New Fender Vintera II Road Worn Basses

[Yahboy]

Ok folks, just got one of those "once you've seen it you can't unsee it" moments. Hope I'm wrong, but there's something off with the Vintera II roadworn PB tuners:
View attachment 7323361

Look at the space there is above them, compared to how I remember most vintage style Fender tuners of this era:
View attachment 7323362

Wrong placement, different size...?

(Both screenshots taken from Fender's official product site; the first one from the new Vintera II roadworn PB, and the second one from an American Vintage II 60s PB).

Relic mechine head , but......... fresh shinning bridge !?!?!? Weird art by FMIC..... where are those previous 2008 roadworn team person go ??

 

[markbmbass]

Relic mechine head , but......... fresh shinning bridge !?!?!? Weird art by FMIC..... where are those previous 2008 roadworn team person go ??

View attachment 7324281

Not on this one still available at Sweetwater. They had 7 in Charcoal Frost when I bought mine yesterday, this is the last one left for now. Seems like they're selling pretty good to me.

 

[Yahboy]

View attachment 7324285
Not on this one still available at Sweetwater. They had 7 in Charcoal Frost when I bought mine yesterday, this is the last one left for now. Seems like they're selling pretty good to me.

I see , light worn process on bridge metal part.


And , great factory bridge saddle setup too .......

 

[markbmbass]

View attachment 7324291
I see , light worn process on bridge metal part.


And , great factory bridge saddle setup too .......
View attachment 7324292

I suggest you don't buy one.

 

[Lowbrow]

Arrived! For the curious: none of the scratches, gouges, burns of older RW runs. Relicing is slightly aged/oxidized bridge, tuners and backplate and random crazing of the top-level finish. Neck starts wide and rounded, flattens out 5th fret on up. The tort guard is a bit better than I expected, tho I may change to white, parchment, or mint. Pickup? Inoffensive and unremarkable and will likely give way to a GZR (this becomes hard to avoid once you’ve heard one). Weighs a super comfy 8 lbs 5 oz on my digital scale and balances on my index finger where the neck & body meet.

EDIT: there is also simulated play wear on the back of the neck.

 

[Mike Vee]

Arrived! For the curious: none of the scratches, gouges, burns of older RW runs. Relicing is slightly aged/oxidized bridge, tuners and backplate and random crazing of the top-level finish. Neck starts wide and rounded, flattens out 5th fret on up. The tort guard is a bit better than I expected, tho I may change to white, parchment, or mint. Pickup? Inoffensive and unremarkable and will likely give way to a GZR (this becomes hard to avoid once you’ve heard one). Weighs a super comfy 8 lbs 5 oz on my digital scale and balances on my index finger where the neck & body meet.
View attachment 7324583

Nice! Yea tort and charcoal is a clashing combo IMO, white or mint would be awesome.

 

[Mike Vee]

Arrived! For the curious: none of the scratches, gouges, burns of older RW runs. Relicing is slightly aged/oxidized bridge, tuners and backplate and random crazing of the top-level finish. Neck starts wide and rounded, flattens out 5th fret on up. The tort guard is a bit better than I expected, tho I may change to white, parchment, or mint. Pickup? Inoffensive and unremarkable and will likely give way to a GZR (this becomes hard to avoid once you’ve heard one). Weighs a super comfy 8 lbs 5 oz on my digital scale and balances on my index finger where the neck & body meet.
View attachment 7324583

Also, this stuff will turn your board black as ebony. It's looking a bit thirsty. Nothing works better,

Amazon.com

 

[ShoeManiac]

I just ordered the Charcoal Frost Metallic version. Yeah, I've got a Charcoal Frost Metallic Am Dlx P-Bass 5 string (custom finish by MJT), but this was just too sweet to pass on. And Fiesta Red has really never done it for me.

 

[markbmbass]

My Charcoal version came in a few hours ago. Sweetwater did not check anything for factory specs apparently but a brief tightening of the truss rod and very slight bridge saddle adjustment, and this thing plays like butter. The only thing that I don’t like so far is that my thumb is getting stuck on the back of the neck. So as long as I keep it past the 30 day window I will get something to smooth that out. I’m very happy with the way it plays.

 

[Lowbrow]

My Charcoal version came in a few hours ago. Sweetwater did not check anything for factory specs apparently but a brief tightening of the truss rod and very slight bridge saddle adjustment, and this thing plays like butter. The only thing that I don’t like so far is that my thumb is getting stuck on the back of the neck. So as long as I keep it past the 30 day window I will get something to smooth that out. I’m very happy with the way it plays.

Yup a little sticky in the action zone thumb position frets 3 - 10. Yet I’m enjoying this version of a Road Word neck in rosewood!

 

[Yahboy]

I suggest you don't buy one.

Sure I won't buy one, because I own a Vintera ll 60P previously. Tall fret not a cup of my tea.

 

[T McClure]

My Charcoal version came in a few hours ago. Sweetwater did not check anything for factory specs apparently but a brief tightening of the truss rod and very slight bridge saddle adjustment, and this thing plays like butter. The only thing that I don’t like so far is that my thumb is getting stuck on the back of the neck. So as long as I keep it past the 30 day window I will get something to smooth that out. I’m very happy with the way it plays.

If it's like the road worn nitro finish on the JMJs, the initial sticky feel will smooth out very quickly in your hands.

 

[selowitch]

I simply cannot imagine paying $1,599.00 for a Mexican-made P-Bass.

 

[wolffire99]

My wallet is happy they didn’t offer the sonic blue mint for bass but my heart is sad

I simply cannot imagine paying $1,599.00 for a Mexican-made P-Bass.

I haven’t really noticed much quality difference between the vintera and American pro ii lines in a basic P or J. Give me the lightest one available at the time.

 

[Lowbrow]

With parchment guard and a GZR

 

[Z-Bass]

With parchment guard and a GZR

I didn't mind the tort over the charcoal frost but the white guard looks really good too.

How does the GZR compare to the stock pickup? Based on online videos, the stock pickup seemed to be on the darker side.

 

[Lowbrow]

I didn't mind the tort over the charcoal frost but the white guard looks really good too.

How does the GZR compare to the stock pickup? Based on online videos, the stock pickup seemed to be on the darker side.

I tried a white guard and didn’t like it. Too new looking. Parchment is the way.
I thought the stock pickup was dull and had a mid bump that was far too low for my taste. The GZR is a smidge louder and its mid voice is much more defined around 1.60k or so. To my ears, THAT is what a vintage P pickup sounds like.

 

[Z-Bass]

I tried a white guard and didn’t like it. Too new looking. Parchment is the way.
I thought the stock pickup was dull and had a mid bump that was far too low for my taste. The GZR is a smidge louder and its mid voice is much more defined around 1.60k or so. To my ears, THAT is what a vintage P pickup sounds like.

Sorry I meant parchment. That looks really good. I hear great things about the GZR pickup.

 

[Wood and Wire]

With parchment guard and a GZRView attachment 7326065

Nice!

Did you remove the EMG logo, or are they making them without now?

 

[Lowbrow]

Nice!

Did you remove the EMG logo, or are they making them without now?

I did.