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New Fender Design Experience

#101
Mastermold said:
Lots of handwringing going on here.
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No handwringing here at all. I have not owned a fender instrument since @ 1987. I have little desire for any Fender offering.

Whenever possible, I prefer to buy used gear.

I would not go to the extreme of becoming an expert on all things Fender. And given the current climate wrt asia as well as "enterprising" individuals, I would never be able to rationalize ever buying one of these on the secondary market.
 
#102
I've seen the ad, watched the video.

I just bought my first (real) Fender this year, and already have plans for more. This would be a cool option, but I do agree that once you hit the $2500 mark, it'd be hard to not just go the Custom Shop route.

That said, I hope they take this as far as they can. Versatility is always good, and with so many cookie cutter Fenders out there, it'd be nice to see some unusual ones pop up.
 
#105
Fender need something big and fast, handled right this could be a gamechanger. If they can offer anything you can think of at a reasonable price then it is going to start taking the sales away from other companies.

The quality will not be up there with the best in the business but the Fender name still holds sway and an affordable range of semi custom instruments will get plenty of attention.
 
#106
I hope to go to California on business at some point, and to visit the factory. I personally would love a left handed, Olympic white, pbass with a j neck and have it blocked and bound.

Having said that, I wonder if they are doing Lefties.

But with all the fuss, why not just get a g&l sb-1 or sb-2 for hundreds less than what fender is offering here? I've seen newly specs sb-1 at 1150. Just saying.
 
#107
Having tried for two years to get a maple board on a TSB MIA Std Jazz V or MIA Deluxe V, and being turned down by Fender - that is, unless I wanted to order it as a Custom Shop - I gave up and ordered a TSB Lakland Vintage 55-60 Jazz (5 string) with a maple board and blocks & binding . . . this . . . was a wise decision . . . I won't say what Fender can do to itself! I won't go back to Fender . . .
 
#108
velalv said:
I hope to go to California on business at some point, and to visit the factory. I personally would love a left handed, Olympic white, pbass with a j neck and have it blocked and bound.

Having said that, I wonder if they are doing Lefties.

But with all the fuss, why not just get a g&l sb-1 or sb-2 for hundreds less than what fender is offering here? I've seen newly specs sb-1 at 1150. Just saying.
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I have had 2 G&Ls. One tribute and one USA. They are fine instruments and they play just like Fenders. But they don't look or sound like a Fender. So if you are serious about your question, it's because it's not a Fender.
 
#109
StrangerDanger said:
I have had 2 G&Ls. One tribute and one USA. They are fine instruments and they play just like Fenders. But they don't look or sound like a Fender. So if you are serious about your question, it's because it's not a Fender.
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Hi:

Definitely was serious about my question. Not trolling at all. I keep hearing that G&L's pbass clone, the sb-1, sounded like a fender P on sterioids with the pots wide open, and like a fender P with the volume pot on the front pick up rolled back a bit. The body looks sort of like a p, but it definitely is not a carbon copy. I think I was just thinking with my wallet.
 
#110
Just went there to check it out! "Design experience" is in its infancy, and is rapidly expanding. You can now have Jazzes built to order, and a 5 string is available as well. The guy that was manning the room "Mike" (if I remember correctly) is in charge of the section AND it's options and will continue to expand the options available and is changing the displays to reflect those changes. By the end of the summer, who knows what one can get? Right now, the color selections for basses and guitars are limited, but man was it fun to poke around there and discuss the options. You can expect to spend around 1,600-1,800 USD to get one out the door. If one were to plan a visit, keep in mind that in the coming months, more options will become available.
Currently accepting donations towards purchase of design experience bass :)
 
#113
mmbongo said:
So, how many here have actually done this and bought a bass?
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This will be my next brand new Fender bass I buy.

For those that were complaining about why Fender doesn't do "this" or why they don't offer "that" or, my personal favorite, "They should offer EVERYTHING" you obviously don't get what they are doing here. Trust me, if your idea really was that good, they would either already be planning it, or would have already implemented it.

Kudos Fender. This looks awesome....
 
#114
This was announced a year ago. Has anyone actually done it? It's a great idea, and all suspicions about corporate marketing aside, folks, it's never a bad thing when a large company reaches out to its market and boosts the customer service experience. This is an advantage a Stateside company like Fender has over the foreign competition, though some TBers regard the Left Coast as foreign . . . .
 
#115
How does the American Standard Precision maple board neck compare to the American Special maple neck? Are they both finished with glossy on front and satin on back? Do they both have graphite reinforcement rods? Are the frets and nut of similar quality and finish? How do American Standard tuners differ from Special?
Is there any real difference in overall quality, fit, and finish?
I like the larger headstock and decal on the Special headstock. How shallow...

Also, soundwise, how does a '63 Precision pickup differ from the the '58 and American Series Precision pickups? Deeper, brighter, etc..
I don't really know how to interpret the electrical specs.
 
#116
telecopy said:
How does the American Standard Precision maple board neck compare to the American Special maple neck? Are they both finished with glossy on front and satin on back? Do they both have graphite reinforcement rods? Are the frets and nut of similar quality and finish? How do American Standard tuners differ from Special?
Is there any real difference in overall quality, fit, and finish?
I like the larger headstock and decal on the Special headstock. How shallow...

Also, soundwise, how does a '63 Precision pickup differ from the the '58 and American Series Precision pickups? Deeper, brighter, etc..
I don't really know how to interpret the electrical specs.
Click to expand...
Am Specs are satin finish & slightly thinner front-to-back than the Am Std. Both have the same rods. Frets & nut are the same. The Tuners are open back vintage style (like the Mexican & Japanese models). Quality-wise, these necks are on par, just different specs.

No idea on the pick-ups, though.
 
#120
I have done this with 3 basses so far. #1 is a white jazz with allparts rosewood b/b neck, Schaller keys, BA2 bridge, custom shop 60s pups, warmoth tort guard $850. #2 is a 3T burst, allparts maple board neck, Schaller keys, BL Wilde pup, Hipshot bridge $800. #3 is amer deluxe p/j 3t burst, allparts rosewood b/b neck, fender Schaller keys, BL Wilde pups passive parallel/series switch $1,000
 

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