• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Best bass for Americana! (with data)

#62
Not really surprising I guess, but I would have said a blonde Telecaster if you had asked me before the data were in.
fender-tele-bass.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: SasquatchDude, Dark Horse, Laklandfan and 1 other person
#64
grrg63 said:
I hate the idea that a particular genre of music demands (or is best served by) a particular instrument model.
People play different instruments for different reasons. If you dont like the neck on a particular bass you find another one that you do.
I think promoting the idea that you need to play a particular instrument model to play a particular type of music is just dumb.
Click to expand...

Someone is "promoting" a need? Looks like objective reporting to me.

Sure, "people play different instruments for different reasons". Evidently, these people seem to have mostly chosen Fender.
 
#65
elgecko said:
It is 100% possible. The color settings of my TV may be off but according to my understand of butterscotch and as mentioned in my first post, the basses appeared more yellow/gold/amber (read colorful) than and less "grainy" then natural finished Fenders I've seen.

I'm trying to find pics.

Muddy Magnolias (kind of looks natural now :atoz:)
View attachment 849639

Packway Handle Band (still looks butterscotch)
View attachment 849606

Kacey Musgraves (The Kent still looks butterscotch, the P looks natural now)
View attachment 849607

Marshall Tucker Band (still looks butterscotch)
View attachment 849623
Click to expand...


Your perspective on butterscotch and mine differ wildly. The "control" for butterscotch ought to be a 1951 P reissue.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dark Horse
#66
Rib 13 said:
It is an interesting study, but - like was pointed out earlier by myself and others - its only based on observational data
Click to expand...

Iridescentone said:
Someone is "promoting" a need? Looks like objective reporting to me.

Sure, "people play different instruments for different reasons". Evidently, these people seem to have mostly chosen Fender.
Click to expand...

Disagree - in many cases (and this happens often - and its happened to me, though it wasnt Fender) certain acts are told what to play. Something like this -- Management: "We're selling a down-home American look. You will play a "Fender" or something that looks like one, doesnt matter where your Fender or similar grass-roots-looking instrument is made, the public associates the Fender name and that Fenderish-look with "honesty and integrity of the "USA". No Japanese looking Ibanezes: this will spoil the motif -- even if youre playing an American-made instrument that looks like a foreign one or something pointy that detracts the attention away from the front/vocalists. This is all part of our acts "packaging" and how we market it to the public."

Fear not - I wont push this debate any further: I know this type of "visual aspect" marketing exists with some acts because. like I stated, it happened to me (wasnt Fender or Americana)........and you are all kidding yourselves if you think this doesn't exist

Im not saying this is the issue here either -- Im just saying that consider all possibilities before assuming "Gee, these players all picked Fender!". Although the data and numbers are wonderful, none of it directly means each player is playing Fender by choice because the data has only been collected by observation.

For the record: I love Fenders so this isnt any anti-Fender rhetoric
 
Last edited:
#68
elgecko said:
It is 100% possible. The color settings of my TV may be off but according to my understand of butterscotch and as mentioned in my first post, the basses appeared more yellow/gold/amber (read colorful) than and less "grainy" then natural finished Fenders I've seen.

I'm trying to find pics.

Muddy Magnolias (kind of looks natural now :atoz:)
View attachment 849639

Packway Handle Band (still looks butterscotch)
View attachment 849606

Kacey Musgraves (The Kent still looks butterscotch, the P looks natural now)
View attachment 849607

Marshall Tucker Band (still looks butterscotch)
View attachment 849623
Click to expand...

I think all of the Fender basses are natural that has aged to varying degrees. The one exception may be the American Deluxe Jazz Bass in the second pic. This bass was offered in a color called "Amber" which is similar.

- Steve
 
  • Like
Reactions: elgecko
#70
Rib 13 said:
I know this type of "visual aspect" marketing exists with some acts because. like I stated, it happened to me (wasnt Fender or Americana)........and you are all kidding yourselves if you think this doesn't exist
Click to expand...

Well, I believe presentation is VERY important, and there's certainly nothing wrong with preferring gear that visually fits--it's part of the whole package. I've always tried to look like I fit the part for whatever artist I'm hired by. I've imposed this on others in my time too as a band leader. When I was a guitar-strumming frontman in an Americana act, I had a bassist sub for my regular guy, and he showed up to rehearsal with a pointy coffee table six string bass. I had him play my old Jazz for the gigs. Sounded right, and looked right (at least he got the clothes right on his own!).
 
  • Like
Reactions: SpazzTheBassist
#71
pbass2 said:
Well, I believe presentation is VERY important, and there's certainly nothing wrong with preferring gear that visually fits--it's part of the whole package. I've always tried to look like I fit the part for whatever artist I'm hired by. I've imposed this on others in my time too as a band leader. When I was a guitar-strumming frontman in an Americana act, I had a bassist sub for my regular guy, and he showed up to rehearsal with a pointy coffee table six string bass. I had him play my old Jazz for the gigs. Sounded right, and looked right (at least he got the clothes right on his own!).
Click to expand...

My point exactly. :)
 
#73
Biggbass said:
lol ... I've heard of 4....and the last time I saw Marshall Tucker Band, just a few years ago at a festival, I was embarrassed to watch. They were shamefully awful. That version of MTB was not even as good as a MTB tribute band, which they essentially were.

as for the basses...no surprise a P bass won the toss
Click to expand...

Apparently, nothing has changed. They were GOD AWFUL which I hate to say because I really do love the music. They're truly doing Toy Caldwell an grievous injustice. :atoz:
 
#76
jasper383 said:
No Epi Casadys?

(weeps for the future)
Click to expand...

I'm a Fender fan, but having had a Casady, I think you could play it for any gig that you'd use a P or J for.

And if the band leader didn't like my Gretsch Thunderjet at a gig and told me to use a P-bass instead, I think I'd opt to become part of the crowd and watch them manage without a bass player. Might depend on how much money I was making, but it would have to be a chunk.
 
#77
Rib 13 said:
Disagree - in many cases (and this happens often - and its happened to me, though it wasnt Fender) certain acts are told what to play. Something like this -- Management: "We're selling a down-home American look. You will play a "Fender" or something that looks like one, doesnt matter where your Fender or similar grass-roots-looking instrument is made, the public associates the Fender name and that Fenderish-look with "honesty and integrity of the "USA". No Japanese looking Ibanezes: this will spoil the motif -- even if youre playing an American-made instrument that looks like a foreign one or something pointy that detracts the attention away from the front/vocalists. This is all part of our acts "packaging" and how we market it to the public."

Fear not - I wont push this debate any further: I know this type of "visual aspect" marketing exists with some acts because. like I stated, it happened to me (wasnt Fender or Americana)........and you are all kidding yourselves if you think this doesn't exist

Im not saying this is the issue here either -- Im just saying that consider all possibilities before assuming "Gee, these players all picked Fender!". Although the data and numbers are wonderful, none of it directly means each player is playing Fender by choice because the data has only been collected by observation.

For the record: I love Fenders so this isnt any anti-Fender rhetoric
Click to expand...

You're projecting. You're assuming that because such scenarios exist, and it has happened to you, that it's the case in this instance. You're also assuming that the acts shown in this thread would need to be instructed what type of instruments to play for the show. Which in turn, assumes that the players involved don't already know how to present themselves onstage. That is presumptive and comes off as a tad condescending.

In addition, there is no reason to assume these acts play "different" instruments at any of their other live shows, but for some peculiar reason, at this little Americana-fest, they suddenly needed to be instructed what to instruments to play. It's more reasonable to expect they already know what they're doing.

Occam's Razor: The simplest answer is usually correct.
 
#79
I play in an Americana band, so imagine my relief when I read the OP. I have a Fender nitro honey satin P bass w/ black pg and flats, as well as a FrankenFender nitro oly white J bass with a tort pg and flats. Both are played finger style, but sometimes there's a little pickin.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back