• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Why So Many People Playing Fender Basses?

#141
Veteran TB readers have heard this story from me before - for those that haven't, I had a 60s Precision that I played for 10 years. One day, I felt like I was fighting this bass and decided to look around at alternatives. I ended up buying a '79 Ric 4001 - and I'm still playing that bass today. The Ric felt better to me and provides a wider response, higher definition sound than the Precision did.

The bass that I had simply didn't feel or sound all that great to me. When I switched, I vowed that I wouldn't own another Fender bass and I've kept that promise to myself.

You could infer that I'm beating up on Fender - but I'm not.

If you like your Fender, that's great. Keep playing what works for you - and I'll keep playing what works for me.
 
#143
Gizmot said:
Veteran TB readers have heard this story from me before - for those that haven't, I had a 60s Precision that I played for 10 years. One day, I felt like I was fighting this bass and decided to look around at alternatives. I ended up buying a '79 Ric 4001 - and I'm still playing that bass today. The Ric felt better to me and provides a wider response, higher definition sound than the Precision did.

The bass that I had simply didn't feel or sound all that great to me. When I switched, I vowed that I wouldn't own another Fender bass and I've kept that promise to myself.

You could infer that I'm beating up on Fender - but I'm not.

If you like your Fender, that's great. Keep playing what works for you - and I'll keep playing what works for me.
Click to expand...

Right on. There is no "right way" or one size fits all to this...
 
#144
Bubble said:
I see a large majority of people playing Fender or Squire basses and always wondered if they were just following the pack. I had always chosen thin neck guitars thinking they must allow some extra finger "length". When I looked at Fender basses, I saw the thick side profile of the neck, figured they must need long fingers to play, never tried one and went for the thin necks.

I tried a C neck Squire today and found that I have the effect of having those longer fingers because the C neck is thicker but more narrow. It felt so much better than those thin wider necks. Now I'm going to have to buy one. Even the Squire pickups are pretty full and powerful sounding but with a bit more treble than a big fat humbucker pickup I was comparing it to. And by fiddling with the pickup balance and tone controls I could get a sound pretty close to those humbuckers.

I am definitely sold on Fender C necks now and sorry I didn't even try one until now.
Click to expand...
Because they sound good I guess ...
 
#145
Gizmot said:
Veteran TB readers have heard this story from me before - for those that haven't, I had a 60s Precision that I played for 10 years. One day, I felt like I was fighting this bass and decided to look around at alternatives. I ended up buying a '79 Ric 4001 - and I'm still playing that bass today. The Ric felt better to me and provides a wider response, higher definition sound than the Precision did.

The bass that I had simply didn't feel or sound all that great to me. When I switched, I vowed that I wouldn't own another Fender bass and I've kept that promise to myself.

You could infer that I'm beating up on Fender - but I'm not.

If you like your Fender, that's great. Keep playing what works for you - and I'll keep playing what works for me.
Click to expand...
You could have tried a jazz bass then ... ;)
 
#147
ppiluk said:
I love Fender guitars and basses and I might even go so far as to say I have a touch of Fender snobbery in me but the fact is there is no other bass manufacturer on the planet that represents the bass guitar better. You might not care for the tone but you cannot deny how important the P-Bass and Jazz Bass have been to the last 60 or so years of contemporary music.

This is in no way to imply only Fender can make a good bass. Over the years I have owned many basses and with most of them, you can clearly see the influence the P-Bass and Jazz bass have had.
Click to expand...
Da truth ... :thumbsup:
 
  • Like
Reactions: ppiluk
#154
Bubble said:
I see a large majority of people playing Fender or Squire basses and always wondered if they were just following the pack. I had always chosen thin neck guitars thinking they must allow some extra finger "length". When I looked at Fender basses, I saw the thick side profile of the neck, figured they must need long fingers to play, never tried one and went for the thin necks.

I tried a C neck Squire today and found that I have the effect of having those longer fingers because the C neck is thicker but more narrow. It felt so much better than those thin wider necks. Now I'm going to have to buy one. Even the Squire pickups are pretty full and powerful sounding but with a bit more treble than a big fat humbucker pickup I was comparing it to. And by fiddling with the pickup balance and tone controls I could get a sound pretty close to those humbuckers.

I am definitely sold on Fender C necks now and sorry I didn't even try one until now.
Click to expand...
Fender basses do have a look that I think a lot of people gravitate to. I do also think their Mexican and Squire stuff is a good bang for the buck, especially used. And sound wise they do the job. They might not be as unique sounding as some other basses but they get the job done. I can’t see myself buying a MIA fender new at this point though. Their prices have gotten to the point where I’d rather pay more and get a Sadowsky or something that has a similar look but a had little more love put into the building process.
 
#159
Is this about why people play Fender basses, or neck profile preferences? Seems like the former was the original intent but the latter is the actual OP content, and most are answering the former, which I assume is rhetorical, so I'll skip it. :D

I prefer 1.5" J necks only because I have short fingers. Thickness is less of a concern. I have both thin and medium J necks and like both. 1.625" is ok but I do not like 1.75". My US Lakland has what might be the nicest J neck I have encountered. I think it's a medium J.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mobdirt

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back