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Stigma for not playing Fender
- Thread starter dwagner
- Start date
I feel your pain. I am in a Satanic hardcore metal band and they give all kinds of crap for playing a Fender. They want a Warwick, a BC Rich...Double middle finger salute to them all...
I think you're probably right that people "may" look askance at you if you are not playing some kind of Fender Bass in a lot of situations. I don't think it's such a huge thing in live situations where you have control of your sound and hopefully you know what settings make you bass sound its best. I think there is much a more pronounced prejudice though in recording studios.
I haven't had a problem because I've been playing a Fender Jazz Bass for the last 55-years. But I have been greeted with that "smile" from the engineer when he see's me pull out my Jazz bass because when he sees someone pull out either a Jazz Bass or a Precision Bass knows what to do with it to get it to sit in the mix the way he envisions the mix. So I've always used a Jazz Bass in recording studios.
It's just a matter of fact that Fender basses have been used in more recordings than any other bass. P-bass has been in the most followed by the Jazz. Virtually all recording engineers who have any experience at all have worked on a recording with a Fender holding down the bass line and they know how to make them sound good in the recording. So they are comfortable with them.
I've heard of folks who show up at a recording session with a top-quality bass and after just a little time, the engineer puts a Fender bass in their hands and says something like, "That's a great bassline, but I think I can make it come together better if you play it on this bass. How about we try a take with this one?" So if you're even thinking about playing sessions, you need to have one or the other and preferably both of them.
If your Leland Sklar, you can bring any bass you want with you because he is a "known quantity" and engineers are more than willing to tweak a mix for him because of his huge track record with hits - he's had more than a little success. But until such time as you become as well-known as Sklar...I'd be sure to bring a Fender bass at least as a back-up. Don't piss off the sound engineer or you'll find yourself playing very few sessions!
This is part of why I play jazz, djent, metal, video game music. Less people judge what you play as long as you play something proper.
also after reading a part of the thread I can see a difference between white church playing U2 style of music while black church play more RnB style of music.
where I live there is no band in churches
also after reading a part of the thread I can see a difference between white church playing U2 style of music while black church play more RnB style of music.
where I live there is no band in churches
I’ve played in a lot of smaller churches that didn’t care. But I can definitely see larger churches being very image oriented...
Lee do play a Frankenstein fender style bass with P pickup most of the time especially on recording. Sooooo
So even Leland huh?? I've seen him on lots of the award shows and he's usually playing his signature Dingwall on those.
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There's a lot of strange people out there with all sorts of strange ideas.
Just remember that stigma lives in someone else's mind, you don't have to let it live in yours.
Just remember that stigma lives in someone else's mind, you don't have to let it live in yours.
So they actually worship Fender basses?
They just want to stay traditional. I know a professional who has used nothing but a Squier jazz with emg's for the last 30 years. I was shocked when I saw the sticker and asked myself why isn't he using a Fender. Truth is it's a great bass and that's all that matters.
This is very, very true with a lot of modern worship music. I'll just throw Israel Houghton's current bass player, Justin Raines, out there as the quintessential example of that. Dude totally shreds on a 5!
I play Fender and Fender-like instruments mostly. If I don't and somebody tells me to play a Fender instead, I answer them w/ a two-word sentence that's usually enough to shut 'em up. Unless of course if I'm getting $$$$, then I'll play whatever they want.
Sure, I have a Fender I can bring to any rehearsal, gig, or recording session if necessary. It’s a very good bass. I would rather play my Ernie Ball Music Man basses or my Reverend—but if someone requests that I bring the Fender, so be it.
The only person who consistently expresses an opinion on what I ought to play is the drummer I work with quite often. He prefers my 2001 EBMM StingRay 5H with a maple fingerboard, so if he asks me to I bring that. I brought the Reverend Triad to the last gig, though, and he was very impressed with the sound of that one.
I like my EBMM basses because they have that distinctive punch that pops out of the mix very nicely.
FWIW, the Reverend has a rich, complex tone with lots of detail. It has an expressiveness my other basses do not seem to possess and that is why I reach for it so often.
The only person who consistently expresses an opinion on what I ought to play is the drummer I work with quite often. He prefers my 2001 EBMM StingRay 5H with a maple fingerboard, so if he asks me to I bring that. I brought the Reverend Triad to the last gig, though, and he was very impressed with the sound of that one.
I like my EBMM basses because they have that distinctive punch that pops out of the mix very nicely.
FWIW, the Reverend has a rich, complex tone with lots of detail. It has an expressiveness my other basses do not seem to possess and that is why I reach for it so often.
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I seem to have a predilection for basses from what I call the “Leo Trio”: Fender, G&L, and Music Man.
Want. Take my money.
Not sure how this is relevant to the topic at hand, or did you just decide you wanted to state your fender fandom? Also a silly mindset, considering there are much better basses out there.
