Fender Factory Tour + Design Experience

[totem]

I've been in Irvine, California this week, and the other day I made a run over to Corona for a tour of the Fender Factory. Here's a few pics:





David, the tour guide, holding a choice specimen:


Back at the visitor center I went in to the Design Experience room for a look around. To the left, they have racks of necks, to the right are bodies, in the corner are loaded pick guards, and in the center, a workbench.

I have been jonesing for a surf green P-bass for years, and I figured that as long as they didn't have a surf green body, I was safe. I mention this to the Fender tech working on a guitar on the bench, and he said that they could paint me one for an up-charge. Ooops. So I text the wife:

Me: Well they don't have a surf green body here but they can paint me one.

Her: Lol, I hope you won't deny yourself this!

Me: Srsly?

Her: Dude, of course.

Oh man, gotta love her; this is all her fault. I actually start looking at the components more seriously. I find a nice jade metallic P body that is very light. Not surf green but maybe it would do. Definitely a possibility as it looks great with a tort guard and a maple neck.

I find a mahogany-stained ash body that is equally light and really pretty. It looks classy with a white pearled guard and a rosewood neck. My surf green fantasy is fading to dust, and anyway I already have a few vintage-looking basses.

Then David the tour guide shows up and says he think he's got a cream pearled guard over in his office. In a minute, he's back with it, and it looks awesome. He comments that the rosewood neck I have is kind of light, and maybe we could find a darker one that matches the body better.

The "piece de resistance" .. we walk across the parking lot to the factory, and I select a neck for my bass right off the factory floor.

Here's a cellphone pic of the components on the bench. It doesn't do it justice.


TL;DR: This is the bass they're assembling for me, mahogany-stained ash body, cream pearled pick guard, rosewood neck, '62 vintage pickups. Should ship to me in 2 -3 weeks. I'll post better pics then.

[gwangi]

Originally Posted by totem

I've been in Irvine, California this week, and the other day I made a run over to Corona for a tour of the Fender Factory. Here's a few pics:





David, the tour guide, holding a choice specimen:


Back at the visitor center I went in to the Design Experience room for a look around. To the left, they have racks of necks, to the right are bodies, in the corner are loaded pick guards, and in the center, a workbench.

I have been jonesing for a surf green P-bass for years, and I figured that as long as they didn't have a surf green body, I was safe. I mention this to the Fender tech working on a guitar on the bench, and he said that they could paint me one for an up-charge. Ooops. So I text the wife:

Me: Well they don't have a surf green body here but they can paint me one.

Her: Lol, I hope you won't deny yourself this!

Me: Srsly?

Her: Dude, of course.

Oh man, gotta love her; this is all her fault. I actually start looking at the components more seriously. I find a nice jade metallic P body that is very light. Not surf green but maybe it would do. Definitely a possibility as it looks great with a tort guard and a maple neck.

I find a mahogany-stained ash body that is equally light and really pretty. It looks classy with a white pearled guard and a rosewood neck. My surf green fantasy is fading to dust, and anyway I already have a few vintage-looking basses.

Then David the tour guide shows up and says he think he's got a cream pearled guard over in his office. In a minute, he's back with it, and it looks awesome. He comments that the rosewood neck I have is kind of light, and maybe we could find a darker one that matches the body better.

The "piece de resistance" .. we walk across the parking lot to the factory, and I select a neck for my bass right off the factory floor.

Here's a cellphone pic of the components on the bench. It doesn't do it justice.


TL;DR: This is the bass they're assembling for me, mahogany-stained ash body, cream pearled pick guard, rosewood neck, '62 vintage pickups. Should ship to me in 2 -3 weeks. I'll post better pics then.

Is this a custom shop bass?

[rockinrayduke]

That is great, very nice! Hang on to that lady!

[Deaky]

Very nice.

I'm a huge Fender fanboy and I'd love to tour the factory. Scotland to California ain't cheap tho!!

Enjoy

[totem]

Originally Posted by gwangi

Is this a custom shop bass?

No, it's the equivalent of an American Standard, just you get to select the components. It's only available at their visitor center.

New Fender Design Experience

http://www.guitarworld.com/video-ste...visitor-center

[zortation]

I misssed the machine that randomly puts an irreversible bow in the neck ...

[j.kernodle]

Originally Posted by zortation

I misssed the machine that randomly puts an irreversible bow in the neck ...

zing!

on a productive note:

to the op. thanks for posting. can't wait to see your surf green P.

[LightForce104]

Nice! Question though. Do they do matching headstocks?

[jbossolo]

Great story man! Thx for sharing! Does your wife have a sister?

[Rob L]

Nice, Thanks for sharing. I'd love to tour the factory.

They must have missed my basses when using their irreversible bow machine.

[P. Aaron]

Love those hand rubbed finishes! It would be a tough choice between one of those and a Surf Green, Sonic or Daphne Blue though.

Congrats on a very, very cool bass!

[totem]

Originally Posted by LightForce104

Nice! Question though. Do they do matching headstocks?

Unfortunately I didn't ask that question so I don't know. It would be cool if they did.

[totem]

This guy's installing truss rods in neck blanks:

[HypersoulRocks]

Howabout some prices? Are we in the 2 grand neighborhood or the 5 grand....

[matey]

awsome

[LuvMusic]

The cream pearl guard on that body looks great! I have a 2012 P bass with the same mahogany stained ash body, you've got me thinking.

[totem]

Originally Posted by HypersoulRocks

Howabout some prices? Are we in the 2 grand neighborhood or the 5 grand....

roughly $1600 - $2400 depending on wood, custom paint, neck blocks, etc. I don't remember all the possible options.

[Road Bull]

Originally Posted by totem

roughly $1600 - $2400 depending on wood, custom paint, neck blocks, etc. I don't remember all the possible options.

Oh nooooooooooo! I thought they stopped making basses with the hand-stained mahogany finish, as they were to be a limited run. I have really dug those dark stained finishes. I hope they keep that as a finish option until I am ready for my next one.

Congrats on a great looking bass and a cool experience getting to put it together. Thanks for sharing brother.

[totem]

Here's Abigail Ybarra, legendary pickup winder and a Fender employee since 1956:

[57pbass]

Originally Posted by totem

Here's Abigail Ybarra, legendary pickup winder and a Fender employee since 1956:

Classic....god bless her...