Imagine Fender change shape!

[aviador]

Well ,imagine Fender change the classical shapes on P and J basses with something modern completely different, but keep the same characteristics (woods, logos, headstock, tuners, bridge etc).
Would you buy it?
I think I know your answer....That's the reason why Fender is first a name and after a quality!

 

[mongo2]

They've already tried several different "looks" with the Bass V, Bullet, Katana, Performer, Bass VI, various Lytes, Aerodyne, various signatures, and others.

 

[aviador]

They've already tried several different "looks" with the Bass V, Bullet, Katana, Performer, Bass VI, various Lytes, Aerodyne, various signatures, and others.

All these had almost the classical same shape I think.
They were not completely different!

 

[mongo2]

All these had almost the classical same shape I think.
They were not completely different!

Have you ever seen a Performer or Katana?

Nothing "classic" about them.

Here's a Performer...This one looks just like mine...

Link Removed

The Katana was more of an offset V shape.

 

[0175westwood29]

still looks similar it only tweeked slightly? not completely diff

 

[aviador]

Have you ever seen a Performer or Katana?

Nothing "classic" about them.

Here's a Performer...This one looks just like mine...

Link Removed

The Katana was more of an offset V shape.

I know Katana and Performer. Except these 2 basses all the others have the same shape. Do you think that Katana and Performer were successful basses? Nobody want to remember them!

 

[Doughd54]

Those new fender Jag-Stars are pretty different looking basses.

 

[mongo2]

Well it does have a neck, body, tuners on the headstock, pickups and 4 strings. But it's certainly not a classic Fender shape.

In the mid '80s, when the Performer was introduced, it was something "modern completely different, but keep the same characteristics (woods, logos, headstock, tuners, bridge etc)" as the OP stipulated.

The only "successful" instrument that could really fit a "completely different" description might be the Steinberger.

But Fender also had a headless bass design back then that was never produced.

 

[Mon Rominee]

Aw cool, another Fenderbash from a noob. Awesome. I'm out.

 

[ster]

W....That's the reason why Fender is first a name and after a quality!

Any company that has to meet a huge demand for their products will not have the same attention to detail as smaller companies with a substantially smaller demand. With this being said, I think Fender does a pretty good job.

 

[purfektstranger]

"I think I know your answer....That's the reason why Fender is first a name and after a quality!"

Ouch....my Fender basses are feeling hurt.

 

[Marcury]

Well ,imagine Fender change the classical shapes on P and J basses with something modern completely different, but keep the same characteristics (woods, logos, headstock, tuners, bridge etc).
Would you buy it?
I think I know your answer....That's the reason why Fender is first a name and after a quality!

Really who cares, Stop trolling and Go practice!

 

[IotaNet]

There is a reason that Fender is the best-selling bass in the history of basses: They have it right.

Obviously, there is room in the market for other brands, other shapes, other ideas, and other configurations but if Fender was that bad, people would stop buying them. That hasn't happened.

Think about this ...

You take a plane on Thursday afternoon to another city where you have a Friday night gig or studio session. Your luggage (including your boutique bass) get misplaced/lost by the airline and they tell you that you won't have it back until sometime Saturday. That REALLY sucks because you have a gig to play on Friday.

I guarantee that you could go to a Guitar Center and find a Fender (MIM, CIJ, or MIA depending on your budget), have it set up, and be gig-ready by Friday night.

It might not be exactly what you're used to, it may not be exactly what you want but you can take it to the bank that regardless whether you spent $350, $750, or $1150 the Fender will get the job done. And oh, by the way, it will be totally appropriate for WHATEVER musical genre you are expected to play.

 

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Have you ever seen a Performer or Katana?

Nothing "classic" about them.

Here's a Performer...This one looks just like mine...

Link Removed

The Katana was more of an offset V shape.

I happened across one of these at a Music Go Round store about a year or so ago. I was about as un-Fender as you could get with respect to neck profile, etc. I thought it was quite fun to play!

 

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Well ,imagine Fender change the classical shapes on P and J basses with something modern completely different...

A New P and a New J would go over about as well as New Coke did!

Fender did tweak the J shape for a few years (IIRC) and it didn't last.

What's the point really...Leo did an amazing job!!!

 

[Mr Venus]

I think I know your answer....That's the reason why Fender is first a name and after a quality!

You, sir, are a fool who evidently knows nothing. I suggest you grow up and come back here when you have something interesting to say.

 

[jakusx]

I'd play it for a bit, if it sounds the same as my P-Bass, I probably still wouldn't buy it - because I already have a Fender P and don't need two of them taking up space.

 

[lpdeluxe]

A New P and a New J would go over about as well as New Coke did!

Fender did tweak the J shape for a few years (IIRC) and it didn't last.

What's the point really...Leo did an amazing job!!!

+1. Klaus Blasquez used a photo of the 22-fret Precisions with the elongated horns from the late '80s for the cover of his book on Fender basses. Boy, do they look dated now.

Just about every bass that deviates from Leo's P and J shapes are less comfortable to play, so why change something that works in order to make it worse?

 

[lug]

People won't buy new, innovated shapes from fender in great numbers, no matter how good they are. They will go elsewhere for percieved innovation to newer companies. This isn't Fender's fault, they've tried in the past.

 

[not_jason]

There are plenty of brands to go to if you want something radically non-traditional.

The reason I keep going back to Fender, personally, is that they have their feet firmly planted in traditional, timeless design. I'm not about to tell you that my preferences are better than yours, but that is my primary reason for liking Fender. If I wanted something different, I'd go to a different brand. I think it's good that there are different companies catering to various niches.