Fender Japan is gone :(

[Gorn]

Definitely so. That being said, and not to beleaguer your point, this American would take his 'Dyne over an MIA bass in a heartbeat.

The only part of American Fenders that interest me are the necks. I want the graphite bars because of my obsessive compulsive obsession with neck stability. I have an American standard P neck on my Mexican jazz body and I prefer that body over any Am Std j I've owned.

 

[Robroy]

I don't think you are comparing Apples with Apples.... country of origin and the experience, skill and dedication of the people making my bass matter to me...

I'm with you on hollow body instruments, but not solid body. And to be frank, the big thing is retail price. Someone could show me an impressive video of a Ferrari being hand made and then juxtapose it against a video of Infinity's being made mostly by robotics. On my budget, it's going to be the infinity because it's good enough for a LOT less money.

Just barely.

 

[Topkat13]

If I had to guess Fender is feeling a financial squeeze. Big company, lots of overhead, tons of inventory at dealers everywhere, and a mediocre (IMO!) product at best. There was some poop on here a while back about GC and how much they were into Fender. Too bad about Japan, that's a culture of hi quality...no matter what they make.

 

[nerkoids]

Korea is the new Japan. Hello, Reverend, Puresalem, D.Lakin, etc...

 

[Robroy]

If I had to guess Fender is feeling a financial squeeze. Big company, lots of overhead, tons of inventory at dealers everywhere, and a mediocre (IMO!) product at best. There was some poop on here a while back about GC and how much they were into Fender. Too bad about Japan, that's a culture of hi quality...no matter what they make.

Yep. It's why I liked that my Scion xB and FR-S both say "made in Japan". I was surprised by my reaction to where they were made.

 

[SamJ]

I'm with you on hollow body instruments, but not solid body. And to be frank, the big thing is retail price. Someone could show me an impressive video of a Ferrari being hand made and then juxtapose it against a video of Infinity's being made mostly by robotics. On my budget, it's going to be the infinity because it's good enough for a LOT less money.

Just barely.

ok, you find me one of these made in China at ANY price, and I'll say you win...

 

[bholder]

ok, you find me one of these made in China at ANY price, and I'll say you win...


View attachment 601684

You'll likely find something that claims to be "one of these" at a substantially cheaper price....

 

[Robroy]

ok, you find me one of these made in China at ANY price, and I'll say you win...


View attachment 601684

That is an absolute beauty. But even a non-musician could put this up against an SX bass and see the difference - and for all we know it plays terribly and hums ferociously - but I suspect it doesn't.

The one thing I would pay higher dollars for that I see as worth it is cosmetic stuff. E.g. the bass you pictured, the all pearloid front or engraved metal plates, etc. Those things cost more because they are art. But why should one of these basses cost twenty times more (or more) than the other:

SX.

Fender:

 

[SamJ]

You'll likely find something that claims to be "one of these" at a substantially cheaper price....

Oh I know, and more importantly of a substantially inferior quality and hand workmanship.. much less playability. They're the masters of "copy" over there until you dig a layer or two under the skin of whatever product it is you're comparing it to.

 

[SamJ]

I've played an SX side by side with an MIM, no comparison, and the MIM was no comparison to the MIA.. China has A LONG way to go before they're making quality instruments the way Japan did.

 

[yonoid_man_man]

As far as I can tell, Fender is still hiring new employees in Japan. I think this is only a rumor and nothing more.

 

[Robroy]

Oh I know, and more importantly of a substantially inferior quality and hand workmanship.. much less playability. They're the masters of "copy" over there until you dig a layer or two under the skin of whatever product it is you're comparing it to.

See those two I posted above? I bought the SX version of that Fender bass about ten years ago. It cost $149. I've dropped it twice on bare concrete and kicked it around ever since. It still plays fantastic and I get tons of compliments from musicians and non-musicians alike. The only cosmetic damage is a couple of chips on the back where it smacked against the concrete and the top of the neck side pickup cover has worn down to copper color from my placing my finger on it. The finish is spectacular.

Why on earth would I even pay $500 for a fender equivalent? It's an honest question.

 

[bholder]

Oh I know, and more importantly of a substantially inferior quality and hand workmanship.. much less playability. They're the masters of "copy" over there until you dig a layer or two under the skin of whatever product it is you're comparing it to.

In at least some cases, the "real" product and the "ripoff" are apparently made in the same factory by the same folks (seems to be the case for both Eastwood and Hofner - Eastwood is up front about it; Hofner, not so much. If I can save $600 by getting the exact same instrument with a different name on the headstock, is there any good reason not to?

 

[gln1955]

As long as people are making basses somewhere I'm good and all the folks who are really upset about this when's the last time you bought a new Japanese Fender?

February. I decided to get a MIJ Mustang reissue. By that time they had disappeared from Musicians Friend and the like. After scouring the web, I found a grand total of three for sale in the US. I managed to nab one and am happy I did - super instrument. IMO, MIJs are the best bang for the buck of all the Fender lines.

 

[bholder]

I've played an SX side by side with an MIM, no comparison, and the MIM was no comparison to the MIA.. China has A LONG way to go before they're making quality instruments the way Japan did.

You are talking about results from a single factory; you really can't generalize that to "all of China" like you're doing. A particular factory or company may have lower or higher quality standards than another, regardless of what country or countries they happen to be located in.

 

[Robroy]

I've played an SX side by side with an MIM, no comparison, and the MIM was no comparison to the MIA.. China has A LONG way to go before they're making quality instruments the way Japan did.

Must depend on the particular instrument.

OTOH, I really see basses as tools. The look of the bass is for the crowd. The playability is for me. If a bass has good playability, seems fairly bulletproof, and is attractive to the crowd, I'm good. I bought my SX with the chrome over the pickups in Tobacco sunburst for the crowd. If I had been buying strictly for me I'd have gotten it in white. I play the hell out of those things and the sound is terrific.

That said, a lot of sports car nuts think I'm a poser because I drive a Scion FR-S. I still love drifting on my 160 mile round trip daily commute. I've driven race cars and still love this thing. Same applies to my basses. I've played some ridiculously expensive stuff in Gruhn in Nashville. Meh. The SX gets the job done, with aplomb.

That said, if I had the budget, I'd pay good money for something like the bass you posted (If it was in the budget). I also really like these:

 

[SamJ]

See those two I posted above? I bought the SX version of that Fender bass about ten years ago. It cost $149. I've dropped it twice on bare concrete and kicked it around ever since. It still plays fantastic and I get tons of compliments from musicians and non-musicians alike. The only cosmetic damage is a couple of chips on the back where it smacked against the concrete and the top of the neck side pickup cover has worn down to copper color from my placing my finger on it. The finish is spectacular.

Why on earth would I even pay $500 for a fender equivalent? It's an honest question.

because it's better.. I've played both, and if you can't tell the difference, then you and I may never agree on this as our starting point is very different. That said, you were comparing it to an MIM Fender.... you ever play a custom shop bass? or Masterbuilt Fender? or even a Sadowsky NYC? If you can't tell the difference between that an an SX, I can't help you.

 

[2.6kHz]

"Better" is pretty arbitrary thing, based on who is making the statement. Meets needs at a bargain price could be "better" than flawless but pricey.

 

[Robroy]

because it's better.. I've played both, and if you can't tell the difference, then you and I may never agree on this as our starting point is very different. That said, you were comparing it to an MIM Fender.... you ever play a custom shop bass? or Masterbuilt Fender? or even a Sadowsky NYC? If you can't tell the difference between that an an SX, I can't help you.

I know the differences are there. It's the reason for my Ferrari vs Infinity comparison. One is truly better than the other. But one of the most important laws I try to obey is the law of diminishing returns. And my favorite "rule" is the 80-20 rule. We apply it all the time at work. It's why we get so much done. It is important to find the "quality/effort" sweet spot and then move on. But for fanatics there is stuff like this:

$50,000

I use this (since 1977): $500

Yes, I can tell you which one sounds the best, but I've decided I need a nice garage more than the top one. And the one I have sounds da**ed good.

Law of diminishing returns.

80-20 rule.

 

[HateyMcAmp]

It's a dark day, then. I have had a MIJ "foto-flame" P-bass and a CIJ Mustang, and they were both fantastic basses with top notch build quality and components. I've owned a MIM fenders too, albeit from an older era, and the Japanese stuff felt much more solid.