Not impressed..

pumpkinking39 · #1 03-26-2013, 03:12 AM

I do not know if this is bad or not but here is the story...

Last monday i walk into guitar center and see that they have like 10 brand new Fender custom shop P and J basses (not PJ) so me being all excited and curious, as i had never played a fender custom shop before but had heard a lot about them, picked one up and plugged it into to an amp and start messing around on it. I was not impressed. AT ALL. I picked up another one and same feeling about not being impressed. There is just something about the sound that seemed a bit wimpy to me, all the ones that i picked up sounded like they could have used a boost in sound. Before i picked up the custom shops i had played on an Ibanez BTB675 and i could dial in tons of tones i wanted but not on the Fender...

In the end i was a bit disappointed and not impressed...

I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience with any brands?

Meddle · #2 03-26-2013, 03:18 AM

Well you are a Schecter owner...

I doubt GC set their stuff up very well, so you were playing a bunch of basses in a less than optimal environment.

Digital Man · #3 03-26-2013, 03:33 AM

I tried a custom shop jazz worth 4000€. It sounded like a squier...

FaithNoMan · #4 03-26-2013, 03:37 AM

I felt that way after hearing all the hoopla about Ampeg SVTs.

But then again, I love Rics, and they are definitely a love or hate sound for many.

rodl2005 · #5 03-26-2013, 03:50 AM

Were the Fender basses passive & the Ibanez active?

Hobobob · #6 03-26-2013, 04:02 AM

Comparing an active Ibanez to a P bass or a J bass is an apples-to-oranges comparison. Maybe your overall preference is towards modern active basses? Here's the secret: diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks. I guarantee there are many people on this site that would write this thread the exact opposite way around. And they'd be just as right as you.

pumpkinking39 · #7 03-26-2013, 04:12 AM

I know that different people have different preferences but i almost feel bad for not liking the fender custom shops...

pumpkinking39 · #8 03-26-2013, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meddle

Well you are a Schecter owner...

I doubt GC set their stuff up very well, so you were playing a bunch of basses in a less than optimal environment.

Not sure if compliment to schecter or not but they had a gigging bassist on staff so..

Meddle · #9 03-26-2013, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pumpkinking39

Not sure if compliment to schecter or not...

Consider it a Rorschach test if you like.

As for the gigging bassist, he might risk getting chewed out by his (non musician) manager for wasting company time messing around with Allen keys when there as basses to be selling.

Hobobob · #10 03-26-2013, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pumpkinking39

I know that different people have different preferences but i almost feel bad for not liking the fender custom shops...

No need to feel bad. Play what you like! I myself have found that the more expensive a Fender is, the less I like it. The MIM's and Am. Specials are where it's at for me. And I played at least a dozen different Fenders at NAMM this year.