Come on Fender!

[Chrisk-K]

I bought a Player II Precision directly from Fender last December but returned it due to a nut issue. They sent me a replacement. This one has at least seven frets either lifting from the fret slot or extremely poorly installed (see the fret shown on the left). I didn't expect top-notch fretwork, but this kind of atrocious workmanship is unacceptable. I still love Fender, though.

 

[KenD]

Quality control is an expense item. Expenses reduce the bottom line profit. Private equity uber alles!

 

[Killing Floor]

Is that lifting or just a gap that isn't filled in finishing?

Anyway, I'm a massive Fender fanboy. But Fender is not now and has never been a boutique brand.

 

[BGroovy]

Every new Ultra I've played has had neck issues. It's such a bummer because they're great basses, some of the best sounding/feeling in recent Fender history IMO.

They're a deal used right now though and I decided to invest in fixing mine as a keeper. When a neck fits you like a glove you take it warts and all.

 

[Chrisk-K]

All such frets are higher than fine looking frets as measured with a fret rocker, so I'm thinking they are lifting.

 

[Dbassmon]

That does not look like lifted fret from your pic. It look more like a short tang, with a small gap in the finish.

Take a straight edge across that fret and adjacent fret on both sides.. does it rock or is it flat?

 

[Whale]

Time is money in a factory setting. Fender (like many other businesses) pump out their products as well as they can as, but as quickly as they can. They fully expect a certain percentage to have issues. Could they do better? Absolutely!! But to be fair, the current degree of quality coming out of the Fender facilities is a bazillion times better than what we were seeing in earlier eras.

 

[Basvarken]

Nothing structurally wrong with that. They could have filled the gap underneath. But the fret is seated fine.

 

[ClassicJazz]

Surprised. I bought a Player II Jazz recently from GC and I was blown away how good this bass was. The fretwork and rolled neck edges are prefect and really well done as well as the rest of the bass. I am really taken back how well this bass plays and sounds. Also they had a really nice Player II P-Bass there which I almost got as well. Again, I was amazed how well it was made and sounded. I previously didn't have super high regard for the Fender MIM stuff, but these basses changed my mind on that!

 

[ThudThudThud]

I have two Fender Player/Player II guitars and they are not only very well made, but also perfectly set up. This was likely because I bought through Sweetwater, who do their checks and set up. Direct from Fender should have better quality control, but alas.

 

[Swerve]

The Player II has been such a disappointment compared to the previous iteration. I’ve demoed more duds than good ones. Buying online is a total crapshoot.

 

[Code Brown]

this kind of atrocious workmanship is unacceptable. I still love Fender, though.

I'm a massive Fender fanboy. But Fender is not now and has never been a boutique brand.

Every new Ultra I've played has had neck issues. It's such a bummer because they're great basses

Rationalizing dissonance is a psychological process where individuals justify or rationalize their actions or decisions to reduce discomfort caused by conflicting beliefs or behaviors.

You guys are free to like whatever you want. But I have to say I've heard more complaints about Fender QC on TB than any other brand. Maybe they just sell more guitars. I don't know. But from what I can tell there's nothing special about Fender. They seem to be average at best with a premium price tag. 30 years ago was a different situation. But now I bet all the major builders use the same CNC machines and source their wood from pretty much the same places. Granted, Fender still makes some very nice instruments - but so do a lot of other companies - without the obligatory Fender price premium and seemingly better QC.

 

[KenD]

Is that lifting or just a gap that isn't filled in finishing?

Anyway, I'm a massive Fender fanboy. But Fender is not now and has never been a boutique brand.

True. From what I have read, Leo was always heavily into volume production and price points.

 

[lowplaces]

Surprised. I bought a Player II Jazz recently from GC and I was blown away how good this bass was. The fretwork and rolled neck edges are prefect and really well done as well as the rest of the bass. I am really taken back how well this bass plays and sounds. Also they had a really nice Player II P-Bass there which I almost got as well. Again, I was amazed how well it was made and sounded. I previously didn't have super high regard for the Fender MIM stuff, but these basses changed my mind on that!

Guy on TDPRI said basically the same thing. Never cared for MIM but a guy at a local GC told him t check out a Player II they just got. He loved it bought it, and was gushing over it on his NBD thread.

 

[steveinohio]

Rationalizing dissonance is a psychological process where individuals justify or rationalize their actions or decisions to reduce discomfort caused by conflicting beliefs or behaviors.

You guys are free to like whatever you want. But I have to say I've heard more complaints about Fender QC on TB than any other brand. Maybe they just sell more guitars. I don't know. But from what I can tell there's nothing special about Fender. They seem to be average at best with a premium price tag. 30 years ago was a different situation. But now I bet all the major builders use the same CNC machines and source their wood from pretty much the same places. Granted, Fender still makes some very nice instruments - but so do a lot of other companies - without the obligatory Fender price premium and seemingly better QC.

30 years ago people said the same exact thing about Fender. They will do the same thing 30 years from now.

 

[UNICORN BASS]

Bottom line: completely unacceptable. There is no excuse for this type of build issue unless it has 2ND printed on it, IMHO.

 

[Liam Wald]

There has always been the issue that a certain percentage of actual Fenders were just plain duds.
My favorite "Fenders" have always been Laklands.

 

[Dave TB Killer]

That's crazy. Wonder if you could get the one with the bad nut back.

 

[Ellery]

This is why I like my FSOs built by G&L

 

[_Obra_]

IMHO, and with all the respect, that's exactly what You can expect for how much You paid for. For flawless, buy a Custom Shop.