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Is It Really Too Much to Ask?

That would be nice and also the recipe for killing much of the Custom Shop business. I think that's why the Mod Shop was so lame and designed to fail. They have to protect the Custom Shop which I assume is a pretty good money maker.

I doubt the custom shop is in danger. Fender's fret work out of the box and across all lines still sucks, unless it's CS. They also do hand wound pickups and reserve the best wood for CS. I kinda think the line that gets short shrift are the other USA models - they compete for the better woods and the CS has first dibs.
 
oh and for the curious here is my favorite P bass...

I call it "Fanboy"

The body is a Dee Dee Ramone sig, The Neck is an MIJ Geddy Lee Jazz, with a painted headstock to match the body, Geezer Butler Signature passive EMG, and A Gotoh High mass Bridge, oh and a chrome Thumb rest...

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Cheaper? on what planet? Nicer? according to whom?

Again Fender makes Sunburst P basses across almost all of their price points, as well as bound and blocked Jazz necks across almost all of their price points....let's see you spec out a Warmoth build with my proposed parameters including hardware and electronics for the same price a new MIM P bass...or at the cost of A VM Squier P bass...:)

Which Fender could easily do...as the parts already exist

Are you looking for the Fender to be MIM or USA? Personally I'd prefer MIM.

And FWIW, if you do it right, one can put together a bass FAR nicer than any USA Fender using Warmoth parts, for well under $1K. I've done it. And usually, they just bolt together and that's it.

But USACG parts are even better.
 
Honestly absolutely nothing...however that said I can piece one together for far less than a "Custom build"....plus the whole point of this thread is that there should be a production "P" bass with a Jazz neck available to buy instead of having to custom order one, or piece it together myself
I think you kind of nailed it there. By limiting production they make more dough. Making mass quantities of something special... makes them less special.
 
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Warmoth makes their stuff in Washington. Last I heard, that’s still a state. If you have experience with their stuff, you’ll soon realize it’s VERY well made stuff. Somewhere in the MIA/ custom shop realm, depending on who puts it together, and what hardware they use.

IMHE no no it's not even close which is what I meant...see above post

Not to mention re-sale on warmoth parts is terrible regardless of how ell they are or are not made
 
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I can get a sense of the OP's frustration, but I can't help but think that FMIC knows what it's doing as far as bang for the buck. The market the OP seems to think is ravenously baying for this product of his is probably not that many people.

AND/OR FMIC is not interested in introducing yet another version/model of their flagship bass. They must feel they've got plenty.

AND/OR they just don't feel like competing with themselves on these specs.

I'd go with my first guess. I think the OP is projecting. I don't think there are nearly as many people as he seems to think who are as pissed about this as he is.

Good luck, OP, and I'm glad you've already solved your problem. I'd LOVE to have the "problem" of being able to consider buying yet another bass that does what my other basses already do, just because I feel like I need a new color option...
 
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I can get a sense of the OP's frustration, but I can't help but think that FMIC knows what it's doing as far as bang for the buck. The market the OP seems to think is ravenously baying for this product of his is probably not that many people.

AND/OR FMIC is not interested in introducing yet another version/model of their flagship bass. They must feel they've got plenty.

AND/OR they just don't feel like competing with themselves on these specs.

I'd go with my first guess. I think the OP is projecting. I don't think there are nearly as many people as he seems to think who are as pissed about this as he is.

Good luck, OP, and I'm glad you've already solved your problem. I'd LOVE to have the "problem" of being able to consider buying yet another bass that does what my other basses already do, just because I feel like I need a new color option...

meh...comes with age and disposable income I Guess...I'm turning 50 soon I feel as though I need a Burst Bass in the collection
 
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I tend to agree with the OP. Makes perfect sense to have an option, but I'm convinced the only reason it becomes "custom" is to get a little more cash out of the buyer.

Someone commented that he's wasting time "whining" on TB. I disagree. I have to believe this is one of the best marketing info tools for all the manufacturers. If people don't think that all the manufactures have someone in R&D looking at bass forums to see what people think of new products, or desire in products for future production... I'd say you're misleading yourself...

OP... keep fighting the good fight... I may one day buy a production P-bass that doesn't have a neck that feels like a club (to me).
 
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lol sorry I guess I read that wrong, I inferred that he meant Warmoth parts were on par with Fender MIA parts...

Warmoth and USACG are better. By a lot. Example: Fender implies their USA necks have graphite rods in them. They don't. They use wooden rods wrapped in graphite. It does nothing. My 2017 AmPro had the same dead spots as my MIM basses.

Warmoth, on the other hand, puts steel rods in their Deluxe necks, and for an upcharge one can get graphite rods. Both are better than Fender. And you can get quartersawn wood for even more stability and stiffness. Can't get that from a Regular USA Fender. The downside to Warmoth is that their necks are heavy because they are rather stout. But the Warmoth fretwork out of the box is far better than any Fender I've seen that wasn't worked on.

USACG uses graphite rods exclusively in their bass necks, and they are both stiff and light - much lighter than Warmoth or Fender.