Why So Many People Playing Fender Basses?

[mouthmw]

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?

Absolutely same here.

 

[edro]

We are product of our environment to an extent.
We tend to like/prefer what we are most familiar with.

How many wanted a BASS A because your first 'awe' target was someone playing BASS A?
Or the first bass you saw was a bud's BASS A?

What brand guitars/basses did we see more than any other when we were growing up....

If one only saw variations of BASS A for a good while, when seeing BASS B for the first time, predictable in outcome for the most part.

Difficult for some to get out of that conditioning. Some just can't. Some do with age.
Some of us that 'grew up' around multiple instruments/brands really don't care what the head says.
Some simply cannot pick up a Squier anything. Can't do it.
Epiphone out of the question.
Some folks won't play or play through Peavey anything. Some will only play and/or play through Peavey.
It really doesn't matter what brand we discuss.

'My grandaddy drove Ford, my daddy drove Ford, so I drive Ford by god... ' Chevy, Dodge, etc... Doesn't matter...

Ford (or whatever) in their mind is truly better...in their mind...whether it is or not....

There are actually still Tennessee football fans, believe it or not.... Not me, but there are some... Seen em my own self...

Humernz sho is funny about thangs...

 

[cmcbass]

We are product of our environment to an extent.
We tend to like/prefer what we are most familiar with.

How many wanted a BASS A because your first 'awe' target was someone playing BASS A?
Or the first bass you saw was a bud's BASS A?

What brand guitars/basses did we see more than any other when we were growing up....

If one only saw variations of BASS A for a good while, when seeing BASS B for the first time, predictable in outcome for the most part.

Difficult for some to get out of that conditioning. Some just can't. Some do with age.
Some of us that 'grew up' around multiple instruments/brands really don't care what the head says.
Some simply cannot pick up a Squier anything. Can't do it.
Epiphone out of the question.
Some folks won't play or play through Peavey anything. Some will only play and/or play through Peavey.
It really doesn't matter what brand we discuss.

'My grandaddy drove Ford, my daddy drove Ford, so I drive Ford by god... ' Chevy, Dodge, etc... Doesn't matter...

Ford (or whatever) in their mind is truly better...in their mind...whether it is or not....

There are actually still Tennessee football fans, believe it or not.... Not me, but there are some... Seen em my own self...

Humernz sho is funny about thangs...

Ain't it da troof!

 

[Bubble]

Here's the Washburn XB-400 I ended up with. I did like the feel and looks of the Squire Modified Vintage Jazz bass (blonde) but as before, hey only $225 used for the XB-400 and custom fit case , zero rattle.
I'll bet I end up with the MVJB also. (again) Apologies to Fender but I was really set on the JB.
In the background is a Marshall IBS 200 on top of an Ampeg BSE115T.

 

[Bubble]

Here's the MVJB for $350
A VERY slippery and fast neck. But since the XB was close enough.

 

[Bubble]

Why do so many people use apostrophe s when they should be using the plural?

I caught that ' thing from being around helicopter's. I suppose we like to remind each other of the blades.

 

[edro]

Just because you can't see a prop or set of rotors don't mean that shreddin bastids ain't there....

 

[selowitch]

Why do so many people use apostrophe-s when they should be using the plural?

I don't wish to characterize the OP in any way but for some folks I think this is what happens:

1. The correct plural of "bass" is "basses";
2. However, the word "bass" ends in two successive letter esses;
3. Often you pluralize a word by simply appending a single ess (e.g., "key" becomes "keys";
4. Three esses in a row looks wrong ("basss") and is moreover incorrect;
5. An apostrophe breaks up the grouping of three esses ("bass's");
6. Therefore adding apostrophe-es ('s) to "bass" seems like a logical (albeit incorrect) solution.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

I don't wish to characterize the OP in any way but for some folks I think this is what happens:

1. The correct plural of "bass" is "basses";
2. However, the word "bass" ends in two successive letter esses;
3. Often you pluralize a word by simply appending a single ess (e.g., "key" becomes "keys";
4. Three esses in a row looks wrong ("basss") and is moreover incorrect;
5. An apostrophe breaks up the grouping of three esses ("bass's");
6. Therefore adding apostrophe-es ('s) to "bass" seems like a logical (albeit incorrect) solution.

Apostrophe is the possessive and not the plural. For example, 'those are Bob's basses'. Not sure if you were implying that, but I thought I'd make the distinction explicit.

 

[selowitch]

Apostrophe is the possessive and not the plural. For example, 'those are Bob's basses'. Not sure if you were implying that, but I thought I'd make the distinction explicit.

I chose not to discuss possession in order not to muddy the waters but yes, the apostrophe is for contractions (e.g., "can't") and possessives ("George's amplifier" or "the Gomez' house") but it does not turn a singular word into a plural.

 

[edro]

Some of y'all be working y'allses selfes' up for nothing.

The basses sat in the corner opposite the basses' cases to prevent damage to the basses' cases' coverings.
Therefore, the basses' cases' coverings' surfaces were rather pristine...

 

[Clipped]

First, let me say I don't mind Fender.
Bought a Squire(er) once. Own two G&Ls.
But...

Why So Many People Selling Fender Bass's ?

 

[theinfamous]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but if you play anything other than a fender, be prepared to defend yourself to people who don't play bass. I exclusively played a carvin for years, which plays nicer for me than any fender I've played (including my current one) and I would get disapproving looks and comments from guitar players and sound "engineers" fairly often, simply because it didn't say the right thing on the headstock.

Also, people who record music and mix live music know how to make a fender sound good (or at least they think they do) and if you have something different, it can be scary for them.

 

[Hevy T]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but if you play anything other than a fender, be prepared to defend yourself to people who don't play bass. I exclusively played a carvin for years, which plays nicer for me than any fender I've played (including my current one) and I would get disapproving looks and comments from guitar players and sound "engineers" fairly often, simply because it didn't say the right thing on the headstock.

Also, people who record music and mix live music know how to make a fender sound good (or at least they think they do) and if you have something different, it can be scary for them.

I can totally agree with that! I played a benefit a couple years ago with my Gibson EB and the pickups were so hot it almost fried the board lol. So usually now if I am going to be going through a PA I will use one of my passive fenders just to be nice

 

[mesaplayer83]

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.

Agreed with all of the above, except I went with EBMM for 5ers, then later included USA Peavey, Spector and Schecter... I love my Fender 4 strings, but their 5ers never did it for me - I'm sure those by Lull and Sadowsky would, though...

 

[JimmyM]

First, let me say I don't mind Fender.
Bought a Squire(er) once. Own two G&Ls.
But...

Why So Many People Selling Fender Bass's ?

Because they're the most commonly bought basses in the world and people like to sell old stuff to get new stuff.

 

[MtManiac]

First, let me say I don't mind Fender.
Bought a Squire(er) once. Own two G&Ls.
But...

Why So Many People Selling Fender Bass's ?

They're buying new Fender basses.

 

[MtManiac]

First, let me say I don't mind Fender.
Bought a Squire(er) once. Own two G&Ls.
But...

Why So Many People Selling Fender Bass's ?

Wait, selling Fender Bass's what? Strap pins? Pickups? Pickguards?

 

[chris_b]

Agreed with all of the above, except I went with EBMM for 5ers, then later included USA Peavey, Spector and Schecter... I love my Fender 4 strings, but their 5ers never did it for me - I'm sure those by Lull and Sadowsky would, though...

I started playing 5ers on an MM SR5. I liked it but then a US Lakland 55-94 came up at a great price and that was the end of the MM, I'm afraid.

I still try Fender 5's when I go to shops and bass player get togethers. . . . just in case!

 

[bearfoot]

There is nothing particularly special (in general) about the post-Fender, Fender instruments. They are not known for consistency, due to changing factories periodically, and becoming a corporate commodity.

The reason they are so common is because they were made in larger numbers, and better marketed, than Gibson, Rickenbacker, Guild, G&L, Peavey, etc. And once it became the dominant design, and was allowed to be cloned, the horse left the stable for good.