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Why does everyone use Fenders?

#63
fender or fender-clone is instantly credible and said credibility can be had for pretty cheap. once you get into the "not-fenders" you usually have to spend more money to get the credibility of your average squier, deservedly so or not.

translation: those indy rock guys are all cheap bastages.:p
 
#65
Well, if I went into my local music stores (mainly Long & McQuades) and look at the wall, I'm going to see and endless amount of Fenders, four or five MusicMan basses, a handful of Ibanez basses, and maybe a Yamaha or two.

Some people like them because of their idols. Some people like them because they think that Fenders are the basses to play and that everything else is inferior. Some people just happen to play them because they feel right, sound good, and can work in almost every setting.
 
#67
Fender's are iconic, and they're industry standard, and they're easily recognized.

For a very very long time, the electric bass was simply referred to in the industry as the "Fender Bass".

People expect you to play a Fender for what ever reason...

My cousin was once denied a gig he really wanted, because he didn't have a proper Fender... sure, he had a decent J-Bass copy he was willing to use, but some people in this industry, for what ever reason, still have it in their mind that their bass player should play one...

My main bass is a "Super Fender" J-Bass copy, but I will never get rid of my Jaguar Bass for this very reason...
 
#68
the yeti said:
translation: those indy rock guys are all cheap bastages.:p
Click to expand...
I think it's more complex than that. You know how around 2010 they all dressed like lumberjacks and grew beards just to point out to everybody that they can dress like lumberjacks and grow beards with zero risk of being mistaken for an actual lumberjack or anyone else who's ever done any kind of manual labor?

Along similar lines, they probably play Fenders just to show everyone that they can take the bass used on thousands of pop hits and use it to play completely unpopular music.
 
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#69
You can't go wrong with a Fender. There are other basses that may do a little better in certain situations, but you will never get a raised eyebrow from opening your gig bag and pulling out a Fender. It's the sound that has been recorded more than any others.
 
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#70
cybersnyder said:
You can't go wrong with a Fender. There are other basses that may do a little better in certain situations, but you will never get a raised eyebrow from opening your gig bag and pulling out a Fender. It's the sound that has been recorded more than any others.
Click to expand...

Yep, never been questioned on a session for having a Fender, unless of course they specifically asked for something else!
 
#71
batmilk said:
Not to hate on Fenders at all, I love the way they look and sound and would definitely love to have one...

But in the world of indie rock/alternative rock/shoegaze/etc, it seems like every single bassist uses some kind of a Fender (and almost always uses a pick).

I'm going to be starting a shoegaze/dreampop band with some friends and I play a 5 string Warwick Corvette, and I can't help but feel somewhat out of place, not that it will bother me much, but I just don't understand the fascination. I also can't use a pick to save my life, so that's another thing.

Is it actually a specific tone these guys want or more of a fashion statement?
Click to expand...

For me it was tone and feel. I had a Spector NS4 (dual humbuckers). Great neck and all but I could never get the tone I wanted out of it. On a whim I picked up an American standard P-bass at a local guitar shop. The feel of the neck was extraordinary. The resonance of the body was wonderful and the tone was what I had been trying to get out of the Spector. Incredible sustain as well. So, I traded in my $4,000 Spector for the Fender P and have never been happier. Having said that, I happened upon a good one at first try. I've played other American standards that were duds. You have to try a few before finding one that "sings". The new Fender "select" models are extremely good. I would also like to get a Jazz or Tony Franklin model P-bass (has a jazz p-up in the bridge position) for that ocassional tune where a more nasal honk is wanted. For the styles you mention, it's hard to duplicate the deep, dark and delicious tone of a (good) P-bass (IMO).
 
#72
two fingers said:
First of all, play what you like and don't let anyone tell you any different. That being said....

The reason many of us play Fender basses is that the Fender tone is what's in our heads. Many of the songs we grew up listening to were recorded on Fender basses so the tone of that instrument sounds "right" to many of us. It's really that simple. That tone has become an industry standard of sorts. I gig with Nashville artists who come through my area sometimes. I don't dare show up with my BTB 5. The tone they are looking for is a Fender bass for the most part. It's what they like and what they expect. Who am I to tell a Nashville artist what tone they SHOULD like? Many Indie people are the same. They have gotten used to how a Fender bass sits in a mix. It fits (in a lot of cases) with the overall sound they are going for.

Here's the thing. If you want to play music for other people (a "gun for hire" so to speak) you should probably grab a Fender (or something like one) when you get a chance. You don't have to play it all the time. But it's a tool that you should have available. Once you have earned a reputation as a pro that can be relied upon, you can show up with whatever you want.

Now, if you only intend to play in bands that you help run or are all original, then find what you like and to heck with anyone (including me) who tells you that your bass is "wrong".

Doing your own thing = play what you want.
Working for others = have a Fender available if you need it and they expect it.

No biggie.
Click to expand...
This.
 
#74
My first bass was an EB-3, too. Flats and all. Tons of thud and mud but it fit then...8 piece horn band.
I prefer Fender because they're:
1. So freekin' SIMPLE.
2. Tons of aftermarket parts to mod if you so desire.
3. They are the standard tone. I actually believe the voicing (frequency response) of most amps is centered around a P-bass type of tone. No bass or guitar preamp is EQ'ed flat. I can always get a good tone out of 90% of the amps/speakers I've used.
4. They just feel right.
5. They are priced right for what they are and what you get.
If you can't get a good tone from a Fender, you probably can't get a good tone from anything else.
Just my $ 000000.02
 
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#75
For the curious and confused, here are examples of:

Shoegaze (which is named so because of the use of multiple effects and the guitarists' tendency to look at their "shoes")

Other notable acts: Ride, Slowdive

Dreampop (named so probably because of that dreamy sort of spacey feel about the music, though I'm not really confident about that explanation)

Other notable acts: Cocteau Twins, The Flaming Lips
 
#76
I just switched back to Fender after being a Spector & Ibanez junky.
Both of my previous basses (Spector Rebop 5DLX & Ibanez BTB 6 string) were great, but were kind of a niche sound.
I couldn't dial in a clean tone on the Spector, it always growled. I couldn't get a growl out of the BTB, and it weighed a TONNE.
I took a chance on a MIM Active Deluxed Jazz 5 after playing the Am Dlx 5 Jazz. I figured there couldn't be too much difference. I wasn't disappointed. I can dial in any tone I wanted on the other basses, plus more. The bass has a naturally bright tone, which is good because I don't like to use the boost on the highs of a pre-amp. It's become my go-to for my cover band. We do everything from country, to blues-rock, to pop and this bass fits.
My Spector is now collecting dust while I try to sell it. Sad, considering an $800 bass is replacing a $1600 one.
 
#80
bumperbass said:
My first bass was an EB-3, too. Flats and all. Tons of thud and mud but it fit then...8 piece horn band.
I prefer Fender because they're:
1. So freekin' SIMPLE.
2. Tons of aftermarket parts to mod if you so desire.
3. They are the standard tone. I actually believe the voicing (frequency response) of most amps is centered around a P-bass type of tone. No bass or guitar preamp is EQ'ed flat. I can always get a good tone out of 90% of the amps/speakers I've used.
4. They just feel right.
5. They are priced right for what they are and what you get.
If you can't get a good tone from a Fender, you probably can't get a good tone from anything else.
Just my $ 000000.02
Click to expand...

Great point! Add the following:
6. Fenders are widely available.
7. Any luthier will know their way around one.
8. Tons and tons of variety (colors, 4/5 strings, active/passive, fretted/frettless, etc.)
 

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