BigRedX

U is for: (Riverhead) Unicorn

T is for: Tokai Talbo

S is for: Spalt

R is for: Ritter

P is for: Pagelli

O is for: Overwater Original

N is for: Norton

M is for: Marleaux

L is for: Lace

K is for: Kramer

J is for: Jerzy Drozd

I is for: Innovo (Switch)

H is for: Highland

G is for: Gus

F is for: FMW

E is for: Esh

D is for: Dingwall

C is for: Carl Thompson

B is for: Born To Rock F4B

A is for: Atlansia Pegasus 5ST

But the point I was trying to make is that IME the engineer is far more important than the equipment. I learnt this the hard way having spent a large amount of money and time building my home studio only to find that the weak link was very much me. Sure my recordings made with Logic, a 40 channel digital desk, big Tannoy monitors and a multitude of effects both hardware and software were technically better than the ones I had done on a 4-track portastudio, but not by a massive amount and they were still nowhere near what I was aiming for. This was very much brought home to me when with another band we used a very ordinary looking studio with what was technically an inferior system to the one I had at home, but the engineer was able to get a recording that sounded excellent in a fraction of the the time it would taken me to achieve something that merely sounded good.

Superb musicianship is IMO irrelevant if I'm not enjoying the actual music being played.

They must have essentially done for free (and then paid him to use it). I can't see any other reason why he would have picked Fender to make this bass when there are so many other luthiers out there who are already making something similar and doing a much better job of it.

Which kind of re-inforces the point that Fender should stick to what they are best at. Or at least do a lot more R&D before unleashing another bass that isn't a P or J on the public.

But is it actually better than your own basses? Personally I'd be worried about catching something off that - the areas around the bridge and pickups look especially minging, not to mentioned that massive fag burn on the headstock. You are probably absorbing tar and nicotine every time you touch the neck. 😉