Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
Welcome to TalkBass! Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
i've always wondered the same as the OP.
they make it hard to know which is which. it seems intentional, not sure why it would be though?
I've always loved how quality shop-made bowed instruments will just number them. Snow (a reputable chinese violin workshop) will offer the 200 model ,300, 400, etc, often up to 1000. 200 models in the $500 or so range all the way up to $8k or something like that.
not sure why that's only a violin-family thing.
they make it hard to know which is which. it seems intentional, not sure why it would be though?
I've always loved how quality shop-made bowed instruments will just number them. Snow (a reputable chinese violin workshop) will offer the 200 model ,300, 400, etc, often up to 1000. 200 models in the $500 or so range all the way up to $8k or something like that.
not sure why that's only a violin-family thing.
It’s also a Japanese guitar thing. A lot of Fuji-Gen guitars and basses were numbered to reflect price point in yen. Super easy and helpful way to pick out the premium stuff from the not so premium.
How much memory do all
You‘ve made mistakes!
For example: you forgot the first US made reissue series, starting in 1982 with a 62 Jazz and a 62 Precision, later in the 90s a 75 Jazz was added!
You got the AVS I series that replaced the US reissue series in 2013 all wrong. The 64 Jazz, the 58 Precision and the 63 Precision were introduced in 2013, not 2008!
Everything is falling apart!
You‘ve made mistakes!
For example: you forgot the first US made reissue series, starting in 1982 with a 62 Jazz and a 62 Precision, later in the 90s a 75 Jazz was added!
You got the AVS I series that replaced the US reissue series in 2013 all wrong. The 64 Jazz, the 58 Precision and the 63 Precision were introduced in 2013, not 2008!
Everything is falling apart!
I think @mikewalker used ChatGPT to compile the list. We all know that platform has been recently outed as being less than reliable and truthy.
The series in Fender’s current bass lineup, sorted by price:
USA
American Vintage II
American Ultra
American Professional II
American Performer
JAPAN
Aerodyne Plus
Made In Japan
MEXICO
Artist Signature
Vintera II
Player Plus
Player
There may be some overlap between the top tier Mexican and the Japanese series.
Last edited:
I’m entirely too fascinated that you have failed to restrain your compulsion to stop myself from feeding you what you appear to need.
Take care.
To Fender's credit, they've found a way of selling the same six things in about 350 different ways.
For us, well, we're suckers.
For us, well, we're suckers.
No hugs, I have covid.
I’ll start circa 2007-2008:
MIM:
Standard Series - essential 70s spec but using ceramic pickups
Deluxe series - 21 frets and a preamp
Classic Series - 50s and 60s styling but with poly finishes, MIA pickups
MIA:
Highway One - like a MIM Standard but assembled in the US and with the Grease Bucket tone circuit
American Standard (2008) - lighter weight tuners, new high mass bridge, thinner poly finishes, new case with TSA locks, P5 offered
American Deluxe - same as previous year, double J bridge pickup on the P, I think 21 frets
2012:
MIM:
Classic Lacquer - same as Classic series but with a thin nitro finish and a tweed case
American Standards - Custom Shop pickups, new tuners
American Deluxe - truss wheel, new tuners and bridges like the AS, single Jazz bridge pickup on the P, Stealth string retainers
American Select - replaces Highway One (may have been earlier year)
2016:
MIA:
American Professional - tuners with fluted shafts, 63 C neck, VMod pickups
American Elite - replaces American Deluxe, tuners with fluted shafts
American Performer - PJ model, new metallic finishes
MIM:
Player and Player Plus replace Standard and Deluxe models - new alnico pickups, new logo on headstock
Vintera - replaces Classics, uses pao ferro instead of rosewood due to CITES restrictions
2020:
MIA:
American Professional II - VMod II pickup
American Ultra - new badass style bridge
2023:
Vintera II - introduced now with rosewood instead of PF to reflect lifting of CITES restrictions
2024:
following the 4 year cycle that’s been established since at least 2008, I expect there will be a replacement of the three MIA lines next year, possibly January.
I’m not touching the Dimension or American Vintage/Original models, and I’m sure there were changes here that I didn’t capture, like new pickups in the American deluxe line (deluxe, elite, ultra).
Hope this helps. Maybe a new thread for follow up questions will attract less snark.
Edit: at some point, the American “deluxe” line (Deluxe, Elite, Ultra) included compound fretboard radiuses, and I *think* it was 2012, but I may be wrong. This line also has 21 frets.
Last edited:
You could go to Sweetwater (or GC) and search for "Fender <model>," then sort by price. That would give you a pretty decent understanding.
Personally, I think Players are the sweet spot. Better wood, electronics and hardware than Squiers. Better QC than American models (except CS) at a lower price. Personally, I find the Vintera "improvements" questionable at best. I despise nitro, so CS stuff is off the table for me.
Personally, I think Players are the sweet spot. Better wood, electronics and hardware than Squiers. Better QC than American models (except CS) at a lower price. Personally, I find the Vintera "improvements" questionable at best. I despise nitro, so CS stuff is off the table for me.
Exactly!
To clarify the point even further, it is not to find "the best" or even have an opinion of best/worst -- the point is when I'm browsing (Fender JB classifieds) to have some point of reference for what I'm looking at compared to what I'm familiar with.
I get that the "American Prof." became the "Elite" and that became the "Ultra" and that those are (basically) "better" build/quality parts in some ways that a MIM (no shade to MIM), but when I come across a "Player" JB, it's clear it does not have the quality build and components of an Elite, but where does it fall in relation of the other umpteen Fender lines? -- that's the gist.
To further clarify -- what I'm going for is where does each Fender line fall between (Chinese knock-off) and LULL/SADAOWSKY etc. etc.
Thanks to @Queue @MtManiac (hope your covid is uneventful) and thanks to @mikewalker
Last edited:
Yes! Later, I'll start a new forum with that list. Everyone can then cut and paste each Fender-named "line" in order of quality in relation between a cheap knock-off and a custom shop Fender-shaped bass.
I foretold that Fender would soon release reissues of reissues, rereissues. Then Squier released the 40th anniversary series to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first MIJ Squier JV series.
There are some artist signature basses made in America - the Tony Franklin fretless certainly is.
I should have also said the 2016 American Professional replaced the American Standard.
My money is on a return to the American Standard naming convention for 2024.
My opinion is that build quality is about the same across the board, but you get better features and more innovative parts as you go upscale. Features like fluted shaft lightweight tuners, rolled fretboard edges, Dunlop compatible strap pins, compound radiuses, or the 63 C neck profile. You may still have gaps between the neck and body or misaligned bridges, although I personally have never ever encountered anything along those lines - but with a couple of exceptions I’ve always bought used, so the problem units have generally been winnowed out of that pool.
Last edited:
Not even going to try , don't we all have enough to worry about......do I drive the Rolls or the Bentley to the grocery market today for Lobster ?