• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Steve Bailey speaks on Warwick/Fender..

#141
Congratulations on your new relationship with Warwick, Steve. I'm a G&L player myself, but other than maybe a Dingwall, the only new bass I'd spend my hard-earned scratch on is a Warwick.

I once grabbed a random one (a Double-Buck variant of some sort) off the wall at GC and was pretty floored at the feel and the acoustic tone of the thing - it even made me question my attachment to my L2000 for just a moment...

Then a couple of years back at winter NAMM (at closing, when everyone was being asked to leave), I lingered for a while at the Warwick booth and began noodling on the Hellborg sig bass (ummmm....wow), and who should walk out from behind the curtain - but Mr. Hellborg himself. Instead of crabbin' out on me, he was kind and accomodating.

At the very least, it seems as though the "vibe" is quite "down to earth" with Warwick folks.

Be well, Steve - and thanks for your openness and your amazing music.
 
#142
foundation said:
Hi Steve,
Just wanted to say I respect you for speaking up. It was a pleasure to meet you last week at BNC -- you are a sincere, kind, generous person who is passionate about your music and about sharing that passion with others. With every yahoo that speaks negatively, there are hundreds who quietly respect and appreciate you and your music. Keep playing and thanks for staying up until 0300 in the morning so you could call from Germany just to encourage some enthusiastic bass students. That's dedication and generosity for ya!!
As for the others....whatever....
Keep the faith!!
Click to expand...

As he says, I think the same. Well done Steve and congartulation for your new bass and "family"!
Your playing inspiring me all the time when I pick up my bass.
 
#146
I wonder:

Wheres the "valid" qustion of why SB signed with Fender in the first place? And what past employees may have spread about working for Fender? Like I dunno, low wages, or lots of illegals working there, or whatever?

I don't get TB sometimes. Not to get pissy, but I miss it when I'm on tour, then when I come back....

Well, I do miss JimmyM.....sometimes!
 
#148
Yeah, but Steve hasn't been back since those jive-a** questions about some "questionable" practices from Warwick.

Man, this site is something else. WTH? How rude. Like Steve Bailey would have any knowledge of this garbage, even if it were true. It's not like the info was reported by any REPUTABLE SOURCE.

So why even bring this garbage to a guy like Steve Bailey? If it were a New York Times investigative report or something, then yeah, I could see that: in the context of - "How did you miss THAT when deciding to sign with Warwick".

But C"MON. Citing some jive-a** gossip site with zero credibility as a valid source of info, derailing the whole thread with nonsense BS and then running off yet another pro from this website?

You guys are killing me. Seriously. An apology is in order for Mr. Bailey.
 
#149
Speaking only for myself, I don't speak/read German, so all I saw was the assertion that there were workers' rights issues. I always have concern for that sort of thing, so I asked for the facts. That's it. I don't want to be (intentionally or accidentally) lumped in with "people driving off another pro from the website" just for asking for the facts.

I'm super glad Steve is/was here speaking his mind, and he seems like a great, well-balanced person, so I truly hope he sticks around.
 
#152
Hey Steve, Sorry to hear about all your woes with Fender's artist relations and marketing division and the individuals that spoke ill of your moving on to Warwick. I absolutely love the SRB JB VI fretted and I am planning on trying to get the fretless later this year. The JB VI is everything I like in a bass and with your hand in its design I fell in love with it for the minimal time that I had it. (more on that to follow below)

Now,for all of you bashing Fender...READ THIS!!!! I just recently got my Jazz Bass VI shipped to the store (who will remain un-named) near where I live (it came from another store in Iowa) and it came in not as described by the store shipping it. The fingerboard was cracked from the 13th fret up to the end of it due to numerous reasons (unimportant to detail at this point). The store I purchased it from called Fender and they said to send it to a repair facility in NYC that is the only place with their gold standard on the east coast for repairs (Fender makes the JB VI to order, so they didn't have any replacement basses or necks) From what I understand, Fender is picking up the tab for this restoration ($1000 + job) (I know, I know: what's a G to Fender). But they are standing behind their product and keeping their customers satisfied ( and I'm nobody who is a big deal, at least not at this point in time; but stranger things have happened)

Moral of the story, Just because an individual you admire decides to explore other avenues for their creativity, don't slam on the party they are parting with. An instrument is only a tool and nothing more. Anyways,the most important tool any musician should be worrying about is their EAR, not an inanimate object (regardless of cost)that is only a vehicle to express what you HEAR!!!
 
#153
I agree completely! I purchased mine because it was a Fender (I'm a loyalist, I suppose) that was finally a 6 string AND fretless. Like I said before, I love the way mine plays.

I was unfamiliar with most of Steve's work beforehand. Now I have to admit, after the fact, that I'm a fan.
 
#154
bongomania said:
Speaking only for myself, I don't speak/read German, so all I saw was the assertion that there were workers' rights issues. I always have concern for that sort of thing, so I asked for the facts. That's it. I don't want to be (intentionally or accidentally) lumped in with "people driving off another pro from the website" just for asking for the facts.

I'm super glad Steve is/was here speaking his mind, and he seems like a great, well-balanced person, so I truly hope he sticks around.
Click to expand...
bah...if you were truly looking for the facts, you wouldn't have asked someone who just entered into a relationship with them a month ago. you were just rubbernecking at the car crash. which i usually love to do my own self :D , but only when it's warranted.
 
#155
wade_b said:
derailing the whole thread with nonsense BS and then running off yet another pro from this website?

You guys are killing me. Seriously. An apology is in order for Mr. Bailey.
Click to expand...

No apology necessary. If I believed everything that was written on the internet about me... I would be practicing my intonation right now:D The reality is that I have been busy with a couple of projects, and have not been around.
But instead of practicing my lack of intonation, I am going surfing.
Some folks love negativity, plain and simple. I have even been at shows, signing autographs, and people have tried to get me to say something bad about someone, or dispel something they "heard that I said" about someone. I don't need to go there... although sometimes, just for fun, I will.

This thread was started, not to defend rumors about a company, but to explain a decision I made.. and try to squelch the BS associated with it. Its that simple.

There are things in life that are simply not worthy of acknowledging. I think Warwick proved that in their forum... they left up the accusations on the thread, and simply did not reply. Many companies yank down that stuff and most of us never see it. I wonder why...
I know that if I have nothing to defend (like my intonation, for example) i simply get entertained by what folks think. That, along with the chance of helping someone out, is why I come to TalkBass periodically.
NOW... about the YouTube dude who plays along with groovin recordings, bobbing his head... with his bass pretty much inaudible... and everyone talks about his great groove?.....:D SB
 
#156
bongomania said:
Speaking only for myself, I don't speak/read German, so all I saw was the assertion that there were workers' rights issues. I always have concern for that sort of thing, so I asked for the facts. That's it. I don't want to be (intentionally or accidentally) lumped in with "people driving off another pro from the website" just for asking for the facts.

I'm super glad Steve is/was here speaking his mind, and he seems like a great, well-balanced person, so I truly hope he sticks around.
Click to expand...

are you sure you weren't being fueled by the (legitimate) mistreatment you suffered on the W forums? Because you were really insistent that it was a legit concern, even in the absence of any evidence but hearsay.

All I know is, I came out of this thread with a huge appreciation for Steve B. Time to practice my surfing intonation now
 
#157
fretlesssurfer said:
I know that if I have nothing to defend (like my intonation, for example) i simply get entertained by what folks think. That, along with the chance of helping someone out, is why I come to TalkBass periodically.
Click to expand...

Not to knock the topic off to the side a bit, but er, how did it get started that your intonation is, well, anything less than perfect?

I'm not a dedicated TBer either (more of a hit-and-run type), so I guess I haven't ever found the threads where it was concluded Steve Bailey's intonation is bad.

I simply can't understand that. I use your intonation exercises all the time (4ths, octaves, etc) and I have yet to hear anything you've ever played not have the intonation under control?

Mysterious to me.....

LS
 
#158
Steve Bailey is a hell of a guy, and as straight forward and genuine a person as you'd want to meet. I have never understood the name calling employed when a musician does something that the sheep don't agree with. I see Steve as a player of immense talent, and really could care less what bass he is playing. It doesn't effect me at all, but it does effect Steve, and his comfort level as an endorser developer of a particular instrument. I love Warwicks, always have since my first streamer I got in 1990(a used 89), and it's cool to see him with W. But as a former player, no matter what bass SB plays, I am still going to gawk and listen in amazement with his abilities...chops I could only dream of having when I could play....LOL. So people assaulting him for what he plays is juvenile(a redundant factor with musicians and society), and to take the time to actually explain why shows the type of individual he is. Taking the time is something most would never do, fans mean little to most musicians no matter what they say, but obviously to Steve Bailey they mean enough to go into a public forum and be that forthright. Mr. Bailey deserves kudos for doing that, and for the years of great music.
 
#159
Asomodai said:
...I know personally of two former Warwick colleagues who told me of the ridiculousness that is the working practices at Warwick. Both told me of forced 11 hour work days and physical abuse from middle management. This was a fairly big issue on the German speaking instrument forums a fair while back. Warwick never denied the issues either...
Click to expand...

Not particularly surprising. Ask anyone you know who works investment banking for Deutsche Bank, they would have some stories to tell. I think some company cultures take the philosophy that the employees work hard so that the customers do not need to. Of course, that can be (and have often been) taken to extremes.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back