Fender American Vintage 62 Precision Bass 3-Tone

Pros: A superior working bass.

Cons: Vintage pickup impractical.

Review: Fender, an American institution, is in some ways the Harley-Davidson of the music world. Like Harley, Fender suffered the low quality and "innovations" (read cost-cutting) of bean-counter meddling following a big-business takeover (CBS's...

Pros: A good bass for many uses, retains the classic Fender heritage

Cons: New price is rather high

The Bottom Line: Recommended for a professional to whom the Fender name and look are important. At its price, however, are other contenders who may offer more of what you're looking for.

Review: James Jamerson was one of the earliest electric bass innovators. His work with such Motown artists as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Isley Brothers, Diana Ross, and many others has been an inspiration to countless bass players through the years....