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How Is Fender USA Quality Control Soooo Horrible?
- Thread starter MARVIN MECKLER
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Well, just send it back for replacement and see if they send a better one. Or maybe a refund...
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Given the volume of production and price point they hit, Fender's QC is somewhat above average. If you want perfection in every aspect of every unit produced, why are you even bothering with Fender. If you want perfection, buy Fodera or Alembic. If OTOH, you want above average quality in a mass produced instrument, Fender is your huckleberry. If you want the same playability with lower cost, shop Fender's MIM line, the level of finish is not as high as their MIA line, but the playability is there and for less than half the cost of an MIA. If you want perfection there are plenty of boutique houses where perfection is the norm, but not at the Fender price point. Nothing personal, but waddya want fer nutin??? A ruuuuubbbber biscuit?? 
Don't buy $2000 basses with stickers on them that say 'made in USA' and expect a quality product—
—especially, when probably half of their stuff isn't. Fender is simply too big of a company to expect consistency (even at that price point).
The level of outsourcing within their product lines and over abundance of instruments in any music store is a red flag imo as far as quality control goes. Sometimes they come out good or great but it's random from one instrument to the next.
If you insist on going with Fender, their custom shop is probably more in line with your standards but I'm guessing the baseline price for a build is at least double what you payed for that and a very long wait.
Seek out smaller luthiers—they care about their craft and won't let bs like that slide. Return that Fender Ghina Deluxe!
—especially, when probably half of their stuff isn't. Fender is simply too big of a company to expect consistency (even at that price point). The level of outsourcing within their product lines and over abundance of instruments in any music store is a red flag imo as far as quality control goes. Sometimes they come out good or great but it's random from one instrument to the next.
If you insist on going with Fender, their custom shop is probably more in line with your standards but I'm guessing the baseline price for a build is at least double what you payed for that and a very long wait.
Seek out smaller luthiers—they care about their craft and won't let bs like that slide. Return that Fender Ghina Deluxe!
Don't buy $2000 basses with stickers on them that say 'made in USA' and expect a quality product—
The level of outsourcing within their product lines and over abundance of instruments in any music store is a red flag imo as far as quality control goes. Sometimes they come out good or great but it's random from one instrument to the next.
If you insist on going with Fender, their custom shop is probably more in line with your standards but I'm guessing the baseline price for a build is at least double what you payed for that and a very long wait.
Seek out smaller luthiers—they care about their craft and won't let bs like that slide. Return that Fender Ghina Deluxe!
Smaller builders are far from issue free. Let's be honest about that.
At least buying Fender through a reputable store gives you a chance of giving you recourse. Just return it if you're not happy.
Don't buy $2000 basses with stickers on them that say 'made in USA' and expect a quality product—
The level of outsourcing within their product lines and over abundance of instruments in any music store is a red flag imo as far as quality control goes. Sometimes they come out good or great but it's random from one instrument to the next.
If you insist on going with Fender, their custom shop is probably more in line with your standards but I'm guessing the baseline price for a build is at least double what you payed for that and a very long wait.
Seek out smaller luthiers—they care about their craft and won't let bs like that slide. Return that Fender Ghina Deluxe!
Fender is fine. These things happen with large producers. Fender makes awesome basses. I've loved every Fender I've ever had, MII, MIM, MIJ, MIA.
They are awesome instruments, people just want to be rebels and talk crap about the biggest, most popular seller.
I bought that same bass in the same color several months ago, only it was the right-hand version. Mine also wasn't impressive. A few poorly fitting parts, sharp fret ends, and a super dry fretboard all resulted in that guitar getting returned. I also agree that I often get better playing instruments from Indonesia, etc., though unfortunately, they are often also inferior in terms of features.
That's a pic from the Fender website featuring the US Geddy Lee Jbass for €2.999,00
Owned this guy since 2002 and I'm gonna be honest, this is the first time I've noted they don't line up perfectly.
I've been in the Fender factory. Not sure if they stamp 100% of the metal they use on U.S. made gear but they do in fact make a lot of it right there in Corona, in some cases on the same machines that were in usage during Leo Fender's day. They showed me a machine that had been stamping Tele bridge plates for decades!
And here's another pic of a Jbass, don't remember which one, again from the Fender website.
Yeah, I couldn't see that in the pics. That would irritate the hell out of me
I guess I've gotten so used to damn near everything in life in the 21st Century having QC issues that I'm more surprised when something is actually right than when it's not . . . especially now, (from the covid lockdown to now)
Well, yes. Or you can call it mojo and be happy with it.
We all need to remember that these are mass produced instruments. They will never be perfect. Some will get close but none will be absolutely flawless. That is the way it is and we can do nothing to change it. Our options are to go for a custom built instrument or go to a higher level of quality semi-custom but still mass produced instrument. Build a "parts bass" which is my preferred way now. Or buy one and fix it ourselves. Welcome to factory made in the modern world.
A jazz bass is especially prone to misalignment where the control plate meets the PG. The Only ones that aren't are the jazz bases that have one solid pickguard. Almost all of the two piece ones have gaps or misalignment and I've seen very few that were perfect. Since I've played bass four over 50 years I have seen a ton of jazz basses guitars and the vast majority have sloppy fitting around the control plate and pickguard.
With the Precision it's the cutout for the pickups. Most have to be adjusted to allow proper raising and lowering of the pickups. Back in the good old days manufacturers had time to dial in stuff during the final assembly while the instruments were being adjusted and readied for shipment. Not anymore. it's crank them out central.
There are still good ones out there though. My made in 2007 as an early 2008 model Precision was a 9 out of 10 right out the box. But that's the only one of all the new Fender basses I've bought that was like that. The rest were good but needed work to make them great. Things could be FAR WORSE. It could be the 70's under CBS and we all got crappy basses.
A jazz bass is especially prone to misalignment where the control plate meets the PG. The Only ones that aren't are the jazz bases that have one solid pickguard. Almost all of the two piece ones have gaps or misalignment and I've seen very few that were perfect. Since I've played bass four over 50 years I have seen a ton of jazz basses guitars and the vast majority have sloppy fitting around the control plate and pickguard.
With the Precision it's the cutout for the pickups. Most have to be adjusted to allow proper raising and lowering of the pickups. Back in the good old days manufacturers had time to dial in stuff during the final assembly while the instruments were being adjusted and readied for shipment. Not anymore. it's crank them out central.
There are still good ones out there though. My made in 2007 as an early 2008 model Precision was a 9 out of 10 right out the box. But that's the only one of all the new Fender basses I've bought that was like that. The rest were good but needed work to make them great. Things could be FAR WORSE. It could be the 70's under CBS and we all got crappy basses.
As the folks sometimes say on the Effects forum, nobody in the audience is going to notice any difference.
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