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Fender predictions for 2024?
- Thread starter MtManiac
- Start date
Update: In another thread, I posted earlier today about an interesting experience that I had at my local GC, which proves my fourth prediction of 2024 to be correct:
My suspicions have been confirmed. Squier's QC has surpassed that of MIM 7enders!
I went to my local GC today and I played some basses. I tried out a 7ender Player II Jazz Bass and it was not worth the $800 price tag. The fret edges were rough, the pickups were quiet and brittle sounding, and there were small marks all over the bass, particularly on the neck. This is a brand new bass that had come in within the last 5 days (I know because I was at GC on Sunday and there were no Player II instruments out yet).
What's more is that I tried a $200 Squier Sonic P Bass after putting down the Player II Jazz. The fretwork was exactly the same, but the pickup sounded hotter and louder. I didn't expect to enjoy that bass as much as I did both for the price and compared to the MIM 7ender. There were also very few marks and imperfections on the Squier.
The 7ender is 4x the price of the Squier, despite both basses having similar levels of QC. Country of origin is the only reason why.
There's a Japanese word that I learned about in high school business class that means "constant improvement": kaizen. Squier has been embracing the kaizen philosophy in their basses since I started playing bass over 15 years ago. Their improved QC at a great price point ($200 - $500) is amazing, especially compared to what's coming out of Mexico lately.
Fender. It's supposed to be what the name on the headstock actually looks like, and perhaps is meant to further mock a brand that allegedly is vastly overpriced and inferior to Squier and other cheaper brands.
The sonic pbass comes with ceramic pickups that have approximately 12k ohms resistance, so it’s definitely going to be hotter than the 10k alnico pickups on the Player ii.
I have not touched a player ii yet, but I am VERY happy with the player necks I have on a couple of pbasses.
5 strings in the Mod Shop please...I would love a 5 string precision with a PJ config in Sherwood Green or Shell Pink. Adding a matching headstock option would be a huge plus.
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My initial predictions from November 2023:
My 6 month progress report from June 2024:
Final Results - exactly one year after my initial predictions:
1. Correct - They have increased their prices since the beginning of 2024.
2. Correct - The MIM Blu DeTiger Signature model was pretty random. She's an incredible bassist, but I didn't think she was ready for a signature model with 7ender.
3. Correct - The American Pro II series is still their current flagship series.
4. Correct - No surprises here.
5. Correct - Squier came out with the Debut and Sonic series to compete with Harley Benton and other budget brands in the first half of 2024. In the second half of 2024, they came out with the 6 string Affinity Series Jazz Bass VI, which I thought was out of left field. But there's a few TB-ers who seem to love it.
Final Score: 5/5
My 6 month progress report from June 2024:
Final Results - exactly one year after my initial predictions:
1. Correct - They have increased their prices since the beginning of 2024.
2. Correct - The MIM Blu DeTiger Signature model was pretty random. She's an incredible bassist, but I didn't think she was ready for a signature model with 7ender.
3. Correct - The American Pro II series is still their current flagship series.
4. Correct - No surprises here.
5. Correct - Squier came out with the Debut and Sonic series to compete with Harley Benton and other budget brands in the first half of 2024. In the second half of 2024, they came out with the 6 string Affinity Series Jazz Bass VI, which I thought was out of left field. But there's a few TB-ers who seem to love it.
Final Score: 5/5
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Some prices are down, actually. I think you missed this one. MIM player was $949 in 2023, went down (to $879? Don't recall, right after I bought one, of course), MIM player II is $799. MIA stuff seems to have a permanent -$150-200 sale going.My initial predictions from November 2023:
My 6 month progress report from June 2024:
Final Results - exactly one year after my initial predictions:
1. Correct - They have increased their prices since the beginning of 2024.
2. Correct - The MIM Blu DeTiger Signature model was pretty random. She's an incredible bassist, but I didn't think she was ready for a signature model with 7ender.
3. Correct - The American Pro II series is still their current flagship series.
4. Correct - No surprises here.
5. Correct - Squier came out with the Debut and Sonic series to compete with Harley Benton and other budget brands in the first half of 2024. They also came out with the 6 string Affinity Series Jazz Bass VI, which I thought was out of left field. But there's a few TB-ers who seem to love it.
Final Score: 5/5
Edit: Correction, I paid $849 for the J in 2023. So not as big a drop as I remembered. Still lower though.
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For most of 2024, prices were higher than they were in 2023. I also assume the current sale will be temporary otherwise it really wouldn't be a sale.
Fair enough. Will certainly be interesting to see how things go in 2025. I think the other manufacturers are really managing to squeeze Fender on FSOs now.
What is 7ender?My initial predictions from November 2023:
My 6 month progress report from June 2024:
Final Results - exactly one year after my initial predictions:
1. Correct - They have increased their prices since the beginning of 2024.
2. Correct - The MIM Blu DeTiger Signature model was pretty random. She's an incredible bassist, but I didn't think she was ready for a signature model with 7ender.
3. Correct - The American Pro II series is still their current flagship series.
4. Correct - No surprises here.
5. Correct - Squier came out with the Debut and Sonic series to compete with Harley Benton and other budget brands in the first half of 2024. In the second half of 2024, they came out with the 6 string Affinity Series Jazz Bass VI, which I thought was out of left field. But there's a few TB-ers who seem to love it.
Final Score: 5/5
What’s the point, especially in this thread?
I predict that I will not buy a new Fender in 2025.
Just a detail, but wouldn't the recently updated Ultra II be their flagship series? The Am Pro II seems to be the model to get if you are looking for a Fender, though.
I was about to object to this as well, but decided not. My thinking: Ultra II is active, so not the definitive FSO. Which I think is what you’re saying as well.
Not sure how to rank mod shop or custom shop.
3 points deducted for using “7ender” and two for awarding yourself points.My initial predictions from November 2023:
My 6 month progress report from June 2024:
Final Results - exactly one year after my initial predictions:
1. Correct - They have increased their prices since the beginning of 2024.
2. Correct - The MIM Blu DeTiger Signature model was pretty random. She's an incredible bassist, but I didn't think she was ready for a signature model with 7ender.
3. Correct - The American Pro II series is still their current flagship series.
4. Correct - No surprises here.
5. Correct - Squier came out with the Debut and Sonic series to compete with Harley Benton and other budget brands in the first half of 2024. In the second half of 2024, they came out with the 6 string Affinity Series Jazz Bass VI, which I thought was out of left field. But there's a few TB-ers who seem to love it.
Final Score: 5/5
Depends on how you look at it. Leo Fender’s first company didn’t offer basses with active electronics until after Leo himself died. So the passive basses are the flagship line according to Leo’s vision.
