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Fender or musicman

P

Pbmwhitehouse

Sep 23, 2012
6
0
#1
Posted Today, 11:22 AM
Hi guys new to all this but wanted to get some advise I,m in a pickle I, a left handed bass player and last year I bought a nice new music man sterling ray34 left handed bass thinking that he I spend a little more money I would be very happy as there are not many shops you can go in and try out different left handed basses, but last week I bought a second hand fender squire bass for £70 and I love it compare to the music man, it plays and sounds better to me but I,m gutted I spend so much on music man don't know what to do any advice please guys I play mostly funky and rock genre
 
#3
Compare the two over the next little while. If you still feel the same after a few weeks then sell the Ray 34. Unfortunately spending more money on a bass that you've never played doesn't always mean a better sounding and playing bass to you. Just look at the TB classifieds, it's full of near new basses for sale....
 
#6
Pbmwhitehouse said:
Been think about trading both in to buy American fender jazz or p bass
Click to expand...

Seems like GAS has begun for you. I say take it easy first - I don't think what you'll get for both would be enough to get you a American Standard (maybe a used American Special). You like the Squier, so why not hang on to it for a while first?
 
#7
I don't seem to be able to get the different tones from the MM compared to the squire as it has a jazz pickup and a precision pickup it's lighter than the MM has a slightly thinner neck and feels easier to play. I play them through a harke BH500 & a 2x 10 trace Elliot cab.
 
#9
STRINGS - the MM probably needs a fresh set (my guess). Also, one bass might have a lighter gage or heavier string set.

And set up - maybe the Squire has a better set up - neck (truss-rod), bridge (intonation / string height), strings - I like nickel round-wounds the best - try DR Sunbeams or D'Addario Nickel rounds. DR Highbeams are nice too but they are stainless and a little rougher on the frets.

I have played the Stingrays and several Squires and can't imagine the Squire playing better.

Stephen
 
#13
georgestrings said:
The thread title is a bit misleading - this is more a matter of the import budget lines of both companys, and doesn't actually have anything to do with either Fender or Music Man....


- georgestrings
Click to expand...

+ 100

In answer to the OP, yes if you can afford it - they are both great instruments; I would say Musicman if you can afford only one, because you can get all the generic tones with that, but it will also do things a Fender doesn't so is more versatile - if that's what you need/want.

Oh and don't listen to guitarists or drummers who tell you you need a P bass - I usually tell them they need 'insert any other famous brand they're not playing' when that old chestnut crops up.
 
#15
drTSTingray said:
Oh and don't listen to guitarists or drummers who tell you you need a P bass - I usually tell them they need 'insert any other famous brand they're not playing' when that old chestnut crops up.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but... When producers and engineers with gold and platinum album credits tell you this, it becomes much more validated advice. Unless your lifelong goal is to be an out-of-work-smarta**.

;)
 
#16
Fenders and Musicmans are both AWESOME. My advice would be to NOT RUSH with your purchase. Make sure you play the instrument before buying it and try avoiding buying online because you never know exactly what your are going to get.
 
#17
meatwad said:
Yeah, but... When producers and engineers with gold and platinum album credits tell you this, it becomes much more validated advice. Unless your lifelong goal is to be an out-of-work-smarta**.

;)
Click to expand...

There are many producers and engineers with gold and platinum album credits who have worked with bass players who have not played Precision basses.

I only have to think of my top ten favourite bass players - only a couple of these are particularly associated with Fender basses - and one of them plays a modified Jazz.

If what you have said is true then we have entered a sad era in the history of bass where every player must sound the same and the bass is neutered in some sort of muzak way (you know, the sort of stuff that used to be played in shopping malls).

Don't get me wrong P basses are excellent (as are J basses). But they are not the only ones that are.
 
#18
I am getting very, very close to selling my MM Sterling bass. It's a 'real' Sterling not the ray34.

The Sterling was my favourite bass for a few years and now I mostly play two Jazz basses. A USA 62 RI Jazz and a USA Standard Jazz in natural Ash with Maple neck.

The natural is a little more punchy and funky and the 62 RI is more old school and fatter and deeper. Both great basses.

I take the Sterling to gigs as a spare but have not gigged or recorded with it for over a year; hence it may have to go.

I think at the end of the day I don't like active basses and find the passive J more to my taste. This could be why you are liking the Squire more.

Check out the MM forum and get as many set up tweaks from those guys as you can. Once set up correctly your ray 34 will be a hard act to follow; unless you are just not an active bass person, like me.
 
#19
drTSTingray said:
There are many producers and engineers with gold and platinum album credits who have worked with bass players who have not played Precision basses.

I only have to think of my top ten favourite bass players - only a couple of these are particularly associated with Fender basses - and one of them plays a modified Jazz.

If what you have said is true then we have entered a sad era in the history of bass where every player must sound the same and the bass is neutered in some sort of muzak way (you know, the sort of stuff that used to be played in shopping malls).

Don't get me wrong P basses are excellent (as are J basses). But they are not the only ones that are.
Click to expand...

I didn't say a P was the only good bass. Not even for recording. If personal experience counts, I've played on two albums with heavy hitters sitting at the console, and the first one was cut with a Jazz Bastard (71 ash body, Precision Neck, Duncans). The second one was cut mostly with a 73-75ish Precision, with one track using my StingRay, and another with some fretless Tobias thrown in around the P. Lots of other sessions, and a Fender most always wins with the producers.

On the flipside, I was informed that one of my all-time favorite recorded bass tones (Cry Of Love - Brother) was actually made with a G&L fiver, when the cd liner pictures clearly show a Les Paul bass. It was a Leo, but not a Fender.
 

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