Fender American Design Experience

[awilkie84]

Well I just went through the first seven pages of the thread and only found one mention of resale value. The person posting the comment said that he expects resale to be in the range of used MIA basses. You keep claiming "most people" here are expecting phenomenally high resale values. Can you please point me to the posts where you saw this. As fellow bass players we owe a heads up to those less informed so they don't end up doing something they might regret.

There's definitely more than 1 post about it. There was a discussion on it, and I was in on it. lol

 

[GBassNorth]

I also ordered two.

Matt and I are both lefties and we haven't had any of these options for over 30 years, so you could say we're a bit excited about it.

As far as resale goes, I'm one of those people who think that resale value will be higher on an ADE than an AS, for the simple fact that there's a wait to receive one and they'll typically only be instruments that you can't just pluck off the shelf.

Now... will something like a used sunburst ADE P-Bass with a rosewood board and tort guard command any more than a used American Standard with the same options? No, most likely not, because, other than the neck plate, it would be identical.

But it makes perfect sense that some of the more unique builds might... A CAR P-bass with a swamp ash body and Jazz bass neck with a gold guard and '58 pickups? Yeah, that might attract some attention. It's simple economics. Supply and demand.

With that said, you'd have to be an idiot to buy one of these things thinking that you're going to send your grand-kids to college one day with the profits... but rather than losing your ass like you will buying an American Standard off the rack, you might be able to make your money back and eventually even turn a small profit if Fender decides to pull the plug on this deal in a year or two.

Some good thinking there! Left handed players have very limited options with most bass companies so taking advantage of this while its here sounds good. And a dual NBD congrats to you as we'll. Here's wishing you many years of bass bliss with your new acquisitions. Don't forget the pics, we love those.

 

[GBassNorth]

There's definitely more than 1 post about it. There was a discussion on it, and I was in on it. lol

So link it.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Any time you order something custom, you have to figure the re-sale will not be there, unless you happen to find someone who wants exactly what you picked.

 

[awilkie84]

So link it.

I'm not going to go back through 22 pages of posts. lol If you're curious, go re-read the thread.

Any time you order something custom, you have to figure the re-sale will not be there, unless you happen to find someone who wants exactly what you picked.

Exactly my thoughts on the ADE.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Any time you order something custom, you have to figure the re-sale will not be there, unless you happen to find someone who wants exactly what you picked.

I don't agree - in this case. I think that if you have docs that say this was direct from fender, and that the configuration isn't outlandish or goofy, it will have a premium. No, you are not going to get rich with these things, but in 10 years when the TB hive declares it "Vintage" it command a premium. How much? Eh - who knows.

 

[Addison]

It's not like people are ordering trans-pink walnut bodies with double P pickups here...

Adding a j-bass neck to a p-bass is probably one of the most popular customizations you can do and it is currently not available off-the-shelf... at least not that I'm aware of. And if it is, it's probably only available in one configuration.

I can't see how that could possibly hurt resale... it doesn't make any logical sense.

 

[awilkie84]

I don't agree - in this case. I think that if you have docs that say this was direct from fender, and that the configuration isn't outlandish or goofy, it will have a premium. No, you are not going to get rich with these things, but in 10 years when the TB hive declares it "Vintage" it command a premium. How much? Eh - who knows.

A piece of paper from Fender for a custom designed instrument built from PRODUCTION parts will not give the guitar a higher resale value. You just payed a premium for a non-custom build to get the pieces you want put together. It's an American Fender built from a parts bin, not the Custom Shop.

It's not going to hurt the resale value, but it's not going to increase it beyond what an American Standard would be. People buy VINTAGE Fenders for the prestige, not parts bin Fenders.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Except if I want something specific, I would probably build it myself new rather than paying a premium for used - the same reason custom builders, be it Sadowski or Carvin.

 

[Addison]

A piece of paper from Fender for a custom designed instrument built from PRODUCTION parts will not give the guitar a higher resale value. You just payed a premium for a non-custom build to get the pieces you want put together. It's an American Fender built from a parts bin, not the Custom Shop.

It's not going to hurt the resale value, but it's not going to increase it beyond what an American Standard would be. People buy VINTAGE Fenders for the prestige, not parts bin Fenders.

Then explain to me why a factory 70's P-Bass with an A neck is often more desirable and almost always commands more money than a standard factory 70's P-Bass.

 

[tbz]

....but rather than losing your ass like you will buying an American Standard off the rack, you might be able to make your money back and eventually even turn a small profit if Fender decides to pull the plug on this deal in a year or two.

Your chances of losing your ass are SUBSTANTIALLY higher here; price before any real options is higher than street by $350. I don't see how that could possibly equate to being able to "make your money back and eventually turn a small profit."

They're making a frankenstein for you; I don't see that commanding a premium used.

 

[awilkie84]

Then explain to me why a factory 70's P-Bass with an A neck is often more desirable and almost always commands more money than a standard factory 70's P-Bass.

The A necks were limited production and somewhat of a collector's item. The parts for the ADE are readily available and aren't going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

You really can't compare a vintage out of production instrument to a parts bin production parts instrument.

 

[Addison]

Your chances of losing your ass are SUBSTANTIALLY higher here; price before any real options is higher than street by $350. I don't see how that could possibly equate to being able to "make your money back and eventually turn a small profit."

They're making a frankenstein for you; I don't see that commanding a premium used.

Um, what?

A Frankenstein bass is put together by an end-user out of random parts they find on their own.

This is a factory piece, assembled by the factory with factory parts, chosen from a factory catalog.

When you order your own custom G&L is that also considered a Frankenstein bass?

 

[buldog5151bass]

Addison - obviously we are all guessing here, but I think tbz is right. That 70s bass is a limited run, almost like that upside down postage stamp. That is not the same as a one-off custom, even if it says "Fender" on it.

Compare it to a custom vintage car. What do you think has more value - a totally stock '57 Chevy, or one that was customized with a different engine and breaks, even if it performs better?

 

[awilkie84]

Um, what?

A Frankenstein bass is put together by an end-user out of random parts they find on their own.

This is a factory piece, assembled by the factory with factory parts, chosen from a factory catalog.

When you order your own custom G&L is that also considered a Frankenstein bass?

A Frankenstein bass is a bass made from non-standard parts. A P-bass with a J neck, even if special ordered from Fender, is still a Frankenstein of non-standard parts. The difference here is that you're paying Fender a premium to assemble it for you.

 

[awilkie84]

Addison - obviously we are all guessing here, but I think tbz is right. That 70s bass is a limited run, almost like that upside down postage stamp. That is not the same as a one-off custom, even if it says "Fender" on it.

Compare it to a custom vintage car. What do you think has more value - a totally stock '57 Chevy, or one that was customized with a different engine and breaks, even if it performs better?

Well, if the car's breaking, I don't want it. lol jk Totally get the gyst even with the typo.

 

[tbz]

Um, what?

A Frankenstein bass is put together by an end-user out of random parts they find on their own.

This is a factory piece, assembled by the factory with factory parts, chosen from a factory catalog.

When you order your own custom G&L is that also considered a Frankenstein bass?

My point is that they're not assembling a completely custom bass, with non-off the shelf parts, a la a custom shop instrument, which would demand a higher price.

They are taking necks and bodies, pre-built for specific models, and combining them into the one you want.

I'm not wholly familiar with the G&L build process, but I would assume a "custom" order from them is a bit different from that.

If G&L's "custom" model is the same, then please point out instances where a "custom" G&L commanded a substantially higher premium.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Sorry - long week and stubby fingers.

 

[Addison]

A Frankenstein bass is a bass made from non-standard parts. A P-bass with a J neck, even if special ordered from Fender, is still a Frankenstein of non-standard parts. The difference here is that you're paying Fender a premium to assemble it for you.

So, by your definition, a Fender Custom Shop bass is a Frankenstein?

I have to say, I've never heard it used that way before.

 

[tbz]

So, by your definition, a Fender Custom Shop bass is a Frankenstein?

I have to say, I've never heard it used that way before.

Off the shelf parts assembled into a non-standard configuration = frankenstein. That's been the definition for years.

Non-off the shelf parts that are higher quality than "off the shelf", assembled by the manufacturer, into the configuration you want or a non-standard configuration = custom shop.

It's not that complicated.