NBD: Was I duped by MF/GC?

[Coke Kane]

My favorite bass at the moment is the Musician's Friend/Guitar Center's Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ. You've probably seen the sea foam green version at your local GC. PJ passive configuration with a Geddy Lee neck...perfect. So I have every color they make except for the discontinued black color. I wanted another olympic white version to retrofit with black hardware and downtune.

Boy was I surprised when it was delivered and I opened the box to see the color as buttercream with a white pickguard! I first thought that the bass was old stock and the olympic white has turned yellowed, but the white pickguard tell me that this is not the olympic white version. It's a sexy beast, so I'll keep it anyways. This color is not featured on MF/CG yet, but the neck has a 2019 serial number. I wonder if it's a one-off made by mistake from the Fender

Mexican factory.

 

[mtdkingstonheir]

My favorite bass at the moment is the Musician's Friend/Guitar Center's Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ. You've probably seen the sea foam green version at your local GC. PJ passive configuration with a Geddy Lee neck...perfect. So I have every color they make except for the discontinued black color. I wanted another olympic white version to retrofit with black hardware and downtune.

Boy was I surprised when it was delivered and I opened the box to see the color as buttercream with a white pickguard! I first thought that the bass was old stock and the olympic white has turned yellowed, but the white pickguard tell me that this is not the olympic white version. It's a sexy beast, so I'll keep it anyways. This color is not featured on MF/CG yet, but the neck has a 2019 serial number. I wonder if it's a one-off made by mistake from the Fender View attachment 3665121 Mexican factory.

That's a real nice collection of PJs - congrats!

 

[alack]

So how do you really feel about PJs with black block inlays?

 

[felis]

I like it. Actually, I like the buttercream better than the OW.

I'd swap pick guards on the two middle basses.

 

[Basshappi]

Very nice line up. Congrats!
I really liked the Seafoam version and wished they offered it left handed.

 

[Coke Kane]

So how do you really feel about PJs with black block inlays?

The block inlay is a nice added feature, but the side binding make it more special. Plus, the thinner jazz-size neck is the biggest reason to get one of these basses.

 

[Maxdusty]

Could be a color for a different market? Europe or Asia? Actually like it better than the Olympic White. You can always email Fender customer service with the serial number and get the original specs to confirm the color.

 

[maplenecked]

Your loyalty to this design has been rewarded, I would say. Pretty sweet!

 

[80jazz]

Nice bass! I would keep it.

A mint pickguard would be nice on there, but it is your bass to do what you want with.

 

[JRA]

PJs are the best! yours are deluxe --- nice collection and a 'sweet' surprise! congratulations on your new instrument!

 

[CallMeAl]

Well, it’s a cool bass nonetheless!

PJ passive configuration with a Geddy Lee neck...perfect.

I was not aware they were still producing the passive version! Very cool

I wanted another olympic white version to retrofit with black hardware

You still gonna do blackout on it?

PS join the club!

 

[Jackcrow]

I think Sweetwater has these in buttercream as a “Sweetwater exclusive”.

 

[Jackcrow]

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...-exclusive-buttercream-with-maple-fingerboard

I guess this version doesn’t have the block inlays. Different bass I guess.

 

[Coke Kane]

You still gonna do blackout on it?

PS join the club!

Yes, black tuners, knobs, bridge, strap button, and maybe even a black nut. Been looking at the Hipshot HB7 tuners are a direct replacement, but the spec don't line up perfectly without drilling new holes...

 

[Coke Kane]

Very nice line up. Congrats!
I really liked the Seafoam version and wished they offered it left handed.

The seafoam was the first one I got off of Reverb. I call it the "talkbass" because I upgraded to Aguilar pickups and replaced the Hi-mass with a vintage threaded bridge based on what I read from talkbass members!

 

[frankie5string]

Fender doesn't usually make mistakes with something like that.

A retailer probably asked for the colour and FMIC agreed to it for a minimum quantity order. For what it's worth, those basses are not specific to GC/MF. They're just FSR models. I believe they're only being made available to major music retail chains all over the world.

I bought mine (a sunburst version) in Canada at Long & McQuade. It's the only four string and the only Fender bass I own. They are fantastic instruments.

 

[NoSlapForYou]

Buttercream is a better color anyway.

 

[Matty Koff]

I feel like at least two of those should be 5 strings.. and belong to me.

 

[Ukko]

I have a Strat (with white PG) and a Tele in Olympic White, the color on both is the same as in your pic. It's definitely not Buttercream, which has a lot more yellow in it.

 

[2F/2F]

Fender has their own screwy ideas of what "Olympic White" is. Sometimes they paint it "right." Other times they don't. It's supposed to be close to neutral white, leaning slightly cool and slightly tamped down in brightness. But for large parts of their history, Fender has painted it as a cream white (which is what original clear coated Olympic White ages to in time).

So, it's possible they're both "Olympic White." Pull the guard, and possibly the pickups, too look for one of those factory labels that have the color on them.

It's possible that your photo's color is a bit off, but that bass does not look like Buttercream to me. It could be one of their warmer variants of Olympic White, or possibly what they sometimes call "Vintage White." Vintage White and Buttercream are not too far from each other, but Buttercream definitely looks a bit more banana-yellow-like.

I'm not a fan of Buttercream or Vintage White, so I'd be tempted to return it. Or I would put the black guard from the Oly White P on in, and get a tort guard for the Oly White one. Or possibly leave the Oly White P as is, and get an anodized aluminum guard for the new one.