Fender is Fender. I personally consider them the ok-est basses on the market. While most see them as an end-all, I consider them a good starting point, but plenty of room for improvement. That's all.
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Am I missing something about Fenders?
- Thread starter stepswork4me
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I did a Google Book search on "Fender+Allure" and got a lot of interesting articles - Rolling Stone, The Stratocaster Chronicles by Tom Wheeler page 121 especially referencing Tom Murphy's articles on"Celebrating 50 Years Of The Fender Strat, and more articles and postings on just that same Fender Mystique, all having much to do with the image as a marketable icon.
Other references:
Can't Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain, and America
By Jonathan Gould
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I read a great deal of the excerpts to these cited books - and more unposted - and I consistently find the true marketing and ultimately the most prevalent allure, bar none, is the "Iconic-Conditioning" of the (primarily) US market, followed closely by Japan and Britain and then the (get this!) former Soviet-Block nations!
Other references:
Can't Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain, and America
By Jonathan Gould
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I read a great deal of the excerpts to these cited books - and more unposted - and I consistently find the true marketing and ultimately the most prevalent allure, bar none, is the "Iconic-Conditioning" of the (primarily) US market, followed closely by Japan and Britain and then the (get this!) former Soviet-Block nations!
Go back and read my last post. I'm not going to bore the rest of the forum by cutting and pasting the many passages where I said that there are multiple reasons why people make product selections, and that in the case of basses, sound and playability are important ones... just not the only ones, and the other reasons are of interest to me.
But if you read slowly and carefully, you will find that's exactly what I said.
I've tried to remain respectful to you throughout my posts, but you are obviously incapible of doing the same. I'm done with this -- the posts speak for themselves.
btw, for the poster above, Tom Wheeler is not an academic authority on sociological behavior, and neither are any of the other "sources" you cited. I just got through watching a video with Bobby Vega wherein he stated that he prefers the ways passive Fenders sound compared to active basses which he said are too "in your face." So that is going to be my source!
You're right of course. Everybody else is wrong.
I apologize for pointing out the articles to you. It won't happen again.
I heartily encourage all TBers to read our exchange in this thread. I have never been anything but respectful, even as I have had to repeatedly correct instances where you have put words in my mouth.
I believe that mutual repspect was abandoned early on by you, when you dismissed my thoughtful post as "amateur sociological internet babble." This you posited as a "fact," over against my "opinions," which you shrugged off from the outset as worthless.
Anyway, I posted a poll. We'll see what Fender players besides yourself feel about their choice of instrument. I hope that will be scientific enough for you.
Not a problem if Fenders don't 'speak' to you, there are a lot of other great instruments out there. IMO try out as many different brands of basses that you can, then buy the brand/model that sounds best to YOU.
I'm an older geezer around here. The big name brands in basses when I started playing were Fender, Rickenbacker, and to a lesser extent, Gibson. There really wasn't much else, -other than Fender-copies.
Most of the players that influenced me were Fender players, so the Fender tone is a 'standard' to my ears. I own a few different brands of basses, yet I still play my P-Bass often. I really like the Fender Jazz, but I absolutely love the Fender Precision.
I'm an older geezer around here. The big name brands in basses when I started playing were Fender, Rickenbacker, and to a lesser extent, Gibson. There really wasn't much else, -other than Fender-copies.
Most of the players that influenced me were Fender players, so the Fender tone is a 'standard' to my ears. I own a few different brands of basses, yet I still play my P-Bass often. I really like the Fender Jazz, but I absolutely love the Fender Precision.
I'm not sure how scientific or statistically significant it will be, but it might be interesting if people participate and are honest. btw, no hard feelings on my part fellow TB'er!
I feel the same way.. Ive owned MIA & MIM P Basses and Jazz basses..Always ended up selling them, and NOT missing them...Fender just does not suit me. And Im fine with that.
- Apr 6, 2010
- 54
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- Endorsing Artist: MTD Kingston Basses
I think the reason Fender basses are great is that they blend so well and sound great with all the other instruments. It's like the instruments play for the song. On their own, they don't have the high-fidelity tone of modern basses. But, sitting in a mix, live or recorded, the Fender tone just sounds great. Even for slapping, I think the Fenders sound better. Yes, it's tougher to slap a Fender. The slap tone sounds like the Fender bass is literally getting abused. You can hear the bass in pain, which simply sounds great.
+10,000
How many times did I get in touch with professional bands who were looking for a bass player, and everytime I replied "Fender" when they asked what bass I played, they replied "that'll work out fine".
Seriously, to me the P bass is just the standard from which all others came. The pickup placement indeed lends itself to "cutting through" mixes. Also the ergonomic body's curves work well for fingers, pick, standing, or sitting. They aren't too heavy or too light . It has great "space" for both hands to easily reach notes. You can just grab notes on the fly and it's quite easy to not stare down the neck while playing. You can do giant slides and bends also without banging into extra metal, guards, pickup rings, etc. Of course you can add/mod them easily as well.
When I began playing I started with a P clone. Immediately I wanted my own bass, so I tried Carvin, Ric, BC Rich, Destroyer, etc. Every time I came back to my clones or a real P. I finally just gave in and I don't care how many exist.
When I began playing I started with a P clone. Immediately I wanted my own bass, so I tried Carvin, Ric, BC Rich, Destroyer, etc. Every time I came back to my clones or a real P. I finally just gave in and I don't care how many exist.
I have always owned Fenders or F-copies.
I was shopping for a new bass recently and played lots and lots of choices--Sadowsky, Nash, MTD, Fender, Gibson, Fender Custom Shop, G&L, EBMM, new and used, 4 and 5 strings, and I am sure I am leaving out a few. Of all of them, the best "feel" I got was from a lightly used fiver Custom Shop jazz bass, regardless of price. But, considering the price, any American Fender is a pretty good deal. I have finally settled on a new AmStd jazz 4 string.
If you are a jazz or gospel player and want to solo on 6 or 7 strings, then a Fender is not for you. I am an older guy and love Southern Rock/Blues/Blues Rock, and most of the great recordings in this arena were/are made with a Fender. The sound just fits.
But, the good news is there are lots of basses out there, and you can fit them to your needs. But, lots of recording has been done with a Fender, they are a trademark sound, and they work!
I was shopping for a new bass recently and played lots and lots of choices--Sadowsky, Nash, MTD, Fender, Gibson, Fender Custom Shop, G&L, EBMM, new and used, 4 and 5 strings, and I am sure I am leaving out a few. Of all of them, the best "feel" I got was from a lightly used fiver Custom Shop jazz bass, regardless of price. But, considering the price, any American Fender is a pretty good deal. I have finally settled on a new AmStd jazz 4 string.
If you are a jazz or gospel player and want to solo on 6 or 7 strings, then a Fender is not for you. I am an older guy and love Southern Rock/Blues/Blues Rock, and most of the great recordings in this arena were/are made with a Fender. The sound just fits.
But, the good news is there are lots of basses out there, and you can fit them to your needs. But, lots of recording has been done with a Fender, they are a trademark sound, and they work!
You might not like Fenders now, but when you get severely over the hill and start playing in a cover band, you will start to feel the peer pressure.
Same thing with guitarists and Telecasters, and suburban white people and Country music.
Same thing with guitarists and Telecasters, and suburban white people and Country music.
One, I think it's hard to put Fender basses into a singular catagory because there are so many variations in tone, feel look just among jazz basses.
Two, I find that it all comes back to the near perfect design elements of the j and p bass, even though there is much improvement in components, electronics, whatever the origin is almost primal or foundational. Like when we think of a house we think of a squarish building, even though it's maybe not the best design for all occasions it's the aesthetic starting point, and I think fender basses are too.
I heard a review of a Paul McCartney album where they noted the Radiohead influences, but of course there would be not Radiohead without the Beatles. I think jazz basses are kind of like that.
Two, I find that it all comes back to the near perfect design elements of the j and p bass, even though there is much improvement in components, electronics, whatever the origin is almost primal or foundational. Like when we think of a house we think of a squarish building, even though it's maybe not the best design for all occasions it's the aesthetic starting point, and I think fender basses are too.
I heard a review of a Paul McCartney album where they noted the Radiohead influences, but of course there would be not Radiohead without the Beatles. I think jazz basses are kind of like that.
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