JTUK Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 [quote name='7string' post='402478' date='Feb 6 2009, 11:58 PM'].................... a bit hit and miss whether you get a good one or not. I can understand that players go with Fender because of the history, but there are other brands giving them a good run for their money. In days gone by Fender was the only choice, nowadays it's not so clear cut. ............[/quote] I have not read through all the pages but this is about it for me. If you are happy you have a really good one, then fine, but I wouldn't buy one blind. Fender are not the only company I would say this about though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 Here we go again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 [quote name='JTUK' post='991252' date='Oct 17 2010, 04:18 PM']I have not read through all the pages but this is about it for me. If you are happy you have a really good one, then fine, but I wouldn't buy one blind. Fender are not the only company I would say this about though.[/quote] +1 A lottery... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 [quote name='EssentialTension' post='991253' date='Oct 17 2010, 04:18 PM']Here we go again.[/quote] And with people digging up a thread that's almost 2yrs old too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 [quote name='TheGreek' post='991244' date='Oct 17 2010, 04:13 PM']Some might argue that Fenders are like Porsche - I don't think this is the case as Porsche improved over the years.[/quote] Porsche represent a premium marque, of which Fender (basses, anyway) are not. I'd say that Fender are like Volkswagen cars over all. They'll get you from A to B and get the job done, usually with little flair whatsoever. They have a few good models in the range (Urge II bass, Victor Bailey jazz, Zone bass etc etc) but people seem to generally want to stick to the bog standard P and J basses. I'd say jazz basses are perfectly useable, but there are so many better designs out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRockinRoadie Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 I'm quite fond of most of Fender's products (i am definately not a Gibson guy). Been using J's, P's, Strat's and Tele's for a long time. I think Fender products are awesome - however some of the prices are abit 'steep' - i buy mostly used. HOWEVER I have just borrowed(-with-intention-of-buying) a Lakland 44-02 and Im very impressed with the build quality. Sounds and feels like a Fender, very versatile and the build quality is great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 You could buy a used fretted Alembic Epic for the price of a new jazz bass, which just goes to show how much you can get for your money if you spend it wisely and buy used! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 The resurrection of this ancient and 'Oh no, not again, it's so boring' thread has reminded me how amusing the BBC could be - that's Basschat's former BBC not the TV lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 I love Fenders, specifically the Precision. Have had Jazzes, and although fine basses, they just don`t fit with me. Strange thing though - whenever I go to a music shop if someone is playing bass, usually the sound I like is of active basses, think they sound great. But, whenever I see a band play live, I just don`t like those basses in the mix, whereas it`s very rarely that I don`t like the way a Precision sounds in the same situation. Yes they may be a bit on the expensive side (here in the UK - in the US they are more reasonably priced) in comparison to other makes with far more features, but aside from history and marketing, there must be a reason why they sell so well. In my view, the reason is because they play well, are durable, and sound so good within a band context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 [quote name='Chris2112' post='991474' date='Oct 17 2010, 07:16 PM']You could buy a used fretted Alembic Epic for the price of a new jazz bass, which just goes to show how much you can get for your money if you spend it wisely and buy used![/quote] Maybe, but you could buy a used Jazz bass for even less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 [quote name='TheGreek' post='991244' date='Oct 17 2010, 04:13 PM'][b][size=3]I would compare them more to the original Volkswagon Beetles - didn't change or improve despite everybody around them building better items. Stuck with drum brakes and the engine in the boot they did not evolve. Same with Fenders - same crap electronics and wood from the 50s till the modern day, only recently decided to install active p/ups where others have used these since the 80s. Supposedly market leaders - basically selling square wheels!! Quality Control is merely a concept rather than reality! Some might argue that Fenders are like Porsche - I don't think this is the case as Porsche improved over the years. I think you may have guessed that I'm not a fan![/size]!![/b][/quote] Square wheels? Whilst I agree that they ain`t the be all and end all of bass guitars, most of the best music up to about 1975 was made with Fender bass guitars. I have owned lots of Fenders but I also own and use other makes. Can you not come up with something original as we have had loads of topics that go "Fender`s are crap, discuss". Jez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 [quote name='jezzaboy' post='991532' date='Oct 17 2010, 08:02 PM']... most of the best music up to about 1975 was made with Fender bass guitars ... Jez[/quote] ... and probably most of the best music since then too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 [quote name='EssentialTension' post='991544' date='Oct 17 2010, 08:21 PM']... and probably most of the best music since then too.[/quote] I didn`t want to labour the point for the benefit of the Fender Nazi`s Jez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 [quote name='jezzaboy' post='991555' date='Oct 17 2010, 08:29 PM']I didn`t want to labour the point for the benefit of the Fender Nazi`s Jez[/quote] Fair enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 [quote name='BigRedX' post='402770' date='Feb 7 2009, 02:03 PM']Lets face it Fenders are boring. Their the path of least resistance, the choice you make when you can't really be bothered to make a choice, the "no-one ever got sacked for buying IBM" of the bass world. Sure back in the 50s and 60s when the low end competition was limited, Fenders got their reputation by being better than the competition - not particularly difficult when you consider the only serious alternatives were basses from Gibson or Rickenbacker - nice instruments but only if you liked their particular sound. And then we've had 50 years to get used to the Fender sound. It's familiarity not excellence that defines the sound of the Fender bass. However since the mid-70s there have been a steadily increasing number of alternatives, that sound better, play better and look better than a Fender bass. Many of them actually cost less too. Personally I don't like them. I don't like the shape, I don't like the look of necks that don't match the bodies for colour. I don't like the lack of usable fingerboard length. It doesn't matter that there's only 20 frets you can't get comfortably to any of them above the 15th anyway! Time to stop clinging to the past, move on and consign Fender to the history books only.[/quote] +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 [quote name='TheGreek' post='992040' date='Oct 18 2010, 10:59 AM']+1[/quote] 'Sounds better' is a bit subjective eh? Precision, Jazz, (& MM Stingray to be fair) pretty much have the basses covered (geddit? sigh). If you see the bass as a lead instrument then of course there are others out there that might be more suited. Though having said that, personally I love Jaco's sound but I think Stanley Clarke's tone is a bit rubbish! Always put me off Alembics. Aesthetics and ergonomics are a different matter. If I could have a Fnder sound with a bass that played and felt like my old Ibanez I'd be a happy Larry indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 Whatever we think about Fender they've been getting it right for a very long time, by which I mean "money in the bank Frank". Long after Leo & his inspirations have faded away, they're still coining it in day after day from 'us', around most of the world. Sixty plus years on & most musical instrument shops you look in will have something with a Fender logo, with a price ticket on it, if you don't like it - don't buy it, simple. A bit like Sainsbury's or LloydsTSB or BP - etc. etc. etc, a lot of people moan about them, what they do & what they sell/provide, but their tills are still full at the end of the week. There's a lot of musical instrument makers jealous of Fender's track record & very few that will ever achieve anything near it. Yes they're a bit Volkswagen & oh yeah - they're doing alright too! Cheerz, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesfinn Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 I think this kind of thread is a bit pointless...its a chance for the fender players to big them up and the non fender players to slag them off.. ..take it into your own hands and go to a music shop and try them out for yourself. nobody on here can tell you what you will like playing, only you know the answer to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevieD_FenderP2009 Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 [quote name='Gothicontheloose' post='407043' date='Feb 11 2009, 10:20 PM']Well... I deffinitly think they are overrated... Not only do they charge to much for what they are... They are verry limited to what they can imo... I mean, they are great jazz/blues basses... No doubt! But that's all.... Imo you can't play metal with Fender's, and some hard rock isn't great either -.- That's personal opinion but still... While Washburn and Warwick... They make basses that are great for metal, rock and still able to play jazz/blues ! Fender's like Gibson... Fanboy madness... Great stuff... But way overpriced[/quote] Oh really? You can't play metal on a Fender you say? Ohreallynow? Ok, well how's about this handful of non-metal bass players Steve Harris - Iron Maiden (Fender Precision Basses) Geddy Lee - Rush (Fender Jazz and Precision Basses) Alex Webster - Cannibal Corpse (Fender Precision Basses) Markus Grosskopf - Helloween (Fender Jazz and Precision Basses) Sharlee D'Angelo - Arch Enemy (Fender Precision Basses) David Ellefson - Megadeth (Fender Jazz and Precision Basses) James LoMenzo - Black Label Society (Fender Jazz and Precision Basses) Robert Trujillo - Metallica (Fender Jazz and Precision Basses) Cliff Burton - ex Metallica (Fender Precision Basses) Geezer Butler - Black Sabbath (Fender Jazz and Precision Basses) Bob Daisley - Dio/Rainbow/Ozzy Osbourne (Fender Precision Basses) Glenn Hughes - ex Deep Purple (Fender Precision Basses) Roger Glover - Deep Purple (Fender Precision Basses) Colin Kimberley - Diamond Head (Fender Precision Basses) Now I'm sorry, but if you still want to say Fender basses aren't suitable for Rock/Metal then PM me and I'll carry on this discussion... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lysdexia Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Fender have something money cannot buy. As do Harley Davidson Gibson Ferarri Anthony Hopkins And so on - the cool factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Absolutely..... it's all about Branding not product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lysdexia Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 [quote name='crez5150' post='1033931' date='Nov 23 2010, 02:33 PM']Absolutely..... it's all about Branding not product.[/quote] And branding adopts that certain something over years of producing highly desirable product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 [quote name='Lysdexia' post='1033935' date='Nov 23 2010, 02:36 PM']And branding adopts that certain something over years of producing highly desirable product.[/quote] Absolutely....... how do you think I've done so well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 As a product they are ok... and you might have a very good one, but mostly other copiers do things better ( and some SO much better, IME) so they are left with the icon/image. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 [quote name='crez5150' post='1033931' date='Nov 23 2010, 02:33 PM']Absolutely..... it's all about Branding not product.[/quote] I tend to agree. I've got little breadth of knowledge when it comes to bass guitars, but I'd bet that they are pretty much all capable of doing a good job as a musical instrument - witness all the pro players that use a wide variety of different makes and models. If there was one 'best' model then all the pro players would be using it. So it all, I think, boils down to branding. If your favourite player uses an XYZ then you'll be influenced to use the same. And if you don't have a favourite player and are just starting out then you may only have heard about a Fender P-bass, so that's the one you buy. And let's face it, it's hardly a bad choice is it? But it won't make you a better player. A great player will make a bad bass sound great but, sadly, it won't work in reverse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.gif.9ad672bb8b84505709f76b39c8c256ec.gif)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.