What would you like to see mainstream bass manufacturers produce?

[mcgraham]

Inspired by the Fender's 'Modern Players' thread, I want to know what other bassists would like to see mainstream bass manufacturers produce.

I would like to see more bass manufacturers, like Fender, take lessons from the sorts of things that more boutique companies are producing. For example, Fender don't experiment much, but I think that some of their best basses have been those that just go a bit further than solid colour 20 fret 4 string J/P basses...[list]
[*]Fender Jazz 24 fret - a GREAT modified Jazz body shape, with a tasteful but not OTT exotic wood top. If they produced a 4, 5 or even a 6 string version and you would have covered a [i]huge [/i]portion of the custom/boutique bass market... and suddenly made these things more accessible to more traditional minded players AND boutique minded players.
[*]Stu Hamm Mk2 signature bass - wonderful piano like tone, and superb contemporary restyled body and pickguard. That bass brought (IMO) the 'traditional' look into the 21st century, but still very much Fender. Available in 4 and 5 string, but too expensive for most. Now Stu has gone to Washburn, bring it to the mainstream body shapes.
[/list]
Ultimately I'd like to see some more design work from the Fender team, cos they can clearly come up with comtemporary designs that don't ruin their traditional image.

Other stuff I think would be good but these are things I like to see and not necessarily commercially beneficial...[list]
[*]Preamps - Team up with a preamp manufacturer like Aguilar, or East, or something, and give the option of every model as passive or active/preamp equipped. Sure, not every shop would carry the preamp equipped and of course a tech-savvy person would be willing to install one themselves, but just having this as an orderable standard option would allow people the chance to get what they want off the shelf and not cause certain people to look elsewhere for the sake of just a preamp.
[*]Ramps as an accessory - everything they make is standardised to some extent, it wouldn't be hard for them to offer these as an accessory for basses in the same way they offer pickguards. Yes it's a bit niche, but it's doable, and also brings their offerings a bit more up to date.
[*]More frets - 24 or even 26 fret basses would bring a more boutique edge to their offerings, and the 24 fret body shape they came up with shows they can style a bass to cope with it.
[/list]
Oh and better quality control would help

[Chris2112]

I don't think Fender would ever offer the Urge bass pickup combination on any 'mainstream' product of theirs. Okay, the Urge sounds nothing like a traditional P or J bass, but if they offered that pickup combo on a Mexican made bass they'd cut their sales in half! Thats one of the likely reasons the Urge Standard (MIM) only had two singlecoil pickups.

[Al Heeley]

Accessible truss rod nut, like the Stingray. So very easy to tweak if needed.
Adjustanut from Warwick and decent adjustable bridge to get action good as possible at both ends of the neck.
Mix of P and J pickups that can be run passive and active.
2 strap buttons as standard on the base of the bass so it doesn't fall over when you stand it up.

[mcgraham]

Sure. I was shooting more for the restyled but still traditional bodies that those basses had. Just re-re-re-releasing the EXACT same shapes with the EXACT same finishes and EXACT same pickup configurations every year just paints themselves into a corner. Seems like a waste, particularly when they have such a clearly talented design team that can produce great looking instruments that tick both the contemporary/modern AND traditional/vintage requirements at the same time...

[Linus27]

If we are talking Fender, then I would like to see them do a fixed range of classic re-issue MIA basses. In the range we would have,

1. Fender Jazz 75 re-issue with binding and block inlays in a wide range colours including natural with the option of having matching headstock and an option to have black or white binding/inlays.

2. Fender Telecaster bass based on the 1951 model available in more than just butterscotch or sunburst.

Probably a few other classics but that would be a good starter for now.

[TheGreek]

As far as I know Fender's expeditions into the active market have been few and far between - one of the exceptions was the Fender Zone series. I used to own a really nice Fender Zone - reveiws suggested there was a problem wiith the p/ups or preamp which Fender failed to reconcile so they dropped the model. I didn't have a problem with this but then I didn't use it a great deal which may have been why mine didn't suffer with the alleged issues. This bass also featured Walnut facings which was a departure for them. I've still not seen a thru neck Fender - an option nearly every other manufacturer offers.

It seems that Fender buyers prefer their traditional stuff hence the numerous re-issues...

[xilddx]

Ergonomic, long-lasting cookware by Warwick.

[thisnameistaken]

More neck pickups, less dead spots.

[Bankai]

I want to see the Gibson Thunderbird offered in more than one finish, and also in 5 string version. LIKE THEY USED TO rarararar

[Prime_BASS]

If fender offered some of the signature series as standards with a more reasonable pricen that would be a start.
There was one sig model (forget whose) with two humbucks and a vastly different pickguard that was close to a telebass.

The truss rod wheel at the bottom of the neck. I still have to take the pickguard off to adjust my american standard.

Orange maple!! Not this aenemic crap. Better non plastic finish aswell!

Custom orders!!! Like you can with EBMM.

I'd go straight in an order said sig bass, maple fingerrboard, cobalt blue, white pearliod guard, chrome knobs and white pick up covers.

With mcgraham on ramps, definatly felt I needed one on so many basses.

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1317404117' post='1390490']
Ergonomic, long-lasting cookware by Warwick.
[/quote]
In Chrome, Gold, Black and Satin, I presume? With Wenge handles.

[hillbilly deluxe]

This,Japanese market only AFAIK.but with a Jazz bridge pickup...........my idealbass.
Short scale basses without the mud.

Edited October 1, 2011 by hillbilly deluxe

[cd_david]

I wish people would stop reinventing fenders/super-fenders and charging inflated prices. Make something original and different

Fender make Fenders

Edited October 1, 2011 by cd_david

[xilddx]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1317449522' post='1390784']
In Chrome, Gold, Black and Satin, I presume? With Wenge handles.
[/quote]
Ovangkol. I hate wenge

[Jerry_B]

I think it'd be great in Fender made some of the MIJ designs more widely available - for example, non-Aerodyne P/J Jazzes. In general Fender seems to ignore the P/J with the cheaper wing of their range, which is a shame IMHO. I also wish they'd start doing unlined fretless Pbasses or Jazzes again, that aren't some 'special' artist range.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='cd_david' timestamp='1317460045' post='1390868']
I wish people would stop reinventing fenders/super-fenders and charging inflated prices. Make something original and different

Fender make Fenders
[/quote]
This.

I'm quite happy for the mainstream manufacturers to carry on what they are doing. It doesn't really interest me.

Nowadays there are so many companies and luthiers making instruments that someone somewhere will be producing pretty much exactly what you want. Let the big manufacturers carry on producing designs that have hardly evolved since the 60s and let others create something new and innovative.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1317468894' post='1390987']
This.

I'm quite happy for the mainstream manufacturers to carry on what they are doing. It doesn't really interest me.

Nowadays there are so many companies and luthiers making instruments that someone somewhere will be producing pretty much exactly what you want. Let the big manufacturers carry on producing designs that have hardly evolved since the 60s and let others create something new and innovative.
[/quote]
I agree with this - although I'm one who likes the Fenders rather than the other stuff.

[Linus27]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1317470227' post='1391014']
I agree with this - although I'm one who likes the Fenders rather than the other stuff.
[/quote]

I agree but I wish Fender would start making the classics. You can't get an American made Fender 51 re-issue in white or natural for example. Or a american made Fender Jazz with blocks and binding based on the 62 and a 75 Jazz. Or even an american 70's Telecaster bass with the humberbucker up at the neck. Fender should stick with the classics more and not just limit them to Japanese or Mexican specials or Squires.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Linus27' timestamp='1317472139' post='1391040']

I agree but I wish Fender would start making the classics. You can't get an American made Fender 51 re-issue in white or natural for example. Or a american made Fender Jazz with blocks and binding based on the 62 and a 75 Jazz. Or even an american 70's Telecaster bass with the humberbucker up at the neck. Fender should stick with the classics more and not just limit them to Japanese or Mexican specials or Squires.
[/quote]
OK, I'm easy-going, I agree with that too.

[Linus27]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1317472471' post='1391049']
OK, I'm easy-going, I agree with that too.
[/quote]

Excellent, thats Fender sorted. Right, who next, Musicman or Warwick

[dave_bass5]

Anything they already do at a much, much cheaper price gets my vote.

Anything i could ever want is already out there, i just cant afford to pay the prices they ask.

[LukeFRC]

Small scale british manufacturers able to get on the market.
a certain amount of good old handmade stuff but then working out what can be bought in from elsewhere- kinda a bit like overwater are doing I guess- but actually made/crafted here- and at a £500-1000 sort of price mark.

[mcgraham]

Personally I think Musicman have taken onboard quite a lot of good opinions and directions on their instruments. They don't seem afraid to produce some natural progressions of their designs (e.g. the dual humbucker versions of their instruments) as well as create some funky looking (I have mixed opinions on them) but stellar sounding instruments (e.g. like the Bongo or Big Al). However, I think they could do with lowering their prices to make them slightly more accessible. For something mass produced it shouldn't be THAT expensive to get a totally stock bass.

Warwick's pricing is also a bit laughable, particularly given the stuff they produce at the moment. I'm not saying the instruments are bad/not good, but given I can buy a totally custom designed and custom built bass, built by hand to the highest quality levels I've ever experienced for around the same price, I would like to see them revisit their pricing structure.

Also, I'd say that Warwick (to some extent) seems to have a prerogative to create instruments that are unusual with exotic wood choices for the sake of it rather than because it's going to make an instrument that is any good, and relying on the customer base buying warwick because they did something different to a P/J/MM instrument. I should point out I do like many of Warwick's basses, this is just an observation and how I feel about it.

[charic]

More 6/7 string basses

[mcgraham]

charic, while my first response is to laugh at the marketability of 6/7 string basses... when I actually paused to think about it, I reckon that good quality 6/7 string basses at doable prices (even current Fender or Ernie Ball prices would be acceptable) WOULD get bought by people... myself included! If they're available to try then there's definitely a likelihood of people buying them.