I love fender but ...

[TeeSee]

the dichotomy of talkbass: complaining about Fender while the vast majority of NBD posts are Fender

We can always complain about tort which to me is the most sinful of all the things you can do To Put On A Bass and see how that goes. Believe me it was siege mode when I posted something like that a few months ago before it was pulled.

 

[NeckPickup]

I also don’t understand the decision to embrace narrow tall frets, because they are “easier to bend”? I hate ‘em and know I’m not the only one. In truth, this sounds like an economic manufacturing decision to use the same fret wire on all guitars and basses of the same line.

I’m talking primarily about the Am Pro ii line, and for some odd and deal-breaker reason, the Am Vintage ii. I realize they offer medium jumbo on other lines, but the two I mentioned are the best quality passive options that aren’t special editions or artist models.

 

[FRoss6788]

I also don’t understand the decision to embrace narrow tall frets, because they are “easier to bend”? I hate ‘em and know I’m not the only one. In truth, this sounds like an economic manufacturing decision to use the same fret wire on all guitars and basses of the same line.

I’m talking primarily about the Am Pro ii line, and for some odd and deal-breaker reason, the Am Vintage ii. I realize they offer medium jumbo on other lines, but the two I mentioned are the best quality passive options that aren’t special editions or artist models.

Aren't those what Lakland uses?

Isn't Lakland supposedly a superior instrument?

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Would it kill them to give people what they want? It's like they refuse to give matching headstocks. Like why make a green bass with a black headstock? It's like they do it on purpose. even Harley Benton offers matching headstocks.

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In this case one could say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I would never own something like that in a million years, but I know what an accent wall is.

 

[BazzaBass]

Ignore the message screenshot I accidentally inserted lol

User name checks out

 

[tvbop]

Unfortunately they don't currently offer this, and haven't since the American Standard series

Yet they let Squire do it in the CV 70's P bass which is the nearest youll get to a real 70's P bass with that fat ole neck that can only b found on 70's P basses. For some reason Fender are too scared to do it.

 

[NeckPickup]

Aren't those what Lakland uses?

Isn't Lakland supposedly a superior instrument?

I own a US Lakland and the frets are narrow, but not as tall as narrow tall. Besides, I was talking about playability, not build quality. The Fender Ultras do have medium jumbo, but are active.

 

[eddybuzzard]

AFAIK, Fender Boxer series (MIJ), as in the OP, have always came with a black headstock.
What is the big hoopla about??

 

[TOOL460002]

"I'll paint any headstock, any color, for $29.95"

It's spelled "door jamb?" With a "b?" Forty years on this Earth and still learning.

 

[eddybuzzard]

It's spelled "door jamb?" With a "b?" Forty years on this Earth and still learning.

However, jammed thumb still goes

 

[sethlow3]

I love Fender but…
G&L and Sandberg do it better.

 

[Gervais Cote]

I love Fender but…
G&L and Sandberg do it better.

+1 for Sandberg, especially the ones made in Germany.

 

[FRoss6788]

I love Fender but…
G&L and Sandberg do it better.

Except they don't- they do it different.

But thanks for playing....

 

[Smooth_bass88]

We can always complain about tort which to me is the most sinful of all the things you can do To Put On A Bass and see how that goes. Believe me it was siege mode when I posted something like that a few months ago before it was pulled.

gawd forbid we have opinions regarding aesthetics!! lol

 

[Tim Skaggs]

My cousin’s 1963 Fender Jazz.

 

[HP Hovercraft]

Would it kill them to give people what they want? It's like they refuse to give matching headstocks. Like why make a green bass with a black headstock? It's like they do it on purpose. even Harley Benton offers matching headstocks.

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That one in particular has a black headstock because it's essentially a reissue of the Jazz Bass Special, which had a black headstock.

Otherwise I agree. I love matching headstocks.

 

[FishDub]

Would it kill them to give people what they want? It's like they refuse to give matching headstocks. Like why make a green bass with a black headstock? It's like they do it on purpose. even Harley Benton offers matching headstocks.

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Fender totally missed the boat on those. They would be selling like crazy if they had the black painted necks like the originals

 

[MtManiac]

Here's what I want from Fender:

A passive P-bass with a retainer for the A-string, a pickup that actually sounds like a classic P-bass, a standard Fender-style bridge, a "modern" nut width, a classic C-shaped neck and a 9.5" radius fretboard. Basically a bog standard P-bass with the addition of a string retainer for the A-string. No silly "innovations" like those nasty fluted tuners or the V-Mod pickups with different magnets in the two coils.

Unfortunately they don't currently offer this, and haven't since the American Standard series.

It this really too much to ask for, from the company that actually invented the P-bass? Just a standard, passive, workhorse P-bass that actually sounds and feels like a P-bass, but with a fix for the ONE thing Leo didn't get right: The poor break angle over the nut on the A-string.

They HAVE tried ways to fix this problem of course but why can't they just use a retainer like the ones Sandberg and Yamaha and many other manufactures have been using for DECADES? They actually work. I hate the fluted tuners on the Fender AmPros, I've broken several D- and G-strings at the tuner shaft during setup because of these horrible tuners. And they aren't even needed for the D/G-strings, as these strings already have a string retainer! The stealth retainer on the Ultras are ok, if a bit fiddly, but they come with the premium cost of an Ultra bass, which to me doesn't sound or feel like a classic P-bass. The Ultras are good instruments but not what I want. The pickup is seriously weak in passive mode.

Anyway, these things are far more important to me than a matching headstock, which although it looks very cool isn't really "classic Fender" IMO. It would be nice of they offered it on SOME models though

Fortunately for you, Fender Stealth string retainers are available and require zero permanent modifications! Rejoice!

 

[Camarillo]

Would it kill them to give people what they want? It's like they refuse to give matching headstocks. Like why make a green bass with a black headstock? It's like they do it on purpose. even Harley Benton offers matching headstocks.

View attachment 5388131

Totally agree. Even Squier have them.

 

[MtManiac]

To be fair, the unpainted headstock is part of their brand. They bring out painted headstocks from time to time (like the MIM sparkly 75th anniversary P & J models), some Jazz bass reissues, or the Aerodynes, but unpainted is a big part of “the Fender look”. So maybe a Fender isn’t for you, and you can like them from a distance. Some of those alt choices are pretty amazing and still pretty Fenderish, eg Lakland.

Fwiw, I’m a huge Fender fan, I’ve owned many and currently own no less than 6, but the best bass I’ve personally owned or even played is my Stingray Special, which also doesn’t have a painted headstock.

I’m not sure I see the point of complaining about things Fender doesn’t do, there are so many choices, and I’m sure with an 80% or more market share worldwide, they’re not too concerned about a fairly small handful of complaints. That’s how markets have always worked.