Has anybody with a high end non Fender bass ever been discriminated against?

I showed up to a recording session once with an Alembic spoiler once only to be told come back when I have a "P" bass...

 

I doubt that any Fender inspired bass like the ones you mentioned would raise an eyebrow in the studio at all.

 

Never heard anyone suggest I bring any particular kind of bass. I have heard someone suggest I bring a 5 string because he tuned down on his guitar. I laughed, the drummer laughed, we fired the guitar player. It was fun.

 

I would have said "How about you come back when you know one da&$ed thing about bass guitars."
If anybody short of the Bruce Dickens ever told me what gear to use, I'd show him what gear he could use.

 

to be fair that's the sound the producer wanted on a country track...so i went over to a friend's house...he loaned me a "P" and I recorded he track...after the producer left the engineer and I re-recorded the track using the Alembic...the engineer then stacked the two tracks

 

I have never worked with people who were stupid and unprofessional enough to do that. Never ever.

 

I once played a theatre show with a semi-hollow (guitar, not bass) that would go out of tune every time someone opened the loading doors behind the stage, because of the inrush of cold air.

I was asked by the musical director not to bring that instrument back the next night. Which, really, fair point.

 

Got comments when I bought my first 5 string in 1991.
What's that, don't you have a Fender bass ? etc...

 

Yeah, I once showed up at a race track with a Ferrari Testarossa and they told me to come back when I had a Camaro....

 

lol...whatever...

 

It just amazes me that anyone would care what kind of bass I was playing, as long as it didn’t stick out like a sore thumb ether visually or aurally.

Unless I was a hired gun with a national artist or working a high dollar recording session, I would probably laugh at the moron saying something.

 

(assuming this is what you meant of course)...

Well played sir!

More Cowbell - Wikipedia

 

I wouldn't be surprised if bringing one of those got a "well maybe one day you can get a real Fender" comment. Heck, I know at least one TBer heard that about their Sadowsky.

 

People here like to poopoo the very idea, but I, for one, absolutely agree that there are certain live shows and recordings that work better with certain instruments.

I'm not talking about brand, specifically. But, yes, there are times when a Fender style tone works better on a recording. So a passive P bass tone. And there are times when that tone would be out of place.

Also, live, there are times when a pointy bass would look out of place. There are times (traditional country for instance) when even an Alembic or a single cut Fodera coffee table bass would look out of place. I don't give a crap if it is a fine instrument more than capable of "doing the job". Does it "look right" on that stage? That is every bit as important as how it sounds. Your audience didn't come to hear the perfect tone of an Alembic or Fodera. But they did come expecting to SEE a show put on a certain way. So, in that case, a Sadoswky, Lull or other "FSO" (Fender shaped object)... even, dare I say it, a Fender..... would "look right" compared to a less traditional style bass. It just is what it is.

I think it is the height of naivite' to stomp one's feet and wag a finger and presume otherwise.

I show up with the right tool for the job. I don't try to force my round tools into square holes and defy anyone to say a word about it. There are plenty of fights without looking for them. Why go looking for one?

If I ran an Americana/Bluegrass band and someone showed up with a $10,000 custom shop pointy hot pink guitar with naked lady stickers on it I would ask him/her to come back when he/she can bring the right tools for THIS job. I don't care if a master craftsman installed a "traditional switch" that made it sound identical to a 1949 /martin acoustic.

Looks count on stage. PERIOD. That's why you don't show up to a classic rock gig wearing cargo shorts and a Hawaiian camouflage shirt and a ball cap and bleach white New Balance sneakers. You are the wrong "tool" for the job at that point. You're a tool alright. Just the wrong one for the job.

 

Take away Dad's Fender when you put him in the rest home.

 

Perfect for country or jazz gigs:
http://cdns3.gear4music.com/media/5/50024/1200/preview.jpg

 

That reminds me of the time I turned up at the Iditarod in my Camaro and they told me to come back when I had a dog sled. The nerve!

 

Couldn't agree more. Refusing to use the right tool for the job goes into the category of "I refuse to play this popular song that I'm being paid to play because I am tired of it".

 

Crazy, isn't it?