New Fender range - "Vintera"

[NJE]

Well I don’t know about anyone else but all I have ever really wanted from Fender is decent build quality and some interesting colours, not just black and sh*t-burst.....so on that note, well done Fender and yes please to this....

 

[Delberthot]

On 21/06/2019 at 17:31, skankdelvar said:

MIM Bass V re-issue. Just do it, Fender, alright?

I've actually always wanted one of these. When you think about it they are ridiculous, having only 15 frets and the same range as a 4 string but I still want one but I like the odd balls from the 60s & 70s like these:

 

 

[paul_c2]

The problem is, Fender is a volume manufacturer - their successful designs are a blend of a popular/safe middle ground and ease of mass production. Whilst the above is lovely (to someone), it won't "do it" for Fender.

[Delberthot]

10 minutes ago, paul_c2 said:

The problem is, Fender is a volume manufacturer - their successful designs are a blend of a popular/safe middle ground and ease of mass production. Whilst the above is lovely (to someone), it won't "do it" for Fender.

I completely agree - it makes no financial sense to reproduce these. The masses want Precisions, Jazzes, Strats & Teles so that's what Fender make

[paul_5]

The basses are ‘no great shakes’, but some of the telecasters look quite tasty...

[Marc S]

I do like the Jazz in Shoreline Gold. I think this wasn't previously available in the more "budget" MIM range - just from the custom shop, at a price (or at least, I hadn't seen one)
But apart from that, it does look a bit "same old, same old" IMO. The Fiesta Red Precision looks remarkably similar to the MIM classic 50's P bass, with it's maple board
Might have been nice to see one with Rosewood (or Pau Ferro).

In their defence, I suppose they know their market and what will sell.......

[Rikki_Sixx]

On 21/06/2019 at 17:31, skankdelvar said:

MIM Bass V re-issue. Just do it, Fender, alright?

Not sure if you were joking or not, but I love this! Not seen it before. Take off that extra string and I'd be very keen! Wouldn't mind seeing what's under that pickup cover too, the saucy minx.

Reminds me of a Mustang but with a bit more charm.

[Daz39]

5 minutes ago, Rikki_Sixx said:

Not sure if you were joking or not, but I love this! Not seen it before. Take off that extra string and I'd be very keen! Wouldn't mind seeing what's under that pickup cover too, the saucy minx.

Reminds me of a Mustang but with a bit more charm.

I think this ought to go down a storm with the TalkBass members: given the number of them who reflex-post things like: 'there's no money above the 5th fret,' or 'But Jaco...'

 

[EliasMooseblaster]

On 21/06/2019 at 17:31, skankdelvar said:

MIM Bass V re-issue. Just do it, Fender, alright?

Was this the "technically the first 5-string" bass that was designed to be tuned E-C? It does seem like a bit of an own goal to go to the trouble of extending the instrument's range with the extra string, to then simultaneously cut short its range by stopping the neck at the 15th fret...

[paul_c2]

It was entirely deliberate (not to extend the range.......), the idea being that instead of shifting, you'd stay in the same position (approx) and use the 5th string to achieve the notes required. It went down like a lead Zeppelin though.

[skankdelvar]

18 minutes ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

Was this the "technically the first 5-string" bass that was designed to be tuned E-C?

I do not know, though I expect that an unsung inventor came up with something similar in 1927 but lost it on the bus on the way to the patent office.

I just like the look of the Bass V, much as I do many of Fender's orphan designs (e.g. Musiclander, Electric XII)

Edited June 25, 2019 by skankdelvar

[wateroftyne]

14 minutes ago, paul_c2 said:

It was entirely deliberate (not to extend the range.......), the idea being that instead of shifting, you'd stay in the same position (approx) and use the 5th string to achieve the notes required. It went down like a lead Zeppelin though.

Apparently so..

[skankdelvar]

5 minutes ago, wateroftyne said:

Apparently so..

Looking at that pic, one realises that J-P J is actually a tiny little bloke.

PS: for those enamoured of the Bass V, some of its DNA can be found in the Squier Gary Jarman bass. Shame they stuck a set of boring old P pick-ups on it. This cries out for something weird.

 

Edited June 25, 2019 by skankdelvar

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

The pics weren't available last time I looked, but they are back up now. I keep telling myself that I don't *need* another mustang, but the sunburst one looks rather tasty

[wateroftyne]

...and let's not forget:

 

[lemmywinks]

24 minutes ago, wateroftyne said:

...and let's not forget:

 

 
Is that the Alien Ant Farm guy's bass? I seem to remember him trying to flog the masterbuilt one a while ago.

[EliasMooseblaster]

1 hour ago, wateroftyne said:

...and let's not forget:

 

I didn't realise Fender had released a P/P before! Now that, I would be sorely tempted by - wouldn't be my first choice of colour, but I've always liked the idea of a twin split-coil bass. (I think I just assume that dialling in the bridge pickup will give me more a Thunderbird-esque sound than a P/J would...)

[wateroftyne]

Just now, EliasMooseblaster said:

I didn't realise Fender had released a P/P before! Now that, I would be sorely tempted by - wouldn't be my first choice of colour, but I've always liked the idea of a twin split-coil bass. (I think I just assume that dialling in the bridge pickup will give me more a Thunderbird-esque sound than a P/J would...)

Oh, aye - this one was mine. Beautiful fit & finish, but weighed twice as much as Birmingham.

[EliasMooseblaster]

9 minutes ago, wateroftyne said:

Oh, aye - this one was mine. Beautiful fit & finish, but weighed twice as much as Birmingham.

 

Now that's a beauty! (Pity about the weight, but then I've been playing an Epi EB-3 for years, so I'd probably put up with it...)

What did they call that line? (And how hard are they to come by these days...?)

[wateroftyne]

That was the Elite II, produced in 1983. There was a single-pup version called the Elite I (but you could probably have worked that out!)

[paul_5]

1 hour ago, wateroftyne said:

 

 

Oh my 😍

[afterimage]

https://shop.fender.com/en-GB/electric-basses/jazz-bass/vintera-70s-jazz-bass/0149643324.html?rl=en_US

[afterimage]

https://shop.fender.com/en-GB/electric-basses/jazz-bass/vintera-70s-jazz-bass/0149643324.html?rl=en_US

[Doctor J]

On 21/06/2019 at 12:37, Muppet said:

The newer Dimension was a killer bass. Beautiful compound radius, oiled neck, great weight and balance, 18v active electronics,  dual humbuckers.   They tried.  We didn't buy them because they weren't 'Fender enough'.   We don't actually want Fender to do anything other than what they are currently doing, it seems. 

I would have said it was “too Fender”. What was the real purpose of it? What gap in the market was it filling? Why would you pick it over something like an L2000? It was nice to see them try something different but it came across as half-hearted to me. I’d love to see them try something innovative (not just innovative for FMIC) and actually stick with it, develop it. The Dimension just looked like a lazy attempt to elbow some space into a crowded market space.

The problem they have, by regurgitating the same old stuff again and again, is that they are not just in competition with other brands, but also with the similar old stuff they previously made. That stuff is often plentiful and cheap, before you get into the murky and illogical clouds of original-vintage-rare. The more of the identikit stuff they make, the more of it is already out there. If that model worked they wouldn’t be in such poor financial shape.

[AndyTravis]

This would’ve done it. Don’t know why they did a Mexican version of the rascal bass, and a version of the cabronita that the custom shop did...but not the Lotto telecaster bass.