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Unimpressed by Fender basses

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#141
DoctorZee said:
I only got serious about pets about 2 years ago so I had never actually owned a dog before. But today I looked at a rescue puppy at the pound. Unimpressed! He did not have a collar or a leash. Hair too long, but then I'm used to my parakeet. I would expect much better. I tried out a cat. That was a little better but still no collar.
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Dogs and cats make me sick!
 
#145
Going back several decades.... I remember when I would pick up just some guitar and, invariably, it had an action that I didn't agree with. Then I'd pick up some high end guitar and it played like absolute butter. Now... that isn't saying anything at all about one guitar or another. The fact of the matter was, I was new to guitar/bass so I had no reasonable expectations of what constituted good and bad. My hands hadn't yet built strength to really work anything but a guitar with crazy low action and the type of music I was into at the time was all about fleet, light fingered playing (thrash metal). The higher end models of the brands associated with that style (Jackson, BC Rich, Charvel, Ibanez, etc) would get special attention from the music store staff to ensure they had the action that would likely be expected of them. ...usually because the salesmen wanted the guitars for themselves. haha. The cheaper guitars or used ones typically got no attention. So, if they didn't come in playing great, nothing really improved.

As I got older and learned how to work playing action, I no longer looked at string height or neck bow. Now, I just check a few basic comfort things and pretty much anything else can be changed.
 
#150
Hi Kipp :)

Kipp Harrington said:
it's like beating a dead horse!
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Sorry I just ran out of horses… :D

dead-parrot.gif


all I can offer is a dead parrot. :laugh:

Wise(b)ass
 
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#152
Plus the fact that more basses hang on walls in stores, untouched and unset up, than played or even touched regularly, does nothing for the reflection or playability of the mfg and or their product. If you play a fully set up Fender and you still aren't happy, come back and share your opinions with us then @IbanezSDGR2. If you can't do that, I'd refrain from giving serious opinions or otherwise because the fact is, you simply don't know.
 
#154
IbanezSDGR2 said:
I only got serious about bass about 2 years ago so I had never actually played a Fender bass before. But today I tried out a made in Mexico Fender. Invalid Link Removed Unimpressed! Strings too far away from the fretboard. Neck too thick, but then I'm used to my Ibanez.
For $800 I would expect much better.
I tried out a $1,500 Fender. That was a little better but still the strings were too far from the fretboard.
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I haven't read all the responses yet, but I'm sure everyone has said by now that the off-the-rack setup isn't something you can hold against Fender. Not that the initial setups aren't generally bad; they are. Fender churns out basses on a production line and puts little effort into the setup or QC before their gear ships. That's just mass production for you. However, customers in stores can mess with the instruments or the necks can warp. Stuff happens. For me, it is the responsibility of the store to make sure that the instruments they are trying to sell aren't unplayable. They should regularly clean, restring, and setup their instruments if they want to attract buyers, but this rarely happens.
PJ basses have Jazz necks, which are generally smaller than a P bass neck. However, either should be thicker\wider than any SR series Ibanez. If you are playing a BTB series or Talman, a Fender jazz might feel smaller. The only thing Fender has tried to evolve on their antiquated designs is making the necks a little more ergonomic. Old P bass necks are ridiculously chunky, and people have complained about it for years. Maybe they have over compensated.

All that said, I will agree with you that Fender basses are decidedly "meh." Being the first designer of the electric bass does mean that they are going to be the vanilla of the bass world. Simple, basic, no frills, little taste, but serviceable, and palatable to most people. The number of brands that have improved on Fender's guitar and bass designs are innumerable. If you are in to retro designs from 40-50 years ago, they are all over the place. I'm not, so Fender and its copy cats have little interest to me.
For years I resisted the Fender hype. Then last year I picked up a limited edition Noir P bass because it was the least yawn inducing Fender P I had seen. Sadly I haven't jelled with it at all. My Peavey Forum and BC Rich ST play better and have the "P bass sound" as much as the Fender. In less than a year, and never using it live because I can't find I way to make it work, I've listed it on CL.
Flat wounds are horrifically over hyped on TB as well. Don't fall for that one either.
 
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