Fender bass models (Mfg. Location)

  • Thread starter Thread starter dwillis45
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dwillis45

dwillis45

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I'm trying to sort out the main differences between the various Fender bass models. Is the following summary about right?

Standard P-Bass/J-Bass made in Mexico; Highway 61 Made in USA with Fender Mexico electronics; Sting Signature/Mustang/Telecaster reissue made in Japan; American series and American series deluxe made in USA.
 
sounds pretty right...a thing to remember is all re-issues are usually made in Japan. i have a 1975 Jazz RE-issue that was made in Japan, but it's quality is superior :)
 
OK OK,

Let's get the REAL lowdown on Fender stuff (guitars/basses)

I used to work at Fender (builder and later test tuner) in 1993. Corona California plant

ALL Fender bodies were coming to us from Mexico (where they were painted etc.. yes this means everything from the, SRV model, Clapton model to the American Standard Strat).

ALL necks (as far as I could tell) Came from Japan... everthing from the signature models to the American Standard Strat.

ALL pickup and pickguards Came pre assembled from Korea.

What we did was slap the neck on adjust intonation tune up an polish (mind you, there IS a Made in the USA logo in the guitars I'm refering to)...

Now the Fender Custom shop! that is a totally different story!
Everything was totally done here in the USA... the necks the bodies EVERYTHING.

I have no idea if they are still doing this, but they did when I was there. How do I know? I unpacked many of the shipments that came to the wherehouse... :)

Shred
 
shredfit said:
OK OK,

Let's get the REAL lowdown on Fender stuff (guitars/basses)

I used to work at Fender (builder and later test tuner) in 1993.

[...]

I have no idea if they are still doing this...
Click to expand...
They aren't. This information is totally outdated.

Check with Fender people on the FDP for the current lowdown. For example, all US and Mexican body and neck blanks are now being produced in the US.
 
That is great news! Any idea when they started doing this?

So I guess stay away from 1992 and 93 model American fender stuff if your buying used...cause your basically buying a Mexi/Jap/Korean guitar slapped together in the USA.

At the time I worked at fender, I had mixed feelings about what I stated and ended up buying a Les Paul... I was such a rebel!

Shred
 
Interesting stuff! Sounds similar to the recent history of US auto production. I guess this prompts a follow-up issue: Does it make a difference where the bass (or guitar) is made? Obviously, price is affected and there is an argument to be made for supporting American labor. There is also the issue of resale, which seems at least partially driven by the Made in USA label. Ant thoughts?
 
dwillis,

I'm not aware of any price drop in the value of a '92 or '93 Fender Amercan guitar... Considering the fact that it is not very widely known that Fender was farming out neck, body, and pickguard/pickup prodution out of country... and just basically slapping the neck on and stringing the guitars in the USA (with the made in USA logo)...

I'm sure if more people were aware of this fact the guitars would drop in value.

I left Fender to pursue other musical interests late in '93 so the big question IS.... When did fender stop doing this?

Anyone in the know?

PS: with the current street price of the Highway 1 series... it stronly suggests Fender may still be doing this with some lines...

Shred
 
bongolation said:
They aren't. This information is totally outdated.

Check with Fender people on the FDP for the current lowdown. For example, all US and Mexican body and neck blanks are now being produced in the US.
Click to expand...

That is fine for the blanks, who does the finishing?
 
acorec,

Very good point!

The reason, I was told, that Fender finished ALL the bodies (even the American Made ones) in Mexico was because environmental laws in Southern California were making it to Costly to do it there. Although they still finished ALL the Custom Shop bodies on site.

As far as the Neck Blanks... (again I'm not really sure if they still do this) but the Wood did come from here... The Banks were sent to Japan where they were fretted and the nut was placed (prefiled) and machine head holes were predrilled.

We then get the shipment of neck (From Japan for the American and Signature models) Other Models the Necks came to us from Mexico!!!

Then, as stated before, we slapped them together...

Made in the USA??? hhmmm? I leave that call up to you.

BTW: I was also told that they didn't start doing this until 1991... Meaning if you own a pre-1991 American Fender... All work was done in the good 'ole USA.

Shred
 
I posted a long reply to this thread some days ago, but the software timed me out and ate it.

I have just learned from Fender that the bodies for MIMs are now cut in Ensenada, though the MIM necks are still produced in Corona and finished in Ensenada.

The MIM necks will eventually be produced in Ensenada as well. Fender's gearing up for it.

Stuff like this changes so fast with Fender (which is what I discussed in my missing message) that it's hard to keep up with what's really happening.

My buddy just got back from a tour of the Ensenada facility as Fender's guest, but I haven't talked to him yet as he's been sick with the flu.
 
shredfit said:
Made in the USA??? hhmmm? I leave that call up to you.
Click to expand...
In my missing message, I explained how the "Made in USA" tag is determined, as explained to me recently by one of the Fender managers who has overseen some of the production moves from one facility to the other.

It's very complicated, but is a legal formula based on the percentage of the total dollar costs of materials, parts and labor that originate in the US. If you think about it, you can see how this can really get skewed when most of the raw materials come from the US and the pay differential between US and foreign labor is very high.

I don't believe that any production Fender instrument is entirely domestic or entirely imported any more.

Fender production is also constantly moving around. FMIC is never sitting still. It is a remarkably vital corporation, though this doesn't mean that they always make the right decisions.
 
I just looked at my buddy's photo article about the Fender Ensenada plant. It's very informative and up to date, with lots - page after page - of good photographs of the place, showing the operation in great detail.

Very impressive!

I believe it will be online in a week or two on the AllThingsStrat.Com site.
 
dwillis45 said:
I'm trying to sort out the main differences between the various Fender bass models. Is the following summary about right?

Standard P-Bass/J-Bass made in Mexico; Highway 61 Made in USA with Fender Mexico electronics; Sting Signature/Mustang/Telecaster reissue made in Japan; American series and American series deluxe made in USA.
Click to expand...
Yes, you've got it correct.

Check it out... http://www.fender.com click on "Resources" then "Fender Info" then "Fender History".

I have the Fender - American Vintage ‘75 Jazz Bass and the Fender American Precision Bass... and a Rick 4003. ;)
 
bongolation said:
In my missing message, I explained how the "Made in USA" tag is determined, as explained to me recently by one of the Fender managers who has overseen some of the production moves from one facility to the other.

It's very complicated, but is a legal formula based on the percentage of the total dollar costs of materials, parts and labor that originate in the US. If you think about it, you can see how this can really get skewed when most of the raw materials come from the US and the pay differential between US and foreign labor is very high.

I don't believe that any production Fender instrument is entirely domestic or entirely imported any more.

Fender production is also constantly moving around. FMIC is never sitting still. It is a remarkably vital corporation, though this doesn't mean that they always make the right decisions.
Click to expand...

Yup. I agree that Fender is a dynamic, moving company. They have sucessfully confused the shit out of me with all the bogus who-knows-where-the-hell-it-is-made products. Christ, I have been doing guitar repair/setups/playing for years and I have NO idea what is a "real" Fender. In my opinion, Fender threw it's whole reputation out the window when they introduced 32 different Strats made in all different places. I recently worked on an "Eric Clapton" signature strat that is undoubtably the biggest piece of shit I have ever seen bar none. Clapton would be in the right to sue Fender over that one. If I ever have to buy a Fender strat again, I will buy at least a model made in the 70s. At least I KNOW what I am getting. This is no disrespect for people who buy their current line. If you did not grow up with "Real" strats and P/J basses, then you have no comparison to judge them by. But, for me, all the latest Fender instruments that people bring to me for setups etc. are so badly made it makes me sick. There is an odd good one now and then. I am going to stop working on them bacause I am just sick of them and the same old problems.
I only work on them as a hobby/pt time thing, but I am tired of them now.
 
I agree that Fender needs to stop running around in circles and concentrate on tightening up their quality control.

Fenders are simple instruments an there's no excuse for the kind of poor work I see on a lot of new ones. Fret detailing is espectially funky, as are misalignments.

On the other hand, they do consistently better work than Gibson (who doesn't?) which isn't saying much.
 
bongolation said:
I agree that Fender needs to stop running around in circles and concentrate on tightening up their quality control.

Fenders are simple instruments an there's no excuse for the kind of poor work I see on a lot of new ones. Fret detailing is espectially funky, as are misalignments.

On the other hand, they do consistently better work than Gibson (who doesn't?) which isn't saying much.
Click to expand...

Great point. Gibson is at least staying with the regular models and upping the price waaaaaaay toooooo hiiiiigh.

Thank god all of my gibsons are from the 70s.
 
Yup guys,

When I worked at fender there was a constant numbers game.... (ie If you didn't get your numbers for the day your boss would come to you and ask if you were feeling bad or what was wrong)

So. everyone would just turn out guitars as fast as they could... most of the line builders at fender could do a much better job if they just slowed down...( I was included in the lot)

It is sad but true.... when your working at light speed... QUALITY is the first thing that gets thrown out the window.

Shred
 
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