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Explain me the 'Fender is God' thing
- Thread starter Drunk Heffalump
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Yeah, I know! A Wiki article on Leo mentions the fact that the electric bass was invented before Leo came along, but then it repeats the false claim that Fender was the first to add frets (on the "Precision Bass"). Leo was a really good salesman, so he emphasized the accuracy of a fretted fingerboard with the name, but calling it the "Precision" doesn't make it the first to use frets.
Ive played some nice Fenders, and they sound great. Its really all a matter of preference on looks and tone and maybe some brand loyalty. Personally Ill take a Music Man over a Fender anyday, but thats just because i dig the Music Man sound and think the Stingrays/Sterlings are some of the coolest looking basses out there.
It's not an argument. It's an explanation of why Leo was a big deal.
Argument or not, plenty of players use his instruments today - like Geddy Lee, Marcus Miller, Flea (last Peppers album) ... and those guys are pretty good.
Argument or not, plenty of players use his instruments today - like Geddy Lee, Marcus Miller, Flea (last Peppers album) ... and those guys are pretty good.
But the same can be said for a Washburn, an Ibanez, a Cort, a Yamaha, a....If you can't pull it off on a fender Pbass then................................
Jaco played a Fender. But if anyone here thinks he wouldn't have sounded like Jaco on ANY other decently built instrument, they are foolin' themselves.
Yes but this is a fender based thread so one must go with the flow. Personally I like Ibanezes more then fenders but, thread is 'bout Fender being GOD and all
LOL!Yes but this is a fender based thread so one must go with the flow. Personally I like Ibanezes more then fenders but, thread is 'bout Fender being GOD and all
When the Beatles toured America and met Elvis at a house in L.A. he was sitting in front of the TV playing a Fender bass through a big Fender amp,probably a Dual Showman.This must have something to do with the legend,the two biggest things in rock history meeting in the early sixties and having the king playing a Fender bass along with TV commecials. It has to be connected somehow.
Wow, so many of these posts are heated and "behind the beat" so I'm sure this is probably pointless, but the reason Fender is where it is as a company and an instrument is that it's "the standard".
That doesn't mean it's the best bass money can buy, but it DOES mean it's the standard by which others are judged and the instrument many people think of when they hear the term "electric bass".
In the examples I noted, it's more about expectations than anything else. I once went to a recording session and as usual I brought along a variety of basses...old, new, active, passive...you never know what will fit the track so you bring some variety. I opened the cases and the producer on the session immediately said "Use that one", pointing to my Precision.
Curious, I asked him why, and I have never forgotten his answer. "Because you're going to plug that in, I'm going to hit the RECORD button, and we're done".
He KNEW what he was going to hear from that instrument, and he wasn't particularly interested in farting around for an hour trying to get the right bass tone.
It's the same for many live gigs. You show up with a Fender Jazz or Precision and the bandleader knows what he's getting and he knows you're on the same page. You show up with your Traben or Ibanez...maybe it sounds OK, maybe it sounds way better, but you know what? They honestly don't care!
Is it right or wrong? I don't know, it just is.
Do you want to fight it, or do you want to do the gig and get paid?
I don't think anybody responding to this thread is saying "Fender was not only the first electric bass, it is and will always be the BEST electric bass!"
I'm not, but I recognize the reality of it and what the expectations are for bass players who like to get paid for doing it.
I have a bunch of basses, including Music Man, G&L, and Laklands. Those are great instruments and I love playing them, but if the guy who is paying me wants me to use a Fender, I'm not going to argue with him.
I don't think "Fender is God"...but if he is, that's why!
That doesn't mean it's the best bass money can buy, but it DOES mean it's the standard by which others are judged and the instrument many people think of when they hear the term "electric bass".
In the examples I noted, it's more about expectations than anything else. I once went to a recording session and as usual I brought along a variety of basses...old, new, active, passive...you never know what will fit the track so you bring some variety. I opened the cases and the producer on the session immediately said "Use that one", pointing to my Precision.
Curious, I asked him why, and I have never forgotten his answer. "Because you're going to plug that in, I'm going to hit the RECORD button, and we're done".
He KNEW what he was going to hear from that instrument, and he wasn't particularly interested in farting around for an hour trying to get the right bass tone.
It's the same for many live gigs. You show up with a Fender Jazz or Precision and the bandleader knows what he's getting and he knows you're on the same page. You show up with your Traben or Ibanez...maybe it sounds OK, maybe it sounds way better, but you know what? They honestly don't care!
Is it right or wrong? I don't know, it just is.
Do you want to fight it, or do you want to do the gig and get paid?
I don't think anybody responding to this thread is saying "Fender was not only the first electric bass, it is and will always be the BEST electric bass!"
I'm not, but I recognize the reality of it and what the expectations are for bass players who like to get paid for doing it.
I have a bunch of basses, including Music Man, G&L, and Laklands. Those are great instruments and I love playing them, but if the guy who is paying me wants me to use a Fender, I'm not going to argue with him.
I don't think "Fender is God"...but if he is, that's why!
Ever been to Graceland? As soon as you walk in the front door, to your right, there is a grand piano, fully plated in pure gold (swear to god), and an old Fender bass (don't remember if it was a J or P) on a stand right next to said piano.
I agree with this. But just because something is "the standard" doesn't assure they are or are not the pinnacle of what they represent.
Hey folks, if they're good enough for Graceland...Geez Loueez!!! "Nuff Said in my, and should be EVERYBODIES,..book!
Was definitely an awesome experience. Any Elvis fans should most definitely take the trip. I love him, but he was one tacky mofo!Hey folks, if they're good enough for Graceland...Geez Loueez!!! "Nuff Said in my, and should be EVERYBODIES,..book!
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