Fender headstock decals on replicas

[simisker]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

 

Having said that if I found myself needing to play an F-style bass because of the band look, I'd prefer it not to say "Fender" (or "Squier") on the headstock.

 

Oddly enough, I had the opposite thought, as a life-long shunner of FSOs: "Well, if I HAVE to have a Precision in my collection, it's going to damn well say 'Fender' on it".

 

So I bought a new licensed Fender neck and had a bass built around it [it was the only way to get a P bass with my preferred spec/visuals].

Edited Wednesday at 14:24 by simisker

[la bam]

I've regularly gigged Harley benton, squier, fenders, vintage.... anything. If it sounds good, then it's good enough. 

 

However... I do have to say for auditions for bands and jobs, I've always found turning up with that Fender logo really does help (although it shouldn't). To other people it's much more than just a logo. It boosts your chances before you've even played a note. 

 

Again, unfortunate, but just what I've found. 

[goonerjoe]

30 minutes ago, la bam said:

However... I do have to say for auditions for bands and jobs, I've always found turning up with that Fender logo really does help (although it shouldn't). To other people it's much more than just a logo. It boosts your chances before you've even played a note. 

 

David Brent said it best:

"Does a struggling salesman start turning up on a bicycle? No, he turns up in a newer car - perception, yeah?"

 

Joking aside, I think this theory has some truth to it

[BigRedX]

1 hour ago, la bam said:

However... I do have to say for auditions for bands and jobs, I've always found turning up with that Fender logo really does help (although it shouldn't). To other people it's much more than just a logo. It boosts your chances before you've even played a note. 

 

 

The way I look at it is that any band that expects me to have a bass with a Fender logo on it, obviously isn't the right band for me.

[police squad]

1 hour ago, goonerjoe said:

 

David Brent said it best:

"Does a struggling salesman start turning up on a bicycle? No, he turns up in a newer car - perception, yeah?"

 

Joking aside, I think this theory has some truth to it

Yep i think thats sort of true with some people

[police squad]

6 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

 

The way I look at it is that any band that expects me to have a bass with a Fender logo on it, obviously isn't the right band for me.

I'm the same. I would take my hb to an audition if I thought it the right thing. If they were snobby I'd walk

[la bam]

Well, here's a weird one... 

 

Thisnis a jazz I bought a bit ago - never seen or heard of these, or even where you'd get the logo. 

 

Looks cool though. Mojo without imitation. 

 

 

[prowla]

1 hour ago, la bam said:

Well, here's a weird one... 

 

Thisnis a jazz I bought a bit ago - never seen or heard of these, or even where you'd get the logo. 

 

Looks cool though. Mojo without imitation. 

 

 

Maybe I’m a Leo…

[gjones]

The other day I bought a Chinese Jazz Bass neck, on Ebay, for just over £70. It's a perfect replica of a Fender Jazz neck and has both a 70s style Decal and a made up USA serial number on the back.

I seriously think it has made its way out the back door of a factory that makes necks for Fender in China. It looks and feels like it could have been taken straight off a Fender Player.

Of course I have no plans to sell it, or any bass its connected, to as the real thing.

Edited 16 hours ago by gjones

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I put together an unlined fretless precision bass bitzer about 25ish years ago. I used top quality parts, but none made by Fender apart from an ‘F’ neck plate. I did however put a 70s style Fender decal on the headstock as I like the aesthetic — there has never been any intention for me to to sell this bass.

 

A couple of weeks ago, after not having played this bass for a long time — due to losing interest in playing fretless, I gave it a neck transplant using a (fretted) Fender Precision to Jazz bass conversion neck (just a jazz neck with a precision decal) It has also acquired a Fender hi-mass bridge. The bass now has a Fender serial number, so is it now a Fender bass or is it still a fake?

[SonnyBassPlayer]

If I had a fenderish instrument made of parts I would leave the headstock blank or use a fake Fender decal. That would be just because I like how it looks, really, it's purely aesthetic.
It actually triggers me more when I see decals with other words with the same style/font as I see it almost as "mocking".

I own a parts bass with a Fender neck but it's not completely a Fender: why what matters is only the neck? If I have Fender body and a replacement neck I may feel completely fine adding a Fender decal to it.

Of course any instrument sold by a brand that is not Fender but gets a fender decal... that is a no-no.

 

[Sean]

23 hours ago, la bam said:

However... I do have to say for auditions for bands and jobs, I've always found turning up with that Fender logo really does help (although it shouldn't). To other people it's much more than just a logo. It boosts your chances before you've even played a note. 

 

Again, unfortunate, but just what I've found. 

Does this apply in reverse? Hypothetically, if one had a collection of Sadowsky, Valenti, AC, Lull etc basses, would one still take the Fender? I mean, Joe Blow doesn't know the difference between a Jack & Danny's and and an Alleva Coppolo, they're both obscure, niche brand FSOs. 

 

My Jap Yamahas have been the victims of Fender-snobbery many times. 

[Muzz]

Funnily enough, I had this at a gig last weekend; a chap came up to me to say he was enjoying the band and then said 'I'm a bassist, too; I play a Fender Jazz...a US Elite Fender Jazz'  My complete lack of reaction to this* seemed to nonplus him, and he walked away.

 

* I may have said 'Oh.', just because there was a gap in the conversation...