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Fender Elite owners. Still happy? NBD

Ooba Tooba

Ooba Tooba

Apr 30, 2017
824
4,118
USA
#1
27B9AC6F-20F4-4A3D-B43E-9CA06E991287.jpeg
just curious if the Elite series owners are still happy. I’ve checked out a few threads and was struck by how many loved the neck. With the new Ultra series here I talked to my friend at GC. He tells me the Elites are indeed finished. I have wanted an Ocean Turquoise 4 string since they came out. Something about that color with the ebony board, pearl blocks and binding, and string through body that does it for me. Always felt the prices were somewhat high and I’m more of a passive than active guy (but there’s a switch!) that kept me from buying one. I’ve been going back and forth between this and another bass. I found one of these at a pretty good price. Perhaps they could climb in value only being out a short while. Why wouldn’t Fender offer more than maple/rosewood on the new series? Really though I was just jonesing for a 4 string that felt really good in the hands, and should have it in a few days. So, you Elite owners still enjoying this bass?
 
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#2
Ooba Tooba said:
View attachment 3588505 just curious if the Elite series owners are still happy. I’ve checked out a few threads and was struck by how many loved the neck. With the new Ultra series here I talked to my friend at GC. He tells me the Elites are indeed finished. I have wanted an Ocean Turquoise 4 string since they came out. Something about that color with the ebony board, pearl blocks and binding, and string through body that does it for me. Always felt the prices were somewhat high and I’m more of a passive than active guy (but there’s a switch!) that kept me from buying one. I’ve been going back and forth between this and another bass. I found one of these at a pretty good price. Perhaps they could climb in value only being out a short while. Why wouldn’t Fender offer more than maple/rosewood on the new series? Really though I was just jonesing for a 4 string that felt really good in the hands, and should have it in a few days. So, you Elite owners still enjoying this bass?
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I agree that it's a good-looking bass.

First, the Elites will not climb in value. Second, the prices ARE high and this new Ultra series is nothing more than a chance to fix their mistakes and introduce a new and higher price point for things most people don't care about.

Furthermore, the reason they don't offer anything more than maple and Rosewood, is because they are Fender and they expect you to pay them boutique money based on their name despite a decline in quality control.

How are the new Ultras? FANTASTIC!
 
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#3
So in your opinion were there mistakes that needed fixing with the Elite series? I’ve really only read about 2 gripes, one being the lack of tool for the truss wheel and two would be that the pickups sound “modern”. Have you owned one? Thanks for the input.
 
#5
Still enjoy my elite. Mine is a 5 string but o prefer the ebony and mine weighs only 9.2 lbs which is almost unheard of for a fender 5 string jazz.
The neck is superb and I have no issues with the wheel trust rod adjustment .
I favor passive mode but I do plan on switching out the pickups and preamp because I prefer more oomph for a dense urban gospel mix.

Mine was a steal purchases used from GC in mint condition. Was same finish as yours but I wanted a bright white to contrast with the ebony .I had it professionally refinished in BMW White.
 
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#8
SgtHulka said:
I agree that it's a good-looking bass.

First, the Elites will not climb in value. Second, the prices ARE high and this new Ultra series is nothing more than a chance to fix their mistakes and introduce a new and higher price point for things most people don't care about.

Furthermore, the reason they don't offer anything more than maple and Rosewood, is because they are Fender and they expect you to pay them boutique money based on their name despite a decline in quality control.

How are the new Ultras? FANTASTIC!
Click to expand...

I disagree about rising in value. From what I see, all Fenders increase in value after thirty years. If you are young enough to reasonably expect to be around in thirty years, you can make a nice profit on your Deluxe Fender.
 
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#9
thmsjordan said:
About the only thing that would interest me about the new ones is the passive tone control which IMHO is a really great thing to have when you have a preamp'd bass. It is an obvious Sadowsky rip but a useful one.
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Dr. Cheese said:
I disagree about rising in value. From what I see, all Fenders increase in value after thirty years. If you are young enough to reasonably expect to be around in thirty years, you can make a nice profit on your Deluxe Fender.
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Considering that there would be no Sadowskys without Fender, let Fender have their version of VTC.
 
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#11
BTW, I have a fiver AmElite in that configuration with the OT and the ebony. It sounds very different from my four string (avatar pic). In another corner of the internet I was trying to figure out why, and no one there really knows if it's the difference in wood (alder vs. ash), the difference in mass, something different about the pickups or electronics, or some random thing. I love them both, though, just need to tweak the controls a little brighter to get the OT/Ebony to sound similar to the other one- when I want that sound. Being a fiver, that darker tone isn't a terrible thing in the low register when you're on that B string. Both have their place.
 
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#12
thmsjordan said:
About the only thing that would interest me about the new ones is the passive tone control which IMHO is a really great thing to have when you have a preamp'd bass. It is an obvious Sadowsky rip but a useful one.
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Didn't the elites have passive tone? The one in OP's picture sure appears to.

I also think the vintage tone control is great, and I am seeing them more frequently. Was Sadowsky the first to pair a preamp with passive tone?
 
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#15
Dr. Cheese said:
I disagree about rising in value. From what I see, all Fenders increase in value after thirty years. If you are young enough to reasonably expect to be around in thirty years, you can make a nice profit on your Deluxe Fender.
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All kidding aside, I would hope they at least hold their value perhaps like the Roscoe Beck models have. Seems to me that something not produced for very long that has a desirable color/fretboard wood/binding and a great neck might fit that bill for a number of buyers. People seem to want what they can’t get anymore :D
 
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#17
Alessandro Cruz said:
I heard people expressing dissatisfaction with the Elites, but how different are them compared to Deluxes?

From what i can see, they changed the pickups, right? Electronics still the same?
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Cut away heel, compound radius neck, ebony(instead of rosewood) fretboard, high mass bridge, truss wheel at heel....not sure if the Deluxe had active/passive switch. I could be missing something.
 
#18
Alessandro Cruz said:
I heard people expressing dissatisfaction with the Elites, but how different are them compared to Deluxes?

From what i can see, they changed the pickups, right? Electronics still the same?
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I used to own a Deluxe, played the Elite in music instrument shop couple of times. In my opinion they are not different from each other except the electronics and the type of truss rod access. The improvement in the electonics was not a significant one of course. For an instrument at that price i expected better electronics in both pickups and preamp.
 
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#20
Ooba Tooba said:
Cut away heel, compound radius neck, ebony(instead of rosewood) fretboard, high mass bridge, truss wheel at heel....not sure if the Deluxe had active/passive switch. I could be missing something.
Click to expand...

Deluxe has active/passive switch. I replaced mine with John East Retro Deluxe couple of months later after buying it, which also had active/passive switch.
 
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