I don't get the whole putting a Fender decal on a non Fender bass thing

[darren 0]

[quote name='nash' timestamp='1492813915' post='3283497']


Banging a Fender logo on a bass to invite confidence is a lie. It's deception. Whether you sell it or not. It's the intention of making people think it's a Fender. It's brand snobbery enablism.
[/quote]

Is a 5 3" woman in shoes with 3" heels deceiving people into believing she is really 5 6"? Is this height snobbery? Of course im being silly but perhaps people just make what they have look better to them. If that also gives a little confidence, then bonus.

[Geek99 1,486]

Yep

[ead 1,152]

Mess with their minds, stick a RIC logo on. JH will see the funny side......won't he?

[nash 41]

[quote name='darren' timestamp='1492981189' post='3284648']


Is a 5 3" woman in shoes with 3" heels deceiving people into believing she is really 5 6"? Is this height snobbery? Of course im being silly but perhaps people just make what they have look better to them. If that also gives a little confidence, then bonus.
[/quote]

It's not the same. You can see that the person in heels isn't really 5' 6". If you put a Fender logo on a Squier in particular, you can't see it's not a Fender until you closely examine. And if you get confidence from branding one thing to another that's wrong. It's counterfeit. Just like putting on a Nike tick onto an unbranded shirt. Even if you don't sell it that's still wrong. Buy the real thing or tell everyone that actually this cheaper/other brand is great.

[MoJo 548]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1492982689' post='3284667']
Mess with their minds, stick a RIC logo on. JH will see the funny side......won't he?
[/quote]

I'm sure that he will

[Woodinblack 4,255]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1492982689' post='3284667']
Mess with their minds, stick a RIC logo on. JH will see the funny side......won't he?
[/quote]

He is renowned for his sense of humour

[Root45 0]

Have you ever had a car, and stuck "go-faster" tape down the side? Ever stuck an M series badge on a bog standard beemer? Or a R series badge on a really slow Audi?

Same thing. Does NO HARM whatsoever. The only folks you upset are the folks who paid the stupid price for the real thing.

The rest of the world doesn't give a flying F***

[Rich 5,235]

I've got a Fender decal on my bitsa. I don't care if anyone thinks it's wrong or a lie or whatever, because it's my bass and I'll do what the hell I want with it. So there

[Dan Dare 1,670]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1492910888' post='3284086']
You should be happy with and be proud of the brand you play. Why be a pretender?

My first bass back in 1965 was ordered from a Sears Catalog, cost $40.00 and 2 weeks shipping time.

When it arrived I was on top of the world and I kept the Silver Tone logo on it.

Blue
[/quote]


Some Silvertones are quite collectable these days. Keep anything for long enough and it will become cool.

[T-Bay 1,873]

[quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1493066657' post='3285400']



Some Silvertones are quite collectable these days. Keep anything for long enough and it will become cool.
[/quote]
Even Kay basses? May have a while yet to wait............

[Root45 0]

Here's the weird thing.

I have a 1964 Epiphone Casino (bought in 66) - made in Kalamazoo when Epi's where exactly the same as Gibsons - or maybe even better (more plys on the top and bottom of the body).

But playing it, folks will think I've got a Chinese guitar!!!!

Oh no!!!

Should I print out a leaflet, telling them the reality of the situation, or suffer the slings and arrows??

Oh, the shame..................

Edited April 24, 2017 by Root45

[the boy 4]

[quote name='nash' timestamp='1492813915' post='3283497']


Banging a Fender logo on a bass to invite confidence is a lie. It's deception. Whether you sell it or not. It's the intention of making people think it's a Fender. It's brand snobbery enablism.
[/quote]
No disrespect but that's anally retentive nonsense.

[Baxter 3]

I've did it with my squier VM telecaster bass, the 70s style one with the big humbucker. I went
the whole hog though with a vintage neck tint and darkened headstock face and old stle decal. I don't see any harm in it, I enjoy having it done - it's for me alone and there's no malice in it. I fancied a 70s style telebass to go with my 51RI so I had both TB models but I'd have to sell my 77 Jazz or my child to fund one. Did it cheap with the squier and the paintwork and some extra chrome. I like it.
The question is now, do I go for a cream or parchment scratchplate or leave it black?

[Ghost_Bass 91]

[quote name='nash' timestamp='1492813915' post='3283497']
Banging a Fender logo on a bass to invite confidence is a lie. It's deception. Whether you sell it or not. It's the intention of making people think it's a Fender. It's brand snobbery enablism.
[/quote]

The "brand snobbery" moral dillema quickly disapears when you find yourself being dismissed in band auditions even before playing or getting crossed eyes from sound engineers before playing/recording. Your bass may sound great but the first impression will last.

Of course this doesn't bother me a bit as i find that a good Fender is the one that keeps you warm at night...











[size=1]...whilst creacking in the fireplace... [/size]

[martthebass 735]

^This!

I lost in an audition because I turned up with a 'toy' bass (my Status Streamline).

[Donnyboy 51]

[quote name='Baxter' timestamp='1493203523' post='3286415']
I've did it with my squier VM telecaster bass, the 70s style one with the big humbucker. I went
the whole hog though with a vintage neck tint and darkened headstock face and old stle decal. I don't see any harm in it, I enjoy having it done - it's for me alone and there's no malice in it. I fancied a 70s style telebass to go with my 51RI so I had both TB models but I'd have to sell my 77 Jazz or my child to fund one. Did it cheap with the squier and the paintwork and some extra chrome. I like it.
The question is now, do I go for a cream or parchment scratchplate or leave it black?
[/quote]

I think a change of plate would be a good move. I presume it's the sunburst Telecaster bass?

[lonestar 59]

I have a Mighty Mite Fender licenced neck on my "precision".
It came with a Fender Logo already applied when I bought it secondhand. Should I now scrape it off ?
BTW It sounds fantastic

[RickyV 2]

Similar to the above, I have a bitsa jazz bass with a mighty mite neck (Fender Licensed) with a Fender decal on. I also bought the bass like it. The body, pick-ups and bridge are all Fender. For all intents and purposes it is a Fender bass, just wasnt all put together in a Fender factory. I dont think there is a great deal of deception involved there, or brand snobbery.

[Baxter 3]

It is the burst. I think it woud suit the light plate. I think I'll go with it.

[miles'tone 491]

[quote name='Baxter' timestamp='1493219242' post='3286633']
It is the burst. I think it woud suit the light plate. I think I'll go with it.
[/quote]
Light mint would be lovely.

[uk_lefty 1,218]

[quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1492010746' post='3277179']
Has anybody put an Audi badge on their Skoda?
[/quote]

No but I did put a Metro badge on a tanglewood p bass in the j pickup position. It made a good thumb rest. And it came off my mums old car which rested at a friend's farm while waiting to be scrapped.

[Elfrasho 162]

[quote name='Root45' timestamp='1493066481' post='3285395']
Have you ever had a car, and stuck "go-faster" tape down the side? Ever stuck an M series badge on a bog standard beemer? Or a R series badge on a really slow Audi?

Same thing. Does NO HARM whatsoever. The only folks you upset are the folks who paid the stupid price for the real thing.

The rest of the world doesn't give a flying F***
[/quote]

do you ever buy plain polo shirts from primark and stitch Fred Perry emblems on it?

I find it a wee bit embarrassing when i see a BMW with a M badge stuck on.

It works the same for instruments.

[Nibody 114]

Ive always wanted a YOB (1971) bass OR a 76 (to replace one I had to sell) - But the chances of me having the money to buy a 71 Precision is slim to none (Im a carer for my disabled daughter). I've owned Fenders ( The aforementioned 76, MIJ Photoflame, 1997 MIM, and a 2012 FSR) So I decided to build a replica for my pleasure.

In my case - my Precision is a bitser. It has:

Fender Body
Fender Tuners
Fender Pickups
Fender Thumb rest
Fender Bridge
Fender String Tree
Fender Pick Guard
Licensed by Fender Allparts Neck
CTS Pots (with fender knobs)
Switchcraft socket
Sprague Orange Drop Capacitor
Cloth Wiring to match that on the pickups.

And a Fender neck-plate with an insider joke serial number on it (301306) which would be a 1971, 13/06 being my birthday.

With the exception of the Allparts neck (which is licensed by Fender) other than the fact I put it together from parts rather than a guy in a fender factory, it IS a fender. And it has a decal on it.

My choice it's there for me, no-one else.

I don't get the obsession with slap bass (Music shops usualy have at least one guy franticaly slapping away) and every other Youtube bass video is someone frantically whacking their bass at high speed). But I just let it pass, after allas they say opinions are like a***holes - everyone's got one and most are full of s**t.

[quote name='Elfrasho' timestamp='1493222423' post='3286690']
do you ever buy plain polo shirts from primark and stitch Fred Perry emblems on it?

I find it a wee bit embarrassing when i see a BMW with a M badge stuck on.

It works the same for instruments.
[/quote]

There was actually a lot of that when I was at school (but it was La Coste and Le Coque Sportif - some kids even added extra stripes to trainers so they passed as Addidas.) because kids were aspiring to own those things.

For the record I have a Harley Benton Acoustic bass and happily play it anywhere.

[12stringbassist 422]

[quote name='nash' timestamp='1491982186' post='3276861']
Can anyone enlighten me?

I see it often, Squiers, bitsa, Nash, Lime Light and some that have a headstock shape that's not even close.

I Squier rebadge for example. I think so what if it's a Squier, big deal. If it plays and sounds nice then that's all that matters and then credit where credit is due if it's a good bass.

I just don't understand it.
[/quote]

There are two reasons to re-badge a bass:
Snobbery.
Fraud.

[Rich 5,235]

I put the decal on my bitsa because for me, it completed the look of it. Care to tell me where the 'snobbery' lies in that?
And quite frankly, 'fraud' is not an accusation that should be thrown around lightly.