Fender Quality..

[Jim Carr]

I've owned several - like 7 MIA Pbasses from '96-2014, one CIJ, 4-5 Squiers, and 5 or so MIM P's and J's, not counting my kid's guitars - two bought new and the rest bought used, and I have never had any quality issues at all. Any quality issues I've heard about have 100% been on Talkbass and by far the majority of those were instruments bought at Guitar Centre.

Fret sprout and poor action setup don't count as quality issues - I mean things like bad neck pocket gaps, or poor finish jobs. But every manufacturer has factory seconds, and some get by QA.

Real world, it's a non-issue. I'm sure we will hear a lot of anecdotes in this thread. Bear in mind Fender sells hundreds of thousands to millions of instruments every year, so a handful of anecdotes does not represent a real problem, no matter how outraged a person is about it.

The 2008 year was lauded as the year Fender upped their game with the re-release of the new American Standard. Squiers and MIMs prior to that were hit or miss, but I think their quality improvements actually hit the market around 2007, with the Classic series and the Vintage Modified Series.

Good observations. I'd also add that around early 2008, the Road Worn series appear, too. Some of my favorite Fenders!

 

[chris_b]

I see so many professional players using Fender instruments, I wonder how much is actually wrong with them.

 

[MtManiac]

Good observations. I'd also add that around early 2008, the Road Worn series appear, too. Some of my favorite Fenders!

Almost bought one of those back then, until I heard about the American Standards being upgraded. Fiesta Red, which I wasn't crazy about, but I loved the feel of the neck!

 

[wraub]

This is, and pretty much has been, always the rule with musical instruments, but definitely with Fender stuff.
Two basses, same materials, same production facility, possibly from the same day, and drastically different in multiple ways.
Add vintage use and abuse, and individual assessment becomes mandatory.

If you're looking to buy without trying, you're pretty much stuck to Sadowsky, Alleva, Lull, etc.

You shouldn't rule out any '01-03 or '91-93 Fender any more or less than an '11-13 or '71-73 Fender.

You gotta try before you buy.

 

[Glenn Johnson]

I bought a 2008 Fender American Standard 5 string Jazz bass and the quality and feel were superb. Amazing actually. The pick ups, however, were really lacking so I sold it. Now I have a 2008 EBMM Stingray 5 HH with equal or superior quality and MUCH better sound. It is much heavier though - that Jazz was LIGHT. YMMV.

 

[Glenn Johnson]

Thanks everyone who took the time to put info here. I decided to pass on the early 2000s Deluxe Jazz I had seen, and will hold out for a later one

If the bass you tried felt good, looked good and sounded good to YOU, that's the bass you should buy. There are exceptions to every rule all the time!

 

[MobileHolmes]

If you're looking to buy without trying, you're pretty much stuck to Sadowsky, Alleva, Lull, etc.

You shouldn't rule out any '01-03 or '91-93 Fender any more or less than an '11-13 or '71-73 Fender.

You gotta try before you buy.

I'd maybe add MusicMan to that list too