LeftyBassist.com

I don't understand the prices on Custom shop instruments. Apart from some unusual finishes (not this one!), most of them just seem like American Standards with maybe a couple hundred bucks in upgraded parts.

And better woods, better fretwork, vintage specs, not mass produced. About as far away from an American Standard as you can get.

- don't mean to start a tonewood debate but I've never had a complaint against maple or ash, I don't think I've seen a Fender get past QC with some kind of wood deficiency.
- maybe better fretwork but the Am St doesn't leave a whole lot to be desired
- "vintage spec" basically means a couple hundred bucks of upgraded parts
- they're not exactly carving these by hands, they're coming out of the same CNC mills as the rest of Fender's stock
- not even as far away from an american standard as you can get while still buying a Fender bass

Sorry to be so argumentative. Clearly I won't be ordering one any time soon haha.

Well ok. I have both. The difference is pretty big. I love em all though. I know there’s the same CNC stuff. The fit/finish stuff that takes more time and care is the most drastic difference. And for the wood stuff, I’m not talking about prissy tone woods vs alder/etc. Mine is alder with a maple/rosewood neck. In the neck i can see they are certainly using nicer pieces of those woods than you’d find on the American Standard instruments. You also have limitless options compared to the standard production models.
I’m not arguing either, I just have ones to compare. They are all badass in my opinion. And I certainly can’t blame anyone for not wanting to spend the coin on one. That was really tough for a guy on my income haha. But I got my dream Fender Jazz.

I get the better woods, electronics, craftsmanship... but I'm just not that die-hard of a Fender fan. For that kind of cash, I'd seriously consider a used Sadowsky, or two Regenerate models...

All excellent choices.

I played a right handed custom shop and thought about getting one. I could be wrong but I see the Custom Shop as what Leo would have wanted to produce if he were alive today and the American Standard as what the accountants would want to produce. In short yes same company but different standards, same discussion could be made about Honda/Acura.

I think as it pertains to their Mod Shop options, you're correct. I personally think Fender's American made instruments are absurdly overpriced in general ($1500 for the newest Am P or J?), but they are excellent instruments out of the gate and I've considered spending the extra coin just to get a simple Mod Shop option like Seafoam Green.

But as far as the Custom Shop stuff, goes, Matt is correct. The good ones I've played just play, feel, and sound like the best broken in Fender you could possibly find, though I personally can't afford one or justify the price either.

For what it's worth, I bought a used 1991 or 93 CS Jazz in 2001 and it was a total lemon. One by one, bits of it failed and all that's left now is the body and hardware, which are part of a Frankenbass. To be fair, I've never heard of another experience like mine.