Explain me the 'Fender is God' thing

[pyrohr]

Earlier in this thread I said I'd never played a Fender that I'd liked. I was out visiting music stores over the weekend and have to admit that found 2! One isn't manufactured anymore, it was a 5 string p/j with a maple neck and the other was 2005 american jazz, but the setup was amazing, it also had a maple neck. So, here i stand corrected in my previous hate of Fender. I'll be buying at least one if not both of those very soon.

It's hard to ignore a well set up Fender!

 

[Bass Viking]

I'm old and set in my ways as well, and up until last fall I swore I'd never own a Fender. Back in the day, when I played guitar before a little reptilian accident left me without the use of the middle finger on my right hand, I had no use for anything "Fender". I too had had the brand crammed down my throat from an early age.

A year and a half ago I took up bass (I wish I had done so long ago as I much prefer this instrument) and while I was looking for a bass that suited me better several people here kept suggesting a Fender Precision. Of course I blew them off. For months on end I didn't even bother to find a Fender dealer so I could try one out. I even went so far as to pick up a non-Fender P which I hated, reinforcing my perception of the P bass.

Then one day I went to a local shop and a customer was there with their brand new MIM electron blue P....I'm a sucker for blue so I wanted to look at it. The guy offered to let me play it, and while I really did not want to it was obvious that he was very proud of his new purchase and wanted to share so I did.

I came straight home and ordered a MIM electron blue P bass from American Musical.

That's great, goes to show that keeping an open mind and not letting others' opinions dictate your choice (either way) will benefit your needs.

I've never "come around" to Fender. I've always found other Fender-style products that I feel are cheaper and/or better (Sadowsky, Lakland, Warmoth) but I still check out what Fender has to offer.

 

[rapturebass]

I'm just not a big fan of Fender, and yes, ive heard them! I just prefer other basses. I wouldn't mind owning one though, especially an Aerodyne

 

[cliffjr]

I agree. I think people like them so much just because they're so old and used by so many people over the years. But the tone is very plain as far as basses go, far inferior to ricks, musicmans, trabens, etc. very plain tone and looks. not worth the cost. squires...maybe...

 

[Greevus]

In the Bible in the "First Book of Bass, Chapter I, Verse I": "Thy name is Leo Fender".

 

[rustynuts]

I agree. I think people like them so much just because they're so old and used by so many people over the years. But the tone is very plain as far as basses go, far inferior to ricks, musicmans, trabens, etc. very plain tone and looks. not worth the cost. squires...maybe...

Hah! In just twenty pages Fenders have gone from being "God" to being "inferior".

Only on the Internet....

 

[Mikio]

anyway, no bass has a plain tone, specially Fenders, is just that you associate the Fender sound to the way a bass regularly sounds, because "everybody" uses Fender, but they have their own unique colors that people do tend to like.

 

[Cyber Soda]

Personally I prefer the shape and tone of other basses. That's about it. If Fender offered a bass that sounded like a Spector (nix the debate on what Spector tone is) with the curves and concave to hug my body rather then lay against it, I'd have that Fender, but it wouldn't be a Fender. Not to mention my love of wood. I'm not so fond painted basses per se.

 

[BillyRay]

I agree. I think people like them so much just because they're so old and used by so many people over the years. But the tone is very plain as far as basses go, far inferior to ricks, musicmans, trabens, etc. very plain tone and looks. not worth the cost. squires...maybe...

Yeah, talk about plain tone !

 

[bluesbass1972]

I love taking Fender basses, and then putting quality parts on them. Like really good Duncan pickups and Leo Quan Badass bridges. The Fender Jazz bass is my favorite. I think that Fender instruments are horribly over priced. They put sub-standard components in and on thier basses, both "high end", and "standard". They CANNOT leave well-enough alone. They just came out with thier new American Standard line, and they are JUNK. Like I said, I love buying MIM models, and Modding them out with custom components. It is a heck of a lot cheaper than calling the custom shop, and it is very rewarding!

 

[vagus]

Funny... I have been trying for years to find a bass that can replace my fenders and I can't . I want to have a cool boutique bass, but I can't even play some of them. It has to be a fender.

 

[lawsonman]

"BUMP" This thread hasn't been discussed enough yet.:scowl:

 

[Bass Viking]

Yeah, talk about plain tone !

On that version of YYZ, Geddy is playing a Wal, not a Fender.

The bass line on Herbie Hancock's Chameleon is played on a synth, not a Fender.

 

[dougjwray]

 

[bareass]

STINGRAY!
Loe's design...but the sound good!
seriously though.. i've played fenders but i can never get the tone i want. in their defence i have never played one live.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Close your eyes.

Take a deep breath and release it slowly.

Keep breathing in long steady breaths.

Relax your shoulders and clear you rmind.

Think of an electric bass.

What was the first bass that popped into your mind?

Go buy that.

Alembic.Then any bass that doesn't look like a Fender.

 

[Staccato]

Popularity! The brand started with electric guitars & basses (and others) in the 1950's.

"I have a Fender, go buy a Fender." This has been suggested many, many thousands of times, and led to huge sales. Lots of reasons...

 

[Watchootognbout]

As far as sound Fenders are pretty good.As far as appearance,in my opinion.Meh.Fender always will be paint,pickguard,and chrome.And they will NEVER do anything different.And that is why when I walk into a music store I will always pass the Fenders.When I first started playing bass it was because of Stanley Clarke and his beautiful ALEMBIC basses.I would gaze in admiration at the exotic woods.No paint.No pickguard to cover up the front routing job.No chrome,Gold hardware!And the sound!!Clear and clean!!When I look at Fender I see 1950's styling.And I hear "Rock around the Clock"playing.I have an attraction to cutting edge modern styling.Yes!Fender set the standard,but many makers have met and exceeded that standard.My bass of choice?A Tune TWB63 six string Fretless!NO paint.No pickguard.No chrome!Natural Ovangkol finish.Gold hardware.The sound is perfect!Straight into the amp.Flat setting.Fender can't and won't top this bass!!

 

[bassist343]

I love the amount of arguing in this thread Anyhow without Leo, the bass wouldn't be a good sounding instrument in my opinion. I [DEL]hate[/DEL](like) other brands but Fender is good for almost every style of music. But it's all about personal preference, play whatever brand of bass sounds and feels great to you.

 

[Turock]

As far as sound Fenders are pretty good.As far as appearance,in my opinion.Meh.Fender always will be paint,pickguard,and chrome.And they will NEVER do anything different.

What is that other bass companies have done that Fender will never do?