Couldn’t be happier with the build and finish quality of my 2025 American Professional II P5. I even like the V mod II pickups which have a wide range of tone adjustment and sound great in recordings.
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Fender quality control 2025
- Thread starter JutMitch
- Start date
Couldn’t be happier with the build and finish quality of my 2025 American Professional II P5. I even like the V mod II pickups which have a wide range of tone adjustment and sound great in recordings.
Unfortunately availability is an issue and with lenient return policies there is nothing inherently wrong with purchasing online. There should be a standard of quality and I don’t mean set up, fret end dressing etc as that can come from storage transportation etc. In my case I got an extremely playable instrument very well setup, just lacking in other area.
I wonder if Fender could benefit from adding a "good one" checker at the end of the production line. Basses that don't have a good feel could be disassembled and reassembled with a different combination of parts. Maybe after a few tries toss the bad neck or body out (or sell as parts at reduced price).
I've bought two Fenders in 2025.
The Player II P-bass came with a few small dings, a finish mark on the neck and horrible fret sprout. Not sure if it came with the dings from the factory or if it was returned before I bought it, but still. It was so good otherwise that I decided to just fix the fretwork myself and it ended up playing VERY well. Light too. I recently sold it on, but really just because I have realized that I need bridge pickups on my basses.
The Vintera II Bass VI was incredible. The neck feels very nice, the fretwork is top notch, and the finish (Lake Placid Blue) is deep and flawless. Only thing that was poopie about it was the bridge and neck angle, which I knew before I got it - so I got a bridge from offsetguitarsuk.com and together with a .5 degree shim it's now a dream to play. Looks killer too after changing out the pickguard for one in aged mint and the pickup covers in cream. This is a keeper.
I wouldn't buy a Fender without playing it first or from a webshop without a good return policy, and I would be prepared to do some work on it to make it play like I want to, but personally I don't have a problem with that.
The Player II P-bass came with a few small dings, a finish mark on the neck and horrible fret sprout. Not sure if it came with the dings from the factory or if it was returned before I bought it, but still. It was so good otherwise that I decided to just fix the fretwork myself and it ended up playing VERY well. Light too. I recently sold it on, but really just because I have realized that I need bridge pickups on my basses.
The Vintera II Bass VI was incredible. The neck feels very nice, the fretwork is top notch, and the finish (Lake Placid Blue) is deep and flawless. Only thing that was poopie about it was the bridge and neck angle, which I knew before I got it - so I got a bridge from offsetguitarsuk.com and together with a .5 degree shim it's now a dream to play. Looks killer too after changing out the pickguard for one in aged mint and the pickup covers in cream. This is a keeper.
I wouldn't buy a Fender without playing it first or from a webshop without a good return policy, and I would be prepared to do some work on it to make it play like I want to, but personally I don't have a problem with that.
Availability of Fenders is an issue? In my city, music stores are full of them. I’d say at least half the bass inventory is Fender/Squier. Test driving them is never an issue.
lol. I think a good one or a bad one as far as playability can vary. I think maybe just a simple qc check. Make sure there isn’t any dents in the body, finishing lifting, neck issue and hardware issues. A simple playability is fine but I think we all expect to set up a bass including some fret end dressing since Fender can’t control extreme temp swings, changing humidity and shipping issues.
Yes, availability is an issue especially on certain models. The American performer precision (pj bass) is one of those. Contrary to popular belief there are areas that don’t stock every Fender bass model.
In my case I went with a smaller, privately owned single storefront company which also sells online (as to avoid big box companies). No different than my local store which has a rather large online sales footprint. I’m not sure I know any brick and mortar store front that stocks all 49 models including all of the big box stores that might stock 6-7. My GC stocks 3 models with a total of 8 basses (in various colors).
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JutMitch has a good point above. Fender cannot control how the bass was treated after it left their factory. If it sat in storage under poor conditions for a period of time things can happen.
I too would like to see a thread with a poll of Fender owners, a vote. What percentage actually had problems? I have had none.
I too would like to see a thread with a poll of Fender owners, a vote. What percentage actually had problems? I have had none.
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It’s a helluva good instrument! I’ve also never seen a Gibson that was bad. My guitar player has had several of them, all perfect. I’ve had a new Les Paul Dc. Perfect. But people have definitely had some issues, quite a bit in fact. Sweetwater rep had reported that they had to send an average of 13% of Gibsons back in 2017.
I’m finding it’s tough to really figure out any solid numbers with Fender because you have have really good places that are very particular about not letting an inferior product hit their floor. Hence all of their products will be set up perfect and have perfect qc.
Still, Fender availability and options are way better than the more exotic stuff I'm interested in e.g. Spector, Sandberg, Warwick, etc. which I'm basically forced to buy online.
And that's the rub.
I've seen lots of posts where folks complain about set up issues as QC problems and stores that will have instruments out where the strings are sky high or on the frets, or waaay too much relief. This is an issue with the dealer, not Fender. The store's I frequent, and have in the past, make sure all the instruments are set up and perfectly playable.
All manufacturers have QC issues, I've had Lakland Skylines with huge neck gaps and janky frets, G&L's with not so great truss action, and all three Ric's with the worst dead spots I've ever encountered in an instrument.
No company is perfect, and Fender manufactures more than most.
It’s a helluva good instrument! I’ve also never seen a Gibson that was bad. My guitar player has had several of them, all perfect. I’ve had a new Les Paul Dc. Perfect. But people have definitely had some issues, quite a bit in fact. Sweetwater rep had reported that they had to send an average of 13% of Gibsons back in 2017.
I’m finding it’s tough to really figure out any solid numbers with Fender because you have have really good places that are very particular about not letting an inferior product hit their floor. Hence all of their products will be set up perfect and have perfect
Absolutely, for the most part Fender offers something for everyone. Spector is heavily stocked in my area crazy enough and those seem pretty nice but it’s tough to beat a classic Fender design. I went with 3 Warmoth builds after several unpleasant encounters with Fender and those have been absolute top tier quality but at $900 for a shipped American Performer Precision i can’t complain too much. I would have had close to $1000 just in a finished Warmoth neck and body not including the $600-700 needed for electronics and hardware.
Yea, I seen the one thread on here complaining about how the control plate doesn’t line up with the pickguard. I mean that stuff is petty and is just a slight parts deviance and not even an issue in my book. Neck gap…hell I like a nice little neck gap, at least I know when the humidity goes up I’m not going to get stress fractures in the corner of the neck pocket. People want an air tight neck pocket and then wonder why they got corner neck pocket fractures when their house shoots up to 80% humidity. Even neck warping to a point is rarely on the manufacturer. Wood is natural and wood is unpredictable. I have a musicman and while perfect in the qc department, it does suffer from being the most unstable neck ever. You breath on the neck and it will move. I keep my house between 45-50% humidity all year around and I still have to adjust that thing at least 5-6x yearly. That’s not on MM. that’s just nature of the beast with wood.
Probably very few to none. But how many people want P5s? It's a niche instrument.
Figures. Had to ask.....
I'm a niche kinda guy. (funny, auto-correct wanted to write "nice". Funniest thing I've seen all week!
And proud of it.
I’ve gone through about 5 Fenders in the past year, and the only one I had any issue with was a new MIM. The pickup screws went in crooked. I fixed it myself. I still own two Am Pro II Precisions, no problems whatsoever. I think the OP had some bad luck.
Wow, I actually read this whole thread. Lets face it, there is no excuse for any manufacturer who builds an FSO these days to not get it right. Properly dressed frets without sharp ends, tuner bushings tight to the wood, decently cut nut, Jazz control panel that lines up with the pickguard etc. That is the minimum requirement in today's world. Just pick up any Squier product in a music store, or Yamaha etc. I don't believe Q.C. is the problem at Fender, I really think they need a total rethink in terms of manufacturing practices, too harsh? A $99 Glarry bass can be built to the requirements that stated at the beginning. Fender can do it if they want to.
Oh boy.....
Now a $99 Glarry is better than a US Fender.....
Good lord.
Now a $99 Glarry is better than a US Fender.....
Good lord.
