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Explain me the 'Fender is God' thing

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#41
Caca de Kick said:
While I'm a huge Fender fanatic and own many, my lust only applies to 4 string passive Fenders. I have never liked any Fender 5's.

First thing I'd plant in your hands would be a dual pickup StingRay 5, second would probably be a Spector NS5.
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Had to laugh here, I can't stand (or for that matter play) a five string. I do own one but its a Yamaha. But think of even some of the great "boutique" basses, Sadowsky, Lakland, etc...what are they and where did they come from? Sadowsky basically made his name "hot rodding" Fenders, same with Lakland and most of there high dollar offerings are still, not so much copies as Custom shop quality Fenders.

And to think, Leo was not a musician, but he built/designed some of the greatest axes we have. Staying in the bass realm, just in case there are guitar players lurking. Its hard to find any thing wrong with a Music Man or a G&L, and even those improve on his original name and design. There is a reason that when he sold Fender to CBS back in the 60's that they never had much sucess with anything other than Strats and Teleies, Jazz and P's. Even now, some marketting guru will drag the Mustang, The Jazz Master, The Jaguar out of the closet and flog it in the hopes of gaining "market" share, and they go away....again. But The J & the P, the Strat and the Teleie stay....that what they call a classic. Transends generations.
 
#42
Caca de Kick said:
While I'm a huge Fender fanatic and own many, my lust only applies to 4 string passive Fenders. I have never liked any Fender 5's.

First thing I'd plant in your hands would be a dual pickup StingRay 5, second would probably be a Spector NS5.
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This has also beem my experience 3 Fender 5 strings all sold. The Surines, Dingwall, and EB SUB still hanging in but not getting the call much these days. Like God some people take comfort knowing thier Fender is always there.
 
#43
john turner said:
rickenbackers are over 2 grand new, and have a waiting list.

you can get a pretty decent american made fender for half that price, or less, and not have to wait.
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Wow, most Rick's I've encountered on BOTH sides of the border. Yes there's one hiding in upstate NY,and yes they're available up here in the Great White North, without a waiting list, not many to be sure, but I digress, are almost the same price as a full on American made Fender. So that's $1,600 to $2,300, with Ricks US$ high 18's making them $2100 Canadian
 
#44
I think it's been covered, but I'll add my possibly redundant remarks because I'm sitting here and my hands are typing away already...

Leo Fender was a genius at making decent sounding instruments that could be inexpensively mass produced, and he made a fortune doing so. Many other people/companies make better instruments, but that's not what the recording engineers have the most experience with, so those instruments don't often get recorded and heard by the masses.

You should purchase and play whatever instrument you like. However, it's often easier to follow the crowd.
 
#46
do a search... there are hundreds of threads on this subject for you to get your little contrarian posturing kicks on

and when you get bored of that, i'm sure there are loads of 'what was so good about Jaco' threads to occupy you
 
#47
Drunk Heffalump said:
I've been poking around music stores in search for the ultimate 5 string, and everywhere I go somebody, be it hired help or just interested parties is trying to jam some Fender or another down my throat. Just so's you know, I only looked at the higher end models, so no Squires. Sorry, give me made here or go away, anyway, under the 'bang for your buck' in looks, finish, playability,weight I find they're wanting, not to mention the damn things eat up a lot of real estate. So someone explain why all the hype? Or has Uncle Leo worked the hoodoo on you too?
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Fender's name was not built on five strings. Leo is God.
Tone deaf, couldnt play a note, but look at his legacy,
or better yet, listen to it....everywhere.

I love Leo.
 
#49
the sheer volume of respected players and recordings that have been made with a fender (precision or jazz) speak to your question.

it is the most recorded bass tone. it is the most popular. it was the first and still the front-runner.

granted i play and love Fenders, but they really are something special.
 
#50
Nice thread title on Easter. :scowl:

But I am a huge Fender fan. They dont get their respect because of being the first, or anything. Its because they offer great quality and sound at a reasonable price.

If you dont like em, dont buy em, but you cant fix whats not broken.
 
#52
Mofo-Kang said:
Yeah, this guy's a real loser, isn't he?

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I distinctly typed MY FIRST reaction is not a good one.....

implying personal feeling....

what's your point exactly?

He mostly plays his Carl Thompsons over a lone Fender Jazz....(which sound ten times better than that Jazz IMHO)

and he also uses Mesa Boogie and Galien Kruegers which also sound better than Ampeg IMHO....

which also proves the point i was trying to make that there are many many many other choices out there....

he also brings out a Kramer and a Ric from time to time as well....
 
#53
It isn't coincidence that most basses have a 34 inch scale. It isn't coincidence that the majority of bass manufacturers(Including Ibanez) produce models with P or j style pickups. Leo got most of what he did right. He looked for ideas from good/great players(real R&D) and modified his design to fit those needs. So much was dead-on with the second generation precision(post 56) and the jazz that they have endured two buyouts and 50+ years. Do I think Fenders are God, no, just very good basses and icons. My first choice basses right now are USA Peaveys, but I still respect and appreciate my Fenders. You won't see my '61 Jazz or '53 P on the market anytime soon, if ever. No one has to love Fender, but to minimize their importance, and not understand other's reverence for them is just rediculous.
 
#54
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that you've never been hired to do a recording session or backing gig for someone else.

Because if you had you wouldn't be so baffled about this.

Walk into a dance rehearsal wearing combat boots instead of toe shoes...

Walk onto a construction site wearing a beret instead of a hardhat...

Walk into a biker bar wearing a tutu instead of a leather jacket...

See if it makes things easier, or harder :)
 
#55
I HEAR YA MAN!!!! I have always been peaved about all of Leo's designs, except the EBMM. That one is a pretty nice axe... but still over priced for what you get.

Case in point:

1.I dont like how one thats $250 looks exactly like the one thats $1300
2.There's only two body styles, and I dont like either of them. And musicians friend lists 76 versions of these two bodies, what gives??
3. Action, attention to detail and playability are all lacking.
4. How does a different pick guard, special limited (opaque) colors, knobs and someones signature justify a $ 400-600 premium??
5.Some of the real top of the line fenders, like a nos jazz (2500-3000 bucks!!!), the american standards with passive electronics, and the way out there like the Jaco model, or the rediculous custom shop '66 classic ltd jazz bass...$5600 worth of nothing.

Everything is wayyyy over priced, i would never pay more than $1000 for any of those, I dont care who had their hand on them or building them or who do what. When youre talkin that kind of money, I want to see some laminated thick tops made out of exotic wood, multi laminate neck through construction, high end name brand electronics, and of course, being hand built. Not alder bodys, not maple/rosewood fingerboards, and certainly not passive electronics.

With all this said, not trying to bash anyone, but they do have some of the best sounds coming from them, if that sound is your personal thing.

Most of the time, its not my thing
 
#56
Sparkdog said:
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that you've never been hired to do a recording session or backing gig for someone else.

Because if you had you wouldn't be so baffled about this.

Walk into a dance rehearsal wearing combat boots instead of toe shoes...

Walk onto a construction site wearing a beret instead of a hardhat...

Walk into a biker bar wearing a tutu instead of a leather jacket...

See if it makes things easier, or harder :)
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Such BS.....there are tons of recordings done/made by many artists in many different genre's over the years that were made without a Fender in Sight....

there are many, many, many musicians that are stepping on to stages all over the world...right now.....that are not playing a Fender...

I walk into many Studios, Bars, Dance Halls, Churches, Civic Centers etc. all the time without a Fender.....
 
#58
bassmanrocke said:
It isn't coincidence that most basses have a 34 inch scale. It isn't coincidence that the majority of bass manufacturers(Including Ibanez) produce models with P or j style pickups. Leo got most of what he did right. He looked for ideas from good/great players(real R&D) and modified his design to fit those needs. So much was dead-on with the second generation precision(post 56) and the jazz that they have endured two buyouts and 50+ years. Do I think Fenders are God, no, just very good basses and icons. My first choice basses right now are USA Peaveys, but I still respect and appreciate my Fenders. You won't see my '61 Jazz or '53 P on the market anytime soon, if ever. No one has to love Fender, but to minimize their importance, and not understand other's reverence for them is just rediculous.
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what is ridiculous is people that don't use spell check...lol :D

I'm willing to bet that there are more vintage fenders hanging on walls, or sitting in somebody's safe than in players hands.....thanks to collector's looking for a return on their investment....

I do respect the Legacy and the history of Fender as i do with Ford....but I'm not playing one or driving one because of that.....

I really dislike most things about them.....and I personally think that later builders improved on Leo's designs

again MHO
 
#60
I love my Fender Roscoe Beck V, but I'd never have a Fender as my 1 and only bass. IMO Fender is like Harley Davidson-a brand with "mojo" because of it's history. They have a good product line, but IMO at their upper price points there are many other choices with better ergonomics. I believe that most people could not hear the difference between a Fender and many of its' competitors. People often hear with their eyes. I laugh when a guys says he has to have Fender tone, and then pumps it through a dozen pedals. There's more fashion than objectivity to it IMO.
 
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