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New "FENDER DIRECT" article

#41
Malak the Mad said:
Respectfully, I must disagree with this sentiment. As I recently opined on another thread, to throw innovation and creativity out the window is slow, inevitable death. There's nothing wrong with trying something new or an experimental spin on an established idea. That's how I ended up buying my one and only brand-new bass, a Blacktop Jazz.

I have to agree with awilkie84, stores don't seem to be required to carry the experimental models, or at least, not from what I've seen up and down the East Coast. But it was a local chain that decided (or had to…who knows?) to carry said Blacktop that allowed me to finally try one out. Six months and one traded bass later, it was mine!
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Actually I made note of the blacktop jazz (in original thread a dew weeks back) which I had and traded a few years ago being a successful experience but there's many others that fail. There's got to be cost cutting measures besides eliminating local dealers. One way would be to eliminate "test type" models.
 
#43
jwj1701 said:
Actually I made note of the blacktop jazz (in original thread a dew weeks back) which I had and traded a few years ago being a successful experience but there's many others that fail. There's got to be cost cutting measures besides eliminating local dealers. One way would be to eliminate "test type" models.
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Soooooo, no more experimental models…except for the ones you personally like? :p;)
 
#44
Smallmouth_Bass said:
The high buy in sounds like a very diva like business model. The fact that the retailers are forced to buy merchandise they do not want or do not think will sell is the equivalent of an outlandish rider!
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Unfortunately, It fairly common practice. I worked for roland in rhe early ninties, and they not only forced dealers to spend a certain amount, but would tell them what to carry, AND the rep would vist the stores, take inventory, and restock the missing items. If the dealer complained then roland would yank thier dealership.
 
#45
Good article i had to chuckle a bit at the end of the article.They mention they stock used Fenders for there customers.I recently gave my opinion on a thread that talked about Fender selling direct.I said i didnt care what Fender does cause i only buy used Fenders anyway..ha ha good article thanks....ps there are enough used fender for everyone.
 
#47
Gluvhand said:
Read the linked article again. It seems that, for now at least, GC and Fender are joined at the hip as they are owned, to a certain extent, by the same entity. It's the small retailers that are having trouble meeting Fenders stringent demands.
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^^^^^
I think thats one of the things that may bite Fender in the butt.. They are too many Fenders out there. Major over saturation of a product with a very long shelf life.
 
#50
I couldn't care less about the fortunes of Fender. Save for the new digital pre-amp Strats they haven't made an innovative product since 1966. And I don't count putting batteries or adding an extra string to a P bass as innovative. They mainly serve the entry level market and getting your Strat-Pac in the mail or at a store doesn't make much of a difference.
If Guitar Center pulls them under or puts a 10 year dent on their bottom line then too effin' bad.
There are lots of great products being made by smaller and cleverer companies so if Fender clears some showroom space, all the better for those guys.
 
#51
awilkie84 said:
If the requirements are anything like what my local L&M stock is, it might be something along the lines of "stock these new promo items, stock a few low end Squiers, stock ZERO MIMs, and Stock 6 MIAs (but only in Black or red with rosewood boards). -_- It's kind of a PITA. My local store has had the same guitars on the wall that they did 2 years ago, save for 1 white MIA Jazz that a customer ordered in and a promotional Dlx Jazz that came in last month.
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Oh damn...you too??? Mine had the same AVRIs for the past year hanging on the walls...no one touched them even to just play. Even the Rickenbackers fly off the shelves faster than the AVRIs
 
#55
Wootenjr304 said:
Our local store had to purchase $30000 worth of instruments to stay an authorized dealer. They even told them which instruments they had to buy
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$30,000 doesn't sound like a lot. It'll cost you 10x as much to open a franchise of Dunkin Donuts for comparisons sake - and because I love me a good donut with my coffee now and then.
 
#57
awilkie84 said:
If the requirements are anything like what my local L&M stock is, it might be something along the lines of "stock these new promo items, stock a few low end Squiers, stock ZERO MIMs, and Stock 6 MIAs (but only in Black or red with rosewood boards). -_- It's kind of a PITA. My local store has had the same guitars on the wall that they did 2 years ago, save for 1 white MIA Jazz that a customer ordered in and a promotional Dlx Jazz that came in last month.
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I agree. I'm also from BC, and L&M stock on fender basses has really devolved. Lots of cheap stuff.
 
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#58
There goes the abilities to get some great deals on Fenders, places like MF and GC have at times scratch and dents cheap or 20% off coupons, I doubt Fender will offer that. I got a classic 70s P , the one with blocks a few years ago from GC new for like $430 or 5 years ago a new Fender Jag and Bdec amp for like $400, or a few years back when highway 1's were blown out for around $400 I got a P and a J....those were screaming deals I doubt Fender would give.
 
#59
Not a fan of Fender's direct pricing...I mean, you ditch the middle man and the price comes down right?

I haven't bought a bass in a Store since 1992....

Pick O The Ricks
Perfect Bass
Carvin
Musician's Friend (Yeah I know who owns them)

have gotten my money on several basses...MusicMan's, Fenders, the Rick...etc...the selection was so bad at the stores...I had no other choices...Never got a lemon or bass I didn't love either.
 
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#60
mactac said:
I agree. I'm also from BC, and L&M stock on fender basses has really devolved. Lots of cheap stuff.
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Even their elec guitar shelves are mostly MIAs, Custom Shops, very little MIMs and if they did, they had the higher-end MIMs. A LOTTTT OF Squiers, especially those starter packs.

The one on Terminal Avenue has a whole section dedicated to Fender and Gibson Custom Shop models. I went in there at least once a week for a YEAR and saw the same models still chilling on the walls. I saw one person that day buy a brand new MIA p-bass off the shelf; the employees must have been happy but that only happens, like what, once every four months?

Don't even get me started on their bass section...

You're from Victoria? Damn...my friend just left for Victoria...hope she has fun there...
 

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