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Again, Fender being overrated BS

Hey All,

First off, obviously there are many who have had good luck with this brand, and like them a lot or love them and won't play anything else. That's awesome, since the perfect bass is what we search for, and yet it's different to us all. I'd be the same way as those Fender fans, if I didn't think they suck complete ass.

I thought my faith was somewhat restored in this brand. I was pretty close to buying an American Jazz V Deluxe until I closely looked at the construction of one at one store, two more at another store, and then another at another store. Every single one had nice neck joint gaps, some on both sides, with uneven neck relief on the bass and treble sides. Also, a number of them had HORRIBLE hum. For a $1799 made-in-USA price tag (new), this is totally unacceptable. Look on Musician's Friend...last time I looked, there were 8 returned and being sold used. What is worse, was a Roscoe Beck V (used) that I tried over the weekend. I was really excited to finally find one, too, as rare as they are...for a minute, I thought, JACKPOT. Man, was I wrong. The gap on the bass side (there was one on the treble side, too) was so pronounced that you could've slipped almost two credit cards in there. Better to use those to hold the joint tighter than use them to buy the damn thing, imo. Btw, it's at the Sam Ash in Columbus, OH, if you care. If you're REALLY love-crazy for this overblown brand, then go for it...good luck getting a decent one.

I then tried two Ibanez BTB 5's at the same Sam Ash, that completely blew the above basses away, and they're made in Indonesia, too. I like that "grand piano, articulate new-string" sound, also, and even the output on the 18-volt Jazz was less than the Ibby's, and the Ibby's are the standard 9 volts...almost on-par with my old Prestige. They're also only $900-$1000, whereas both of the above Fenders were well over that.

I swear, even with Music Man, yes Music Man, these big companies seem to get lazy like nothing else, simply from people gawking unwisely at them because of their overly exaggerated, name-dropping reputation. I don't get it, and haven't gotten it for the last 10-15 years. I've played and owned the gamut (sp?) of basses, also having been to Winter NAMM '09, and know that MANY basses blow Fender out of the water, including Ibanez. Get your freakin' act together, big boys...you're the McDonald's of the bass world.
:rolleyes:
 
Do people really care about neck gaps? Me , I usually pick a bass up to see how it feels and sounds. If I like that, I'll look at things like the neck and bridge to make sure it can be adjusted to my taste. After that, I'll look for nicks and damage that might let me talk down the price.

I can honestly say I've never looked at a neck gap.
 
Dawn Wells today:

dawn-wells-today_thumb.jpg


Barbara Eden today:

barbara-eden-today.jpg


Tina Louise today:

tinaLouise27-IV-2008_thumb.jpg


Now choose. I'm sticking with Mary Ann.

Gee, thanks a ****load for that, Munji. (Shudder...) ;)
 
Bailey Quarters was her full name!!

Yes, I vote Bailey.

This is the point of this thread. Ginger, Mary Ann, Mrs. Howell. :)

Be attracted to what or who you're attracted to.
Then play it well.
...and since we're discussing women, take care of, Love and respect everyone you come into contact with. :)

I which case, I'm going to have a Morticia Adams (Carolyn Jones) Lily Munster (Yvonne De Carlo) combo.

Villain_Morticia_Addams_a_la_Carolyn_Jones.png


300x300.jpg
 
I do think Fender is a little overpriced. I bought a G&L SB-1 with the following:

Quartersawn maple neck with rosewood fingerboard.
Vintage tint on the neck.
Slim jazz width neck.
Beautiful three tone sunburst finish.
Very nice G&G case.

Less than $1300 and that's with the sales tax!!!
 
There's a reason why people likes them so much, and let's face it, is not only the mainstream (yeah, a pretty important factor, but not the most important), but a lot other reasons why the Fender basses are loved by many, even the greatest ones.

I think there is an important factor which is the music we grew up hearing... Like the vinyl vs CD discussion, for me it's not that vinyl sounds "better"... it just sounds "how some like it to sound".

Fender electric basses are the very first, and therefore most of the precursors of the sounds we liked then had them.
 
I have to say I've tried out lots of basses. I disliked Carvins as I didn't like the sound. Yamaha? Feels like a big old tree. Ibanez? They feel clunky and sorta plastic to me. Pedulla? Love 'em!
Fender? That's pretty much all I play, but not the new models as those are clunky too. Especially the 5 strings. (they feel obese if that makes any sense). I have only had one bad Fender neck in the 25 years I've been playing, and it was a U.S. Jazz bass. I've never had one with a gap in the neck pocket, or any other problem for that matter. Of course, I modify every one of them to fit my style. The beauty of the original Fender designs, for me, is how customized you can make them. A neck from one, a body from another, etc. Leo got the modular aspect right with them.
 

+1

the main reasons that i LOVED either show!;)

Do people really care about gaps? Me , I usually pick a gap up to see how it feels and sounds. If I like that, I'll look at things like the neck and gap to make sure it can be adjusted to my taste. After that, I'll look for nicks and damage that might let me talk down the price.

fixed!;)
 
Oh, and for the record, that picture of elder Maryann? I dunno...I might totally tap that. :smug:

Me too, and I find the rolling of them out for the purpose of degradation pretty demeaning so maybe we oughta tone it down a little. As for anyone who wants to bash Fender, who the hell cares what you think. They're good basses, some stink and some are great, but as a whole they are solid basses. Congrats, so are a lot of other basses.
 
Get along? What is this, a happy place? NEVER!



I love my Ibanez, and it's a freaking GSR200, but when it comes to Fender, it's something that always causes me boners.

I do have the Fender bug myself. Hard not to when they make such beautiful basses. I just have not found the one for me yet. I will I'm sure. I just cant afford what I really want right now so I'll wait and play my Destroyers in the mean time.


Cheers!

MJW
 
I guess what I continually don't understand is the constant rehash of these types of threads. Not just about Fender, tho the majority are...Here's an idea, hows about playing what you prefer and just shut up about it?

It's pathetic, wasted energy.

Oh, and for the record, that picture of elder Maryann? I dunno...I might totally tap that. :smug:

Yup - troll thread, as I called it from the get go... and yeah, she's aged extremely well...


- georgestrings
 

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