Stigma for not playing Fender

[Killing Floor]

This is TB, right?
So What Kind of Animal would play at church without a P bass?
Or worse, what kind of congregation would tolerate that?
This is basic "on the 6th day" stuff.

 

[thmsjordan]

Interesting thread. I must say that I have seldom, if ever had anyone jump on me for having the wrong bass from just seeing it. I have however had several contractors at larger - high end gigs and band leaders in dance/variety bands tell me that they preferred "that bass there" during, or after a rehearsal. "Yeah, could you play that bass and not the other one?" the "that bass there" was a Precision in every case I can remember and since they didn't even know the name of it I must assume they made a decision based on the sound.

I have no dog in this fight and I am no Fender boy, actually preferring my upright over anything else I own. But I have had several instances where the Precision was pointed out and asked for over Fender Jazz, Stingray and even an Alembic series II (which was universally hated by the theater conductors I worked with at the time). I should add, that I hate none of these basses. In fact I would offer the following: Maybe I suck at adjusting two pickup or active instruments so that they sound good. Could very well be.

 

[Evanforbass]

i'm mostly surprised to hear that a church cares about bass beyond the fact that there's one being played on stage and it's not too loud

 

[CallMeAl]

My BL (older fella in his 60s) has made comments like “when you get a real Fender” or “Fender bass has a more focused sound.” So the stigma is there, but I’m my case ability eclipsed the stigma. He put me in two bands, and invites my to various jams and side projects. I eventually did put together a Fender parts bass, but only because I liked their necks

 

[Polkatronixx]

So the stigma is there, but I’m my case ability eclipsed the stigma. He put me in two bands, and invites my to various jams and side projects. I eventually did get a Fender, but only because I liked the neck

I own a Rickenbacker and am shockingly bad for someone who has played bass (off and on) for over 30 years. I guess I'm shaged if I want to play in a 'worship' group then.

 

[Treblefree]

Been playing in churches for more years than I'd like to admit. Have recorded in the studio and been played on the radio. In all that time, I've never once played a Fender and have not ever had a weird moment from anyone about it.

I have nothing against them. I owned a P when I was younger, but I just never bonded with it. Sounded great, but so do my others.

 

[Raw N Low]

Example: worship music. You play a Fender Jazz or a Fender P and those are your choices. You show up to a big church with something that's not a Fender and you'll get some looks.
Discuss?

Really???

I was always under the impression that if you would get dirty looks in worship if you didn't play a Ken Smith, Alembic, MTD, Warrior, or any other >$5K boutique 5 string. I think more recording studios prefer a solid Fender but, I wouldn't worry too much about what people think.

 

[MobileHolmes]

I've gotten a little side eye for showing up with a 6 string at a blues jam, but otherwise, non issue. None of my "fenders" are fender and nobody ever complains

 

[FishDub]

Me, in church, this past Sunday. Fretless G&L. Everybody loved it.
View attachment 4034250

I think there are small pockets of that kind of ignorance. But it's not pervasive.

That being said, if your plan is to be a bass player for hire, it would he wise to have an FSO (Fender Shaped Object) in your arsenal. If the ignorance outranks you, you just have to deal with it. It's their way or the highway. If you do x, you get the gig. If you don't do x, you won't be called back.

In this case, x = show up with a Fender bass.

Cool now I know what you look like! I always pictured you as a huge, fat dude with no hair and just an angry face

 

[wmhill]

I take it as a badge of honor to avoid the Fender hype.

 

[mattj1stc]

Funny, I would have thought that P&W basses were more likely to be active 5 strings, not standard 4 string Fenders, but I guess there are exceptions. That being said, I've never gotten any pushback for not playing an actual Fender or Fender-better (note - I play a Lakland 5 string P now, so that's basically a Fender-better to me). For years, I played a Dingwall AB-2 5 String that was in an alternate universe from a Fender, and no one ever made any comments. The only potential issues that I could envision arising would be if you were auditioning for a tribute band or a band with a very retro look, where period correct instruments were required. For example, if you auditioned for Lenny Kravitz, bringing a 6 string, single cut bass would probably not go over well no matter how great you played.

 

[BassinCT]

I would love to see the Mothman at a worship service.

 

[electracoyote]

It's funny how many musicians still hold to that old trope. Historically, Fender was the brand used to forge many genres of music from their infancy to prominence. Maybe some people just let old stereotypes dominate their thinking. Still, so much incredible music has been made and played so often with so many other brands of instrument, it is a curious thing.

 

[electracoyote]

Funny, I would have thought that P&W basses were more likely to be active 5 strings, not standard 4 string Fenders, but I guess there are exceptions.

From everything I'm seeing, non-standard basses (i.e. not Fender passive four bangers) are used just as often in P&W and have been for quite some time now. That format embraced the low B right along with several other genres and it's almost the new standard.

 

[LSquared]

I've not been "dinged" on Fender, but I had a worship leader tell me one time that I needed a 5-string active bass (rather than the 1965 Hagstrom I was using at the time). I said I'd play it if HE bought it. End of discussion.

 

[Johnny Crab]

Take the advice of this genius...…

https://www.amazon.com/What-Care-Other-People-Think/dp/0393355640/

Did without Fenders from 1973 until about 2015 or 2016. Played a 60's P from 1970 to 1973 then sold it, using 60's Gibson T-Birds instead.
Bought a sunburst Geddy when the prices were lowest(prices up $200 since then).

About a year later, a MIM P showed up at a reputable online dealer's site in April 2017 WITH very good LEVY gigbag all for $300. The only issue it had was a slightly stripped volume pot(the plastic knob) so I changed those out. Sounds like every other P I've heard or better.

Still doesn't matter.
The bass(es) should be one you like/love to play AND one that fits/serves the song(s).

 

[CallMeAl]

I own a Rickenbacker and am shockingly bad for someone who has played bass (off and on) for over 30 years. I guess I'm ****** if I want to play in a 'worship' group then.

I should note I’m not playing in church. I used to play church service when I played trumpet; as I recall, no one ever said boo about any single detail of what we brought or did. Everyone was grateful to have musicians. But haven’t played any bass for church.

I never did get down with Rics, the ergonomics never agreed with me. But there’s a player in town who plays one, and she kills it. She did just get a (Fender) P bass special, but she has the respect and credibility, could have easily kept on rocking with the Ric

 

[BioDriver]

I would love to see the Mothman at a worship service.

Running through a Fuzzrocious Blastripper and into an Orange AD200B. That would get my butt back in a pew.

 

[BurtMacklinFBI]

Does playing in a P+W band really pay that well that people can afford to give attitude? I wouldn't have thought so, but I've never attended a church that had any sort of band so I'm ignorant on the subject.

Anyway, the one time I ever got anything resembling guff about whether or not I played a Fender was from an old guy that used to hang around the same music store I did when I was a teenager; I'd just picked up a USA Fender Jazz and he was sure it was fake until he sat down and played it. It may go without saying but that guy was kind of a jerk. Beyond that, nothing, though I do tend to believe people who say you should have one for serious pro level studio and sideman/woman work.

 

[bassically_eli]

You gotta be kidding me. I can't say that I've experienced that. It sounds really silly.

Similar to those that consider the Precision Bass the "one bass to rule them all" (and probably justifiably so), I've noticed there's a lot of emphasis in a lot of places that if you aren't playing a Fender, that you don't have "the sound/authenticity" (sorry Gibson).

Example: worship music. You play a Fender Jazz or a Fender P and those are your choices. You show up to a big church with something that's not a Fender and you'll get some looks.
Seems like this is also the sentiment for studio as well. You're using a Fender P, Fender Jazz, or a Fender active 5.

It feels like there's some stigma about the instrument not being legitimate if it's not a Fender. What are your experiences?

Maybe it's just me?
Discuss?