Fender Enters the "Zone"

American Deluxe Zone Bass	Deluxe Zone Bass

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) will release two edgy new basses this summer with the introduction of the American Deluxe Zone Bass and the Deluxe Zone Bass at the 2001 Nashville NAMM show. Both of the new Zones Basses offer cutting edge features including newly designed pickups and electronics, and in the case of the American Deluxe version, a choice of exotic woods.

"This is a very ambitious step for Fender basses," says Richard McDonald, vice president of electric guitars for Fender. "Weve put a great deal of effort over the past few years in finding out exactly what players want in a contemporary bass. What weve come up with is this new line of Zone basses, and we are very proud of the results."

The American Deluxe Zone Bass is one of Fenders first ventures into the realm of exotic wood basses, offering a choice of either a highly figured maple top over alder, or a walnut top over mahogany. Engineers in Fenders Research and Development have spent the last two years designing an entirely new electronic platform to match and maximize the tonal characteristics of each of the options, including new hum canceling pickups designed to increase the low frequency response and extend the upper frequency range.

Both neck and bridge pickups are designed with ferrous steel pole pieces contained within the core of each bobbin. They are driven with low-profile, wide area ceramic magnets located at the base of each pickup, with the ceramic magnets offering optimal strength and excellent string transfer characteristics that result in incredible clarity and articulation.

The unique sonic nature of the exotic woods and their body mass require electronics that can bring the most out of these instruments. To accommodate this, the new American Deluxe Bass circuit is tweaked at the input stage - pre-shape, boost and EQ settings - to match and compliment the instruments characteristics.

The Bass frequencies are centered at 40Hz± 12db with a 4db per octave slope, while the Treble is centered at 8 kHz± 10db with a 2db per octave slope, with the Treble cut working as a more passive control for warm, organic tones. The Mid control is centered at 500Hz± 10db and -15db, with a wide-band slope to bring out the growl and new distinctive voices of the electronics. The circuit is powered by a new 18Volt supply.

The bridge on the American Deluxe Zone Bass is deluxe chrome plated steel. The maple neck is C-shaped has a 34" scale, 9.5" radius with a rosewood fingerboard and 22 frets. This bass is made at Fenders state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Corona, California. US MSRP is $1,949.99.

The Deluxe Zone Bass is styled after the American Deluxe version, offering straight ahead, professional features and the signature value that is associated with products made at Fenders state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

The Deluxe Zone Bass features two new pickups designed specifically for this instrument, with the popular American P-Bass serves as a starting point for the neck position pickup. Fender has added more of a top end response to the flush mounted Alnico magnets, brining more top end definition to the full bodied nature of this pickup.

The bridge position pickup is a fully customized version of Fenders Active Deluxe Jazz Bass pickup, with quarter-inch Alnico magnets and end-to-end hum canceling vintage style construction. The new active EQ circuit is controlled by Volume, Blend/Pan, Treble, Mid and Bass Controls.

The solid alder body features a contoured top. The maple neck is C-shaped with a 34" scale and 9.5" radius, rosewood fingerboard and 22 frets. As with the American Deluxe version, the bridge is deluxe chrome plated steel.

Available colors are Sage, Pewter, Black and Sienna Burst. Made at Fenders state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. US MSRP is $849.99.