I purchased this bass as a way to improve my playing and encourage me to practice more often. Coming from a Squier J-Bass, this was a huge improvement.
The finish on the neck is smooth as silk even after hundreds of hours of playing, the intonation has only slightly deviated (an easy fix), and the finish has held up fantastically. The tone is rich and highly customisable thanks to the active EQ and the split P-J configuration. You really get the best of both worlds, with the modern comforts that the Ultra line brings to the Fender experience. The contoured neck and the sculpted body make for easy playing without taking away from that classic Fender styling.
Now, for quality concerns. I returned one of these when I received it due to ground wiring issues. The replacement bass I received seemed clear of gremlins, but it has quickly developed semi-scratchy pots on the volume control. The bass has been kept dry, and humidity has been low, so I am disappointed by this development. Again, an easy fix, but something I would rather not have to deal with so early on with this bass.
Another issue comes from the retaining nut on the jack port, which comes loose in my experience. I am willing to chalk this partly up to user-error (I cannot be sure it was not caused by my cable choice or any instances of rough-housing on stage). I deduct one star from quality for this, along with a slight blemish near the neck joint, in such a spot that it irks me without impeding on playability.
Overall, an absolutely magnificent sounding, and looking, piece which blends classic and modern and provides the musician with new ways to sculpt their tone. I can absolutely say that this is the bass I always wanted, and I cannot see myself buying another while this is still functioning.
