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Fender Rascal Bass
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
Yeah, that is a little old-school in these days of spoke wheel and easy-access allen wrench adjustments, etc.
But I have a couple basses that still require removing the neck, and it's not that bad. It just...needs to be done, thank gawd not too often.
The FCS Rascal was around 5 large IIRC, jeesh, but you know...FCS.
Cool bass, and I still wish they built a long-scale version. It looked so awesome in person; maybe becasue it was behind the Fender Glass Wall!
I'd by a vintage bass with no truss rod access, but I just think it was a bad idea for a modern bass.
This would've looked great in Candy Tangerine, but
I just can't get into short-scale basses, despite having small hands.
This would've looked great in Candy Tangerine, but
I just can't get into short-scale basses, despite having small hands.
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,943
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
It's heavy! It has neck dive! And you have to take the neck off to adjust the truss rod!
I'm only saying that because I'm getting sick of your threads causing me gas.
That's all.
I'm only saying that because I'm getting sick of your threads causing me gas.
That's all.
Totally, re: Short, even medium scales. I've had some real nice ones too: Dano,Jerry Jones, Birdsong, even a super-kewl Ampeg Dan Armstrong re-issue. All history and never again. Can't hang.
I recently got a...33" scale AriaProII, built in Japan- That's a ticket, you don't notice, feels like a long-scale, but is very fast and tight.
(All above basses had 21st-century TR adjustment BTW!
)I think that Jason Smith, along with the FCS approach, might go for building/designing basses with "Classic" Fender Features. I had an awesome FCS P-Bass that again, kept the neck-removal thing going too.
Fender's "normal" production, don't they now go w/ spoke wheels, etc.? Pretty sure the Dimension did, but I haven't really looked at Fender's current stuff lately.
It's heavy! It has neck dive! And you have to take the neck off to adjust the truss rod!
I'm only saying that because I'm getting sick of your threads causing me gas.
That's all.
You know you WANT that bass!
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,943
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
That bass almost kicked my butt when it came outYou know you WANT that bass!
. I wanted it bad... seeing it again kicked up the same feeling, and then I remembered what killed my gas the last time. Had to nip this one in the bud and remind myself.
That bass almost kicked my butt when it came out
Had to nip this one in the bud and remind myself.
Are they still making the Rascal? Thought they might have stopped, but there's probably some floating around if you so desire.
And you should!
I think it's a super-hot bass, and even tho the short-scale is not for me; that bass is a beut on many levels IMO.
(You KNOW you want one)
jd56hawk, mp40smg, and Bassmandoug
Ya'll Crack Me Up!!! I'm still laughing while typing.
I'd love to have a Rascal. I have 5 SS basses, and my first two ever, were SS's. The Rascal is downright sexy except I would have preferred a different color.
I hope I'm done buying basses for awhile but if I see one cheap enough, I'd jump in a heartbeat.
057912
Ya'll Crack Me Up!!! I'm still laughing while typing.
I'd love to have a Rascal. I have 5 SS basses, and my first two ever, were SS's. The Rascal is downright sexy except I would have preferred a different color.
I hope I'm done buying basses for awhile but if I see one cheap enough, I'd jump in a heartbeat.
057912
I had one of these, and it did really sound nice. I ended up getting rid of it, though, because it didn't work for me ergonomically. Since it is a full-size Jaguar body, but short-scale, the bridge ended up sitting in a spot where my hand liked to occupy. If it had a scaled-down body, the bridge could have been moved back, eliminating this issue.
On the positive side, it was really well-made, all the different pickup options were usable, and there was a large variety of tones available. Also, mine didn't really have a neck diving issue, and the weight was around 9lbs or so, if I remember correctly.
On the positive side, it was really well-made, all the different pickup options were usable, and there was a large variety of tones available. Also, mine didn't really have a neck diving issue, and the weight was around 9lbs or so, if I remember correctly.
It's not a Jaguar body, it's a Bass VI body. But yeah, it seems they could just move the bridge back and make it a full scale bass without increasing overall length or weight. Then your right hand can go wherever is comfortable.
I think these look really cool. Love the bridge design and the ocean turquois color. Matching headstock, lipsticks, even the pickguard looks cool. Tempting to be sure.
I think these look really cool. Love the bridge design and the ocean turquois color. Matching headstock, lipsticks, even the pickguard looks cool. Tempting to be sure.
Aha, thanks for clarifying. I initially was thinking Jazzmaster. I also agree with you that the overall vibe of the bass is cool. All of the design influences just work well together.
I actually liked the Epiphone Rumble Kat...but just couldn't buy it.Totally, re: Short, even medium scales. I've had some real nice ones too: Dano,Jerry Jones, Birdsong, even a super-kewl Ampeg Dan Armstrong re-issue. All history and never again. Can't hang.
I recently got a...33" scale AriaProII, built in Japan- That's a ticket, you don't notice, feels like a long-scale, but is very fast and tight.
(All above basses had 21st-century TR adjustment BTW!
I think that Jason Smith, along with the FCS approach, might go for building/designing basses with "Classic" Fender Features. I had an awesome FCS P-Bass that again, kept the neck-removal thing going too.
Fender's "normal" production, don't they now go w/ spoke wheels, etc.? Pretty sure the Dimension did, but I haven't really looked at Fender's current stuff lately.
Regardless as to your take on what I wrote.
It is ALL about the marketing. A product's viability is made or broken based on it's marketing. And a HUGE part of that is the name that helps to determine where in a line something goes and what group it is marketed towards. "Rascal" is an abysmal name for a product like this. It is unfortunate, because it actually does look like a reasonably well done bass. If they had kept to the tradition of horse related names (bronco, mustang, etc) it could have been a real winner. If they had gone with something like "Pinto" or "Palamino" it would have potentially not turned off potential buyers.
It is ALL about the marketing. A product's viability is made or broken based on it's marketing. And a HUGE part of that is the name that helps to determine where in a line something goes and what group it is marketed towards. "Rascal" is an abysmal name for a product like this. It is unfortunate, because it actually does look like a reasonably well done bass. If they had kept to the tradition of horse related names (bronco, mustang, etc) it could have been a real winner. If they had gone with something like "Pinto" or "Palamino" it would have potentially not turned off potential buyers.
My friend works as a Product Manager for a very popular Nail-polish mfr. They line up tequila shots and then think of new names for the new colors of nail polish: "Red Midnight Lust", Sapphire Dawn", etc.
It's been stated that there was something about the name "Beatles" that helped shoot them to fame more so than if they called themselves "The Liverpool 4" or something.
This Bass- I'm not convinced it would matter what they called it, it's a niche instrument for sure.
Starting with "Precision" and "Jazz" Fender never really killed it in the Bass name department, eh?
When I saw the prototype, I don't think it was named yet, maybe so.
But what piqued my interest was 1st, the lipstick pups- I've had them on a couple Dano's, some better-wound models on a Jerry Jones, and even Kent Armstrongs on a Lakland Jerry Scheff. I like them. But probably others don't, or prefer SC's or Split Coil, or whatever, so...
I dug the retro body shape, but I don't think it's a crowd-pleaser necessarily.
Then there's the short-scale factor, a deal-breaker for me, and some have mentioned that they didn't like the (1) finish option either.
They should have called this bass the "Quirk" maybe that would have worked.
Your marketing point is well-taken, but in the case of the Rascal, it may have been a pre-destined outcome:
NICHE! (then discontinue!)
The original Rascal. as others have mentioned, was a on-off tour de force by FCS's Jason Smith. It was much more of a "look what I can do" exercise than a prototype for a production bass. I was very pleased when Fender decided to produce them; and, as usual, disappointed (again) when Fender decided "No Leftys". I went to the trouble of visiting the Costom Shop dealer in Riverside, CA., and trying to have one made. They tried repeatedly to make me go away. Finally, after telling me it would be a Master Build, $10K bass didn't work (I had the cash money in my pocket at the time), they just told me to F**k Off, and hung up on me. So I did. Built a Warmoth Mini-P bass instead, and bought a high-end AR-15 with the rest of the money. I'm more then happy with both...
The original Rascal. as others have mentioned, was a on-off tour de force by FCS's Jason Smith. It was much more of a "look what I can do" exercise than a prototype for a production bass. I was very pleased when Fender decided to produce them; and, as usual, disappointed (again) when Fender decided "No Leftys". I went to the trouble of visiting the Costom Shop dealer in Riverside, CA., and trying to have one made. They tried repeatedly to make me go away. Finally, after telling me it would be a Master Build, $10K bass didn't work (I had the cash money in my pocket at the time), they just told me to F**k Off, and hung up on me. So I did. Built a Warmoth Mini-P bass instead, and bought a high-end AR-15 with the rest of the money. I'm more then happy with both...
Would that be W*** W*** guitars? Maybe better anonymous. That is not very good Customer Service now, is it?
I would have called the FCS itself, but maybe the result would have been the same.
Pretty sure I remember seeing the FCS Rascal priced at about 5 large, but not in a lefty of course. I can't imagine a 5K upcharge for that, but then again.... Quite possible I guess.
Still no excuse, for that kind of poor treatment, just don't go back with the AR-15!
Curious which flats you used on your Rascal I am looking to replace the stock strings
This one just popped up in the want ads. In my city, even! It's a good thing I don't have €900 laying around. It'd be gone, and this would be sitting with the others, a rose amongst the dandelions.
