What do you want from your Fender clones?

[karlthebassist]

I've been looking at getting a Lakland DJ4. They are absoloutly lovely. Its all the looks for me though. Size is nice too. But as far as playability goes, I can play the same stuff on a Fender J...

Makes me wonder though, what makes a Sadowsky, Lakland, Celinder, KSDesign etc the bass you want or own over a normal Fender? Some Fender clones I see are almost identical to a genuine article!

[bubinga5]

Usually the pre amp, although Fender clones arent always active... also the quality of Celinder's etc are usually far superior to a Fender..(not that i care that much)...My Fender Jazz kicks ass and is built very well, but it is a Custom Shop..

They maybe offer a bit more than a Fender in different aspects of the instrument, but do you need it....thats personal...

you only have to look at a vid of Sharay Reed playing a Fender 5 to see!

Edited April 9, 2010 by bubinga5

[BarnacleBob]

Standard Jazz body size is just a tad too big for my liking - being only a little feller.

So i like the reduced size of a lot of the 'clones' - and like Bubinga5 says Fender themselves dont do a lot active/pre-amping and such so u have too look elsewere if u want a wider range of sounds from one instrument.

recently found a Fender Jazz that was nearly everything clones are - actives, nice hardware, even an exotic top but it had a really annoying dead spot


BB

[thodrik]

For me, its gonna be a difference in the preamp, and possibly more consistent fretwork. For a passive Fender-style bass I would probably take a Fender. However, I've never heard an active Fender that could compete with a Sandberg, Sadowsky or other such basses. I've not tried the new US deluxe line yet, but generally active preamps have not been Fender's strong point, in my view.

Also, until the release of the new US deluxe line, I've thought that the colour options of the recent Fenders have been pretty limited/ugly compared to the Lakland and the rest.

[TDM]

Other than preamp/pickups I think it's little details like neck profile, neck/body join contouring, fretboard radius, fret size, no. of frets. The things that aren't really immediately noticeable from afar but make a big difference to playability.

[bubinga5]

yes lets see what the new deluxe preamp is like..if it aint its a shame but cats will swap them out for better anyway.....they should do a limited run of sexy tops to shake things up IMO...they could steal sooooo much of the market if they just got exciting!! they just dont seem to look at bass guitar making like the other clones...but maybe thats the point..

i would hate to see Fender loose that vibe they have...and feel they want to retain that to a degree

also seems to me that Fender Japan are way more exciting in the colour etc dep

Edited April 9, 2010 by bubinga5

[Kiwi]

I recognise the need for Fender sounds in some situations but I don't really want to own a Fender. They lack something special for me because they're so widely used. Having said that I've been tempted by a preCBS jazz in the past and OBBM's jazz necked 78 p-bass was also giving me GAS at one point.

[bubinga5]

Surely that specialness comes from the player.there only instruments for a purpose.. no matter what you got....tis always great to be unique i know..

i used to think that i wouldnt own a Fender for that reason but i played one and fell in love with the sound.

i turned up with the Sei J at a rehearsal ive been going to and they wanted the Fender back..better for there sound i guess..

Edited April 9, 2010 by bubinga5

[Kiwi]

[quote name='bubinga5' post='801304' date='Apr 9 2010, 08:59 PM']Surely that specialness comes from the player.there only instruments no matter what you got....tis always great to be unique i know..[/quote]
I bought my instruments because of their Fenderish sound but also because of their background, rather than who played them. Its easier to sell an interesting instrument with minimal depreciation in a sea of Fender basses if I ever need to. Also, when I buy a higher end instrument, to a certain degree I'm buying a piece of the person who made it. Surprisingly enough many luthiers outside the US don't realise the personal connection that customers look for when they make a decision to spend hard earned wonga on a hand crafted instrument.

I tend to feel Fenders are pretty utilitarian, they do a job and they do it well (if you have a good one) but its not been enough yet to persuade me to buy one.

[bubinga5]

im sure you know but i meant yourself as the player....whats your top instrument at the moment CK...there are 2 basses i had soo bad gas for..one was the Meshell Celinder and the other was your old KS fretted...

Edited April 9, 2010 by bubinga5

[Kiwi]

[quote name='bubinga5' post='801339' date='Apr 9 2010, 10:38 PM']im sure you know but i meant yourself as the player[/quote]
Oh ok, I don't know that my playing is all that special. I'm a groove player mostly, thats where I get my satisfaction from.

[quote name='bubinga5' post='801339' date='Apr 9 2010, 10:38 PM']....whats your top instrument at the moment CK...there are 2 basses i had soo bad gas for..one was the Meshell Celinder and the other was your old KS fretted...[/quote]
Without question, the natural tint Spector NS5CR that I've modded. It now sounds like the Smith but with more midrange bite and the coil splits give it loads more versatility. I can get a Jaydee sound out of the bridge-most coil and it does a passable p-bass sound from the neck-most coil. With the outside coils on both pickups, it does Tobias and with the two inside coils I can get a passable (but not convincing) stingray sound. Something that at least will sit in the mix in the same way.

The only thing I don't like is the small body but it still looks sexy. So I can't imagine changing to another main bass unless its one that I've designed myself.

[JTUK]

My Sei jazzes just do the Fender thing so much better...

They are something else to look at as MP's attention to detail and little styling is fantastic but they have great sounds as well.
Both has John East pre's and either Barts or KA pups..

Passive they sound like good sounding Fenders...and you might have to pick and swap around stock Fenders to get one as good...with the active switched in they are indeed Super Jazzes.

It will be interesting to see if Fender put a decent pre amp in their new range... and it had better be good otherwise it is just another Fender range and will not make up any ground.

Some Fenders can be so right as well, but they aren't that common, IMV.
I'd say that stock Lakland DJ's or JO's are ahead of them soundwise ..

It may be that Lakaland are making better Jazzes than Fender atm...

[Kiwi]

[quote name='JTUK' post='801371' date='Apr 9 2010, 11:21 PM']It may be that Lakaland are making better Jazzes than Fender atm...[/quote]
In terms of sound, I've been far more impressed with Laklands than I have with the Fenders I've tried. Lakland have managed to nail a really nice, growly, warm, consistent sound from their instruments. I was seriously considering switching to Laklands before I spotted my beat up Celinder Update J ('Ol No. 2).

[bubinga5]

dont be modest bro..For me simple grooves are where the best bass playing is played...i see so many gospel players that make me feel inadequate, but as you know, the beauty of electric bass is in its simplicity, in the context of a song...

i personally think Fender will make ground financially just by the look of the new deluxe range, although if the preamp isnt cooking, the masses will buy one then put in Low End, Aguilar, JE pre's ....

i agree JTUK, my Sei J5 is superb and surely awsome....why i put it for trade i dont know..the feel of the instrument is something else...silky smooth
J bass..just gotta get it out of a studio..

Edited April 9, 2010 by bubinga5

[bubinga5]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='801375' date='Apr 9 2010, 11:24 PM']In terms of sound, I've been far more impressed with Laklands than I have with the Fenders I've tried. Lakland have managed to nail a really nice, growly, warm, consistent sound from their instruments. I was seriously considering switching to Laklands before I spotted my beat up Celinder Update J ('Ol No. 2).[/quote]
would you say your more of an active guy CK?...

[josh3184]

only reason I dont get Fender is because of their ridiculous attitude to left handed musicians. Plus I played a Fender P in a music store and was non-plussed, then was handed a Kramer P copy and it blew my mind. How much was the Kramer?

£90

[BoomBass]

I just need an extra string - and all the 5-string Fenders i have tried did not pass the test... Also, a nice preamp makes a difference. That being said, the best bass I own (by far) is my old 72 Jazz - the only flaw is the lack of a B-string...

[JTUK]

When I went looking for my first 5... the definition of the B string was a big thing which is why I ended up with Sei building me one..
I think it is still relevant now,....so much so that you can't take it as a given that any makes will have it sorted.
I think QC is decent enough on a lot of models, but not something you can take for granted.. and that includes the older Fender V's for sure, IMV.

B5...couldn't believe you put that Sei J5 up for sale..??
My Sei J5's do Fender very well anyway... and look trad enough, so both bases covered...literally..

[throwoff]

left handers.
Pure and simple!

[OutToPlayJazz]

Never really gone for the "clones". Always wanted a Sadowsky, but they've all disappointed me bar one Metro model I played recently.

In a Fender clone, I'd be looking for a combination of the classic tones of the original with some added adaptability and modern overtones. Most of them cost significantly more than the real thing, so I'd be expecting something literally twice as good. Am I being overly optimistic here?

I've had a few Fenders and ended up selling them all, whether because they weren't gigged or they just didn't fit. All either Standard, American Standard or Artist series. So I'm upping the ante now and picking up a 62 RI American Vintage Precision next weekend. This particular bass is the only P that's ever made me go "Wow!" when I played it. We'll see how it fares...

Edited April 12, 2010 by OutToPlayJazz

[JTUK]

I recently bought 2 Jazz5's made by Sei... and I will keep both due to the sound both have...and being quite different.

But, I do think you should be prepared to chase a few of whatever make, to get the one that suits you better.

I am sure I could find a Fender V that I would be happy to play, ditto a Sadowsky but whether I would be happy with everything about them, I am not that confident....or if I would keep them.

I do believe you get excellent examples and not so great examples of most basses... and the more expensive ones tend to narrow the gap between the variance, IMO,
The really good 60's Fenders are the ones that survived, the rest were firewood.
Don't let anyone pretend that all of a certain period of these Fender models were great.... because it just ain't so, IME..
Same as the 70's..I had one and sold it...and it was my first proper bass..now, I wonder why I did that..?????? not even sentimental reasons could keep it.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='803467' date='Apr 12 2010, 10:17 AM']Never really gone for the "clones". Always wanted a Sadowsky, but they've all disappointed me bar one Metro model I played recently.

In a Fender clone, I'd be looking for a combination of the classic tones of the original with some added adaptability and modern overtones. Most of them cost significantly more than the real thing, so I'd be expecting something literally twice as good. Am I being overly optimistic here?

I've had a few Fenders and ended up selling them all, whether because they weren't gigged or they just didn't fit. All either Standard, American Standard or Artist series. So I'm upping the ante now and picking up a 62 RI American Vintage Precision next weekend. This particular bass is the only P that's ever made me go "Wow!" when I played it. We'll see how it fares... [/quote]

Im in agreement here...the Sadowsky's I played never really did it for me. Very 'polite'....I immediately tested a 75 Reissue Jazz that was next to them, and that bass barked and growled perfectly. I found Sadowskys to be far too 'modern' for me. Lovely QC and finish though.

The Metro prices now are silly. For some of them, you could buy two new American Standard Fenders (and they are much better nowadays) and still have £300 or so change.

I look forward to the pics of the 62 reissue Rich.

Edited April 12, 2010 by Musicman20

[bubinga5]

Yeah i would so buy two Fender's for the price of a Metro...

[BoomBass]

I just want a 5th string, that's all... I have yet to play a Fender with a decent B-string... I have a Celinder J-Update 5 for that, a Sadowsky Tokyo arriving soon, and some serious GAS for an Alleva Coppolo LM5. That being said, I have never had a bass that sounds as good as my trusty 72 Jazz!