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Am I missing something about Fenders?

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#82
SurferJoe46 said:
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.
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:rolleyes: Look menacing and macho cause we play ape hanger necks and wind up key tuners? WHAT? I think you biker/Fender comparing TBers are going overboard. BTW.. please wear a helmet to protect what you have left up there :rollno:
 
#83
Thanks to everyone for posting on the topic. Like I said, I'm just glad to know I'm not alone on this one. After reading everything I just wanted to hit on a few points...
It's not a "GC set up" issue. It's not a "closed minded" issue either. It's also not a "not enough time playing issue". I've been playing for 20 years, have picked up many different Fenders, and it has never been in GC, Willis Music, or any other chain. I just prefer the mom and pop shops for better customer service and tech quality. I've played Fenders that were other guys personal basses. I used to frequent a shop called "Bass World" that had nice "everything" for bass and only sold basses and bass equipment. I picked up Fenders here, too. The necks on the J were ok but the P necks weren't for me at all. I've always hated, and I do mean hated, the styling. The main thing that I've never been able to wrap my self around is the tone. Don't get me wrong, there are some great lines by some great players that are done with Fenders and Leo's contribution is appreciated, but I just flat don't like the sound. The tones that I have fallen in love with have come from, Tobias, Spector, and Warwick. I can relate it to a guy that hates Budwiser and would much rather have a Guinness. Thanks again for all the input.
 
#84
Sometimes it's also who you spend the most time with that matters. My P and I have had tens of thousands of hours teaching each other what we want and need from each other. Now, she's part of me and my sound. Yes, I have love to spread the love around (and she's OK with that) but, she knows she's ALWAYS coming to the dance... That's my Fender story, and I'm sticking by it. :bassist:

DSC09818.jpg
 
#85
stepswork4me said:
Thanks to everyone for posting on the topic. Like I said, I'm just glad to know I'm not alone on this one. After reading everything I just wanted to hit on a few points...
It's not a "GC set up" issue. It's not a "closed minded" issue either. It's also not a "not enough time playing issue". I've been playing for 20 years, have picked up many different Fenders, and it has never been in GC, Willis Music, or any other chain. I just prefer the mom and pop shops for better customer service and tech quality. I've played Fenders that were other guys personal basses. I used to frequent a shop called "Bass World" that had nice "everything" for bass and only sold basses and bass equipment. I picked up Fenders here, too. The necks on the J were ok but the P necks weren't for me at all. I've always hated, and I do mean hated, the styling. The main thing that I've never been able to wrap my self around is the tone. Don't get me wrong, there are some great lines by some great players that are done with Fenders and Leo's contribution is appreciated, but I just flat don't like the sound. The tones that I have fallen in love with have come from, Tobias, Spector, and Warwick. I can relate it to a guy that hates Budwiser and would much rather have a Guinness. Thanks again for all the input.
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I hate both, give me a Russian River Pliny the Elder or a Cantillon Gueuze any day.;)

Unless you were talking about the original Czech Budweiser that AB stole the name from, that is pretty good stuff but I will still take the Pliny or the Gueuze.
 
#86
stepswork4me said:
I've been playing for a long time and have picked up many Fender basses. I've never been impressed at all. I've played the high and low end Jazz basses and P basses only to be disappointed each time. I got my start playing in the metal world when I was a kid and everyone was playing more modern style basses. I wonder if it's that influence or if I'm just missing something?
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You're not missing anything about Fenders... There are lots of basses on the market. People like different things.

I like some Fender models and own an old P-bass as well as a Squire J Bass, but I far prefer my Stingray. Horses for courses.

The Fender is the original though and is popular in the market. It makes a good reference point.
 
#87
The only Fender I ever liked was a Custom Shop V. The only reason I didn't keep it was because it was way too heavy for me and killed my left shoulder.
'
I've never found a low end Fender or Squier that I liked.
 
#89
I never had a dislike for Fenders, but was never really into them. Then I made the mistake of playing a 2009 AM Standard Jazz in a local music shop, not a chain store, and that gave me a terrible case of GAS! I was playing through a 2x10 Fender Bassman Combo amp, and let me tell you, I was totally blown away by the tone. Since then I have been pretty obsessed with Fender tone. I ended up picking up a MIM '70s RI jazz and dropped some NJ4s in there, and whoa! The Nordstrand pups have the best tone!

About 4 years ago I was trying out a P deluxe that had the J pup in bridge position when I was picking up a new bass, and I was not impressed with that, it was MIM though, and IMHO, there is a big difference between stock MIM and stock MIA pups. My point is that I agree with what many have said before, you just haven't played the right one yet. I could be wrong.

I also think a large amount of the attraction comes from the ease with which these badboys are modded and accessorized. So easy to work on as well.

The Fender basses are neck slayers though, which I do not like at all, but hey, heavy bass = heavy tone.
 
#92
I guess I find myself at the opposite side of the spectrum. After playing all kinds of basses over the past 30 years, I've rediscovered the joys of simple, passive Ps and Js. To me, they remain the most organic sounding electric basses ever made. I just don't have much use anymore for active electronics, preamps, more than 4 strings, or assorted "technical innovations" that have come and gone. Call me old-fashioned, out of touch, stuck in the past, whatever...but to me the P and J are the sound of electric bass.
 
#93
DynaFlow said:
I guess I find myself at the opposite side of the spectrum. After playing all kinds of basses over the past 30 years, I've rediscovered the joys of simple, passive Ps and Js. To me, they remain the most organic sounding electric basses ever made. I just don't have much use anymore for active electronics, preamps, more than 4 strings, or assorted "technical innovations" that have come and gone. Call me old-fashioned, out of touch, stuck in the past, whatever...but to me the P and J are the sound of electric bass.
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Now I get to hear some honesty in an answer, not laced with knee jerk responses and vague rumor.

Yeah - 4-strings are all you really need - here come da flames - but really simple is great.

I am still young enough at 64 to like the actives though. I guess I'll try to get at least one of my Ps to the front line. My wife says I'm entering my third mid-life crisis.
 
#94
no, and i love how people here are saying yes when there is no way in hell you can make this man like fenders..

i don't blame you, i like fender to a decent extent. but they can be a drone to me sometimes. i like p basses, but they just don't seem very versitle to me. just one tone pretty much but then again some of them sound miles better than others.. same with jazz basses which i am a bit more fond of.
it's mostly the less common fender basses that intrigue me, like the precision lyte, american deluxe p and best of all the zone deluxe bass...god those things make me drool, like fender and wal had a baby. i can totally see where your coming from though man..
 
#95
king_biscuit said:
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!
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Absolutely no problem.:)

The neck pocket is not great(way too much air), the frets are dressed poorly and the edges are sharp with the frets not rounded off properly.
The finish looks rushed.
The nut doesn't sit as well as it could.
The nut is also not cut as well as on other basses I have played( including many fender copies).
These are the first things that come to mind and would all be no problem at a lower price.Other manufacturers seem to manage it,on fenders I have found these things to be quite common though.

I still really like that bass none the less.Just not at hat price.
For half I'd be happy. (It's a `57 re issue, by the way).
Such a shame!!
 
#99
I don't think you're missing anything with Fenders. If you don't dig the tone of them then you just don't dig the tone of them. There's nothing wrong with that, they just aren't the bass for you.


Someone earlier more or less mentioned the quality to price ratio making it hard to justify buying one. He made a valid point there. For the same price you can find basses of equal or better tonal and construction quality. This is why I went with a Lakland 55-02 over the MIA Dlx Jazz V.

I'm not saying Fender basses are bad. I like the MIA Jazz Deluxe V's from the mid to late 90's and most MIA's I've played have sounded/played well, and the overall quality was good. It just wasn't good enough to make me want to purchase one at the time I bought the 55-02 and I will eventually buy another MIA Deluxe Jazz V.
 
#100
stepswork4me said:
I've been playing for a long time and have picked up many Fender basses. I've never been impressed at all. I've played the high and low end Jazz basses and P basses only to be disappointed each time. I got my start playing in the metal world when I was a kid and everyone was playing more modern style basses. I wonder if it's that influence or if I'm just missing something?
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What do you prefer/use? Ive been blessed by an excellent Fender J MIK...although recent electronic problems (first ever) are making me take a second look at active basses, but even my Fender P is awesome. Im not strictly a Fender user, I have others, Im impressed with everything else first, such as tone,feel,looks etc., the name always comes last to me. Just curious what you like currently.
 
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