Ive gone off Fender.

[bubinga5]

why its taken me this long after 15 Fenders to get to this way of thinking,? I'm not sure. maybe playing a Lakland J04 was the beginning of the end . i know I'm fed up with trying to find a good one. the conclusion is there are builders out there who can do that (my favourite tone) 70's jazz bass tone, but way better construction. I'm done with Fender. I've experienced too much sh*t. if i had played Lakland's or Sadowsky's all this time i wouldn't be posting.

i still want a good Fender P Bass, but the Fender Jazz is just not for me anymore. I'm sure there are some great Fenders out there but I'm bored of trying to find one. Give me a interpretation any day. show me a Fender that can match a Lakland or the better copies and i will play it. until then i will say goodbye to Leo.

Edited January 11, 2015 by bubinga5

[Chiliwailer]

I'm half way with you there, and kind of reversed too in model issues.

I have two Custom Shops, a 63 Jazz and a 55 ( old style) Precision. I love them both, the 63 has the best tone I've heard on a CS Jazz ( relative to my taste that is) and the 55 is an absolute powerhouse of a bass.

But.... I've had 8 Precisions in the past 2 years whilst I've been looking to experiment and find the right one for me since I sold my fave pre CBS one.

7 were Fenders, a 1969, 2 from 1966, a Custom Shop 64 and 3 JV Squires, 2 of which were from the great Fender logo series. In the past I've also owned 3 pre CBS and some USA std's and dlx's. All great basses, but none that clicked in every department.

I've ended up with a Mike Lull P4, it is incredible, the perfect P Bass for me. IT'S THE BEST BASS THAT FENDER WOULD NEVER MAKE. It's modern, but with an old school width neck that feels updated. The weight is incredibly light and perfectly balanced with no neck dive, which is super important and essential for me, and the tone is superb. The build quality is right up there, it's a proper custom bass.

As a P Bass is always my go to bass, it's been worth experimenting to get to the Lull. If I was mostly using a Jazz, I'd probably have a Lulll or Lakland as well as my Custom Shop one, but as its just for fun I'm happy with my Fender. As for the Custom Shop 55, it's perfectly Fender and I doubt it could be bettered.

It'd be a shame if there are lots of posts here slagging off Fender, they have their place, as do all makes.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Chiliwailer

[Telebass]

I use two bitsas. Both are Precisions, both have Jazz necks. Both sound like a Precision should, with the bonus of wonderfully slim shallow necks. They're not really Fenders or Squiers, they're mine. They work. Job done.

[Lozz196]

Traitors, one and all!!!!

Nah seriously, if you like the designs but find other brands interpretations better for you, then play them. I`m 100% loyal to Fender as I just haven`t played any other bass that comes close for me.

[Chiliwailer]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1420966729' post='2655455']
Traitors, one and all!!!!

I`m 100% loyal to Fender as I just haven`t played any other bass that comes close for me.
[/quote]

Haha, don't hang us, please!!!

Seriously, I wish I could be 100% loyal too, I value loyalty. Such a shame that Fender don't, or have never, made the spec'd P Bass I need.

[franzbassist]

I have owned dozens of basses over the years, including some high end brands like Wal and Ken Smith. My main squeeze at the moment is a Fender American Special, it was less than £500, looks and sounds the business, is beautifully put together, and is one of the most resonant basses I have ever played. It's also really nice and light and has a wonderful shallow C neck. It's perfect in every way. There's something about the Fender P that, for me at least, is just "right".

There are some amazing Fenders out there, just as there are amazing basses from most manufacturers. The trick is to find them!

Edited January 11, 2015 by walbassist

[Chiliwailer]

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1420967717' post='2655464']
I have owned dozens of basses over the years, including some high end brands like Wal and Ken Smith. My main squeeze at the moment is a Fender American Special, it was less than £500, looks and sounds the business, is beautifully put together, and is one of the most resonant basses I have ever played. It's also really nice and light and has a wonderful shallow C neck. It's perfect in every way. There's something about the Fender P that, for me at least, is just "right".

There are some amazing Fenders out there, just as there are amazing basses from most manufacturers. The trick is to find them!
[/quote]

I wish that were the case for me mate, though I agree there are tons of very good ones out there to be found and loved.

My Lull weighs 7.5 lbs and balances and sounds awesome. It has a chambered alder body and wide B width neck. To get a bass that light and spec from Fender would be very rare indeed, and would almost certainly mean a Basswood body, which doesn't do it for me tone wise.

If my nerve damage could handle 8.5lbs, there would be some lovely Fenders out there for me.

[Hutton]

My Fenders are just fine. I once had a Lakland Daryll Jones. It was a nice bass but not in my hands. The Fender Jazz just felt right. It's really down to your own preference. However, just because a particular make doesn't suit a player is no reason to say that they are not good basses or that there is a Holy Grail bass just waiting to be found amongst the rubbish. Fenders don't suit everybody. That's just fine.

[stingrayPete1977]

I've stopped chasing the dream, couple of bits of wood bolted or glued together with strings held end to end, its all in the fingers etc. I rejected two Laklands with minor defects over a flawless Fender Jazz so it's not so simple imo.

[Hutton]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1420969554' post='2655488']
I've stopped chasing the dream, couple of bits of wood bolted or glued together with strings held end to end, its all in the fingers etc. I rejected two Laklands with minor defects over a flawless Fender Jazz so it's not so simple imo.
[/quote]

Agreed!

[JapanAxe]

If Fender doesn't give you what you want, and another make does, it's a no-brainer.

[chris_b]

I have always been a Fender fan and played a Fender P bass for over 25 years. I had no inclination to change until I wanted to move to 5 string basses and, sadly, that's where Fender and me parted company.

Back then, in the 90's, their 5ers didn't stack up against the competition and even though they seem to have upped their game to be pretty good these days, my Lakland 55-94D and Lull PJ5 are my preference by a mile.

I think Lakland hit the ground running when they brought out their first 5ers and Fender were very slow to react. Twenty years later they still haven't caught up. Then again, anyone wanting to buy a top 5er should start by looking at a Lull. They are perfect and the best "Fender" on the market these days.

All IME and IMO.

[Dan Dare]

This is all good. Fender has been a bit like Hoover - they were first and became the generic instrument, the go-to brand. Now they're just another manufacturer - people compare their offerings to others and don't buy by the name. That's the way it should be. Having said that, I love my old Jazz.

[MikanHannille]

Whatever feels good and sounds good to you.That being said there's only one Fender I've tried which feels and sounds good to me, and that's what I own at the moment. The rest are non-Fender/Fender copies.

[UglyDog]

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1420965741' post='2655441']
I use two bitsas. Both are Precisions, both have Jazz necks. Both sound like a Precision should, with the bonus of wonderfully slim shallow necks. They're not really Fenders or Squiers, they're mine. They work. Job done.
[/quote]
This, exactly the same. My P is a bitsa with a solid no-name body and a Squier J neck and it feels wonderful to play. I can't get on with baseball bat necks so it suits me. Again, job done.

[spongebob]

I've recently become a full-on Fender player. Dabbled before, but really enjoying the brand right now.

I suppose I was always worried about being too obvious before, just took me years to realise why so many people play them. Easy to play, easy to adjust. I'm sold!

[zero9]

I've owned 2 Fender P's, a 78 and a 2006 US, and regret letting the 78 go. However, I never really got on with the ergonomics, until I tried a Jazz. Tried several Fender Jazzes, vintage, 75 reissue and squiers, all nice but a bit meh in the sound department. Because I like graphite necks, I built a Warmoth / Status Jazz clone and am delighted with it. Suits me ergonomically and looks like a Jazz (my favourite look for a bass), sounds like a Jazz, but isn't a Fender.

Edited January 11, 2015 by zero9

[JTUK]

There are too many people making better 'Fenders' than Fender these days, IMO.
That is a testament to the original design but they ( Fender ) haven't got the marketing
and build right or in sync for so long now, IMO.
That is why I'd pretty much only start at their American deluxe line now, but
even they are too late to the party as they came in around 2010..??
I went for my 1st 5 over 20 years ago and Fender were nowhere in the races back then.
I'd like a American J deluxe from the spec, but I suspect it will be way short of my current basses
so I doubt that will happen.

[titchfieldrelic]

The Fender Jazz and Precision (and Strat) have been the inspiration for virtually every guitar manufacturer that exists.. The world of guitars would not be the same without the magic, ingenuity and skill of Leo Fender. It has been so easy for the Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Indonesian and the plethora of other lazy/envious/cheap skate manufacturers everywhere to replicate what are now iconic designs/instuments.

If all these other manufacturers are so good, why don't they come up with something different? They don't because they can't. And if they've tried, in most cases they've failed.

OK, so some poeple don't like or want a Fender. But often they want a copy. Sometimes better made, somtimes cheaper. There isn't anything made where these two requirements can't be obtained.

Well so what!

Fender have been making guitars for 60 years or more and Fender may not be here for ever. I hope they are.

But Fender knockers, please, give it a rest!

Let's see how many of the plagiarisers are here in another 60 years and how many guitars they've sold.

Edited January 11, 2015 by titchfieldrelic

[Telebass]

This ^^^^

[bartelby]

After spending nearly a year swapping between my Warwick Corvette, Aria SB Elite, EBMM Stingray trying to find the right sound, I've gone back to my Fender P.
I love playing all of them, and the Warwick and Stingray are more comfortable than the Fender.
But the Fender just sounds so much nicer.


Of course, I want other basses by other manufacturers. But I guess I'll keep going back to the P.

[deaky]

[quote name='titchfieldrelic' timestamp='1420984287' post='2655768']
The Fender Jazz and Precision (and Strat) have been the inspiration for virtually every guitar manufacturer that exists.. The world of guitars would not be the same without the magic, ingenuity and skill of Leo Fender. It has been so easy for the Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Indonesian and the plethora of other lazy/envious/cheap skate manufacturers everywhere to replicate what are now iconic designs/instuments.

If all these other manufacturers are so good, why don't they come up with something different? They don't because they can't. And if they've tried, in most cases they've failed.

OK, so some poeple don't like or want a Fender. But often they want a copy. Sometimes better made, somtimes cheaper. There isn't anything made where these two requirements can't be obtained.

Well so what!

Fender have been making guitars for 60 years or more and Fender may not be here for ever. I hope they are.

But Fender knockers, please, give it a rest!

Let's see how many of the plagiarisers are here in another 60 years and how many guitars they've sold.
[/quote]


This^^^^

Edited January 11, 2015 by deaky

[ubit]

I've got lots of basses. Gibson, Status, Ibanez,Spector, Sandberg and I love them all, but when I play live, I always take the Fenders. I don't know why. I just trust and love the sound of them, the feel of them , the weight of them....I just love them!

[wateroftyne]

Very few 'new' Fenders interest me. Just the specialist stuff... Roscoe Beck, Tony Franklin...

If I was in the market for a new Precision, I'd probably buy a Lakland.

[UglyDog]

[quote name='titchfieldrelic' timestamp='1420984287' post='2655768']
But Fender knockers, please, give it a rest![/quote]
Absolutely. How dare they have an opinion?