Identify the SX vs. Fender in the mix thread

[JimmyM]

I have learned something really good from this thread, though. I have learned that pre-CBS Fenders are a waste of time. So are American Fenders. So are boutique Fender copies (lakland, Celinder, Sadowski). I have learned that all the pro musicians out there who use quality gear are wrong.

what's with the whining, luke?

I have learned that GAS as we know it, is a trivial waste of time.

that is absolutely 100% true and you certainly didn't need this thread to know that.

I have learned that all the classic recordings made with Fender basses over the years (especially early motown and other styles that used pre-CBS basses) could have been recorded with an SX and sound just as good.

ever listen to soloed jamerson tracks? they absolutely could have been done on an sx. not exactly a clean pristine sound there.

And I have also learned that despite my 30+ years of experience as a bassplayer, I have been wrong all the time. I should have just gotten an SX. But most of all, what I have learned is that talkbass, like most internet forums, is a clique, filled with members who rush to defend one of their leaders, right or wrong. I have learned that talkbass is filled with people who don't care if you are a good bass player or not. It's your reputation on THIS forum that trumps all.

waaaah! come on, dude.

That's ok. Stick with your SX basses. It does not hurt me one bit

so why are you acting so hurt?

because one day I will get an excellent deal on that Sadowsky that you sold (because your SX is sooooo much better)

good luck with that one!

 

[GassieBall]

So, my reputation as a "boutique-Y troll" is intact! Good!

LOL, Lucas. That's a good way to look at it. Well, I am all for discussion and debate, as long as it does not get uncivilized. As for myself, I personally never recall going into a thread and speaking negatively of whatever bass someone else plays unless they have specifically asked my opinion (for a purchase, for example). Different budgets, different styles, etc.

But I just don't like it when other people rain on the SX modding parade like in the other thread that got shut down. I personally think it's not cool, but I am all for freedom of speech and do not feel I have any right nor does anyone else for that matter to suppress opinions. But I have played MIA Fenders, Laklands, and EBMMs but I still love tinkering with SXs. I have not blindly followed King Savit over the cliff.

 

[Craig_S]

I think you're all silly...

Signed: Hugh Givzaschitt

 

[stingray69]

Ya, actually CNC technology IS a result of rocket science. There are thousands of great minds that indirectly contributed to a CNC'd bass.

I stand corrected.

 

[GassieBall]

Allright. I'm going to cease fire. I know if it continues it will be shut down. I think we should stick to the OP and play the soundclip challenge and have fun and do the hokey pokey. 'Cause that's what it's all about.

 

[Korladis]

I don't think there's any maybe about it.

1. How many people own basses?

2. How many bands are there?

3. How many people record?

Think 2 and 3 are anywhere near 1?

That's the point of what you quoted, not your experience. I play in bands too but that doesn't make a wrong statement right.




Yes, it shows two basses in one kind of music. That's all. So what does that prove for everyone else, particularly those who don't use their bass in the same context?

I think you're missing the point of the comparison. Savit said that it was a response to those who said that anyone could tell an SX from a pre-CBS Fender.

In the context his using his, it doesn't seem very easy to do so at all. That's the point.

 

[Brad Johnson]

You brought up the topic of playability, since it's ridiculous to assume I would know anything about the playability of the basses in this thread, I offered my experiences with basses I actually own. Those experiences are now facts presented in this thread. Just for the record, how many SXs have you owned?

There's plenty of ridiculous in this thread to go around.

"You: So far I've seen nothing that negates the basic fact in this thread:

An SX with a Lollar pickup performed as well as a Pre-CBS Fender".

Fact?


Is playability not part of performance? It is for me. Is recording the only facet of performing that would determine that one bass does as well as another? Of course not.

But that's the "fact" you're clinging to.

I didn't assume you knew anything about it, quite the opposite. I was pretty sure you didn't and you've confirmed that. Why is it any less to state that the performance is equal?

Because...?

 

[Brad Johnson]

I think you're missing the point of the comparison. Savit said that it was a response to those who said that anyone could tell an SX from a pre-CBS Fender.

In the context his using his, it doesn't seem very easy to do so at all. That's the point.

I'm not missing the point, though you did just avoid responding to what you quoted

Here's a big part of the point of this thread...

"Now... let's just say for fun to make it interesting that it could be all the Fender or all the SX on the tracks.
It could be one bass on one track and the others on the rest... or not... or some combination of the two.

There could be a "spoiler" in there that's a totally different (non p bass) bass. (or not)

Just trying to keep it interesting here. LOL!!"

It was done in fun. Did someone seriously contend they could pick out these basses in any recording? If so, this thread is unnecessary, without question they are deluded. But I think I said that earlier in the thread so I think I "get it".

 

[Brad Johnson]

what's with the whining, luke?


that is absolutely 100% true and you certainly didn't need this thread to know that.


ever listen to soloed jamerson tracks? they absolutely could have been done on an sx. not exactly a clean pristine sound there.


waaaah! come on, dude.


so why are you acting so hurt?


good luck with that one!

Good points as usual.

The general deification of pre-CBS basses is comical. Anyone who's ever read about or seen Jamerson's bass would know the only thing special about it was Jamerson. HE liked HIS bass. Thank goodness he didn't latch onto something else instead. I'd be willing to bet most would find his bass pretty much unplayable. Not to mention dirty. aka the very definiton of the holy grail.

Too complicated, folks?

 

[Stick_Player]

The general deification of pre-CBS basses is comical.

Oh so true.

I just got my 9 year-old kid the "SX SJB-62 Short Scale Fretless" bass. Wow! For a hundred bucks it is more than I expected. He loves it. Nice compliment to his Squier Bronco bass. How do they do it?

 

[Korladis]

I'm not missing the point, though you did just avoid responding to what you quoted

Here's a big part of the point of this thread...

"Now... let's just say for fun to make it interesting that it could be all the Fender or all the SX on the tracks.
It could be one bass on one track and the others on the rest... or not... or some combination of the two.

There could be a "spoiler" in there that's a totally different (non p bass) bass. (or not)

Just trying to keep it interesting here. LOL!!"

It was done in fun. Did someone seriously contend they could pick out these basses in any recording? If so, this thread is unnecessary, without question they are deluded. But I think I said that earlier in the thread so I think I "get it".

I'm responding exactly to what I quoted.

Savit I think was posting in a humorous manner, given that he (reasonably) didn't expect anyone to be able to correctly spot which tracks were SX and which were Fender, illustrating the fact that the tone differences in the context he's using the two basses in are negligible.

Also, lol at you and Jimmy's discussion of Jamerson and his bass. While he certainly liked the funk machine, probably lots of us wouldn't like playing it at all. Holy grail, indeed.

 

[bassbully]

GEEEZ..give it up guys! Play what you want and form you own opinions and live with them. I gave up arguing for the most part on TB over issues like these and the SX was one of them a along time ago.

If they are so great modded or not there should never be the sale of another top line Fender, Sadowsky or any high end Fender clone ever again. You would be a fool to throw the money away right? Come on....it is what it is the Fender sound not to hard to duplicate by any decent bass no matter the make or where its made.

 

[JimmyM]

Also, lol at you and Jimmy's discussion of Jamerson and his bass. While he certainly liked the funk machine, probably lots of us wouldn't like playing it at all. Holy grail, indeed.

oh, i'm sure the funk machine could be made very playable with new frets, electronics, nut, tuners, bridge, and then run it through the plek machine to set it up.



yeah, you know, i look at these basses i have, and when my grandson comes along and pulls on the strings and dances his little baby dance, honestly, he's not a very good bassist and they don't sound too good. but i'm pretty decent, and they all sound pretty good to me...even the cheap ones

 

[Nic.]

I did. It was buried in a short scale thread but I had a SX SS Jazz with Nordies vs a Lakland DJ4. People can't tell.

That's amusing. I would have expected more of a difference from a hand-crafted instrument as compared to between two C&C-ed instruments.

I use a heavily modded SX, and yesterday at a jazz jam someone asked me if that was a Fender fretless. My only issue with my SX is that it's overly heavy and the truss rod broke, but then again I'm not really a good judge since I haven't actually touched any bass that costs a few thousand.

 

[Ayliffe]

To be honest, this thread seems to be a bunch of old dudes trying to justify their mid-life crisis purchases of old fender's because they 'sound better' when in actual fact, the difference is so minimal between that 'x' thousand dollar bass and the 200 dollar modified sx, that they wasted their money.

I have a feeling any of these people who won't listen to the clips but still continue to argue, actually listened to the clips and couldn't tell a difference.... thus they blame it on the pickup being swapped out.


Now that doesn't change the fact that a ****ing 200 dollar bass sounds just as good as a 3000 dollar one.




but that's just what i see looking in......

 

[Craig_S]

To be honest, this thread seems to be a bunch of old dudes trying to justify their mid-life crisis purchases of old fender's because they 'sound better' when in actual fact, the difference is so minimal between that 'x' thousand dollar bass and the 200 dollar modified sx, that they wasted their money.

Yeah, they wasted a bunch. I mean, we all know SX resale value is going to rise at an incredible rate. There's no possible way anyone could go wrong with a $100.00, internet purchase, crap shoot bass, right?

This thread is getting really bad, really fast.

 

[Ayliffe]

Yeah, they wasted a bunch. I mean, we all know SX resale value is going to rise at an incredible rate. There's no possible way anyone could go wrong with a $100.00, internet purchase, crap shoot bass, right?

This thread is getting really bad, really fast.

ok so if you buy instruments to resell them and make money... maybe not, but strictly from a MUSICAL standpoint (after all... that is why we play these things right.....) the difference of thousands of dollars equals very slight, if any difference in tone.

 

[Craig_S]

ok so if you buy instruments to resell them and make money... maybe not, but strictly from a MUSICAL standpoint (after all... that is why we play these things right.....) the difference of thousands of dollars equals very slight, if any difference in tone.

Well, as long as I have the money, I'll buy the Fender. I'm intrigued by the SX basses. They are still "crap shoot" purchases. No more; no less. Most of the quotes you see attached to them are similar to "it sounds great for a $100.00 bass". I'll remember that, if I ever want to buy a $100.00 bass.

 

[JimmyM]

Yeah, they wasted a bunch. I mean, we all know SX resale value is going to rise at an incredible rate. There's no possible way anyone could go wrong with a $100.00, internet purchase, crap shoot bass, right?

i could already sell my two sx's for about 30% more than i paid because they have the old headstocks. retirement, here i come!

ayliffe, you're a funny dude. trust me, there's nothing crisis level about working hard to afford the nicer things in life. except for expensive sports cars...those people obviously have a problem.

 

[vstring3]

Well, as long as I have the money, I'll buy the Fender. I'm intrigued by the SX basses. They are still "crap shoot" purchases. No more; no less. Most of the quotes you see attached to them are similar to "it sounds great for a $100.00 bass". I'll remember that, if I ever want to buy a $100.00 bass.

Talk about crap shoot, I had to try a few crappy Fenders before I found one I was willing to purchase.