It’s great to see Ed review this bass and play some Steve Harris lines. I’ve had some of Ed’s educational books since the 90’s. A must have course for walking bass and a master educator all around regardless of style of music!
@@BassWhispererTV Ed, you are a great player and did those lines more than justice!! I have a Vintera 50s Fender Precision bass and it has the same spec neck as the Harris model, the 1 3/4 in. nut is wide!!
WOW. I think the best bass player on TH-cam! Clockwork rhythm. All the notes sound extremely clear. So much ease of playing! And huge feel! When I grow up I want to be just like you!
Wow, MODESTY, don't see that on youtube very often! It's nice to see someone giving Steve Harris his due as a player, but your playing is also fine. I don't think I truly understood Iron Maiden until I got my first bass and tried to play their stuff. Then I went: "Ohhhhhhhh...."
Well, when I consider that many 14 years old can play this stuff better than me, it's hard to get too cocky. Harris has totally different kind of chops, it's way more physical. If I tried to play like that all night, I'd be dead, or at least have tendonitis! But... that's how he gets the sound. Add to that, he's got Rotosound Flats on his bass.... the stiffest string known to man! Glad you liked it.
@@BassWhispererTV it probably helps thst Mr. Harris doesn't use his thumb as a rest. He rests the outer palm and wrist on the body and plays on a slight angle. You did a lot better than me and he's been hero forever. 👍
Fantastic! Love the review, and as a Steve Harris fan I thought you showed tons of respect both to him and the bass. I LOVE that you took the time to capture some of his licks for the review. Much respect to you Ed, not just for this but everything you do for the bass community.
You actually got a pretty good approximation of the Steve Harris tone. His is maybe a little more clangy but for a guy who claims to barely know Steve's tone... you got pretty close.
Thanks. It's a very physical approach to the bass... which is the exact opposite of what I strive for... but, for a short demo I can get close. Wouldn't want to play that way all night!
@@BassWhispererTV i used to be able to play this stuff for hours in my 20s, in my 50s during lockdown decided to "get into shape" and dragged it back out, made it through 1.5 songs and went for the ibuprofen
Last Christmas a music store were i live was having a sale on. I went in to buy the american standard jazz bass. It was ok, but did not wow me in build quality or feel. Then i picked up the marcus miller model mij and was totally blown away by the quality. Absolutely perfecto man. I even picked up the steve harris p bass which is also mij and same same same. Just absolutely flawless. And i'm only being honest here!
Thanks for this review. I got mine last week and watching this video multiple times has made me decide to get it. Money well spent. It's an outstanding P bass, many people just get it so they can play Iron Maiden with it, but it's much more than that.
Big iron maiden fan, ofcourse tried out the bass. Sad thing was the price, i had to give it back to the shop owner with a pained heart. I have to agree, its a awesome bass to play, tried it out for hours, just love it. Simple and effective!
My dealer showed me a P-Bass built by parts he found in his backroom. An esh body (from Harry Haeussel), with a "beautiful" yellow paint job, the fattest neck I ever played on a P-Bass. He has no idea what kind of neck it is, bought from the remains of a bancrupt music shop. Seymore Duncan P-Bass- PU's, Schaller 3D-Bridge from the 80's - the best sounding P-Bass I ever had in my hands. I'm thinking about buying it, but I have my 1964 P. Now I agree: big neck - big tone. Sound: like the Harris-P.
Just got the 5 string P. Since i started with the 5 string basses i have had a hard a time to find a genuine bass without 12 knops and Jazz bass pick ups that i hate. In my world is the P bass one of the few basses that still has a good top end and really good deep punch without pretending to be a wheezy guitar. Great video of the best bass ever.
I want more Ed Friedland reviews! 1 in a month is not enough :( I enjoy every single video, wherever I'm interested in the bass or not, it's just fun and interesting to watch.
Just for comparison... The Steve Harris nut width is 1.75" (as Ed said) American Standard is 1.625". Fingerboard radius is also different. SH is 7.25". American Standard is 9.5". The SH has a different truss rod as well. It's not specifically mentioned in the Fender specs but it isn't the Posiflex graphite support truss rods found in the American Standard. There it is.
@gnpahdc - Thanks, yeah, those Harris lines are not my typical approach to bass, but I learned something giving them a try, and let's face it - while not perfect, they are at least as good as your average 14 year old - and they seem to be very popular here on TH-cam!
Ed you rule!!!! you really help out and you don't just run through the instruments obvious ups but you dissect the whole thing giving us one nice and helpful review thanks man i'd never thought i see this bass here but i am throughly impressed and delighted. Keep it up!!!
@BassGuitarMag I think Steve's right hand technique is probably a stylistic device. He stands out more than most bassists, and just has a very aggressive persona onstage. Nice to see you branching out here-you did a pretty awesome job with his stuff. I liked the versatility of this bass-the Jamerson riff sounded just amazing! -Looking forward to more!
WOW! One of my favorites (Ed) playing one of my favorites (Steve Harris is killer, forget what genre we like) on one of my favorites (the P). This clip is so good for so many reasons I don't know where to stop. But I do know where to start, so here it goes. Ed: major props for tackling Steve's lines way, way, way outside your style and comfort zone. Even bigger props for giving him props and putting up work of your own that is less than perfect. GREAT REVIEW. Smiled all the way.
Ed, very informative reviews, big thank you. Bought this bass to use in a rock band and I love the tone and that neck......big hunk of wood, its very solid. Keep up the great work!
It kinda surprises me that there's a Steve Harris signature. Not really because they made one, considering Steve Harris is a metal god (he's the bassist AND main songwriter for Maiden). It just surprises me that it took them until 2011 to create it.
@toefes - This is a top quality bass. It's MIJ, but their stuff is as good as anything in my opinion. A smoother bass? That is a pretty subjective term. Some people think a Sterling is a "smooth" bass. The P bass has a fundamentally different tone than a Sterling. The pickup position and composition, active eq vs. passive. Listen to samples of both and decide for yourself what sounds smoother to you.
I just started learning some Maiden tunes on bass, good grief, Steve Harris can play. What a workout for the RH fingers! I enjoyed this video Ed, I miss your gear reviews, hope you pick 'em up again soon - you do the best reviews on the web by far and there's lots of new gear for you to demo for all us bassheads! All the best for 2017 :-)
Your style is not bad but the reason you don't sound like harris is because of your amp settings. Steve puts the bass low, and middle and treble high, that's why he sounds so physical. (This is no hate it's just some advice, you probably knew this already). Cool video, this bass is surely on my wishlist!
@0tt0kruegar I will put your question the end,YES they did make one about 10 or so years ago,it costed 550.00$ and it was from Japan,blue in color with a red mirror pickgaurd w/70's script vintage tuners(not long stem reverse turning ones)and a Badass bridge,they were only made for a year but were available for 2 years only,along with this one they even had a Duck Dunn sig bass(same body,neck&tuners,red in color)Duck's bass only exported to UK and never here,drive up the price ?
@jvmc08 - Not all basses have pick guards, and obviously, it isn't necessary for playing pick style. But... it's a hold over from early guitar design - some people DO wreck their instruments when they use a pick, so it has practical use for them.
"I Was Made to Love Her" - Stevie Wonder (Motown). The best transcription is in the "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" James Jamerson tribute book - a 100% required resource for any bass player.
Fender made some basses in the 1980's that fit your description (no pickguard). I used to sell them when I worked in music stores at that time. You can go to the Guitar Dater Project website, plug in the serial number and see what comes up.
Great demo. I totally agree with you on the neck size issue. I'm lucky to own a couple of great old JBasses - a 62 and a 65. The 62 is a blast to play because the neck is so small and fast, but the 65, with a much chunkier neck, blows it away in the tone department.
Great review! I have been considering this bass for about a year now and was a little disappointed to find out it is made in Japan. At 1300 dollars I would have expected it to be 100% USA made. However I love the over-all set up and still want to buy one. Thanks for this informative review,you are a great bass player.
@Metalistopheles - I don't remember, it was a while ago. Generally, all Fender type instruments have some degree of dead spot in that area - it's a naturally occurring thing. Some are worse than others, and I only tend to notice it if it's really bad. And, each bass individually is different, this one I played will not be the same as any other one... so if you want it... buy it. It will probably have some dead area, but no more than any other Fender bass that has ever been built.
For somebody not familiar with Steve Harris and Iron Maiden, you sure nail his tone perfectly on that bass! Guess Fender got it right this time. Awesome review, Ed! (as always!)
I've been waiting quite some time for this review and I have to say this has been one of your most entertaining so far! I think I haven't seen you getting so excited over a review so far so I am guessing this must be a really nice bass(gonna check it out at some point). I also really dig the fact that you played both maiden and other stuff in order to demonstrate the full potential of the instrument.Great job Mr. Friedland! And kids, the galloping thing, it has always been two fingers, always...
@turbocamps he put a piece of foam under the strings. Gives you an old school thumpy tone. Older fender basses came with foam mutes to give a more "double bass" tone.
@BassGuitarMag Well with any genre you can expand the harmonic horizons. James Jamerson brought a Jazz sensibility to Rock and changed bass playing in a big way.
Time for an update with the current version of this bass? I have both the actual white version and I had a Warmoth body made, solid maple with a quilted maple top, in blue and all Steve Harris hardware, electronics, neck etc (I wanted my own take on that blue finish, because I don't like the sparkles). Both sound amazing although DAMN they are heavy.
@rawk335 - if you mean the aqua green bass clef, it's made out of concrete by Chris Smartt at Solstice Galleries in Dripping Springs, TX. If you mean the cool flat panel with the bass hanging on it, that's made by Guitarmatz.
The comment about rosewood necks is absolute nonsense. Put a scope on identical basses except for one with maple and one with a rosewood neck. Read the waveform and lock it anywhere you want and look at it. There will be no difference anywhere. Lab instruments do not lie! Great sounding bass and good video-thanks!
@LOL11306 - Have you changed strings yet? If not, change them. If you have... change them again. The main reason a string will slip is it is not properly wrapped around the tuner post.
Looks and sounds great. I'm on my first P bass, and while it's not a Steve Harris, it's pretty chunky feeling in the neck, especially compared to my Jazz bass.
Played this bass tonight and it was the best in the store. Amazing neck. Not 100% into its appearance, but very tempted. Wondering if the '57 AVRI P Basses have the same feel.
@sickdiggitydog - The Roadworn has the wider flatter '57 neck, where the Harris is rounder and chunkier in the back. The RW has a nitro finish, Harris has lacquer. The Harris is based on a 70's P, the RW on a '57. My opinion is they are both great P basses, with the same strings, they would sound pretty close to the same. It's just a matter of the cosmetics - which do you prefer?
@Vanjal I can understand that as I used to be strictly a Hard Rock / Metal player myself but as I've gotten older (I'm 65) I got sick of the same old thing so now play about everything including Jazz, Country, Pop, Metal, Blues, whatever strikes my fancy.
Thanks for the great review! It was interesting to hear you play in this style. I've had to deal with lines like that...definitely a challenge. It's just a whole different kind of technique. And when you aren't used to it, it will throw you for a loop. Anyhow, thanks again!
When I saw the pick come out I died. Not that I have anything against pick-style, but this is STEVE HARRIS' signature model. The pickguard is there for coolness sake.
@Ikillpeopleforfree - Have not tried the EMG P pickup, but in general, they make the bass more hifi sounding. Extended top end, clear bottom, more output. Not a traditional Fender tone, but certainly not bad. You just have to want a more modern sound.
Yes, there are reasons. It's a signature model.... which means they have to pay Steve Harris (or whoever the model is named after) a royalty. So naturally, the cost of that gets passed on to the customer... standard practice in all industries. Also, manufacturing costs are way higher in Japan than in China, Indonesia, Korea... Not saying that your point isn't valid, but those are some reasons.
NICE assesment of Steve's P Ed ! Only adjustments I would make as a J-fan ? String guage adjustments to a tad thinner AND Roundwounds (willing to sacrifice a SMALL degree of tone and resonance for speed....MAIDEN Bassists will feel me on these points), and I have to shed the Fender factory bridges.....had way too many issues with the saddles for the A and E strings. Ever since I Installed a Schaller on my J, I am a happy Maiden bottom-banger. Once again GREAT review and Rock On Brother !!!
@abassplayer4life - No chorus. I think the E string has some modulation when I slap it. A flatwound string that thick and heavy has a lot of overtones, that's what I'm hearing.
Great thing about a signature bass from Fender or any other quality brand: If the artist's genre of music isn't really your thing, you can still show off with the bass for any other music you normally play. That should be the standard for judging a signature guitar or bass. Even if you've never bought any albums by the artist, is it a good instrument with solid features?
IT"S AN ORGASM MADE OF WOOD!!! really digged the review, but it woulda been cool to emphasize how it handles chords, which is just because of that massive neck. It sounds just lovely.
@dog61 - If you compare his technique to someone like John Pattitucci, I understand your point.... but Harris' style is pretty technical in it's own way. He does have a noisy right hand, but that is pretty traditional in rock bass - think John Entwistle, Jack Casady... So, the "sloppiness" of his right hand could be considered bad technique, or simply stylistic. I don't want to play like him, but he is undeniably a monster, a human jackhammer!
I had commented on this bass on many sights because I was more than disappointed with mine and others I heard being played on-line from bedrooms to music stores. They all had one flaw in common and that was an A string buzz which for the $1200.00 shouldn't have existed. After literally hours of toiling and string changes and such I discovered the problem with 2010 Japanese models. The A string nut slot was too deep. Yep, it was as simple as that and once you shimmed the A string pocket in the nut the bass was perfect. Literally perfect in looks, sound, finish and cool factor. So to Steve or anyone who read one of my harsh reviews I apologize because they were written prior to finding the cause for the problem. If you have that issue, shim that A string pocket and your good man. Hope this helps. The Japanese stuff is killer quality typically and I have now ordered the Mexican white Harris model. Owned a Mexican P bass in the past and trust me they rival the US and Japanese for perfection. I can't wait to play it.
![fellow fellow - PROUD feat. INK WARUNTORN [STRING QUARTET]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/BQrVkMPTdHE/mqdefault.jpg)
I've been playing Steve Harris licks since 1983 but on a Fender copy. It's time that I finally reward myself with his signature P Bass. Up The Irons!
It’s great to see Ed review this bass and play some Steve Harris lines. I’ve had some of Ed’s educational books since the 90’s. A must have course for walking bass and a master educator all around regardless of style of music!
TRY to play Steve Harris lines! That's some physically demanding stuff, and the neck on that bass is ginormous!
@@BassWhispererTV Ed, you are a great player and did those lines more than justice!! I have a Vintera 50s Fender Precision bass and it has the same spec neck as the Harris model, the 1 3/4 in. nut is wide!!
WOW. I think the best bass player on TH-cam!
Clockwork rhythm. All the notes sound extremely clear. So much ease of playing!
And huge feel! When I grow up I want to be just like you!
Steve Harris what a bass player this man really is he's got sound technique and the other lads from maiden around him . A complete package .
Wow, MODESTY, don't see that on youtube very often! It's nice to see someone giving Steve Harris his due as a player, but your playing is also fine. I don't think I truly understood Iron Maiden until I got my first bass and tried to play their stuff. Then I went: "Ohhhhhhhh...."
Well, when I consider that many 14 years old can play this stuff better than me, it's hard to get too cocky. Harris has totally different kind of chops, it's way more physical. If I tried to play like that all night, I'd be dead, or at least have tendonitis! But... that's how he gets the sound. Add to that, he's got Rotosound Flats on his bass.... the stiffest string known to man! Glad you liked it.
Bass Whisperer TV yeah man i've been playing metal for years now and it takes a tonne of stamina
@@BassWhispererTV it probably helps thst Mr. Harris doesn't use his thumb as a rest. He rests the outer palm and wrist on the body and plays on a slight angle. You did a lot better than me and he's been hero forever. 👍
Something wrong about a dude wearing a turtleneck ripping a maiden bass line
Steve Harris. his basslines are distilled to an essence of perfection.
Fantastic! Love the review, and as a Steve Harris fan I thought you showed tons of respect both to him and the bass. I LOVE that you took the time to capture some of his licks for the review. Much respect to you Ed, not just for this but everything you do for the bass community.
Made in Japan- Maiden Japan xD
the woods, electronics, the care put into making the instrument and the overall quality and sound you get from the instrument.
You actually got a pretty good approximation of the Steve Harris tone. His is maybe a little more clangy but for a guy who claims to barely know Steve's tone... you got pretty close.
Thanks. It's a very physical approach to the bass... which is the exact opposite of what I strive for... but, for a short demo I can get close. Wouldn't want to play that way all night!
Yeah he sounds like a horse galloping through each song.
@@BassWhispererTV i used to be able to play this stuff for hours in my 20s, in my 50s during lockdown decided to "get into shape" and dragged it back out, made it through 1.5 songs and went for the ibuprofen
Last Christmas a music store were i live was having a sale on. I went in to buy the american standard jazz bass. It was ok, but did not wow me in build quality or feel. Then i picked up the marcus miller model mij and was totally blown away by the quality. Absolutely perfecto man. I even picked up the steve harris p bass which is also mij and same same same. Just absolutely flawless. And i'm only being honest here!
Thanks for this review. I got mine last week and watching this video multiple times has made me decide to get it. Money well spent. It's an outstanding P bass, many people just get it so they can play Iron Maiden with it, but it's much more than that.
Really nice bass sound that never goes out of style.
this guy. is one of the best bass reviewers i have seen on youtube...
Best bass I've ever played!
Big iron maiden fan, ofcourse tried out the bass. Sad thing was the price, i had to give it back to the shop owner with a pained heart. I have to agree, its a awesome bass to play, tried it out for hours, just love it. Simple and effective!
My dealer showed me a P-Bass built by parts he found in his backroom. An esh body (from Harry Haeussel), with a "beautiful" yellow paint job, the fattest neck I ever played on a P-Bass. He has no idea what kind of neck it is, bought from the remains of a bancrupt music shop. Seymore Duncan P-Bass- PU's, Schaller 3D-Bridge from the 80's - the best sounding P-Bass I ever had in my hands. I'm thinking about buying it, but I have my 1964 P. Now I agree: big neck - big tone. Sound: like the Harris-P.
5:23 "If you're going to put some thick-ass strings on it..."
Best line Ed has ever said. Ever.
Ed Friedland is so awesome, amazing chops and cover just about everything in his review.
the slap tone is absolutely great !
I have watched this many times and JUST noticed him flashing his two thumbs up at the end. Silly but cool. Great video.
Just got the 5 string P. Since i started with the 5 string basses i have had a hard a time to find a genuine bass without 12 knops and Jazz bass pick ups that i hate.
In my world is the P bass one of the few basses that still has a good top end and really good deep punch without pretending to be a wheezy guitar.
Great video of the best bass ever.
I absolutely love the bass and the player! Ed you rock!
Watch Ed's eyes roll back in his head as he digs that chunky flatwound P-Bass tone.
Am actually quite impressed at how versatile this signature bass turned out to be, surprised that it sounds as bright as it does with a set of flats..
Man, that James Jamerson trick is sick! Love it!
I want more Ed Friedland reviews!
1 in a month is not enough :(
I enjoy every single video, wherever I'm interested in the bass or not, it's just fun and interesting to watch.
Dude Ed, that sweater is sick. Totally metal.
I have now seen it all - Mr. Friedland playing "The Trooper".
Awesome.
Just for comparison... The Steve Harris nut width is 1.75" (as Ed said) American Standard is 1.625". Fingerboard radius is also different. SH is 7.25". American Standard is 9.5". The SH has a different truss rod as well. It's not specifically mentioned in the Fender specs but it isn't the Posiflex graphite support truss rods found in the American Standard. There it is.
That bass in the background...SO NICE..
@gnpahdc - Thanks, yeah, those Harris lines are not my typical approach to bass, but I learned something giving them a try, and let's face it - while not perfect, they are at least as good as your average 14 year old - and they seem to be very popular here on TH-cam!
Ed you rule!!!! you really help out and you don't just run through the instruments obvious ups but you dissect the whole thing giving us one nice and helpful review thanks man i'd never thought i see this bass here but i am throughly impressed and delighted. Keep it up!!!
That sweater is metal!
2:29 he's having an eargasm
Ed - I really like your reviews. You have a great sense of humor and your reviews are always very to-the-point and professional. Keep it up!
unbiased and professional
you should be a judge on the supreme court ed!
@BassGuitarMag
I think Steve's right hand technique is probably a stylistic device. He stands out more than most bassists, and just has a very aggressive persona onstage. Nice to see you branching out here-you did a pretty awesome job with his stuff. I liked the versatility of this bass-the Jamerson riff sounded just amazing!
-Looking forward to more!
you playing the number of the beast made me smile! rock on!
Wish Fender still made these, I’ve always wanted one but never got lucky enough to buy one.
WOW! One of my favorites (Ed) playing one of my favorites (Steve Harris is killer, forget what genre we like) on one of my favorites (the P). This clip is so good for so many reasons I don't know where to stop. But I do know where to start, so here it goes. Ed: major props for tackling Steve's lines way, way, way outside your style and comfort zone. Even bigger props for giving him props and putting up work of your own that is less than perfect. GREAT REVIEW. Smiled all the way.
Ed, very informative reviews, big thank you. Bought this bass to use in a rock band and I love the tone and that neck......big hunk of wood, its very solid. Keep up the great work!
@heavybass4ever - It's a piece of foam rubber, I use it to mute the strings and get a thumpier tone.
Seeing you playing I Was Made to Love Her was awesome! One of my favourite Jamerson tracks for sure.
It kinda surprises me that there's a Steve Harris signature. Not really because they made one, considering Steve Harris is a metal god (he's the bassist AND main songwriter for Maiden). It just surprises me that it took them until 2011 to create it.
@toefes - This is a top quality bass. It's MIJ, but their stuff is as good as anything in my opinion.
A smoother bass? That is a pretty subjective term. Some people think a Sterling is a "smooth" bass. The P bass has a fundamentally different tone than a Sterling. The pickup position and composition, active eq vs. passive. Listen to samples of both and decide for yourself what sounds smoother to you.
I just started learning some Maiden tunes on bass, good grief, Steve Harris can play. What a workout for the RH fingers! I enjoyed this video Ed, I miss your gear reviews, hope you pick 'em up again soon - you do the best reviews on the web by far and there's lots of new gear for you to demo for all us bassheads! All the best for 2017 :-)
Your style is not bad but the reason you don't sound like harris is because of your amp settings. Steve puts the bass low, and middle and treble high, that's why he sounds so physical. (This is no hate it's just some advice, you probably knew this already). Cool video, this bass is surely on my wishlist!
@0tt0kruegar I will put your question the end,YES they did make one about 10 or so years ago,it costed 550.00$ and it was from Japan,blue in color with a red mirror pickgaurd w/70's script vintage tuners(not long stem reverse turning ones)and a Badass bridge,they were only made for a year but were available for 2 years only,along with this one they even had a Duck Dunn sig bass(same body,neck&tuners,red in color)Duck's bass only exported to UK and never here,drive up the price ?
Waiting for this for sooo long!
Finally this one!
I like the jazzier feeling you brought to the licks by Harris :D
@jvmc08 - Not all basses have pick guards, and obviously, it isn't necessary for playing pick style. But... it's a hold over from early guitar design - some people DO wreck their instruments when they use a pick, so it has practical use for them.
"I Was Made to Love Her" - Stevie Wonder (Motown). The best transcription is in the "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" James Jamerson tribute book - a 100% required resource for any bass player.
steve harris must have hands like a terminator, you get knackered just playing one of his bass lines
Fender made some basses in the 1980's that fit your description (no pickguard). I used to sell them when I worked in music stores at that time. You can go to the Guitar Dater Project website, plug in the serial number and see what comes up.
Great demo. I totally agree with you on the neck size issue. I'm lucky to own a couple of great old JBasses - a 62 and a 65. The 62 is a blast to play because the neck is so small and fast, but the 65, with a much chunkier neck, blows it away in the tone department.
Great review! I have been considering this bass for about a year now and was a little disappointed to find out it is made in Japan. At 1300 dollars I would have expected it to be 100% USA made.
However I love the over-all set up and still want to buy one.
Thanks for this informative review,you are a great bass player.
@Metalistopheles - I don't remember, it was a while ago. Generally, all Fender type instruments have some degree of dead spot in that area - it's a naturally occurring thing. Some are worse than others, and I only tend to notice it if it's really bad. And, each bass individually is different, this one I played will not be the same as any other one... so if you want it... buy it. It will probably have some dead area, but no more than any other Fender bass that has ever been built.
For somebody not familiar with Steve Harris and Iron Maiden, you sure nail his tone perfectly on that bass! Guess Fender got it right this time.
Awesome review, Ed! (as always!)
I've been waiting quite some time for this review and I have to say this has been one of your most entertaining so far! I think I haven't seen you getting so excited over a review so far so I am guessing this must be a really nice bass(gonna check it out at some point). I also really dig the fact that you played both maiden and other stuff in order to demonstrate the full potential of the instrument.Great job Mr. Friedland! And kids, the galloping thing, it has always been two fingers, always...
You played that cleaner than Steve ever did
@turbocamps he put a piece of foam under the strings. Gives you an old school thumpy tone. Older fender basses came with foam mutes to give a more "double bass" tone.
you play trooper with two finger and you apologize? YOU ROCK MAN!!!
@BassGuitarMag Well with any genre you can expand the harmonic horizons. James Jamerson brought a Jazz sensibility to Rock and changed bass playing in a big way.
Time for an update with the current version of this bass? I have both the actual white version and I had a Warmoth body made, solid maple with a quilted maple top, in blue and all Steve Harris hardware, electronics, neck etc (I wanted my own take on that blue finish, because I don't like the sparkles). Both sound amazing although DAMN they are heavy.
Maybe it’s time for it, but I’m afraid I don’t have time to do it.
@rawk335 - if you mean the aqua green bass clef, it's made out of concrete by Chris Smartt at Solstice Galleries in Dripping Springs, TX. If you mean the cool flat panel with the bass hanging on it, that's made by Guitarmatz.
@JelenkoBass - Yes, the Eastwood version of the old Ovation Magnum is in line for review. The neck pickup will flatten a city block.
The comment about rosewood necks is absolute nonsense. Put a scope on identical basses except for one with maple and one with a rosewood neck. Read the waveform and lock it anywhere you want and look at it. There will be no difference anywhere. Lab instruments do not lie! Great sounding bass and good video-thanks!
Nice bass! thanks for all Ed!
@LOL11306 - Have you changed strings yet? If not, change them. If you have... change them again. The main reason a string will slip is it is not properly wrapped around the tuner post.
Looks and sounds great. I'm on my first P bass, and while it's not a Steve Harris, it's pretty chunky feeling in the neck, especially compared to my Jazz bass.
Played this bass tonight and it was the best in the store. Amazing neck. Not 100% into its appearance, but very tempted. Wondering if the '57 AVRI P Basses have the same feel.
@EjTnT - Thanks. I always love me some Fender!
@sickdiggitydog - The Roadworn has the wider flatter '57 neck, where the Harris is rounder and chunkier in the back. The RW has a nitro finish, Harris has lacquer. The Harris is based on a 70's P, the RW on a '57. My opinion is they are both great P basses, with the same strings, they would sound pretty close to the same. It's just a matter of the cosmetics - which do you prefer?
@Vanjal I can understand that as I used to be strictly a Hard Rock / Metal player myself but as I've gotten older (I'm 65) I got sick of the same old thing so now play about everything including Jazz, Country, Pop, Metal, Blues, whatever strikes my fancy.
"I was Made to Love Her," Stevie Wonder, 4:00. Dude, you're cranking them out in this vid!
Diggin' the T-neck almost as much as the P-bass
Ed you nailed those Maiden bass lines... why are you apologising?!
Thanks for the great review! It was interesting to hear you play in this style. I've had to deal with lines like that...definitely a challenge. It's just a whole different kind of technique. And when you aren't used to it, it will throw you for a loop. Anyhow, thanks again!
"my apologies" after attempting the trooper literally made me lol.
@BassGuitarMag I completely understand. Thanks for the demo!
THIS is the best bass for metal!!
wow, Ed, you are an awesome bassist!
When I saw the pick come out I died. Not that I have anything against pick-style, but this is STEVE HARRIS' signature model. The pickguard is there for coolness sake.
@Ikillpeopleforfree - Have not tried the EMG P pickup, but in general, they make the bass more hifi sounding. Extended top end, clear bottom, more output. Not a traditional Fender tone, but certainly not bad. You just have to want a more modern sound.
Kills that MOwtown James Jamerson stuff OMG
PLEASE make more fender jazz bass and and special stuff !
please ! :)
this guy always does great reviews.
Yes, there are reasons. It's a signature model.... which means they have to pay Steve Harris (or whoever the model is named after) a royalty. So naturally, the cost of that gets passed on to the customer... standard practice in all industries. Also, manufacturing costs are way higher in Japan than in China, Indonesia, Korea... Not saying that your point isn't valid, but those are some reasons.
NICE assesment of Steve's P Ed ! Only adjustments I would make as a J-fan ? String guage adjustments to a tad thinner AND Roundwounds (willing to sacrifice a SMALL degree of tone and resonance for speed....MAIDEN Bassists will feel me on these points), and I have to shed the Fender factory bridges.....had way too many issues with the saddles for the A and E strings. Ever since I Installed a Schaller on my J, I am a happy Maiden bottom-banger. Once again GREAT review and Rock On Brother !!!
@abassplayer4life - No chorus. I think the E string has some modulation when I slap it. A flatwound string that thick and heavy has a lot of overtones, that's what I'm hearing.
Fantastic voyage!!
I was wondering when I'd see a new review!
@ejdbk - I can't say. Seems that a lot of them are. The Reggie Hamilton is made in Mexico.
Great thing about a signature bass from Fender or any other quality brand: If the artist's genre of music isn't really your thing, you can still show off with the bass for any other music you normally play.
That should be the standard for judging a signature guitar or bass. Even if you've never bought any albums by the artist, is it a good instrument with solid features?
IT"S AN ORGASM MADE OF WOOD!!!
really digged the review, but it woulda been cool to emphasize how it handles chords, which is just because of that massive neck.
It sounds just lovely.
@dog61 - If you compare his technique to someone like John Pattitucci, I understand your point.... but Harris' style is pretty technical in it's own way. He does have a noisy right hand, but that is pretty traditional in rock bass - think John Entwistle, Jack Casady... So, the "sloppiness" of his right hand could be considered bad technique, or simply stylistic. I don't want to play like him, but he is undeniably a monster, a human jackhammer!
I've been wanting to hear the Eastwood Magnum reissue for a while now.
@ROONTANG - Yes, at times. Thanks.
I had commented on this bass on many sights because I was more than disappointed with mine and others I heard being played on-line from bedrooms to music stores. They all had one flaw in common and that was an A string buzz which for the $1200.00 shouldn't have existed. After literally hours of toiling and string changes and such I discovered the problem with 2010 Japanese models. The A string nut slot was too deep. Yep, it was as simple as that and once you shimmed the A string pocket in the nut the bass was perfect. Literally perfect in looks, sound, finish and cool factor. So to Steve or anyone who read one of my harsh reviews I apologize because they were written prior to finding the cause for the problem. If you have that issue, shim that A string pocket and your good man. Hope this helps. The Japanese stuff is killer quality typically and I have now ordered the Mexican white Harris model. Owned a Mexican P bass in the past and trust me they rival the US and Japanese for perfection. I can't wait to play it.