What's the deal with Fender?

[PDX Rich]

Seriously though. Some of my favorite basses are fender. Not my top tip, but up there. Jo's much variance! Try and buy. You'll get no true objectivity here.

Listen and like. Listen and dislike. It matters not.

 

[Danomo]

My basses that have not been Fender that I've kept, are usually the ones that provide something unique the Fender's don't.

I've yet to keep any P or J style (or combo of) non-Fender bass (including Squier), I just couldn't bond.

 

[bassfunkman]

I like challenge, that's why I play Fender...you have to work them to get a tone out of them. That's why the hardest working bass players in the business got famous on Fender...Marcus, Jaco, Larry, Verdine, Rocco and the list goes on forever...musicians that like challenge. Lot's of them went to other brands after they got famous because the companies paid them top dollar. Understandable, it's nice to have money even you are famous...retirement too. If you don't like to be challenged every time you pick up your instrument...just don't play Fender

 

[tonemachine]

I was hesitant about writing this because I'd hate to upset people and make them start arguing, but what's the big deal about Fender basses? I have nothing against them, but they just seem like that brand everyone pays twice the price just for the name. I do agree their basses are nice, although I own none. And I do have a Fender 410 cab and enjoy it very much. But I can't tell if everyone prefers Fender jazz or precision basses due to actual quality or the placebo effect of a high price tag. I try out basses of different brands at half the price of a Fender and find them just as pleasing. Both my basses (beat up projects I fixed up) actually cost less than 100 bucks and I'm perfectly content with them. Can somebody give me a few good reasons why a Fender would beat a different brand bass in the same price range (if it would), or if it's just one of those things you pay more for the name on your headstock. A while ago I fixed and setup a Squire strat guitar for my bandmate to have as a backup, and if you played it without looking you'd think it was an expensive Fender. Please don't argue too much; I'm neutral on the brand and am just curious to find out why most bassists I see use a Fender. I have absolutely nothing against Fenders. I just don't get much GAS for them like most of you seem to.

I have 9 basses, two of them are Fenders, well one is a squier. They are the last two basses I've bought. They are the two least expensive I have and I just have stock, mass-produced basses- nothing crazy fancy except an older Fodera quality custom build by my relatively unknown friend. But I digress...

Fenders are quite affordable, even their most expensive seem just about the same as MM and less than Spector and all of the boutique stuff. I've played cheaper basses, including cheaper fenders, cheaper ibanez and the cheap versions of MM (SUB?) and the pickups definitely are NOT as versatile, nevermind probably cheaper metal components . Not sure where you're coming from on this... i'm obviously not a fender shill and me still thinks you may be a little unexperienced/uninformed in what's out there and what versatile, quality pickups offer over the pickups in a $100 bass.

 

[tonemachine]

I'm just curious if I were to have the funds in the future to buy a high end bass, what reasons would I have for getting a fender over something else like a Gibson?

Gibson? I bet of all of the "name" bass brands, Gibson is the least desired by bassists. I make that statement based only on comments seen on TB (and relative lack of expressed interest in Gibson basses) and I think TB gives a pretty good cross section of bass players.

 

[sharkbait130]

I have 2 Fenders and 2 others (an Ibanez and a Cort.). The others are actually a little easier to play but the Fenders sound better to me so they get all the gig time. All of them were bought used and I got incredible deals on all of them so money wasn't a big factor.

 

[Jughead6]

I only read this far into the thread because I was hoping to see more of ggoat's memes...

Anybody got a funny cat photo that would suit this thread?

 

[neckdive]

Fender is iconic. Most other brands are not.

Why do people buy Harleys or Mustangs? Certainly not for the quality.

Ouch to fans if those brands. True though.

I think the Harley/Mustang dig is cliche. I've owned a heckuva lot of cars in my lifetime and the newer Mustangs are top notch in terms of perfomance and reliability. I can't speak for Harleys since I haven't owned one but there is a reason that these 3 brands are popular and so often cloned.

Over time, people en masse vote with their dollars on what they think is the best for their buck. I don't believe that the majority of people are just blindly buying them based solely on their reputation.

Any highly regarded brand that has been producing a product since the '60s without considerable marketing campaigns to keep them top of mind must be building something good.

 

[bassfunkman]

I only read this far into the thread because I was hoping to see more of ggoat's memes...

Anybody got a funny cat photo that would suit this thread?

That's my cat Lucky...she plays a 63´ Precision in sparkle pink

 

[StayLow]

I was hesitant about writing this because I'd hate to upset people and make them start arguing, but what's the big deal about Fender basses? I have nothing against them, but they just seem like that brand everyone pays twice the price just for the name. I do agree their basses are nice, although I own none. And I do have a Fender 410 cab and enjoy it very much. But I can't tell if everyone prefers Fender jazz or precision basses due to actual quality or the placebo effect of a high price tag. I try out basses of different brands at half the price of a Fender and find them just as pleasing. Both my basses (beat up projects I fixed up) actually cost less than 100 bucks and I'm perfectly content with them. Can somebody give me a few good reasons why a Fender would beat a different brand bass in the same price range (if it would), or if it's just one of those things you pay more for the name on your headstock. A while ago I fixed and setup a Squire strat guitar for my bandmate to have as a backup, and if you played it without looking you'd think it was an expensive Fender. Please don't argue too much; I'm neutral on the brand and am just curious to find out why most bassists I see use a Fender. I have absolutely nothing against Fenders. I just don't get much GAS for them like most of you seem to.

Your post looks like this, only not as legible nor does it make as much sense:

 

[mdogs]

I was hesitant about writing this because I'd hate to upset people and make them start arguing, but what's the big deal about Fender basses? I have nothing against them, but they just seem like that brand everyone pays twice the price just for the name. I do agree their basses are nice, although I own none. And I do have a Fender 410 cab and enjoy it very much. But I can't tell if everyone prefers Fender jazz or precision basses due to actual quality or the placebo effect of a high price tag. I try out basses of different brands at half the price of a Fender and find them just as pleasing. Both my basses (beat up projects I fixed up) actually cost less than 100 bucks and I'm perfectly content with them. Can somebody give me a few good reasons why a Fender would beat a different brand bass in the same price range (if it would), or if it's just one of those things you pay more for the name on your headstock. A while ago I fixed and setup a Squire strat guitar for my bandmate to have as a backup, and if you played it without looking you'd think it was an expensive Fender. Please don't argue too much; I'm neutral on the brand and am just curious to find out why most bassists I see use a Fender. I have absolutely nothing against Fenders. I just don't get much GAS for them like most of you seem to.

I want to know how the mods pick the person who has to start this thread everyday? I mean I have been on here for a few years, but I have not won yet!

 

[bassfunkman]

I want to know how the mods pick the person who has to start this thread everyday? I mean I have been on here for a few years, but I have not won yet!

It's your turn tomorrow!

 

[pbass62]

I see from OP avatar you are a brass man, Bach or Bundy?????? and why!

 

[Winfred]

Play what you like, bro. How other people spend their money is none of my business.

 

[AaronVonRock]

I think the Harley/Mustang dig is cliche. I've owned a heckuva lot of cars in my lifetime and the newer Mustangs are top notch in terms of perfomance and reliability. I can't speak for Harleys since I haven't owned one but there is a reason that these 3 brands are popular and so often cloned.

Over time, people en masse vote with their dollars on what they think is the best for their buck. I don't believe that the majority of people are just blindly buying them based solely on their reputation.

Any highly regarded brand that has been producing a product since the '60s without considerable marketing campaigns to keep them top of mind must be building something good.
]

I was just using those brands as examples of products that are iconic and have the "cool factor" but are not necessarily the best quality or best value for the money. I have nothing against Harleys or Mustangs and I love Fender.

 

[DieterVDW]

Maybe you just don't notice the difference .

I used to be like you. If I don't notice the difference, why pay the money.
However on my MIA Fender Jazz, I DO notice the difference. Finest instrument I've played to date...

 

[pauljude]

They are played because they are what all basses are judged by. Lets not forget that one needs talent to make them sound good.

 

[brianrost]

I was hesitant about writing this because I'd hate to upset people and make them start arguing

So maybe you should have paid attention to your feeling of hesitation

 

[Kmrumedy]

Seriously?! 245,563 posts on Fender in here and you can't hit a search button educate yourself on a subject thousands of us have discussed before? F-me

 

[Humbled]

...Both my basses (beat up projects I fixed up) actually cost less than 100 bucks and I'm perfectly content with them...

Which pretty much proves you're either a genius as an artisan or completely clueless. Either way, it's a sure sign that no further discussion is likely to be useful.