked for & in the color you want also... I've found that the price between a mass produced high end bass from the likes of Fender & one being built for a customer more often than not ends up the same price but this is a decision that you have to make & im not trying to sell you on a German built bass guitar as i always buy from whoever gives me what im looking for & that can range from countries like America/UK/Japan/Germany etc As you don't need to accept whatever model these giants like Fender roll out every few year's but if its got to be an American made Fender i understand as my friend can't see past Fender & until he had the money put aside to buy an American Fender Jazz Bass he bought a MIM Squire & used that until he got his dream US built Fender Jazz Bass but he was one of the lucky one's as by sheer luck he also got it in the color he was looking for which is egg shell white & it is a beautiful bass guitar but with regards to buying a guitar its that old saying of: " Each To There Own " I hope you do get the Fender P Bass Guitar your looking for & in the color you prefer but if not think on maybe trying out some of the brilliant indy guitar builder's out there & with advances in technology & a healthy & equal competitive market your own bespoke bass built purely for won't cost you a fortune like it did decades ago & even now Fender's Custom Shop prices are still very highly priced & even though i own a few American built Fender Bass Guitar's I've never been one to tie myself to a specific brand... All The Best with regards to getting the P Bass in the color you'd prefer & in light of this still ongoing coronavirus stay safe and healthy wherever you are in this world... .....

[@Spritsailor]

Red basses are louder! That said, the new pickups sound a little better. So you can buy any P or use your old one and just drop in the new Pups.

[@rayhewitt6875]

I have the same candy apple red one and it to me sounds better than the pro 2. Thanks for the video 👍🏻

[@aaron4241]

Pro II sounds a bit warmer less of a high end twang. IMO is embodies the classic P growl. So finger style and pic the II the Pro I would cut through a mix for slap. Def a funk machine.

[@thepeopleschoice431]

I don’t always play with a pick, but when I do, it’s a Tortex .88

[@kungpuk5186]

Did'nt know witch one was witch? But I liked the red one.

[@krimsonguitar]

I dig the warm tone on the Professional II

[@fozterfossworth8276]

I've got the first version, which I love. The P/U has a good tone range, great top and bottom, but I also like the sound of the new ones! As an owner of 1, would I upgrade to 2? No - I would save a bit more for a custom shop P !!

[@paultraynorbsc627]

Definitely some nice upgrades

[@paultraynorbsc627]

Evolution not revolution

[@paultraynorbsc627]

Excellent walkthrough Anthony 👍

[@paultraynorbsc627]

Snap I have s red apple 🍎 candy one previous model i do.like the vmods

[@fozterfossworth8276]

@@paultraynorbsc627 agree, some nice mods but personally not a big enough leap to make want the II, although I do think for purchasers who don't have the I the tweaked II is a fantastic choice. After all - it's a P bass - we don't want drastic changes, it doesn't need them, it's a near perfect instrument.

[@rodimusprime9599]

I've had both, pro 2 is better, still have it. It's fuller rounder and deeper darker tone.

[@NelsonMontana1234]

The Pro 1 has a touch more bite and the 2 has a little more beef.

[@cocojazz4329]

Pro 1 for the sound , Pro 2 for the look !!

[@kylemaneage468]

Hey man you could always buy the 2 and swap the pickup for something else like a Lindy Fralin or Aguilar pickup I'm considering doing this I got a American elite jazz bass and live it to pieces didnt have to change a thing except put some DR high beams on it absolutley nails Marcus Miller's tone

[@paolotaranta4300]

Always great reviews: informative and nice to watch. Good stuff!

[@sean9641]

I have a Professional I, and the V-Mod pickup is the most god awful pickup Fender has ever put in a precision bass (IMO). The D, and G strings are absurdly loud compared to the E/A strings no matter how much I lower the high side. The tone itself is unimpressive, and bears little resemblance to a precision bass. Your mileage may vary, as we all have different tastes.

[@PolarBimbi]

this is true. the E string drowns out too. what do you consider the best replacement?

[@erikjansen1441]

I had the same thing with my american professional jazz bass i fixt the problem with Fender 60’s customshop jazz bass pickups. Now it sounds great.

[@sean9641]

@@PolarBimbi I suppose it depends on your own personal taste, and what kind of music you play. I’ve had superb results w/the Seymour Duncan spb-1 for a more classic Pbass sound, and the spb-3 for a more modern sound w/some oomph. If you have the coin, you may want to check out the Lindy Fralins (they are pricey, but exceptional). Fender themselves make some excellent pickups as well, just not the V-Mod. The Fender Customshop ‘62 is well regarded for a traditional 60’s era growl. The list could go on. If you’re like me, and hate the V-Mod...just about anything else will be an improvement. Hope this helps.

[@searay45]

You are correct. The solution is to flip the pickup and readjust height. Flip means Alnico 5 under E/A and Alnico 2 under D/G. No soldering, still original stock, and kicks butt. Enjoy your revived pro i.

[@sean9641]

@@searay45 An idea I that didn’t occur to me, and technically keeps the bass “stock”...well done!

[@whitelotus_zero]

As much as I love the update, the older pickup has more magic despite uneveness. Even shows in your playing you play that one with more emotion 😅😉 thx bro

[@musikus7092]

Pro I Pickups sound better

[@oldfriend327]

There was a lot of write ups on this bass regarding which ones have graphite rods, which ones have posiflex rods, which ones don't. Anyone know why that topic keeps coming up? Is that really a preferred spec?

[@mikeybeeee07]

That dark night is hot. I really dig it with the maple neck. I dig it enough to actually want a 5 string.

[@unfinishedworship3173]

I got my daughter a Dark Night American Professional II P-Bass with a rosewood fretboard and she loves it!

[@kevindabramo1944]

Thanks for the video. What's the weight of these basses?

[@BrianPellerin]

I’m considering the ii right now

[@haatock]

Got Pro mk1 in V strings I boost it with an ebs ultimate in a full tube head Ashdown CTM-30 on CTM-112 cab. The ebs reveals smooth hi-mids.

[@robertkerr9738]

Thank you. This is the video I needed!

[@soofitnsexy]

which did you dig??

[@robertkerr9738]

@@soofitnsexy I do hear the difference in terms of the low-mid range and at the top, and I have to say I like how they sound. But I own the Am Pro 1 (Candy Apple Red, just like the one in this video) and I don't hear enough of a difference to sell me on a new one. That said, I would consider switching to the new pickups when Fender makes them available. So in short, I hear enough of a difference to consider switching out the pickups on my Am Pro I at some point, but not enough to make me want to trade it in for an Am Pro II.

[@hansabass]

Pro I is def better for me: you can not dial in snap when its not there, but you can cut it though when you don't want it. And don't forget in band context bass will always sound darker than solo. So the Pro II can possibly drown(?).

[@monahantp3767]

Trying to decide between the new Pro II and an "Original" 60's precision. How do the necks compare in terms of feel? I like the lacquer on the 60's, but the ease of truss rod adjustments on the Pro... Help! (LOL) Thanks~

[@Pisscoff]

I’m in the exact same fork in the road, but with a slight temptation to pay the extra and get the 75th commemorative. It’s a pro II in everything bar colour and woods, but with a 63 pup in there. If it had silver hardware I’d be sold haha

[@monahantp3767]

@@Pisscoff On a whim, I went to Fender's Mod Shop and "built" a P-bass there: LPB, 63 lacquer neck (looks like the same one that's on the "Original") and your choice of pickups-- "Pure Vintage 63." Price came out very close to the AO model (and the75th), but the Mod Shop version will have the easy adjusting truss rod, and modern bridge... Still on the fence personally, but it might be a third option worth checking out~

[@Pisscoff]

@@monahantp3767 I just pulled the plug and went for the AP2 in burst with a rosewood neck. Figured I could replace the pups and have the best of both

[@monahantp3767]

@@Pisscoff Congrats!

[@NoUseForAName0626]

Oh yeah for sure the AP1 (or AP Original, or the Red one LOL) definitely has a much Brighter Tone.. Honestly I prefer the AP2 (Blue One lol) Sorta deeper/Warmer Tone. I'm "Punk/Emo/Pop Punk/ Bass Player.. I only play with my fingers and in 22 yrs I've never played with a Pick. Well other than just messing around lol.. The Pro2 Tone really hit my ear.. But don't get me wrong I'd be more than happy with either. Lol.. Here's a question for anyone willing to share their experiences and opinions.. I have 3 American Fender Basses, 2 American Jazz and my go to and number one my American PJ-BASS.. (Playing my American PJ-BASS in my Avitar Picture) All 3 from late 90's to early 2000's.. Also all 3 has a String Threw body Which I Love and I think I prefer. My question is, "Can You tell a Difference in a String threw body compared to a Non String threw?" I believe the main difference ive noticed is a String threw has a bit more Sustain.. Thanks ya'll 🤘 Yes Big Difference Medium Difference Small difference No difference

[@11coopbasscooper55]

Mr. Reds got this by a looooooooooong streeeeeeeetch! The oldie yet still goody got this beat. Reguardless, of new magnets. Vintage is still better.

[@EmpireMusicPgh]

I think they both performed really well. The Am Pro II had a little less bite on the top end, which I liked. Also from a physical perspective, the neck and overall balance felt better. Both are great basses and you aren't going wrong either way! Thanks for watching - Anthony

[@11coopbasscooper55]

@@EmpireMusicPgh Ya' know what Dr. Anrhony. I think the original, many would say sounds better, due to that was the 1st one we heard tge most and got use to hearing, all the time. A newer version and we're still stuck on the very 1st ones tone. So, agree with your response. You are so right. Thanks, Coop' Bass "4" Life. :D

[@teeoh9192]

Didn't realize how much I preferred a "cleaner" sounding P, until this video. The II is good for mid-tempo, root note stuff, in that it would DEFINITELY add some weight to the proceedings! But, the Pro I, seems more versatile. Like, if your playing a "Black Dog" type riff, it would sound AMAZING! Not so, with the Pro 2. I'm in the market for one of these & it looks like I'm gonna have to find the "original", somehow.

[@marcoalaan_]

I’d recommend going on eBay for the original! Found some pretty good deals there with a lot of authorized Fender dealers.

[@karl_3885]

red one wins for me.

[@ec-hi1br]

The red is better , because has more punche !

[@mountainman8775]

Both fantastic

[@armp1287]

That finish on the pro 2 tho

[@slackjawls]

You mentioned a jazz bass comparison but it looks like you haven’t posted it yet

[@EmpireMusicPgh]

Not yet... it's in editing. We'll probably post it on Monday. Thx for watching!

[@zachmetcalf556]

Please, let me know when you guys get more pro II precisions in. Thinking of selling the jazz that I picked up from you guys to pay for car repairs, but wanting to get into another pro II and wanna buy from you guys!! 😁

[@EmpireMusicPgh]

We have an Olympic White P American Pro II in-stock. What finish are you looking for? Email me - [e-mail] or call the shop 412-343-5299.

[@EmpireMusicPgh]

We also have 2 Dark Night/Rosewood P's shipping in the next day or two

[@zachmetcalf556]

@@EmpireMusicPgh thanks so much for the response brother!! I’ll get back with you when I get my funds in order.

[@NoahBassman]

Not gonna lie, I absolutely hate that finish on the pro ii

[@IvanGorn]

That's the beautiest finish I ever see!

[@offtherealm5438]

Geez..... thanks alot! I got the Jazz Bass with that new color.

[@NoahBassman]

@@offtherealm5438 no offence meant, just personal preference

[@like5minaway]

@@offtherealm5438 it’s fuckin beautiful idk what he’s talkin bout

[@tpwitches]

Isn’t it nice that everyone has different tastes…otherwise we’d all have the same finish.

[@kurstone8511]

I think the older one sounds brighter, and the older one is warmer

[@tempviduse]

Its not every day you see a video from a store in the Pittsburgh area

[@RootsBassCanada]

I'd go with 1.

[@leolagarde2887]

AP II way better sounding, getting those rich subs, AP I typical Hi Middy P bass

[@electrolabile]

thanks so much for this review. I watched it a few times as I was interested in getting an american pro 2. then I just found a good deal on a pro 1 used. I must say I really don't like the V-mod pickup, especially on the A and E string, I find it lifeless, good in the mix but I don't feel the notes popping under my finger. I'm swapping those pickups out for some Fralin like I have on another mexican 50 road worn as that bass sounds just sooo much better. (I hope I can get the same sound on this american pro as I really like the narrower neck and the tuners.

[@Zen-js3tx]

The red Pro 1 sounds thin compared to the Pro 2. More meat in the notes on the 2.

[@EmanCarbone]

What I get from the video is that the II sounds as if it were wound a bit hotter than the 1st, with the fuller tone that you mention too. How does it sound compared to the CS63 Pup? I think that both basses come through as good and interchangeable enough, the main difference is probably what your feel while playing them. If anything, as a starting point the first sounds a fraction more tweakeable/versatile for recording, but I think that's debatable too. Can you actually fit former fender necks in the new pocket, besides having some screw holes not matching? There are no extra frets involved, AFAIK.

[@missiperboni8736]

I like new and old

[@AndiMichael]

Original series are better 👍

[@myopicshah]

Sound is about d same… not worth upgrade.. But both bassss sound great

[@robotusa88]

I bought a P I a couple od years ago because my giging rock band said "get a P bass". I had been plying high end Japanese basses prior, as well as Gibsons, and Warwicks. I have to say the P I never grew on me. The pickups were thin, missing mids and lows. The P II sounds much better. Probably why they made the change. I think I will replace the pickups instead of selling the bass. Also, I have to say for a "higher end bass" the out of the box setup stunk. It needed fret end filing and a complete setup. Shame on you Fender...

[@FenderBassMan]

What I find infuriating about Fender basses is truss rod access. Please, O Fender! Hear our pleas!

[@stevenscott9983]

Sounds very nice