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Post subject: FSR
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2014 10:12 am
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Are FSR's the same quality as the regular line of Fender Bass guitars?


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Post subject: Re: FSR
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 5:17 am
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I have owned a Fender Antigua Precision FSR, and my girlfriend's strat is an FSR from years ago. Really nice one, too. If what you are asking is do they go through the same Quality Assurance processes? Then, Yes. However, the reality is that most "quality" issues at Fender. Especially in Mexico can be attributed to two things, and they are the same two things that plague every manufacturing operation. Quality of materials, and employee error. Every FSR I have ever played coming out of Ensenada or even Corona has been better than the Standard model representing each factory.

Here's why....


The first issue is easy to dismiss as being less of a problem with FSRs. Because the reality is that FSRs have higher quality parts and materials. So they are already ahead of the game there. My Antigua FSR Precision played and sounded better than both the American Standard and Special models of that same year and it was made in Mexico. A really killer deal and a really well put together model. My girl's Strat is certainly much better than the standard MIM Strat. However, I would probably put it right about on par with an American Special for "build quality". That being said. The duncan designed pick ups sound better in my girl's Strat to me.

The second is a little harder to quantify. Now the thing that makes most employee errors in a large scale mfg environment are a failure of the process and simple mistakes. Many of which occur due to a result of the "grind" of repeating the exact same task over and over. Now one would think that for a "special run" both the people putting the process together and the people working on it would be paying a little more attention. Just because simply. It's not their everyday grind.

So, in my opinion and experience. Yes. Barring something slipping through that Quality Assurance process. (and it happens) You are going to get a higher quality instrument by picking an FSR over the "standard" model in the line.

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Post subject: Re: FSR
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 11:38 am
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Thank-you!! That answered every question I had. Thanks again.


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Post subject: Re: FSR
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 11:49 am
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Be reading yours answers , I understand that FSR are always very good quality guitar. But on Fender link they do not talk about quality , only ...built to the dealers specs .

Can a dealer ordered some low end guitars as a FSR ?
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SR" stands for Fender Special Run. These products are specially commissioned by individual dealers and built to their specifications.

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/ ... -products/


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Post subject: Re: FSR
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 12:25 pm
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stratele52 wrote:
Be reading yours answers , I understand that FSR are always very good quality guitar. But on Fender link they do not talk about quality , only ...built to the dealers specs .

Can a dealer ordered some low end guitars as a FSR ?
______________________________________


SR" stands for Fender Special Run. These products are specially commissioned by individual dealers and built to their specifications.

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/ ... -products/


They certainly could. However, FSRs cost more because they are special runs. Meaning that not only are you paying for the materials you are putting into the instrument. You are paying for the spot in Fender's build schedule. Since you are disrupting regular production. You have to pay for it. Which means the dealer would be paying more to get an inferior product.

Which if that is what they wanted. They could simply order a Squier and pay less. From a business standpoint it makes no sense.

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2014 Fender Super Bassman and Bassman 100T/410 Neo


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Post subject: Re: FSR
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 12:34 pm
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TheKingofPain, you are right .

Thank's


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Post subject: Re: FSR
Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 8:40 pm
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I disagree with King on this, which is a rarity. Each FSR order is different of course, but nearly all FSR's have the same hardware, electronics and wood from the same woodpiles as used in Standards made by the same people using the same machines. Yes, some do have different body woods or neck treatments or pickups but those changes come at higher prices, but short of that most FSR's only have a non-Standard Series pickguard color and/or non-Standard series body colors. Everything else is the same far more often than not. Everything!

I've seen MIM FSR P-Bass Specials that do have block inlaid necks. So you can get a really unique FSR like that one or you can get a FSR that isn't very different at all from a Standard except in cosmetics. A blind man would notice no difference! Most often on FSR's the only difference is pickguard and body colors!

Since the body and neck making process is usually exactly the same (with very very few exceptions such as the block inlaid FSR P-Bass Special only sold in the UK) only the body and pickguard colors are different from Standard, which are very minor things. There are no production disruptions! Fender does not have to "retool" anything to make a FSR other than changing paint colors in the finishing department which takes no longer than changing from one stock color to another anyway. The main differences are they shoot a different color in finishing and use a different pickguard in assembly. It takes no longer to mount a mint green pickguard than a white one. FSR's hardly cause a big disruption in the production schedule. Almost without exception the wood and electronics and hardware are exactly the same.

I do not find as a general rule that FSR's are "better" than Standards. They are Standards in a different colors yes, but not better instruments in any regard other than uniqueness in cosmetics UNLESS you are considering a more expensive FSR such as the FSR USA Strat I bought in Fiesta Red with Ybarra signed Texas Specials at a time when Fiesta Red was not offered on a USA Strat.

You can play 10 Standards and find one that plays better than the rest. Same is true of FSR's. You can also find one of the ten that is a total dud. There is NOT and I repeat NOT any difference that sets the masses of MIM FSR's apart as "better" instruments in general and buying a MIM FSR is NOT a guarantee that it is better than a MIM Standard.

There are a multitude of options available on a MIM FSR but most dealers or dealer compacts who order FSR's want to keep the price low so they don't change anything like electronics, hardware, body woods or neck construction. They just get a different color body and different color pickguard. That does NOT make it better than a Standard.

That is my opinion. I've had MIM FSR P-Basses and I've had Standards. I find no major differences in quality, just cosmetics!


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Post subject: Re: FSR
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 1:05 am
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Brotherdave ,

What you write is quite logical


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Post subject: Re: FSR
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 2:13 pm
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Every mass production instrument needs to be judged against like models, even FSR models. This holds true from MIM Standards to USA Deluxes. It seems the more it costs the harder it becomes to detect any clear cut differences though. When you get to the Custom Shop level I have trouble finding any disparity between two of the same model. The CS ones are pretty close to perfection but you pay for it.


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Post subject: Re: FSR
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 5:52 am
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Again, whether it's an FSR simply for finish. (Which any time I've ever seen one it was done with a wood upgrade from Alder to Ash) Or with pick ups, routing, neck specs, ect. Like most Guitar Center or Musicians Friend FSRs. (Which site and stores like that are the bulk of FSRs) Matters little. I can tell you that there is a fee for an FSR. Flat. Why? Because I have decades of experience in manufacturing and logistics experience and this is how it works. Everywhere. Every time. For everything. No exceptions. Even if the bass only has a different finish. It doesn't matter. It gets a seperate part number. Why? Because lean manufacturing environments build to fill stock points. FSRs sidestep that. Meaning that there is no MFG finished good supermarket like there is for all the other regular production line product. That regular production line product has scheduled builds based off retailer orders. They have dedicated supply chains, and material flows. Dedicated work force allocation. That is how you standardize work. Which is key to reducing costs. FSRs sidestep this. They are a special order. That is why they have separate part numbers. That part number includes the work done behind the scenes to qualify the part. There is paperwork involved. Material allocated. Labor allocated. A slot in the schedule has to be set aside. Work instructions have to be written. (Yes, even if it's just a different finish) Training, even very quick basic training. HAS to be done. Then it goes to production and goes into Quality. Who then checks it against a seperate set of specs. Then onto the warehouse for direct shipping. (Which is outside the regular production material flow for the warehouse) All these things add up to money. So it adds to the cost. Most of the cost of upgraded parts are actually mitigated through bulk purchase. (ie: why FSRs have a minimum build quantity)

So in the end. If some retailer wants to do an order for a MIM Standard P bass in a non-standard finish. They will be paying extra for it. Which means. YOU will be paying extra for it. Cost is always pushed onto the customer, and FSRs always cost more. Why? Because they cost the retailer more. That's not to say that you can't get a great deal on an FSR. Because they are gambles by the retailer. A gamble that their choice in specs will entice people to part with more of their cash.

This isn't just a guitar thing. This is done in EVERY industry. The automotive industry in particular for Dave's example. Where large dealers can order a "limited edition" run with a special paint option for so many vehicles. Those cost more, too. Chrysler, or Fender doesn't do extra work for free. These dealers pay for the extra service. No matter how high or low end the FSR is.

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2012 Fender Custom Shop 55 Precision Bass
2012 Fender American Vintage 57 Precision Bass RI
2014 Fender Super Bassman and Bassman 100T/410 Neo


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