Fender USA

[RF Scott]

Hiya,

So, I've always played Mexican Fenders ( + 1 Japenese shortscale), but recently played a USA Precision. What. A. Difference.

SO

I'm looking for recommendations to try out based on your experiences - is the difference between 'standard' and 'deluxe' worth it? etc?

I'm going to look at jazz and precisions, so throw your knowledge at me! Do it now!

[Guest Bob]

The delux has a better finish and higher-quality pick ups, but once you go stateside anything you're getting should be top quality.

How much extra is the delux? Mine has locking machine heads and a snap on tremelo as well as a few other nice little touches.

[givemeasmile]

I've got a mexican strat (although not what you're looking for) which I fitted with a Seymour Duncan Cool Rails pickup and it sounds shit hot, but my mate has a US fender strat and it plays soooo much nicer. This is probably the same scenario with the bass, you can make a mexican jazz/precision sound better with add-ons but it simply won't sound as good. Therefore if you can afford it, I'd definitely go for the US version......but mexican fenders are possibly the best value guitars available so they're great if you're on a budget.

[RF Scott]

I've got a mexican strat (although not what you're looking for) which I fitted with a Seymour Duncan Cool Rails pickup and it sounds shit hot, but my mate has a US fender strat and it plays soooo much nicer. This is probably the same scenario with the bass, you can make a mexican jazz/precision sound better with add-ons but it simply won't sound as good. Therefore if you can afford it, I'd definitely go for the US version......but mexican fenders are possibly the best value guitars available so they're great if you're on a budget.

Whoops I think I may have worded my original post incorrectly - I'm not debating between getting a Mexican and USA, I just want to know what people's experiences are with the USA basses - any particular models I should check out, etc!

[skuzzlebutt]

for the record, i believe i am correct in saying that all us, non custom shop fender guitar necks are made in mexico.

in saying that, i have had half a dozen or so assorted fender strats/teles through the years, mostly US (including a deluxe) and my two favourites are both strats; one an eric johnson signature strat and the other a standard mexican.....

i did sell the deluxe, it had a maple neck, it was a sort of red orange sunburst which i traded in for the eric johnson. i do somewhat regret letting the deluxe go....

[Fraser Mac]

I have a mexi tele and a squire tele.

prefer the Squire i have to say.

/My2CentsWorth.

[TR!ΔNGL€ T€€TH]

I would say it is definitely worth it. The comparison between my Mex/USA Telecaster and USA 52' reissue is huge. Whilst the Mex/USA guitar is very good, the tone and playability of the USA 52' is just so far ahead I could never really go back to my old telecaster. The two guitars just can't really be compared, and that is not because my hybrid is bad - its a very nice guitar - but my 52' reissue is just so superior in every department, especially tone.

So, to answer yr question in a general way, I would invest as much as you can on the best Precision bass that you can get.

[stuartmaxwell]

i have owned a USA deluxe precision and two american jazz basses.for me I am all about the jazz bass as it has a nice as hell neck (much narrower) and gives that prominent, defined "jazz" bass sound that I really like. The precision was good but no use for my technique, which has a fair few chords and beef. I also found that the difference between 1 and 3rd strings weren't to my tastes. Jazz basses also sound better with a pick than precisions do (imo)

the deluxe seemed to have better tuning heads and other cosmetics on the bass, but that was it.

knowing you and the type of stuff you play I'd reccomend you check out the Jazz's, I think you will like

[Lame Guitarist]

Hiya,

So, I've always played Mexican Fenders ( + 1 Japenese shortscale), but recently played a USA Precision. What. A. Difference.

SO

I'm looking for recommendations to try out based on your experiences - is the difference between 'standard' and 'deluxe' worth it? etc?

I'm going to look at jazz and precisions, so throw your knowledge at me! Do it now!

Not Bass. but I bought a deluxe recently and love it. I wasn't keen on the pick-ups (samarium cobalt noiseless), they were ok but i upgraded them to Dimarzio and its miles better now. Its a lovely guitar and the neck just feels really smooth to play. I would honestly say that i don't notice much difference between it and my standards though. I think fenders quality is pretty good just now. Tried a few standards, deluxes and sig models out and really I think the quality is superb on all them. There are obviously things better on each model like pickups but once you set it up to your own needs I think the standards would play just as good as any deluxe or sig model

[Bigsby]

The one thing I would say is that the quality right across the Fender range seems to be exceptional. I've owned and played quite a few Fender guitars, from Squier right up to the Custom Shop, and every one has been a good instrument. Yes, it tends to be the case that the higher priced models are better, but there are some cracking Squier guitars as well.

[Pierre Von Mondragon]

Whichever one plays best when you try it, No matter who makes it and where, I wouldn't pay for a guitar I hadn't tried. Deluxes seem to have better finish options, but hey, thats opinion based.