Fender MIA Neck question

[Johnny Alien]

Mike it was the early 2000 that we started using the graphite rods.
*
*
Take care,
*
Ed Treat
Consumer Relations
Fender Musical Instruments
8860 E Chaparral Rd # 100
Scottsdale, AZ 85250
480-596
From: Mike [mailto:mike
Posted At: Thursday, December 24, 2009 10:56 AM
Posted To: Consumer Relations
Conversation: Fender bass question
Subject: Fender bass question
*
Hello , I was wondering when Fender started using graphite rod reinforced neck on the American made bass guitars .
*
Thank you,
*
Mike
*

I think his response it based on the confusing way the question was posed. In 1995 the American Standard Fenders came with graphite reinforcement in the necks.

It was in 2000 that Fender started using "graphite rods" in the neck. They called them posiflex rods. But Fender has had graphite reinforced necks since 1995. This can be supported by advertising and photographs from that period that are detailed in the Illustrated Fender bass book.

 

[Johnny Alien]

WOW! Thanks. I did not know it went that far back. I am looking at two used basses and the price is about the same but they are a few years apart in age. One is a 2001 and the other is a 2006. I like the 01 better (blonde 50th) but I wasn't sure about the neck. I wanted to use that as a bargaining tool to try and get the price down.

The 50th anniversary bass most defintely has posiflex graphite rod reinforcement in the neck. I own one and bought it brand new. That is an excellent bass, much better than the off the shelf AS basses that I played around that time. Also it was a limited run (somewhere between 450-500) so potentially has a bit more resale based on that.

It should come with a tweed case and certificate of authenticity. If it does NOT then I would use those issues to bargain the price down a bit.

 

[king_biscuit]

I think his response it based on the confusing way the question was posed. In 1995 the American Standard Fenders came with graphite reinforcement in the necks.

It was in 2000 that Fender started using "graphite rods" in the neck. They called them posiflex rods. But Fender has had graphite reinforced necks since 1995. This can be supported by advertising and photographs from that period that are detailed in the Illustrated Fender bass book.

+1 graphite support since 1995.

 

[Indiana Mike]

That's great as I have a 97 .

I just wanted to post the response I recieved from fender and did so with my iphone so excuse me if it was sloppy.

But what else was asked here was.... does it really make a difference?

 

[savit260]

+1 graphite support since 1995.

I Plus one your +1.

Definitly since the mid 90's.

 

[hdracer]

Thanks again guys and specially Indiana Mike for writing to Fender. I think we all learned a little something. It also go's to show that even Fender is not real accurate in all of there information. There was just a thread about serial numbers on CS basses that was so confusing.

 

[savit260]

That's great as I have a 97 .

I just wanted to post the response I recieved from fender and did so with my iphone so excuse me if it was sloppy.

But what else was asked here was.... does it really make a difference?

My non reinforced 64 Precision neck moves much less than my graphite reinforced 2008 Precision neck.

 

[hdracer]

Now I am confused, 2000 they started using graphite rods. I take that to mean 2 rods, one rod on each side of the truss rod. What does the "graphite reinforced" mean then? one rod under or over the truss rod??

 

[Johnny Alien]

If I remember correctly the cross shot of the 90's neck just had to long rectangular pieces running down either side. Starting in 2000 they were running down each side still but they were cylindrical rods instead.

 

[savit260]

If I remember correctly the cross shot of the 90's neck just had to long rectangular pieces running down either side. Starting in 2000 they were running down each side still but they were cylindrical rods instead.

I seem to remember the same thing for an old Fender advertisment back in the 90's.

Showed a picture of a bass neck cut in half with graphite bars.