That worked out really well.
I’ve been considering something similar with one of their Stingray look-a-likes.
Maybe drop in a Seymour Duncan pup for some cheap 5 string thrills.
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To me Fender has an even bigger problem.
So they will now push the first time buyers to other brands for sure, but…anyone comfortable enough with buying used will most certainly do so.
MIMs are just way too pricey now to not look at used.
They were overpriced to begin with IMO.
My Squier CV 70’s Jazz was $349 two years ago, $489 now.
That is a whopping 40% increase in two years!
That does not track at all, covid included, period.
This is a purposeful move to ‘upscale’ each price point.
Squier Affinity is the new Squier @$299 (and I bet it will be near where my original Squier was by next year), but quality is not going up anywhere in these lines.
This is, btw, the way of most major corporations right now, but those increases are out and out B.S.
$122, Harley Benton, with shipping, you are better off, boom.
The industry should continue to raise up this brand and celebrate Thomman for doing the right thing. It’s smart, it gets their name out there to countries leary of ordering overseas
I think Fender is going to learn a very costly lesson here again, like in the 80s.
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“You’re gettin’ a Dell Fender.” - Some Fender price setter, probably
XD
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Fender. You can buy better but you can’t pay more.
Should be their motto.
I was watching a Lobster 
video this morning on modding a Harley Benton fretless jazz. the bass costs $150. What value am I getting out of Fender? Because I’m tempted to sell my Paranormal and get the fretless and put in EMGs, and come out with money left over.
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So… I’m a relatively new Fender “convert”. For years I avoided Fender basses like the plague… I didn’t (and still don’t) like the P-bass neck, and they were just too… ubiquitous. But, as I’ve discussed elsewhere, I recently found my way into a Squire Contemporary Active Jazz bass (which I’ve since gotten rid of), and a Fender Player Jazz bass (which I still have).
Of course, I have my Dimensions but they’re not really applicable to this discussion, so I’m leaving them out (and the used price of MiA Dimensions is crazy).
The Squire was my first foray into Fender-land. It was… OK. It had a decent sound. The frets were a little rough on the edges, the tuners were very grindy, the active EQ left a bit to be desired, and in retrospect it did feel a little flimsy. Also, for the life of me, I could not get rid of fret buzz at the action level I prefer; I tried adjusting the truss rod, adjusting the bridge, putting in shims, trying different strings, the whole nine. I think the neck was a little horked.
The Squier Contemporary Active Jazz bass lists for $500. Even if the neck issue came from the prior owner, I don’t think I would pay $500 for it.
Then came the Player Jazz. Honestly, it was something of a revelation. It’s lightweight but not flimsy; the construction is spot-on. The fretboard and frets are awesome, the neck and tuners are both super smooth, it sounds great, and it plays great. It’s a bass that makes me want to play it; it just… feels good, feels right, when I’m playing it. I’ve heard that MiM Player series instruments sometimes have QC issues. The one I have has none, whatsoever. If I didn’t have my Dimension, I’d be perfectly happy with this as my main bass.
The Fender Player Jazz bass lists for $850. It’s a purely passive, no-frills bass, but seeing how well it’s made and sounds? I would definitely pay $850 for it. Especially after owning one for a month or so now, and seeing how they’re made and play, I don’t really think that is overpriced. Certainly, I could probably get more at that price from a different brand - like the Ibanez SR500E with Bartolini pickups and an active EQ lists for $700 - but for me there is something intangible about the Player Jazz that ups its value… I’d rather play my Jazz than an Ibanez SR500E (and I had one for a LONG time, I was an Ibanez die-hard for years).
So, I’m not sure if this even adds anything to the conversation, but… you know, this is my thoughts on the whole Fender thing. I don’t think I’ll ever own a P-bass. This new Meteora looks kinda cool, but I doubt I’ll get one with my Dimension right here. I love my Jazz, though.
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I love many of my Fenders. Esp the MIJ ones which prob isn’t fair comparison. The one that is lowest on the list and would be my first to sell out of all my basses is the MIM P. If I could find a different foundation to build the red/gold on I prob would but it works well for now. I doubt I’d ever buy a new one again (he says with a Shell Pink Squier Bass VI on order). But even the bass VI needs lots of mods to be solid which will cost as much as the $549 bass but will be a monster when done.
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Glad you love your Jazz. I’m not knocking the instruments or even the QC. I believe a lot of the QC myth against Fender is that there are so many out there that it’s common to hear a story.
In my living room I’ve got a stand where I rack my basses, and two single stands that hold my stream and Charvel, because if I reach for a bass, it will be one of those two.
I love my Charvel. It cost me $720 or thereabouts. It has DiMarzio pickups, a thin roasted maple neck and fretboard, 3 band EQ, Fender himass bridge, Fender headstock. Rolled fretboard edges. It doesn’t have that block of wood at the neck join.
It was made at the same factory in Mexico as your jazz. My beef is why don’t you have a roasted maple neck and himass bridge too?
Why should I pay $170 more for the pbass version of the Jazz I bought 6 months ago.
I’m a Fender fan, but their pricing is crazy lately
Charvel is a Fender brand like Jackson or Squier
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Boy, some people around here! 
Cheers
Joe
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I honestly didn’t think you were. And I’m not one to leap to the defense of a brand in whose product I had no hand in making. I just… I’ve become a bit of a fan and figured I’d make my thoughts known. 
Is it a “San Dimas”? I’m looking at the website for those… yeah, wow, that’s a P-bass shape alright. Interesting that it has the same truss-rod adjustment wheel that my MiA Dimension has. It’s a nice looking bass for sure.
So… personally, I’d rather have a straight maple neck than a roasted maple neck. I think that straight maple looks better. But I get your point, maybe it should be an option at the Jazz’s price point. That said, the San Dimas I’m looking at lists for $1000. So maybe that extra $150 gets the roasted maple and the Hi-mass bridge? shrug
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Not only Fender. There is a lot going on in the world right now. Corona still affects production in China afaik. Inflation rates also skyrocket in Europe so that is not helping either.
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I like the look of plain maple too, but the Charvel is a satin finish which I prefer over the gloss. Roasted maple is lighter, and is quite a bit less affected by humidity changes.
If you were to swing your bass and smash the floor a la Simonon than a regular maple neck is the way to go though
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…knowing my luck, I’m more likely to throw my bass up in the air and smash my face a la Novoselic. 
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the Soviet Space Bass has made it from Zaporizhzya, to Dnipro, and now it’s 13h+ away from Dnipro in Lviv where an international airport is. I think I’m actually going to get this thing o.O
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… you mean Danylo Halytskyi? Is that still operational? 
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I actually thought it was bombed but I am not sure I am remembering if it was Lviv or not.
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I was just looking at “Lviv” on Apple Maps and that’s the extent of my knowledge. It got me thinking, though. The Ukrainian post needs to get to work moving refugees if they can get a package out of eastern Ukraine o.O
It showed me a Lviv Danylo Galician International Airport (which is Halytskyi apparently)
“As of 24 February 2022, all passenger flights have been suspended indefinitely.”
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Yeah, that would be the same (LWO). It’s named after King Daniel of Galicia.
If you’d be planning to fly there, I’d say, don’t hold your breath. 
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I’m guessing vs a cargo flight, it will head into Poland or something before being loaded onto a plane.
