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Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass
Fender American Ultra Precision Bass
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Playability
72
Sound
86
Build
85
Value
71
Score
81
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Playability
72
Sound
83
Build
82
Value
69
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
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Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass vs American Ultra Precision Bass Specs Comparison
Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass American Ultra Precision Bass
General
Brand: Fender Fender
Year: 2024 2019
Configuration: PJ SS
Strings: 4 4
Made in: United States United States
Series: American Ultra II American Ultra
Colors: White, Black, Blue, Yellow White, Sunburst, Brown
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Select Alder Alder
Bridge: 4-Saddle Adjustable HiMass (String-Through-Body or Top-Load) 4-Saddle HiMass (Toploaded)
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Fender "F" Light-Weight Vintage-Paddle Keys with Tapered Shafts Fender F Light-Weight Vintage-Paddle Keys with Tapered Shafts
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: Quartersawn Maple Maple
Decoration: White Pearloid Dot 7mm White Pearloid Dot 7mm
Scale Size: 34" 34"
Shape: Bass Modern "D" Bass Modern D
Frets: 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 10" to 14" 10" to 14"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Bone
Nut Width: 41.3mm (1.625'') 41.3mm (1.625'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Ultra II Noiseless Vintage Jazz Bass (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Jazz Bass (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Ultra II Noiseless Vintage Precision Bass (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Precision Bass (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup:
Switch: 0 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: S-1 Switch None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 3 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Nickel Chrome

Reasons to Get
Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass over American Ultra Precision Bass

Release Year
2024 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Pickup Mods
S-1 Switch vs None
Modifies the pickups
Tone Knobs
3 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
PJ vs SS
Balances warmth (P-style) with clarity (J-style) for diverse bass tones.
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Paint Finish
Poly vs Nitro
Resistant paint that ages well
Value Score
71 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender American Ultra Precision Bass over American Ultra II Precision Bass

Pickups
SS vs PJ
Beautiful cleans
Paint Finish
Nitro vs Poly
Thin finish that creates aging marks faster
Avg. Weight
9.344lbs (4.2kgs) vs 9.3755lbs (4.3kgs)
Tends to be lighter

Other Key Differences
Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass vs American Ultra Precision Bass

Bridge Pickup
Ultra II Noiseless Vintage Jazz Bass vs Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Jazz Bass
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Ultra II Noiseless Vintage Precision Bass vs Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Precision Bass
Different Middle Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass vs American Ultra Precision Bass

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
4
Same Headstock
Strings
4
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Number of Frets
21
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
34'' (863.6mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Compound Radius
10" to 14"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile Type
D
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Retainer Bar
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio

Price History Comparison

Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

Fender American Ultra Precision Bass Prices

    SET PRICE ALERT

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    Hand Size Comfortability

    After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both are balanced for most hand sizes.

    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass:
    Big Hands
    Small Hands
    Fender American Ultra Precision Bass:
    Big Hands
    Small Hands

    Beginner Friendliness

    Both meet 4 out of our 6 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first bass to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

    New Player Friendliness

    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass
    • Comfortable shape
    • Comfortable fretboard
    • Tall frets
    • Comfortable neck
    • Narrow nut
    • Short scale

    New Player Friendliness

    Fender American Ultra Precision Bass
    • Comfortable shape
    • Comfortable fretboard
    • Tall frets
    • Comfortable neck
    • Narrow nut
    • Short scale

    Sound Quality Comparison

    The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

    Woods Used in Both

    Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
    Maple
    Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
    Alder

    Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

    Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

    Woods Used in the Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass

    Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
    Ebony

    Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

    Woods Used in the Fender American Ultra Precision Bass

    Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
    Rosewood

    Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

    Winner: Tie.

    Pickup Configuration

    The Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass has an PJ configuration while the Fender American Ultra Precision Bass has SS pickups.

    A PJ bass offers a versatile tonal range by combining the warm, punchy sound of a Precision-style (P-style) pickup with the brighter, more articulate tones of a Jazz-style (J-style) pickup. This makes it a great choice for those seeking tonal flexibility.

    On the other hand, SS is the classic Telecaster configuration. It's used mainly for playing clean or with low-gain distortion, and it's very popular for the country genre because of their brightness. It doesn't give you as much versatility as a Strat SSS configuration, but you might like the cleaner look of a guitar body with fewer pickups.

    Pickups Quality

    Both come with some of the top pickups on the market. You can't go wrong with either of them. You'll probably never need a pickup upgrade.

    Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

    Preamp Circuit

    A preamp in an electric bass functions as an electronic circuit that acts as an interface between the bass's pickups and the amplifier. Its main purpose is to amplify and customize the bass's initial signal before it reaches the amplifier, offering enhanced control over factors like tone, volume, and sound attributes. Preamps typically come equipped with tone adjustments, equalization options, and sometimes built-in effects, empowering bass players to fine-tune their sound to suit their personal preferences and the musical environment.

    Both basses have a Active/Passive preamp.

    Active/Passive: This type of circuit combines both passive and active electronics in one instrument. This versatile setup allows the player to switch between passive and active modes, providing a wide range of tonal options. In passive mode, the bass relies on traditional passive pickups and tone controls for a warm and organic sound. In active mode, the onboard preamp circuit is engaged, offering enhanced EQ shaping capabilities and sometimes a signal boost. This flexibility caters to a broader spectrum of musical styles and playing preferences, as it allows the bassist to switch between the classic, vintage tone of passive operation and the more versatile and finely tuned active mode, all within the same instrument.

    Winner: Tie.

    Versatility Comparison

    Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

    Switch Options

    Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

    Only the Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass comes with some kind of pickup modification: S-1 Switch.

    An S-1 switch can do a lot of different pickup combinations. It can split them, connect them in series, parallel, add more pickups to each position, and more. Check out the diagram to know how it affects this model.

    When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

    Winner: Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass.

    Final Sound Quality Scores

    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass
    Pickups 100
    Sustain 65
    Versatility 99
    Tuning Stability 80
    Sound 86
    Fender American Ultra Precision Bass
    Pickups 100
    Sustain 65
    Versatility 85
    Tuning Stability 80
    Sound 83

    Build Quality Comparison

    When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass compares to the Fender American Ultra Precision Bass.

    Country of Origin

    The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

    The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

    Winner: Tie

    Nut Material

    If you want your bass to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

    The Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass has a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

    On the other hand, the Fender American Ultra Precision Bass comes with a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

    Winner: Tie.

    Fret Material

    Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

    Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

    Winner: Tie.

    Tuners

    Both come with regular tuners. The Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass's are Fender "F" Light-Weight Vintage-Paddle Keys with Tapered Shafts while the Fender American Ultra Precision Bass's are Fender F Light-Weight Vintage-Paddle Keys with Tapered Shafts

    Winner: Tie.

    Neck Joint

    Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a bass is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

    Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

    Winner: Tie.

    Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

    Strengths & Weaknesses
    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass
    • Made in United States
    • Expensive Wood
    • Ivory Tusq Nut
    • Top Brand Pickups
    • S-1 Switch Pickups
    • Luminescent Inlay
    • Active/Passive Preamp
    • Compound Radius Fretboard
    • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
    • No Locking Tuners
    • No Neck-Through Build
    • No Weight Relief
    • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
    • No Retainer Bar
    • No Strap Lock
    Strengths & Weaknesses
    Fender American Ultra Precision Bass
    • Made in United States
    • Expensive Wood
    • Bone Nut
    • Top Brand Pickups
    • Active/Passive Preamp
    • Compound Radius Fretboard
    • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
    • No Locking Tuners
    • No Neck-Through Build
    • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
    • No Weight Relief
    • No Luminescent Inlay
    • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
    • No Retainer Bar
    • No Strap Lock

    Final Build Quality Scores

    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass
    Quality of materials 66
    Features 95
    Quality Control 95
    Build Quality 85
    Fender American Ultra Precision Bass
    Quality of materials 66
    Features 85
    Quality Control 95
    Build Quality 82

    Playability Comparison

    Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a bass might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

    Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a bass feels in your hands.

    Nut Width

    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass Nut Width
    Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

    The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 41.3mm (1.625'').

    This is considered a wide width for a 4-string bass. It gives your fingers the extra space you need to play without muting accidentally, but this also makes bar chords harder to perform, especially if you have small hands.

    Scale Length

    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass and Fender American Ultra Precision Bass's Scale Length
    Both have the same scale length

    The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

    In this case, both have a scale length of 34".

    This is a scale used for baritones and guitars with more than 6 strings. Since the scale is so long, the tension of the strings will be higher. This means that bending will require a lot more strength than with a shorter scale. However, it also allows you to use really low tunings without causing fret buzz and without needing to increase your string gauge too much.

    Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

    Neck Profile

    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass Neck Profile
    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass's neck profile
    Fender American Ultra Precision Bass Neck Profile
    Fender American Ultra Precision Bass's neck profile

    No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

    Both the Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass and the Fender American Ultra Precision Bass have a D-shaped neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

    Fretboard Radius

    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass Fretboard Compound Radius
    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass's Compound Fretboard Radius

    Most bass fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

    Both have a compound radius. This means both offer you the best craftsmanship when it comes to fretboard design. You'll have an arc to help you play chords close to the nut, while also having a flat design at the higher frets for faster soloing and easier bends.

    Fret Size

    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass and Fender American Ultra Precision Bass Frets Size
    Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

    Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

    Final Playability Scores

    Fender American Ultra II Precision Bass
    Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
    Chord Playability 80
    Solo Playability 70
    Playability 72
    Fender American Ultra Precision Bass
    Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
    Chord Playability 80
    Solo Playability 70
    Playability 72