Differences between 4-string Fender Am Standard vs Boutiques

[taylor16]

I imagine this has been covered to exhaustion within threads but searching via Google has left me with little. Essentially, what are everyone's thoughts on a humble, working man's-type bass comparing a 2012+ Am St P or J bass with something like a Lull, Nordy, Lakland (passive, to compare apples to apples)? If one didn't care about unique paint jobs or blocks and binding, would an Olympic White/Rosewood four string Am St really be all that different than a Lull? I have a Lull and am really wondering this at this point!

 

[darwin-bass]

IMHO, a Fender Am Std bass is all the bass that anyone would ever need. Folks spend more on a base because they can and it matters to the player. To pretty-near everyone else, "It's just bass" and note selection is all that matters.


Full Disclosure - I've never owned a bass worth more than $1200, which is why it is MHO.

 

[Ace Of Bass]

Like stated above, the craftsmanship and electronic components on boutique basses tend to be of a higher quality as well as the attention to detail...but I also believe a great Fender standard can get the job done nine and a half times out of ten...

 

[Poncherello]

The difference is the one that you can listen. Some guys senses a difference, others little, some definitely not. Another question is whether the bass attends your needs and / or their level of requirement.

 

[Gearhead17]

I have heard/played/owned MIM Fenders which outperformed several MIA models. I have played Lull models that sounded good, but were uncomfortable for ME to play. It all depends. I will say this, if the bass speaks to you and feels good in your hands, play it and don’t look back. If you need a backup and find a cheaper bass that sounds really good, buy it! My Spector Euro basses are MUCH better to me over the American series. Sure, the paint job is not as good, but who cares?

 

[brianrost]

What you are supposed to be paying for with boutique Ps or Js is a bass that off the rack is perfectly set up, has good wood, properly shielded, reliable hardware and well voiced pickups.

Whether that translates into a better bass is for you to decide.

 

[PortlandBass77]

Lets see, price, machine made vs hand crafted, species of wood, traditional design vs unique/weird designs, and different pickups and electronic. Oh and did I mention $$$$$

 

[taylor16]

Ok- what I TRIED to ask was, in comparing a passive Lull or Nordy or Lakland four string jazz bass in the same wood combination, be it alder/rosewood or ash/maple, is there a notable difference in tonality and playability between them and a 2012+ Fender American Standard Jazz or Precision bass?

 

[mpdd]

it's hard for me to speak of consistency, i've played the most amazing 2012 american standard p and the most amazing 2013 lb-100, but how much of that was because the manager of the store played bass and these things were set up great, the pickups were tilted perfectly, and they just happened to have a sweet tube ampeg rig, however i've also played recent american standards that were definitely not to much better than any bass you might pick up when somebody is trying to dump one of their unnecessary basses that's just a pretty good bass

 

[MN_Bass]

I've owned many am standards, a us lakland and now a CS Fender. There isn't a difference really. Neck profiles and colors are the major pieces. In the end they are all wood, wire and metal.

 

[raventepes]

I'll first disclose that most boutiques and custom builds just simply don't interest me. It doesn't matter if it's a Lull, Sadowsky, Alembic, Fodora...doesn't matter, really. None of those companies are on my short list of basses to own. Sure, they're often very pretty, but I think that, as mentioned above, a typical AM STD or even a MIM would completely suffice, especially for a P or a J. I don't think it entirely matters until you get into soapbars, where, I'm sure many would agree that the current market in non-boutique is saturated with either EMG HZ's or Bartolini MK's, which leaves, at least me, wanting and unsatisfied.

Most people would be hard pressed to notice a difference in a double blind test between, say an American Standard, and a boutique equivalent, and strung with the same strings. I don't entirely think even bass players would notice much difference between tone and playability.

 

[joebar]

at the end of the day, ability trumps all.
once you arrive at a certain level of functionality, the rest is up to you.

 

[nostatic]

Some people will say there's no significant difference. Other people will say there is. And they are both right.

 

[radioface]

Price tag is the difference.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

• Tighter tolerances;
• Material quality;
• Premium features (A back-of-neck volute, for example)
• Premium parts
• Premium finishes

This is what you pay for when you buy something like a Lull, Sadowsky or Lakland rather than a Fender.

 

[Scarey Larry]

I happen to own a recent Mike Lull P4 and a 2012 AmStdDlx Fender J. Cost was actually pretty close. Suspect the P was close in price because it is passive with one pickup. There are two differences that I can think of. First is the Lull weight is around 15% less (and I have not weighed either). The second is the Lull frets are just a bit better finished and that is an opinion. Otherwise, both are very high quality instruments that will last a lifetime with minimal maintenance.

It really doesn't matter what other people play or pay, it is what works for you.

 

[Crash 56]

I bought a used Lull M5 for about what a new fancy Fender would be, and I couldn't be happier. I own a am std. jazz, and it's just not as playable as the Lull, but then I like the neck profile on the Lull much better. Like you always see in these threads, It's up to you to figure out what makes you happy...

 

[darrenmt]

IMO there would be a noticeable difference in weight, build quality and feel between a Fender Am Standard P and a US Lakland 44-64(either Duck Dunn or Bob Glaub) for example.

This would be due to more premium wood selections(lighter or more figured cuts according to customer needs), more careful+ higher skill build and neck treatment/finishing, custom appointments, higher QC. You may see a few Am Fenders with QC issues slip thru the cracks but hardly any US boutiques eg. Lakland USA, Mike Lull. Sadowsky NYC, etc. They usually reach the customer feeling and looking just about perfect.

A boutique brand promises that higher level of service and quality which at the end of the day, comes down to whether the consumer feels is worth the extra money. IMO tonal appeal is subjective and has no $ value.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Ok- what I TRIED to ask was, in comparing a passive Lull or Nordy or Lakland four string jazz bass in the same wood combination, be it alder/rosewood or ash/maple, is there a notable difference in tonality and playability between them and a 2012+ Fender American Standard Jazz or Precision bass?

My main bass is a US Lakland Joe Osborn. I've played many Fenders, including the aforementioned 2012+ Fenders. While the Fenders are certainly outstanding, I feel the Lakland just feels better. It's like the difference between a Chevy and a BMW. Also, to my ears, the Lakland sounds more 'vintage' tone-wise.

 

[ERock_10]

I own 3 high end Fender basses (2 American Deluxe Jazz) and a Jaco fretless signature. I just recently purchased a Sadowsky Metro P/J and I immediately appreciated the difference. The Sadowsky is much better craftsmanship and the sound is amazing, especially for country and rock. Fenders are great instruments too, and I gravitate to them for a jazz sound. However there is a considerable difference in the quality and ease of playability in the Sadowosky based on my particular experience.