4 Strings Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 Now, back in the day you could buy Fender basses in Precision or Jazz flavours (or should that be flavors) with a few different finishes for toppings and maybe even maple syrup, I mean neck. Just been to my local Pre-Menstrual chain shop and find more models than I can even think up. There's Jazzes with P pickups, Ps with Jazz pickups, others with one of each, passive, active, more frets and so it went on (without straying to an even more dizzying selection of Squiers). Mercifully they all looked brand new. Am I getting old or is some of the magic - whatever that is - being lost? Quote
Ou7shined Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 That's a very leading question. How many is too many? Quote
Doddy Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 I like the choices..it gives me excuses to buy more. Seriously though,I use Fenders most of the time and I like having the choice of Jazz,Precision,active,passive,five string,short scale,etc. Quote
uncle psychosis Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 I'm not sure I'd say there's "too many", but I would say that the whole product range is really confusing. I find it really hard to work out what options are available and which aren't. Whilst we're here---does anyone know if there are any squier p-basses that come with ashtray and pickup cover as standard? Quote
bubinga5 Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 (edited) the choice of instruments i think is good.. they seem to cater for most pickup choices (bar a H model) etc.. the only trouble with Fender is the choice in exciting cheaper models, that the Japanese do so well... would like to see this as a cheaper model.. Geddy's red flame maple Jazz.. but this is a custom shop bass, so i guess they dont want to take too much away from there custom shop division.. Edited October 6, 2011 by bubinga5 Quote
Doddy Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1317917534' post='1396245']they seem to cater for most pickup choices (bar a H model) etc.. s [/quote] Although they did do the Big Block Prescision which was a single humbucker model. Quote
bubinga5 Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 i wonder why there is no humbucker jazz..? Quote
Doddy Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1317918621' post='1396277'] i wonder why there is no humbucker jazz..? [/quote] The new Modern Player series Jazz is twin humbucker. And (pedantically ) the Noiseless Jazz pick ups are humbuckers. Quote
BottomE Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 Never too many Fenders. Like posters above i think of them as Jazzes and Precisions in lots of different varieties. Experimented with Precision Lytes and Jazz 24's but end up going back to the "original" models and pimp them up a bit. Quote
bubinga5 Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 (edited) im getting it all wrong tonight...... Edited October 6, 2011 by bubinga5 Quote
Delberthot Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 If they didn't, people would say "I wish they did this with this". Well, they do Quote
Darkstrike Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 [quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1317918885' post='1396283'] The new Modern Player series Jazz is twin humbucker. [/quote] The Roscoe Beck was pretty much a J with humbuckers too. Quote
lojo Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 There have been times when there are 2 many fenders in my house Quote
dc2009 Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 I would quite like it if they did more than 2 basses and other bitsa basses. If they actually come up with something genuinely new, I might respect them a bit more. Quote
chris_b Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 There can't be too many Fenders. On the other hand, there aren't enough [i]great[/i] Fenders, which is why I bought a Lull. Quote
GarethFlatlands Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 There are too many for the newcomer, and the pricing and country of manufacture thing is a little confusing. I'm sure if I came up with a spec off the top of my head I could find a Fender that fit but it wouldn't be a simple job. Quote
Delberthot Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 There are only two models of Fender that I would buy but aren;t made The Coronado and the Bass V (no I'm not buying the one on the Ebay thread) Possibly a pointless 5 string but I like it and always have done and would buy one if they made it again. The coronado is just so different from anything else Fender does and looks so cool. Especially all the unusual finishes they used to do like the stripy one that was on sale here a couple of years ago and others that I can't remember. I don't do Jazz or fretless anymore but they don't do a maple fretless Jazz with binding. now there was an attractive bass. Bring back the Elite II as well. Double P pickups. Ooooooooooooh Matron Quote
4 Strings Posted October 6, 2011 Author Posted October 6, 2011 I must be getting old then! I suppose it also means that there are less of each slight variation made so in the future there'll be more interest for the collector/obsessor. Thinking a little deeper, while I certainly do not believe Fenders to be the be-all and end-all of basses (despite their almost total dominance in my household!) I do believe the original formula cooked up by Leo for both basses was a triumph of compromise between function (the playability and sound) and easy production which was genius and I wonder that these hybrids water down the brilliance of the original design. Or is it development? I wonder how many others will gravitate to a Standard after flirting with the variations? Quote
notable9 Posted October 6, 2011 Posted October 6, 2011 (edited) Fender are a funny outfit IMO. My new RW Jazz quite simply shoves the whole mix and matched lot of fours at least into a cocked hat. I think these basses are Fenders dirty... (literally, scuffs dings etc lol).... secret, and I reckon if they built them as NOS they would outsell all other variants. My example is thinner, lighter, more resonant than any other Fender I have ever played, and that includes my own 71 P which up until now wasnt that bad at all. It sure is a funny way to sell guitars. Build a line which is superbly built and set up, beat it up and then sell it knowing most buyers wont buy into the relicing crap even though it will mechanically and sonically outshine all other models...very strange indeed. Edited October 6, 2011 by notable9 Quote
grenadilla Posted October 9, 2011 Posted October 9, 2011 There aren't many body shapes. The Coronada was just a Gibson Thinline shape but it looked great in Wildwood finish.A long=scale hollowbody is needed. Also a futuristic shape (V or Explorer ). Quote
Lfalex v1.1 Posted October 9, 2011 Posted October 9, 2011 [quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1317918885' post='1396283'] The new Modern Player series Jazz is twin humbucker. And (pedantically ) the Noiseless Jazz pick ups are humbuckers. [/quote] And the Blacktop, too. Quote
Darkstrike Posted October 9, 2011 Posted October 9, 2011 [quote name='grenadilla' timestamp='1318173418' post='1398796'] There aren't many body shapes. The Coronada was just a Gibson Thinline shape but it looked great in Wildwood finish.A long=scale hollowbody is needed. Also a futuristic shape (V or Explorer ). [/quote] Quote
4 Strings Posted October 9, 2011 Author Posted October 9, 2011 Not seen those before. Now they are more satisfying addition to the stable than infinite slight variations. Quote
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