They are predicting sales will hit a wall as we enter into 2023. Recession means folks spend money on essentials and not on fancy U.S. made guitars. Any record profits will most likely be made by Squier.
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Fender price increase
- Thread starter Bassic_desires
- Start date
It's not like a food staple, I am guessing that the people worried about these price increase are just hobbyist collecting more Fenders, If you are a musical director in a school and have to buy 10 Fender basses next school year or a working musician that absolutely needs a second bass, I can understand. I can complain the EB has raised the price of American StingRays -- but the hurt is that I did not buy 5 years ago not because I cannot work next year to feed my family. Now my discretionary income does not allow it anymore but of course I can go into more debt by charging it to my Sweetwater or GC credit card.
But this is a gear site. Rational behavior and frugality and contentment detract from empowering the commerce of music instruments, That is not what we are all about. Carry on on, I guess.
But this is a gear site. Rational behavior and frugality and contentment detract from empowering the commerce of music instruments, That is not what we are all about. Carry on on, I guess.
I have not followed prices closely enough to know for sure, though I cannot recollect any recent price increases by Fender.
I’ve noticed price increases here in the states as well. But this sort of thing is what my main bass Fender PB is 25 years old, my 5 string (Warwick Corvette)is 16 years old, my acoustic guitar (Taylor 510) is 21 years old, my Strat is 28 years old.
One other thing I’ve done over the last 50 years is buy gently used gear. If you can be patient, and deal with the thought that somebody else had their fingers all over it (frankly if this creeps you out, what do you think about the plates in a restaurant? LOL), tremendous values can be had. I just bought a highly regarded barely used less than 2 years old mint condition amp for over 30% of retail.
Fender is playing the cards they were dealt. I suppose I'll have to do the same. I had serious GAS for one of those new American Vintage II's. But the sticker shock set me back down in my seat. No matter what logic I used to rationalize the purchase, in the back of my mind I kept hearing but that's "JUST" a P-bass. Other than the fat neck and 7.25 radius, its the same as most any other. Why is it $2k+.... ? Jez.... its the as much as an ULTRA.... I'll wait a year and get a used one for $1600.
I know that here in New Zealand new prices for Fender and Squier have gone up in the last couple of years.
Over here now an Affinity Jazz is $650, a Classic Vibe is $1200, a Fender Player is $1900, Am Pro $3700, Am Pro II $4300
I feel the same about Fender and other instrument companies prices as I do when I walk through the aisles at the grocery store - - I know that some of their costs have gone up, but nowhere near as much as what they're now charging. A lot of companies have used the pandemic and the current round of inflation to fatten up their profit margins. Now that fuel prices (and overall transportation costs) have stabilized or have recently gone down, that should help minimize these kind of price gouges.
I'm actually happy that there's nothing that I need to buy right now, but I keep looking to see if I can run across a great deal that would give me an excuse to get something new.
I'm actually happy that there's nothing that I need to buy right now, but I keep looking to see if I can run across a great deal that would give me an excuse to get something new.
They could have 10-15% price reduction and I'd still have no interest. All overpriced IMHO.
As a bit of a Fender fan, I do wonder if another increase year-on-year is a bit of a p**stake.
The American Vintage II basses are already a lot of money, and a price hike so soon after launch would be unjustifiable - especially amid some of the QC issues that have been reported. I also think Fender should have shown a better side and shaved a couple of hundred bucks off the MSRP of the American Originals when the Vintage II line launched. But good luck with that...
The American Vintage II basses are already a lot of money, and a price hike so soon after launch would be unjustifiable - especially amid some of the QC issues that have been reported. I also think Fender should have shown a better side and shaved a couple of hundred bucks off the MSRP of the American Originals when the Vintage II line launched. But good luck with that...
The deal I got pushed me over the edge. As always YMMV.
No QC issues with mine. Maybe all those years of good clean healthy living are paying off?
I almost always buy used. In 50+ years as a "working" musician (mostly weekend warrior but I defer...) and owner of now 14 basses this Player P I just bought is only the 2nd new bass I've ever purchased (and hands down the priciest) If I didn't think I needed it
and if I would have been able to find one suitable to what I wanted (read "had I had more patience") I wouldn't have bought new. The 18% discount I negotiated made me do it, and again it IS a really nice bass... 
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Oh, stop! Can’t you see this thread is about Fender? Start your own thread about Stingrays!!
Imagine if Fender disappeared tomorrow.
What would you do?
Buy something out of the existing stockpile of Fender instruments, or
Just buy a bass that does the job but doesnt have the snob appeal.
What would you do?
Buy something out of the existing stockpile of Fender instruments, or
Just buy a bass that does the job but doesnt have the snob appeal.
When I think of Fender basses, “snob appeal” isn’t part of those thoughts.
And I seriously doubt that the motivation behind the thread and subsequent comments have anything to do with lamenting the loss of snob appeal….
Your entitled to you opinion and there are many on this forum that feel the same way.
Doesnt mean the snob appeal doesnt exist. Lots of other basses get the job jone that don't have Fender written on the headstock.
Prices are rising across the board all over the world. Raw materials, transport, energy. Fender is hit as much by that as anybody.
In about a year's time, the Euro has lost approx 15% vs the dollar. So prices for american goods are rising even faster here...
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Just about everything has gone up substantially since 2020.
