Fender Player Series bass has the wrong pickup

[ricardol]

From this side of the world, I can see it clearly, under the SPECS tab:

I wonder how much it would cost to tag a PU model... I bought a second hand Jaguar Player Series that came with a Invalid Link Removed without any reference to the model...

 

[petrus61]

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!

Guess I'll pack up my bags and forfeit my powers of deduction entirely, since until know I figured you to be a reasonably logical contributor as well. Enjoy!

 

[wvbass]

I couldn't get the tone pot to work for me. The tones I got from that bass went from super-zingy bright to buried under a blanket. I could not find a setting that brought the mids to life. I would have starting replacing parts but there were other issues with the bass that I listed in my NBD thread that weren't great. Then when I discovered it had the same pickups as the exact same bass for sale $100 less (same color, pickguard, everything) from GC website from the previous year I decided to return it.

At this point I'll just look for a used one for a lot less and plan to replace electronics.

I think you were right to return yours.

But the OP caught the issue. Many won't. Many purchasers don't exist on this site. How would they know? Yeah, I jumped into this bass from GC too. I can't tell you what pickups were in mine. I have them in a drawer since I put Geezers in mine, but still, I will look when I get the chance. Too late for me to do anything about it. So there's that.

And I think you were right to keep yours.

Does anybody know if the person or subcontractor in charge of their website can tell a guitar from a bass, let alone ceramic from alnico?

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

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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 .

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.

I don't know that you even saw my lone other post in this thread, but I think you politely present the best rebuttal to my argument. If consumers don't loudly call out issues, including website errors about specifications, then these same issues will be deemed acceptable by the company. The loudest way to call out these issues is with your wallet, which the OP did by returning the bass.

I still think equating the website error with fraud is a step too far.

 

[petrus61]

Since the dim apparently needs illuminating:

This is a stainless steel "slug" acting as a pole piece beneath a ceramic magnet (please forgive the photo quality):

Please note the "rings" from center of pole, an obvious telltale sign that the pole is of the SS variety. If your AlNiCo pole pieces look like this, either a manufacturer went to great lengths (at great cost) to render this appearance, or you are likely the proud owner of a ceramic magnet pickup.

 

[mbell75]

You guys with ceramic pickups in yours...do you have the F stamp on the neck plate the the "limited edition" stamp on the back of the headstock?

 

[Frankie Fender]

Just took mine apart and they are indeed like the OP shows, with bars and slugs. I have an F stamped on the neck plate and a Special Edition sticker on the back of the head. It is not under the urethane and could be peeled off if I were so inclined.

The question is, can someone post a picture of a "regular" Player series pup and see if they have the bars too?

BTW I'm keeping the bass and may drop in my Fender Standard Alnico V but first want to gig it as is and see if it even matters. For a <$600 Fender I expected to do some modding anyway.

 

[petrus61]

You guys with ceramic pickups in yours...do you have the F stamp on the neck plate the the "limited edition" stamp on the back of the headstock?

In my case, yes.

 

[mbell75]

Ok, now I'm really glad I got rid of mine. Being charged a premium and getting inferior, leftover stock is BS to be honest. These should be discounted, not more expensive.

 

[ThingsAbove]

Has it been verified that the AlNicO 5 pickups in the other Player Series basses actually use AlNicO 5 pole pieces?

I wonder if the refrigerator magnets in the OT pickup are made of AlNicO 5

 

[mbell75]

Has it been verified that the AlNicO 5 pickups in the other Player Series basses actually use AlNicO 5 pole pieces?

I wonder if the refrigerator magnets in the OT pickup are made of AlNicO 5

They are different pickups for sure. Like people in the thread I made were saying, these Special Editions have hotter pickups than the other Player basses. Now we know why, ceramic pickups.

 

[Frankie Fender]

They are different pickups for sure. Like people in the thread I made were saying, these Special Editions have hotter pickups than the other Player basses. Now we know why, ceramic pickups.

Yeah but didn't you rave in your post about how good they sounded and how much you liked them? What happened?

Why do you call them inferior? Maybe they ARE better! Ya know, like NEO Pickups!

Seriously, what changed your mind?

 

[JDMcDorce]

The question is, can someone post a picture of a "regular" Player series pup and see if they have the bars too?

The pictures I posted in #30 of this thread were the original pickups from my regular Player Series Precision.

 

[SJan3]

Hmm. Let's see...

Maple board, gloss...check.
Olympic White...check.
White guard...check.
Cream Dimarzio...check.
Threaded saddle bent plate bridge...check.

I like it!

You have a good eye!

 

[Frankie Fender]

The pictures I posted in #30 of this thread were the original pickups from my regular Player Series Precision.

Oh thanks, that clears a lot up. They look like the ones that came out of my US Nitro Satin Series American Special Precision Bass, which was also a GC Special Edition and was spec'd with an Alnico V. I may drop it in just for giggles.

 

[ThingsAbove]

The pictures I posted in #30 of this thread were the original pickups from my regular Player Series Precision.

I missed that. Thanks.

 

[DeliriumTremens]

I've only recently returned to the forum after years of being away. Does Fender have anyone from their social media team on TB?

I know for a fact that people who work for Fender post here, it's not necessarily anyone paid for it.

 

[Hypercaffium]

I can't understand some of the replies I've read, honestly.
"It doesn't matter, everybody change the stock pickups anyway".
"It doesn't matter, because ceramic pickups are better".
"It doesn't matter, because if it plays good, it's good".
"It doesn't matter, because Fender CAN change parts in their products without notice. It's written somewhere".
"It doesn't matter, I play Fenders and Fender will always be the greatest brand of all time".

I play a Fender P too, but I'd return that bass 100 times. And I'd be PISSED. The product the OP received wasn't the same that was described in the Fender website. I call it a scam. Period.

 

[Wisebass]

hi Tony

This is a classic example of
'Build a Warmoth'...Know exactly what you are getting.

But life would be boring that way!

you know what Mama said….

greetings

Wise

 

[TonyP-]

hi Tony



But life would be boring that way!

you know what Mama said….

View attachment 3402895

greetings

Wise

LOL true
Here is a another way if you want to not be boring...
Date divorced, hot cougars who like to drink...

 

[mcnach]

I can't understand some of the replies I've read, honestly.
"It doesn't matter, everybody change the stock pickups anyway".
"It doesn't matter, because ceramic pickups are better".
"It doesn't matter, because if it plays good, it's good".
"It doesn't matter, because Fender CAN change parts in their products without notice. It's written somewhere".
"It doesn't matter, I play Fenders and Fender will always be the greatest brand of all time".

I play a Fender P too, but I'd return that bass 100 times. And I'd be PISSED. The product the OP received wasn't the same that was described in the Fender website. I call it a scam. Period.