Hi everyone... OK, I know this is one of those deeply subjective things that probably has no clear answer, but I thought I'd throw it out and see if anything sticks. I've never been a Fender player, but my son has been playing a short-scale Fender Bronco for a couple of years now, and strangely, I really like its sound.
If you're not familiar with it, there's absolutely nothing special about the construction or components. The body is made of Agathis, whatever that is; the fingerboard is not even separate from the neck itself, but there's a wooden, organic tone to the instrument which pleasingly reminds me of the classic 70s Fender tone. It's not the pickup... unplugged, the instrument retains that same wooden-ness acoustically, though it's translated through the pickup nicely. I've recorded with it a few times, and the Bronco sits very well in a mix effortlessly, which I can't say about my beloved Rickenbacker.
No matter how many new Fenders I play, Ps or Js, American or Mexican, my ears don't hear what I imagine a classic Fender bass should sound like, but I'd really like to build a Fender and capture that warmth in a full-sized bass. I love the feel of the Warmoth necks, and I know I can get them in Maple/Rosewood. If I use a Fender Alder body, I'm looking for insights into what dynamics the other components would bring to the table.
Nut material - big differences?
Bridge - seems logical to stay with a Fender standard bridge?
Strings?
Any insights would be helpful and interesting. I appreciate anyone who would like to go down that theoretical rabbit hole with me! Thank you.
If you're not familiar with it, there's absolutely nothing special about the construction or components. The body is made of Agathis, whatever that is; the fingerboard is not even separate from the neck itself, but there's a wooden, organic tone to the instrument which pleasingly reminds me of the classic 70s Fender tone. It's not the pickup... unplugged, the instrument retains that same wooden-ness acoustically, though it's translated through the pickup nicely. I've recorded with it a few times, and the Bronco sits very well in a mix effortlessly, which I can't say about my beloved Rickenbacker.
No matter how many new Fenders I play, Ps or Js, American or Mexican, my ears don't hear what I imagine a classic Fender bass should sound like, but I'd really like to build a Fender and capture that warmth in a full-sized bass. I love the feel of the Warmoth necks, and I know I can get them in Maple/Rosewood. If I use a Fender Alder body, I'm looking for insights into what dynamics the other components would bring to the table.
Nut material - big differences?
Bridge - seems logical to stay with a Fender standard bridge?
Strings?
Any insights would be helpful and interesting. I appreciate anyone who would like to go down that theoretical rabbit hole with me! Thank you.
