Indonesia is really killing it with quality for the money.
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I am so sorry i would have been super disappointed. They should be ashamed to have that out of the factory.
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I would by a Fender that was made in Japan over the US for quality. It is hard for Western companies to compete with companies in the East.
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Seen this post and had to put my 2cents worth in……
First - Number 1 - I’d never purchase anything (bass, guitar, or Ford F-150) online…. Yea, I’m old school, but I’ll be damned if I’ve ever been jacked over by a bad deal…. Bottom line - Test it out before shelling out the greenbacks…
Second - Fender American is still good - just gotta use Number 1…. There’s crap out there from Fender MIA, MIM, and MIJ…. There’s crap EVERYWHERE!!
Third - You have a “Bad Experience” (or just maybe be “partial” to one brand)…. Then does that experience or your partiality mean that “everything” in that area is F’d up???
I’ve bought and sold a ton of musical instruments in my life and when it comes right down to it,……. If you don’t (or can’t) test it out before buying it,… then you take all responsibility on yourself and to complain about getting screwed over is no ones problem but your own….
I do hope you can get it all worked out,….
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Not really, just Fender and Jibson for the most part.
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Yeah. MusicMan sells like hotcakes here, despite the arguably better local choices costing the same.
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To each their own. I’ve had great luck online, across a couple of large vendors and also private sales via Reverb. It helps when they have several high-res images of the exact instrument available to inspect rather than just stock photos… and great return policies!
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Me too! My last 2 cars I bought online. Could have taken the delivery for my Tesla but decided to pick up instead so by the time I get home the System already learn how I drive.
I bought most of my basses online. My favorite custom builder is not even in the same country as me. I’m in the US and Lignum Art is in Croatia.
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For newer listeners @lanny doesn’t have internet that’s why he buys in person.
He writes his posts on parchment paper, gives it to the Wells Fargo pony express rider in town and 5 days later it arrives at his niece’s house.
She wearily types up his posts but is becoming a little tired of the whole thing.
Oh and don’t believe everything you read
.
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Thanks everyone! I was being a little harsh… going to check out another guitar store near me and check out some basses. Fingers cross
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I don’t think telling it like it is harsh… I am grateful you shared your experience and things to look for in a quality instrument.
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I’ve bought every single bass I have ever had, for any length of time, online. Every one.
I returned two: a Gretsch G2220 and a Sandburg California II P bass. Neither had anything wrong with it except that I didn’t gel with them.
Beyond those, every bass was bought online, completely sight unseen. It’s not a matter of old-school versus new-school; for me it’s a matter of selection and convenience. I can have literally the best basses in the world delivered to my home, with a money-back guarantee. It’s worked just fine for me.
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I respectfully disagree that there is crap everywhere. Fender American might be good…sometimes. It is a business decision and/or lack of quality oversight when companies push crap. If buying from a reputable company you should have some sort of assurance of what you are ordering/buying with a good return policy if it is not up to standard. Spending $1600 on a bass should not have to be a crap shoot.
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I don’t see the crack in the nut.
Fender Japan helped save the company, the people working in Corona? Were just terrible and have very low skills when they saw and felt the quality craftsmanships it lit the fire and got them on the path to recovery.
Right now it’s pretty bad, I know a guy who works there and he’s selling the unmarked necks on OfferUp. They are losing control. I was going to order an All Rosewood Neck P bass ModShop and the plan was to pickup in person at their Corona Facility.
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Agreed. Sight unseen. Online or custom ordered. Including the one due any day, and the one due next June/July.
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Yeah, baby! 
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Fender is owned by SERVCO PACIFIC INC. They purchased FENDER in 2020. They are acclaimed for turning Fender around. Maybe they are loosing interest in the guitar business.
Celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2019, Servco Pacific Inc. is Hawaii’s largest privately held company with over $1.8 billion in annual revenues and 2,000 team members spanning Australia, Hawaii, and California. Founded in 1919 (as a two-car repair garage), Servco is a diversified operating businesses include automotive distribution &
retail dealerships, car sharing as well as appliance distribution & retail. Through its businesses we help steward world-class brands including Toyota, Lexus, Subaru, Fender, Harley-Davidson, Hui, and General Electric. Servco is one of the Top 20 largest automotive dealer groups based in the U.S. and has been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work in Hawaii” for 15 consecutive years. Servco Pacific Capital, LLC (“SPC”) is the direct investment arm of Servco Pacific. SPC's investments range from venture to growth capital as well as private equity.I know you didn’t buy all your guitars that way or you just simply missed the chance to spend 45 mins negotiating with the GC rep over the bass. I bought my first Yamaha Motion bass at my local GC and it was so awesome.
I bought my Cutlass at a G&L Dealer with @T_dub It was great. No so much noodling, I went back and got my iPad and cables and just asked if I can plug in the aux and went through a few songs and see how it sat in the mix. It was awesome and the darn Genzler amp was just super awesome, I went back the following week to get it.
That was pretty rare nowadays to be buying in person. The one thing I don’t do for sure is to browse at brick and mortar and go home and order online. That’s just unfair to moms and pops. I’m a brick and mortar business so it’s just something we don’t do in our family.
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