• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Fender Player Series bass has the wrong pickup

#101
All this means there are likely several variations of the Ocean Turquoise floating around:

1. Older style MIM Std black logo w/either A5 or ceramics

2. Newer "Player" logo w/either A5 or ceramics.

It looks like the newer "correct" Player series pups are more in line with what is currently found on the Classic and Roadworn series basses. I agree that Fender is simply blowing out remaining stock on the ceramics, so it would be interesting to see what the Ltd Edition Tele P's are equipped with, as they're also alleged by Fender to have A5's (I bet they don't). What better way to get rid of some leftover parts than an FSR run?
 
#102
ThingsAbove said:
And here is the chat where I ask what pickups come on that model #

View attachment 3402042

The mystery deepens...
Click to expand...

I feel that this is being overlooked. Hmm...

HamOnTheCob said:
I'm not triggered at all. I think it's laughable that a year or two ago, legions of people on this forum wanted to fight to defend the honor of how awesome MIM Fenders are and how they're just as good as American Fenders, and now that there's a new version of MIM Fenders, people want to slag on the old ones suddenly like they were trash. TB is hilarious sometimes.
Click to expand...

One group wants to feel like their purchases and preferences are justified, especially when people claim their MIMs aren't great when often they're pretty nice.

Another group wants to pile on when something relatively egregious looks like it's going on. It creates a sort of, "told you so!" dynamic.

The forum is a pretty diverse one in terms of taste, though. I know the whole, "P Bass, Tort Guard, Flats" meme exists for a reason, but if you take a step back from that many eclectic tastes get a lot of love.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Heavy Blue, HamOnTheCob and petrus61
#105
SleepyShark said:
I feel that this is being overlooked. Hmm...



One group wants to feel like their purchases and preferences are justified, especially when people claim their MIMs aren't great when often they're pretty nice.

Another group wants to pile on when something relatively egregious looks like it's going on.

The forum is a pretty diverse one in terms of taste. I know the whole, "P Bass, Tort Guard, Flats" meme exists for a reason, but if you take a step back from that many eclectic tastes get a lot of love.
Click to expand...

There you have it. Multiple Fender reps saying the orange is an apple, so therefore it must be an apple!

62E1391D-4E8A-43A6-8119-61B5A1035719.jpeg

FBB0741F-5718-4893-B2B0-769F1698C1AB.jpeg


I have no dog in this fight, because I am truly happy with my bass. If getting these pickups was the trade off for impeccable fret work, a nut that's actually correctly cut, a flawless finish and spectacular playability, then so bees it! I do think it's important to call out issues like these as well as other QC related things because it keeps companies on their toes. If everyone just accepts a flawed instrument, then flawed instruments will be the norm.

Of course, all of this is moot because of the disclaimer, but it's still fun to say it :D.

Edit: I didn't find the pickups terrible sounding, FWIW. They are what they are, which is ceramic. If I needed high output with aggressive lows and highs (at the expense of mids), these pickups would still be in my bass.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Frankie Fender
#108
SleepyShark said:
I've only recently returned to the forum after years of being away. Does Fender have anyone from their social media team on TB?
Click to expand...

If they do, they'd be insane to publicly disclose as much because of threads like this. They'd be pitchforked and run out of town before being able to finish a paragraph, and that's just by the Fender hating trolls with an agenda, never mind the people with actual input/concerns.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AlexanderB and Flat Stanley
#111
petrus61 said:
If they do, they'd be insane to publicly disclose as much because of threads like this. They'd be pitchforked and run out of town before being able to finish a paragraph, and that's just by the Fender hating trolls with an agenda, never mind the people with actual input/concerns.
Click to expand...

People at Fender read these forums, that's not a question!

Just wasn't sure if there was someone who posted on a commercial account for PR, marketing, and community relations. It's too bad they don't.

I think we'd be surprised. Often times having someone from the company in the thick of it nerding it out with us creates more of a dialogue than you might expect. I see it in other industries, especially when it comes to specific product concerns like this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AlexanderB
#113
SleepyShark said:
People at Fender read these forums, that's not a question!

Just wasn't sure if there was someone who posted on a commercial account for PR, marketing, and community relations. It's too bad they don't.

I think we'd be surprised. Often times having someone from the company in the thick of it nerding it out with us creates more of a dialogue than you might expect. I see it in other industries, especially when it comes to specific product concerns like this.
Click to expand...

In almost every case I've seen it happen here, it quickly disintegrated into bitter arguments that usually leave the company looking much worse than if they had said nothing at all. Not everyone can be Roger Sadowsky or JD from Fodera, but not every company is operating on a scale that allows such a degree of personal attention that those small companies can provide, which is actually part of what's included in the price tag. I agree that there are well intentioned folks that genuinely don't want to stir the pot, but it seems unavoidable (or rather, inevitable) in my view when placing Fender in this context. I wish it wasn't the case, believe me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SleepyShark
#115
Axstar said:
I missed the bit where you positively identified it as a ceramic pickup.
Click to expand...

I missed the bit where you shared a photo of the one you culled from a 2011 std that wasn't.

It's already been established that these are not the same pickups going out with the non FSR Player P's. Not in design, nor material. If you'd like to share some photographic examples of pickups utilizing ceramic bars in conjunction with traditional AlNiCo rods, or even less likely, AlNiCo bars with ceramic rods, be my guest.
 
Last edited:
#119
Axstar said:
Was I meant to?

If you don't like the pickups then sell them on Ebay and pump the proceeds into buying something that closer matches your requirements.
Click to expand...

I'll kindly refer you to all of my posts in this thread leading up to where you quoted me. I had thought my position on these pickups was pretty clear.

Edit: IIRC Dimarzio Ultra Jazz pickups are actually a combo of AlNiCo and ceramic bar magnets.
 
#120
petrus61 said:
I'll kindly refer you to all of my posts in this thread leading up to where you quoted me. I had thought my position on these pickups was pretty clear.

Edit: IIRC Dimarzio Ultra Jazz pickups are actually a combo of AlNiCo and ceramic bar magnets.
Click to expand...

Ah yes. "Those ceramic pups can be spotted pretty easily because of the shiny SS poles that are just rolled slugs, so I knew when I ripped it out I'd find a poor man's Dimarzio."

Top sleuthing, take him away boys!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DeliriumTremens

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back