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Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass
Fender Player Precision Bass
VS
Playability
68
Sound
82
Build
69
Value
73
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
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Playability
68
Sound
79
Build
69
Value
77
Score
72
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
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The Fender Player Precision Bass was discontinued. It was replaced by the Player II Precision Bass. Check out our comparison.
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Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass vs Player Precision Bass Specs Comparison
Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass Player Precision Bass
General
Brand: Fender Fender
Year: 2019 2018
Configuration: SS S
Strings: 4 4
Made in: United States United States
Series: Precision Bass Player
Colors: White White, Sunburst, Black, Blue, Green, Silver, Yellow
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: 4-Saddle Vintage-Style 4-Saddle Standard
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Standard Open-Gear Standard Open-Gear
Fretboard: Rosewood Pau Ferro
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: White Dot White Dot
Scale Size: 34" 34"
Shape: Bass Modern C Bass Modern C
Frets: 20 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 20 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 9.5"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 41.3mm (1.625'') 41.3mm (1.625'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Fender Seymour Duncan STKJ2B Jazz Bass (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Vintage-Style Alnico Split Single-Coil Precision Bass (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Split Single-Coil Precision Bass (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup:
Switch: 3 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass's switch options

Reasons to Get
Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass over Player Precision Bass

Release Year
2019 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
SS vs S
Beautiful cleans

Reasons to Get
Fender Player Precision Bass over Duff McKagan Precision Bass

Pickups
S vs SS
For twangy sounds and simplicity
Value Score
77 vs 73
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass vs Player Precision Bass

Middle Pickup
Fender Vintage-Style Alnico Split Single-Coil Precision Bass vs Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Split Single-Coil Precision Bass
Different Middle Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Pau Ferro
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass vs Player Precision Bass

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
4
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
4
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
34'' (863.6mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
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
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Retainer Bar
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass Prices

    SET PRICE ALERT

    Fender Player Precision Bass Prices

      SET PRICE ALERT

      These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

      Hand Size Comfortability

      After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor large hands .

      Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass:
      Big Hands
      Small Hands
      Fender Player 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 Duff McKagan Precision Bass
      • Comfortable shape
      • Comfortable fretboard
      • Tall frets
      • Comfortable neck
      • Narrow nut
      • Short scale

      New Player Friendliness

      Fender Player 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 Duff McKagan 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.

      Woods Used in the Fender Player Precision Bass

      Pau Ferro wood pattern used for guitar building
      Pau Ferro

      Pau Ferro has a dark, chocolate-like color with straight dark grains that is being used as a replacement to Rosewood due to the regulations. It produces a warm tone that is somewhere between Mahogany and Rosewood. Find out more about Pau Ferro.

      Winner: Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass.

      Pickup Configuration

      The Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass has an SS configuration while the Fender Player Precision Bass has S pickups.

      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.

      On the other hand, A single single-coil pickup is not a configuration commonly found in modern electric guitars because it lacks versatility. But if you only want a guitar that sounds very thin and twangy, this might be good enough.

      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 Passive preamp.

      Passive: A bass with a passive preamp lacks an onboard electronic circuit for tone shaping and signal boosting. Instead, it relies solely on passive pickups and basic tone controls, typically consisting of volume and tone knobs. Passive preamps don't require an external power source like batteries, making them low-maintenance and dependable. While they offer a simpler and more straightforward tonal character, passive basses are appreciated for their warm and vintage sound, often favored in genres like classic rock, blues, and funk. They are an excellent choice for musicians who value the simplicity and timeless appeal of their instrument's tone without the need for active electronic components.

      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

      The Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass gives you 3 switch options while the Fender Player Precision Bass gives you 0. This means that the Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

      Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

      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 Duff McKagan Precision Bass.

      Final Sound Quality Scores

      Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass
      Pickups 100
      Sustain 65
      Versatility 82
      Tuning Stability 80
      Sound 82
      Fender Player Precision Bass
      Pickups 100
      Sustain 65
      Versatility 70
      Tuning Stability 80
      Sound 79

      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 Duff McKagan Precision Bass compares to the Fender Player 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.

      In this case, both have Synthetic Bone nuts. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

      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. Both come with Standard Open-Gear.

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

      Final Build Quality Scores

      Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass
      Quality of materials 51
      Features 70
      Quality Control 85
      Build Quality 69
      Fender Player Precision Bass
      Quality of materials 56
      Features 70
      Quality Control 80
      Build Quality 69

      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 Duff McKagan 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 Duff McKagan Precision Bass and Fender Player 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 Duff McKagan Precision Bass Neck Profile
      Both guitars have the same 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 Duff McKagan Precision Bass and the Fender Player Precision Bass have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

      Fretboard Radius

      Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass Fingerboard Radius
      Both Guitars Have The Same 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 the Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass and the Fender Player Precision Bass have the same fretboard radius of 9.5". This is the most common radius for Stratocaster guitars. It's considered curved when compared to most other models. This allows you to play chords very easily without muting strings accidentally and gives you more space between strings for fingerpicking. However, this curve also gives the guitar less allowance for lower action. If you bend too hard at the high frets, some of your notes might get muted because the curve will make the string fret out.

      Fret Size

      Fender Duff McKagan Precision Bass and Fender Player 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 Duff McKagan Precision Bass
      Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
      Chord Playability 80
      Solo Playability 60
      Playability 68
      Fender Player Precision Bass
      Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
      Chord Playability 80
      Solo Playability 60
      Playability 68