Am I missing something about Fenders?

[jasonmasters]

I could see how maybe his signature bass may be a little different from their average 6, since he's such a tiny guy... but once you're spending enough to get his signature... why not go custom and get a more unique finish/top wood? also as you said the string spacing... I have a kahler tremolo bridge on my 6 and the string spacing is the closest of any bass I've played and I love it. Maybe i'd like wider string spacing if i played more slap

 

[FunkMetalBass]

I could see how maybe his signature bass may be a little different from their average 6...

They don't make an average 6. There's no market for it.

 

[jasonmasters]

oh haha. well there ya go. I'm in a different market

 

[FromTheBassMent]

Fender basses remind me of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. A huge amount of the appeal is the history, the community, and the lifestyle. It's not that Fenders are "bad" basses, anymore than Harleys are "bad" motorcycles.

Both have experienced significant QC issues, and yet have not lost their fan base or suffered huge sales losses.

Both are utterly out-classed in terms of technical innovation by their competitors.

Both have tried to "modernize" (Fender with pre-amps and 5-strings, Harley with the V-Rod), with questionable results at best (Fender pre-amps are widely disdained for sounding awful and their B strings are miserable, and V-Rods adorn the showroom floors of Harley dealers everywhere while people wait months or years for a Fat Boy).

And yet for many players and many riders, the allure of tradition and familiarity and "vibe" supercede other considerations. There's no right or wrong about it; it's just what it is... personal preference.

For the record, I don't get Fender basses or Harley-Davidson motorcycles. I like a super-high-quality 5-string with an articulate B string and a killer three-band active eq, and I like a motorcycle that revs to 15k RPM, pulls 70 mph in first gear and leaks not a drop of oil.

But that's just me!

 

[jasonmasters]

my impression of fender is also not complemented by the fact that I've owned some of their guitars and can never get them to stay in tune... I thought maybe it was just my abililty to set of of them or something... but then I saw JEff Beck live and they had to stop a song 20 seconds in so he could retune and start over.... :O

 

[SOB H.R.MC]

When I strarted faking bass I had a early 70's p-bass but sold it about 1 month after I bought my Charvel .The Fender was and is the industry standard but I found what I think is the best playing/sounding bass in my price range.You can go back and forth about what is the best bass but just play what YOU like

 

[SurferJoe46]

Fender basses remind me of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. A huge amount of the appeal is the history, the community, and the lifestyle. It's not that Fenders are "bad" basses, anymore than Harleys are "bad" motorcycles.

Both have experienced significant QC issues, and yet have not lost their fan base or suffered huge sales losses.

Both are utterly out-classed in terms of technical innovation by their competitors.

Both have tried to "modernize" (Fender with pre-amps and 5-strings, Harley with the V-Rod), with questionable results at best (Fender pre-amps are widely disdained for sounding awful and their B strings are miserable, and V-Rods adorn the showroom floors of Harley dealers everywhere while people wait months or years for a Fat Boy).

And yet for many players and many riders, the allure of tradition and familiarity and "vibe" supercede other considerations. There's no right or wrong about it; it's just what it is... personal preference.

For the record, I don't get Fender basses or Harley-Davidson motorcycles. I like a super-high-quality 5-string with an articulate B string and a killer three-band active eq, and I like a motorcycle that revs to 15k RPM, pulls 70 mph in first gear and leaks not a drop of oil.

But that's just me!

NO - you are not alone in that observation.

I think it's a "Mystique" issue. For one (see if you can guess which one I am speaking about here) - you get oil leaks, antiquated engineering and Neanderthal electronics. But they get to make lots of noise and are big, heavy and seriously carrying extra baggage with huge parts that just weigh a lot.

The Harley-Fender is not for everyone - and although there's a certain aire de' Macho in owning them, they just really don't come up to modern and more efficient use of design and manufacturing techniques in applicability.

We see a lot of Hardley-Ablesons on the streets, not as many broken down and having their chase truck picking them up when the owner tried to make it to the city limits and failed - again. But they are still out there making noise and carrying a huge attitude.

If you like a bass with an ape-hanger neck and clunky huge heads and tuners that could be the wind-up keys for a Poppin' Johnny Tractor, then more power to you. I applaud your desires to look good and look menacing and look macho.

Just so no-one thinks I actually hate Fenders - I own two Ps and although I THOUGHT they were great - once I got a new SR500 into my hands, the Harley-Fenders went into their cases and don't get to see too much daylight any more.

Sometimes I take them out - look at them - and ask: "What was I thinking of?" - and then close the lid again.

It's kinda sad to put these "icons" into cold storage, but I don't need them any more - not since I got something that is kinder, smoother, active and doesn't leak oil and make my back and neck hurt.

 

[Matt R.]

I personally love Fender Basses. You tried and didn't like them. So what? What's to miss? Just play what you're into playing.

 

[electracoyote]

my impression of fender is also not complemented by the fact that I've owned some of their guitars and can never get them to stay in tune... I thought maybe it was just my abililty to set of of them or something... but then I saw JEff Beck live and they had to stop a song 20 seconds in so he could retune and start over.... :O

Wow. What an exaggeration and overgeneralization.

 

[cnltb]

Uhhh... what?? WADR, when was the last time you played an American Fender? Nothing wrong at all IMHO with QC even before 2008, but in 2008 they seriously up'ed their game on the MIA Standards, and in 2009 with the Mexican Standards. Here in Canada I've never seen *any* of the QC issues I read about on TB, which mostly also involve stories about how said bass was tried out at Guitar Center... coincidence? I suspect some of this "expectation" of low quality also is a hangover from the late 70s - early 80s, when QC *was* poor by most accounts. Kind of like how American cars have never gotten past the reputation of being gas guzzlers, even though these days they're just as fuel efficient as anything else on the market.

I don't think they charge a lot at all, considering an import Lakland copy of a Fender is more expensive than an American made Fender.

I don't expect anything from any maker but go by what I see and hear when playing their instruments.
I played a couple of american made Fenders recently and have often done so before that and just think that one can do a lot better for the money.
I liked the RI precision I used last week( a friend lent it to me for a couple weeks). It is a nice sounding instrument ,light and feels good.
The built quality is lacking a lot though.When looking at it from that standpoint, I think I can get a marleaux, sandber or many other basses where I find the same quality of tone and feel but much better construction of the same design(but I don't like copies...) for very similar money if not less.
That particular bass is extremely tempting nonetheless...it's a tool to me and a good one at that...but the sloppiness is something I just don't like at that price.
As said... I tend to like japanese fenders and would possibly get one of those.
At the end I really don't care where an instrument is made as long as I like it enough.

 

[Flaked Beans]

I played the Steve Bailey sig at NAMM this year, and it was a rather comfortable neck. String spacing was probably around 17.5mm, though, which is a little wide for my tastes. Much better than I thought it would be.

I could see how maybe his signature bass may be a little different from their average 6, since he's such a tiny guy... but once you're spending enough to get his signature... why not go custom and get a more unique finish/top wood? also as you said the string spacing... I have a kahler tremolo bridge on my 6 and the string spacing is the closest of any bass I've played and I love it. Maybe i'd like wider string spacing if i played more slap

SB jazz 6 has a full 19mm string spacing at the bridge (3.54" wide neck at the 24th fret and the body is huge, quite bigger than a standard jazz bass. It's excellent for slap!

my Steve Bailey jazz bass:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

This quartersawn maple/ebony neck is one of the most comfortable 6 str. necks I've ever played (PSI have a bunch of great 6ers )

 

[elgreco]

fender are really great basses!.i was unlucky till now with them but this can happen to all brands..if you play a good fender no matter if it's new or old you'll stuck for sure!!

 

[king_biscuit]

Fender basses remind me of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. A huge amount of the appeal is the history, the community, and the lifestyle. It's not that Fenders are "bad" basses, anymore than Harleys are "bad" motorcycles.

Both have experienced significant QC issues, and yet have not lost their fan base or suffered huge sales losses.

Both are utterly out-classed in terms of technical innovation by their competitors.

Both have tried to "modernize" (Fender with pre-amps and 5-strings, Harley with the V-Rod), with questionable results at best (Fender pre-amps are widely disdained for sounding awful and their B strings are miserable, and V-Rods adorn the showroom floors of Harley dealers everywhere while people wait months or years for a Fat Boy).

And yet for many players and many riders, the allure of tradition and familiarity and "vibe" supercede other considerations. There's no right or wrong about it; it's just what it is... personal preference.

For the record, I don't get Fender basses or Harley-Davidson motorcycles. I like a super-high-quality 5-string with an articulate B string and a killer three-band active eq, and I like a motorcycle that revs to 15k RPM, pulls 70 mph in first gear and leaks not a drop of oil.

But that's just me!

While you may have all of these feelings, it doesn't make them facts, and it doesn't mean others have the same feelings. I have had a good sampling of basses over the years (some really "high end" stuff, and I have five EBMM basses now. I can tell you that I really really really REALLY like the way a passive Fender sounds -- period!

Fender five strings have fine B strings if you use the right strings (just like any bass), and I don't like active preamp anyway. But as far as that goes, the Fender preamps are no better or worse than any other onboard preamp -- they are all just a bunch of cheap radio shack quality components hooked up to a battery -- I'll stick with the preamp in my amp, thank you.

Now let me project some feelings: I think it has become popular to bash Fender, and I think some people just like to fit in by doing it (although I'm not necessarily targeting you FTBM). There probably aren't a handful of players on TB who play well enough or have the knowledge and experience to tell the difference in a poorly set up Fender with dead strings sitting in GC, and a truly bad bass; Now that is the way I feel!

 

[king_biscuit]

I liked the RI precision I used last week( a friend lent it to me for a couple weeks). It is a nice sounding instrument ,light and feels god.
The built quality is lacking a lot though

I wonder if you could be more specific? I'm not calling you out, I'm just curious. I have four Fender reissues, and I think they are as well made as anything in the price range or above for that matter!

 

[MtManiac]

There probably aren't a handful of players on TB who play well enough or have the knowledge and experience to tell the difference in a poorly set up Fender with dead strings sitting in GC, and a truly bad bass; Now that is the way I feel!

Word!!

 

[Flaked Beans]

While you may have all of these feelings, it doesn't make them facts, and it doesn't mean others have the same feelings. I have had a good sampling of basses over the years (some really "high end" stuff, and I have five EBMM basses now. I can tell you that I really really really REALLY like the way a passive Fender sounds -- period!
Fender five strings have fine B strings if you use the right strings (just like any bass), and I don't like active preamp anyway. But as far as that goes, the Fender preamps are no better or worse than any other onboard preamp -- they are all just a bunch of cheap radio shack quality components hooked up to a battery -- I'll stick with the preamp in my amp, thank you.

Now let me project some feelings: I think it has become popular to bash Fender, and I think some people just like to fit in by doing it (although I'm not necessarily targeting you FTBM). There probably aren't a handful of players on TB who play well enough or have the knowledge and experience to tell the difference in a poorly set up Fender with dead strings sitting in GC, and a truly bad bass; Now that is the way I feel!

+1.

 

[Basshappi]

NO - you are not alone in that observation.

I think it's a "Mystique" issue. For one (see if you can guess which one I am speaking about here) - you get oil leaks, antiquated engineering and Neanderthal electronics. But they get to make lots of noise and are big, heavy and seriously carrying extra baggage with huge parts that just weigh a lot.

The Harley-Fender is not for everyone - and although there's a certain aire de' Macho in owning them, they just really don't come up to modern and more efficient use of design and manufacturing techniques in applicability.

We see a lot of Hardley-Ablesons on the streets, not as many broken down and having their chase truck picking them up when the owner tried to make it to the city limits and failed - again. But they are still out there making noise and carrying a huge attitude.

If you like a bass with an ape-hanger neck and clunky huge heads and tuners that could be the wind-up keys for a Poppin' Johnny Tractor, then more power to you. I applaud your desires to look good and look menacing and look macho.

Just so no-one thinks I actually hate Fenders - I own two Ps and although I THOUGHT they were great - once I got a new SR500 into my hands, the Harley-Fenders went into their cases and don't get to see too much daylight any more.

Sometimes I take them out - look at them - and ask: "What was I thinking of?" - and then close the lid again.

It's kinda sad to put these "icons" into cold storage, but I don't need them any more - not since I got something that is kinder, smoother, active and doesn't leak oil and make my back and neck hurt.

Fender and Fender-configured basses have been played by more professional and amateur bassists on stage and in the studio than any other type of bass guitar. They have been and currently are on more recordings than any other bass guitar.

Of course this is only because all these players are befuddled by mystisim, enslaved to nostalgia and desire solely to look cool and macho. It has nothing whatsoever to do with tone, playability and reliability becuse no one that uses these basses gives a damn about that stuff.

 

[Spinal Tapper]

Did you play them at Guitar Center?

I have never played a Fender that felt good at Guitar Center. This made me a Warwick/Schecter/Ibanez guy for a long time...

Then I played a 1966 Fender Jazz that was professionally set up and it was all clear from there. The thing melted in my hands.

Don't confuse a "bad" bass for something that hasn't been properly set up yet or maybe you just dislike them

 

[electracoyote]

Did you play them at Guitar Center?

I have never played a Fender that felt good at Guitar Center. This made me a Warwick/Schecter/Ibanez guy for a long time...

I'm having this problem with the row of Music Man basses at my local GC. They all play and sound like crap because no one takes the time to set them up and put a decent set of strings on them. I know these basses sound and play great, some of my favorite players and recordings feature EBMM.

Maybe I'll take my damn tool kit next time I go in there.

But the point is, if you've never played a well-made Fender (country of origin is meaningless), or ANY manufacturer, that had been set up correctly, you should reserve judgment.

 

[FunkMetalBass]

SB jazz 6 has a full 19mm string spacing at the bridge (3.54" wide neck at the 24th fret and the body is huge, quite bigger than a standard jazz bass. It's excellent for slap!

my Steve Bailey jazz bass:


[IMG]
[IMG]
[IMG]

This quartersawn maple/ebony neck is one of the most comfortable 6 str. necks I've ever played (PS[I]I have a bunch of great 6ers :D)[/I][/QUOTE]

19mm 6-string? That's huge...

Screw that noise! At 16.5mm spacing, you could almost fit another string in the exact same amount of space.