Yeah, if you are patient you can see them discounted occasionally. Recently the $1,960 AmPro Jazz fretless 4's were available for about $1,650. Those discounts do not last long.
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Is Fender serious?
- Thread starter thorstiborsti
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Ah, yes. Good old 2018. Right before the COVID money canon started spewing cash just as fast as the printing presses could make it.
I don’t know about this MIM hate 
I have one of the first runs of the Classic 60s Jazz bass and I found it to be a fine bass. The only thing about it was it’s not as light as the Road Worn versions or had the Nitro finish that came later. Even though the weight was a bit heavier it did remind me of a late 60s Jazz bass that I had access to back in the 70s that weighed about the same.
Anyway that bass and the few MIM I have handled in the wild were fine. I do understand that these things can be hit or miss at times so I don’t discount others running into problems. But to imply all MIM basses are bad is short sighted, IMO.
I have one of the first runs of the Classic 60s Jazz bass and I found it to be a fine bass. The only thing about it was it’s not as light as the Road Worn versions or had the Nitro finish that came later. Even though the weight was a bit heavier it did remind me of a late 60s Jazz bass that I had access to back in the 70s that weighed about the same.
Anyway that bass and the few MIM I have handled in the wild were fine. I do understand that these things can be hit or miss at times so I don’t discount others running into problems. But to imply all MIM basses are bad is short sighted, IMO.
No one is saying they’re horrible, we’re just saying they’re not worth $2000, and obviously they aren’t. They were like $795 6 years ago. It’s these absolutely surreal price hikes that are being discussed, it’s like nothing we’ve ever seen in history. It’s absolutely bonkers. At this rate the Nate Mendel will be $2500 by 2027. That’s 1000 more than the American professional II was just last year.I don’t know about this MIM hate
I have one of the first runs of the Classic 60s Jazz bass and I found it to be a fine bass. The only thing about it was it’s not as light as the Road Worn versions or had the Nitro finish that came later. Even though the weight was a bit heavier it did remind me of a late 60s Jazz bass that I had access to back in the 70s that weighed about the same.
Anyway that bass and the few MIM I have handled in the wild were fine. I do understand that these things can be hit or miss at times so I don’t discount others running into problems. But to imply all MIM basses are bad is short sighted, IMO.
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Good point! I was reading an article about many US retirees recently getting a rude awakening in the midst of trying to build homes in Mexico and the cost of everything going up several thousands of dollars from their budget soon after breaking ground. I was certainly caught off guard by the prices when I visited Mexico City last fall after a few years away. A close Chilanga friend I have there lives a pretty comfortable middle-class life solely off of custom jewelry she makes and sells on Etsy (and through a smaller European online boutique) to the US and Europe- over the last year her US orders have all but dried up due to the relative rise in prices (both the conversion rate and the t-word) and shipping, luckily the European customer base has grown enough to more than make up for it. No more amazing $0.50 tacos for folks from the US, that's for sure!
It's discouraging every day that everything just . . . keeps , . . . going . . . . . up, instruments included.
Actually, I find it hilarious and hope the MIM prices keep going up...it's definitely a wakeup call for some people.
Hey, there will always be people willing to pay whatever Fender asks just because of the name on the headstock, and then, there will be people who say screw Fender and go with something better.
As for the people who have a hard time understanding why some people knock Fender, seriously?
Take off your rose-colored glasses just for a minute or two.
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Both of my main 'go to' basses are 2014
One MIA & one MIJ, both superb quality and I paid not much more than the combined price of ONE of these mexican signature models for both of them! If you shop around and really do your homework there are bargains to be found. In fact, virtual steals!
Fender prices is what you can look at for a precise measurement of the current inflation rate.
The US model basically costs the current equivalent of $239,50 in 1968, and the Japan, Mexico and China prices are based off that.
The US model basically costs the current equivalent of $239,50 in 1968, and the Japan, Mexico and China prices are based off that.
i do miss my old highway one p from time to time, however the days of getting "display" basses dirt cheap on ebay aren't coming back
Are we entitled to specific prices on products? These threads are weird. Things that were once affordable are less so, or not at all. Thats entirely predictable. Should we get upset by things that weren’t affordable before becoming more unaffordable? The price of a Ferrari is up from what it was in the 80s. Is that outrageous or expected?
We could just save time and iterate this thread for 2027 now when the MIM model finally exceeds $2k msrp. It will take 2 summers of paper route and lawn mowing money to afford one, as it was in the 60s.
We could just save time and iterate this thread for 2027 now when the MIM model finally exceeds $2k msrp. It will take 2 summers of paper route and lawn mowing money to afford one, as it was in the 60s.
For me its been a relief that costs are rising faster than I would like. That one factor has taken the gas out of my sails and forced me to stop conpulsively looking at gear for sale. There is nothing left to do but pick up a bass I already own and… make music.
Yeah, the first time I went to Mexico City it was relatively cheap. I was back last December and prices were way up. I love that city though, so cool. At least in the secluded bubble that I travel to lol.
You’re right we should all just obey. These are just totally normal, reasonable price increases. No problem at all with having our buying power sucked rught out from under us. I’m totally good with that. Triple the cost since 2018? I don’t see the problem.Are we entitled to specific prices on products? These threads are weird. Things that were once affordable are less so, or not at all. Thats entirely predictable. Should we get upset by things that weren’t affordable before becoming more unaffordable? The price of a Ferrari is up from what it was in the 80s. Is that outrageous or expected?
We could just save time and iterate this thread for 2027 now when the MIM model finally exceeds $2k msrp. It will take 2 summers of paper route and lawn mowing money to afford one, as it was in the 60s.
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No, they're not.
Much of the price increases are responses to policy outside the control of companies.
We all know why....if we're paying attention.
No. A reasonable price increase is imaginary. The reality is that buying power is a function of both how much money you have and what you can get for your dollar. If one stays the same and the other goes up, who is at fault?
So you’re suggesting that the typical American is a loser if they haven’t doubled or tripled their income since 2018? Funny enough I actually have exactly tripled my income since 2018, that doesn’t mean a $2000 MIM is appropriate. It would be ridiculous even if I had $20 million.
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