Fender Decals On Non-Fender Basses

[smcd]

I understood the OP to be asking a question for peoples personal reasons for doing this to a personal bass, and not whether it was right or wrong, or criminal.

Here's the original post -

For those that have done it, what was the reason?

I don't see the word "personal" in there.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Well, in my opinion, it does not need to be justified. I believe that the Fender style headstock just does not look right w/o a Fender logo. And that is why I may do it in the future.

Not sure if that was meant to be funny, but to me it was.

 

[Burlington]

Not sure if that was meant to be funny, but to me it was.

I bet you feel cool

 

[smcd]

Well, in my opinion, it does not need to be justified. I believe that the Fender style headstock just does not look right w/o a Fender logo. And that is why I may do it in the future.

You feel it doesn't need to be justified, but you attempt to justify it in the very next sentence. Okay.

 

[THand]

Did ya see the part where I said that's how "I understood" his post?

I think the "personal" is always implied, unless stated otherwise. If I asked you what strings you liked the best, and you said DR"whatever", it is implied that you had actually used them on your personal bass, and not made that decision because of the really cool ad you just read, or because your mother-in-law works there and you want her to make more money and move out of your house.
Actually, usually when someone ask something here, it is implied that your response will be personal in nature, since you are required to disclose whether or not you are affiliated with a brand, or speaking for a company.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I bet you feel cool

I'm in a good mood. I don'know if i'd describe how I'm feeling as cool, but I have a smile on my face.

 

[Burlington]

You feel it doesn't need to be justified, but you attempt to justify it in the very next sentence. Okay.

Not trying to prove that it is the right thing to do or anything, all I said is that it looks right to me, so that is why I will do it. It may not be "just" because of legal reasons, but if it's my bass, I will do as I wish.

 

[phillipkregg]

 

[WoodyG3]

...

Squire is Fender, Putting a Fender logo on the bass just reminds everyone of this. There is nothing at all wrong with putting the logo of the parent company on one of it's products...

I think I'll put a Cadillac emblem on a Geo Metro since they are both GM products. That would look so cool, and it would be totally legit!

 

[Joe Nerve]

If I did it it would be because I wanted people to think I was playing a fender and not think I couldn't afford a better bass. Maybe I'm being narrow minded, but I really believe that's why everyone does it. But they feel the need to justify it in other ways regardless of the fact that the justifications wouldn't hold true nor apply to any other thing in their lives.

 

[sleepy_monkey]

Oops....did you guys hear that?? It was the prices on vintage Fenders falling due to all of the TB "counterfeiters".

Bottom line is do what you like....just do the rightvthing if you sell it. Ok, done with this thread.

 

[THand]

If I did it it would be because I wanted people to think I was playing a fender and not think I couldn't afford a better bass. Maybe I'm being narrow minded, but I really believe that's why everyone does it. But they feel the need to justify it in other ways regardless of the fact that the justifications wouldn't hold true nor apply to any other thing in their lives.

That's not why I did it, but you don't want to hear "why", so just believe what you need to believe.

 

[Gort]

Maybe I'll put a Fender decal on my Hofner.

 

[smcd]

If I did it it would be because I wanted people to think I was playing a fender and not think I couldn't afford a better bass. Maybe I'm being narrow minded, but I really believe that's why everyone does it. But they feel the need to justify it in other ways regardless of the fact that the justifications wouldn't hold true nor apply to any other thing in their lives.

That is why 90% of people do it. If people would just man up and admit this then this thread would be one page long.





(The other 10% are building forgeries they intend to sell as legit Fenders).

 

[Joe Nerve]

That's not why I did it, but you don't want to hear "why", so just believe what you need to believe.

I know ya probably posted why you did it but I'm doing this on my crap phone and its hard to navigate to find your justifications. Only justification that I think would hold water with me is if it were a restoration. I wouldn't mind hearing why you did it. Repost it if u like.

 

[eSmith]

Mighty Mite DOES have a licence directly from Fender to sell Fender Necks. So Fender does sell them, Through Mighty Mite. You need to deal with the authorised dealer to get a decal, but it can be done. Just because you can't add them to your shopping cart and buy them randomly online doesn't mean Fender has refused to provide them to everyone.

This is information taken from the Fender community discussion forum. don't like it, go argue with them. Until then, your wrong.

Again, this is only an issue to the guy who paid extra to have someone hand carve the guitar rather than get a CNC to cut it out. It seem's somewhat important to those that did that others know you did it.

The guys putting decals on the headstocks offend you because others can't see you paid extra for a person to slowly do something a machine can knock out in seconds.

I wouldn't own a squier, I bought one for a relitave last year and it wasn't great. For that matter, the acoustic I have is most likely the only Fender I'll own. When someone takes a standard $1000 bass, scrapes it up, beats the crap out of it, and then tells me it is now worth $4000. Well, I can see how much they value quality. They would rather deal with the sucker with the fat wallet than someone who is going to expect value for the dollar. To Fender value is completely arbituary, Some really do think the value exists in the logo, not the quality of the product it is stuck on.

I personally feel Fender is all about image just like Harley Davidsons and Jack Daniels (or early corvette stingrays for that matter). None of them are about REAL quality, they are all about PERCEIVED quality. Which may not actually exist at all.

A knowledgable bass player will look at the Bass, not just the logo, to determine quality. Others feel a quick glance at the logo should justify a lot of assumptions.

I do not condone anyone trying to sell an incorrectly logo'd guitar. However, do whatever you like to the guitars you own. Including logo manipulation.

-eSmith.

 

[THand]

My parts bass that has my homemade spaghetti Fender logo:

Sunburst alder P/J body
"Fender" wiring kit (cloth wires, CTS pots VVT, Switchcraft jack, "Fender" P bass barrel knobs.
Fully shielded
(Originally from my Fender Zone)Fender P and J pickups
"Fender" plate and neck screws
P Bass width fretless neck, reshaped by me, with 9.5" radius rosewood fretboard
Headstock shaped by me to the shape of a 53 Fender
"Fender" string retainer
"Fender" strap pins
"Fender" nut
Wilkenson vintage bridge
I don't remember what tuners are on it.

Fender never made a bass like that, to my knowledge.
It, so far, has never left my house and has only been seen by myself and family and friends. I doubt I will ever gig it, I know I won't sell it. It is just for my own enjoyment for when I get in a mood for trying to play something "Jaco-ish" or vintage "Police".
It is, similar to relic'd basses I guess, for the vibe.

I doubt the nay-sayer's will understand that. But there are people who do things because they enjoy doing them, & not to impress others. If I want to be seen with a "real" Fender, I have one I can pull out, but my parts basses are better, and my ATK750 is what I prefer to play.

 

[Madcity Fats]

Mighty Mite DOESN'T sell Fender-labeled necks. How often do I have to tell you that?? Did you not notice the lack of decals on those necks??

It may not say "Fender" on the headstock, but the fact that Fender has protected the shape of the thing through threat of lawsuit means the headstock says Fender all by itself.

It's not made by Fender, but the fact it sports the headstock makes it a Fender neck, by the same token that a guitar made in the factory of an overseas manufacturer (Cort was the previous example used) is a Fender.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to find quality repro decals online. Seems to me, given Fender's litigious past and the fact they have a ton of legal resources they could throw at the "problem," that they've decided it's not worth their while to go after them.

Fortunately for them, I guess, they've got some rabid attack dogs here among their loyal fans.

 

[eSmith]

That is why 90% of people do it. If people would just man up and admit this then this thread would be one page long.

EXACTLY what I have been saying. You just want people to know you paid more so if others would just admit they wanna be just like you then you wouldn't be pushing your issues so far....

LOL, most truthful thing you have said so far, you gonna man up and admit that.....

-eSmith.

 

[Burlington]

Every Fender type bass I get will get a Fender logo, just to piss you guys off