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Post subject: Made in the U.S. Black Label Precision Bass
Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 11:03 am
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Aspiring Musician
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http://www.talkbass.com/attachments/image-jpg.464538/

Info obviously requested...


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Post subject: Re: Made in the U.S. Black Label Precision Bass
Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 1:13 pm
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Location: Province de Québec, Canada
I read ; MN6 + 5 or 6 digits 1996-1997 Mexican made

Why it is write "made in u.s.a. ???

Something wrong !

http://www.fender.com/fr-CA/support/art ... ct-dating/


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Post subject: Re: Made in the U.S. Black Label Precision Bass
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 8:04 pm
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Obviously a doctored headstock decal. The serial is Mexican and the truss rod access is Mexican. How or why they did that with the decal is beyond me. It isn't related to the Ensenada fire February 11, 1994 because production resumed at the new Ensenada facility in just 100 days. This instrument came after that.

This appears to be a Mexican Traditional Series Fender. But it could be a Squier Series with the peghead "Squier Series" decal removed. Obviously some hanky-panky went on here regardless of the series.

Calling them "Black Label" as was done on this post seems to add mystique to them when what they really are...at best...are the cheapest and second cheapest Fender branded basses ever made. They are more of a historical footnote than desirable instruments.

During the period when the solid black headstock logos that appear in that photo were being used there were three levels of quality available in a Mexican Fender. In order based upon cost and quality the levels from highest to lowest the series were Standard, Traditional and Squier. The Standard Series got a typical Fender 2 color waterslide decal while the Traditional Series and Squier Series got solid black headstock logos that actually look screen printed and the Squier Series had an added "Squier Series" subscript applied on the peg head sort of like the Deluxe Series has today.

Oddly both Squier and Traditional Series Fender instruments are often priced like Squiers merely because of the solid black headstock logo they shared. This was before Squier actually became it's own brand. The tiny "Squier Series" script was pretty easy to remove and lots of people did remove it, which diluted the value of the Traditional Series. In reality both were substandard, pardon the pun, but the Traditional Series were some better than the Squier Series. So if you can find a real Traditional Series model it will represent more value for the dollar.

During this time all bodies and necks of all Mexican Fenders were CNC machined at Corona because there was not a CNC machine at Ensenada until later. The raw bodies and necks were trucked down Highway 1, across the border to Ensenada for finishing and assembly.


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Post subject: Re: Made in the U.S. Black Label Precision Bass
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 3:48 pm
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Quote:
This appears to be a Mexican Traditional Series Fender. But it could be a Squier Series with the peghead "Squier Series" decal removed. Obviously some hanky-panky went on here regardless of the series.


+1, my guess as well.

As to the why, my guess is owner's perception. I have a Performer that someone carefully removed the Made in Japan from the decal.

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Collector of vintage Fender 4 string basses.


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Post subject: Re: Made in the U.S. Black Label Precision Bass
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:50 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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I can dig it. Most of the Traditional Series Jazz basses I've played have been made of really hard, non-resonant poplar(?) wood. I haven't seen any Traditional Precision basses to this day.

My '98 Standard Jazz sounds amazing! Bought some new .40-.95 Slinky's for it today..and I'm feeling it.


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Post subject: Re: Made in the U.S. Black Label Precision Bass
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 3:24 pm
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WildintheStreets wrote:
My '98 Standard Jazz sounds amazing! Bought some new .40-.95 Slinky's for it today..and I'm feeling it.


That would be why it cost more than Traditional or Squier Series MIM Fenders made the same year. Better everything. The Squier Series had what seems like Asian pickiups and imported pots and flimsier hardware.


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Post subject: Re: Made in the U.S. Black Label Precision Bass
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2014 11:41 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Jazz basses are always fun. I think I might end up being the one guy on the forum that's into the 1995-2001 MIM Standard jem hunt.

Info appreciated..


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