We can have both styles of headstocks and still be happy....
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I love fender but ...
- Thread starter GodPlayedBass
- Start date
This.
And most of the mentioned, and I'm sure, soon to be mentioned Fender clones and alternative's almost always, if not always, have unpainted headstocks as well.
ATTENTION!
It's a MIJ Fender Boxer RI, it's supposed to have a black headstock.
The originals had all black painted necks, regardless of body color
Yes, it is "on purpose"!
OTOH, MIJ Aerodynes do have the matching headstock color
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They still just like the originals but for reason they decided to reissue the 1987 boxer which had black headstock with natural neck opposed to the ones made between 84-86. They have full black necks.
Simple - switch to G&L. They offer a plethora of options for their basses including painted headstocks.
i'm your huckleberry....
If you do this, it isn't stock anymore and I would pay less for it. Always hoping it will become vintage and go up in value, that case I want it as it left the factory. I like matching head stocks and be willing to pay extra for it, Fender, just give us that option. My Sire bass comes standard with a matching headstock, they can do it.
Advanced Headstock Painting Technology for Red Headstocks:
- you do not have to remove the paint/coating, just rough it up by
- sanding the front face of the headstock with 400 grit.
- carefully mask around the edge of the headstock.
- mask the back of the headstock, too.
- mask/cover the fingerboard and the back of the neck.
- plug the tuning machine holes and the truss rod opening.
- spray the headstock red.
View attachment 5388296
- after the red paint dries/cures,
- remove the mask/tape from the edge and back of the headstock,
- but leave the mask on the fingerboard and the neck.
- clearcoat the front of the headstock.
- when the clearcoat is dry/cured, add logo(s).
- clearcoat again.
- when the clearcoat is dry/cured, remove the mask from the fingerboard/neck.
so you have gone from this View attachment 5388297 to this View attachment 5388299 !
TBH, FWIW, full disclosure: i've only painted one headstock red.* i have no experience with other colors.
* i have painted several headstocks black (the absence of color...but i could still see it and it looked black to me).
Was just coming to say this! G&L do it way more than Fender without going custom. Funny enough I have two Fender basses and one of them is the CIJ Jag deluxe with matching red headstock!
@ac100X said:
"If you do this, it isn't stock anymore and I would pay less for it. Always hoping it will become vintage and go up in value, that case I want it as it left the factory. I like matching head stocks and be willing to pay extra for it, Fender, just give us that option. My Sire bass comes standard with a matching headstock, they can do it."
i don't care about resale and and even less about the maintenance of "vintage" --- means nothing to me, ergo: i paint my headstocks whatever color i want --- i have one with a hot pink headstock!
"If you do this, it isn't stock anymore and I would pay less for it. Always hoping it will become vintage and go up in value, that case I want it as it left the factory. I like matching head stocks and be willing to pay extra for it, Fender, just give us that option. My Sire bass comes standard with a matching headstock, they can do it."
i don't care about resale and and even less about the maintenance of "vintage" --- means nothing to me, ergo: i paint my headstocks whatever color i want --- i have one with a hot pink headstock!
Like has been said, if I cared that much for the bass, sandpaper, masking tape, a rattle can with matching color and a replacement decal would be my quick and inexpensive solution for the headstock. Resale value could increase if I found someone with the same interest
.
Someone who is used to see me playing 5 string basses saw me playing my Fender Pro Jazz Bass this afternoon and they asked me if it was a 5 string, I had to sadly say no, it’s a 4 string, Fender don’t make 5 string left handed basses.
Come on Fender, what’s the problem with catering for us lefties? I know we only make up for a small amount of your sales but most other manufacturers offer a much greater range of left handed instruments and most offer a 5 string bass of some description.
Come on Fender, what’s the problem with catering for us lefties? I know we only make up for a small amount of your sales but most other manufacturers offer a much greater range of left handed instruments and most offer a 5 string bass of some description.
Although I am right handed, I feel you pain. But, I have to question any audience member who can't count strings!
Lowendtech
Happily trending in my own peculiar direction.
You can buy the stealth string retainer as an accessory and it’s pretty cheap. It only works with tuners that have a nut on top. A simple old school ferrule set up is not compatible.
Shop Fender® Stealth Bass String Retainer Online
Yeah, I was talking to the guy before we started playing and he was at the back of the room and at first glance he assumed it was a 5’er but hadn’t seen me play it before. In fact I haven’t played the Jazz for quite a while and I predominately play my two 5 string basses these days.
If you want them to make what you want, order Custom Shop... It's that easy.
For everyone else, you get what they make.
For everyone else, you get what they make.
When I shop for a true-to-the-original reissue, I too complain when they're not different from the original to suit my taste, and ignore the instruments that meet my aesthetic sensibility from the same manufacturer, and complain that said manufacturer doesn't give the people what they want. As a discerning customer with niche tastes, I feel like a mainstream consumer brand should do more for me!
Build/assemble your own is the only way to get what you want! You can get it done much cheaper than a FCS and not have to wait a year or more.
There are many ways to do this like Warmoth but I prefer having a Bass that's genuine Fender as possible.
There are online dealers selling genuine Fender bodies and necks where you can assemble the components you want on a Bass. If you have a local Luthier they can do some custom work like inlays, binding and many do refinishing.
Here's mine that I assembled using as many genuine Fender parts as possible right down to the screws sold in Fender packages!
I started with a Reverb purchased Fender Professional body in black because that's what I wanted. Then added Fender vintage threaded bridge saddles and Fender vintage '74 pickups with S-1 switching and a MIM Geddy Lee Jazz pickguard.
The neck is a genuine Fender 60's neck that I purchased from a reputable Ebay Fender parts seller (Stratosphere) and I added a vintage F neckplate with a vintage style serial number stamped on it. The fretboard was worked on by a local Luthier who put an Ebony fingerboard and bone nut and painted the headstock black to match the body. Also MOP inlays were replaced the stock clay ones that were hard to see. A vintage style Fender decal was added to replicate a 1965 Fender Jazz Bass.
There is very little non Fender items used and being an assemblage, this Bass won't have a high resale value but that means nothing to me because I don't intend to ever sell it!
I don't believe even Fender Custom shop could have done a better job since all they seem to do is relics!
There are many ways to do this like Warmoth but I prefer having a Bass that's genuine Fender as possible.
There are online dealers selling genuine Fender bodies and necks where you can assemble the components you want on a Bass. If you have a local Luthier they can do some custom work like inlays, binding and many do refinishing.
Here's mine that I assembled using as many genuine Fender parts as possible right down to the screws sold in Fender packages!
I started with a Reverb purchased Fender Professional body in black because that's what I wanted. Then added Fender vintage threaded bridge saddles and Fender vintage '74 pickups with S-1 switching and a MIM Geddy Lee Jazz pickguard.
The neck is a genuine Fender 60's neck that I purchased from a reputable Ebay Fender parts seller (Stratosphere) and I added a vintage F neckplate with a vintage style serial number stamped on it. The fretboard was worked on by a local Luthier who put an Ebony fingerboard and bone nut and painted the headstock black to match the body. Also MOP inlays were replaced the stock clay ones that were hard to see. A vintage style Fender decal was added to replicate a 1965 Fender Jazz Bass.
There is very little non Fender items used and being an assemblage, this Bass won't have a high resale value but that means nothing to me because I don't intend to ever sell it!
I don't believe even Fender Custom shop could have done a better job since all they seem to do is relics!
