Biggest Fender Gripe

[marchone]

I have three classic Fenders. Telecaster, Precision and Jazz Bass. They're all excellent examples of their type.

And they all have fret sprout. I sand them down as needed but it seems to be a perennial task.

Both my Sadowsky and Spector NS-2 have slotted, or invisible frets. I don't understand why Fender Custom Shop doesn't offer the feature.

What's your biggest gripe with Fender?

 

[Killing Floor]

Inconsistent manufacturing quality. For the same machines and same employees in the same factories, even given the variance in wood, after 70+ years in business I should be able to know what I am going to get when I buy any Fender bass or guitar. And I don’t.
Nut may be perfect. Or maybe a hacked mess. Frets may be perfect or half seated. May be wired correctly or may have a missing ground wire or missed connection. It’s very possible to unwrap 2 identical Fender products and one is gig ready while the other needs hours of work. That’s bananas.

 

[roycroft_88]

They don't have the Fullerton factory with the little side door service center that I can ride my Schwinn to and buy bits from anymore....

 

[Sharko]

They're all excellent examples of their type.

And they all have fret sprout.

Are they really then?

 

[bdgotoh]

Both my Sadowsky and Spector NS-2 have slotted, or invisible frets.

Do you have a picture of this? I've never heard of such a thing. Unless you mean the fret tang is hidden.

 

[Fynn]

I don't like the necks very much. The jazz necks are passable, but they always feel a little too thick for me. Maybe there's some jazz necks out there that are thinner, but the normal MIM jazz necks from the past few years are just a little too thick

 

[JRA]

What's your biggest gripe with Fender?

prices.

 

[TN WOODMAN]

I hate to even mention for fear of jinxing myself, but out of my current 61 stringed instruments (ok, 4 are fretless) or previously owned instruments, I’ve never experienced fret sprout pre or post purchase. Lucky I guess.

 

[Mustang Surly]

That they don't make a Starcaster, semi-hollow bass someplace other than China.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

...the fandom

 

[J Wilson]

SANDED the frets down?

 

[micguy]

I don't like the necks very much. The jazz necks are passable, but they always feel a little too thick for me.

My beef is that the necks aren't thick enough - I just got a Fender P in my shop that has a nasty 12th fret kink - way more than you can compensate for with fret dressing.

 

[Fynn]

My beef is that the necks aren't thick enough - I just got a Fender P in my shop that has a nasty 12th fret kink - way more than you can compensate for with fret dressing.

That sucks big time.

Well, I like to wrap my thumb around the neck at times, which is why I prefer thinner necks generally.
I would like to one day have one of those older p basses with the slab body and the single coil. I believe those have pretty thick necks.

 

[Geri O]

...the fandom

Loosely translated…

“I don’t like folks that like something I don’t….”

 

[bassbrad]

My biggest Fender Gripe is that everyone expects the bass player to show up with one,
if not then heaven help the bass player

 

[Bikeguy57]

Oh look! Another Fender bashing thread. Cue the same cast of characters, with the same old complaints.

 

[aprod]

The Jazz must not have binding on the neck. I own a 1972 Jazz and never experienced fret sprout in 51 years. And I live in a dry climate.

 

[Sean150]

I hate to even mention for fear of jinxing myself, but out of my current 61 stringed instruments (ok, 4 are fretless) or previously owned instruments, I’ve never experienced fret sprout pre or post purchase. Lucky I guess.

That’s because fret sprout is more often an environmental issue than a manufacturing issue; especially if it happens seasonally. If your humidity is consistent you wouldn’t expect issues.

 

[Hot Rats]

Oh look! Another Fender bashing thread. Cue the same cast of characters, with the same old complaints.

No no no...It's a Fender gripe thread, not a Fender bashing thread.

 

[fourstringdrums]

Oh look! Another Fender bashing thread. Cue the same cast of characters, with the same old complaints.

It's almost like a product that has the same complaints might be an issue...