American Standards in the future.

[twinjet]

Just curious -- a lot of us hold 70s Fenders in high regard, even though some were lemons and others gems.

The '08 ('12?) -'16 American Standard line has been hailed as some of Fender's best bang-for-your-buck MIA.

Do you guys and gals think this now-discontinued series will see and achieve the same level of prestige that the 70s Fenders did in say, 30-40 years?

 

[Flaked Beans]

Just curious -- a lot of us hold 70s Fenders in high regard, even though some were lemons and others gems.

The '08-'16 American Standard line has been hailed as some of Fender's best bang-for-your-buck MIA.

Do you guys and gals think this now-discontinued series will see and achieve the same level of prestige that the 70s Fenders did in say, 30-40 years?

Yes, in about 40 years they ('08-'16 am. std. fender basses) will cost one million dollars on reverb and ebay!

 

[twinjet]

'08-'16 am. std. fender basses

I'm half-asleep and now am second guessing myself. Weren't they supposed to be the 2012 - onward basses, whichever year started getting CS pickups?

 

[Flaked Beans]

the custom shop '60s pickups came in 2012 on all fender american standard (four string) basses indeed.

 

[chris_b]

My Am Std Jazz V is a good bass. Plays well and sounds just like a Fender should. In 30 years it will be a classic and people will still be appreciating it.

 

[Gorn]

Aren't there a lot more American Standards in existence than there are valuable vintage Fenders? With so many around they probably won't be as valuable in the future as vintage Fenders are today, I'd think.

 

[Pet Sounds]

Fender made tons of basses in the '70s. They aren't that rare, either.

 

[Goatrope]

Just curious -- a lot of us hold 70s Fenders in high regard, even though some were lemons and others gems.

The '08 ('12?) -'16 American Standard line has been hailed as some of Fender's best bang-for-your-buck MIA.

Do you guys and gals think this now-discontinued series will see and achieve the same level of prestige that the 70s Fenders did in say, 30-40 years?

I think there's a high probability they will. I think these last few years have had improved features, high quality, and at a lower price than the upcoming Professional series, which I'm not quite sure are any improvement over the Am Stds.

So perhaps as sentimental favorites as the last Am Stds.

 

[Antisyzygy]

Aren't there a lot more American Standards in existence than there are valuable vintage Fenders? With so many around they probably won't be as valuable in the future as vintage Fenders are today, I'd think.

There are more and more people in other countries able to afford them, and more people being born all the time.

However I am wondering what's going to happen as the baby-boomer's sun sets. A lot of those people are relatively well-off due to the economic conditions of the times, and some of them have large collections of instruments. As estate auctions come up you might see the market flooded with some of those old instruments and the prices might drop for a brief period as we snatch them up.

 

[Wisebass]

a lot of us hold 70s Fenders in high regard, even though some were lemons and others gems.

hi Twin! cool post

the only two reasons I have for a "high regard" for my 73 fender:
the price: the price of a new Squier back in 85!!! Today? I don't buy it! (too many guys that talk resale value
and collectors: get off my lawn I am a bassplayer!!!)
the mojo: she came with; a perfect setup (not the shop where I bought her, but the guy that played her before!!)
and the time she stayed with me.....well I won't wright a book

I had to play dozens of 70s to find a gem, between big creditcardholderneckpockets, dead pups and so on....
nobody would ever fake them !!!!

will the new Fenders be looked at, the same way as the old ones?

I'm half-asleep and now

in about 40 years they

so I will say "talk to you later" (The Tubes)

and may the bass be with you

Wise (b)ass

 

[pedroims]

IMHO, they will as long as there is good music they can be associated with. That is the main reason why people are willing to pay a lot of money for old Fenders.

 

[Joedog]

A definite maybe!

 

[JGbassman]

Darn. I have a 2011 fender standard jazz. I missed it by one year. Might as well use it for kindling wood now.

 

[JGbassman]

More than likely 30-40 years from now, playing instruments will all be done from the computer via samples, and actually playing in instrument will be a thing of the past.

Maybe an occasional keyboard will still be around, but actual stringed instruments? Cmon...

And don't even get me started on drums..

 

[funkymonk13]

Darn. I have a 2011 fender standard jazz. I missed it by one year. Might as well use it for kindling wood now.

2008 is when they made some changes like a thinner finish, high mass bridge and I think maybe lighter tuners?

I had an 08 P, that thing was beast.
The custom shop pickups are a matter of taste.

But yea OP, to answer your question I think in 30 years, the 08-16 basses will still be thought of as good basses. The only thing is the professional line seems like pretty legit, so if fender continues making good basses after a while that whole vintage thing will just be nostalgia from wanting a bass similar to the one you played when you were young...which I guess is the same reason 70s basses are going up in price; cus overall they're pretty sucky

Also, I could see the first years of the revamped "pure vintage" line being hailed as awesome. The first couple of batches of those instruments really did seem special

 

[static0verdrive]

More than likely 30-40 years from now, playing instruments will all be done from the computer via samples, and actually playing in instrument will be a thing of the past.

Maybe an occasional keyboard will still be around, but actual stringed instruments? Cmon...

And don't even get me started on drums..

Bah they were saying that in the 80's... I'm still saving for a tube amp!

 

[gfen]

Aren't there a lot more American Standards in existence than there are valuable vintage Fenders? With so many around they probably won't be as valuable in the future as vintage Fenders are today, I'd think.

And pre-CBS basses weren't all that important in the '70s, either. Eventually, though, they became "vintage" and the number of pristine models diminished.

So will even the MIA, CIJ and even some of the less common MIM Fenders in 40 years.

Doesn't change the fact that it's just a bass, and just a tool and to use it as you see fit.

 

[JGbassman]

2008 is when they made some changes like a thinner finish, high mass bridge and I think maybe lighter tuners?

I had an 08 P, that thing was beast.
The custom shop pickups are a matter of taste.

But yea OP, to answer your question I think in 30 years, the 08-16 basses will still be thought of as good basses. The only thing is the professional line seems like pretty legit, so if fender continues making good basses after a while that whole vintage thing will just be nostalgia from wanting a bass similar to the one you played when you were young...which I guess is the same reason 70s basses are going up in price; cus overall they're pretty sucky

Crap, I better get that thing off the wood pile again.

In all honesty, that bass is probably the best built fender I've ever had. The overall quality surpasses the 70s, 80s and 90s I've ever had or played.

I have a '94 black label squier series mim p bass that is my all time favorite, the neck is awesome and it sounds amazing, but the quality comes nowhere close to my am st jazz

 

[JGbassman]

Bah they were saying that in the 80's... I'm still saving for a tube amp!

Lol that was the exact reason I posted this. Good catch.

I remember in the 80's with the new synth craze going through, and all of the sampling. More than one magazine was quoted saying that instruments would be gradually fazed out in recording studios, and live shows would be more computer based, with an emphasis placed on the singers/show than the actual musicians.

Having lived in Miami, I've seen some of the biggest rave parties, with these DJs looked on as rock stars. They were the original guys doing mashups, and taking canned music to a place where they were seen as artists playing it. So in one aspect, I see some truth in that, as DJs have taken over a lion's share of gigs that used to be the property of bands. (Think weddings)

So yea, I did say that tongue in cheek, but it does scare me to see where the music scene will be in another 40 years.

I won't be alive then so it won't matter I guess.

 

[Badwater]

I think the quality coming out of Fender custom shop today will be regarded as higher quality in 30 to 40 years. And better players than the Fenders of the 70s. In the 70s Fender guitars were not thought of as the high quality icons they are today. There was no Fender custom shop. In fact, Fender guitars' 3 screw micro tilt necks, and loose neck pockets, cheap stamped tuners, and thin sounding pickups were considered their worst years. Maybe not so much with bass. But starting in the 70s shortly after going corporate, Fender's guitar quality was not considered the best in the market. Nevertheless, Fender amps were their main products back then. Then came the 80s... (to be continued)