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why does everyone use fender?

#161
I have a 64 precision that I saved for, bought and owned since I was 19 years old... I'm now 38, it has all my years of sweat and grime still on it, along with the sweat and grime that was already soaked into it... it has put up with more crapola and abuse than my wife, it has seen me thru more closs calls than my car and has survived every session with ease... it's the life of the studio party... it almost walks out of the case, tunes, straps and sits in my lap by itself. That's just me and mine.

I have other basses that I love, some Guilds that too me alone have that mojo that I need to feel, hand stink I call it.

New basses are great and I love to pick 'em up, they are so amazingly playable... I would probably never buy one due to lack of hand stink but they are great instruments...
 
#162
i have to say i have tried alot of basses (i always go into a music shop to try their basses just for fun and reference)

whenever i pick up a fender i never get that, wow this is a good bass feeling. its just mediocore. but ive played ibanez/spector/musicmans that totally blow away fenders. (of course im not picthing a $300 fender against a stingray im talking about the $1000+fenders)

is there something im missing, becuase i was under the impression that MOST people bought fenders becasue what is says on the headstock?
 
#164
iriegnome said:
I could not bring myself to read 8 pages of responses, but here is mine - I don't like fender. Never have. I don't own one anymore and the only reason I did have one is they are the rare company that made (1976-1978) a Fretless bass with a unmarked Maple Fretboard. I hate the neck radius, I can't stand the P-Bass nut width or the Jazz Body.
It is all a personal opinion and that is just mine.
Click to expand...

Which nut spacing don't you like?
A. Neck 1 1/2 just like a Jazz
B. neck 1 5/8
C. neck 1 3/4 wide string spacing
See i don't understand how some players just can't have or won't own a Fender. There has to be 1 in that sea of production basses that fit. I know it's hard to get past that name on the headstock. I really don't know of any type of music they won't fit into. I don't think there is a bass out there that I truly hate and I had a Rogue VB100 that was just a killer bass. But to say you don't like them for said reason makes me wonder if you've played enough of them to find the right one. Fenders like all makes of basses are going to feel and sound different from instument to instrument. I don't think I have a point to make I'm just rambling. Thats what happens when you get old. No offense to anyone I only used this quote as an example, seems like everyone should have at least 1 Fender.
 
#165
Here's what I've learned from this thread, some of it dubious:

Advantages of Fender:

1) You’d better get one if you want to work in LA.
2) Fits nicely in the engineer's comfort zone.
3) Wide availability of replacement parts.
4) Good resale value.
5) You’re not a real player if you don’t use one.
Everybody knows that. :rolleyes:
6) Your girlfriend will like the colour.
7) You can't go wrong with a Fender. Ever. :rolleyes:

I think Fender’s slogan should be “Play it safe. Play a Fender” :D
 
#166
If I have to explain.... You wouldn't understand
DSC012932.jpg
 
#168
There are obviously so many appropriate answers here.

My thoughts: Fender has always made a very good product at very good price points. The have a lot of pros that use and/or endorse their product and they also have a huge marketing budget. That never hurts either.
 
#169
Fenders sit in the mix, really really well. Especially the P Bass (in my opinion). Some of you guys may be into progressive bass, or even solo bass. This factor will mean less to you, than it does to me. You have to play a good P Bass with a band (good amp too, duh) and Fender will make more sense than just playing it at the store. I play bass as an ensemble instrument. So this point is a big deal. I'm not saying other basses don't or can't do this... but with Fender it's dead simple, especially a P Bass (one volume knob, one tone knob). You don't have to dial in a good sound (that works in a band situation).

Pretty good indication of Fender's merit: plenty of high-end manufacturers use the P or J as a jumping off point, for their basses. Nobody would bother copying a dud. For a production bass, Fender is a good choice. Like any big company, they slip occasionally.

If you are interested in Fender but haven't found one you like, play a good-feeling one in a band situation. They work very well there.
 
#170
jwbassman said:
Some of the talk about not getting gigs without a Fender is just absurd.

I've never been kicked off a gig or not gotten a spot because I didn't have a P-Bass or a J-Bass. I once had a guy make some of the cuff remark at a gig, (with a band I had never played with, never rehearshed with, didn't know any of there material, and had literally just met the guy) about my Spector that I had brought to the gig. My guess is that he was implying "where's your Fender". You know what, after playing two songs of the sound check he was doing nothing but singing praises. Why? My guess is that it wasn't my bass, but it was my playing.

That's what's important. That's what gets you gigs. That's what pays the bills.

Being a pro isn't about what you play for a bass, it's about how you play, no matter what brand you play. And if some dude thinks other wise and doesn't want to give you a gig because of it. Just walk. Because if you are good at what you do, other people will be calling you with work regardless of what brand you play.
Click to expand...
That's a great attitude if you're independently wealthy enough not to care. Some of us need the work, though. Some of us do this for a living. Some of us play in a small community where news of someone's lack of willingness to do what the job requires travels fast. Real easy to tell them to take a walk when you can afford it, isn't it?
 
#171
playibanez said:
i have to say i have tried alot of basses (i always go into a music shop to try their basses just for fun and reference)

whenever i pick up a fender i never get that, wow this is a good bass feeling. its just mediocore. but ive played ibanez/spector/musicmans that totally blow away fenders. (of course im not picthing a $300 fender against a stingray im talking about the $1000+fenders)

is there something im missing, becuase i was under the impression that MOST people bought fenders becasue what is says on the headstock?
Click to expand...
Yes, we're all so stupid and have no clue what we're doing and we just buy Fenders to be cool like Mike Dirnt. Why don't you clue us all in and enlighten all us idiots?
 
#173
I had a last minute call to record a bassline a few weeks ago. Literally just enough time to grab my J with it's battered strings and half of the neck buzzing because I'm playing mostly upright these days. I gave the truss rod a half a turn, grabbed my G&L L-2500 and Avalon U5 and jumped in a cab. I get there, setup with the G&L thinking the low B would be handy (it was a country root-five kind of song). Plug it in the U5, and start looking for tone. No luck. It was not defined, not clean, not fat. Then I plug the fender, turn all the knobs on, and I had the sound. It was extremely tight, focused, bassy, perfect and super punchy.

That's not to say other basses aren't great too, but there is something to be said about picking up a old battered japanese J (actually is a squier - with a new bridge), giving it a quick and dirty adjusment after months of changing weather and no play, plug in and sound great. No other bass I've owned does that.

On another note, I mentionned earlier in this thread that I feel like the J responds in a way similar to an acoustic instrument -> what I put in it get out louder, and that applies both to the good and the bad things. I feel like the J challenges me to play it well everytime, that it puts up a little fight. I hate an instrument that just puts up with everything I do.
 
#174
First off, Ed Goode, thank you for the nice compliment. I don't view my thoughts as gospel by any means, but I have been in many different pro situations, and though most of the time nobody tells me what bass I should play, there are some times that I'm requested to play a certain bass, and 99% of the time it's a Fender.

I am by no means even close to the world's greatest bassist. But I'm never without work. Why? Mostly because I sing pretty well. But it's also because I'm easy to get along with and willing to work with other people's requests within reason. I don't take crap like getting jerked around, but I am very easy to get along with, and if someone says to me, "Hey, I love that Jazz Bass of yours," or "Hey, a lot of our stuff requires some low notes so if you have a 5 or 6-string, bring it," I make sure every time I work with them I bring that bass. I see nothing wrong with making the guy paying you glad he hired you.

Apparently some of you have a problem with that concept and think that your talent wil overcome everything. It won't. I don't care who you are or what you do, your talent will at some point be meaningless to someone who hires you. If you play music as a pro for long, at some point you will get someone who wants to hire you because they want a project done the way they want it done and they don't care in the least about your talent or your opinion of your equipment. And it's usually the gigs that have the least freedom that pay the best. You want to walk away from it, that's your deal. Me, I can't afford to walk away from it. I'll do everything they ask to the best of my ability. Wanna call me a sellout, you go right ahead. I'll see you at the bank.

Let me ask a hypothetical of the people who think that's selling out...someone calls you and says they heard you were a great bassist and they have a session they want you to play and it pays $200 an hour with an eight hour guarantee, but when you get there with your wonderful $5000 Fodera and your $3000 Sadowsky and your whatever, there's some old dilapidated 1960's Teisco bass with the original strings that the producer absolutely loves and wants you to play and he doesn't want to hear from your basses. Do you insist on using your bass and he throws you out and hires someone else, or do you pick up the Teisco and make your $1600? If you say you'd insist on using your bass, I'll call you a moron to your face.
 
#175
Groovin' said:
I like the tone that Fender basses produce. I wish they were balanced a tiny bit better (weight distribution).
Click to expand...

+1 on the tone issue.
Even if it looks like a Fender, it is rare, in my experience, that the Fender tone is duplicated, especially when placed in a band setting. I have had and currently own non-Fenders that have great solo tone, but take a lot of 'dialing in' to sit right in the mix. I've never owned or heard a Fender (with pasive PUPs) that didn't sit right with the band. Maybe it my ears.

I haven't had the balance problem mentioned above, P's or J's (even a Mustang) just seem to hang at the proper playing angle for me.

When a tool does the job you want it to do, why fight with something else? Fenders have always worked well for me, so I continue to use them.
 
#176
Read post 169 by K2000. Well said K! My P just "fits." Little tone knob adjustment here & there for different tunes... Do I gas for a Roscoe, Sadowsky, Benavente, Lull, Spector or Fodera? Sure. Sorry for those I left out, :hiding: But my point is, those basses may be able to fill the void that my p or j can't adjust to but the basic "bass" sound that I am striving for is met by my '65p & '82j. My MTD has fretless covered. 'Cause my p is strung with flatwounds do I think a NYC Sad with pj's & rounds would spank? Damn right it would. Will it sound like my p w/flats? No way. C'mon, go for your sound. It's not a personal thang... But it is...:p
 
#177
Fenders just seem to fit me well ergonomically. I rarely play my Ric because it is physically uncomfortable for me. Too many things in the way it seems. My MM Sub 5 has a tone I like but, the neck is not quick enough for me. I have owned my '81 jazz for 25 years and always come back to it.

I also think they have a classic, unpretentious look for playing rock. Simple, clean and unfettered.

I've only tried a few boutique basses but never feel like I can really rock with them.
 
#178
I avoided Fender for years for no real reason except that they just seemed so common and I wanted to play something a little more "unique". This year I was able to actually try out a bunch of lefty Fenders all at once and ended up buying a brand new lefty MIM Jazz.

The active deluxe MIA jazz bass that I also tried was neat but I was really digging the passive tone. I was also really into the MIA passive P bass that I tried but after a lot of messing around, I kept coming back to the MIM Jazz.

I bought it and have added some very common mods, BadassII bridge, series/parrallel mod, better pickups and torte pickguard.

This bass just feels so good. I am amazed how fast and smooth the neck is. the bass is very heavy and feels great to strap on. It sits well in the mix and I love the simple passive set up.

I can't belive it took me so long to finally own a Fender. I do consider my Stingray 5 to be my "high end" bass, but this Jazz is a fantastic find and a joy to play.
 
#179
Just when I thought I was out....

I just wanted to add this little bit:

Not talking bad on Fenders, just what I percieve.

There is talk about the Fender 'tone.' Listen to Jaco, JPJ, Larry Graham, Marcus Miller, Geddy Lee, etc.

They all play J's, but they get a completely different tone.....Completely. Then factor in the many configurations of Fenders. The term Fender bass is pretty generic. Heck, even Fender makes active basses with exotic tops. And then, there's all the mods that people do to them to make them sound better. (That's ironic.)


I own a few Fenders and I do use them for sessions.

I've done tons of gigs for hire. Mostly upright, but still alot on electric. Usually, I show up with a few basses. I've done gigs on Hofners, Thunderbirds, Fenders. Most of my hired gun gigs are acoustic or electric jazz. So, I have more freedom in choice of axe. If I played pop/rock, then maybe people would ask me to bring a Fender. I don't know. In the jazz world, people prefer upright, but on the electric funk/fusion gigs, they couldn't care less.

Ok, look...everyone has different expieriences. I cannot assume that mine are the same as yours, so I cannot present this as fact for everyone...just me.
 
#180
ninnlangel said:
I had a last minute call to record a bassline a few weeks ago. Literally just enough time to grab my J with it's battered strings and half of the neck buzzing because I'm playing mostly upright these days. I gave the truss rod a half a turn, grabbed my G&L L-2500 and Avalon U5 and jumped in a cab. I get there, setup with the G&L thinking the low B would be handy (it was a country root-five kind of song). Plug it in the U5, and start looking for tone. No luck. It was not defined, not clean, not fat. Then I plug the fender, turn all the knobs on, and I had the sound. It was extremely tight, focused, bassy, perfect and super punchy.
Click to expand...

I have had similar experience. I was cutting a demo a few weeks ago, and I thought that my Jazz would sound out of place for what we were doing. As it turned out, it sat perfectly in the mix, didn't get in the way of vocals/acoustic, and it didn't need to be tweaked. I think you have to put Sadowsky, Lull, Lakland, etc in the same "class" as Fender since they are very close in design. I would never hesitate to bring a Fender on a gig however. I know exactly what to expect.
 

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