I agree. I have ONLY owned cheap entry level basses, mostly the cheapest of the cheap in fact.
Ibanez GSR200
Donner PB-150
SBMM Ray4
I didn’t like the Ibby overmuch, but none of it was cheap or flimsy. The Donner is built like a brick shithouse and the Ray was refinement itself (though I did return it because if the skinny neck, it was super well built).
That Mustang cost as much as my 3 basses put together. No way should it be flimsy or poorly kitted out.
@Growl , If I can suggest anything, please write Fender including all your correspondence with the retailer. In addition to a QC issue, this is also a B$ issue with an authorised (?) dealer. If nothing else, the latter question should get their attention.
Agree with what everyone is saying, however, again, this is part of what you get when you buy before try, which, sadly is the norm now more than not. Even in many shops you have all of 1 to choose from of a model.
So, if we want selection at conveince, it comes sadly with dissapointment and delay, or disappointment and some work on our end. All depends on your level of ‘put-up-with-itiveness’.
What I did quickly learn that the lower end fenders ($900) are really lighterweight woods and more color/design selection than a squire), and that is about it. If you are expecting more, forget it. I got a good one in the Vintera, but I did try before I bought, and was very pleased thankfully as they only had 1 in stock. That said I would be hard pressed, for me, to buy a low end Fender ever again with so many other choices out there. I’d honestly rather buy a Squier and mod it, or just buy something else.
This isn’t going to be a help really but I’ve owned many Fender basses and guitars. Can’t say once that I’ve felt that it was overpriced but that is a personal “what’s it worth to you” question.
I’ve owned basses with a P/J setup and like others have said the P will be higher output compared to the J. It’s just how it is. Raise the J up and lover the P. Either that or get a pair of pickups that will help balance this like a lower output P and higher output J. That said I don’t think there is anything wrong with how yours is.
As for the knobs. If when turning it there’s no real sound until it’s almost all the way up then it could be a faulty knob. Your supposed to turn them all the way down before soldering. If this wasn’t done and it also wasn’t carefully soldered then it could have damaged the pot. Is it the same on both pickups? As for them feeling light, I’ve never felt this way about them but perhaps they’ve used different ones recently.
The price point is for Fender beginer to intermediate. You have Squier below this but that strictly isn’t Fender just by Fender. So to enter the Fender range, this is that bracket. That said I use a Fender Mex P-bass alongside a USA P and Vintage reissue J. Apart from a few differences you can absolutely play professionally with a mex bass, but it is Fenders entry line.
Did they speicifcally say the it was a special order? I know in the UK you have 14 days to return an item purchased online without having to give a reason. If the item was specially made then that’s different but if it was standard order (even having to order it in), at least here, you can still return it. So them not having it in stock, as long as they advertised it and it wasn’t custom made shouldn’t be an issue but I’d check your areas returns law. So I’d question them as all they would need to do is return it to Fender. If they offer to make it right just say no, you probably have that right in your laws also.
In the EU it’s 14 days as well. When I was living overseas, I made use of this right a few times.
@Growl, you want to look at EU Directive 2011/83.
The VAT excuse may actually be bullshit.
This is correct. What is usually meant by “special order” is that the item was made custom for you. For example, if I ordered a bass through a retailer that had a custom paint job saying “JT is a badass” or a window made to custom measurements and then decided I didn’t want it after it had been paid for and ordered, then that’s tough luck for me. If it’s something they don’t normally stock, but is a standard catalog item from the distributor or manufacturer, then that is usually not classed as special order. I’ve had to go through this before with a retailer and researched the law quite a bit…
On a positive note I do think your Mustang looks cool with that colour scheme!
I understand all the points that this is entry level for Fender - sure. All the same, if this is seriously what you can expect from their entry level, then I would suggest sticking to brands that take quality control more seriously, and I would tell them that.
But I don’t believe this is meeting Fender’s bar for QC, not for a moment. This bass sounds defective in its wiring. The pickup loudness probably is pup height - I have had to adjust that for all the basses I have bought new, it’s just part of a setup. But the other issues with the pots sound like bad pots and potentially faulty wiring.
Sucks that you’re going through this. At 600 euros that’s not cheap and you should expect better. My experience with is quite different but that’s not your experience, and Fender should have better QC, because here’s one customer who isn’t going to look at Fender again.
I would contact Fender. I sent in an email to Ibanez about what I thought of the SR600e that failed out of the box for me, and their reply was give us the SN and we’ll get you a replacement.
Haven’t replied as the bass is on a truck back to the dealer.
And if the vendor doesn’t want to eat the VAT they shouldn’t be doing business with ya.
I’m no tax expert, but I would have thought that tax on returns is refunded to the retailers if done within a certain window. They probably just have to fill in a form which they don’t want to bother with. I’ve never had a retailer once say I couldn’t return something because of a VAT issue. These guys seem like a sub-standard firm on all accounts. Then again, I could be wrong on the VAT law.
I may be misremembering but I had thought @Growl was in central Europe but not in the EU?
If so the VAT isn’t even an issue at all.
To me the VAT shouldn’t be an issue for the customer as it’s the cost of doing business for the store.
Yesterday I spoke with Kyle at Sweetwater on my Squirt (auto correct is your friend) order, and expressed doubt about the bass I will be getting, and he said don’t worry about it, if I don’t like it they’ll get me another one.
That’s how good retail should be
So far, I haven’t had any problems with Sweetwater, @Wombat-metal . . . 
Only one item that I purchased was defective (a Korg in-line tuner) and they replaced it without question.
Ditto that . . . 
Cheers
Joe
Don’t forget - GearFest is happening RIGHT NOW!!
Okay, back to your regularly scheduled topic…
Fender would be at the bottom of the list if I was looking for mid priced bass. LTD, Ibanez or Yamaha have FAR superior QC and better parts on their instruments for same or less money.
Well guys, after fiddling with pup heights I got desired sound, however J pup is basiacally aginst strings now, but Im fine with that for now. P pup couldnt be lowered anymore since it was at lowest possible height out of the box. So pups are balanced now and it doesnt give me a heart attack when I switch pups on the fly, and J is actually usable now.
However there still remains issue with pots, but I’m gonna switch those by myself.
Thanks guys for being with me on this irritating journey, and thanks for help, advices and support. Much obliged.
I thought the volume knobs were all or nothing all the time and you control actual volume with the amp volume. At least thats what I thought on/off type but then again I never tried having the volume half way for any of my J pickups…
This is where your mileage may vary, because my Fender basses have been good quality, but my Ibanez had issues. I would put Ibby at the bottom
Though a good retailer makes even a bad situation less painful.
Every company has duds. How they handle them is where value comes in
That is absolutely not how the pots have worked on any of my basses. On 100% of them, I had nice smooth gradients for volume, pickup balance, and tone on all of them. Also, nice solid feel to them that feel substantial when you turn them. Not loose at all.
My lead guitar had a tone pot that was getting spinny but it didn’t bug me too much as it was a $150 used instrument and I wanted the tone wide open on it anyway - but even it had a full range gradient. But I would not have tolerated that on a new instrument, no way.
Yeah, that blows.
Sounds like you got a lemon, can’t you return it, or talk to Fender about fixing it vs. Selling it, possibly at a loss?