If basses were cars ...

[Fionn]

I was reading through another thread where somebody made a comparison between basses and cars. The comparison was "Fender = Modeo, Alembic = Ferrari", then someone else elaborated "Fender = Mustang, Alembic = dated sportscar". I thought that to be quite interesting and both cases hinted a certain truth.

There's a tastily contentious thread in this. Here's a couple to get the ball rolling ...

Warwick Streamer Stage 1 = Porsche 911
Hofner Violin Bass = Morris Minor
Gibson Grabber = Austin Allegro

[EBS_freak]

I was with you up to the Porsche 911 bit...

[flyfisher]

I'd liken Fender to a Land Rover; groundbreaking at the time, a bit dated today, but still widely loved and admired and, when the going gets tough, pretty much unbeatable. An undeniable, hard to beat, design classic!

[molan]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1388261392' post='2320210']
I was with you up to the Porsche 911 bit...
[/quote]

Me too.

To me a Streamer is more in the VW Beetle class

[Roger2611]

I think the Precision Bass is the Model T Ford, it was the car that brought motoring to the masses as the Precision brought bass playing to the masses, I can also see the Warwick / Porsche connection and not just because both are German, there is definitely something reliable but more than just run of the mill about Warwick as with Porsche and both attract the same love em / hate em debate.

Musicman basses = BMW M series, fast, aggressive, solid but at the end of the day I personally can't see the attraction!

[paulconnolly]

For me the Porsche 911 equivalent would be the Yamaha BB Series. The Porsche is the sports car you can tear up the track or use for the daily commute. For me the BB series is in the same mould. I have a BB1100S = 993 model, the last of the air cooled 911s.

[Spike Vincent]

The Precision is the Ford Transit van. Might not be perfect for all applications but it will do the job, and all of us at some point have used or benefited from one.

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Fionn' timestamp='1388261248' post='2320207']
I was reading through another thread where somebody made a comparison between basses and cars. The comparison was "Fender = Modeo, Alembic = Ferrari", then someone else elaborated "Fender = Mustang, Alembic = dated sportscar". I thought that to be quite interesting and both cases hinted a certain truth.

There's a tastily contentious thread in this. Here's a couple to get the ball rolling ...

Warwick Streamer Stage 1 = Porsche 911
Hofner Violin Bass = Morris Minor
Gibson Grabber = Austin Allegro
[/quote]
Ah, the power of the metaphor! I was responsible for setting the ball rolling on that other thread lol.

Any use of this bass = car comparison will be contentious...but it is interesting.

[Protium]

Jazz bass = M3
Precision bass = 911
Both = no imagination

[size=1]Disclaimer in case someone takes offence: I've owned both, this post is a joke.[/size]

Edited December 28, 2013 by Protium

[ead]

How can a P bass be a 911, it's hardly a mass produced instrument used by the full range of musicians and made in different parts of the world? Both iconic, but that's as far as it goes for me.

[Protium]

Despite the disclaimer, how about the P-bass is a 911 because the design has remained basically the same over it's entire lifetime...

[stu_g]

ok im gonna say fender p vw beetle reliable and practical with a cult following
fender jazz vw scirocco
warwick mecedes sometimes flash sometimes practical always well made
gibson like an old jaguar not always up to date with trends but smooth and dependable
hofner NSU

[Fionn]

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1388268866' post='2320321']
The Precision is the Ford Transit van.
[/quote]

Brilliant!

[Mornats]

Fender P = Ford Mondeo. Boring, been around for yonks, yet is solid and everyone's got one.
Fender J = Ford Focus - ditto the above.
Rickenbacker = Audi (because the owner's a t**t)*


* company owner, not the bass owner.

[ead]

[quote name='Protium' timestamp='1388270419' post='2320346']
Despite the disclaimer, how about the P-bass is a 911 because the design has remained basically the same over it's entire lifetime...
[/quote]

Apologies, no reading glasses on and completely missed the 6 point font size disclaimer!

....911 - I presume you mean apart from the move to water cooled engines, 4 wheel drive, automatic gearboxes, weird glass roof thingy and all the cosmetics?

I'm a massive 911 fan btw, especially the early ones that tried to kill you every so often - or maybe I'm just a rubbish driver...

Edited December 28, 2013 by ead

[Alfie]

Any extended range bass is like a concept car, it looks great at the convention but daft when taken down to the pub.

[RandomBass]

I only have one car. I have GAS for more.

Edited December 28, 2013 by RandomBass

[police squad]

Gibson Grabber = Austin Allegro

[Protium]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1388271925' post='2320368']
Apologies, no reading glasses on and completely missed the 6 point font size disclaimer!

....911 - I presume you mean apart from the move to water cooled engines, 4 wheel drive, automatic gearboxes, weird glass roof thingy and all the cosmetics?

I'm a massive 911 fan btw, especially the early ones that tried to kill you every so often - or maybe I'm just a rubbish driver...
[/quote]

Not just you, they [i]will[/i] try to kill you given the opportunity

[JTUK]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1388261392' post='2320210']
I was with you up to the Porsche 911 bit...
[/quote]

indeedy.............

[BigRedX]

Be thankful that basses aren't like cars.

If they were they would be extremely poor value for money, prone to breaking down simply because you used them. You wouldn't be able to leave a bass anywhere without someone nicking the pickups out of it. Strings would be seriously expensive and more so every year. You wouldn't be able to play one in front of an audience without having first passed a test. And finally after about 10 years it would be worthless and in such poor condition that you'd have no choice but to bin it and buy another one….

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1388268866' post='2320321']
The Precision is the Ford Transit van.
[/quote]

Damn! Beaten to it!

[UglyDog]

[quote name='stu_g' timestamp='1388270562' post='2320347']
mecedes sometimes flash sometimes practical [b]always well made [/b]
[/quote]
Apart from the early M class 4x4s
You could pretty much watch them fall apart

Edited December 30, 2013 by UglyDog

[witterth]

Status 2000 = AUDI QUATRO 2li

[witterth]

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1388268866' post='2320321']
The Precision is the Ford Transit van. Might not be perfect for all applications but it will do the job, and all of us at some point have used or benefited from one.
[/quote]
that's really the truest thing ( and I don't like P's but I had one, and it helped me out big time )