Pros and 'Unusual' Basses.

[Handz Solow]

I've always thought that if G+L had one major figure playing one of their bass products, they'd be a bigger name.

Its that headstock lol

 

[scourgeofgod]

Not a bassist, but Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains is the biggest (and really only) artist that comes to mind when I think G&L. I think it's a mix of most of the answers in this thread as to why you see mostly Fenders and a lot less of other brands

 

[bassbenj]

I agree and I just bought an L2500.

I'm sure most pros pick their brand of bass according to the headstock shape. I know I've heard a lot of stories of get a Fender Headstock or walk!

Oddly, around here in the blues community I'm seeing a lot of G&L basses cropping up (my main axe is L2500) where previously they were all Fenders.

 

[Handz Solow]

There was a time when rtfhe electric bass was known as "the Fender bass."
You either played upright or
"fender Bass"

 

[Jeff Scott]

Leo got it right
The p and J are perfect designs
Most other solidbody basses owe
Homage to them. The only real advancment has been active electronics and he started that with musicman. Why are so many high end customs just jazz or p copies.
(Lakelanf,sadowzky,lull eycj
With ****ed up headstocks
Its alot like Harley Davidson
You can buy a high end clone or
Buy into the history and heritage
Of the company.

Really?

 

[Jeff Scott]

The question is;If Fender is THE bass,why do THEY move on to other basses?

Fender makes a good starter bass?

 

[Handz Solow]

Fender makes a good starter bass?

Yup
Geddy marcus sting all play starter basses

 

[MDBass]

Yup
Geddy marcus sting all play starter basses

?

Geddy, Marcus and Sting all play either custom shop or vintage basses.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Yup
Geddy marcus sting all play starter basses

Fender is a starter bass for most Jazz and Fusion Bassist.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Yup
Geddy marcus sting all play starter basses

Someone's got to play them. I have had a few Fenders over the decades, hell, I even started with a late '60s Jazz Bass as my first bass way back when, and I have owned G&L and currently own a great SR4. Nothing wrong with them at all, but there is a lot of other fish in the sea besides Fender and a few folks do actually prefer them to Fender.

BTW, active preamp electronics in a bass was the brainchild of Ron Wickersham, not Leo Fender. Have you ever heard of a company called Alembic? Fender had nothing to do with them AFAIK.

 

[Handz Solow]

Geddy bought the original from a pawnshp

Marcus s mom bought his original
Then sosowsky insralled pre amp

S

Someone's got to play them. I have had a few Fenders over the decades, hell, I even started with a late '60s Jazz Bass as my first bass way back when, and I have owned G&L and currently own a great SR4. Nothing wrong with them at all, but there is a lot of other fish in the sea besides Fender and a few folks do actually prefer them to Fender. BTW, active preamp electronics in a bass was actually the brainchild of Ron Wickersham, not Leo Fender.

Marcus mother bought the stock original ( moded bu sadowsky)
Geddy got his original at a pawnshop
Sting played stocK
WirBwwgj.j

 

[Handz Solow]

All Jaco neede was the
FeNDER bass of DOOM

Jazz fusion huh
Thats the Jesus of Jazz

 

[chicagodoubler]

I'm not on the level of a lot of the guys mentioned here, but in my professional experience, people expect me to show up with a Fender, or something that looks and sounds like one. Yes, I'm biased (as a Lakland endorser for many years,) but I can't tell you how many leaders have told me they immediately decided not to hire/rehire a guy because they didn't have that "classic American bass." I learned this lesson the hard way when I showed up for an audition with a national act, rocked out the upright bass portion of the audition, then was told *not to bother pulling it out of the case* when I told them I'd brought a 5 string Musicman... I literally didn't even get it out of the case. NOTE, PLEASE- I'm discussing purely the expectations of professional bassists' tools in my slice of the market.

FWIW, over the years I've owned basses by MTD, Benavente, Roscoe, etc... But these days all I own is Fender/ Lakland electric basses. Do I love how they feel and sound? Yes. Is my decision to play them based also on meeting the expectations of guys who hire me? DEFINITELY.

 

[bassrich]

I see lots of different basses being played by "Pros" Mosly Fender but MM, Ibanez, Lakland, Gibson Even Rickenbaker are also popular. I think the most important concern for a pro is "Is my bass easily fixable or serviceable Can I walk into any music shop and get a replacement if need be." I am sure there are others but I think that is the main reason

 

[ChronicPyromaniac]

Mike Dirnt used to use a couple of L-1000s with the Frustrators, but it looks like he's switched to Fender with them as well.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I know Lomenzo used a G&L when playing with DLR. Don't know what kind it was though:

I often wonder why I never see anyone playing a Warwick Fortress. I've got one sitting in my lap right now. It's got the killer Warwick growl, and P pickup (on the Fortress One) kicks it into overdrive. Weighs less than all the other Warwicks I've owned, too. This bass kills, yet I never saw anyone well known playing one. Come to think I've it, I've never see ANYONE, but me, playing one. Maybe in a couple of pix on TB but not outside that.

As for the Big Al, I know Lady Gaga's bassist, or one of them at least, played one:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[blindrabbit]

Perhaps that's true... But do you think the sheep is always the bassist? I've heard studio horror stories on here where sound guys are telling bassists "Fender or walk," essentially.

That's a really good point you raise. It could be that bassists are being pressured to conform by others who know even less about the options and choices that are out there. People tend to reason heuristically, and one of these heuristics in the music world seems to be "Fender is great/Fender is 'it'". The guitarists and singers and producers and drummers out there don't have desire or energy to consider alternatives.

I guess I'm fortunate in that I don't depend upon music to feed my family or buy clothes, so I can express my opinions and diversity with a confidence where if someone says "Fender or walk" then I can flip them the bird and walk away.

 

[2.6kHz]

I never understood looking to hire someone to do anything and not trust their decision making ability. To me, that's either being a control freak or just arrogant. Those who act like they have it all figured out never have anything figured out and everyone knows that!

 

[chicagodoubler]

2.6k, as a sideman as well as a leader, I know firsthand that someone's decision making process is A HUGE PART of why we hire/get hired. I have expectations of someone's gear on both sides of the fence, and seeing someone with an instrument with a sound I like (Nord, Les Paul, etc) imbues confidence for me in their ability to do the job they were hired to do. This ain't about having it all figured out; it's about knowing what you want as an artist and employer.

I never understood looking to hire someone to do anything and not trust their decision making ability. To me, that's either being a control freak or just arrogant. Those who act like they have it all figured out never have anything figured out and everyone knows that!

 

[WoodyG3]

Geddy bought the original from a pawnshp

Marcus s mom bought his original
Then sosowsky insralled pre amp

S

Marcus mother bought the stock original ( moded bu sadowsky)
Geddy got his original at a pawnshop
Sting played stocK
WirBwwgj.j

Marcus Miller's bass was modded well after Alembic started making active electronics. I'm quite sure the ones he plays now are custom shop. Geddy's original Jazz was a pawn shop find, but he plays custom shop Fenders now, even including a Jaco Fretless custom shop. Sting has played many basses, and his work with the Police was largely done on Spector fretless. He does seem to favor his vintage Fender these days, though.