Funny you should mention Fender, I just tried out a DeArmonde Pilot Bass at my least favorite guitar shop in the area. I only went there to waste time and in the off chance they'de have control knobs that fit the posts on EMG pots. Anyway, this $250 DeArmonde kicked the snot out of the $900 American Standard Jazz Bass sitting next to it. The action and feel was impecible and the unplugged tone was alot better. To top it off it had a 3 band active EQ compared to passive on the Fender.

I don't agree with you whole heartedly on the Fender thing: I own four of them and I love them all dearly, but it's still funny that their "crap" line is better than their top of the line these days. It just goes to show that in the long run, nobody ever really learned anything from their CBS days.

Now if only the DeArmonde wasn't so freakin' ugly...

PS: How would you feel about somebody playing the guitar parts to "Sweet Chile 'O Mine" or SRV's "Marry Had a Little Lamb" on a four string bass?