Has anyone actually ordered a Fender Mod Shop instrument?

[HeadlessBassist]

I'm wondering whether anyone has ordered a Fender Mod Shop bass that they've created online?

 

I got creative last night and went for an alder bodied Jazz with the 66 Vintage II pickups, finished in Antigua burst with tort scratch plate and a solid rosewood neck. The tall reverse vintage tuners would finish it off nicely, but they don't seem to be an option. 

 

 

 

[Cato]

I've had a few goes on the configurator, but the options were just too limited to spec out anything special enough for me to actually seriously consider a purchase.

 

Last time I looked, which, to be fair, was over a year ago, they weren't even offering matching headstocks.

Edited May 28 by Cato

[Linus27]

They also don't offer unlined fretless so no good for me

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

The options offer too narrow a range of options and no mustang basses so it's no good for me.

Edited May 29 by Jean-Luc Pickguard

[miles'tone]

There's far better and cheaper options on the Ebay mod shop 😉

[Beedster]

4 minutes ago, miles'tone said:

There's far better and cheaper options on the Ebay mod shop 😉

 

Yep, 100% true

 

Also suspect they're going to be harder than standard instruments to move on when we (inevitably) decide to do so 

[wateroftyne]

*cough* Maruszczyk configurator *cough*

[LeftyJ]

The Mod Shop experience isn't offered here in the Netherlands, and the way Fender designed their site the configurator can't even be accessed from here, as much as I'd love to have some fun with it 

 

I do own a Mod Shop Jaguar (g**t*r, sorry) but I bought it used so I can't comment on the experience of ordering one.

 

Mine came with a spec sheet that doesn't fully match the actual build. For one, the sheet mentions a bound fingerboard but it doesn't have one - and it probably never was an actual option for lefties. It should also have V-mod pickups but the ones actually in it appear to be some kind of 1962 reissue pickup with bevelled polepieces and cloth wire. I'm pretty sure the neck is the actual one it came with, because there is no other way of acquiring a 24" scale lefty 60s spec C-shape Fender USA neck with a 9.5" radius outside the actual Custom Shop or the Mod Shop. It's a fantastic guitar by all means, with impeccable build, fit and finish.

[PinkMohawk]

Every time I've messed with the mod shop configurator, I just find out how ridiculously limited it is. I get that it's just them bolting together whatever spare parts they've got kicking around the warehouse and probably charging you extra for the privilege, but the least they could do would be to add a few special options, no?

[HeadlessBassist]

Agreed, PinkMohawk. I'm sure there are extra options we'd all like to make our perfect Fender Bass. As for me, I'd want a selection of previous model pickups, such as the original V-Mod and Pure Vintage Custom Shop 64's. I'd also like the option of the small/tall Vintage Reverse Tuners.

 

We're a picky lot, aren't we?

[LeftyJ]

I guess in a way they're a gateway drug to the actual Custom Shop, where the options are less limiting.

They're basically selling stock American Professional models (oddly they're still closer in spec to the previous range, they didn't update them to Am Pro II spec yet. For example, most Mod Shop models don't have the contoured heel of the Am Pro II) with a much wider palette of finish options and neck shapes / woods. They used to have some more exotic options in the first year the Mod Shop was offered (like a channelbound fingerboard, which looked really luxurious and beautiful) but they stopped offering those fairly quickly. 

 

But yes, some more vintage options would be cool! 

[Leonard Smalls]

On 29/05/2025 at 19:03, wateroftyne said:

Maruszczyk configurator

I nearly spent three grand!

[wateroftyne]

5 minutes ago, Leonard Smalls said:

I nearly spent three grand!

Aye, it’s a dangerous thing.