This........is all I'm saying, and allow others to purchase what they want. (without judgment)
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Does liking Fender instruments make you Unoriginal?
- Thread starter FatboyJ115
- Start date
This........is all I'm saying, and allow others to purchase what they want. (without judgment)
and look at it this way... who gets paid more, the musicians that play the song, or the person that wrote/created it?
Being original on your instrument comes from talent (maybe even from non-talent), musicality, studying, listening, practice and playing. Not from reading and posting on this forum... 
FWIW: I love my handmade Fender CS Jaco relic. Does owning and playing the sh*t out of it makes me unoriginal? No: it's simply the best fretless I could find and it helps me to develop original basslines and/or compositions. Like some other TB'ers said: stop caring about what other people think. Just play as much as you can and enjoy every minute of it!
FWIW: I love my handmade Fender CS Jaco relic. Does owning and playing the sh*t out of it makes me unoriginal? No: it's simply the best fretless I could find and it helps me to develop original basslines and/or compositions. Like some other TB'ers said: stop caring about what other people think. Just play as much as you can and enjoy every minute of it!
I'll preface this by saying up until last year, I was primarily a rock/metal/extreme metal player, but I've been working on a lot of solo material, starting early 2014.
5's, 6's, and occasional 4's were my basses to use, mostly from brands like Ibanez, Schecter, Spector, BC Rich, and a few oddball's here and there. I was 16 when I started playing, and I hated Fender's. I had no particular reason to not care for them, I just did. Call it maybe "Instrumental Racism", if you will. It took around 15 years before I'd even so much as give one a chance. I loved it! It was a Fender Jazz. It sounded amazing. Now, I don't have that particular Jazz. I had tried it out in a shop when I was looking for a bass with a very particular sound for a project that a friend of mine and I were trying to get off the ground. I eventually did buy a Jazz, but it was a slightly older Squier Jazz Standard. I was hesitant to look at it to start with. For one thing, it was a Squier. For another, it was only $75 and had a missing pickguard. But I tried it out anyways. Loved that one too and ended up buying it! For the price, I just couldn't go wrong. It did have a bit of work that needed to be done on it to get it up to standard, but the neck was straight, the frets were in good shape and it had the tone I needed.
Point is, ever since then, I've been a believer in Fender. I don't own a Precision...I may or may not ever own one, but I'd eventually love to have one in my arsenal, despite the fact that I view them as one trick ponies. Do I think I sold out? Not a chance! It merely added a new tone that I had access to. Of all the basses that I've owned since I bought that, it's the only one remaining from what I had at that point in time, and honestly, I don't ever plan on getting rid of it. I don't think playing it makes me unoriginal. To be fair, how I play isn't very typical to begin with. I use a lot of double tapping, slides up and down the fretboard, chords, I actually use slides (brass and glass) from time to time. I guess I took a lot from being a guitar player first, and having Guitar God idols. I can do typical rhythm, but most of the time, I simply choose not to. Again...it's all in the musician, not in the instrument itself. Be as creative or typical as you want to be and skill set allows for. I don't tap.
I'm a photographer for my day job. This is a very good point. I have no idea how many times I've been asked the same question. I don't do portraits per se, unless they're part of a wedding or advertising package, but regardless of what type of photography a person does, there are questions that have parallels in the bass world. I know I've asked the question multiple times. "What bass are you using, it sounds fantastic!".
I'm a Nikon shooter. I don't wear socks with sandals. I wear socks...I don't wear sandals though. Ever. It does help that I'm photosensitive (UV intolerant).
That's a lot of camera for a hobby, but to each their own. I suppose it's almost like people buying Alembics, even though they just play as a hobby. I love your answer though. I've often told people that a camera's just a tool for a job. Same goes for basses. People have their preferences for one reason or another, and when I get into debates about what kind of camera someone should get on an online forum like this one, my answer is the same thing I say about basses. "Go out and try them out to see what works best for you". Especially in the camera world, I also add that Nikon and Canon have two very different approaches to button placement, handling, and ergonomics. I suggest they buy what feels better in their hands, which really remains true with bass gear as well. Play what feels and sounds good to you. I'll never tell someone they need to go out and buy a Leica or a Hassleblad, or a Mamiya, just as I won't tell someone to go out and buy an Alembic or other high-end bass. And just because I personally don't shoot Canon doesn't mean that I won't recommend them over a Nikon. I used to shoot Canon, actually, but switched over to Nikon because I preferred how they feel in my hand. A lot of it has to do with Canon's wheel placement. I never cared for it. But, like bass gear, I keep up with what companies are coming out with. If something interests me, I'll go try it out, even if I have no intention of buying it, just so I can recommend something one way or another.
5's, 6's, and occasional 4's were my basses to use, mostly from brands like Ibanez, Schecter, Spector, BC Rich, and a few oddball's here and there. I was 16 when I started playing, and I hated Fender's. I had no particular reason to not care for them, I just did. Call it maybe "Instrumental Racism", if you will. It took around 15 years before I'd even so much as give one a chance. I loved it! It was a Fender Jazz. It sounded amazing. Now, I don't have that particular Jazz. I had tried it out in a shop when I was looking for a bass with a very particular sound for a project that a friend of mine and I were trying to get off the ground. I eventually did buy a Jazz, but it was a slightly older Squier Jazz Standard. I was hesitant to look at it to start with. For one thing, it was a Squier. For another, it was only $75 and had a missing pickguard. But I tried it out anyways. Loved that one too and ended up buying it! For the price, I just couldn't go wrong. It did have a bit of work that needed to be done on it to get it up to standard, but the neck was straight, the frets were in good shape and it had the tone I needed.
Point is, ever since then, I've been a believer in Fender. I don't own a Precision...I may or may not ever own one, but I'd eventually love to have one in my arsenal, despite the fact that I view them as one trick ponies. Do I think I sold out? Not a chance! It merely added a new tone that I had access to. Of all the basses that I've owned since I bought that, it's the only one remaining from what I had at that point in time, and honestly, I don't ever plan on getting rid of it. I don't think playing it makes me unoriginal. To be fair, how I play isn't very typical to begin with. I use a lot of double tapping, slides up and down the fretboard, chords, I actually use slides (brass and glass) from time to time. I guess I took a lot from being a guitar player first, and having Guitar God idols. I can do typical rhythm, but most of the time, I simply choose not to. Again...it's all in the musician, not in the instrument itself. Be as creative or typical as you want to be and skill set allows for. I don't tap.
I'm a photographer for my day job. This is a very good point. I have no idea how many times I've been asked the same question. I don't do portraits per se, unless they're part of a wedding or advertising package, but regardless of what type of photography a person does, there are questions that have parallels in the bass world. I know I've asked the question multiple times. "What bass are you using, it sounds fantastic!".
Yes. Everyone knows that Canon shooters are dullards, whereas the original, artistic guys shoot Nikon.
I'm a Nikon shooter. I don't wear socks with sandals. I wear socks...I don't wear sandals though. Ever. It does help that I'm photosensitive (UV intolerant).
As to photography (that's another of my hobbies) people do ask "what did you use to take that picture" and I think the answer shouldn't be "I used a Canon 1D Mark IV with a 35/1.4 lens", but rather "I used my eyes, skill and creativity". Pictures are great because of the content, not because of what equipment was used, and the same goes for music.
Said by a real gear head I admit, but I think collecting toys is OK as long as you don't have illusions about what's important.
That's a lot of camera for a hobby, but to each their own. I suppose it's almost like people buying Alembics, even though they just play as a hobby. I love your answer though. I've often told people that a camera's just a tool for a job. Same goes for basses. People have their preferences for one reason or another, and when I get into debates about what kind of camera someone should get on an online forum like this one, my answer is the same thing I say about basses. "Go out and try them out to see what works best for you". Especially in the camera world, I also add that Nikon and Canon have two very different approaches to button placement, handling, and ergonomics. I suggest they buy what feels better in their hands, which really remains true with bass gear as well. Play what feels and sounds good to you. I'll never tell someone they need to go out and buy a Leica or a Hassleblad, or a Mamiya, just as I won't tell someone to go out and buy an Alembic or other high-end bass. And just because I personally don't shoot Canon doesn't mean that I won't recommend them over a Nikon. I used to shoot Canon, actually, but switched over to Nikon because I preferred how they feel in my hand. A lot of it has to do with Canon's wheel placement. I never cared for it. But, like bass gear, I keep up with what companies are coming out with. If something interests me, I'll go try it out, even if I have no intention of buying it, just so I can recommend something one way or another.
- Jun 6, 2012
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- 6,859
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- I don't wait 30 minutes after eating, to go swimming.
I just have to say, with all due respect: I don't understand replies like this. There are more threads on TB that I'm not interested in than there are threads that I am interested in. The ones that I'm not interested in, I don't read..
- Jul 3, 2004
- 1,300
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- Endorsing Artist: Ernie Ball MusicMan Guitars
Reinventing the Wheel is a human condition...some people don't bother and make their lives easier.
Ask a real producer...or engineer...
Ask a real producer...or engineer...
Playing Root,5 constantly makes you unoriginal, but it works. Playing octaves, thirds, triplets and ghost notes makes you original, but it doesn't always fit the song. Whatever bass you choose to play either one of those styles (or others not listed) doesn't make you original or not. Sometimes the reason you based your choice on tells more about how original you actually are than the gear you selected through that choice. Fenders are solid, dependable, and more importantly, predictable basses. When you pick up a Jazz or a P, you pretty much know what to expect and usually that's just what you get.
Exactly, and the criticism from painters, sculptors etc. back around the turn of the century was the idea of having a negative. Once you had it spotted and dialed in the printing process for that particular image you could easily make print after print with little to no variation. A painter or sculptor always started off with a hunk of clay, marble, wood etc. or a blank canvas, and had to start from scratch every time a new piece was to be produced. Photography was looked upon as being too easy from a tech standpoint. it really took people like Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, etc. to push photography into it's own artistic world, and not pretend to be a painting, fuzzy and romantic, The F64 club. I guess a little like Fender, they are what they are. Jim
Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson, and Steve Harris all did VERY original things on Fender Basses.
They sounded nothing like each other.
As long as you're using the bass to create YOUR musical identity, there's no reason that a Fender can't be original -- nor will a rare bass redeem an unoriginal hack.
They sounded nothing like each other.
As long as you're using the bass to create YOUR musical identity, there's no reason that a Fender can't be original -- nor will a rare bass redeem an unoriginal hack.
No, but asking such a question on such an overdone topic on TB might be considered thoroughly unoriginal.
No, it doesn't make you unoriginal. Let's look at the score here, 64 years, a ton of variations, some of the most famous bassists to grace the strings, and quality that even through the crap lousy years in their history has stood the test of time. All of that can't be wrong. Leo Fender got the bass guitar about 90% right from the get go. There are fantastic basses and luthiers out there, but to me, it's like trying to reinvent the wheel. I asked myself the same question when I younger and didn't want anything to do with a Fender at all. Then I played a couple, fell in love, and got the deal of a lifetime on my first real Fender Jazz bass. Point is, don't let yourself or anyone tell you that liking Fender is unoriginal. All that matters is what you like, my friend.
Most copied instruments on the planet. every boutique maker on the planet serving up dual pickup basses whether single coil, soap bars, or hum canceling all fall from the Jazz bass' lineage. Some boutique builders will offer a P bass version but the variety of P's is no where as large as the variety of J's. Recently I read that studio engineers prefer P's and J's, but would that apply to Stanley Clarke, Mark King, Nathan East, Fred Hammond or any of the many, many, pros that have invested in boutique rather than vintage? As to liking Fender instruments, if imitation is the highest form of flattery, they are loved!
I love your whole post, but this to me really resonates. I'm in a process of moving over all my equipment to hand-made gear, and I, too, am saddened by the fact that more people don't have the opportunity to play anything but mass produced instruments. Even at the $1000-2000 price point there are SO many options out there that people eschew for mass-produced gear. I know that Fender, Gibson, and the like started an era where mass-production became a norm, and I guess I can see why that had to happen, but I agree...it is sad.
There really isn't much that is totally fresh and original any more.
There may continue to be some advancements with instruments but I'd argue they are still based on older developments.
But originality isn't the be all and end all of any pursuit.
We may never again have a totally original, revolutionary genre of music again for example, but there will still always be room for a good song and interesting sounds.
There may continue to be some advancements with instruments but I'd argue they are still based on older developments.
But originality isn't the be all and end all of any pursuit.
We may never again have a totally original, revolutionary genre of music again for example, but there will still always be room for a good song and interesting sounds.
