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Has anyone gone fenderless??

Do you use Fenders or Brand X

  • I have only Fenders

    Votes: 66 11.4%

  • I use both Fenders and non Fenders

    Votes: 257 44.3%

  • I have never owned a Fender

    Votes: 149 25.7%

  • I sold all my Fenders for Brand X

    Votes: 108 18.6%
  • Total voters
    580
#61
I'd never owned a Fender in 20-some odd years of gigging, until very recently. I took a Squier CV '60s, stuck some custom shop pickups in, and put on the chrome covers and a hipshot.

It plays great and looks sharp, but I got it for a particular gig and if the gig went away, it's quite possible that I'd pick a different bass for whatever came next. We'll see, I've got some recordings coming up and I'm curious to see if the clients love the Fender over the Steinberger I usually use with them.
 
#62
I've owned four Fenders. 74 Precision, late 70s Jazz, early 80s Fullerton 62 reissue Jazz, and an Aerodyne Jazz. I sold the 70s Jazz after I got the new 62 reissue Jazz.

I'll never part with my 3 remaining Fenders. The closest I've come to being "Fenderless" was when I brought my Ric 4003 and Traben Chaos to a gig. These are about as non Fender as you can get. It seemed really strange to not have a Fender within reach.
 
#66
After a couple Geddy Lee's and a 60s Classic I decided Fenders weren't for me. The 60s Jazz sounded killer with Antiquity IIs in it, but it always felt "cheap". The Geddy basses have a neck profile I'm just not comfortable with. I need a bit more mass... Been a G&L user for 18 years now though - the "real" Fenders! ha
 
#67
Been playing a fretless Tokai Jazzsound made around 1986, I bought it in 1989 I think. From what I'm told it was intended as an exact copy of the 1962 Jazz that Jaco played. The original pickups were replaced with the EMGs that were so loved in the 80s. It's a great bass and I've never felt the need to have a Fender. My only issue with it is showing up to a jam session with players I don't know and getting the "oh you have a Jaco bass" look... (especially since I'm only an average hobby-player)...

I would buy a short-scale Squier for my son if he wants to take up the bass more seriously, and considered the Vic Bailey acoustic for its looks, but overall I find new Fenders overpriced.
 
#68
I have owned both Jazz and P basses and have sold them both. After trying many different basses I have found that my Music Man basses give me the sound and flexibility that my Fenders did not. They just suit my needs better. The sound of a good old (pre 1966) Fender cannot be denied though. Just wish they made five strings.
 
#70
I keep buying them (mostly j basses,but i've owned P,Tele,G&L,stingray,probably the best of the lot),but i invariably sell them again. I prefer my RIC basses to most everything i try,and i recently added a Carvin AC40 fretless to my stable,because Ric made very few s-body fretless basses....and i don't really care if i ever buy another Fender at this point,although i would like to try out a MIJ Mustang.
 
#71
Strat Hater said:
...Just wondering if anyone had dumped all of their Fenders for another brand and why...
Click to expand...
I have never owned a Fender because I'm a tight wad with my money. I got both of my basses at pawn shops. One was $109 and the other was $250 (and a birthday gift which I didn't pay for myself). I've spent more on strings and pedals than I have on basses.

For the record, I like Fenders and admire the history and contribution of Fender to the electric bass world.
 
#72
Have been playing for 42 years I bought my first Fender maybe 6 years ago. While I have not totally converted or given up my beloved Thunderbirds I do find uses for my P basses especially the fretless ones.
 
#74
Never owned a Fender, but I've only been playing since 1972, so there's still time...
When i was younger, it was a matter of rebellion more than anything. Then I moved to active electronics, then 5 string active. Just never had a reason to play Fender.
 
#75
both of my frankenbass P and J have fender bodies, and fender style necks. Does that count? They were not sold by fender, in their current colors, or setup, but still "look" like fenders.
The jazz has DiMarzios and a Nordstrand passive/active preamp. The P has passive pups and controls out of an MIM fender, but IF I keep it, that will change. I am thinking the John East retro preamp and I am still undecided on pups.. Both have hand made pickguards, and both are painted on colors left over from custom motorcycle builds
 
#76
I swore up and down by Fender jazz basses like forever! Tried Warwicks, Spectors, MTD's,Gibson's basically whatever my wallet AND my wife would let me afford which was in the $500 - 2k range and i was introduced to the Ibanez SR series and it blew ALL MY FENDERS AWAY!!!!!! I sold ALL four of my Fenders and bought myself four Ibanez's all with different pup configurations and I've never looked back.... I'm currently looking at a fifth one an SR 1200.
The tones, finishes, and weight of these basses are awesome not to mention the super slick and fast neck on these SR's....
I realize that it's all a matter of personal taste.... but for the coin, you can't beat the Ibanez's....

Just my 2 cents worth....:)

Cheers!:beer:
 
#80
Played many, but never liked 'em enough to buy one. The cheaper ones always felt cheap IMO, and the expensive ones were just too much $. I did have a custom built fretless based off a precision design for a while, but that was a close as it came, and that had active emgs so outside of the visual, it was no fender. I know there is a lot of love for fender and understand the attraction of that sound, but the fender virus has never really gotten to me.
 

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