I own one- just got it as a Christmas gift. Give it a couple more years and they may seem a bit more common-place. The offbeat appearance isn't for everyone, though.
Mine's a factory refurb or second (stamped "USED" on the back of the headstock.) It took a minor truss rod turn and a little bridge adjustment to make it mine, but I have to say, I was shocked at how well it plays. Probably the best of any Fender I've gotten new (I've bought 4 or 5 new Fenders over the years.)
The electronics are a downside that could limit the popularity of the bass.
1) The buzz is real and is loud, BUT... this is a very bright bass, IMHO. Roll the tone knob off to a reasonable level, and the buzz isn't a big deal at all.
2) No pickup blend. Just on-off toggles for each pickup. VVT would be more flexible, but then you've got a jazz bass, I guess.
3) The preamp isn't the best. Set flat, it doesn't do much to alter the tone of the bass, which I think is a good thing. The bass boost gets out of hand after more than a quarter turn, and I can't imagine why you'd boost the treble on a bass this bright (think L2000 in treble boost mode X 10000!).
Despite the JJ pickups, I think Fender managed to make something that wasn't a jazz bass in both looks and tone. I do think they'd get a lot further a lot faster if they improved the quality of the electronics. Like maybe making the pre boost/cut with a center detent rather than boost only. And by fixing what some here have called a five minute grounding fix.
When you first plug it in, it buzzes like crazy, and if the preamp is dimed, it sounds like poop. With these problems, it'll get put back on the shelf real fast in most music stores.
Five minutes of knob turning, switch flipping, and wheel rolling and its a mean machine. Makes me wonder why people call a Stingray "aggressive." (Yes, I own a 'Ray so I can do a real comparison between the two.)
