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What I wish Fender would make...

#22
hrodbert696 said:
What I meant was that's pretty much what Squier does - concentrates on mass-producing a narrower range of models at lower prices. TB has already had this conversation, but to rehash it, I don't buy the idea that the variety of Fender's models has anything to do with either their quality or their price, because they're largely mix-and-match from a pretty standard pool of existing components. The folks on the assembly line are still doing pretty much the same jobs, just that on Wednesday you're putting the regular single-coils in those Jazz bodies and Thursday you'll be putting noiseless in. The hardware guys are putting Schaller bridges in on Mondays and BAII's on Tuesdays. Not that big of a difference, and not much impact on quality or cost of production. Quality control guys still have the same checklist to run through in their inspections. It's not like the car companies, where keeping a low-selling model in production means stocking an inventory of components that you can't use in any other cars. I suspect that cutting models would just send more people like the OP who don't see the EXACT set of features they want in a production model off to look at G&L or Carvin or whomever.

What I find ironic about these threads, which we seem to get on a monthly basis or so, is that they ALWAYS involve a price component. The person basically wants a custom bass for their individual preferences, but at mass-produced prices. He could easily get what he wants from Carvin for $1000 or so, but he wants Fender to do it for $600.
Click to expand...

This is spot on. Making fewer models means Fender is selling fewer instruments, so the prices would actually go up.

I'm glad some TB members are not running Fender.
 
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#23
hrodbert696 said:
What I meant was that's pretty much what Squier does - concentrates on mass-producing a narrower range of models at lower prices. TB has already had this conversation, but to rehash it, I don't buy the idea that the variety of Fender's models has anything to do with either their quality or their price, because they're largely mix-and-match from a pretty standard pool of existing components. The folks on the assembly line are still doing pretty much the same jobs, just that on Wednesday you're putting the regular single-coils in those Jazz bodies and Thursday you'll be putting noiseless in. The hardware guys are putting Schaller bridges in on Mondays and BAII's on Tuesdays. Not that big of a difference, and not much impact on quality or cost of production. Quality control guys still have the same checklist to run through in their inspections. It's not like the car companies, where keeping a low-selling model in production means stocking an inventory of components that you can't use in any other cars. I suspect that cutting models would just send more people like the OP who don't see the EXACT set of features they want in a production model off to look at G&L or Carvin or whomever.

What I find ironic about these threads, which we seem to get on a monthly basis or so, is that they ALWAYS involve a price component. The person basically wants a custom bass for their individual preferences, but at mass-produced prices. He could easily get what he wants from Carvin for $1000 or so, but he wants Fender to do it for $600.
Click to expand...

I see it as basic economics - the more different parts you have to carrry, the more it is going to cost, because you have to have an increased inventory. This stuff isn't done on command, so if you have to have X colors, and X styles (like one guy asked for a P pup on a J body), you have to have more stock on hand.

When Fender was king, you could have a J or a P, in a limited selection of colors. I would like to see that, with the option to order something special at a higher price.

With car companies you see it - fewer badges (Ford got rid of Mercury, GM got rid of Oldsmobile and Pontiac), and they continue to try to use the same components on more cars, even of different sizes. Same thing - building a bolt on neck isn't art - !#$%#$^ - I've done it. What was the biggest PIA? Doing the finish, with all the steps and waiting in between.
 

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