Ok, so what bass evolution do you actually want?

[iiipopes]

Square nut fanned fret instruments as a production model (instead of fanning both ways) so the player doesn't have a back-reach, and can use conventional strings, similar to mine, but with regular "Fender Standard" bridge string spacing for a wider player audience:
A Different Custom P-style Bass | TalkBass.com

 

[juancaminos]

I am a happy Fender customer as is. However I'd like Fender to bring back the traditional Jaguar Bass and make the Japan only Aerodyne available to the US market.

 

[brianrost]

I want them to FIX THAT G STRING that slips off the neck at the 12th fret.

That's just a bridge and nut setup issue. My two vintage Ps have similar issues, one on the E string, the other on the G string. Other Fenders I've owned were fine, in fact as was every other bass I've owned. It's just those two and I'm too lazy to get new nuts.

 

[Nephilymbass]

Square nut fanned fret instruments as a production model (instead of fanning both ways) so the player doesn't have a back-reach, and can use conventional strings, similar to mine, but with regular "Fender Standard" bridge string spacing for a wider player audience:
A Different Custom P-style Bass | TalkBass.com
View attachment 4086698

This is interesting because playing my fan fret I‘d actually like to see someone do the opposite and have the more extreme part of the fan near the nut that changes to more perpendicular to the neck higher up. Something more like this but even more gradual where the highest fret is perpendicular to the neck.

Because that’s the area of my Dingwall that I tend to struggle on after switching from playing my fenders. Some things like playing 10th double stops way up the neck I have to finger the two notes completely different on my Dingwall compared to my fenders. But I get why Dingwall did the fan the way they did. Because it increases the difference in scale lengths more having a full fan, maximizing the impact of it being a multiscale bass. This novax replacement neck pictured is the way it is because it was designed to be paired with a fender body without having to replace the bridge.

 

[EatS1stBassist]

... something to complain about

Lol!

 

[longfinger]

Apparently people don't like the evolution or lack thereof with fender and keisel, but....

What do you actually want?

At some point, the bass has to still be a playable bass.

There is that bass with the half fretted, half fretless that's an interesting evolution, but nobody bought it...

Headless basses are a thing to some, but heavily divisive....

P/j, p/mm, j/mm are all combos of other basses...

People hated gibson's robot tuning guitar...

So, what do you people actually want?

Already available in different companies .. but not necessarily one instrument..

- pickups that never buzz or hum, regardless of my position to the Earth's magnetic field or nearby equipment
- no dead spots on the neck
- ergonomically shaped and balanced, no neck dive
- Light to carry
- if active electronics, the batteries should last a long time... like 1 year.
- compensation at the nut too (more for guitars)
- special models/orders of fanned frets, mixed fret+fretless, 24TET
- easy to repair, reliable components built to last
- MIDI add-on readily available that fits the look of the instrument
- not using wood from endangered trees
- beautiful to hear, play and look at
- options of built-in-LED with batteries (for certain kind of stage shows)
- built in magnet to hold metal slide holders (guitars), or metal containers for plastic picks
- volume knobs that a well calibrated so that it evenly moves from 0-10 with the sound, and not 80% of the sound in 20% of the movement.

** futuristic wow **
- magnetic frets for each string that can be self positioned to be solid bars (traditional), individual to each string to perfectly tune to 12TET for each string, or altered for different temperaments all via built in software. Press a button and the frets adjust! Frets (magnetic) can also come off to give a fretless experience, all with the same instrument.

 

[twinjet]

Apparently people don't like the evolution or lack thereof with fender and keisel, but....

What do you actually want?

At some point, the bass has to still be a playable bass.

There is that bass with the half fretted, half fretless that's an interesting evolution, but nobody bought it...

Headless basses are a thing to some, but heavily divisive....

P/j, p/mm, j/mm are all combos of other basses...

People hated gibson's robot tuning guitar...

So, what do you people actually want?

I'm pretty happy with what is available, but it sure would be cool if there was some kind of ultrasonic string cleaner that would eliminate the need for string changes...

 

[yberwaffe]

Is that a joke? Have you ever ridden inside an old car for any length of time?

if you have you’ll know the phrase “they don’t make em like they used too” isn’t a pejorative for modern automobiles. It’s a good thing they don’t.

There is definitely a lot of innovation and evolution. Automatic transmissions sat nav and hybrid vehicles just to name some obvious ones.

You could buy an electric car in the eighteen hundreds.
The patent for the turbo is from 1905.
Fuel injection systems isn't exactly new either.
I fail to see cars as a good example, but you are probably need to be from the US to use cars for an example.

 

[AdamR]

I just want the same old fender in a new color for twice the price !

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

Personally I'm happy w/ what I play but I like to see people innovating things. I don't think there's a big lack of innovation either. Companies/individuals design different scale length and multi-scale basses, asymmetrical and natural twist design necks, different bridges, light weight and roasted basses etc.

I play passive basses, but IMO every active bass should come with a quality hi-pass filter in them, and they should have a 3 position switch so you can play a) in passive mode b) only w/ the filter c) in active mode w/ the filter.

And I agree w/ the 2nd post. Some will keep complaining no matter what, because it's free and you don't need to get a number to complain in this age.

 

[Nebadon2000]

Yes Fender needs to be more innovative like EBMM's Game Changer, oh wait that one bombed.
Hey Fender has the 'Great selling' AVRI, AO, Vintera, and Squire VM; Oh wait those are copies of old designs.
Well how about Deluxe, Dimension, Elite and Ultra some with different neck types, compound radius, Active Preamp, lighter weight, etc. Oh wait they can't sound like and don't feel like a 60's Fender.

Anytime Fender comes out with something different/innovative they seem to get trashed on most forums
So why waste time on this thread when we got the PRO II to thrash

 

[azureblue]

that piece of gear that tells my fingers what to play and how to create beautiful bass parts.

OTOH, I would love to have a glitch free rock solid no delay midi bass guitar that doesn't cost a ton.

 

[D.A.R.K.]

I'd like to see a super high resolution on- board converter that would allow me to plug directly into a computer with as little latency as possible/ 1.5 ms or less (currently getting down to 1.5 with the Universal Audio Apollo protocol, not bad!). Eventually leading to on board processing/ modeling of effects, amps etc. Pure sound design capability while maintaining the tactile/ expressive nature of the instrument.

 

[PWRL]

All I really want is for Fender to never again make anything that requires taking off or loosening the neck in order to adjust the truss rod. I don't care about vintage-correct.

 

[Son of Wobble]

The mute foam under my bridge gets grubby. I'd like a bass that grows new foam, the way a lizard grows a new tail or toe.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Apparently people don't like the evolution or lack thereof with fender and keisel, but....

What do you actually want?

At some point, the bass has to still be a playable bass.

There is that bass with the half fretted, half fretless that's an interesting evolution, but nobody bought it...

Headless basses are a thing to some, but heavily divisive....

P/j, p/mm, j/mm are all combos of other basses...

People hated gibson's robot tuning guitar...

So, what do you people actually want?

Laser cannons

 

[GlennRH]

approximately 600 years ago, the violin reached it's present form

About 25 years ago, I was acquainted with a violin maker. He had been Dean of Science at a major Canadian university as well as a professor of Audiology who specialized in working with the deaf.

In his retirement years, he took on the challenge to make violins as Stradivarius-like as possible. That was his one, overriding challenge.

He never stopped innovating 'til the day he died, ever seeking to improve at:

• dealing with the best supplier for the best sitka spruce
• developing the best drying & aging method for his spruce and maple
• using the best glue
• securing the blackest lightweight ebony
• conditioning the wood to respond to musical-frequency vibrations.

Always, he aimed to make violins as Stradivarius-like as possible. His few customers paid premium prices for them.

If most makers of electric basses today take the same approach to instruments that appear at a glance not to differ much, then that would be okay.

I consider the MFD pickup and saddle-lock bridge of my G&L bass (both developed about 40 years ago) to represent two pinnacles of innovation - new evolutionary plateaus - from the same guys who developed the first mass-market fretted electric bass - itself an innovation about 70 years ago.

 

[PWRL]

How about a Faraday preamp that uses the string action from the bridge to power itself?

 

[etnoo]

Mind controlled bass

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Any evolution is fine....
As long as it dosent involve synthesizers or samplers..