Yes I got that - totally true, and why I said “sort of”. What I was pointing out here is the “factory” you are talking about is not a Fender factory but one of three sprawling factory complexes making guitars for nearly all the vendors. So comparing the specific “Fender” factory in Indonesia with the Fender factory in Mexico isn’t really easy. And then to add to that, there’s the Fender protectionism thing they do to keep the MIA’s (and to a lesser extent the MIJ’s) more desirable parts-wise.
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I don’t have a MIM bass…yet…but I do have 3 Indonesians, and they are all great.
Squire 70 vibe jazz (I still say this thing is amazing, the only knock is component choices, which have all been swapped now, but the body/neck are outstanding.
ESP LTD Rocco Prestia active PJ (great electronics, great burled maple body, inlay work great)
And now the ESP LTD Frank Bello passive PJ (again great all around fit finish, electronics-EMG)
The detailing is lacking on the Squire vs. the other two, not due to country, but due to price point, and, Fender. My upgrades on it put it just around the Bello bass but under what the Rocco bass went for originally.
I have a Chinese Michael Kelly acoustice AE with amazing inlay work that had to be reglued, neck sanded to be really nice, but plays fine now. Fit and finish are meh, but again price point.
The Gretsch I believe is made in Korea, and I cannot say enough good things about all of that bass.
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Today I finally got my hands on the American Performer Precision (€1200). It is the bottom end of Fender basses that are MIA. It felt quite nice to play the finish was amazing, sounded pretty well as well! All around a great instrument
… but wood, build quality and hardware wise it was nothing earth shattering over my MII Cort A4 Plus (€600) or MIM Fender Vintera (€900).
It kinda did not feel “something special” to me as vintera did…
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It’s good you were able to go try it and not have to have it deleviered, unpack, play, set up, play more, decide its not for you, and pach it up and ship back.
So you go back next time and try an EBMM stingray. 
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I did
That was Indonesian made and costed %30 less…
I really enjoyed the wide but thin neck, the feel and build was great as well. I will however try and find it used. The shop prices are blown out in Italy due to taxes…
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There’s a few contenders out there 
- Cort A4 Ultra Ash
- Schecter C-5 GT Bass Satin Trans Purple
Both are above 1’000€
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That is my Favorite Ray34. If I were looking to get a Ray34, that would be the one I would get.
As a matter of fact, I would trade mine for that one any day.
Mine is a little older, but way harder to find used.
At least, I could not dig many up when searching for price comparison, the only ones I found were in russia, and around $1300 after shipping. They are NEW / OLD STOCK tho, and they are the color of the one Davie 504 has. Mine is very close, but more honey then red on the edges, and maple fretboard, not rosewood.
i still would take that black one with black hardware however. I would put an orange pearl pick guard on it, you better believe that.
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Those are both nice, and Cort in Indonesia was not the factory that was getting bad press due to how they treated workers, so I can live with those.
Plus my Ray’s are built in that factory also, so I am just glad they are not the Korean built. only because that is where they were treating workers poorly.
I love that Schecter, but I think I prefer it in the black / grey
The Cort is gorgeous, still have a little rough time buying their brand, but it is sweet looking.
I am not a huge fan of the fanned fret basses. Who knows, may love them if I played one, but I have a hard time liking the look. That neck mount looks HUGE from this angle. Also, I am more a 4 string fan. do they even do fanned frets for 4 strings?
I realize this is a price contest, so I don’t think you are showing your favorite basses, just the most costly ones.
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The bad worker treatment was Cort in their home factory in Korea, right?
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Thats what I read. Indonesia was A-ok AFAIK
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I was just noticing something about that bass.
It is NEW / OLD STOCK.
First, it has a maple fretboard, not a ROASTED MAPLE fretboard and neck / headstock.
Also, it says Ray34 instead of Stingray on the headstock.
This is indication is it PRE 2018. In 2018 was when they did the UPGRADE to the Roasted Maple neck and fretboard. ALSO, the year they upgraded / updated the EBMM Stingray Special.
2018 is they year they began to use EBMM pick up and pre-amp in the Ray34, but it was PRE 2018 pick up and preamp in 2018 and later Ray34. (read that twice, it is hard to follow, but it is accurate)
IDK if the PRE 2018 (2017 and earlier, like you are holding in the picture) used the actual EBMM Stingray pick up and pre-amp.
It is a nice pick up and pre-amp, I have a PRE 2018 Ray34, I just don’t know for usre if they are using the EBMM electronics, like they do it the 2018 and later ones. Of course, the 2018 and later EBMM Stingray Specials, now have upgraded pick up and pre-amp. Neodymium pick ups on the EBMM Stingray Specials.
Its confusing, I know, but this could be a bargaining point in the shop, since that bass is at least 5 years past its manufacture date.
Even if they tell you it is NEW, you can say YES, but it was made in 2017 or earlier.
If they don’t believe you, adn try to tell you they just got it in stock, have them e-mail the serial number to Sterling by Music Man website, and they will tell you the exact date the bass was made.
I have done this before with Sterling, it is easy, next day, or same dayif they see the e-mail in time.
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Nolly disagrees 
but yeah even the Combustions are too steep for me. Great basses though.
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Even if I hit the lottery and had al the money i could want, doubt I would buy a boutique bass. Custom bass probably. I’d prefer one more practical. And I’d still own my Subaru.
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And its Orange, looks cool.
I am not a huge Dingwall or fanned fret fan.
But never know, if I ever played either, or both, I may fall in love instantly.
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Does an NG2 count as a boutique bass? 
Made in China, relatively (by dingwall standards) mass produced, and sold off-the-peg.
They’re a far cry from the made to order Canadian models.
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I’m the same. Well, I wouldn’t go higher than $5k or so.
I saw an article about a new Signature Telecaster guitar and the artist said it held its own against two $50k guitars. I was thinking, well of course, from $5k to $50k, it’s more about exclusively, not tone.
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Um…
Was gonna say 
You can get boutique basses for less than your (one of a kind!) bass cost.
https://www.vellmor.com/bass?lang=en
All made to order with customizations.
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