My post was simply a counterpoint to the idea that Fenders were what they weren't
in my experience, Mike. You're far from the only one who's ever made that disparaging point. I hope that's okay. It was not about you personally or your ability to discern anything. It was about the people who aren't able to make distinctions between actual experience, personal shortcomings and running with sharp objects (anectdotes).
I've lost count of how many experts I've talked to/read/seen who wax on about how great pre-CBS basses are and as such anything post CBS SUCKED. I've lost track of how many I've seen blindly buy into what amounts to BS IMO. You need look no farther than the items they obsess about in declaring what is just plain bad, period. Not just for them... period.
I've lost track of how many people I've heard kill on those horrible instruments and typically they did not have to wade through hundreds of instruments to find the one. They went to a store and picked one up or found a used one at a price they could afford. Then they played the damned thing because whining about/blaming gear hadn't become fashionable yet.
I guess you had a point in laying out the pedigree. I started gigging a decade before you so I was right in the middle of people using the supposedly bad instruments from brand new to used plus dealing with all of the they don't make them like they used to crap. They didn't... the 70's Jazzes were decidedly different and I for one dug the difference. I wasn't hung up on things not changing.
So I was surrounded by players with dark age basses. And most from what I could tell loved them. I guess ignorance truly is bliss. For example, they didn't know that a neck that didn't move but had a gap on the side was a deal breaker. SEND IT BACK! I still haven't heard a gap.
Around the same time the idea that if something cost more it must be better really started to permeate the MI industry. I fell into that too and stayed away from Fender style instruments like the plague in the 80's. It was the pedestrian too obvious choice despite the continued market saturation. I finally realized though that I dug the markedly less refined, more aggressive vibe of 70's Jazzes and they killed in the mix live and on tape. The more expensive basses tend to not do that, they improved on Fenders by refining the character out. Yay.
I agree, in some circles Fenders were considered laughable in the 80's. Ah, the 80's, the decade of the gigantic snare
. But look at what sounds held up over the years and which sound dated and frankly laughable NOW. No, I won't point fingers.
Like I said, unless you (GENERALLY SPEAKING) were the original owner, you (GS) can't really condemn every bad bass you see as a factory fault. But who actually understands that and tempers their rants? Not many IME.
And worse, how many "bad" basses are simply basses we don't personally care for? There are a few brands that I generally don't care for but I wouldn't call them bad because they work for other people, just not for me. I won't point at them either.
That was my basic point. Not sure if it got lost or not.
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