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Fender's weaknesses?
- Thread starter RobCobain1994
- Start date
+1
These so called obsolete basses were the research and developement departments for many companies today that basically copied the design or changed it slightly.
As a company, they are the McDonald's or WalMart of the bass equipment world. Their basses enjoy more popularity than their amp business, which don't seem to be held in very high regard. When they buy up a company, they usually kill it. They seem to be stuck in the 1960s and 1970s.
As to basses:
They are boring unless you like Easter Egg colors or bursts.
They don't offer a lot of options as far as electronics or woods.
A Jazz Bass sounds like a Jazz Bass and a P Bass sounds like a P Bass, they aren't very flexible outside of those tones.
Fender hasn't innovated or event tried to keep up with modern bass building techniques.
A US made model that sells for $1600 feels and sounds almost exactly like a Japanese or Mexican built model; so considering the lack of additional options, what am I paying for?
As to basses:
They are boring unless you like Easter Egg colors or bursts.
They don't offer a lot of options as far as electronics or woods.
A Jazz Bass sounds like a Jazz Bass and a P Bass sounds like a P Bass, they aren't very flexible outside of those tones.
Fender hasn't innovated or event tried to keep up with modern bass building techniques.
A US made model that sells for $1600 feels and sounds almost exactly like a Japanese or Mexican built model; so considering the lack of additional options, what am I paying for?
I was going to say the Bridge as well (when I saw this thread).
In a '70s issue of Guitar Player, Chuck Rainey goes on about some things Fender needed to look into-
Rainey mentioned the Bridge & how everyone he knew had installed an aftermarket one.
Rainey also mentioned why Fender did not ask bassists for suggestions. Or hire a commssion of bass players for bettering their bass products.
He also talked about the thumb rest being beneath the G-string (I think Fender finally relocated that...took an eon, though)...and why the Pickup cover was in the "sweet spot" (the place where most guys would wanna play the strings)...in the photos atteched to this interview, Rainey is seen playing his P-bass (with a Jazz PuP in the bridge position) with the cover...he mentions in the article that he anchors on that plate.
So, this seemed a bit inconsistent with his complaint.
He also mentioned that he was just beginning to play a Yamaha prototype...far superior to his Fenders...and that he intended to use this Yamaha bass forever (that changed).
My '64 P-bass definitely had dead spots on the G-string (C-C#-D).
The inconsistencies with these basses? Yeah, one had to really spend hours "learning a bass"...nowadaze, I guess this factor has been engineered out. My Nordstand Jazz sounds good in everybody's hands...that ol' P-bass did (& still does) not.
What I have not seen here so far is any mention of the problems Fender has had since selling to the CBS folks back in the 80's. The overall quality of Fender went downhill significantly after that. For the most part, Fender is riding on their name's reputation and original looks versus the overall quality they used to enjoy.
Their neck pocket are sometimes way too big for the sieze of the neck. Sometimes you need to shim the neck pocket to have decent action. Both of those are really fatal flaws.
the bridge
dead spot
not 24 frets
they are stuck in the past but I think their customers are also stuck in the past.
many price point for instrument that look all alike ... if you look at Ibanez, their entry stuff as solid plastic color, their mid stuff has satin finish over basic wood and their high end stuff has figured top wood ... Fender : seafoam green, black and sunburst no matter the price.
the bridge
dead spot
not 24 frets
they are stuck in the past but I think their customers are also stuck in the past.
many price point for instrument that look all alike ... if you look at Ibanez, their entry stuff as solid plastic color, their mid stuff has satin finish over basic wood and their high end stuff has figured top wood ... Fender : seafoam green, black and sunburst no matter the price.
Their weakness? hmmmm thats a toughy...Not protecting themselves much better against all the copy cats yes thats it thats a weakness ..yes i would say if there wasnt sooooooooo many other companies copying and cashing in on the Fender designs they would have been known as a Company having NO weaknesses.
Alls said and done IMO they make a great bass. They started it and I think there's a reason why they're still around and well loved. And in some circles hated. This is a great topic to write a paper on. So many strong opinions and facts to go upon on both sides of the fence. I love me a good fender/Squier bass. But I also love me a good ibanez, which is my go to (ATK 300). I think it's cool that fender is still very much a part of the bass world and hopefully will be for a long time to come.
They sold to CBS in the early 60's.
Their quality in the most recent years is excellent.
I think that's pretty true. However, they are still left with this stigma about their lack of quality from past years.
Most copies tend to be of better quality and/or value. A company like Tom Anderson may copy the overall look, but they hot-rod a few things quite nicely. An equivalent FCS would probably be twice the price.
The biggest disadvantage is that once you own a good USA fender p-bass, all your other basses are worthless. I do not recognize any comments in this thread. Fender is the way to go.
They sold to CBS in the early 60's.
Their quality in the most recent years is excellent.
Just like some idiots mindlessly hate Microsoft, some idiots mindlessly hate Fenders. Contrarians that just love to hate the bass so many people love.
Talk about the basses you love and stfu about the ones you don't. I don't know why some people get a kick out of raining on everyone else's parade.
If ya can't admit weakness, they'll never get fixed. I'd be much more inclined to get a Fender guitar if a 12"+ radius were standard.
If you are writing this for a business class and you want to cheat a bit, you could always go with the warnings in the S-1 statement from when Fender flirted with going public:
Invalid Link Removed
The company is required to disclose potential material risks. For my money, this is the best one:
"We do not control our suppliers, OEMs or licensees, or require them to comply with a formal code of conduct, and actions that they might take could harm our reputation and net sales."
In other words, "We don't really check to see whether the factories that make our stuff use slave labor or not."
But the biggest problem is their debt load. However, with interest rates currently very low, they may have elected to refinance under better terms when the pulled the IPO.
Invalid Link Removed
The company is required to disclose potential material risks. For my money, this is the best one:
"We do not control our suppliers, OEMs or licensees, or require them to comply with a formal code of conduct, and actions that they might take could harm our reputation and net sales."
In other words, "We don't really check to see whether the factories that make our stuff use slave labor or not."
But the biggest problem is their debt load. However, with interest rates currently very low, they may have elected to refinance under better terms when the pulled the IPO.
"Weaknesses" has been covered enough. "Threats" have not.
Threats would be companies like Carvin, who either offer a similar (if not superior) product at a lower price point, or take the original Fender platform and improve upon it greatly.
Threats would be companies like Carvin, who either offer a similar (if not superior) product at a lower price point, or take the original Fender platform and improve upon it greatly.
I consider Gibson and Ric to have a few structural weaknesses. I'm surprised it's tolerated, given the increased price over Fender.
