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Will Fender lose popularity?

#101
Dallaspezz said:
May seem like a silly in question. But it seems like everywhere I play, I'm the only guy with a Fender. Everyone else has Ibanez, Cort, Washburn etc. Is there something I'm missing with these instruments? Whenever I'm talking to the other bassists they're always saying how these new Ibanez basses are much better than a Fender.
Any thoughts?
*edit*
Obviously Fender is still popular. The point was kind of missed, I notice even my local music stores are carrying less Fenders and leaning towards Ibanez and other basses of that nature. The point is that, are these Japanese made basses better? And will fender still be king
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I'm in a southern gospel band that keeps all equipment loaded in the trailer for our gigs. Because the band leader owns a music store, there is a bass in the van that I use. It is a very pretty Fender MIM jazz with high gloss natural wood finish, tortoise shell pick guard and flat wounds.

Plays like crap.

I much prefer my SX, Douglas and Yamaha basses to it.

Not that fender is bad. There are just a lot of choices nowadays. Back in the day there weren't. They have become a commodity.
 
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#102
Dallaspezz said:
...The point was kind of missed, I notice even my local music stores are carrying less Fenders and leaning towards Ibanez and other basses of that nature. The point is that, are these Japanese made basses better? And will fender still be king
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Part of the reason your local stores don't carry Fender will probably have to do with Fender's retailer policy. The shop is required to order/stock minimums of various models-- even if the shop owner doesn't want to carry one of their required models (which can be a VERY difficult up-front expense for a local shop). I'm being somewhat vague because I don't remember the exact details, and each manufacture varies a bit-- Gibson being one of the worst. Just a brief peak behind the curtain for you ;)
 
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#103
40Hz said:
Fender basses provide the industry standard bass sound regardless of what anybody may think or care to say about it.

There are many people (myself included despite the fact I actually like Fenders) who may wish it were otherwise. But at the end of the day, there's basically two basses most people think of when they're thinking about basses. And at least one of them is made by Fender.

That's a pretty deep gravity well to try and escape from.
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Fender & MusicMan! There are plenty of great Basses out there regardless of brand but Fender IS the industry standard.
 
#106
When I first started playing bass I specifically didn't want a fender because it seemed like that's what everyone else had. I tried Gibson, Washburn, Ibanez, and BC Rich. After the POS Warlock I had I went to a Jazz bass and have primarily played Fender type basses since. However, I see a lot of ESP/LTD basses locally. The show I played this weekend had four bands me being the only person with a Fender type, which is a parts bass not made of any actual Fender parts. For reference the other three basses were an LTD and two Gibsons.

bassbenj said:
Everybody likes to talk about what bass is "Best". But whenever you say "Best" you always have to ask: "Best for WHAT?"
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Best for metal obviously.
 
#110
Fender losing popularity is doubtful, but it makes little difference to me.

I started as a Fender P player and probably always will be a Fender P player no matter what is more popular or "better". A Fender P gets it done for me.

I did go through an exploratory phase back in my 20s with some other brands, but we don't talk about that... I was young and foolish...
 
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#115
Jah Wobble Fan said:
Hold your head high, girl: We've all taken that walk of shame from John Hall's house. Part of growing up.
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Yes, wearing last nights spaghetti strapped cocktail dress and carrying a B.C. Rich Warlock in the light of day... The story's been told a million times over, but it still stings a little. The sting of the impetuous decisions of a mis-spent youth trying to hack it out with the big names in rock and roll... rock and roll, she is a cruel mistress, but oh the sweet, sweet sting. How I long for... something something.
 
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#116
jnsnj said:
When I first started playing bass I specifically didn't want a fender because it seemed like that's what everyone else had. I tried Gibson, Washburn, Ibanez, and BC Rich. After the POS Warlock I had I went to a Jazz bass and have primarily played Fender type basses since. However, I see a lot of ESP/LTD basses locally. The show I played this weekend had four bands me being the only person with a Fender type, which is a parts bass not made of any actual Fender parts. For reference the other three basses were an LTD and two Gibsons.



Best for metal obviously.
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Call me a hipster, but I was the same way. When I first started playing, I tried really hard to want anything but a Fender. I was going to try Ibanez. I did my research, and everybody loved them. I got into the music store, picked one up, and had a lackluster experience. The neck was so thin (not what I expected), the body was so light (not what I expected), and the active pickups were not what I was looking for. Ended up with an SX p-copy. Nowadays I've got my Fender P. I'm not sure if I'll ever be as comfortable on a different type of bass (though Schecter has tempted me a few times).
 
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