Fender Custom Shop

[Mister Boh]

What about a Suhr classic J? Top notch quality and maybe a little cheaper than the Custom shop.

I've never played the basses but every Suhr guitar I've played was outstanding.

 

[hennessybass]

I play a ‘64 NOS Jazz from the custom shop. It’s been my #1 for about a decade.

It belonged to a friend who had it in his studio and he wanted a P instead. I actually had no J bass experience, but I could tell it was a good bass the second I played it - unplugged. He let me split the payment over a few months. I just went for it, and I’ve never regretted it.

Absolutely worth it for me. It is a fabulous bass, and a decade later, it still inspires me.

If you know what you want and can make it happen, then I say go for it. I don’t think you will regret it.

 

[Picton]

There’s a bunch of ways to look at this.

Will a “better” bass make you play better? It might; it won’t magically make you Jaco, but it might inspire you to play better. You be the judge about whether that’s worth the extra $.

You can easily and FAR more cheaply put together your own bass. It’ll sound as good as FCS and you might even play it better.

A lot of folks who spend on FCS instruments feel they’re the best they’ve ever played. But they should feel that way; if they don’t, then they’re the suckers who paid thousands for something substandard. So it might well be the placebo effect in action.

Just a few things to consider. Personally, I wouldn’t pay the extra.

 

[Bass Viking]

What about a Suhr classic J? Top notch quality and maybe a little cheaper than the Custom shop.

I've never played the basses but every Suhr guitar I've played was outstanding.

I have played a Suhr Jazz bass and it was very nice, liked it better than Fender. I also own a Suhr guitar and it is excellent!

 

[king_biscuit]

A lot of folks who spend on FCS instruments feel they’re the best they’ve ever played. But they should feel that way; if they don’t, then they’re the suckers who paid thousands for something substandard. So it might well be the placebo effect in action.

That likely happens when people buy any bass, not just Fender Custom Shop.

 

[hennessybass]

That likely happens when people buy any bass, not just Fender Custom Shop.

Agree.

For me, my CS bass is not maybe "the best I've ever played", but it's the best I've ever owned (by far), and it's a REALLY top of the line instrument in the passive fender J style instrument category.

I think with basses (and with amps and cabs and lots of other things in life) there hits a point where you get really good, and from there on out it's only very subtle differences that are a matter of taste. Different flavors of good. Like a $10 bottle of whisky vs. a $100 dollar bottle vs. a $1000 dollar bottle. They 100 bottle is most definitely better than the 10 bottle, but the 1000 bottle might only be better than the 100 bottle for some people who are whisky connoisseurs and are looking for what ever note of whatever in the aftertaste. And that $100 bottle, is no doubt a great bottle of whisky.

The Fender CS makes fantastic instruments. The best wood, the finest craftsman, attention to detail, etc, etc... Are there better instruments out there? It depends. Instruments are somewhere between art and science, so there is a level of subjectivity.

 

[B-line]

I think that the key word in choosing a FCS bass is...Fender.
There are quite a few high-end high $$ J & P basses on the market, but-
There is only one way to get a "real" Fender Bass as opposed to a Fender-style bass, and that is from FMIC.
The Custom Shop is an aggregate of their best builders and craftsmen and technicians. They get first choice of woods, and the freedom to develop whatever they need to produce Custom Shop guitars and basses.

Sadowsky, Lull, Lakland, Suhr, Olinto, New York Bass Works etc etc- All make outstanding instruments, but the one thing they can't do is put "Fender" on the headstock.

To some players, the Fender name is no big deal; it even turns some off! But one of the selling points of an FCS bass is that it's the top of the line product from...
Fender!

 

[hennessybass]

I think that the key word in choosing a FCS bass is...Fender.
There are quite a few high-end high $$ J & P basses on the market, but-
There is only one way to get a "real" Fender Bass as opposed to a Fender-style bass, and that is from FMIC.
The Custom Shop is an aggregate of their best builders and craftsmen and technicians. They get first choice of woods, and the freedom to develop whatever they need to produce Custom Shop guitars and basses.

Sadowsky, Lull, Lakland, Suhr, Olinto, New York Bass Works etc etc- All make outstanding instruments, but the one thing they can't do is put "Fender" on the headstock.

To some players, the Fender name is no big deal; it even turns some off! But one of the selling points of an FCS bass is that it's the top of the line product from...
Fender!

Truth. And if you want a piece of that Fender history, the classic look, or an old school Fender bass that's not an old bass, hasn't been refinished or whatever, the CS is there for that. And a lot of guys do what a piece of that Fender thing. As demonstrated by how many guys put Fender decals on their non-fender basses or replacement necks.

I think the part about how the Fender name turns some folks off is very true, and IMO a little strange.
Maybe it's because Fender makes such a HUGE variety and quality ranging from squire to the CS that the CS is somehow thought of as not as good by some? Like everyone in the world (regardless of income or status) has access to a fender, so it somehow dilutes the value. Like if your (nearly exact copy) of a fender Jazz bass says Suhr or Sadowsky, it lets people know that your bass is top of the line, but if it says Fender, people might mistakenly think you are just playing a lowly AM Standard and are just one of the masses who shop at Guitar Center. -- That's why I am always sure to show everyone I come across the CS stamp on the back of my headstock

Kidding of course. My bass is very special to me, has a personal history, and like I said in an earlier post, its a great player and inspires me to play. Not trying to put down anyone or their choices, so please don't take my comments that way.

 

[B-line]

Truth. And if you want a piece of that Fender history, the classic look, or an old school Fender bass that's not an old bass, hasn't been refinished or whatever, the CS is there for that. And a lot of guys do what a piece of that Fender thing. As demonstrated by how many guys put Fender decals on their non-fender basses or replacement necks.

I think the part about how the Fender name turns some folks off is very true, and IMO a little strange.
Maybe it's because Fender makes such a HUGE variety and quality ranging from squire to the CS that the CS is somehow thought of as not as good by some? Like everyone in the world (regardless of income or status) has access to a fender, so it somehow dilutes the value. Like if your (nearly exact copy) of a fender Jazz bass says Suhr or Sadowsky, it lets people know that your bass is top of the line, but if it says Fender, people might mistakenly think you are just playing a lowly AM Standard and are just one of the masses who shop at Guitar Center. -- That's why I am always sure to show everyone I come across the CS stamp on the back of my headstock

Kidding of course. My bass is very special to me, has a personal history, and like I said in an earlier post, its a great player and inspires me to play. Not trying to put down anyone or their choices, so please don't take my comments that way.

Don't forget to also show them the neckplate AND the inside of the Hard-Shell Case!!

(BTW...I'm a BIG fan of FCS basses:

BEHOLD!

A-mazing!!

 

[hennessybass]

Don't forget to also show them the neckplate AND the inside of the Hard-Shell Case!!

My case actually does not have the logo. Don't know why. It has a small Fender badge under the handle, and inside it has a badge for "G&G the original case company" on the cover of the storage compartment. No other branding. It's orange inside, and came with all the case candy.

The friend I bought it from worked at a high end studio (national TV spots, 3 composers on staff, etc). So he knew "the Fender guy" and bought all his guitars and basses from him. Lots of cool CS shop guitars mostly. Nocaster, rosewood tele, etc. Maybe that direct buy from the Fender rep has something to do with the case.

Actually have never used the case... I use an SKB shaped case. And sometimes a Mono gig bag.

That Jazz is a beauty @B-line. There is a CS Daphnie Blue J, with stacked knobs and a very light relic hanging on the wall in my local shop. GAS!!!

 

[B-line]

My case actually does not have the logo. Don't know why. It has a small Fender badge under the handle, and inside it has a badge for "G&G the original case company" on the cover of the storage compartment. No other branding. It's orange inside, and came with all the case candy.

The friend I bought it from worked at a high end studio (national TV spots, 3 composers on staff, etc). So he knew "the Fender guy" and bought all his guitars and basses from him. Lots of cool CS shop guitars mostly. Nocaster, rosewood tele, etc. Maybe that direct buy from the Fender rep has something to do with the case.

Actually have never used the case... I use an SKB shaped case. And sometimes a Mono gig bag.

That Jazz is a beauty @B-line. There is a CS Daphnie Blue J, with stacked knobs and a very light relic hanging on the wall in my local shop. GAS!!!

Sad to say,neither of those CS basses are mine. The P-Bass is a Masterbuilt-


The Jazz is one of many such incredible basses built in Corona.

I rarely use a HSC myself at least for local gigs- I was lucky enough to find a now no longer made FCS Bass Gigbag:

Very high-quality (of course!) by Reunion Blues for Fender.
Fit my 2013 Precision Pro which sadly I no longer own.
Sooner rather than later I intend to get a Fiesta Red CS P-Bass, maybe a '63.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

i have a used CS sixties jazz. It is a really great Jazz bass. It has the best tone of any jazz I have played. I play it a little differently than my other basses. It brings out something different in me. I am glad to have it around after rocking to some Zeppelin.

 

[hennessybass]

i have a used CS sixties jazz. It is a really great Jazz bass. It has the best tone of any jazz I have played. I play it a little differently than my other basses. It brings out something different in me. I am glad to have it around after rocking to some Zeppelin.

View attachment 3251003

Very nice — both basses and the amp.

—- It brings out something different in me — That’s value.

 

[Mo cowbell]

I too am looking at CS options. From the catalog, the options don’t seem as expansive as I imagined. Also, am I wrong in this? Is the primary motivator in most of these CS builds to build a new old school bass? I was hoping to build a Precision with a BA bridge and modern pickups....maybe active.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

My latest CS acquisition