Four String King- Fender Precision Bass Reviewed

Gamers looking for a second guitar for their Rock Band/Guitar Hero: World Tour sessions have an array of options, between the Statocaster, Les Paul, and X-Plorer models on the market. Until now, the dedicated gaming bassist wasn’t as lucky- they’ve had to subsist by using one of these simulated six-strings to play their basslines. Luckily, Mad Catz, developers of the MIC Controller and the Portable Drum Set, has an alternative- The Fender Precision Bass Replica.

Like a real bass, the peripheral dwarfs our other Rock Band guitars. Compared to the already sizable GH:WT touch pad Guitar, the Fender Bass has a slightly larger body and a neck that is seven inches longer. Mad Catz states the replica is 84% the size of a real bass. For us, if the bass was any larger, it would be cumbersome. The body and neck are one piece, while the head snaps on securely. Although the instructions indicate a Phillips-head screwdriver is needed for head removal, our unit had a small button, to conveniently unlock the piece.

Although the bass and electric guitar look similar, their components and playing style are radically different. Virtual guitarists typically use their thumb to press the strum bar up and down while playing the instrument, while bass players pluck their instrument with their index and middle fingers. For the Fender bass, there’s a thumb rest on the face, allowing the player to hang their fingers down, and simulate the playing style of the bass. Additionally, the strum bar is split into half for each of the fingers. It took us about five songs before we became comfortable with the new playing style.

The one component on the Fender bass that really won us over was the fret board. Each of the colored frets had a rewardingly short throw, and a pleasing click when contact is made. Compared to the Rock Band Stratocaster, we found the frets were slightly more responsive, with just enough indication that the button was depressed. Altogether, the Fender bass is a relatively quiet peripheral, with a softer click that most guitars.

Less impressive was the inclusion of a potentiometer that replaced the whammy bar. Since basses don’t have whammy bars, Mad Catz included a knob on the lower section of the face to manipulate pitch. During heated play, we were unable to reach the knob as intuitively as the much larger tremolo arm. Additionally, we were underwhelmed by the feel of the knob, as it felt a bit light and insubstantial. We would have liked a see a slightly larger and heavy dial.

With the exception of the knob, we were impressed by the overall build quality of the Fender bass. The two crucial elements of the instrument, the frets and the strum bar, felt quite durable and able to withstand heavy play. However, there were a few peculiars about the unit that perplexed us. Since the unit is wired and receives power from the console, why is there a battery compartment?