How much Fender content is required?

[GIBrat51]

I figured this might be the best forum for the question, so here it is.
How much of a Fender bass has to be left, to still be considered a "REAL" Fender bass? Or, conversely, how many Fender parts do you have to use to build a "Real" Fender bass? And I realize that in the latter case, there's the argument that since it didn't come from the factory, it can never be a real one. And that is, of course, a perfectly valid point, and very hard to get around, too. But, that aside, what's your answer?

 

[crlujan]

I don't know but I'm in the middle of a build right now that I'd consider a Fender bass. Fender Japan 62 reissue body and 70's reissue neck. Fender American bridge and tuners and neck plate and pickguard and strap buttons. Lollar pickups and Martin Six String Custom electronics.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

From a collector's point of view, it must be 100% original.
Other than that, it only matters to those who play them.

 

[Linnin]

From a collector's point of view, it must be 100% original.
Other than that, it only matters to those who play them.

+1111 This is absolutely correct. I have every intention of keeping my American Standard Jazz factory stock. When the stock pickup in my '76 Precision died silently in it's sleep one night in 1985. I irreversibly hot rodded it and had it routed for twin pairs of Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders. I also had the neck shaved and reshaped to be more comfortable to play. This was a popular modification of the day and is reflected in the Nate Mendel signature Precision. To a collector I ruined it by turning it into a 'FrankenFender'.

The late T-Bone Wolk of Hall & Oats and Saturday Night Live fame, also knowingly 'ruined' his pre-CBS 1964 Precision having it routed out for a DiMarzio Jazz bridge pickup. While not the first P/J configured hot rod it soon became the most famous being seen weekly on TV. Because of the bass's provenance it is still a very collectable piece. Mine, not so much.

 

[drummer5359]

To me the body and neck are the biggest, but not the only determining factors. They could have come out of the factory in different years or even different eras, but if they were not actually made by Fender it isn't a Fender.

To me a Fender bass or guitar with a replacement bridge, tuners or pickups is still a Fender.

Playing devils advocate, you could take this to the extreme. It is very possible to buy an unloaded body and neck from "Stratosphere" or another online seller and add all aftermarket parts. If you have a Fender body and neck with aftermarket pickups, pick guard, wiring, bridge and tuners you've got a bit of a Franken-bass.

But...

It would have a proper finish, the serial numbers, neck decals, the markings in the body and on the heel of the neck would be correct. But, it wouldn't be a real Fender to most people.

In any case, to me the important part is whether or not you like the way it plays and how it sounds,. In instruments and dogs, the pedigree isn't important to me.