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Why Doesn't Fender Offer These As Standard Equipment?

#125
micguy said:
I didn't say it was a faulty design - I said the additional friction (there is additional friction) could cause minor tuning stability issues. It is defintitely an economical design - that was the point.

The point of a scarf joint is it ISN'T fragile. The Gibson method (no scarf joint) is what's fragile.
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Yes, I understand. Others did call it a faulty design and you did use the term band-aid to describe the retainer. No disrespect intended.
I have both types of necks and have never really noticed any major differences in performance. Leo was, after all, frugal. Which is its main advantage.
 
#126
Okay, I just emailed Roger Sadowsky why they employ at least three string retainers on all of their new instruments. I got an instantaneous response and here it is word for word:

We always used string retainers on basses…
This is just our newest design…
“Continuous Improvement"

Mic drop, end of discussion. Mods feel free to close this thread anytime.
 
#127
JMarkD said:
Yes, I understand. Others did call it a faulty design and you did use the term band-aid to describe the retainer. No disrespect intended.
I have both types of necks and have never really noticed any major differences in performance. Leo was, after all, frugal. Which is its main advantage.
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I have Fenderish necks (with G/D retainers) - I use the taller versions, as they add less friction than the short ones that represent Leo’s design. Those necks have a bit of hysteresis in tuning (ot is, as I said, minor). My angled headstocks seem to have almost none. All my necks have graphtech nuts (that’s not the difference).
 
#130
PolkaHero said:
Okay, I just emailed Roger Sadowsky why they employ at least three string retainers on all of their new instruments. I got an instantaneous response and here it is word for word:

We always used string retainers on basses…
This is just our newest design…
“Continuous Improvement"

Mic drop, end of discussion. Mods feel free to close this thread anytime.
Click to expand...

All that tells me is that Sadowsky sales have grown to include less serious players, many of whom never learned how to install strings correctly. The "newest design" means that by default, until recently there was no "problem" to be solved. Which makes perfect sense, as Sadowsky owners were typically more serious, seasoned players who understood the basics.

Besides, what did you expect Sadowsky to say?...."yeah, we know they're not really needed, but for marketing purposes we've decided to add an extra little feature to appeal to a wider range of buyers, including those who can't/won't learn how to install strings the right way".
 
#131
PolkaHero said:
Okay, I just emailed Roger Sadowsky why they employ at least three string retainers on all of their new instruments. I got an instantaneous response and here it is word for word:

We always used string retainers on basses…
This is just our newest design…
“Continuous Improvement"

Mic drop, end of discussion. Mods feel free to close this thread anytime.
Click to expand...

do you feel that creating a thread allows you to dictate what is said and what isn’t said? Do you feel that also allows you the freedom to insult and troll your fellow members? Are you of the mindset that your opinion is what matters and anyone who doesn’t share your view should be argued with? Because that’s what you have done.
 
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#136
selowitch said:
Wouldn’t using tapered string posts accomplish the same thing? I realize the posts are a most costly part, but if they simply included tapered posts in the
stock configuration that would be very nice.
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It seems to help with keeping the string wound to the bottom of the tapered pots.

Music Man Stingrays come from the factory with such tuners. Co- incidentally, all of the Stingray SR5s I owned had great B strings, along with the Fender American Elite Jazz 5 (equipped with the stealth retainer) and my current and only Bass, my Mike Lull (no retainers at all on the B and E strings).

Also, in keeping with whatever juvenile mantra keeps driving this thread, the Stingray SR5s have a retainer for the A and D strings.
 
#138
Iridescentone said:
All that tells me is that Sadowsky sales have grown to include less serious players, many of whom never learned how to install strings correctly. The "newest design" means that by default, until recently there was no "problem" to be solved. Which makes perfect sense, as Sadowsky owners were typically more serious, seasoned players who understood the basics.

Besides, what did you expect Sadowsky to say?...."yeah, we know they're not really needed, but for marketing purposes we've decided to add an extra little feature to appeal to a wider range of buyers, including those who can't/won't learn how to install strings the right way".
Click to expand...

Another consideration: Sadowsky is currently using Hipshot Ultralite tuners are most of their basses. Maybe the string retainers ARE required because you can't make as many windings around the tuning posts?
 
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#139
PolkaHero said:
I just looked at EVERY bass model available on Sadowsky's website and EVERY one has at least a three sting retainer on the headstock. Not sure what year/model yours is.
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It is a Metro MV5 Special Edition (special edition is for the finish on it which is a quilted maple trans blue)
d09a43a7-1da0-4a45-80e7-3eb9cb3a5fe0-jpeg.jpg
and it was born in 2013.
 

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