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Fender Lame-o American design experience Fail

#81
I think in general, Fender is finally starting to pare down the number of options available, which I think is a smart business move. Same thing car companies do, same thing restaurants do (think In-And-Out Burger and Five Guys) - so one thing and do it well.

Frankly, I wish they would continue to thin the herd. How many Ps/Js/Strats do they offer in their standard catalog.

You want something custom? Buy custom from a custom builder.
 
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#82
BlueTalon said:
Was the OP a little over the top? Sure. But I am genuinely surprised at the responses defending the exceptionally small number of choices available. For example, why have chrome as the only color option for hardware? They make basses with black hardware, so they obviously have black hardware readily available, so why not offer it as an option? Is there any good reason for not offering it? The hamburger-in-a-pizza-joint and the plaid-car comparisons made earlier aren't even close to being good analogies.

I think they would be money ahead if they were to offer more options, like basswood or mahogany bodies, and pau ferro or ebony fretboards. It's not like those are uncommon or hard to get. They could offer more options for neck and body woods, and anything they don't have handy they can order from Warmoth, which is licensed by Fender anyway.

That is, they could if they were interested. They obviously aren't.
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That was was thought since this thing started up. I wouldn't go as far as having to outsource to Warmouth, but geez, when stuff is sitting in the parts bins, why not offer a PJ or allow a 70's style Jazz neck to be be put on a P body? A $200 upcharge ought to be enough to shoot it in any color Fender does. Upcharge for matching headstock or other options.

It seems that Fender could have done more with this in a way that still makes money. It would be interesting to know what Fender was really thinking when they started it.
 
#84
its a massive corporation...everything they do is brainstormed in a bland room with a dry erase board, then forecasting is done, then run up the chain, then maybe implemented, then unforeseen issues/costs come into play, then they move to something else while essentially abandoning the program yet leaving it "active". so typical in fact.
 
#85
Echovox said:
The American Design Experience was never intended to be more than regular production models with minor customizations.
.
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According to Fender's words:
'' Design Your Own Fender Guitar or Bass''
'' Turn your own vision into reality''
'' We've put you in the driver's seat to create a truly unique instrument.''
'' With the American Design Experience, you're in complete control.''

Once you starting using the website you realize that all those words is just marketing BS and that is why, I think, the OP called it a lame experience.
 
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#86
pedroims said:
According to Fender's words:
'' Design Your Own Fender Guitar or Bass''
'' Turn your own vision into reality''
'' We've put you in the driver's seat to create a truly unique instrument.''
'' With the American Design Experience, you're in complete control.''

Once you starting using the website you realized that all those words is just marketing BS and that is why I think the OP called it a lame experience.
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This is where the disconnect is. Fender is saying they are offering one thing, and not really offering it.

Again, I am not in any way mad/upset/whatever at Fender. I'm amused by their marketing.
 
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#88
loveandbass said:
all that marketing BS was most likely pulled directly from the flashy powerpoint presentation that the marketing division submitted to their bosses.
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Bingo

Meanwhile, if I had the cash rattling around for true Fender Custom Shop work, I'd likely look elsewhere for something truly unique.

Or for the same cash, I could buy somewhere around ten VM/CV Squiers and mix, match, and mod to my heart's content.
 
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#93
Deleted member 269102 said:
Meanwhile, if I had the cash rattling around for true Fender Custom Shop work, I'd likely look elsewhere for something truly unique.
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Yeah. I thought the appeal of Fender was that they are "the industry standard" and therefore NOT unique. It's kinda difficult to be "classic" and "standard" and "fresh" and "unique" at the same time.
 
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#94
giphy.gif
 
#95
I couldn't care less one way or the other. It doesn't matter how or why the "Design Experience" website came to be, and it doesn't matter to me if Fender loses credibility or looks stupid (which I think they do) because of the pie-in-the-sky claims they make about an anemic set of choices.

The only thing that bothers me about it is that either they don't care if they look stupid, or they really are that stupid, or they think we're that stupid. I always hate it when those are the alternatives.
 
#96
gln1955 said:
That was was thought since this thing started up. I wouldn't go as far as having to outsource to Warmouth, but geez, when stuff is sitting in the parts bins, why not offer a PJ or allow a 70's style Jazz neck to be be put on a P body? A $200 upcharge ought to be enough to shoot it in any color Fender does. Upcharge for matching headstock or other options.
Click to expand...
Outsourcing to Warmoth (a source of bodies and necks already licensed by Fender) would allow them to offer exotic wood choices without having to maintain a stock of them. The Design Experience says to allow for 90 days after ordering, so it's not like waiting a couple weeks for Warmoth is going to affect anything. They could offer anything and put the Fender name on it after an upcharge, Warmoth would make money, and people could get whatever they want -- win-win-win.


(Yes, I know it could eat into the Custom Shop's exclusive portion of Fender's market. But I think Fender's overall profits could increase, and the Custom Shop can still get a piece of the pie with electronics and setups.)
 
#98
Well, you're actually quite late to the party on this as there has been a lengthy thread about it already: Fender American Design Experience | TalkBass.com

As you can see, there have been some good and some bad experiences with it. I love the look of mine which includes a Modern P-Bass American Standard body in Ash, an American Standard Jazz neck with a maple fretboard, a High Mass Vintage bridge and and a 68' P-Bass pickup. Mine is in Translucent Blonde.

The American Design Experience is NOT a custom shop bass. If that's what you're hoping for at this price point, you'll be disappointed (or apparently, a bit angry). For me, it allowed me to build an American Standard P-Bass with an American Standard Jazz neck (something that is NOT available from Fender in any other MIA bass), in a color I love, that's a genuine Fender as opposed to parts bass. Of course, it does cost a few hundred more than an American Standard. It's worth it to me.

Now, mine had some QC issues which I discuss with photos here: Fender American Design Experience | Page 47 | TalkBass.com That to me is the inexcusable part worth getting riled-up about. Fender took it back and has milled a new body and it should be back to me within 2 weeks

Putting those QC issues aside for the moment, just accept that it's a "limited option" type of program which may expand in the future to include additional options. Believe me, I have my issues with Fender (and prefer my Lakland USAs), but I think you maybe need to consider this a pilot program that could expand down the line. Of course, you can also simply ignore it and let the market dictate whether the offerings have value or are too limited.
 
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#99
I see nothing wrong with the site even through the description is exaggerated. Prices don't seem too far out of whack either. An AVRI 64 Jazz runs $2,199 new. Or, for $1,775, you can get an American Design Experience bass with the same pickups, pearl pickguard, high mass bridge with block and bound neck. This may not appease everyone, but they are options I would get at a reasonable price point.

Too many people are getting this confused (or don't want to believe that its different) with the Custom Shop. Want something completely different with a Fender logo? Go Custom Shop. Want something a little different than what's on the market without getting crazy? The Design Experience should suit. Don't want a Fender? Then there are a hundred other options.
 
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#100
I think the Fender Design Experience is going to bring hours of entertainment to me in the future. Think of how many "Is this a real Fender?" threads there will be when these start showing up on the used market. Since, by design, they don't have standard options it will be more difficult for people to authenticate them which will leave prospective buyers in an extended state of confusion causing them to start more and more entertaining Fender bass threads. I'm pretty excited.
 
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