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03-31-2013, 12:36 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Petaluma, California | | | Just when I thought I was out of the woods...
...now I just noticed something strange on the last fret on my '64 American Vintage Jazz Bass (replacement for the first one I had that was flawed)...
What the HE˥˥ is this? It looks like friggin' epoxy. I can't seem to win, and I'm beginning to think Fender's quality control sucks a fat one. Is this normal??   
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"music is not dependent on the price of the instrument but the soul of the player..."
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03-31-2013, 01:30 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Philippines | | | i also have that with my stingray 30th anniv model ... i was thinking it hit my amp when i was transporting it |
03-31-2013, 01:37 AM
| | | | I'm not as concerned with what seems to be a cosmetic issue as I am with the 19th fret, which appears to not be set properly. But in either case, it's no secret that Fender's factory quality control (American and Mexican) is bad. I don't think I've ever played a Fender off the rack that was set up properly, not in Australia anyway (New Zealand, oddly enough, is quite superior in that category).
Epoxy is easy to fix, but get a professional to hammer that fret in properly. If you bought it from a shop, get on of their techs to do it for free. Regarding superior quality control, may I recommend Musicman? |
03-31-2013, 02:29 AM
|  | **** | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: west coast | | | It looks like it could be the camera angle making the 19th fret look high. The filler, complete with skuffs(a high spot?) and bubbles looks pretty darn rough IMO.
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03-31-2013, 08:04 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis | | | For what that guitar is supposed to be (MIA and the money that goes with it) that looks pretty bad.
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03-31-2013, 08:10 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Willow Street, PA | | | The epoxy is one thing, but those grooves look like they come from roundwounds. Like the neck was played to death before leaving the factory or something. |
03-31-2013, 08:14 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South Florida, in the U.S.A. | | | MIA, brand new ?
Return that P.O.S.
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03-31-2013, 08:24 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brookfield, CT | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Rip Topaz  The epoxy is one thing, but those grooves look like they come from roundwounds. Like the neck was played to death before leaving the factory or something. | I'd bet good money on those being file marks. There was probably a chip there which they filled, then finished roughly. Why it's so dark there I don't understand.
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Originally Posted by Bassist4Eris My reggae skills are rudimentary enough that I just play whatever the original guy played. :) | |
03-31-2013, 08:25 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Willow Street, PA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by dmusic148 I'd bet good money on those being file marks. There was probably a chip there which they filled, then finished roughly. Why it's so dark there I don't understand. | Good point.
The epoxy probably darkened the wood. |
03-31-2013, 08:33 AM
|  | Musical Anarchist | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sutton, MA | | | One of the things that stands out in the Fender description is that the fingerboard is rosewood "laminate". Not sure what exactly that is. |
03-31-2013, 08:39 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tipperary, Ireland | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Freddels One of the things that stands out in the Fender description is that the fingerboard is rosewood "laminate". Not sure what exactly that is. | It's the opposite of a slab board. The fretboard is a thin laminate of rosewood over a radiused maple neck as opposed to a slab board which is thicker, flat at the bottom and is attached to a flat top on the maple neck. Standard enough. 
As for the OP, that's shocking quality for a new bass at that kind of price.
Last edited by Doctor J : 03-31-2013 at 08:42 AM.
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03-31-2013, 09:00 AM
|  | If Mark is your Queen that must make me King ;)
Endorsing Artist Cataldo Basses and manufacturer of the Badbird Bridge | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Rochester NY USA | | | Looks like a burn in to me. Hard or soft filler sticks softened with a burn in knife to fill a void. Pretty standard furniture repair stuff. Unacceptable on a high end purchase like this. I would raise heck with Fender till they make it right. Send them those pictures and a link to this forum.
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Last edited by godofthunder59 : 03-31-2013 at 09:29 AM.
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03-31-2013, 09:06 AM
| | Registered User
Production worker at Fodera | | Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Brooklyn, New York | | | I saw sideways scratches on the fretboard and imediately lost any respect i had for fender.
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03-31-2013, 09:09 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Upstate, South Carolina | | | Good God, is that on a NEW bass?? Yeeeesh. |
03-31-2013, 09:26 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Urbana, IL | | | Wow, that's seriously disappointing. It looks like there's body paint on the fingerboard, too. Someone tried to save a fingerboard that needed to be thrown away. Sorry for your experience, I hope you're able to get a suitable replacement soon.
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03-31-2013, 09:29 AM
| | | | Definitely looks like a used bass to me. I know it isn't but that is how rough the finishing job is on that one.
Makes me question the logic of buying from this series, which I really want to do.
My American Deluxe was gorgeous and the neck and frets were absolutely perfect out of the factory sealed carton. 180 degrees away from your photos.
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2013 Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass Black/Maple • Fender Bassman 100T • Fender 410 Neo • Ampeg BA-108
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03-31-2013, 10:07 AM
|  | Registered User | | | | | Does look like roundwound wear wih, what looks like marks on the frets on either side that are inline with the string wear marks.
Now that does not make sense. Unless they epoxied and then test-played that area heavily to make sure the repair they made was solid.
I own 7 Fenders and I am absolutely convinced that no matter what level Fender bass you purchase, their QC is absolutely horrid and half-assed. No excuse for that Fender, come on!
Will it hold up over years of playing? Maybe but if it does not will fender be there to replace it then?
Sorry to se this Pbass, I was so looking foward to a great review on that '64 AV.
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Fender Jazz Bass Club #1090
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03-31-2013, 10:19 AM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by PBASSTONE ...now I just noticed something strange on the last fret on my '64 American Vintage Jazz Bass (replacement for the first one I had that was flawed)...
What the HE˥˥ is this? It looks like friggin' epoxy. I can't seem to win, and I'm beginning to think Fender's quality control sucks a fat one. Is this normal?? | The grooves can't be from a string- the string can't be pressed down to the fretboard that close to the frets and the grooves would not pnly be closer together, they would be more evenly spaced. To me, it looks like chatter from a razor blade, used to smooth the wood between the frets. Badly.
Where did this bass come from? It's possible that the seller did this, not Fender. If it was done at Fender, they should fix it. |
03-31-2013, 11:52 AM
| | Registered User | | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by 1958Bassman The grooves can't be from a string- the string can't be pressed down to the fretboard that close to the frets and the grooves would not pnly be closer together, they would be more evenly spaced. To me, it looks like chatter from a razor blade, used to smooth the wood between the frets. Badly.
Where did this bass come from? It's possible that the seller did this, not Fender. If it was done at Fender, they should fix it. | Yes you are right I believe. I have a couple fretless basses and that is where I see that string wear. I love Fender...No I hate Fender...No I....
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Fender Jazz Bass Club #1090
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03-31-2013, 12:23 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Petaluma, California | | I boxed that ****er back up today, and it's going back to ZZounds on Monday for a full refund. This I vow, I will not even consider the new Fender Vintage Series again. **** I could build a better parts bass than that piece of *****. Squier has better QC than Fender. It wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't already sent one back for the giant ding on the headstock...
Say one last goodbye... you can clearly see the reflection of the epoxy on the last fret near the D and G strings 
For those of you who didn't get to see the problem with the first return...  
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Last edited by smperry : 03-31-2013 at 01:21 PM.
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