Significant Fender price increases coming next month

[mongo2]

Fender has been overpriced for my budget since the '70s at any time I was interested in buying one. Nothing new there. Any Fender I ever owned was used and reasonalbly priced.

 

[Thunderthumbs73]

I welcome it because maybe more beginner bassists will realize there are other basses to buy instead, better basses.

That is the reason?

Hmmm.

I think for 50+ years now, people of all economic means have always realized that there are both more expensive and objectively "better" basses available. You are the first person I've ever come across in 40 years of doing music that expressed the opinion that they WANTED instruments to be MORE expensive.

I hope folks give you that "special pricing" you want, when you're shopping for gear. Good luck with it.

 

[Crackle]

LOL. I have more basses and related gear than I could ever need as it is. No plans to purchase at all.

 

[JazznFunk]

Threads like these in effect are influence how people should spend their money on instruments. No such threads on Fodera or Sadowsky price increases, because that is the "If you have to ask. how much it cost..." community. This extension should go beyond instruments but then the forum rules.

Threads like these help to answer questions, or to foster healthy debate. They do not directly influence how people should spend their money on instruments, at least not the way you want them to, or to dovetail some confirmation bias with personal judgments mixed in that you want to make happen. I don't claim to have that influence over anyone - if I did, I need some serious back commissions over my endorsements of certain basses or products that I've spoken highly of in my nearly 25 years on these boards. Threads like these help to foster an informed discussion about issues which affect the economics of a profession/vocation we love.... before they devolve into bickering anyways. What something COSTS will always be set by how the manufacturer chooses to price it - and that is going to depend on a lot of different factors - many of which have been touched on in this thread. What something is WORTH is up to the buyer based on their personal criteria and whims. If the buyer doesn't think something is worth what it costs, they're free to walk away. What doesn't matter at all is your personal judgment of what someone else thinks something is WORTH.

I think you need to spend more time perusing the boards here to see how many threads there indeed are discussing price increases on upper tier brands as well, year over year. Whether or not those have anything to do with tariffs is another issue. You appear to have a problem with people who spend above X amount on instruments based on Y criteria, based on the maker of the instrument, and based on your categorization of those buyers as the 'if you have to ask how much it costs... community'. That's your problem, and your judgment to deal with. Again, people can spend their money how they want. I don't judge them for it, nor will I say 'you can only own X number of basses for me to take you seriously.' And just because I can't afford a Ferrari means I hate people who can, especially when I know they will drive it seriously and enjoy it vs letting it sit in a garage as a collector's piece.

 

[JRA]

They are already way overpriced for what they are.

*



* for those who like fenders: consider an FSO made from parts. way cheaper for exactly the same thing, and you get more options! just sayin'...

 

[wyleeboxer]

You are assuming USA instruments are better built than in other countries. Which isn’t true.

I’m not assuming that all, you are. My hope is in the “future” USA Fender and component builders up their game by building better and not cookie cutter instruments to compete with cheaper overseas products. I’ve had my share of crappy overseas amps that take a big dump during gigs, I’ve had problems even with USA companies that surplus foreign components like GK, Markbass, Fender, etc… I only use older Quilter 802 totally made in USA amps now and I wouldn’t even take a chance on their newer MIC V803 for example.

 

[meisi]

If you ever wanted to know why they moved to Indo

 

[JumboJett35]

I haven't bought a bass yet this year. It's only February, but I can feel the shakes and the DT's coming on ...

Hey buddy, it's March, you alright?

 

[moon-bass]

Hey buddy, it's March, you alright?

see what I mean! (Shivers with bass withdrawal). Although in my defense, it's been Mardi Gras here so at least I have a semblance of an excuse ..

 

[JumboJett35]

see what I mean! (Shivers with bass withdrawal). Although in my defense, it's been Mardi Gras here so at least I have a semblance of an excuse ..

I hope you got as much enjoyment out of reading my comment as I did posting it. No need to apologize, I wish you the best of luck with your festivities.

 

[N4860]

I don't know how anyone could see the waste that has been uncovered in just the last month and gleefully want to pay more taxes. Yuck!

If you believe the figures about the waste that has been uncovered, then perhaps your perception has been twisted. They already went and backtracked about a bunch of the savings they found.

 

[moon-bass]

I hope you got as much enjoyment out of reading my comment as I did posting it. No need to apologize, I wish you the best of luck with your festivities.

I literally laughed out loud at this my bass brother! I'm still recovering so not quite up on the uptake

 

[sleddogn]

funny how many happily tell you, i'm not gonna pay that...
I was never in that camp, if i want, i buy, if i can afford... but don't announce to everyone i'm not gonna....odd bunch

 

[Hot Rats]

Not according to the news in the last hour or so. A reprieve on all products from Mexico until April... maybe longer. Stay tuned! Another example of how quickly these poor decisions confuse everyone at all levels, especially those who have to set prices based on this constant flip flopping.

I guess the days of a stable economy may be gone for a few years.

 

[taliesin]

Should I expect my gig pay to increase by 25%?????

Only if the gigs are coming from Canada or Mexico.

 

[75Ric]

The wealthy will always spend but the common folk will sit on their wallets once the tariff implications kick in. This will be terrible for discretionary retail companies like Fender. Fender and the like will have a tough time.

The wealthy won't spend either, until prices become very low. Then, they go in and buy up good companies for cheap. The economy recovers and the wealthy get, well, more wealthy. Everyone else gets to go without things because they're unaffordable or pay up.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I'm more concerned with the prices of stuff we actually need to live, not basses.

Only if the gigs are coming from Canada or Mexico.

That is true - a ton of Canadians have embraced a buy Canadian/boycott American attitude. Myself included.

I go to Nova Scotia every year. Perhaps I'll try and get a few gigs when I go there in '25... as long as they don't run me out of your beautiful country lol!

 

[75Ric]

Our economy is complex. We saw just how complex when the supply chain fell apart during COVID. No one anticipated that, but it sure had a huge impact, driving prices way up after years of low, low inflation. When something is so complex and affects virtually everyone's lives, it's usually not a good idea to take a meat cleaver and randomly hack away. It is essentially a given that such actions will lead to many unexpected and likely painful consequences. Historically, tariffs have been a net negative to a country's economy. While there were several factors, heavy tariffs imposed by the US in 1930 ( Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 ) contributed to the Great Depression.

 

[MJ5150]

For those unaware, politics and political commentary are not allowed at TalkBass. The last handful of posts were deleted after y'all went deep in that direction.
This is obviously a hot topic and rooted in politics, but we do have a handful of folks here who have already proven we can have this conversation without being political. Thank you to those members.
If you aren't one of those folks, and you can't talk about tariffs without sharing your political commentary, then this conversation is not for you.

-Mike

 

[fhm555]

Not keeping up with current events, but last time tariffs were imposed on imports, I was shopping for a Reverend Dub king and they went from $750~$800 to north of $1200 a few days before I pulled the trigger. If you are looking to buy an import and can do it now, I’d say get it done before the current uncertainty ends and you need to cough up a third to half again as much money.
Also, used Dub King prices followed the prices for new basses so based on history, there is no way to avoid the increases once they are implemented.
Lastly, I was building some rod wrapping equipment at the time and my local big box store was without a majority of their usually stocked imports for the duration. I suspect they just paused buying items subject to tariffs given the price increases and us being neck deep in a pandemic.