clashcityrocker Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 So after reading lots on here about fender qc, and personally only seeming to have had 'good' ones, this worries me a little http://www.fender.com/series/deluxe/deluxe-active-p-bass-special-maple-fingerboard-blizzard-pearl-1-ply-beveled-gold-vinyl-pickguard/ Is it just me or can everyone else see the massive gap in the top of the neck pocket? If the one bass you use for your own shots has that Qc I'm quite worried about buying one to be honest. Problem is these deluxe actives never come up second hand and no where near me stocks them, kind of don't wanna buy blind now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Thats a pretty standard issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 (edited) I'm not trying to defend Fender's QC or anything, but I wouldn't buy a bass on the strength of this pic, whether it seems good or bad. It's obviously been so processed, airbrushed and generally Photoshopped that it could well be made up from various separate graphic elements and not be a picture of an existing bass at all! Look at it! It seems to be hovering in mid-air. In my experience Fenders are a bit heavier than that! [color=#ffffff].[/color] Edited January 12, 2013 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1357988006' post='1931336'] I'm not trying to defend Fender's QC or anything, but I wouldn't buy a bass on the strength of this pic, whether it seems good or bad. It's obviously been so processed, airbrushed and Photoshopped that it could well be made up from various separate graphic elements and not be a picture of an existing bass at all! Look at it! It seems to be hovering in mid-air. In my experience Fenders are a bit heavier than that! [color=#ffffff].[/color] [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clashcityrocker Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1357988006' post='1931336'] I'm not trying to defend Fender's QC or anything, but I wouldn't buy a bass on the strength of this pic, whether it seems good or bad. It's obviously been so processed, airbrushed and Photoshopped that it could well be made up from various separate graphic components and not be a picture of an existing bass at all! Look at it! It seems to be hovering in mid-air. In my experience Fenders are a bit heavier than that! [/quote] That is good point well made, when buying stuff it does always look better when hovering, especially when the bottom of the body has a flat line where is was obviously laid on something. I think I could take better photos with my HTC phone while seriously drunk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 (edited) Fender has never made instruments with tight manufacturing specs. The chop 'em out and bolt 'em together philosophy has managed to produce some nice sounding basses in the past. Having said that, buying a Fender can be a lottery. I guess that's why the usual advice is always before buying, play them first. Edited January 12, 2013 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Very true. The idea was to make them mix and match-able. Not produce the finest instruments in the world. If you want the iconic image and sound then who cares about a few gaps here and there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1357988357' post='1931343'] ...the usual advice is always before buying, play them first.[/quote] Quite. This is true for any bass, not just Fenders. And Fender are well-known for mass-production; they make bitsas! Leo's original design had mass-production very much in mind - to be sold at a critical price point - which is why he was so successful and why Fender still are successful. If you want a bespoke Fender there is always the option of Custom Shop - at a price. As always, you get what you pay for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Yes, but we've all seen Fenders with that neck pocket issue. I'm just amazed that they're attention to detail is so lax that they choose that particular bass to be the basis of their catalogue picture! I bought a s/h US Fender off someone from here, but even thru the neck pocket was good it was didn't sound right. I took it to Jon Shuker to sort out who eventually found that the factory installed bridge had been put on at an angle! Never heard of that of any other top manufacturer..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1357988006' post='1931336'] I'm not trying to defend Fender's QC or anything, but I wouldn't buy a bass on the strength of this pic, whether it seems good or bad. It's obviously been so processed, airbrushed and generally Photoshopped that it could well be made up from various separate graphic elements and not be a picture of an existing bass at all! Look at it! It seems to be hovering in mid-air. In my experience Fenders are a bit heavier than that! [color=#ffffff].[/color] [/quote] Bang on the money mate. My emails to The Fender corp. re: ideas for a new helium-filled P-Bass were completely ignored! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 [quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1357988561' post='1931350'] Very true. The idea was to make them mix and match-able. Not produce the finest instruments in the world. If you want the iconic image and sound then who cares about a few gaps here and there? [/quote] True! My 78P has a decent gap, but it still sounds and plays great, and has never moved. Good for storing plectrums too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 (edited) [quote name='peteb' timestamp='1357989066' post='1931361'] Yes, but we've all seen Fenders with that neck pocket issue. I'm just amazed that they're attention to detail is so lax that they choose that particular bass to be the basis of their catalogue picture! I bought a s/h US Fender off someone from here, but even thru the neck pocket was good it was didn't sound right. I took it to Jon Shuker to sort out who eventually found that the factory installed bridge had been put on at an angle! Never heard of that of any other top manufacturer..... [/quote]I'm afraid that this is another very very VERY common issue! Edited January 12, 2013 by lettsguitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizznit Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 (edited) The QC at Fender is usually pretty good and has got better over the years, though I am not dismissing that a few rotten eggs do slip through once in a while. It's the same in any high production industry. In my experience the Mexican factory is the worst culprit. I have never had a MIM bass, but I have owned guitars built there. Three in total including a modded Jimi Hendrix Tribute Strat model which I still have. All these guitars have had craftsmanship issues. The Hendrix guitar for example, does have a gap between the neck and pocket big enough to fit a 5p coin into, the nut has not been cut very well at the edges and there were a couple of blobs of lacquer (now removed) on the neck. The guitar has been heavily modded and I have been able to gloss over these issues because it now sounds and plays amazingly, but this is not the first MIM guitar I have owned with shoddy build quality. My first one had a dirty fingerprint under the lacquer on the headstock! At least I could identify the silly sod that wasn't wearing his gloves that day! Edited January 12, 2013 by shizznit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Utterly irrelevant, but what's going on with the silk on the A-string? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 The bridge on my Fender was put on off centre. QC at Fender is reported to be pretty good these days but in previous times they didn't pay much attention to consistent QC even on the US made instruments. I'm afraid I wouldn't buy a Custom shop Fender. At those prices I'd rather get a Sadowsky, Lull, Xotic or any of a dozen other better made basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairyhaw Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 [quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1357991849' post='1931438'] True! My 78P has a decent gap, but it still sounds and plays great, and has never moved. Good for storing plectrums too. [/quote] Agree with this (apart from the storing plectrums bit!). I bought the '92 MIM P in my avatar when I was new to bass and didn't know any better and it's got the same gap as the one pointed out by the OP. It's made no difference and out of all my basses, it's the one that sounds best in the recording studio. Go figure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1357992789' post='1931470'] Utterly irrelevant, but what's going on with the silk on the A-string?[/quote] Technically, it's gone 'tits-up'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 [quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1357988561' post='1931350'] Very true. The idea was to make them mix and match-able. Not produce the finest instruments in the world. If you want the iconic image and sound then who cares about a few gaps here and there? [/quote] I thought the idea behind the bolt on neck was to be able to change the neck when the frets wore out? I'm not disputing what you are saying, in was likely both plus the fact that Fender have been since day 1 all about building instruments as cheaply as they could - cheapest woods at the time, repainting bodies to match orders etc My MIM Fender is nigh on perfect. Personally, the way I see it is that the main difference between MIM & MIA is that MIA Fenders are made in America by Mexicans using American parts, MIM Fenders are made in Mexico by Mexicans using American parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 [quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1357993741' post='1931486'] I thought the idea behind the bolt on neck was to be able to change the neck when the frets wore out? I'm not disputing what you are saying, in was likely both plus the fact that Fender have been since day 1 all about building instruments as cheaply as they could - cheapest woods at the time, repainting bodies to match orders etc My MIM Fender is nigh on perfect. Personally, the way I see it is that the main difference between MIM & MIA is that MIA Fenders are made in America by Mexicans using American parts, MIM Fenders are made in Mexico by Mexicans using American parts. [/quote]Definately. Why the letters u,s and a, affect price so drastically is beyond me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Does seem a bit of a faux-pas, using that pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clashcityrocker Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 The web page must be MIM. I know its what it plays like etc but if I brought online and the bass turned up with that gap,it would be sent straight back,for 665£ it just isn't hood enough. Will definatley get my local music shop to order one in,I take it there is still no obligation to buy if they do that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 [quote name='clashcityrocker' timestamp='1357987454' post='1931325'] So after reading lots on here about fender qc, and personally only seeming to have had 'good' ones, this worries me a little [url="http://www.fender.com/series/deluxe/deluxe-active-p-bass-special-maple-fingerboard-blizzard-pearl-1-ply-beveled-gold-vinyl-pickguard/"]http://www.fender.co...inyl-pickguard/[/url] Is it just me or can everyone else see the massive gap in the top of the neck pocket? If the one bass you use for your own shots has that Qc I'm quite worried about buying one to be honest. Problem is these deluxe actives never come up second hand and no where near me stocks them, kind of don't wanna buy blind now [/quote] There are 2 used Deluxe Precisions (like this but different colours) in stock at [url="http://bassdirect.co.uk"]Bass Direct[/url] (just outside Warwick - not too far from you I guess) at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clashcityrocker Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1358002722' post='1931661'] There are 2 used Deluxe Precisions (like this but different colours) in stock at [url="http://bassdirect.co.uk"]Bass Direct[/url] (just outside Warwick - not too far from you I guess) at the moment. [/quote] cheers for that mate, unfortunatley (for me) they are USA made so abit out of my price range thanks though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 I personally can't see a gap at the top of the neck pocket ( I may need new glasses ). However, I'd agree with discreet that the 'photo' has been so processed and manipulated it's not even a picture of a real bass anymore. If you 'click' through all the possible models they've all got that funny silk on the A string Jack pointed out. This probably gives a clue to how much the image has been nobbled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1358014747' post='1931910'] ...I'd agree with discreet that the 'photo' has been so processed and manipulated it's not even a picture of a real bass any more. If you 'click' through all the possible models they've all got that funny silk on the A string Jack pointed out. This probably gives a clue to how much the image has been nobbled...[/quote] See..? And you all said I was a Lithuanian cross-dresser with commitment issues. Pah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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