Good question and deeper than it seems. It explains quite well what this thread is about.
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Why So Many People Playing Fender Basses?
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Currently I use two basses: a vintage Gibson Triumph and a new-ish Squier Classic Vibe Precision. They are both great in their own way. To compare them, I'd say when the Gibson is very 'broad' sounding and full, the precision is more narrow, focused and punchy. With flat wound strings the P really kind of 'barks' violently with heavy distortion. Very interesting tone which I haven't achieved with anything else! Both still retain that kind of passive, old school tone. They both sit well in the mix but in different ways. So to answer your question: I use the Squier P to achieve something else than with my other instruments. Also the classic, timeless tone of the P is definitely a factor here.
I have a bunch of basses, and I have zero brand loyalty when it comes to musical instruments. That said, There's just something about a Fender/Squier bass that gets me going. I only have one: a Squier VM '77 Jazz Bass, and I love the thing. It's extremely comfortable to play, looks great, sounds great, and will be easy to mod down the road when I do get bored of it. Now, I want a P-Bass to mod to round out my lineup.
And of course the Jazz Bass growls very nicely when you dig in back by the bridge pickup...
The link between the JB and the Rick have sense regarding the sound (Geedy Lee, Chris Squire Both use the two) but the neck and ergonomy is a different world.
I have been playing bass for over 40 years. I've had and have a bunch of gorgeous basses. But, I found my voice with a Fender P. The fit, feel, sound is what I always had in my head! I do play other basses, but I'll always reach for my beloved Ps first!
Why do so many play Fenders? I can't think of a style or genre of music since the 50's that a Fender P or J bass hasn't done well. IMO over the years the only thing Fender didn't excel at was 5 string basses. That's why I have a Lull PJ5 and a Sadowsky J5. If Fender can compete with those guys then I'll be interested.
Good point about the fivers, although some of the newer Fenders seem to be getting some love around here these days.
I wouldn't expect production Fenders to compete favorably with Lull or Sadowsky. Cost-wise, it's not a level playing field. The extra attention to details and playability come at a price. A more fair comparison might be between a Fender Custom Shop bass and a Lull or Sadowsky? The Fender may still not measure up in some ways, but for the money, one would expect the disparity gap to narrow considerably. Yes?
For the last 7 years I played a Lyons LB-40, it's like a PJ but the neck is thin and wide.
I just settled on a used Washburn XB400 with active humbuckers and a neck close to a C neck, got it and a case for $220 at GC. People are wanting $200 to $400 for the same bass. The XB400 sounds a lot like what ever the bass player in Kansas often uses, especially apparent on Icarus Born on Wings of Steel, a song I like to hear and play.
The Squire Vintage Modified Jazz Bass (blonde) is $350 and no case so I settled on a money advantage. I still want the VMJB and might get one.
True, but now Sadowsky are taking the fight right to Fenders front door with the Metro Express series. The ME basses level the playing field pretty effectively.
The answer, in my mind, is very simple. They work. They work in more places than other basses. They are the standard, and have been since 1951.
It goes to one of those "if it's not broke, why try to fix it?" type deals.
It goes to one of those "if it's not broke, why try to fix it?" type deals.
The Truth is you can get a great bass for very little. It looks Cool. Proven Track Record. Sounds Great. Beautifully Simple. Simply Beautiful.
Why do so many people use apostrophe s when they should be using the plural?
I've owned one Squier, but have never owned a Fender. In 1973 when I bought my first new bass I bought a Gibson Ripper. I purposely did not buy a Fender because virtually everybody else was playing them and I just had to be different. Really though, I had/have nothing against the brand; in fact, I think Leo belongs on Mt. Rushmore!
When I wanted a jazz bass I bought a G&L Tribute JB-2 - for two reasons - one, I prefer the thinner (front to back) neck, and, two, I like more of a standard P body compared to the jazz offset body. I've been interested in several Fenders over the years - a PJ or two, the Geddy Lee - but that's as close as I've come to actually owning one.
When I wanted a jazz bass I bought a G&L Tribute JB-2 - for two reasons - one, I prefer the thinner (front to back) neck, and, two, I like more of a standard P body compared to the jazz offset body. I've been interested in several Fenders over the years - a PJ or two, the Geddy Lee - but that's as close as I've come to actually owning one.
I discovered the other day - to my great surprise - that if a bass isn't either a Fender or a Musicman, I have no interest in it. Weird, huh?
Minus the MusicMan, I'm feeling the same way these days, although I do definitely still love my non-Fenders, especially the oddballs. But the Fenders and Hammersmith PJ I have are the only basses I can take to any gig in the world and feel like I don't need another bass for certain things.
I mentioned the Washburn XB-400 sounds like Dave Hope of Kansas, tan my fanny again, the photos I saw of him, he was playing a P bass and Jazz bass like the one I was about to get.
I'm not in any band, I only play to recordings for fun and relaxation, and I immediately noticed the XB-400 rings so much better than the LB-40. I mean a vastly better definition. The pickups are located closely to the spacing of a Jazz bass on the XB-400.
I'm not in any band, I only play to recordings for fun and relaxation, and I immediately noticed the XB-400 rings so much better than the LB-40. I mean a vastly better definition. The pickups are located closely to the spacing of a Jazz bass on the XB-400.
18 years ago my 1st bass was a Squier P bass.its almost like a 1st love type of deal. I've owned and played different brands throughout the years. Had my fair share of ibanez, Gibson Sg short scales, Ernie Ball, Esp p bass even. For me NOTHING compared to Fender though. To me a fender pr fusion bass is the sexiest instrument out there and the best sounding. Also my influences like Tommy Stinson, Paul Siminon, Duff Mckagan, Dee Dee Ramone, matt Freeman all play P bass's. So that kind of wears on ya to.i just feel at home and like myself with Fender p bass. I love Jazz bass's also. It's a big reason why I use P bass specials.
I was all about the standard P bass but before I ever knew about specs and neck profiles and all that I noticed when it came to songs with more " movement " on the neck I would switch to my jazz bass. Then I learned about the neck profiles. So I would simply buy a jazz neck for my precision bass's and swap out the stock p neck. That was an awesome move but after a while I was like there's gotta be people in the same situation as me. Also I liked having a bridge pickup. I liked that about the jazz bass's as well. So naturally a PJ configuration came into mind. It's everything to do with my tone. So I prefer a Precision body, jazz profile neck, PJ pickup configuration. That lead me to the Fender active deluxe p bass specials.
I tried others like the Esp Ltd vintage 204 & 214 which is almost identical to a fender p bass special. With the exception of having a real wide slim U neck. Good bass but it was not a Fender. I like other bass's or other brands but when it comes to studio, recording, a band and jamming and playing gigs it's all about Fender for me.
I was all about the standard P bass but before I ever knew about specs and neck profiles and all that I noticed when it came to songs with more " movement " on the neck I would switch to my jazz bass. Then I learned about the neck profiles. So I would simply buy a jazz neck for my precision bass's and swap out the stock p neck. That was an awesome move but after a while I was like there's gotta be people in the same situation as me. Also I liked having a bridge pickup. I liked that about the jazz bass's as well. So naturally a PJ configuration came into mind. It's everything to do with my tone. So I prefer a Precision body, jazz profile neck, PJ pickup configuration. That lead me to the Fender active deluxe p bass specials.
I tried others like the Esp Ltd vintage 204 & 214 which is almost identical to a fender p bass special. With the exception of having a real wide slim U neck. Good bass but it was not a Fender. I like other bass's or other brands but when it comes to studio, recording, a band and jamming and playing gigs it's all about Fender for me.
