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The future of MIM basses and pricing

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plankspanker13

plankspanker13

Jun 19, 2002
3,241
396
Mesa, Arizona, USA
#1
There is no need to discuss the rhetoric emanating from the new folks in power, in Washington DC, concerning Mexican goods. Implicit with border tariffs would be an increased US consumer cost for Mexican products. What does this mean for the Fender MIM product line? Will the market bear these instruments suddenly entering the lower range of the American product line? Could such a situation result in Fender possibly even ending operations in Mexico, and becoming a US-made name, letting Squier (with its' greatly increased QC in recent years) remain as the import brand? (I'd say that the new CEO would love that for braggadocio purposes).

I'm interested in stimulating the discussion along the lines outlined above, and along related non-rhetorical lines (this is NOT a political thread, people!).

Is this gonna be THE tax-refund season to buy a MIM, before a price increase? I'd say, "probably, if a MIM is your thing."

Take it from here, TB. I'm all verklempt; talk amongst y'selves.
 
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#7
I've seen the number 20% bandied about in regards to the Mexican import tariff. If that's the case, it's going to be really unfortunate for the Fender MIM line. One of my favorite instruments is my Fender Roadworn Jazz bass. Currently that model is MAP priced at $1099. A 20% tariff would bring that price up by about $240, and I think we would wind up with that instrument selling for $1350-ish. Not cool, IMHO, because I think the Roadworn instruments offer some of the best value around in the Fender line. I think this sort of price hike might begin to price some people out of the market for this instrument.

Everything else in this general realm of discussion is a tremendous can of worms.
 
#8
This is an interesting subject and one that is only going to be become more and more common in the next few months/ years.
Here in the U.K. The trade prices for every single manufacturer/ distributor increased folllowing "brexit" (britains exit from the European Union), in some cases the very day after the result.
This isn't the manufacturers or distributors feeling the financial effects of a political descision but simply pre-emptying what it might cost them moving forward. These increases were anywhere between 10 and 20% varying by brand.
What I'm highlighting is that is isn't going to get easier or any more exciting for the consumer and will certainly take away the bits of the catalogue that are good value (cheaper than the above range but good quality, such as road worn) and will definitely effect the industry for years to come
 
#11
ShoeManiac said:
I've seen the number 20% bandied about in regards to the Mexican import tariff. If that's the case, it's going to be really unfortunate for the Fender MIM line. One of my favorite instruments is my Fender Roadworn Jazz bass. Currently that model is MAP priced at $1099. A 20% tariff would bring that price up by about $240, and I think we would wind up with that instrument selling for $1350-ish. Not cool, IMHO, because I think the Roadworn instruments offer some of the best value around in the Fender line. I think this sort of price hike might begin to price some people out of the market for this instrument.

Everything else in this general realm of discussion is a tremendous can of worms.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but which do you want more - a good quality bass for a few hundred less, or a impenetrable wall that will solve all of our problems instantly? You can't have both.

:nailbiting:
 
#18
The free market will decide the fate of all businesses. There were good basses before they were made in Mexico and if it comes down to it, Fender will make them in California or Arizona and they will still be cheaper than the top shelf American Fenders.
 
#20
Eric Swaim said:
The free market will decide the fate of all businesses.
Click to expand...
The freeISH market will. Import duties, or selected lack thereof, are still interference on the free market. An unregulated market apparently tends towards outsourcing and to most consumers expecting Walmart prices on everything (despite, or because of, having been laid off themselves.)
 
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