Fender American Design creations

[Addison]

I would not expect the wood colors or grains on the site to be an accurate representation of what you'll get, by any means.

With that said, new maple is new maple... and since these basses aren't closet classics or relics at all, I would expect the maple to be on the lighter side.

The maple on my Custom Shop '64 NOS Jazz doesn't have any kind of vintage tint added to the nitro.

[pjmuck]

"I would not expect the wood colors or grains on the site to be an accurate representation of what you'll get, by any means. With that said, new maple is new maple... and since these basses aren't closet classics or relics at all, I would expect the maple to be on the lighter side."

Yeah, you're probably right, considering this looks downright odd, if not physically impossible unless they went out of their way to make the headstock out of a different tint of wood altogether:

[Frenchy-Lefty]

I like a vintage tint on a maple neck - I am drooling on this Fender Precision with the '57 neck I posted.

Addison, you too like maple necks on your Fenders if I recall.

[Addison]

Addison, you too like maple necks on your Fenders if I recall.

Yes, I do... I've been waiting for this for a long time.

I'll be the first to admit that it doesn't add THAT much... but a nice maple neck on a p-bass can really do a lot to tighten up the low end and add a bit of snap up top to help you cut through a bit better. This isn't always the case, but sometimes a rosewood board can get a little mushy.

My Custom Shop '64 has a rosewood capped board... it's a fairly thin rosewood veneer over a solid quarter-sawn maple neck... and THAT neck, in my opinion, gives the best of both worlds. It has the sweetness of rosewood but with the punch of maple.

I can't wait to place my order... I need more funds to come together so I can. I worry sales are going to trickle in and they're going to pull the plug before I get a chance. It's too good to be true!

[bluesharp]

Since righties have almost every option imaginable in the standard Fender line, the "powers that be" know that they can gain a lot of lefty information from this site, since we'll make up the bulk of the people using it. Hopefully some of the trends they see will help them roll out a better selection for lefties in their regular lineup. (Fingers crossed, hope, hope)

Glenn in Texas

[Jeroen]

Yeah, you're probably right, considering this looks downright odd, if not physically impossible unless they went out of their way to make the headstock out of a different tint of wood altogether:

I've seen several pictures on the web of 1970s Jazz Basses that have a fingerboard of much lighter maple than the rest of the neck. It does look odd (and ugly), but it's not necessarily impossible

I can't find any really dramatic examples, but you can clearly see it on this '75:



Oddly enough, I've only ever seen this on Jazz Basses with blocks and bindings.

[Matt R.]

My '74 Jazz has a slightly darker peghead:

http://imageshack.us/a/img33/7278/imagebxa.jpg

[Basshappi]

Some nice design ideas gentlemen, keep them coming.
Congrats on the new Jazz Matt, looking forward to seeing the pics when it arrives.
Unfortunately the design program is not compatible with my browser, so I can't try it out.

[bbl]

Some nice design ideas gentlemen, keep them coming.
Congrats on the new Jazz Matt, looking forward to seeing the pics when it arrives.
Unfortunately the design program is not compatible with my browser, so I can't try it out.

Doesn't work with my versions of IE and Safari, but does work with Mozilla.

[Matt R.]

Some nice design ideas gentlemen, keep them coming.
Congrats on the new Jazz Matt, looking forward to seeing the pics when it arrives.
Unfortunately the design program is not compatible with my browser, so I can't try it out.

Thanks man, I'm stoked.

I need to try running the design on my iMac. I built & bought my bass on an iPad mini.
I'll see if safari will run it.

[pjmuck]

Yeah, you're probably right, considering this looks downright odd, if not physically impossible unless they went out of their way to make the headstock out of a different tint of wood altogether:

I've seen several pictures on the web of 1970s Jazz Basses that have a fingerboard of much lighter maple than the rest of the neck. It does look odd (and ugly), but it's not necessarily impossible

I can't find any really dramatic examples, but you can clearly see it on this '75:



Oddly enough, I've only ever seen this on Jazz Basses with blocks and bindings.

You're right, technically not impossible, though we're pretty much talking vintage Fenders when we see this "phenomenon". I forgot my '73 P bass has it as well:



My understanding is that Fender applied nitrocellulose lacquer to the headstock portion only, so they age to a nice caramel color over time while rest of the fingerboard remains relatively unchanged. I can accept that on a vintage instrument, but on a new one? No thanks.

[Addison]

Yeah, IIRC, they started over spraying the headstock faces with nitro to protect the waterslide decal.

I'm sure they got tired of replacing them after a while.

[andrew]

Many 70's Fenders have darker headstocks because the poly used on the fingerboard would eat the headstock decal so the headstock was shot with different laqueur to protect the decal.

My maple board 70's necks are the same too.

[Basshappi]

It's because they use the Magic Mojo Sauce everywhere but the fretboard, you have to use your own mojo there.

[bbl]

Damn you Fender! You KNOW I just bought a Martin HD-28!

[bbl]

Does anyone know if the body on vintage models is poly or lacquer? I can't find it on the site. All it says is the vintage body is designed for vintage hardware.

[Frenchy-Lefty]

For the price i would like nitro but i doubt that it is so

[funky42]

HEY GUYS,I ORDERED MY OLY WHITE JAZZ BASS,ROSEWOOD WITH BLOCKS,64PUPS,VINTAGE BRIDGE,WITH A GOLD GUARD AND ALL GOLD HARDWARE ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON,LATER AT NIGHT I WAS SCREWING AROUND WITH DIFFERENT CONFIGES AND NOTICED THE OPTION FOR THE GOLD HARDWARE WAS GONE!!! I EMAILED MIKE,THE GUY WHO IS OVER SEEING THE ADE PROJECT AND WAS VERYY HAPPY WITH THE REPLY I RECEIVED!!!! MY SENT EMAIL IS AT THE BOTTOM AND HIS REPLY WAS AT THE TOP!!!! VERY PLEASED I MUST SAY!!!

[bbl]

I'm glad you could refrain from using all caps in your email to Fender.

Now could you please refrain from using all caps here? Thank you.

[funky42]

I'm glad you could refrain from using all caps in your email to Fender.
FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION ELSEWHERE MY FRIEND!!!! DONT SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!!!!
Now could you please refrain from using all caps here? Thank you.