• 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 predictions for 2024?

#183
#184
I would propose the following:
  • Jazz Bass Plus / Plus V reissue - with the reshaped downsized body, 90s-style narrow headstock, no pickguard, and Kubicki-style controls / layout with 18v preamp. "Heavy rolled" fingerboard edges. Updated with Hipshot Ultralites, Lace Alumitones, Babicz bridges. Available in Lipstick Red, Graffiti Yellow, Bermuda Green, Coral, Neon Blue, Neon Pink, Pewter, Candy Tangerine, Gold Top Gold, Root Beer Metallic, Metallic Black. Optional maple neck with maple headstock, or a sustainable darker fingerboard wood with matching finish headstock, fretted, lined fretless, unlined fretless options. Adopts a MM-style truss rod wheel at the body end (like Jackson basses do). Choice of chrome or black hardware.
  • NEW Jazz Bass Plus SS and MS - Short and medium scale versions of the JB+ 4-string.
  • NEW Jazz Bass DoublePlus (JB++) and DoublePlus V - Takes the basic JB+ template and adds some extras like asymmetrical contoured neck (similar to the old Urge Bass), roasted maple necks, graphite rods, roasted body wood. Same finishes as JB+ and also adds transparent Natural, Tobacco and 3-tone sunbursts, plus transparent color stains (ROYGBIV).
  • NEW JB++ SS / MS - Short and medium versions of the JB++.
  • NEW JBVxx - Fender's first multiscale bass. Same basic platform as the JB+, using Babicz solo rail bridges to accommodate 35" on the low B and 33" on the G, similar to the Ibanez EHB1005MS.
  • NEW JBVMxx - the short multiscale variant. Same as JBVxx, but 32" on the low B and 30" on the G, similar to the Ibanez EHB1005SMS.
  • NEW Jazz Bass Ultra Plus and Ultra Plus V - the deluxe versions of the DoublePlus / DoublePlus V, that add figured wood tops, chambered bodies, EMG pickups and preamps, and a Spector-like arched carve to the body
  • NEW JBVX Ultra - Deluxe version of the multiscale JBVxx, with same appointments as the Ultra Plus V.
 
  • Like
Reactions: selowitch
#185
hooky_marr said:
I would propose the following:
  • Jazz Bass Plus / Plus V reissue - with the reshaped downsized body, 90s-style narrow headstock, no pickguard, and Kubicki-style controls / layout with 18v preamp. "Heavy rolled" fingerboard edges. Updated with Hipshot Ultralites, Lace Alumitones, Babicz bridges. Available in Lipstick Red, Graffiti Yellow, Bermuda Green, Coral, Neon Blue, Neon Pink, Pewter, Candy Tangerine, Gold Top Gold, Root Beer Metallic, Metallic Black. Optional maple neck with maple headstock, or a sustainable darker fingerboard wood with matching finish headstock, fretted, lined fretless, unlined fretless options. Adopts a MM-style truss rod wheel at the body end (like Jackson basses do). Choice of chrome or black hardware.
  • NEW Jazz Bass Plus SS and MS - Short and medium scale versions of the JB+ 4-string.
  • NEW Jazz Bass DoublePlus (JB++) and DoublePlus V - Takes the basic JB+ template and adds some extras like asymmetrical contoured neck (similar to the old Urge Bass), roasted maple necks, graphite rods, roasted body wood. Same finishes as JB+ and also adds transparent Natural, Tobacco and 3-tone sunbursts, plus transparent color stains (ROYGBIV).
  • NEW JB++ SS / MS - Short and medium versions of the JB++.
  • NEW JBVxx - Fender's first multiscale bass. Same basic platform as the JB+, using Babicz solo rail bridges to accommodate 35" on the low B and 33" on the G, similar to the Ibanez EHB1005MS.
  • NEW JBVMxx - the short multiscale variant. Same as JBVxx, but 32" on the low B and 30" on the G, similar to the Ibanez EHB1005SMS.
  • NEW Jazz Bass Ultra Plus and Ultra Plus V - the deluxe versions of the DoublePlus / DoublePlus V, that add figured wood tops, chambered bodies, EMG pickups and preamps, and a Spector-like arched carve to the body
  • NEW JBVX Ultra - Deluxe version of the multiscale JBVxx, with same appointments as the Ultra Plus V.
Click to expand...
Wow you really like Jazz basses. I'm afraid none of those will happen as Fender is firmly entrenched in the vintage camp. A multi scale Fender seems highly unlikely. Maybe they'll test it with a Squier first.

Personally I wish they went back to making one good version of each bass, with high quality materials, nitro and real tort (at a premium), and several more finishes.
It's 2024. Why can't I buy a basic P bass in Sherwood green? The Mod Shop is not available everywhere and its options are limited.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blunder, hooky_marr and Heiwa
#186
rockscott said:
I kinda feel like fender has become the whos greatest hits album! Lets take the
same songs, arrange them differently, and release a new greatest hits album every 4 or 5 years!
Click to expand...
Is that really any different from any other major instrument manufacturer? A Les Paul is still a Les Paul, a Stingray is still a Stingray, an L2000 is still an L2000, a Yamaha BB is still a Yamaha BB. In fact, if you look across all the Fender lines in just P basses alone, from the least expensive Squier to the current top of the line Ultras, excluding Custom Shop, there’s a lot more variety - classic 1.75” width necks, 1.62” width necks, ‘63 C profile, compound C-D profiles, high mass bridges of three or so varieties, bent metal vintage style bridges with or without vintage saddles, active preamps, a wide variety of split coil pickups, and a wide variety of finishes (eg Copper, Miami Blue, Dark Night, plus the classics).

They’re still P basses in the same sense that a current H Stingray Special is as much a Stingray as a 1985 2-band Stingray is a Stingray. But a lot more variety, and all currently available.
 
Last edited:
#189
andare said:
Wow you really like Jazz basses. I'm afraid none of those will happen as Fender is firmly entrenched in the vintage camp. A multi scale Fender seems highly unlikely. Maybe they'll test it with a Squier first.

Personally I wish they went back to making one good version of each bass, with high quality materials, nitro and real tort (at a premium), and several more finishes.
It's 2024. Why can't I buy a basic P bass in Sherwood green? The Mod Shop is not available everywhere and its options are limited.
Click to expand...
A multi scale Thunderbird or Stingray or L2000 are even more unlikely.

Why can’t I buy an F150 in metallic flake gold graded to a midnight black with flames on the side?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: HP Hovercraft
#190
hooky_marr said:
I would propose the following:
  • Jazz Bass Plus / Plus V reissue - with the reshaped downsized body, 90s-style narrow headstock, no pickguard, and Kubicki-style controls / layout with 18v preamp. "Heavy rolled" fingerboard edges. Updated with Hipshot Ultralites, Lace Alumitones, Babicz bridges. Available in Lipstick Red, Graffiti Yellow, Bermuda Green, Coral, Neon Blue, Neon Pink, Pewter, Candy Tangerine, Gold Top Gold, Root Beer Metallic, Metallic Black. Optional maple neck with maple headstock, or a sustainable darker fingerboard wood with matching finish headstock, fretted, lined fretless, unlined fretless options. Adopts a MM-style truss rod wheel at the body end (like Jackson basses do). Choice of chrome or black hardware.
  • NEW Jazz Bass Plus SS and MS - Short and medium scale versions of the JB+ 4-string.
  • NEW Jazz Bass DoublePlus (JB++) and DoublePlus V - Takes the basic JB+ template and adds some extras like asymmetrical contoured neck (similar to the old Urge Bass), roasted maple necks, graphite rods, roasted body wood. Same finishes as JB+ and also adds transparent Natural, Tobacco and 3-tone sunbursts, plus transparent color stains (ROYGBIV).
  • NEW JB++ SS / MS - Short and medium versions of the JB++.
  • NEW JBVxx - Fender's first multiscale bass. Same basic platform as the JB+, using Babicz solo rail bridges to accommodate 35" on the low B and 33" on the G, similar to the Ibanez EHB1005MS.
  • NEW JBVMxx - the short multiscale variant. Same as JBVxx, but 32" on the low B and 30" on the G, similar to the Ibanez EHB1005SMS.
  • NEW Jazz Bass Ultra Plus and Ultra Plus V - the deluxe versions of the DoublePlus / DoublePlus V, that add figured wood tops, chambered bodies, EMG pickups and preamps, and a Spector-like arched carve to the body
  • NEW JBVX Ultra - Deluxe version of the multiscale JBVxx, with same appointments as the Ultra Plus V.
Click to expand...

I feel like you're just describing Ibanez's catalouge haha. But past on past models (and their lack of longevity), I don't think Fender feels there is sufficient demand for anything "modern".

Look how quickly the Dimension, Flea Active Signature, Aerodynes, and other models have been discontinued or discounted.

Also on Short Scales, the Fender Japan Junior Jazz is amazing and a lot of folx are importing them, so hopefully Fender takes note. They keep expanding the Mustang bass line and the Squier Rascal seems to be selling well, so that may signal to Fender to expand short and medium scale offerings.
 
#191
andare said:
Wow you really like Jazz basses. I'm afraid none of those will happen as Fender is firmly entrenched in the vintage camp. A multi scale Fender seems highly unlikely. Maybe they'll test it with a Squier first.
Click to expand...

Agreed. It'll likely never happen, but I miss those days in the 80s-90s where they at least tried to innovate (with some success). And those of us who were in our teens/twenties then, are now grownups with some spending money.

I don't think it would come from Squier, but I'd love for Fender Japan to do them, maybe with Fujigen.

That said, FMIC does own Charvel, who make boutique-ish, modern-ish Fender Shaped Objects, and they don't have a J-shaped equivalent in their lineup, so maybe this would be an interesting Charvel San Dimas J for the Ultras and have Fender Japan handle the Plus and DoublePlus under the Charvel branding.
 
  • Like
Reactions: andare
#192
manchego_eggo said:
I feel like you're just describing Ibanez's catalouge haha. But past on past models (and their lack of longevity), I don't think Fender feels there is sufficient demand for anything "modern".

Look how quickly the Dimension, Flea Active Signature, Aerodynes, and other models have been discontinued or discounted.

Also on Short Scales, the Fender Japan Junior Jazz is amazing and a lot of folx are importing them, so hopefully Fender takes note. They keep expanding the Mustang bass line and the Squier Rascal seems to be selling well, so that may signal to Fender to expand short and medium scale offerings.
Click to expand...

All good points. My frustration with Fender over the last couple of decades is that they seem to have abandoned player-centric innovation in favor of chasing millionaire orthodontist collector money with limited editions etc, and outsourcing the lower end models to ever-cheaper offshore manufacturing. There's only so long that a brand name means something.

IMHO the Dimension was a good bass conceptually that suffered from a lackluster design. Those that love it, love it, but it looked like a StingRay that was designed by Teisco. As I noted on another thread, the curves are all fighting each other, it's not balanced or symmetrical, the horns are too stubby to be elegant, the pickguard doesn't follow the body curves or the lower horn shape, AND the pickup is a nonstandard oval shape which precludes finding a replacement if you don't like it.

TBH they could have just used the Flea J as a basis for this. A slightly updated JB shape (like the JB Plus, actually!) with the same BA-style hardware and MM style pickup, with an optional second pickup, and offer it in more finishes. Call it the Dimension J and boom, done.

Aerodynes are doing well I thought? Everyone here raves about them. I would get one if it didn't have that hard edge binding!

Yes re: the FJ Junior Jazz. It's a sleeper hit. I regularly see them going for over $1k. And yeah, lots of people are importing short-scale J basses from Japan and overseas, so to me there's clearly money being left on the table here.
 
#194
hooky_marr said:
All good points. My frustration with Fender over the last couple of decades is that they seem to have abandoned player-centric innovation in favor of chasing millionaire orthodontist collector money with limited editions etc, and outsourcing the lower end models to ever-cheaper offshore manufacturing. There's only so long that a brand name means something.

IMHO the Dimension was a good bass conceptually that suffered from a lackluster design. Those that love it, love it, but it looked like a StingRay that was designed by Teisco. As I noted on another thread, the curves are all fighting each other, it's not balanced or symmetrical, the horns are too stubby to be elegant, the pickguard doesn't follow the body curves or the lower horn shape, AND the pickup is a nonstandard oval shape which precludes finding a replacement if you don't like it.

TBH they could have just used the Flea J as a basis for this. A slightly updated JB shape (like the JB Plus, actually!) with the same BA-style hardware and MM style pickup, with an optional second pickup, and offer it in more finishes. Call it the Dimension J and boom, done.

Aerodynes are doing well I thought? Everyone here raves about them. I would get one if it didn't have that hard edge binding!

Yes re: the FJ Junior Jazz. It's a sleeper hit. I regularly see them going for over $1k. And yeah, lots of people are importing short-scale J basses from Japan and overseas, so to me there's clearly money being left on the table here.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, Fender is PE-owned, so they're absolutely looking to cash in on growing income inequality (at least in the US) by providing vintage spec instruments that will collect dust for fellow bankers and a plethora of Squier options (including many innovation options) for the rest of us.

I agree that the Flea Active and Aerodynes are great basses, but they were discontinued and discounted heavily, so I'm not sure if that's due to lack of interest / sales or just Fender overproducing and misunderstanding the market.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hooky_marr
#195
MtManiac said:
Is that really any different from any other major instrument manufacturer? A Les Paul is still a Les Paul, a Stingray is still a Stingray, an L2000 is still an L2000, a Yamaha BB is still a Yamaha BB. In fact, if you look across all the Fender lines in just P basses alone, from the least expensive Squier to the current top of the line Ultras, excluding Custom Shop, there’s a lot more variety - classic 1.75” width necks, 1.62” width necks, ‘63 C profile, compound C-D profiles, high mass bridges of three or so varieties, bent metal vintage style bridges with or without vintage saddles, active preamps, a wide variety of split coil pickups, and a wide variety of finishes (eg Copper, Miami Blue, Dark Night, plus the classics).

They’re still P basses in the same sense that a current H Stingray Special is as much a Stingray as a 1985 2-band Stingray is a Stingray. But a lot more variety, and all currently available.
Click to expand...

I agree. Still, these builders need to maintain sales numbers and for that they have to offer new variations. To me, Fender serves two customers: the ones that want a new (fender) bass and the collectors. New finishes and limited editions seem to be directed to the latter. Do I think there is a direct relation between price and quality? No I don’t. But collectors usually don’t mind that factor.

Nothing wrong with that by the way.
 
#196
escaraBAJO said:
I agree. Still, these builders need to maintain sales numbers and for that they have to offer new variations. To me, Fender serves two customers: the ones that want a new (fender) bass and the collectors. New finishes and limited editions seem to be directed to the latter. Do I think there is a direct relation between price and quality? No I don’t. But collectors usually don’t mind that factor.

Nothing wrong with that by the way.
Click to expand...
I’m assuredly not a collector, but am thrilled with my Dark Night P bass, and not offering enough finish choices is one of the top three complaints here about Fender not “innovating,” so I gotta disagree with your assessment.

Often when Fender strays from models introduced in the 50s and 60s, they don’t sell well. The Dimension array is a good example. I’ve owned three and still own one - they’re awesome basses, but very hard to sell used and clearly hard to sell new. The earlier Dimension (from the 90s iirc) also was a sales bomb, as was the P Lyte, and several other models.

Seems like they’re gonna get complaints no matter what they do, because they’re currently supplying something like 80% of the electric guitar and bass market, so I guess they’re an easier target than G&L, EBMM, Gibson/Epiphone, or any other much smaller companies.

I don’t really care either way what opinions people have, I own no stock in Fender and don’t personally identify with brands, it just hits my sense of absurdity sometimes. Carry on.
 
#198
MrAB4003 said:
1. Another year, another price increase
2. More random signature models (i.e. Keanu Reeves in 2023)
3. MIA basses will be the same except for a few subtle details (i.e. electronics or hardware)
4. MIM basses will still have QC issues and Squier basses will surpass them in QC if they haven't already done so
5. More experimentation from Squier
Click to expand...
Time for a 6 month progress report:
1. Correct - They have increased their prices since the beginning of 2024.
2. Incorrect - But that could change in the second half of 2024.
3. Partially Correct - The American Pro II series is still their current flagship series. For comparison, the American Pro I series had a 4 year product life cycle and the American Standard series lasted for about 30 years. There seems to be positive reactions to the American Pro II series, so I don't see why they would discontinue it now.
4. Correct - No surprises here.
5. Partially Correct - Squier came out with the Debut and Sonic series to compete with Harley Benton and other budget brands. However, I thought they would be even more experimental with the bass models themselves instead of the product lines.
 
  • Like
Reactions: blr2
#200
blr2 said:
"4. MIM basses will still have QC issues and Squier basses will surpass them in QC if they haven't already done so"

I wonder when (if ever) the people at the Ensenada plant will get their act together.
Click to expand...
It doesn’t seem like they ever will. 7ender would save so much money by permanently closing down their Mexican plant and putting more money into their MIA instruments and Squiers. There’s many threadd on here about QC issues with MIA 7enders. If the company put more resources into their flagship products, then I would assume the quality would go up.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back