Different wear pattern on Road Worn jazz bass (Bonus topic: Has Fender sold any RWs?)

I just bumped into this and thought it was interesting:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=530883&highlight=road+worn

Check out the pattern of the forearm wear -- it's different from the Road Worns you usually see. I'm guessing the bass is a pre-production example or one-off photo mule or something. It actually looks like a more realistic wear pattern to me -- more like where I'd expect your forearm to contact the body. Of course, I say that not being super familiar with how the real 60s basses wear, so maybe not. Maybe the production models do actually have the more typical wear pattern. But it's interesting to see that Fender tried some different variations.

BTW, it's been a year and a half since Fender introduced the Road Worns. Does anyone know how their sales numbers have been? The hype and controversy around them was huge and they were debated mightily on TB, but did anyone actually buy them?

I ask because there seem to be some indicators that they haven't really sold. For instance, here is the review page at Harmony Central for the RW jazz:

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/.../product/Fender/Road+Worn+'60s+Jazz+Bass/25/1

There is exactly one review. If the number of reviews more or less tracks with numbers sold, which seems like a reasonable assumption, then Fender didn't sell many.

The other thing is, there are surprisingly few pics of RW's on TB. There was a European guy named Theo who posted some pics, but that's about it. Here is the one "Show your Road Worn" thread on TB:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=530883&highlight=road+worn

250+ posts and only about 5 pics posted, and they were by the same guys who posted pics in the other RW threads. I also notice a distinct lack of Road Worn NBD threads. It just seems like there is a very small pool of people who actually own the things. Which is surprising, at least to me, given their great reviews.

Does anyone else get this impression about the RWs? Or am I reading the tea leaves wrong here?

PS. I should mention that I just bought a used Fiesta red RW Jazz and have been searching the forum for more info/opinions/pics on them. That's what got me wondering about this.

Musicman20 said:

Id like one, and im considering it at the moment. Are they as good as people make out? Arent they just a Classic 60s J with a relic?

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I sure hope they're as good. I'll know next week when the UPS man arrives.

RW's are not just relic'd 60s reissues. Unlike the 60s RI, the RW's have lacquer finishes. That's the big selling point for me. In fact, I already have a 60s reissue jazz, but I know the poly finish will never wear correctly -- unlike lacquer which tends to wear away smoothly, poly tends to become chipped up and damaged looking -- which is why I intend to replace it with the RW.

By the way, here is the definitive TB review of the Road Worn basses:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7245513&postcount=179

He brings up another difference between the 60s RI and the RW series, which is that Fender seems to have selected lighter weight bodies for the RW's.

That's about what I paid for this one. I really wanted to pay no more than $600 or so, but I figured I was still doing better than new, so I did it. Plus if it turns out to be a "keeper", the extra $150 won't matter in the long run anyway.

mr.mow said:

Contrary to popular web beliefs, the wear patterns on roadworns are not 'all identical', the rw pbass I just got is very different to all I've seen in pics, less face wear, smaller dings and a tiny 'ciggy' burn. Some have no cig burns, some have lots of wear on the face above the pickguard..

And are they good? Yeah.. I have a 59 custom shop reissue and it's almost par with that at 1/4 the cost.. I've no idea what they do to them but they are great basses.

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I've noticed there seems to be more variation in the Ps than the Js, like the cigarette burn. There may be some variation in the Js too, but the main wear features seem to be consistent. As far as I can tell, they all have the same wear spot -- same size same shape -- on the forearm area. Also the patch of buckle rash on the back. Maybe they use a template for those, then leave the smaller dents and scratches up to the discretion of the artiste doing the relic'ing.

Musicman20 said:

So how do the pickups really sound?! Seriously whats inside these basses that make them get so much praise?

They are £850-£900 in the UK, or more. But, I have been offered a discount at £785 so im tempted. Its new btw...as it would have to be ordered in.

I have an American Series 2009 Jazz, so will it live upto that?!

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I'm guessing the pickups are the same ones in the Classic series but subjected to some relic'ing. The pickups in my Classic 60s jazz are nice vintage style alnico types. At one point I replaced them with a set of USA vintage reissue pickups with the cloth wire and all that, and I really couldn't hear a difference. I wound up taking the USA's back out and reselling them. So if the RWs have the Classic series pickups, they should be quite good. But from what I gather secondhand in the reviews I've read, what makes the RWs is good quality lively lightweight woods and just general vibe.

bassbully said:

FWIW RW's in my area have not been a hot ticket. In fact one Fender dealer told me months ago he only carried the amount he was required by fender and his agreement with them due top poor sales. He said the fake relic didn't go over well with the high price tag. Last time i was in that store he had two models for $800.00 new trying to get rid of them.

One of the guys i know who works at our area GC said they didn't go well. The price is the big problem here.

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Yeah, that's about how I thought it was going out there. The RWs went into the showrooms, but then didn't move out the door. Even on eBay, if you go to the completed listings, no one is buying them. I wonder if that means a big price drop might be coming to clear them out.