• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Sad NBD vent - Am Pro II Precision

#41
I have six basses. With the exception of my very first bass, bought in 1998, I've never spent more than $160 for one - all new.

It allows me to not worry about them being "perfect". And I have to throw this in: With the exception of a beautiful six string that I bought at a scratch and dent sale - and had to do a lot of work on to get it set up properly - the rest are awesome. But when you spend so little on a bass, it's easy to be satisfied with what you get.

Heck, I bought this brand new for $75 and love it! Yes, that's real flamed maple, and it was set up perfectly right out of the box. And yes, it sounds great.
1783955083646.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: Swerve
#42
BaltBass5 said:
How do you know that the one you bought came from the factory that way?
Click to expand...

Our friends in Fort Wayne said it was new, and I believe them. There aren't any indications it has been played or was a demo. And based on reputation, I feel like the fault is more likely with the factory.

The retailer will take care of me, I'm not worried about that. One of the reasons I bought from them is the state of every fender I've seen on a shop wall. I had hoped those wallflowers were in rough shape mostly because of selection effects (I do have two Am Pro guitars that don't have flaws like this, and, importantly, the pandemic rush is over - there are no excuses now).

For the price, I expect a little closer to good out of the box; my Reverend and EBMM were, as was my Ibanez. All the same retailer. Perhaps Reverend and EBMM are shipping them instruments that need less work to be great, but that's sort of the problem in a nutshell if true.

I shouldn't have to comb through a bunch of models to find one in good shape at this price point; this bass shouldn't even have been sent to the retailer.
 
#43
This is a problematic topic.

I’ve got a new ‘25 am pro 2 jazz 5 but had to get the nut recut. It was uneven to say the least. I really like the bass - light weight and snappy sounding. All better now.

Also recently acquired a ‘23 am pro 2 precision which is also lightweight and sounding great - but found a couple glops of neck poly and body paint in the neck pocket jacking it all up. I’ve decided to keep the bass because I like the neck and vibe - so it’s currently at my luthiers shop getting refitted properly.

I shared before that I had tried a couple “custom shop” level fenders recently and they seemed not much better than a good American standard to me. Certainly not worth the $4k+
 
#45
ph0rk said:
I shouldn't have to comb through a bunch of models to find one in good shape at this price point; this bass shouldn't even have been sent to the retailer.
Click to expand...
That's the best thing about MIJ Fenders. They are all pretty much exactly the same. I've had three Traditional II stratocasters in different colors. They were all beyond perfect and looked and felt exactly the same, manufactured abotu 2 years apart too. Every one of them set up perfectly, the fit, finish, geometry, electronics, truss rod tension, nut work, all identical.
 
  • Like
Reactions: robert_stuart
#46
Jason Hollar said:
This is a problematic topic.

I’ve got a new ‘25 am pro 2 jazz 5 but had to get the nut recut. It was uneven to say the least. I really like the bass - light weight and snappy sounding. All better now.
Click to expand...
The thing is pretty much every new Fender needs the nut cut lower. However, it should at least be even from the factory. The nut height is the NUMBER ONE factor in playability. I fear pretty much like 80% of bass players have no idea how important properly cut nut slots are. It's the difference between a very difficult to fret 1-3 or it feeling like a touchscreen.
 
Last edited:
#48
steamthief said:
It boggles my mind that the retailer that hypes a fifty-five point inspection to ensure quality gets a free pass for obviously not doing what they promise.
Click to expand...
I agree with you. I think they would appreciate feedback if they’re not living up to their promise. I bought my MIA 2113 Jazz from them and it was flawless. I’ve also had incomplete orders from them and my ‘Sales Engineer’ was right on top of it. They’ve also exchanged items that were essentially new. When you demand/request/expect quality service, they are capable of delivering.
 
#49
steamthief said:
It boggles my mind that the retailer that hypes a fifty-five point inspection to ensure quality gets a free pass for obviously not doing what they promise.
Click to expand...
It's all relative. I'd much rather be dealing with them on this issue than Guitar Center or zZounds (from past experience, though I've had a couple ok interactions with MF/GC in the last year). Those places don't even open them up to check before shipping and depending on the day of the week their price will be the same, and weight is a lottery.

There are smaller shops that do more work presale, but their stock is limited; I don't want to settle on color, but that's required for those retailers because they only have what they have. A well stocked physical shop is more than four or five hours away (there are closer GCs, but their bass stock is poor), and even then if you want a particular color you may well just be out of luck. The days of my local shops carrying basses at this price point are long gone (at least, from Fender). I can have them order one (and wait 3-6 months) but then I don't want to leave them stuck with it if the specific instrument they get sucks (this is a small town, and Fender is not nice to small dealers). Sweetwater is an in-between choice; they aren't performing a full setup that someone like Wildwood would do, but they have far more stock than Wildwood does.

Anyway, I've reached out to the retailer; I have had a couple of other duds from them in the past (synths, those get no inspection but also should not need one - don't even get me started on Moog QC or lack thereof) and they made it as painless as is possible, in most cases I didn't even need to leave my house. They made it right, but would Fender? And how many steps would I have to go through to demonstrate to them the instrument is defective? I am happy to buy from them (SW) just because I know they will take care of me if there's an issue.

It is a shame that it really feels like you still need a good retailer to act as an intermediary between you and Fender for MIA instruments to catch QC problems. This instrument costs twice what a Player II precision bass costs; 55 point inspection or no, and it isn't spending weeks in a cargo container like MII instruments.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bass player 53 and MrAB4003
#50
ph0rk said:
It's all relative. I'd much rather be dealing with them on this issue than Guitar Center or zZounds (from past experience, though I've had a couple ok interactions with MF/GC in the last year). Those places don't even open them up to check before shipping and depending on the day of the week their price will be the same, and weight is a lottery.

There are smaller shops that do more work presale, but their stock is limited; I don't want to settle on color, but that's required for those retailers because they only have what they have. A well stocked physical shop is more than four or five hours away (there are closer GCs, but their bass stock is poor), and even then if you want a particular color you may well just be out of luck. The days of my local shops carrying basses at this price point are long gone (at least, from Fender). I can have them order one (and wait 3-6 months) but then I don't want to leave them stuck with it if the specific instrument they get sucks (this is a small town, and Fender is not nice to small dealers). Sweetwater is an in-between choice; they aren't performing a full setup that someone like Wildwood would do, but they have far more stock than Wildwood does.

Anyway, I've reached out to the retailer; I have had a couple of other duds from them in the past (synths, those get no inspection but also should not need one - don't even get me started on Moog QC or lack thereof) and they made it as painless as is possible, in most cases I didn't even need to leave my house. They made it right, but would Fender? And how many steps would I have to go through to demonstrate to them the instrument is defective? I am happy to buy from them (SW) just because I know they will take care of me if there's an issue.

It is a shame that it really feels like you still need a good retailer to act as an intermediary between you and Fender for MIA instruments to catch QC problems. This instrument costs twice what a Player II precision bass costs; 55 point inspection or no, and it isn't spending weeks in a cargo container like MII instruments.
Click to expand...
Since the Fender lawsuits, there are many, many YouTube videos pointing out, essentially that Fender quality in the mid priced guitars and basses has deteriorated. If you buy in the bottom of the line, you expect to get some quality issues. If you buy from the expensive end of the Customer Shop, you get on par with the boutique builders. It’s all the stuff in between that has become a major headache for Fender and consumers.
Some YouTubers even suggest that this quality issue lies behind the lawsuits.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MrAB4003
#53
Return is in process, it’s just not as fast as walking into a brick and mortar store. Then again, I don’t have to go back into a GC, either.

Still, is not fit and finish one of the reasons to choose the Am Pro line? Does Fender not position it as one of their upper end mass produced domestic lines? Never mind the waste involved in finishing and shipping a product like that which, presumably, has a ton of labor put into it.

It’s not a lost cause (though the gouge will always be there), but why buy the MIA if I have as good a chance to get one in this state as I do a MIM or an MII?

I don’t like the idea that what is one of the premier makers of musical instruments releases supposedly “professional grade” products that require you dig through the bins to find a good one like you are shopping at a thrift store. I went in to this expecting to have a pretty good experience, and I would have happily said as much for years after the fact. Now I’ll be saying “they’re all right if you can find a good one”.

Which is what I’d say for a Sire or a Sterling.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jason Hollar, konaaayukeeenee, MrAB4003 and 1 other person
#55
ph0rk said:
Return is in process, it’s just not as fast as walking into a brick and mortar store. Then again, I don’t have to go back into a GC, either.

Still, is not fit and finish one of the reasons to choose the Am Pro line? Does Fender not position it as one of their upper end mass produced domestic lines? Never mind the waste involved in finishing and shipping a product like that which, presumably, has a ton of labor put into it.

It’s not a lost cause (though the gouge will always be there), but why buy the MIA if I have as good a chance to get one in this state as I do a MIM or an MII?

I don’t like the idea that what is one of the premier makers of musical instruments releases supposedly “professional grade” products that require you dig through the bins to find a good one like you are shopping at a thrift store. I went in to this expecting to have a pretty good experience, and I would have happily said as much for years after the fact. Now I’ll be saying “they’re all right if you can find a good one”.

Which is what I’d say for a Sire or a Sterling.
Click to expand...
Wise decision to return!

Not anymore. Fit and finish are part of their ongoing QC issues. Fender might position their Am Pro II line in the upper end of their mass produced domestic instruments. But that doesn't mean those basses are worth spending almost $2,000 on.

Fender has been "hit or miss" at best for decades. Now more people are seeing the reality with this year's lawsuits and more negative customer experiences happening. I recommend getting a Sire P5 instead if you're still in the market for a Precision style bass. You'll save about $1,500 and get a bass of similar, if not better quality than Fender. For the same money as one Am Pro II Fender, you can get 3 or 4 Sires if you wanted. Now that's bang for your buck!
 
  • Like
Reactions: bass player 53
#57
MrAB4003 said:
Wise decision to return!

Not anymore. Fit and finish are part of their ongoing QC issues. Fender might position their Am Pro II line in the upper end of their mass produced domestic instruments. But that doesn't mean those basses are worth spending almost $2,000 on.

Fender has been "hit or miss" at best for decades. Now more people are seeing the reality with this year's lawsuits and more negative customer experiences happening. I recommend getting a Sire P5 instead if you're still in the market for a Precision style bass. You'll save about $1,500 and get a bass of similar, if not better quality than Fender. For the same money as one Am Pro II Fender, you can get 3 or 4 Sires if you wanted. Now that's bang for your buck!
Click to expand...
Exactly. Many YouTubers are pointing this out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MrAB4003
#60
robert_stuart said:
The only Sire basses I’ve seen close up were at Guitar Center. And they all had issues - like maybe scratchy pots or a bad setup. I didn’t look much further.
Click to expand...
I took a gamble on my Sire P5 fretless earlier this year. I had never played a P5 before and I had never seen one at GC. But for $350, I thought that it was worth ordering. Turns out...

MrAB4003

Thread 'NBD - Sire P5 Fretless'



The tashte of it, the schmell of it, the texture...”. This was the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw what would become my new Sire P5 fretless.

I recently saw that Sweetwater was having a sale and there was a deal that I could not refuse. The regular price was $600, but there was a 25% sale on Sweetwater that brought it down to $450. But I got my P5 for just $350 after taxes! I had some Sweetwater gift cards that I had from selling old gear.

This bass is quite a few firsts for me:
1) This is my first fretless after playing fretted bass since 2009. I...
  • Like
  • Love
  • Wow
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back