Biggest Fender Gripe

[_Tay_]

My biggest gripe is Torts and flats on P basses

 

[Katoosie]

In classic TB style, everyone will pretty much ignore this post, but it contains the truth.

Pro tip - every bass, aside from those built with invisible fret technology, can develop fret sprout under certain environmental conditions. It has to do with the different expansion and contraction rates of metal and wood along with climate, and absolutely nothing to do with build quality.

Some instruments are more prone to it, and some never develop it. I’ve owned several NYC and MIJ Sadowskys, a Fodera, US Laklands, numerous US Fenders and other brands that had varying degrees of fret sprout. I’m nowhere near alone in this, if all the luthiers I’ve dealt with over the last few decades are correct in saying so.

There’s a good number of reasons why I don’t like modern Fender instruments anymore, but fret sprout isn’t one of them. Disliking an entire brand because of fret sprout is like disliking a brand because there are plastic parts and screws on their offerings.

Really like this post minus the end about plastic because that is highly situational and preferential, imho. On a cheaper, Mass production instrument? Ok.

If I'm paying a big premium for it? Less so!

 

[Nebadon2000]

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

Ultra series has slimmer 'D' Neck

 

[stringthrough]

How is this a perenial task? At some point the wood can, for the most part no longer shrink.

 

[iiipopes]

My biggest gripe is with Fender: 4+1 headstocks that preclude reality with most 5-er string sets, and the slavish attachment of trying to adapt 4-string pickup technology to 5-string instruments. Search the threads and you will find many complaints about getting a B-string to fit a modified 4+1 Fender headstock. Folks, it will never be good until Fender gives up and adopts a 2+3 headstock for 5-string basses, which moves the B-string tuner up the headstock enough that the winding length before the taper to the leader is reasonable so the string doesn't bind around the B-string tuner. Moreover, adapted P-pickups are too boomy on the B string and adapted J-pickups are too growly on the B-string to get a good balance between fundamental and tone that is necessary to bring out all the tonal versatility that a 5-er has to offer.

 

[tvbop]

"Another Fender bashing thread"
Well, I wasn't but now you've gone and and mentioned it. I dont need to "bash" any company but I've owned a ton of Fenders, a couple which were really good, one I now regret selling, but most just ok.... However, I paid very good money for the privilege. My Squire does everything those Fenders did for no money.

 

[fishdude101101]

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.

This and it's the reason I'll never buy another one. Last one I bought, an American pro ii jazz v has a trussrod that is maxed out from the factory on 130-45 strings sets. Had a nut that was not cut even close to deep enough on the a and d and too deep on the B. Plus their infamous ski jumps. Never had any of these issues on any ibanez I owned no matter now cheap.

 

[fishdude101101]

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

There is not a single untrue statement in the thread. Ita not bashing.

 

[cxcxcx]

Really like this post minus the end about plastic because that is highly situational and preferential, imho. On a cheaper, Mass production instrument? Ok.

If I'm paying a big premium for it? Less so!

Please remember that there are instruments ranging in price from 10k to 30k that have plastic parts on them. The point of the argument was that plastic parts are as unavoidable as fret sprout is.

 

[marchone]

How is this a perenial task? At some point the wood can, for the most part no longer shrink.

Because I'm lazy and don't file all of them at once.

 

[marchone]

In classic TB style, everyone will pretty much ignore this post, but it contains the truth.

Pro tip - every bass, aside from those built with invisible fret technology, can develop fret sprout under certain environmental conditions. It has to do with the different expansion and contraction rates of metal and wood along with climate, and absolutely nothing to do with build quality.

Some instruments are more prone to it, and some never develop it. I’ve owned several NYC and MIJ Sadowskys, a Fodera, US Laklands, numerous US Fenders and other brands that had varying degrees of fret sprout. I’m nowhere near alone in this, if all the luthiers I’ve dealt with over the last few decades are correct in saying so.

There’s a good number of reasons why I don’t like modern Fender instruments anymore, but fret sprout isn’t one of them. Disliking an entire brand because of fret sprout is like disliking a brand because there are plastic parts and screws on their offerings.

Well said EXCEPT for the last para.

I do not DISLIKE Fender. I'm frustrated they won't offer buried frets. Pet peeve.

 

[Katoosie]

Please remember that there are instruments ranging in price from 10k to 30k that have plastic parts on them. The point of the argument was that plastic parts are as unavoidable as fret sprout is.

10k to 30k for plastic? No thanks!

 

[lbbc]

My biggest gripe (really more about me than Fender) is that it took me SO long to find a Fender bass I liked! I now have a Fender Coronado II semi-hollow Bass and absolutely love it!

 

[micguy]

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

I know there’s talk on here about that, but I’ve been showing up to auditions, rehearsals, and gigs since 1977, and not once has it been an issue.

 

[May Cassidy]

What's your biggest gripe with Fender?

Maybe this is just my luck but every Fender bass I've played has had dead spots on the D and G strings; somewhere around C above bass clef usually. I've also had issues with electronics more so than other singular brands. Fender guitars have been more consistent to me for whatever reason.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Yay! another fender bashing thread!!

 

[sgiacomo]

What's your biggest gripe with Fender?

Quality control. It took me three tries to get an acceptable new American Professional II precision over the past two weeks.

 

[cxcxcx]

10k to 30k for plastic? No thanks!

You’re missing the point. It’s essentially impossible to build a bass guitar without plastic parts. The Dingwall Prima Artist, Anthony Jackson Presentation, Alembic Series I, and any Ritter or Wal all have plastic parts.

 

[jd56hawk]

Too many burst finishes....vintage burst, tobacco burst, antique burst, violin burst, sienna burst, amber burst, brown burst, mystic burst, bourbon burst, cognac burst, black lager burst, 2-color sunburst, 3-color sunburst, chocolate 2-color burst, chocolate 3-color burst, mocha burst, anniversary burst, retro burst, autumn burst, burnt umber burst, raw umber burst, chestnut burst, mahogany burst, root beer burst, birch beer burst, etc, etc, etc.

 

[smtp4me]

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?

I'm a Fender fan, in a general sense. One of my gripes would be putting the truss rod adjustment screw at the base/butt of the neck where it meets the body, requiring the removal of the neck each time an adjustment needs made. The headstock is the proper place for this, IMHO, even though it might not be as visually appealing.