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New "FENDER DIRECT" article

#61
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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My local store has 3 Affinities, 1 VM (Used), 2 CV (Have been in stock over a year), 1 MIC MP, 1 used Lefty MIM, 8 MIA Std (All rosewood necks & either red or black, save for 1 white jazz), 2 MIA Dlx (1 used).

Also, I'm like 2 hours from you. :P The Victoria shop has more stock than Nanaimo...but both are poor. :( I was more impressed with the Victoria Tom Lee stock.
 
#62
awilkie84 said:
My local store has 3 Affinities, 1 VM (Used), 2 CV (Have been in stock over a year), 1 MIC MP, 1 used Lefty MIM, 8 MIA Std (All rosewood necks & either red or black, save for 1 white jazz), 2 MIA Dlx (1 used).
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My local one has one of each artist model: Miller, Hoppus, Dirnt, Mendel (except Geddy Lee.....those arses..). Except for the Miller and Hoppus, the other basses have the new hi-mass bridge that replaced the Badass II, meaning I guess some people did fork over $1000 + for one of those basses sometime ago.

We have quite a few Squier basses there too...but they have so many MIAs that it's crazy. I went to the Granville Tom Lee and they mostly have MIMs, CVs, and VMs...AFFORDABLE Fenders. They have a few top-end models but it's the exact opposite from L&M...
 
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#63
Speaking as a consumer, I used to buy into the Fender mystique. Yes, I once upon a time slurped the Fender Kool-Aid. Owned a Fender for 20 years...and a way above average example at that. Also tried them out in stores every chance that came my way. Then I discovered what else is out there. Sold the Fender and never looked back. Having said that I expect Fender will continue to succeed, whatever their business model. So many folks are mesmerized by the brand name that they should be able to ride that wave for years to come. Don't worry about me. I will continue to stand tall as an official non-user of Fender. :)

M. M.
 
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#64
MovingPitchers said:
My local one has one of each artist model: Miller, Hoppus, Dirnt, Mendel (except Geddy Lee.....those arses..). Except for the Miller and Hoppus, the other basses have the new hi-mass bridge that replaced the Badass II, meaning I guess some people did fork over $1000 + for one of those basses sometime ago.

We have quite a few Squier basses there too...but they have so many MIAs that it's crazy. I went to the Granville Tom Lee and they mostly have MIMs, CVs, and VMs...AFFORDABLE Fenders. They have a few top-end models but it's the exact opposite from L&M...
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The other thing I found ridiculous is that it's Fender Month at L&M. Guess where the only deals are for Fender basses...a limited run Black w/ torte MIA Dlx Jazz for $1400, and $20 off Affinities (Black or sunburst). No MIM or MIA Std sales...but you can rent an MIA Std for a month for $40!!! Wow! Great monthly promotion, guys!
 
#65
blowinblue said:
Speaking as a consumer, I used to buy into the Fender mystique. Yes, I once upon a time slurped the Fender Kool-Aid. Owned a Fender for 20 years...and a way above average example at that. Also tried them out in stores every chance that came my way. Then I discovered what else is out there. Sold the Fender and never looked back. Having said that I expect Fender will continue to succeed, whatever their business model. So many folks are mesmerized by the brand name that they should be able to ride that wave for years to come. Don't worry about me. I will continue to stand tall as an official non-user of Fender. :)

M. M.
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I've tried every bass I can get my hands on, but I always gravitate back to Fenders. They're familiar & I like the looks/sound. Different strokes, I guess. :)
 
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#66
awilkie84 said:
The other thing I found ridiculous is that it's Fender Month at L&M. Guess where the only deals are for Fender basses...a limited run Black w/ torte MIA Dlx Jazz for $1400, and $20 off Affinities (Black or sunburst). No MIM or MIA Std sales...but you can rent an MIA Std for a month for $40!!! Wow! Great monthly promotion, guys!
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I was excited for when they would do a Fender month...hoping they would smarten up and have some decent sales going, but nope! Turns out, they're alal pathetic deals that I doubt anyone buys into.
 
#67
MovingPitchers said:
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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Is she a musician?
 
#69
mactac said:
Is she a musician?
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Hahaha naw...it's just...I feel so down now that she's gone for two weeks. Without any wifi or cellphone connection (actually IDK About the cellphone connection). We're just friends so it doesn't make sense for me to feel all gloomy. Sigh. Off topic.

And yeah. I used to hate Tom Lee for terrible customer service, but I've bought so many things off Tom Lee the past few months. I only went to L&M for strings because they have a wider selection of them. Other than that, I think I'll plead my allegiance to Tom Lee when it comes to bigger purchases.
 
#71
Sorry about your B.C. stock - we're pretty spoiled back east. You guys are a long way from anywhere when it comes to retail. Shipping product back to Ontario is a lot tougher than moving it around the 7 stores within 30 miles of me. I remember well that if I got tired of the selection at Sight & Sound in Terrace I could always drive to Bob's in Smithers and see 4 more basses and pay $80.00 for a pack of Rotosounds.
 
#72
Roland GR 88 said:
Sorry about your B.C. stock - we're pretty spoiled back east. You guys are a long way from anywhere when it comes to retail. Shipping product back to Ontario is a lot tougher than moving it around the 7 stores within 30 miles of me. I remember well that if I got tired of the selection at Sight & Sound in Terrace I could always drive to Bob's in Smithers and see 4 more basses and pay $80.00 for a pack of Rotosounds.
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Whenever we want something not in stock in our stores, we have to ship it usually from Ontario. Hahaha.
 
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#74
Roland GR 88 said:
Sorry about your B.C. stock - we're pretty spoiled back east. You guys are a long way from anywhere when it comes to retail. Shipping product back to Ontario is a lot tougher than moving it around the 7 stores within 30 miles of me. I remember well that if I got tired of the selection at Sight & Sound in Terrace I could always drive to Bob's in Smithers and see 4 more basses and pay $80.00 for a pack of Rotosounds.
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Yeah, that's Northern BC. They still have that issue. The lower mainland & Vancouver Island should not have that challenge, though. There are plenty of stores to rotate stock between for minimal cost down here.

MovingPitchers said:
Whenever we want something not in stock in our stores, we have to ship it usually from Ontario. Hahaha.
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Yep. That's where my Mike Dirnt is coming from...hopefully this week. Kind of funny. I order the bass from Corona, it ships to Ontario & then across to BC.
 
#76
awilkie84 said:
Yeah, that's Northern BC. They still have that issue. The lower mainland & Vancouver Island should not have that challenge, though. There are plenty of stores to rotate stock between for minimal cost down here.



Yep. That's where my Mike Dirnt is coming from...hopefully this week. Kind of funny. I order the bass from Corona, it ships to Ontario & then across to BC.
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Yorkville in Pickering Ont. is the Canadian importer of Fender. So even if you go to Tom Lee you've made the Long bros. a bit richer. :)
 
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#77
Roland GR 88 said:
Yorkville in Pickering Ont. is the Canadian importer of Fender. So even if you go to Tom Lee you've made the Long bros. a bit richer. :)
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I thought Yorkville was the Gibson importer and Fender was through another company. Either way, I don't like the Tom Lee in Nanaimo enough to buy through them. It's cluttered, the basses are hung out of reach of even anyone around 7' tall, and the customer service is kind of lacking. The employees have little to no experience. :(
 
#79
awilkie84 said:
I thought Yorkville was the Gibson importer and Fender was through another company. Either way, I don't like the Tom Lee in Nanaimo enough to buy through them. It's cluttered, the basses are hung out of reach of even anyone around 7' tall, and the customer service is kind of lacking. The employees have little to no experience. :(
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Come to the one on Granville in Vancouver. They have experienced employees and actually know a thing or two about basses and guitars other than the Cmaj7 chord or a Rush lick.

Dave Reimer also works there; great repair tech and is very generous on price.
 
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#80
awilkie84 said:
Yeah, that's Northern BC. They still have that issue. The lower mainland & Vancouver Island should not have that challenge, though. There are plenty of stores to rotate stock between for minimal cost down here.



Yep. That's where my Mike Dirnt is coming from...hopefully this week. Kind of funny. I order the bass from Corona, it ships to Ontario & then across to BC.
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Will your MD have the new Fender hi mass bridge or the usual BAII?
 

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