Fender American Vintage '57 P, sunburst, made in Corona California 1994. This is an absolute tone monster. The American Vintage series (also called AVRI or U.S. Vintage depending on the exact year) instruments debuted in the early 80s in the twilight of Fender's Fullerton era and were heralded as a remarkable return to form: they were beautifully and consistently made pieces that replicated the magic of the pre-CBS designs faithfully. This example dates to 25th Aug 1994, seven years into the Corona era, and the magic is very much alive inside it's glorious frame. The neck is sublime: it's a gorgeous piece of maple with some fine figuring up the body end, played-in and aged to perfection... resonant and resilient in the hands with a smoothness that comes only from lots of play. The golden-brown colour of the board and headstock complement the 50s style 2-colour sunburst perfectly. The two-piece ash body is lively and loud acoustically; the understated grain is on full display under the thin nitro finish. The tone is all class: heaps of definition and clarity balanced by a thick, warm growling midrange and a tight, immediate thump on the bottom end. The grit and snap on offer from the ash/maple combo is translated articulately by the famed American Vintage pickup. Rolling back the tone knob slightly offers a tasty warmth and richness that's equally perfect; this really does sound exceptional. If you're only ever going to buy one P-bass, this one is surely a brilliant candidate.

Model: Fender U.S. Vintage Series '57 Precision Bass
Year: USA, Corona CA plant, neck date 25 Aug 1994 (serial V077127)
Finish: 2-Colour Sunburst (2CS), 3-ply black guard
Body: ash, 2-piece
Neck: 1-piece maple, 34" scale, 7.25" radius
Weight: 4.305kg
Mods: pickguard replaced, thumb rest added
Pickup: Fender USA American Vintage split single coil
Case: original Fender tweed case, excellent quality, good condition

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. There's some scuffs and marks on the end and bottom edge of the headstock and some patina on the machine heads, but they all work smoothly. The neck has some very minor dimples on the back and a little play wear around the edge, it feels smooth in the hands. The back has some widespread minor dimples and scratches but nothing major to note. The sides have a few scuffs, mostly near the rear strap pin. There's a ding near the knobs that's been colour corrected to lessen the visual impact. The front is pretty clean, just some play wear on the guard and top horn and a couple of dimples on the top horn and up from the pickup. Overall: good condition (7.5/10).

Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electrics tested and working properly. Frets are looking tidy, 7/10 for life left. Set up with fresh 45/105s.