Fender fanned fretboard. Bets accepted...

[JakobT]

I don’t see it. Fanned frets and the like is not what people buy Fenders for, and Fender knows it.

 

[klejst]

Personally, I have never been a fan of the fanned fret look. If Fender wants to continue to be late to the party on that I am personally ok with that.

 

[DrBnz]

For the 5 string I hope they at least "look at it". Fanned or 35 inch. Hoping for a great B string out of the deal. If that doesn't work, cancel the project. If it does work, cut down the body. Same shape, shave half inch all around. Get a 5 string down between 8 and 9.2 lbs.

 

[MCS4]

I bet that I don't care either way.

Fanned fret instruments certainly are here to stay, but there are plenty of builders making them. What does it matter if Fender does or not?

 

[darthplagis]

A fanned fret 5 string jaguar bass would be EPIC (give it big fat jazz master style short wide single coils).
Just don't put the HORRENDOUS boost only EQ in it!

It would suit the body style so much!

It's NEVER gonna happen though.
Modern Fender wont take those kind of risks very often... Just churn out jazz bass after jazz bass ad nauseum

 

[J Posega]

I see your point, but we're talking about a company that has the potential to do whatever they want. From 200 to 10.000 usd/euro...

Sure, they could do whatever they want, but the cost of tooling up the CNC files for crafting fanned fret instruments--even in the overseas factories--might prove to be economically infeasible.

I bet that I don't care either way.

Fanned fret instruments certainly are here to stay, but there are plenty of builders making them. What does it matter if Fender does or not?

It would be another competitor in a relatively small market. This could force others to innovate further in order to produce a more desirable product or drive prices lower.

It will also upset the Fender purists, which makes for good internet banter.

 

[Deano Destructo]

Also, the signature Tye Zamora model was a 6 string.

Yeah, I was speaking more toward an actual production model and not one off customs as was the case with Zomora's 6'er.

I'd never heard of the Heartfield Steve Bailey model though. I know it's not the case but unless is says Fender (oe even Squier) on the headstock I struggle to think of it as the same company.

 

[ole Jason]

I think they'd be more likely to do it on the Squier Contemporary series. That's where you're seeing stuff like roasted necks, active pickups, etc.

 

[Bald-N-Bassy]

Idk I think fenders focus is selling the items that will for sure sale. They don’t seem to put much into the niche markets. A fanned fret 35/36” scale precision would be cool though.

 

[Freekmagnet]

I don’t it happening. Fanned frets are a niche within a niche market. Fender basses are instruments for the every man, not the boutique crowd.

Plus, they don’t have any reason whatsoever to produce a fanned fret bass. They’re selling more P basses than ever now, and they can keep selling them as is in perpetuity.

 

[landrybass]

Lol they can’t even put 24 frets in a bass and you’re expecting a multi scale?!

 

[2F/2F]

So, Fender has always been so slow, to adopt new concept in bass that were already applied by others (Ibanez, Yamaha or boutique manufacturers.) I mean: I am not talking about new but traditional models maybe different from P or J (there were lots of "meteors"). Been there, done that. I am talking instead about some technical innovation. Examples:

1) fretless. The first Fender fl was long awaited, when several brands had their ones out already. And, btw, it actually was... a Precision! When Jaco was already famous! Then, only after a lot of time finally they come out with a Jazz fretless.

2) 5 string basses. Following this "small shop" huge innovation, Ibanez was one of the first to sell a moderately priced one, with the RB885; then several other brands came. Fender was as usual a lot late to come out with a fiver.

3) 4+1 headstock. Same long delay to put in production the first headstock 4+1

Sure I am leaving out some other thing (anybody?) Now: when will Fender come out with a fanned fretboard model? Bets accepted.... be fair

This is so wrong. It's actually more like the opposite, in these particular cases. Fender, or at least Leo Fender, was the first, or at least very early, to mass produce the innovations that you name...which others then went on to refine over the decades.

1. Factory fretless Fenders were released in '69/'70. They were also offered by Music Man in the '70s, and G&L. First, the only person who really knew of Jaco at that point was Wayne Cochran. Second, Jaco didn't even de-fret his bass until after Fender had just released a fretless model. Hmmm. Who's the innovator in that case? The development of the fretless electric bass had absolutely zero to do with Jaco. It's popularity? Yes. But not its innovation.

2. The Fender Bass V was released in 1965. It was tuned E–C, and featured a normal width bass neck (i.e. cramped string spacing). It was modified over time by other companies, for B–G tuning and wider necks. It is the not-so-distant ancestor of the modern-style 5-string electric bass. Fender innovated; others refined.

3. A Leo Fender owned company, CLF Research, working for Music Man, designed and mass produced the "+1" headstock – a design that later became the norm for five string basses. Again, Leo and his team innovated; others liked the idea and adapted it.

Fender took a shot on some of this stuff early, and can be called innovator, despite their designs being rather primitive. Others improved and refined an existing idea; they didn't innovate.

I get what you're saying, because the modern day Fender company is basically just coasting on Leo's and George's (and several other important company players') innovations...but "technological innovation" is the wrong angle to attack from. The Fender company, and the other companies Leo Fender ran, were among the most innovative companies of all time in the field. If you feel the modern-day Fender company is "conservative," then I can get behind that statement...but not that they have not traditionally been an "innovative" company. They have traditionally been quite innovative...just not very refined, a lot of the time.

The bottom line is that if Fender feels that something is worth a lot of profit, they'll do it. I would venture to guess that there isn't a huge market for fanned fret basses...but they might stick their toe in that water at some point, just to try to cash in a bit, if feasible.

Personally, I like Fender as a fairly traditional, conservative manufacturer. Obviously there is enough demand for such a thing to support it, so...whatever. Let them do what they do best, and turn to other companies if you don't want the traditional "Fender thing."

 

[BassFalcon]

Personally I think we'll see a production model 6-string from Fender (though unlikely as well and the 30" scale Fender VI doesn't count) before we'll see a fanned fret model.

Fender Steve Bailey Fretted Jazz Bass VI 6-String - Black

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the Tye Zamora bass is hot. Too bad not many every existed.

 

[chris_b]

Every time Fender produces an instrument that isn't a Precision or Jazz bass they suffer.

Honestly, I don't see a fanned fret Fender on the horizon, ever!!

 

[GeeBass]

Even with all the fierce competition, at every price point - Fender has no problem selling lots of basses that are not fanned-fret (or even 35" scale for that matter).
Fender is still more or less the industry standard - and the reason why ever builder has been forced to offer variations on J and P basses. It's because that is exactly what a whole lot of people want.

If the industry standard ever goes to fanned fret basses - Fender will start to go there. IMO - that is still a long way away, if it ever does actually happen. Personally - I don't think so.
But currently, there is no need for them to offer something like that - when those that want to dabble with and try out fanned fret basses already have some good options at varying price points.

You go with your strengths - and for Fender, their formula that always works is their Jazz and Precision 34" scale non-fanned fret basses, in 4 and 5 string iterations.

 

[WarwickE36]

Scene/ The year is 2097. After a tedious day of trading Doltcoin Billy gets a telepathic implant message from Guitar Fubar (several sub iterations from the Guitar Center we grew up with.) Billy is visibly frustrated by this spam message that evaded his implant blocker yet again. However, the headline catches his attention. "Fender announces a game changing bass guitar to their lineup!"... Billy who's been hoping for a fanned fret Fender for decades sits up. So fast in fact his chair screaches across the floor. "read full message" he says.

After a brief pause, the message continues "dear Fender friends, we are excited to present the latest addition to our ever evolving bass lineup, something that will surely change the way you play forever." Billy is now on the edge of his seat. The message goes on... "Fender is proud to announce the 2060 re issue! With split coil alnico precision pickups, 34" scale, 20 frets, alder body with volume and tone controls" /end scene

 

[6-3-2]

I just don't think many people who lust after Fenders want that much innovation. It seems even the gentle modernizing of the Ultras and so on rubs a lot of people the wrong way. I'm more with you on wanting to see innovation, but I wouldn't hold my breath on fanned frets from Fender. It's a totally different flavor of bass, but the new multi-scale headless Ibanezes seem by many accounts to be awfully good. The price is fair by today's standards too.

 

[JW56789]

Fender, like Gibson (and Harley-Davidson for that matter) has to run a careful balancing act of introducing improvements while not running off the faithful who expect this year's version . . . . of the same old thing.

I'd simply say look at any of the American Pro 2's, Ultras, or Player Precisions or Jazz Basses alongside a current Yamaha BB734 or 735: The engineering Yamaha put in those things is very precisely thoughtful and a generation or two past any Fender on the market currently, and yet I dare say would die a quick death in a Fender: That's not what their customers expect.

Those BB's are a stunning work of engineering with the 4+2 bolt angled neck attachment, the laminated alder/maple/alder body, the string through or top load bridge, lighweight keys, a passive active pickup system where no one ever complains about the Yamaha PJ tone, and the five-piece neck and ebony fingerboard. And the tech works invisibly, the real testament to the job they did.

Now those three Fender series of instruments are just great, but comparatively, they're just built for two different audiences, even though most of one of them will not realize just how much is going on under the hood.

You could easily say they're some of the best Fenders ever built, and they will sell no problem, as they really are just that. Other guys like me will look at them and agree, but say 'OK, and . . . . ?'

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I would rather see the acoustasonic p bass

 

[buldog5151bass]

Fender sells what sells. Many other companies sells what Fender sells