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Where Will Fender Go Next?
- Thread starter Bassic Playing
- Start date
Well? Whaddaya want? Blood?
My point is, they would sell MORE of them if they offered people the colors they want!
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,348
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
I'm guessing at this point they have it to a science. they pick the top 4 or 5 finishes that are perennial top sellers, then they rotate out some novelty classic and new colors from time to time just to keep things interesting or see if they'll float.
I'm also guessing that there's a fairly substantial expense involved in 'tooling up' for a production run of a color, so they probably avoid things that will be of limited interest.
I would love a Jazz fretless with NO lines option, and a Lake Placid Blue body for it at that. Japan used to offer the unlined fretless Jazz basses, but no longer!
Also, if they are going to epoxy a fretless neck (Jaco model), at least get it right and do it like his were (thick epoxy!). Oh yeh, go back to the non-string through body design for the J and P basses. We went decades without that, and everything sounded fine!
Make the MB-5 again as a Fender model as well, but improve it with active pick ups and a better headstock design.
Quit making 5 strings (and 4 strings for that matter) that have a 6 bolt neck plates! It's unnecessary and really ugly!
Also, if they are going to epoxy a fretless neck (Jaco model), at least get it right and do it like his were (thick epoxy!). Oh yeh, go back to the non-string through body design for the J and P basses. We went decades without that, and everything sounded fine!
Make the MB-5 again as a Fender model as well, but improve it with active pick ups and a better headstock design.
Quit making 5 strings (and 4 strings for that matter) that have a 6 bolt neck plates! It's unnecessary and really ugly!
Haven't read through all the posts yet so I don't know if this was mentioned, but see here:
Invalid Link Removed
From the link:
"Customers, for the first time, will be able to order and buy guitars at the Fender website beginning in late November, according to William McGlashan, the founder and managing partner of TPG Growth. This includes custom-configurable guitars, like the famed Telecaster and Stratocaster that can be made to a users unique specifications. Such orders will likely take about two to three months for delivery. Thats the current operating plan. It could be much faster than that, McGlashan said."
Maybe they're going to have a Carvin-esque thing going on. If we have good color choices and the prices are reasonable, Fender will sell a lot of custom guitars.
Invalid Link Removed
From the link:
"Customers, for the first time, will be able to order and buy guitars at the Fender website beginning in late November, according to William McGlashan, the founder and managing partner of TPG Growth. This includes custom-configurable guitars, like the famed Telecaster and Stratocaster that can be made to a users unique specifications. Such orders will likely take about two to three months for delivery. Thats the current operating plan. It could be much faster than that, McGlashan said."
Maybe they're going to have a Carvin-esque thing going on. If we have good color choices and the prices are reasonable, Fender will sell a lot of custom guitars.
Yes. What BrentD said. To be able to select what type of fingerboard, body and neck woods, finish - great stuff. That would be a great move by Fender.
They currently produce an appetizing array of colors that they only sell in Japan!
Nor does anybody else. The whole point of owning a Fender is having a Fender-shaped headstock so the producer or band leader doesn't run you off!
Let's face it, Boomie, if Fender makes ANYTHING even remotely cool (and oddly they actually DO make cool crap from time to time) they soon have to discontinue it. Two examples being my Fender 800 watt Light weight PA amp (ONE rack space) made LONG before Markbass and the rest or my SCN pickups. All VERY cool and quickly discontinued.
So they just keep cranking those 4 string Jazz and P-basses because guys like you won't buy anything that begins to approach a "real" bass. Cripes they don't even make a 5 string P/J (Except the Deluxe P with the humbucker bridge that is now discontinued, natch) And if they ever started cranking out modern cool stuff (like say Low End does), you know like say a fretless 6 string P/J? Well I'd have to start looking for the anti-Christ because the end of the world would be nigh! Hint: Remember the Steve Bailey? WAY Cool! Discontinued. Say no more.
I had this article in mind through the whole thread, and here it is on the last page. This is something to get excited about, depending on how many options we can choose from!
How about officially licensing their name to some sample libraries of their instruments? Rickenbacker's already done that with a Scarbee bass.
I just read this entire thread. Frankly, If I ran Fender right now, I am not sure where I'd try to take them to improve market share.
The comment early about Fender being forced by customer demand to act as more of a distillery than a car company seems to be an accurate assessment.
If I may be be self-centered for just a second, I'll explain my perception as a consumer, as unpopular as it may be.
I spent my first 20 years refusing to play a Fender of any kind. Late seventies/early 80's were not exactly Fender's stongest years. And I asure you that us "old guys" were just as sick of hearing about Fender then as the young guys today.
After taking about 7 years off from playing, I decided that I was going to go nuts and play through most of the production bass catalogue, before sniffing around at the higher end stuff.
Today I look at my current stable, and I am not exactly sure where things went horribly awry. Somewhere in this whole mess of blowing through over 30 basses in the last 2 years, I have apparently devleoped a particular taste:
Fender FSR Antigua P
Fender 63 NAV P
When I couldn't get exactly what I wanted from Fender, I moved to outside vendors......
Grove Custom Reverse 51 P
Dingwall Super J5
Dingwall Super P5 (taking delivery November 2013)
For a guy that hated Fender, I seem to be stacking them up nicely.
Based on my experiences, it seems that fairly priced customization was the first thing that had me looking elsewhere.
The second major issue was tied to ergonomics and energy expenditure while playing the 63 NAV P. I love the bass, but after a couple of sets, I feel like I've been in a bar fight. hence the purchase of the Dingwall Super P5.
Now that my diatribe has ended, I guess the question is, what could Fender have done to get me to write two more checks to them versus Dingwall?
This is where things get really shaky. Ding's arent for everyone. People either love them or hate them. They really are a niche bass. Still, they fulfill a need for me at a price point break at 1/2 to 2/3 below custom shop (5K give or take). Further, Fender loses my interest as I have yet to play one that I felt was more valuable than 2K. The Select line couldnt pry me off my checkbook. And of the very few CS basses that I have played are far too close to the AVRI line, which is thousands less.
In the end, they can't do much with trying to improve ergonomics as the died in wool folks will cry foul the moment they step too far from the traditional design. Previous sales are proof of this.
About the only sound business choice appears to be to design a custom order supply chain alla Carvin/Warmoth/Boutique which allows us to make choices, without having to shell out 4-5K for a P Bass. Frankly, Fender may be way too big to be able to do this successfully.
They really have become prisoners of their own historical success.
The comment early about Fender being forced by customer demand to act as more of a distillery than a car company seems to be an accurate assessment.
If I may be be self-centered for just a second, I'll explain my perception as a consumer, as unpopular as it may be.
I spent my first 20 years refusing to play a Fender of any kind. Late seventies/early 80's were not exactly Fender's stongest years. And I asure you that us "old guys" were just as sick of hearing about Fender then as the young guys today.
After taking about 7 years off from playing, I decided that I was going to go nuts and play through most of the production bass catalogue, before sniffing around at the higher end stuff.
Today I look at my current stable, and I am not exactly sure where things went horribly awry. Somewhere in this whole mess of blowing through over 30 basses in the last 2 years, I have apparently devleoped a particular taste:
Fender FSR Antigua P
Fender 63 NAV P
When I couldn't get exactly what I wanted from Fender, I moved to outside vendors......
Grove Custom Reverse 51 P
Dingwall Super J5
Dingwall Super P5 (taking delivery November 2013)
For a guy that hated Fender, I seem to be stacking them up nicely.
Based on my experiences, it seems that fairly priced customization was the first thing that had me looking elsewhere.
The second major issue was tied to ergonomics and energy expenditure while playing the 63 NAV P. I love the bass, but after a couple of sets, I feel like I've been in a bar fight. hence the purchase of the Dingwall Super P5.
Now that my diatribe has ended, I guess the question is, what could Fender have done to get me to write two more checks to them versus Dingwall?
This is where things get really shaky. Ding's arent for everyone. People either love them or hate them. They really are a niche bass. Still, they fulfill a need for me at a price point break at 1/2 to 2/3 below custom shop (5K give or take). Further, Fender loses my interest as I have yet to play one that I felt was more valuable than 2K. The Select line couldnt pry me off my checkbook. And of the very few CS basses that I have played are far too close to the AVRI line, which is thousands less.
In the end, they can't do much with trying to improve ergonomics as the died in wool folks will cry foul the moment they step too far from the traditional design. Previous sales are proof of this.
About the only sound business choice appears to be to design a custom order supply chain alla Carvin/Warmoth/Boutique which allows us to make choices, without having to shell out 4-5K for a P Bass. Frankly, Fender may be way too big to be able to do this successfully.
They really have become prisoners of their own historical success.
you do realize that it doesn't matter what you play as long as it goes thru that Reiner it will sound badass, right?
When comparing to most if not all amplification/Pre's, then yes.
If you use the Reiner as a bassline, you find yourself peeing your pants with more fervor when playing the 63 NAV P versus the FSR. The basses do matter !
Actually they sell more making more in fewer colors, discounting the non popular colors, then next year with few if any changes (investment dollars) offer a different color, that those that bought a color they like but not first choice will trade in/sell the first purchase and buy another one, as well as capture new first time purchases. Fender is king of the guitar business for a reason.
My hope for Fender is that they finally bring out more J and P Bass models. Having only 20 or 30 relatively similar versions of each of these two basses is not nearly enough. I would hope they would also keep increasing the quality and models in the Squire line so that customers have a harder and harder time telling them apart from the actual Fender brands, thereby continuing to erode the Fender name.
Finally, I would hope they find at least three more countries in which to make virtually identical instruments so they can further confuse the consumer with dozens of version of similar basses called MIA's, and MIM's and MILF's and MIR, etc., etc.
Finally, I would hope they find at least three more countries in which to make virtually identical instruments so they can further confuse the consumer with dozens of version of similar basses called MIA's, and MIM's and MILF's and MIR, etc., etc.
My hope for Fender is that they finally bring out more J and P Bass models. Having only 20 or 30 relatively similar versions of each of these two basses is not nearly enough. I would hope they would also keep increasing the quality and models in the Squire line so that customers have a harder and harder time telling them and the actual Fender brands, thereby continuing to erode the Fender name.
Finally, I would hope they find at least three more countries in which to make virtually identical instruments so they can further confuse the consumer with dozens of version of similar basses called MIA's, and MIM's and MILF's and MIR, etc., etc.
Ken, I don't know you but I wish I did.
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,348
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
Well, actually a little more can be said. What production builder in their right mind would even bother to put out a fretless 6 string PJ, for the 3 people on the planet that might want one, two of which don't have the money for it anyway?
That sort of extreme custom stuff is best left to small-time builders who will build anything for anyone. For a price, of course. And therein lies the snag. People "want" all sorts of things, but few are willing, or capable, of paying for them.
The Steve Bailey may have been "cool", but it didn't sell. "Sell" being the operative word.
My hope for Fender is that they finally bring out more J and P Bass models. Having only 20 or 30 relatively similar versions of each of these two basses is not nearly enough. I would hope they would also keep increasing the quality and models in the Squire line so that customers have a harder and harder time telling them apart from the actual Fender brands, thereby continuing to erode the Fender name.
Finally, I would hope they find at least three more countries in which to make virtually identical instruments so they can further confuse the consumer with dozens of version of similar basses called MIA's, and MIM's and MILF's and MIR, etc., etc.
Yeah, like EBMM?
