Pass The P Test
Back in the mid-90s in Austin, there was less than nothing to do. So we’d all go to school or work and then come home, watch The Simpsons, and then play guitars and talk about guitars.
Mexican Fenders were a new thing. And the Japanese Fenders were coming back into the market too. And I remember actively making fun of a guy for having a Japanese Stratocaster. It seems ridiculous now, but this is just kind of how things were.
And the Mexican instruments were not there yet, but you could get one that felt really good. But you were still horrified to have Mexico on the headstock. Although they didn’t say Squier anymore.
So, I owned a black Mexican Stratocaster. No idea what happened to it. I remember really liking it. The parts were kind of not great. And I remember not wanting to put any money into it because it felt like I was on my way to buying something decent. Or better.
Even though what I had was decent. And probably better.
One of my good friends had scrimped and saved and bought a Stevie Ray Vaughan Artist Model Stratocaster. And that was top of the heap back then, especially in Austin. You could do no better than that guitar.
Humongous neck. Humongous frets. Everybody strung them with 13s, so they were totally unplayable because that’s how Stevie did it.
His influence over the entire guitar community at the time could not be understated. And again, especially in Austin.
I was obviously green with envy.
Lots of people didn’t buy them because of the SRV on the pickguard. But you could change those out. But your tremolo was upside down, and the hardware was gold. So there were some unique identifiers, no matter if you tried to make it your own or not.
And his signature was right on the headstock. Which, again, then was weird. No one cares now.
But you could not be caught dead playing a Mexican Stratocaster. Not stage-worthy.
Now, I wasn’t playing out, or close to it, so I didn’t have to worry about any of that. I was just sitting around waiting to be discovered, of course. Like we all were.
Anyway, we went to dinner with his mom one time, who I’d known growing up. Old family friend.
So I started in on him about, why would you buy that guitar when the same guitar is much cheaper?
And yes, Mom was immediately on my side, of course. And he was just looking at me like he was going to kill me.
And I just went on and on about how much I liked my guitar and how, really, I couldn’t tell the difference between our two guitars. And it was like $300 versus $1,200.
It was the best. He was furious but laughing at the same time.
I mean, who are you if you can’t do that to a good friend, right?
I’m reminded of this d*ck move because I had my first rehearsal with my mid-2000s Mexican P-Bass, which is new old stock. I mean, it was brand new.
And I’m trying to—I’m only practicing with it for the last week and a half. I really do love it.
Anyway, we had a rehearsal last night, which is a real test. And from note one, it was just the most resonant bass, and it sounded great. I could hear and feel it. No hurdles. No nothing.
It just really played wonderfully, and it totally fits the bill.
Kind of like a gig, or playing a song for somebody, you never know until you’re there.
Yes, Sunday’s gig is a test. But really, the big deal was that rehearsal, and we were over the hump.
So, so far, my $450 live-bass experiment is a go.
I did buy a case for it. A semi-rigid SKB off Marketplace. Why does everything with any kind of cloth surface from Marketplace smell like cats for about six weeks?