Come on Fender!

[steveinohio]

Hmmm, all these reports are making those Chinese productions looking better all the time. Multiple brands coming out of singular factories.

I doubt I'd ever buy an American Fender with continual stories like this...far too much variation.

This is one of the basses made in Mexico. The US ones can still be spotty. I’m still a fan of them though.

 

[JesterR]

Maybe there is something wrong with me, but for 20 years of playing guitars and basses (90% Fenders) I never bothered to sitting down and stare on each fret edge... If it feels smooth, I just play.

 

[Bevan777]

Almost time to rise up.....

That’s what the frets are doing, they’ve had enough.

 

[jd56hawk]

The simple truth.
They're not amazing basses, they're not garbage.
They're simply decent basses

 

[logdrum]

Here in the the high desert where the humidity is low, we expect fret sprout even if the bass is from Fodera. I usually wait 3 weeks to adjust and sometimes the wood auto corrects itself. I always budget for fret level and file for every bass I buy outside this area. I also know how to level and polish frets now. If it sounds good, I may just live with it.

You should just return it. And deduct another point from Fender

Here's a possible outcome:

OP returns bass. Fender resells it as B stock and is picked up by a single mom and for her 16 year old child who eventually becomes a successful musician 7 years from now., and this becomes this person's main and beloved bass. Points out in a Rolling Stones interview that the hole by the fret is the where the mojo enters and a lucky charm. Year 2032

 

[logdrum]

I wouldn't agree with that at all. Fender isn't nearly as bad as others, but the reality is that they still have pretty high profit margins. The employees don't get paid a lot, the RnD doesn't cost a lot, the materials don't cost a lot, so on so forth. The price you pay for a Player series is too high, given that they're quality wise very similar to the instruments made in asia at a fraction of the cost.
If the employees actually got paid a lot more, I would agree. But not like this.

Are you sure that the labor cost in Indonesia is a fraction of Mexican wages/ I've been to both, Indonesia feels cleaner, safer and they do not have cartels controlling everything and murdering their citizens. Having said that, I love going to Mexico., specially the capital area, Pueblo and Guadalajara.

Here's a min wage chart for you. The difference is slight. A job at the Cort mega factories is a status in Indonesia. FMIC is using the geographical proximity for their pricing schemes.

 

[JRA]

a cheaper workaround for 7ender QC issues (as described in the OP):
- build your own parts bass instead of buying one from 7ender.
- play fretless.

 

[Geri O]

Praising, bashing, psychoanalysis…..

Damn, Fender threads never disappoint.

Amazing how much ground gets covered….

 

[MojoPin]

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

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.

Confirmation bias is also a psychological process which is the tendency of people to favor information that confirms or strengthens their beliefs or values and is difficult to dislodge once affirmed. Now you know.

 

[Relsom]

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

That's what I was thinking...short tang or deep slot, until I read ......

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

Bummer. That would be unacceptable in my book. I've had 35 year old basses that have had a fret or 2 rise up out of the slot and need to be hammered back in, but for a brand new instrument....nah, unacceptable.

 

[baxter_x]

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.

Exactly!

 

[Lenny JG]

Confirmation bias is also a psychological process which is the tendency of people to favor information that confirms or strengthens their beliefs or values and is difficult to dislodge once affirmed. Now you know.

Let's be real though, is this an echo chamber, or does Fender sell a bunch of sub par basses to people hoping they won't return them?

 

[MojoPin]

Let's be real though, is this an echo chamber, or does Fender sell a bunch of sub par basses to people hoping they won't return them?

Yeah, no biased selections there at all... I mean tell us how you really feel. "Is everyone here dumb and shill?" or "Does Fender really suck hoping people won't notice?" is how those two translate...

 

[Geri O]

Confirmation bias is also a psychological process which is the tendency of people to favor information that confirms or strengthens their beliefs or values and is difficult to dislodge once affirmed. Now you know.

Let's be real though, is this an echo chamber, or does Fender sell a bunch of sub par basses to people hoping they won't return them?

Damn.

Does anyone just play music with a bass they like anymore??

 

[MojoPin]

Damn.

Does anyone just play music with a bass they like anymore??

Totally agree with your sentiment, and that first quote you posted was mine. Just a heads up for those reading.

 

[Killing Floor]

I’m honest about this.
I buy and play Fender for the brand.

If I bought a MiA P bass today I’d book time for Plek and include a nut made of proper nut material and I’d shield and ground check the bass and Loctite the jack. It it was a Telecaster I’d also immediately replace the jack cup because Leo Fender himself identified that as a defect.

And when I’m done I have a perfect instrument that has the brand that is the look, feel and sound of rock’n’roll.

 

[Geri O]

Totally agree with your sentiment, and that first quote you posted was mine. Just a heads up for those reading.

Thanx for clarifying that. I didn’t look….

 

[Geri O]

I’m honest about this.
I buy and play Fender for the brand.

If I bought a MiA P bass today I’d book time for Plek and include a nut made of proper nut material and I’d shield and ground check the bass and Loctite the jack. It it was a Telecaster I’d also immediately replace the jack cup because Leo Fender himself identified that as a defect.

And when I’m done I have a perfect instrument that has the brand that is the look, feel and sound of rock’n’roll.

And a few folks around here consider that a psychological disorder….

Damn….

 

[MojoPin]

And a few folks around here consider that a psychological disorder….

Well to be fair, the "process" the guy I was replying to originally was describing a natural occurring condition that happens in our ape like brains. Same with confirmation bias, it's just something we hairless apes have to try and overcome in one way or another. We are unfortunately also geared to remember negativity better than anything positive hence why I believe the person I was replying to was conformationally biased since I doubt he remembers all the NBD post gushing over their new ("BEST") P bass ("ever MADE"), cheap or expensive.

 

[steimlem]

i mostly buy 200-500$ basses and i see what's in the OP's picture in many of them. sucks, but mostly cosmetic/doesn't affect anything. if i spent more on a bass like 800+ it would upset me more, but that's also why i buy cheaper stuff. if i spend less, i'm not as picky and the flaws don't bother me as much

if the flaw affects how it sounds or feels, that's a bigger issue. if it doesn't, meh, consider myself lucky. my current favorite bass has a crooked bridge and misaligned pickup.. but with all the saddles shifted right it sounds and plays fantastic, so i just live with it.

i do think the companies should be held to a standard, but at the same time i'm used to it and can't let it bother me