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Fender Dusty Hill

#41
This isn't a new video but it popped up on the side of the youtube page and I've never heard a sound sample of this bass before.



Expensive basses are worth what buyers are willing to pay for them...yada yada yada.... but I think it sounds fairly mediocre....in my humble opinion. Not awful, but in between mediocre and pretty much like any pbass strung with rounds.
 
#44
I have a (non-relic'd) FCS P-Bass, unquestionably one of the best basses I own. It is on par with USA Lakland, Sadowsky, Lull; just fantastic.
It cost street less than those, and the Dusty model would probably be somewhere around the same.

Now if the relic'd look, or the simple SC design is not your thing, that is certainly understandable.

Bit for those who feel that a Warmoth build would be equal, or that the evil FCS peeps overcharge and laugh behind your back...
C'mon!

FCS builds are special; great care is taken in wood selection, components, and assembly. You could home clone this bass, but it still would not be at the level of build of the Fender Custom shop. If you think SO- then hurry down there and apply for a position. It pays very well, and the staff there are the elite.

Cost? Yep, you pay for the FCS name, as you do with Roger, or Mike, or any other high-end bass.
For those who care about such things (I don't, I rarely flip basses) a FCS has an intrinsic high resale value just because of that badge.

I KNOW that that bass sounds awesome. If it's not your thing, don't buy! FCS will survive, and continue to show great product that saps like me fork over their hard-earned cash for!

Rant over!:laugh:
 
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#47
jessicabass said:
For 5k it better make me breakfast, take my kids to school, and cook me dinner everyday as well.
Click to expand...

Nope won't do that. But it WILL be built incredibly well, sound awesome, and play like a FCS bass. I think the "street" price would be a little better than 5K; but still not cheap. Let me ask you this: Would you expect a Sadowsky, Lakland, or Mike Lull Bass to do your household chores too?
 
#50
Mike Sorr said:
Makes about as much sense as this at $7600. For that money it better include Geddy's bass tech to tune it for you every day. By the way, Geddy spent a whole $200 for the one this is modeled after:

Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...

There's another thread about the Geddy FCS; same shock and indignation by some; same likeability by others including a few who actually OWN the bass.

Why FCS output gets the sticker shock more so than other $$$ basses escapes me. Maybe some confuse the FCS builds with standard Fender production, and don't get the differences.

I'd recommend a trip to the Fender Custom shop. It's possible that seeing their wood selection, components, pick-ups, etc. as well as the care taken in building the instrument would alter their views.

I currently own a '69 P-Bass that is restored to a superb player; I've owned other P&J basses and played many others as well.
My 2013 FCS P-Bass was built to such an incredibly high standard, and sounds and feels so good, I guess it's made me a FCS fan-boi.
Not a problem with me.

If I bought a Dusty Hill model, I wouldn't stress the price tag at all; I'd spend my time playing it and totally enjoying how it plays.
If I didn't (want to) buy it- Then there would be no issue!
 
#52
Red Four said:
Because a fool and his money.
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Here's some thought on who 's a fool, and what is foolish:

IMO a FOOL would be a bassist with knowledge of what a well-built instrument is about who would then diss a bass without having spent quality time playing it-Or even playing it briefly, which would be enough time (for someone with adequate knowledge and experience) to appraise how an instrument is put together and will sound.

Now if you did not/ or do not have that knowledge, then you would be a fool to express an opinion.

If a player with that experience were to judge an instrument without having played it or even held it; then IMO that person would be a total Fool for passing judgement.

How about dissing a car without a test-drive -Would you do that? Only a fool would.

I'll bet the players who have bought the DH are totally digging their basses.

If you were to think that I was a fool because I parted w/ money to buy MY FCS model- You would be.... wrong.
And very foolish.
 
#53
What makes me chuckle about FCS basses is how many are reproductions of instruments they mass produced in decades past. So in 1957 we casually slapped these together using unskilled factory workers, and they were awesome, but if you want the same level of craftsmanship today it'll run you five grand, because Fender.


Sent from my iPad using TalkBass
 
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#54
Classic69 said:
Here's some thought on who 's a fool, and what is foolish:
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It's a plain-wood, slab-body, bolt-on fretted bass with two bridge saddles for $5,000.

Somebody wants to feel not foolish for buying that, more power to them. I'd certainly like to have the spare change to be that not foolish. Doesn't change my opinion, though.

I'm sure your bass is great.
 
#55
We can all spend our money any way we please. I'm a terrible bass player. Won't matter what I pick up and play. But if you want to believe you purchased a rare piece of alder mated to an even rarer piece of maple by woodworkers with magical fingers and knowledge only a wizard of wood could have, and then spec'd with off the shelf hardware, to produce a magical instrument. Go for it. Spend away.
Might be FCS employees earn USA middle class wages and benefits. That might have more to do with the production cost and subsequent street price of Sadowsky's, Lull's, and FCS'. Compared to the CNC machined assembly line factory worker wage and benee's. If you trained a second or third world craftsman to produce the same FCS bass it would cost, let's just say $1800, when sold here in the USA.
The point is if it's hand made, labor intensive, it will cost more. Sound better, produce rapture when playing, bring a smile to your face? Well, no one is arguing against quality.
 
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#56
Red Four said:
It's a plain-wood, slab-body, bolt-on fretted bass with two bridge saddles for $5,000.

Somebody wants to feel not foolish for buying that, more power to them. I'd certainly like to have the spare change to be that not foolish. Doesn't change my opinion, though.

I'm sure your bass is great.
Click to expand...

Once again: HAVE YOU PLAYED IT??
If not read (4) posts above.

I have the spare change, but the DH is not my cup of tea. This was and is:
Invalid Link Removed

Anybody is free to think I paid too much and that is only a $1800 bass with a price tag inflated by manufacturing overhead and marketing baloney.
Fine with me. A NYC Sadowsky (which I had, and which didn't move me as much) would cost about +$1000, USA Lakland costs about the same as my FCS, a Lull maybe about -$500.
I'll take my Fender, and as mentioned, it absolutely is of a higher quality build-wise and sound wise than ANY P-Bass I've owned/played.
 
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#57
basstodave said:
We can all spend our money any way we please. I'm a terrible bass player. Won't matter what I pick up and play. But if you want to believe you purchased a rare piece of alder mated to an even rarer piece of maple by woodworkers with magical fingers and knowledge only a wizard of wood could have, and then spec'd with off the shelf hardware, to produce a magical instrument. Go for it. Spend away.
Might be FCS employees earn USA middle class wages and benefits. That might have more to do with the production cost and subsequent street price of Sadowsky's, Lull's, and FCS'. Compared to the CNC machined assembly line factory worker wage and benee's. If you trained a second or third world craftsman to produce the same FCS bass it would cost, let's just say $1800, when sold here in the USA.
The point is if it's hand made, labor intensive, it will cost more. Sound better, produce rapture when playing, bring a smile to your face? Well, no one is arguing against quality.
Click to expand...


Once again: HAVE YOU PLAYED IT??
If not read (5) posts above.


Your logic isn't bad, but Still- Take a trip to FCS and talk to the builders (with or without their "magical fingers") present your viewpoint to THEM. See how they would answer you- Have them show you their tonewoods, then report back. I bet you will be enlightened, that's what life is right?? A learning experience!:roflmao:

Or you are entitled to not buy the FCS product and pat yourself on the back- No worries there!


Oh, and btw, about those "off-the shelf hardware"

DH Model:

not just another P Bass. A custom designed Seymour Duncan pickup

Mine:
and a new RSD-designed high-mass bridge

which btw is the business.

The bridge, and the bass.
 
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#58
lowfreq33 said:
What makes me chuckle about FCS basses is how many are reproductions of instruments they mass produced in decades past. So in 1957 we casually slapped these together using unskilled factory workers, and they were awesome, but if you want the same level of craftsmanship today it'll run you five grand, because Fender.


Sent from my iPad using TalkBass
Click to expand...


Once again: HAVE YOU PLAYED IT??
If not read (6)) posts above.


What makes me chuckle is someone who would think that a FCS 1957 P-Bass is the same build as a production Fender '57.
 
#59
Classic69 said:
Once again: HAVE YOU PLAYED IT??
If not read (6)) posts above.


What makes me chuckle is someone who would think that a FCS 1957 P-Bass is the same build as a production Fender '57.
Click to expand...


I've owned three different FCS basses. I've also owned Sadowsky, lull, Lakland, MTD, Pedulla and a host of other high end basses. IMHO, the FCS are quite overrated. In terms of setup, electronics, fretwork, finish quality, etc, fender was always at the lower end of the spectrum.
 
#60
Classic69 said:
Once again: HAVE YOU PLAYED IT??
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, we're talking about bass guitars in a recreational forum. Is there some reason this would cause you to raise your voice?

It has two bridge saddles. You cannot correctly intonate a fretted bass with just two bridge saddles. What is the wisdom of spending $5,000 on a bass that cannot correctly be intonated?

Again: if someone thinks that's a good value, more power to them, and it does not change my opinion. And I'm sure your bass is great, and you believe it is a good buy.
 

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