Dubious failure by Fender Custom Shop!

[Grinderman]

The tone on the 60s headstock logo had way more dynamic mids and better treble extension above 3k, that's the bigger miss for Fender. I imagine all these basses will need vintage NOS pickguard screws to offset the tone difference from the 70s logo.

Either way, these basses will sound like absolute trash and any lay person at your gigs will likely unfollow your band on Facebook.

The drummer might even fire you...

Considering the font of the '70s decal is heavier, bolder than that of the '68-correct font I'm concerned about weight.

 

[FRoss6788]

You’re point is spot on, however for $4,500 I’d expect a 1968 re-issued jazz bass by the vaunted Fender Custom shop to at least have the correct logo.

Then order your own from the Custom Shop to YOUR specs and it'll have it.

 

[Marc DLarosa]

Considering the font of the '70s decal is heavier, bolder than that of the '68-correct font I'm concerned about weight.

 

[80jazz]

Actually Maple and black blocks DID in fact appear in the late ‘60’s. Often described as “maple cap neck.”

If I am not mistaken, black blocks on a maple fingerboard first appeared on the price list in 1968.

 

[bobyoung53]

This is a real 1968, they call it a maple cap bass, never heard of it before, are those real inlays in the neck?:


Link RemovedLink Removed

 

[smurfco]

Outrageous. Not sure how I’m gonna sleep tonight

 

[gln1955]

Fender needs to run the specs of every bass they make past TB before they start production. They can't be allowed to design their own products willy-nilly. Who knows what they'll come up with.

 

[Admiral Akbar]

Then order your own from the Custom Shop to YOUR specs and it'll have it.

I have no interest, but rest assured if I called mine a “1968”, it would have the replica decal used in 1968, not 1978.

Yup—I’m splitting hairs, but it’s a funny oversight to make on such a high-end item.

 

[Admiral Akbar]

Fender needs to run the specs of every bass they make past TB before they start production. They can't be allowed to design their own products willy-nilly. Who knows what they'll come up with.

No they needn’t call TB. They just need get their own history straight when putting out high-priced reissues of their own stuff.

 

[Geri O]

No they needn’t call TB. They just need get their own history straight when putting out high-priced reissues of their own stuff.

Why oh, why I'm compelled to ask this, I'll never know, but I gotta....

Have any of you guys ever called Fender Custom Shop and told them any of this and asked them why?

In case it's a secret, you won't get that answer around here.

 

[Admiral Akbar]

What if it's a '68 body with a '75 neck? Has that ever happened?

Impossible: They didn’t use black blocks in 1975… (please don’t bring up the “1975” reissue jazz bass they did in the mid-2000’s that had black blocks, 1978 logo, and 3 bolt-neck plate!! Ha, ha….)

 

[Admiral Akbar]

This is outrageous!! How could Fender deceive the entire bass playing community like this! How are we going to deal with this travesty?

OP, I would very strongly recommend that you do not purchase this bass!!

Lol — I will totally keep away for sure!

 

[Hot Rats]

Impossible: They didn’t use black blocks in 1975.

I see. The '75 re-issue is a re-issue of a bass they never made? I'll take your word for it; I just don't know.

Edit ..Ha ha..too funny. But I got in before your edit.

 

[FenderP]

Impossible: They didn’t use black blocks in 1975… (please don’t bring up the “1975” reissue jazz bass they did in the mid-2000’s that had black blocks, 1978 logo, and 3 bolt-neck plate!! Ha, ha….)

Geddy's 1972 Jazz Bass called ... black blocks with a maple neck were very much in use in 1975 and before. As has been posted above in a 1968 example, it is not a made up thing.

I owned a Bass V at one point which was maple with black binding and blocks from the late 60s. I regret selling that one.

EDIT: I do agree putting a later logo on a "1968" is a bit wonky, but doesn't completely bother me. If the specs outside of the logo are correct, that boils down to an aesthetic thing that bothers you or doesn't. I'm not in the market for a Jazz Bass, so ...

 

[Admiral Akbar]

Geddy's 1972 Jazz Bass called ... black blocks with a maple neck were very much in use in 1975 and before. As has been posted above in a 1968 example, it is not a made up thing.

I owned a Bass V at one point which was maple with black binding and blocks from the late 60s. I regret selling that one.

EDIT: I do agree putting a later logo on a "1968" is a bit wonky, but doesn't completely bother me. If the specs outside of the logo are correct, that boils down to an aesthetic thing that bothers you or doesn't. I'm not in the market for a Jazz Bass, so ...

Cool. Gary’s 1972 jazz bass neck is from 1972. What does that have to do with a 1975 neck?

 

[bobba66]

I like it.

 

[Admiral Akbar]

I see. The '75 re-issue is a re-issue of a bass they never made? I'll take your word for it; I just don't know.

Edit ..Ha ha..too funny. But I got in before your edit.

Exactly! They dropped the ball on that too (vintage-incorrect… great basses otherwise!). And at least they weren’t relic’ed (as in made to look from 1975), and didn’t cost $4,500.

 

[Admiral Akbar]

According to their webpage, the “Journeyman 1968 Jazz Bass Relic” is part of their ‘Time Machine’ series:


‘Time Machine Series
We've taken the concept of reissue instruments even further by crafting meticulous replicas using the same techniques and tooling as the originals.’

—except decals, apparently! Lol

 

[Admiral Akbar]

Funny enough — the bass pictured on their website does in fact sport a period-correct (albeit “transitional”) logo for 1968:

 

[BuddhaFingas]

I'm betting they're not using period-correct lead based solder, either...

But then, I'm still busy boggling on the concept of "generic Custom Shop build."

"Generic" being pretty much the opposite of "Custom."