Fender Purists Probably Won't Like This Idea

[bassliner50]

Not for me. no thanks.

 

[bon viesta]

i don’t think it’s a matter of being a fender purist or not. we fender people like fender because it DOESN’T look like that. that sort of style is personally one of my least favorite looking designs for a guitar of any kind, but that’s my own opinion. i think that, honestly, that overgrown plant/fungus shape bass guitar design is so prevalent these days it’s practically against the grain to not make a bass in the style of it. you guys like what you like, and other guys like what they like. it’s the name of the game of life

 

[bon viesta]

and i swear, i’m not an old fart!

 

[Frank77]

I don't think it would work. I doubt the typical Fender fan would suddenly be interested in this kind of instrument just because it says "Fender" on the headstock, and/or that it would drive a large enough number of customers away from Ibanez, Yamaha, Spector and others who have been making these basses for decades already.

 

[Ostie]

That’s a terrible idea.
Signed,
A Fender Purist.

 

[brianrost]

How would I feel? Nothing, actually.

 

[Kukulkan61]

Fender has tested the waters a few times with the Dimension, Blacktop, Modern Player etc. the only successful one is the PJ..

 

[Kukulkan61]

I drive a Scion xB..... but loves Fender.
"shrugs shoulders"

Better then driving a Prius..

 

[Vooter]

How would you feel if Fender went about making a modern looking bass instead of thier traditional body styles, and headstocks. Think something along the lines of their MB4/MB5 design, but with: slight body/headstock modifications, active electronics, quality wood, quality pickups, and hardware. Basically a higher end MIA Model. View attachment 4376640

I couldn't care less...

 

[two fingers]

Right, because 70 million people all share the same opinion about bass design.

So, it seems as though you think the vast majority of boomer bass players are fine with new bass designs, especially from Fender?

You seem to be implying that if Fender took off in an entirely different direction, putting the P and J in the back seat only offering a couple of black and burst models while the new models came with choices galore, boomer bass players wouldn't have a problem with that at all?

Look, my mother and father are boomers, as well as all of my aunts and uncle's. I love them. They are (literally) my heros. They made me who I am.

However, it's no secret that the vast majority of boomers LOVE what was cool when they were teens and young adults. And they become... less than happy.... when new designs come along to replace their favorite things. With many of them,, the same holds true for music, TV, movies, fashion, etc.

Here, and on other forums for different hobbies/interests as well, and in my experiences in person, they can be quite curmudgeonly when it comes to anything new, especially if/when it threatens to replace the old.

That's all I'm saying.

Are there exceptions? Of course. That doesn't change a thing about what I said.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

This idea has been done many times over. If someone doesn't want a 'modern' looking Fender bass, they'll just turn to the classics. Case closed.

 

[Paul New]

So, it seems as though you think the vast majority of boomer bass players are fine with new bass designs, especially from Fender?

You seem to be implying that if Fender took off in an entirely different direction, putting the P and J in the back seat only offering a couple of black and burst models while the new models came with choices galore, boomer bass players wouldn't have a problem with that at all?

Look, my mother and father are boomers, as well as all of my aunts and uncle's. I love them. They are (literally) my heros. They made me who I am.

However, it's no secret that the vast majority of boomers LOVE what was cool when they were teens and young adults. And they become... less than happy.... when new designs come along to replace their favorite things. With many of them,, the same holds true for music, TV, movies, fashion, etc.

Here, and on other forums for different hobbies/interests as well, and in my experiences in person, they can be quite curmudgeonly when it comes to anything new, especially if/when it threatens to replace the old.

That's all I'm saying.

Are there exceptions? Of course. That doesn't change a thing about what I said.

Listen, it's dumb to generalize about that what that many people, born over 2 decades, would think about fender modernizing their instruments or anything else. It's just as dumb as " all gen Xers are lazy and entitled", or "all millennials are fat and live in Mom's basement". Maybe a majority wouldn't care for them, who knows? I doubt seriously that any would "raise hell" about it.

 

[Wilmingtonian]

Harley Electric:

Completely missing the point. I didn't bring up Harley, but in any case no one said Fender nor Harley never do things outside their core. And we know what percentage of electrics HD is moving (it's in the low single digits).

 

[Wilmingtonian]

I think the sentiment of that post you responded too is more to the fact of the iconic brand of Fender and Harley Davidson and how they keep their successful designs going. Yes, Ric's have been pretty consisten in their design over the year, they can't compareto the volume of sales fender experiences.

Market share is not consequential to my point by any stretch.

 

[P. Aaron]

One that looks like that?
(Seriously, putting a 2x2 headstock on a Boxer doesn't help at all...it's every bit as uninspiring.)
The same as most of their other new ideas...no way will it fly.
Here's the best non-traditional bass they've ever made and we all know how this was received.
View attachment 4376678

I love and gig my Dimension. It’s really a fine instrument…but yeah, I get yer point. The buying public loves a classic. A younger buyer may not have such a connection tho’.

 

[burgerdj]

They did this in the '90s with the Prophecy line.
Decent basses, actually, but nobody wanted a Fender that looked like a Tobias or an Ibanez.
They just bought Tobiases and Ibanezes.

The irony is that nearly all the big companies that build "modern" fancy basses also make at least one Fender-inspired model.
It would be fair enough for Fender to flip the game...but they're too busy making money with Ps and Js.
(Though the Custom Shop did make one very odd, very modern looking bass for Tye Zamora from Alien Ant Farm.)

Yep

 

[Al Rivera]

Bassist vote with their wallets....and that is why these type of fenders aren't sold anymore!
Easy as that....

 

[retslock]

When there are so many good non FSO basses available why would Fender change designs that are proven and people are still buying? They might improve quality control or materials but their designs are still popular and functional. Orchestral instruments generally still look like they have for a very long time so no real reason to change something that works well and is accepted. If you don’t like them buy something else. There’s plenty of choice. I don’t like everything they make but there are a few things I like a lot. They are Fender. Why try to be something else?

 

[P. Aaron]

Volvo, BMW, Mercedes Benz tweak their cars over the years but unlike US Automakers, would not alter their basic image in the span of a year. BMW took A LOT of abuse for their late 90’s Chris Bangle era design changes and phased it out.

As I play my Dimension and a recently acquired Jazz Bass, I am struck by, in spite of them being very different in appearance & features, their end tones are very similar. The Dimension got close to a Precision tone but I think even closer to a Jazz Bass. People subconsciously consider resale of Fender, buying new or used, and I think the Dimension’s similarity to a JB/JB Deluxe is what tempered enthusiasm.

Plus, some just like tradition.

 

[Spectrum]

How would you feel if Fender...

I feel nothing.