Fender's lack of bass evolution

[bottomzone]

As long as the standard J bass and P bass are in demand and seem to be preferred for session work, Fender probably has no interest in changing the recipe. There is a lot of competition though and cheaper prices! I'll take my Sure V75 over any "new" Fender J-bass! They are certainly advancing their prices!

 

[Geddaric]

I see. I didn't know it was full time active.

I actually liked the Dimension. Played one in local music store, but was turned off by the full-time active electronics. I hate having a dependency on 9v batteries.

I can`t vouch for all of them. I think the higher end USA models may have had a P/A switch. I wasn`t crazy about the Chinese version, but on my budget, the Mexican version was (almost) right in line of what I was looking for.
Maybe with a better marketing campaign the Dimension may have given the SBMM`s a run for the money.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

So then

I know this is your opinion and not a fact because if it were true, then Gibson have been continuously trying to kill the bass guitar since 1953.
The fact they are still manufacturing and selling basses suggests you are wrong, or Gibson are better at making basses than killing them.
I play both a '73 Jazz and a 78 RD Artist, I like them both immensely.
BTW, what do you play? Fender by any chance?

Clearly, sir, you know nothing about the Bass companies they have destroyed!

 

[bass-icly me]

I dunno, Fender created the two best basses in the world. There are a lot of basses out there that are Fender's Precision and Jazz bass clones.

Descriptions include "sounds like a Fender...", "plays like a Fender...", or, "looks like a Fender...".

Trying to improve what is essentially "perfect" is foolhardy to say the least. Giving these designs tonal variations seems about all they can do, something I've been enjoying by modding them cheap Squiers with different Fender pickups available.

There are a lot of bassists out that played another name bass, even making tons of cash, yet go to/return to a jazz bass(like Geddy).

Ya'll can hurl lettuce an tomaters at me but that's my .02.

 

[butterfingers1]

Clearly, sir, you know nothing about the Bass companies they have destroyed!

What do you mean?

 

[Vic]

I know this is your opinion and not a fact because if it were true, then Gibson have been continuously trying to kill the bass guitar since 1953. The fact they are still manufacturing and selling basses suggests you are wrong, or Gibson are better at making basses than killing them.
I play both a '73 Jazz and a 78 RD Artist, I like them both immensely.
BTW, what do you play? Fender by any chance?

I know your reply wasn't to me, but...

I also feel Gibson has always done generally poorly in bass... heck, even when they had a jewel handed to them on a silver platter (Tobias), they pretty much turned it to crap. That broke my heart because I loved Mike's older designs and he's a personal friend. QC took a huge dive while prices soared. Even their most successful models of basses represent a pretty small minority of what's out there on stage and in the studio compared to Fender.

IMHO, their longevity in the bass market is simply because they are riding on a very strong brand built over many decades (and not on bass, btw), and simply have a lot of money earned from their truly successful products to "keep trying". They've excelled with their guitars being the perfect compliments/alternatives to Fender's designs/sounds, going toe to toe with them on all levels. Not so much on bass.

FWIW/YMMV

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

What do you mean?

First, just FYI. My first Bass was a Jazz Bass copy, but soon after my first new real Bass was a Gibson Ripper. Also, the first Bass that ever caught my young eye was the Gibson EB-3. So, please put to rest any implications of anti-Gibson tribalism!

Gibson's first great Bass company to destroy IIRC would be A.M.P. around 1984. That may, in fact, be only the first one I was aware of. Then perhaps SWR, then Steinberger and Trace Elliot. Then continued on to Tobias and God only knows who I may have left out. Some they outright kill others just maim and hobble.

I think the last Bass they came along with under the Gibson name was the Victory Bass in the late 80's. To this day the only person I can recall playing one was the Bass player for B.B. King.

I consider these to be facts and not opinions in the wider Bass community.

 

[Vic]

...Then perhaps SWR...

Nope. Gibson never owned them. That was Fender. You're correct on all the others, sadly.

 

[butterfingers1]

First, just FYI. My first Bass was a Jazz Bass copy, but soon after my first new real Bass was a Gibson Ripper. Also, the first Bass that ever caught my young eye was the Gibson EB-3. So, please put to rest any implications of anti-Gibson tribalism!

Gibson's first great Bass company to destroy IIRC would be A.M.P. around 1984. That may, in fact, be only the first one I was aware of. Then perhaps SWR, then Steinberger and Trace Elliot. Then continued on to Tobias and God only knows who I may have left out. Some they outright kill others just maim and hobble.

I think the last Bass they came along with under the Gibson name was the Victory Bass in the late 80's. To this day the only person I can recall playing one was the Bass player for B.B. King.

I consider these to be facts and not opinions in the wider Bass community.

Thanks, don't get me wrong, I am here to learn.

I much prefer Fender/Squier basses, but there is something inexplicably irresistible about Epiphone/Gibson models. Even the dysfunctional EB3/SG types. They do sell well and have their passionate admirers. No?

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

Thanks, don't get me wrong, I am here to learn.

I much prefer Fender/Squier basses, but there is something inexplicably irresistible about Epiphone/Gibson models. Even the dysfunctional EB3/SG types. They do sell well and have their passionate admirers. No?

Absolutely.

Jack Casady Bass is a good example:

The Zeneth Bass is one I almost purchased used in 2018 during a visit to San Antonio.

This Bass has a very cool piezo and a magnetic pickup at the end of the fingerboard with a stereo out and a blend feature for mono operation. If I find one again at a super reasonable price, I will own one.

 

[butterfingers1]

Now you're not helping. I need help to stop me from going to the store.

 

[butterfingers1]

See? Even you can't resist.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

See? Even you can't resist.

Well, if I would have had the $425 for the used Zeneth at that moment, you would be correct. I have seen several in the $700+ range and have been able to control myself!

 

[butterfingers1]

For ho

Absolutely.

Jack Casady Bass is a good example:View attachment 4092424
The Zeneth Bass is one I almost purchased used in 2018 during a visit to San Antonio.
View attachment 4092425
This Bass has a very cool piezo and a magnetic pickup at the end of the fingerboard with a stereo out and a blend feature for mono operation. If I find one again at a super reasonable price, I will own one.

 

[butterfingers1]

I meant to say, with the photos you sent, you must be close to breaking.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

I meant to say, with the photos you sent, you must be close to breaking.

Pic are just more fun and educational!

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Why does Fender need new designs?

 

[Frank Vozak]

It would be nice if Fender made a production sixer. Not the DR or the high priced Steve Bailey, just standard P with a stable 5-piece neck and dual pickups.. Sixers sell and an affordable one would make a nice edition to some player's stable. It would also quiet the BL and sound guys that pigeon-hole us when they insist on a fender.

Sounds like a job for Squier

 

[Frank Vozak]

Why does Fender need new designs?

Fender did do some thing new with the new line of basses that are acoustic with a . My CS 60 is the ticket to my playing in our community farmer's market a piezzo in the bridge. This a :no stinkin' amps band.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

It would be nice if Fender made a production sixer. Not the DR or the high priced Steve Bailey, just standard P with a stable 5-piece neck and dual pickups.. Sixers sell and an affordable one would make a nice edition to some player's stable. It would also quiet the BL and sound guys that pigeon-hole us when they insist on a fender.

Using New basses available on Reverb as an estimate, 6 string basses are less than 5% of the bass market.