Fender fanned fretboard. Bets accepted...

[swink]

The fact that YOU don't like/want does not mean much. Contrary to what is thought/written on this thread about fanned fretboard basses, there's a lot of interest and players actually purchasing/drooling over/seriously considering buying one. Otherwise we should consider the whole Dingwall company a bunch of crazy guys. And all the options offered by Ibanez simply an absurd, no gain, losers move, see my point?

YOUR point does not mean much either...
The few you list here will be able to convince Fender or not, but the decision remains with Fender.
In my opinion, a fanned fret-board is nothing more than an ergonomic aid and certainly not essential to play bass, just like operating the radio on the steering wheel of your car is not essential to driving your car.
I won't weep if Ferrari doesn't provide controls for the radio on the steering wheel....

 

[swink]

Nah Fender INVENTED 5 string.
Bill Wyman he converted a cheap Japanese bass to fretless as early as 1961 and used it with his first band, the Cliftons. The first commercially available fretless was Ampegs AUB-1 in 1966

Fender had a greater baggage when it came to musical instruments and brought different ideas together. Fender didn't invent anything, Fender mused.

 

[Avezzano]

It is wrong to use Mercedes in this comparison. They really do make everything on wheels under their own name.

View attachment 4618203

Ok: "...but at Mercedes they too sell city Cars.". It's any better now?

 

[Avezzano]

YOUR point does not mean much either...
The few you list here will be able to convince Fender or not, but the decision remains with Fender.
In my opinion, a fanned fret-board is nothing more than an ergonomic aid and certainly not essential to play bass, just like operating the radio on the steering wheel of your car is not essential to driving your car.
I won't weep if Ferrari doesn't provide controls for the radio on the steering wheel....

This post was just to see the general opinion if Fender will come out or not with that. Personally I do not have a "point" as you stated. Then your opinion is 1) absolutely valid 2) welcomed 3} yours.

 

[swink]

Ok: "...but at Mercedes they too sell city Cars.". It's any better now?

Yes, but they still don't sell fanned fretboard Basses for a reason

 

[Avezzano]

Yes, but they still don't sell fanned fretboard Basses for a reason

And who do sell fanned fb basses live on Mars? Obviously enough at Fender they don't do It... currently. But who knows?

 

[dabbler]

Big companies are not immune to stupidity, nor of being behind technology. Have yall heard of Kodak? They were big in the 90's.... has anyone seen them lately? They sat too far behind the technology curve and got phased out.

At the risk of getting way off topic, Kodak's demise was not due to stupidity nor lack of keeping up with technology, but lack of desire to change to create and fit into a new market and product paradigm.

First, some background, most people are unaware that the first solid state imagers were developed, and patented, at Kodak. Second, in the film-based photography era, the big money was not in the cameras, but in the film, processing of said film and prints created from the film. In the digital era those elements shrank to the point of insignificance (plus, users could print on their own). So they tried to, unsuccessfully, create a similar market selling image products and services.

Kodak went away because the market for their product went away. You can argue that they should have developed something like Google Photos and it's true that they didn't have the vision to see how social media and user data would become marketable, but they were an imaging company so I don't fault them for that.

I am disappointed in their demise more than most, but it was a paradigm shift that they didn't fit into, not stupidity, that caused it.

 

[Avezzano]

At the risk of getting way off topic, Kodak's demise was not due to stupidity nor lack of keeping up with technology, but lack of desire to change to create and fit into a new market and product paradigm.

First, some background, most people are unaware that the first solid state imagers were developed, and patented, at Kodak. Second, in the film-based photography era, the big money was not in the cameras, but in the film, processing of said film and prints created from the film. In the digital era those elements shrank to the point of insignificance (plus, users could print on their own). So they tried to, unsuccessfully, create a similar market selling image products and services.

Kodak went away because the market for their product went away. You can argue that they should have developed something like Google Photos and it's true that they didn't have the vision to see how social media and user data would become marketable, but they were an imaging company so I don't fault them for that.

I am disappointed in their demise more than most, but it was a paradigm shift that they didn't fit into, not stupidity, that caused it.

Agree. Only difference with the fanned fretboard thing is that this last is not progressively taking all the market. Nevertheless, it could be not so stupid of Fender to try entering in this market, too. Given that even small luthiers currently offer this option.

 

[dabbler]

Agree. Only difference with the fanned fretboard thing is that this last is not progressively taking all the market. Nevertheless, it could be not so stupid of Fender to try entering in this market, too. Given that even small luthiers currently offer this option.

I don't disagree that it could be a way for Fender to increase its market in a small way. But for the decision-makers, the question is how much of a market increase would you want before deciding to add a new element.

 

[C Stone]

Fender didn't invent anything, Fender mused.

Rediculous, of course he mused.
You do know Leo Fender is famously known for being an "American inventor and designer"
Too funny!

 

[swink]

Rediculous, of course he mused.
You do know Leo Fender is famously known for being an "American inventor and designer"
Too funny!

Okay, and what did he invent that made him so famous as an inventor?

 

[C Stone]

Okay, and what did he invent that made him so famous as an inventor?

Countless inventions and innovations (I suppose you could actually count them if you had enough time to invest) Google it! My sister gave a me a book as gift years ago with many of his inventions, innovations and patents that included drawings. No plans to dig it out, good luck!

 

[HaphAsSard]

Countless inventions and innovations (I suppose you could actually count them if you had enough time to invest) Google it! My sister gave a me a book as gift years ago with many of his inventions, innovations and patents that included drawings. No plans to dig it out, good luck!

@swink is right. Most of the inventions commonly attributed to Leo Fender were, well, not his.

 

[swink]

Countless inventions and innovations (I suppose you could actually count them if you had enough time to invest) Google it! My sister gave a me a book as gift years ago with many of his inventions, innovations and patents that included drawings. No plans to dig it out, good luck!

In the patents and innovations I'm going to fully back you up, but for the inventions I can't. Strings, bridge, frets and tuning pegs already existed on stringed instruments in every conceivable shape and variety. Magnetism and the conversion of sound into electrical pulses had also been discovered. To compose a bass guitar you do not have to be an inventor but just wait for the first one who wants to go harder, stronger, louder, faster. Call it natural development or innovation but no invention.

Whatever sacred qualities we attach to it a bass guitar is and always will be just a variation of a guitar.

 

[swink]

My sister gave a me a book as gift years ago with many of his inventions, innovations and patents that included drawings.

This one?

May I reffer you to Page 4, the first chapter...

 

[C Stone]

@swink is right. Most of the inventions commonly attributed to Leo Fender were, well, not his.

Some were, and some were not his entirely, K&F lap steel comes to mind (note the "inventors").

FWIW: Leo Fenders Occupation is actually listed as "Inventor".

 

[swink]

Some were, and some were not his entirely, K&F lap steel comes to mind (note the "inventors").
View attachment 4618948

FWIW: Leo Fenders Occupation is actually listed as "Inventor".

Look who invented the car:

At the patent office, they already call you an inventor if you make enough modifications to an existing concept.

 

[C Stone]

Look who invented the car:
View attachment 4618986
At the patent office, they already call you an inventor if you make enough modifications to an existing concept.

I understand your point, and it still meets the definition of an inventor. I was illustrating by showing an example of the string through pick-up invention patent not the the lap steel itself. The pick up did not take and I don't think it was used except maybe for that particular lap steel (I am
no Fender expert). My reference was for the invention of that string through pick-up, look at the title of the patent.

I had read somewhere that Leo had found WWll surplus materials (alnico bar magnets/vulcanized fiber) used a punch press and invented that alnico magnet string-through design along with Kauffman.

Fender did not invent the electronic "pick-up" nor the "alnico magnet pick-up" nor the lap steel guitar or the first electric guitar/bass guitar. But..he was an inventor...Cheers!

 

[micguy]

I'm not betting on Fender coming out with a fanned fret model any time soon - by the time that bet pays off, I'll most likely be dead.

 

[micguy]

Look who invented the car:
View attachment 4618986
At the patent office, they already call you an inventor if you make enough modifications to an existing concept.
View attachment 4619022View attachment 4619023

That's a design patent, not a utility patent - see where it says "DESIGN" right there on the top? What that means is that Mr Miller has patented a physical look (like Leo did with the Precision bass) of A car, it doesn't mean he invented THE first automobile.