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(OMFG - it worked!!) Fender Custom Shop - worth the tag?


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[quote name='leroydiamond' timestamp='1400686819' post='2456114']
Go with your gut. With the money they are asking for CS basses, everything should be perfect IMO and the dealer should insure that is the case before it gets into the hands of the customer IMO.
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[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1400686386' post='2456108']
I'm glad I posted the update now as I had reached the point where I was questioning whether it was worth making a fuss about. Thanks for you comments guys. As a side note, the E string also buzzes like crazy. Nothing from the others, just the E all the way up. I accept a set up might make that disappear, but I'm not going to tinker with it.

So, the billion dollar question, if it is either a misaligned bridge or the neck pointing in the wrong direction, do I really want anyone prodding, poking and sawing at it trying it to make right?

My gut says no. I would prefer to have one without issues or any history of same.
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Yes it is very much worth making a fuss about, and no , do not touch this bass with a barge pole. Get another one that is right or get your money back.

And please understand, I'm not saying that out of a sense of indignation, but rather just to be practical. Why pay a very large sum of money to saddle yourself with any problems and, just as importantly, any niggling doubts that may mar your enjoyment of the bass? To get your money's worth you need to have complete confidence in what you have bought. If you are buying an elite quality instrument , that peace of mind is a big part of what you are actually paying for. For that kind of cash, you shouldn't be left saddled with any doubts or misgivings, or you are just paying a fortune to make yourself unhappy.

I wouldn't consider keeping this bass, unless it was only something like a slightly misaligned bridge , in which case I would want it put right by someone eminently qualified to do the job ,[u][i] and[/i][/u] in addition to that remedial work , I would also want some significant financial compensation .

Edited by Dingus
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[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1400686717' post='2456113']
If it was only the alignment of the strings equally on the neck that was the problem, the first thing I would suspect would be the neck had received a jolt during shipping. Even a very good neck/pocket fit can be nudged out of alignment quite easily. I would have slackened the strings then slackened the neck bolts & 'got a feel' for where the neck wanted to sit in the body. Then tightened the lot up & checked again, if it's wrong it always will be but chances are things would have seated themselves in the right place for the sake of 5 minutes with a screwdriver.

Easier than sending it back :rolleyes:
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This. I had this happen on my 73 precision and an AV Jazzmaster. I took the neck off to adjust the truss rods, and after putting the neck back the string on the treble side was closer to the edge of the FB.
I loosened the neck bolts by 3/4 turn - strings under tension, and the neck reseated itself and the issue was solved.
I think, being a bit of wood secured by 3 or 4 bolts, there's always a bit of imperceptible play that can drastically affect spacing as you go up the neck.

Worth a try for the sake of 5mins of time, unless the spacing is really, really off. OP, any pics?

Edited by mickster
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[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1400688352' post='2456133']
So -- it's looking very much like the answer to the original question "Fender Custom Shop - worth the tag?" is a pretty resounding 'nope'. :(
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Well you say that, but early last week I became aware of another Fender CS that was about to become available. I picked it up on Sunday and it is just the loveliest thing. An absolute joy to play and georgeous to look at. I am completely and utterly blown away by it. I was expecting to be blown away by this one as well, but, well you know the rest.

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[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1400689614' post='2456149']
Well you say that, but early last week I became aware of another Fender CS that was about to become available. I picked it up on Sunday and it is just the loveliest thing. An absolute joy to play and georgeous to look at. I am completely and utterly blown away by it. I was expecting to be blown away by this one as well, but, well you know the rest.
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Fender QC all over, some are just astounding, others complete dogs. Perhaps it's true of all bass manufacturers, I don't know, but it's not a problem I've had with the other brands with which I've dabbled on the large scale, EBMM and, dare I say it, Ric (I know others don't share my experience). I'm early into what will no doubt become my Yamaha period but it doesn't appear to be a problem they have either, despite apparently substantially lower price per unit quality than Fender?

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[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1400684833' post='2456093']
I think that standard CNC routing isn't accurate to the kind of tolerances you need for the finer points of building basses . Half a millimeter at the bridge can make a discernible difference to the alignment of the strings on the fingerboard. Part of the problem is that wood is a comparatively soft , variable and unpredictable material to work with. It's ancient -world engineering, and so relies on craftsmanship as much as precision geometry .
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I have to disagree with you on this Dingus. Half a millimetre is [i][b]enormous[/b][/i] for any half decent CNC.
Even a fairly basic machine should be giving you accuracies of around 20 microns, and repeatabilities better than that. However it also comes down to fixturing, tooling, the operator, and proper maintenance as well, but a CNC machine should be able to out perform a person quite easily.

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[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1400690188' post='2456160']
Fender QC all over, some are just astounding, others complete dogs. Perhaps it's true of all bass manufacturers, I don't know, but it's not a problem I've had with the other brands with which I've dabbled on the large scale, EBMM and, dare I say it, Ric (I know others don't share my experience). I'm early into what will no doubt become my Yamaha period but it doesn't appear to be a problem they have either, despite apparently substantially lower price per unit quality than Fender?
[/quote]

Fender QC is indeed " legendary", but not necessarily for the right reasons.

I love my 2012 American Standard Jazz , it's fantastic, but I had to send five back identical models before I finally received one that didn't have any issues.

Yamaha QC is an entirely different proposition, and on their top-of-the-line basses like your BB2024MX the overall standard of construction in every respect is meticulous. The nut-and-bolts guitar building things are all done to perfection on those basses, and it shows in the cohesion of the final instrument .

As with most forms of craftsmanship, achieving excellence is about doing every individual thing right, and Yamaha obviously understand that. . Taking this Fender CS bass is a case in point , it only takes one relatively minor oversight to ruin all the good qualities an instrument might have.

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[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1400690926' post='2456169']
I have to disagree with you on this Dingus. Half a millimetre is [i][b]enormous[/b][/i] for any half decent CNC.
Even a fairly basic machine should be giving you accuracies of around 20 microns, and repeatabilities better than that. However it also comes down to fixturing, tooling, the operator, and proper maintenance as well, but a CNC machine should be able to out perform a person quite easily.
[/quote]

The point I am trying to make is that the problem is not the tolerances of the machinery but of the material that is being worked upon. Wood is fairly unpredictable and changeable material. You can cut it to what are precise tolerances on paper, but in reality those micrometer tolerances are not borne out by the blanks you end up with. Even in precision engineering, some friction fit components made of steel are tooled by hand using special tools that require skilled men to use their judgement and experience.

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[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1400690112' post='2456158']
Can I ask you Warren, this problem not withstanding, what is your impression of the bass overall? Does it seem like a potentially great bass ruined by this flaw ?
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In a word, yes. It's not what I would describe as a heavy relic, more of a medium to light. The thing is it's been done so well that I think that's what tore me in two when I realised it would have to go back.

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[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1400694600' post='2456222']
In a word, yes. It's not what I would describe as a heavy relic, more of a medium to light. The thing is it's been done so well that I think that's what tore me in two when I realised it would have to go back.
[/quote]

I can totally understand why you would be very disappointed and even a little upset , not least of all because I have been in the exactly same position ( more than once, in fact) , but, in the longer term, I am sure you will get a resolution that you are happy with . Firstly, if you have made an order prior to release and Fender have subsequently sent you a defective bass then I would think that would now make you a priority to supply a perfect bass to, limited run or not. And if Fender don't go the extra yard to help and ultimately you have to give up on one of these CS Geddy Lee models , however sumptuous these basses undeniably are, for that kind of money you will find some consolation elsewhere.

I'm sorry to say this but it's true, in my experience , let-downs like this are part and parcel of buying high end basses. I am sincerely sorry this bass isn't right, but I'm not altogether that surprised, and that's not just because it's a Fender, either . Regardless of the public reputations of most builders and the propaganda about fanatical commitment to quality and attention to detail which surrounds most of them, at one time or another I've found issues like the one you are experiencing or comparable bugbears from nearly all of the prestige brands that I have had first-hand experience of. You just have to try and accept setbacks like this as being part of the game, however hard that might be right now.

Edited by Dingus
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If I were you I'd try loosening the neck screws a bit, no need to take the off, and reposition the neck so G and E string are equally aligned.
Then play the bass and see how it feels, if it feels right that's it, problem solved...if it doesn't then contact the dealer.
It could be the neck has moved in transit or it wasn't properly attached from factory.
I have seen this issue on a few Fender, I have one that came like that, I did the mentioned procedure and it plays wonderfully.

Edited by PauBass
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[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1400686717' post='2456113']
If it was only the alignment of the strings equally on the neck that was the problem, the first thing I would suspect would be the neck had received a jolt during shipping. Even a very good neck/pocket fit can be nudged out of alignment quite easily. I would have slackened the strings then slackened the neck bolts & 'got a feel' for where the neck wanted to sit in the body. Then tightened the lot up & checked again, if it's wrong it always will be but chances are things would have seated themselves in the right place for the sake of 5 minutes with a screwdriver.

Easier than sending it back :rolleyes:
[/quote]

This, and what Paubass said.

These basses come a long way and a little shift in transit is all it probably is.

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Surely there shouldn't be any room in the neck pocket for the neck to move in the first place? This isn't a 70s Fender we're talking about where the pin router templates were so badly worn that there was plenty of play. I've not owned a Fender but none of the other makes of bass (or guitars) with bolt-on necks that I own, have any play whatsoever at the neck joint.

This isn't a cheap bass. Send it back as being of substandard fit and finish. If people don't complain then Fender will never take their QC seriously.

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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1400704730' post='2456346']
Surely there shouldn't be any room in the neck pocket for the neck to move in the first place? This isn't a 70s Fender we're talking about where the pin router templates were so badly worn that there was plenty of play. I've not owned a Fender but none of the other makes of bass (or guitars) with bolt-on necks that I own, have any play whatsoever at the neck joint.

This isn't a cheap bass. Send it back as being of substandard fit and finish. If people don't complain then Fender will never take their QC seriously.
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The neck pocket is mostly open on the treble side of a Fender. Enough for it to move a smidge no matter how precise the rout.
It may be a CS bass but it's still a load of bits screwed together.

Of course it's all up to the OP to do what he feels most comfortable with.

Best of luck with it all.

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Fender's UK CS guys are excellent. I've experienced some issues with CS instruments after the complexities of shipping from USA to Holland (Fender Europe) to UK to dealer to customer.

Of course something at this price should be 'perfect' but if it isn't the UK team are fantastic to deal with and can put things right very quickly.

Fender as a whole can be a bit unresponsive at times but the warranty and repair team are really quick at getting back to you and very friendly.

In fact I wrote to them today and got a response inside 20 minutes!

Edited by molan
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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1400704730' post='2456346']
Surely there shouldn't be any room in the neck pocket for the neck to move in the first place? This isn't a 70s Fender we're talking about where the pin router templates were so badly worn that there was plenty of play. I've not owned a Fender but none of the other makes of bass (or guitars) with bolt-on necks that I own, have any play whatsoever at the neck joint.

This isn't a cheap bass. Send it back as being of substandard fit and finish. If people don't complain then Fender will never take their QC seriously.
[/quote]

Exactly, if the neck moves without being touched and whilst tucked away in a hard case enclosed in a cardboard box, what's gonna happen when you play live it with all those lateral forces on the joint?

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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1400704730' post='2456346']
Surely there shouldn't be any room in the neck pocket for the neck to move in the first place? This isn't a 70s Fender we're talking about where the pin router templates were so badly worn that there was plenty of play. I've not owned a Fender but none of the other makes of bass (or guitars) with bolt-on necks that I own, have any play whatsoever at the neck joint.

This isn't a cheap bass. Send it back as being of substandard fit and finish. If people don't complain then Fender will never take their QC seriously.
[/quote]

You are absolutely right BRX, there shouldn't be any room for the neck to move in the pocket, and the only really reliable way to do that is to cut the neck pocket slightly too small and/or the neck heel slightly too big and then for a skilled man to hand-fit the join. That's one reason why quality, hand-made basses are expensive.

The bottom line is that the O.P ( quite understandably) isn't happy and that just isn't good enough. His best expectations are perfectly reasonable , as I'm sure Fender will agree, and so the only thing to do is return the bass and seek some kind of satisfaction.

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I feel your pain on this one - the brand new 4003W I bought and sent back recently was a wrench, but it just wasn't good enough as a bass for the money: it was such a let-down it put me off even trying another (I did try another one in PMT later - that wasn't very good either). It did look lovely, though...

The Shuker I bought instead was and is sublime.

Edited by Muzz
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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1400712776' post='2456424']
I'm not sure (I'm a drummer..!) how important it is to have strings symmetrical on the neck. Does it play right, that's the test. Is the nut equally asymmetrical..?
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In terms of playing it, apart from the buzz on the E string (the fat string in drummer speak) it's OK. I've seen the problem so severe in others that you can't see the edge of the fretboard and they actually go over the edge on fretting the string. So not hideous, but now I know it's there, it's like one of the those paintings that seem to look at you wherever you are in the room.

The nut seems tickety-boo to me.

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