Is this an older store? I have been to a few who have just opened a new "vintage" room. Some cool stuff that wasn't there before they opened the vintage area. Not sure where they got all of their inventory in such a short time. Maybe they were letting it build up knowing they were adding the used area. "Build it they will come'. By the way GeneralElectric I'm still looking for that photo of your friend's Japanese Custom Shop Telebass pickup. This Bartolini in mine is bugging me big time.
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CG/Fender rant
- Thread starter brekfustuvluzer
- Start date
Now look more closely at those auctions. these are brand new basses being sold by stores at lower profit. If Fender would drop it's price and the dealers could sell them cheaper I'm sure they would sell much better. If they are such great basses why don't they sell well at $1250 and $1175. So(and I try to stay out of the Road worn threads because I sound like a broken record) if they are as good as the custom shop basses(as some have stated in other theads) and really light, great sounding playing basses, and country it's made in should not make a difference, again a show of hands of everyone who's put down thier hard earned on one of these.
I'm still waiting for the MF blowout on road worns next year.
Then the show your road worn threads will show a bunch of basses in 2 colors that all look the same. Cool!
You may be right about the blowout prices next year. Look what happened to HWY 1's. I would think that a better reason is the fact that there is a small issue with the economy. Nothing is selling. If the MIA were selling so great they would not need to cut the prices and offer a $100 rebate. I am only quoting the prices to show how out the prices for used RW's are not falling fast like some would lead us to believe.
I don't think anyone is comparing them to custom shop. I only stated that with a few upgrades they may be a better deal than the Custom Shop Relics. Mario works at the custom shop in the US and Jesus works at the Custom Shop in Mexico. Is it possible that they can both take the same amount of pride in their work? It is my understanding that Fender is taking a harder line with the Mexican Quality Control.
We all remember how many posts we saw on GC offering close outs on the 2008 MIA Fenders. The prices for these were insane. My friend has one for sale on Craigslist for $750 and it is the platnuim (???) color. Does this mean it was a POS?
OK my hand goes up as I will be buying one as soon as I can find 1 used at these falling prices. I do not care about the Relic. I hate having to load a brand new bass up with WD 40 just to adjust the saddles but it just feels good. If it was unreliced and it felt this good I am all for it. It feels 100 times better than my 50's Pbass but not as good as my Dirnt. Anyone want to trade a 50's PBass made in the great state of Mexico for a RW PBass. The Road Worn must be in Mint condition,
I don't think anyone is comparing them to custom shop. I only stated that with a few upgrades they may be a better deal than the Custom Shop Relics. Mario works at the custom shop in the US and Jesus works at the Custom Shop in Mexico. Is it possible that they can both take the same amount of pride in their work? It is my understanding that Fender is taking a harder line with the Mexican Quality Control.
We all remember how many posts we saw on GC offering close outs on the 2008 MIA Fenders. The prices for these were insane. My friend has one for sale on Craigslist for $750 and it is the platnuim (???) color. Does this mean it was a POS?
OK my hand goes up as I will be buying one as soon as I can find 1 used at these falling prices. I do not care about the Relic. I hate having to load a brand new bass up with WD 40 just to adjust the saddles but it just feels good. If it was unreliced and it felt this good I am all for it. It feels 100 times better than my 50's Pbass but not as good as my Dirnt. Anyone want to trade a 50's PBass made in the great state of Mexico for a RW PBass. The Road Worn must be in Mint condition,
Don't use WD40, it is a lousy lubricant and a lousy corrosion buster. btw, the WD stands for water displacement and that's what it was designed for.
has anyone had any experience with the mim classic 50s series? they look to be the same as the road worn, only with the poly finish and none of the relicing. they are also $400 cheaper. this seems like a much better deal to me, but i have not seen one in person. do you guys who like the road worn think the classic 50s plays/feels/sounds as good? this may be the answer.
Bone
I took a look at the Don Grosh guitar website. There's a very nice looking flame top jazz bass shown. No prices or inventory listed yet. Are they going to be nitrocellulose finished like the guitars? Also the guitar prices all MSRP well above $2000 (many above $3000), what kind of MSRP would that jazz bass run?
I wouldn't look to compare the RW basses to a Custom Shop instrument except for the extra work and care put in compared to other MIM bases of the same type (50's non RW selling for $839.99 http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-50s-Precision-Bass?sku=511318 ) $1299 is not outragiously higher. Would I like the price to be lower (yes, but who besides FMIC wouldn't?)
There is no comparing the Fender RW to Don Grosh customs for features, etc, but the price difference for what will come out of Don Grosh's shop is going to be huge. $800 to $2000 difference maybe? What are you expecting from a mass produced instrument for $1299? Hopefully you don't expect them to be at the same level as your Custom Shop instruments. If FMIC were able to do that, Don Grosh and many other Custom Shops would go under pretty quick.
Lastly, $1299 is not what it was 10 years ago (or even 5 years ago). I remember when that would pay for 3 months rent in a decent apartment depending where you lived. Now, $1299 might not get you one month's rent.
I don't think Fender prices are totally out of line for what they sell. Again, lower prices are always nice though. 
I took a look at the Don Grosh guitar website. There's a very nice looking flame top jazz bass shown. No prices or inventory listed yet. Are they going to be nitrocellulose finished like the guitars? Also the guitar prices all MSRP well above $2000 (many above $3000), what kind of MSRP would that jazz bass run?
I wouldn't look to compare the RW basses to a Custom Shop instrument except for the extra work and care put in compared to other MIM bases of the same type (50's non RW selling for $839.99 http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-50s-Precision-Bass?sku=511318 ) $1299 is not outragiously higher. Would I like the price to be lower (yes, but who besides FMIC wouldn't?)
There is no comparing the Fender RW to Don Grosh customs for features, etc, but the price difference for what will come out of Don Grosh's shop is going to be huge. $800 to $2000 difference maybe? What are you expecting from a mass produced instrument for $1299? Hopefully you don't expect them to be at the same level as your Custom Shop instruments. If FMIC were able to do that, Don Grosh and many other Custom Shops would go under pretty quick.
Lastly, $1299 is not what it was 10 years ago (or even 5 years ago). I remember when that would pay for 3 months rent in a decent apartment depending where you lived. Now, $1299 might not get you one month's rent.
I don't think Fender prices are totally out of line for what they sell. Again, lower prices are always nice though. As I stated earlier I have a 50's PBass. Had to have the frets leveled, the neck aligned and lastly I put a new set of tuners on it as the old ones had way to much slop. I also have a Dirnt that is totally opposite. One of my favorites. That being said I still prefer the RW neck. I am not big on the thick poly necks. If feels like the old painted Gibson basses. If you find that the RW is for you they are selling on Ebay for around $1000. Much less than the $1299 quoted here. You may want to look at used Fenders on Ebay and your local Craigslist if you decide against the RW. Good deals are all over the place. Buying used can get you more for less money.
Fender Custom Shop not Custom Shops. The Fender Custom Shop is a division of Fender. They Relic some of the high end MIA's and do mostly 1 of a kind. They trained the people who are now doing the RW's in Mexico.
Bone
I took a look at the Don Grosh guitar website. There's a very nice looking flame top jazz bass shown. No prices or inventory listed yet. Are they going to be nitrocellulose finished like the guitars? Also the guitar prices all MSRP well above $2000 (many above $3000), what kind of MSRP would that jazz bass run?
I wouldn't look to compare the RW basses to a Custom Shop instrument except for the extra work and care put in compared to other MIM bases of the same type (50's non RW selling for $839.99 http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-50s-Precision-Bass?sku=511318 ) $1299 is not outragiously higher. Would I like the price to be lower (yes, but who besides FMIC wouldn't?)
There is no comparing the Fender RW to Don Grosh customs for features, etc, but the price difference for what will come out of Don Grosh's shop is going to be huge. $800 to $2000 difference maybe? What are you expecting from a mass produced instrument for $1299? Hopefully you don't expect them to be at the same level as your Custom Shop instruments. If FMIC were able to do that, Don Grosh and many other Custom Shops would go under pretty quick.
Lastly, $1299 is not what it was 10 years ago (or even 5 years ago). I remember when that would pay for 3 months rent in a decent apartment depending where you lived. Now, $1299 might not get you one month's rent.
I think you misread my post. I was talking about "Custom Shops" in general and Don Grosh's Custom Shop in particular, not the Fender Custom Shop.
I forgot to mention that I have seen a much higher quality product coming out of Mexico lately. I have heard it is due the the honchos at Fender cracking down on the Mexican quality. I think they liked having the MIM as the lowend alternative to the higher priced MIA but they now realize that this is the price range most of their customers are in and you don't want a poor first impression.
Sorry, earlier I made the statement that a RW, with some up grades, may be a better deal than the Fender Custom Shop Relic at $3000+. I thought you were replying to that quote. Boutique Custom Shops are a whole different animal.
I think you misread my post. I was talking about "Custom Shops" in general and Don Grosh's Custom Shop in particular, not the Fender Custom Shop.
Road Worns have a nitro finish which is what Leo used in 'the day'. I think they are great basses but I have an issue with relic - ing. I dont want to be on a gig and have someone ask me how old my BTS bass is and have to respond "brand new". A relic is always in mint condition though.
Bone, you are reading too much into all of this. Your small sample of music stores is hardly random and representative. It's certainly not fair to project it to the whole population. We really don't know how well Roadworns are selling. However, the economy is still bad, and the attitude people seem to have at the moment towards discretionary spending is leaving all instrument sales flat. Sure if Fender lowers prices they will sell more of them; But can't the same can be said for every other bass line out there as well.
Nobody is missing your point. The Guitar centers in my area are selling them. It could be that people in your area are using their money for other things. Guitar sales are down in general. Look at the classifieds here, there are some great deals that aren't being sold. Why, because of the economy. Funny thing is Fender is not lowering prices on the RW's but they are on the MIA's and throwing in a $100 rebate to boot. You don't hold prices on products that aren't being sold and lower them on products that are selling. This statistic goes a long way in telling me what product Fender is having problems selling.
You can lie and tell them it was your Father's when he played with Elvis. Jeez, why do some people think that they always have to tell the truth?
BTW this is about the dumbest reason NOT to buy a RW.
BTW this is about the dumbest reason NOT to buy a RW.
Boy, I am really feeling stupid here. I was wondering why Don Grosh Guitars was even mentioned in this thread. I've never heard of them but others are throwing the name around like it is a household word. Now I get it.
Thank you MR. Science. I though that if I said 3 in 1 oil nobody would get the joke. It appears as if I was wrong again.
How would anybody know you were joking? And people do try to use WD40 all the time as a lubricant. I was actually trying to be helpful but thanks to the magic of the internet it was taken the wrong way... btw, 3 in 1 oil is a pretty lousy lubricant too (it gums up over time) -- try sewing machine oil.
