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Why Do Fender Custom Shops sounds so good?

#41
Many don't seem to (or want to) remember that there were a fair number of Pre CBS Fenders that were just OK instruments; they were not all stellar.

IMO, any instrument that is not made in an aggressive assembly line situation should be of better quality.
If the assumption is true that CS employees get to hand select different bodies and necks, and that they have greater time for building, finishing, set up, etc., one could assume that these instruments would be of much higher quality.

The only thing that has kept me from buying CS instruments lately is that the price is so high relative to resale, and, that they are not nearly as sellable as say Sadowsky intruments that have much less depreciation.
If I had the foresight , I would have bought CS instruments years ago when they were not that much more than production Fenders.

Lastly, an unmolested original bought close to market value will never depreciate IMO.
Best advice, but the one that posses you for what ever reason it takes.
 
#44
Chrisk-K said:
There's also some placebo effect. You know it's an expensive CS bass, so your brain processes incoming information in a (positively) biased way. This is a very well-established fact in consumer psychology.
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It doesn't work for me. I have no problem in being brutally honest when being less than thrilled with any instrument, including the so called ' super duper, extra special, ultra selected, double custom shop ' models.;)
 
#49
I think most who've tried both an American Fender 5 and a CS 5 will know that they are not the same basses at all. I too assumed that the difference would be subtle until I played a CS 5 and I was really surprised how superior the CS neck felt. I assume the difference in tone is more subtle, but I can't say for sure since my CS is a P/J and there really isn't an American Fender counterpart to compare it to.
 
#53
lomo said:
This is a big statement, but I don't personally believe it.
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I can't comment on the size of my statement or your personal beliefs. But, I can challenge you, to not be provocative, and be truthful, if only to yourself. Go out and try a CV P, MIA P, AV57/62 P, CS P forget about the prices of these instruments then re-examine you personal beliefs.

Remember you are evaluating Feel and Tone. Enjoy
 
#54
WarriorJoe7 said:
I would guess that the luthier working on a cs bass probably goes through 10-20 necks with a body and doesn't settle on one until it sounds right. They just put the neck back to use with another body. They probably select wood of the perfect density and dry it to precise percentage also.
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I just don't see the 10-20 attempts at perfect neck/body matching happening. Maybe 2-3 attempts in the special limited run CS stuff where it is being built by one or two specific guys in the shop who'll have thier names on the project. But I doubt much more. And the Time Machine CS models...I'd bet they have preinspected necks and bodies ,that have been determined to be of CS quality, at arms reach there for them. They grab one of each knowing the CS standard inspection has already been done and their job is to just bolt it together.

thumpbass1 said:
It doesn't work for me. I have no problem in being brutally honest when being less than thrilled with any instrument, including the so called ' super duper, extra special, ultra selected, double custom shop ' models.;)
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Right, and I believe most here would too. But I think what he is saying is kind of a different point. I read his point as...when a consumer sees a high price tag and fancy packaging for instance , we unconsciously expect, convince ourselves, that the product is going to be substantially better than a cheaper, standard run product. But,now just as you said, some consumers have no problem bringing themselves to say it isn't worth it. And certainly sometimes it is worth it because they got one of the good ones.

JimmyM said:
i don't either. i've played a few cs basses and loved them no doubt, but i've played plenty of cheaper models that would easily hang with the cs's on a recording.
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Definately! Sometimes I got to remind myself...wood is wood. Sometimes even a multi pieced body and a neck from the parts bin can be just as magical as any. If it isn't perceivable in a recording it sure won't be in a live situation.
 
#56
I purchased my CS 64 NOS J from a trusted friend interstate - the music store he worked at to be specific. He swore it was as good as his own 64 Relic. When it arrived and plugged it in I was....less than convinced initially to be honest. I had played a MM Stingray 4 exclusively for the previous decade and to not have big fat neck and active electronics was almost unnerving!

But - now I am totally in love with bass! The tone and the feel of the neck is just so fast and smooth - a true pleasure to play.

Due to this - I went and tried a Pino P bass that was in a shop near my place to see if I could justify moving my MIJ P bass on for it. I tried to love that Pino - I really did. But I just couldn't in comparison. The Pino to my dismay was poorly set up and sounded quite dead. I am still stunned to this day.

My Reggie Hamilton CS V I also purchased sight unseen and is also an amazing bass. What I neck! I had a 5502 and the neck on that was great but I would never trade the Reggie neck for anything

Maybe I should buy them without playing them to get a good one? :eyebrow:
 
#57
I have my own custom shop, you can find it here if you are interested:

Invalid Link Removed ;)


In all honesty though unless you got it second hand and or on a deep discount ($1800-2400) it would still have to play and sound more than amazing to justify that $ on it over a real 50s-70s Fender or getting something like this: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#58
chiplexic said:
I just don't see the 10-20 attempts at perfect neck/body matching happening. Maybe 2-3 attempts in the special limited run CS stuff where it is being built by one or two specific guys in the shop who'll have thier names on the project. But I doubt much more. And the Time Machine CS models...I'd bet they have preinspected necks and bodies ,that have been determined to be of CS quality, at arms reach there for them. They grab one of each knowing the CS standard inspection has already been done and their job is to just bolt it together.
.
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That can't be correct because the CS necks are quartersawn specifically for the CS basses. The AV and AS necks are not.

And I'll just add my two cents here, since I own two CS basses ('55 and '59 Precisions) and two AV basses ('57 P and '62 Jazz) that both are high quality but the CS does give you more. Whether that translates into a better sounding bass is another matter, as wood is wood and we've all found cheap basses that sound and play fantastic.
 

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