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Post subject: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 7:25 pm
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I'm probably just out of touch on current goings-on, but I was unaware some of the Hot Rod series amps are now made in China. Features such as the Fat Switch on the Bjr are apparently left out to reduce costs further as well. Is this news to anyone else?
http://www.fender.com.au/fender-guitar- ... ape&bcid=0


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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 6:57 am
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I hope president Trump will ask to Fender to stop that !


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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:50 am
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Its possible that these Australian amps are only available there because of China/Aussie trade agreements. I don't really know.
I haven't seen any here on the West coast


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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 12:08 pm
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If there's a way to make their junk even cheaper, FMIC can always be counted on to find it.

:roll:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 4:15 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
If there's a way to make their junk even cheaper, FMIC can always be counted on to find it.

:roll:

Arjay


+1


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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 6:47 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
If there's a way to make their junk even cheaper, FMIC can always be counted on to find it.

:roll:

Arjay


Yep, it is sad to see, I'm not a fan of the cheap construction of the existing Hot Rod line-up but I feel this is stooping even lower, a further dilution of Fender and it seems Fender is testing the waters in a smaller market to see how well these Chinese amps sell. Also sad is that when people embrace and buy these cheap landfill amps they are sending a message of acceptance, approval and positive reinforcement to the decision makers at Fender. Not to mention the jobs that move off-shore, at least I imagine that from the point of view of an American (I'm Aussie but I like my Fenders to be built in the US by Americans).
I'm sure others will disagree, but I'm done being politically correct on this stuff now.


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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:02 pm
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No457 Snowy wrote:
...and it seems Fender is testing the waters in a smaller market to see how well these Chinese amps sell.


+1

The reason that Fender keeps building junk is because people keep buying it.

Where once they were the Cadillac of musical gear, they're now the Yugo.

:(

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 7:09 am
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I guess there maybe an outside chance for a better product. Depends on how strict the QA/QC is at that Chinese plant. After all, aren't all Apple IPhone and IPads made in China?


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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 10:08 am
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
After all, aren't all Apple IPhone and IPads made in China?


The character of use and abuse that these products are subjected to pales in comparison to that of a guitar amp.

When's the last time you threw your phone into the trunk of your car, tossed it down a flight of stairs, or spilled a bottle of Jack Daniels on it?

:lol:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 10:27 am
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FENDER !!! Not just a 20th century cult religion! Its a living breathing business with a bottom Line.
While flirting with digital sinners and dealing with pcb addictions, Fender has persevered through dozens of other amp company failures and emerged whole and healthy.
The electronics industry has changed and Fender is in its clutches as well as the rest of us. They survive by changing with it.
As a modern entity responsible to its bottom line, they have to follow the market and manufacturing standards.
Modern manudacturing has reduced labor and parts costs. It has greatly increased the availability of Fender amps World wide. All of this is good for Fender and its customers.
Without them, Where would this forum be?


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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 12:52 pm
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TimsAudio wrote:
Modern manudacturing has reduced labor and parts costs.


Yes......assembly techs now don't know the difference between a soldering iron and a curling iron. And those 24¢ resistors that were certified for 15,000 hrs of use have been replaced by parts that cost a nickel and won't even last for the length of the amp's warranty.

Progress......of course.

:roll:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 1:31 pm
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
I guess there maybe an outside chance for a better product. Depends on how strict the QA/QC is at that Chinese plant. After all, aren't all Apple IPhone and IPads made in China?

True but the trend for those electronic devices is they are regularly replaced with the next version of the same device, designed for a short life before being retired into the dustbin of history. That lifestyle pattern does not work for my guitar amps.


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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 3:09 pm
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No457 Snowy wrote:
True but the trend for those electronic devices is they are regularly replaced with the next version of the same device, designed for a short life before being retired into the dustbin of history. That lifestyle pattern does not work for my guitar amps.


Yeah, both you and Arjay are correct. Wishful thinking. But, hopefully they build these new Fender amps better than the usual Made in China junk from Harbor Freight or Walmart. If that is the new standard, the amps may not make the trip from China, in one piece. :roll: :lol:


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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 5:17 pm
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
If that is the new standard, the amps may not make the trip from China, in one piece. :roll: :lol:


Yep, the Chinese freight handlers are a class act.


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Post subject: Re: Some Hot Rod Series amps Made in China?
Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 5:57 pm
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On the plus side, the ever degrading quality might serve to illuminate to the masses the HR series for what it really is and always was but people didn't understand or wouldn't accept.
Entry level tube amplifiers.
So often I hear comments in music stores and read comments online about people "splurging" on a high end Fender Tube amp only to learn they're referring to a Blues Junior III or Hot Rod Deluxe III.
I didn't even consider them high end back in the early 90s when they were made so much better and in USA.

Even after all these years of watching the public trend changing, I still have trouble understanding how people can pay $2k and $3k and sometimes more for a prestigious American made guitar and then feel it is in perfect balance and cosmic harmony playing it through a $500 disposable Chinese POS.



MNSHO
YMMV

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