Brand Fans

[Cat Burrito]

I like variety in my bass guitars but I am surprisingly loyal with amps, effects and strap manufacturers. Orange, EHX and Couch being my personal faves. The second I play my Thunderbird for a few shows, I start missing my Precision etc. 

[Doctor J]

I don't see the point in brand loyalty. It's a bizarre concept. I know a guy who dresses only in SuperDry branded clothes. I don't understand that. Doing the same for instruments, only playing X or having multiples of the same model by the same manufacturer... I just find it quite tragic. I appreciate we're bombarded with marketing designed to manipulate and instil brand loyalty in our brains from the time we leave the womb, but we should be able to see past these things. We've never had it better, never had a greater choice, even with traditional designs. There are faithful recreations and creative reinterpretations of utterly magnificent quality, as well as the mass-produced mundane. There is so much out there to experience. To pay for the pleasure of allegiance because of the name of the parent company... I just don't understand it.

[tegs07]

2 minutes ago, Doctor J said:

I don't see the point in brand loyalty. It's a bizarre concept. I know a guy who dresses only in SuperDry branded clothes. I don't understand that. Doing the same for instruments, only playing X or having multiples of the same model by the same manufacturer... I just find it quite tragic. I appreciate we're bombarded with marketing designed to manipulate and instil brand loyalty in our brains from the time we leave the womb, but we should be able to see past these things. We've never had it better, never had a greater choice, even with traditional designs. There are faithful recreations and creative reinterpretations of utterly magnificent quality, as well as the mass-produced mundane. There is so much out there to experience. To pay for the pleasure of allegiance because of the name of the parent company... I just don't understand it.

I went through a stage of only driving VW cars. I couldn’t care less about VW as a brand the decision was based purely on past experience. They were well made, reliable and not too expensive for parts and servicing. I don’t get the cult like fanboy approach but do get why people gravitate to the familiar if they have had positive previous experiences.

[Cato]

I never set out to only have Fender skinny stringers but that seems to have been what's happened, with the slight twist that I don't tend to go for the vanilla 'classic' models.

 

So I have a double humbucker 72 thinline tele reissue, a Baja tele and an HSS strat. Nearly bought a double humbucker Meteora a couple of years back too.

 

On the bass front there's a bit more variation with Wasburn, Sire and Squier with just the one Fender - a Deluxe Precision Special.

 

If I buy another bass it'll be a Stingray, so still Leo, but not Fender.

Edited November 18, 2021 by Cato

[Doctor J]

29 minutes ago, tegs07 said:

I went through a stage of only driving VW cars. I couldn’t care less about VW as a brand the decision was based purely on past experience. They were well made, reliable and not too expensive for parts and servicing. I don’t get the cult like fanboy approach but do get why people gravitate to the familiar if they have had positive previous experiences.

 

Positive bias based on good experience is perfectly normal, but it's different to brand loyalty, no? You appear to have moved on from VW? Is loyalty not sticking with a brand despite there being good reason to go elsewhere?

[Rich]

11 hours ago, Delberthot said:

The only thing that I would say that I am loyal to is D'addario strings.

 

Basses come and go but they're always strung with D'addarios whether Chromes, EXL Nickels or Pro Steels. I can't see me ever using any other brand now

Likewise, my main loyalty is Elixirs. They're on everything, even my Tanglewood acoustic bass. 

Other than that, I do have three Genz-Benz amps (Neo Pak 3.5, Shuttle 6.0 and Shuttle 9.2) but that's only because I haven't sold the 6.0 yet. The Neo-Pak is currently serving as the house live rig at my mate's studio. I could quite fancy one of the G-B neo 2x12s.

Obviously if I had the money I would have a house full of Shukers and Wals...

[Thunderbird]

45 minutes ago, Doctor J said:

I don't see the point in brand loyalty. It's a bizarre concept. I know a guy who dresses only in SuperDry branded clothes. I don't understand that. Doing the same for instruments, only playing X or having multiples of the same model by the same manufacturer... I just find it quite tragic. I appreciate we're bombarded with marketing designed to manipulate and instil brand loyalty in our brains from the time we leave the womb, but we should be able to see past these things. We've never had it better, never had a greater choice, even with traditional designs. There are faithful recreations and creative reinterpretations of utterly magnificent quality, as well as the mass-produced mundane. There is so much out there to experience. To pay for the pleasure of allegiance because of the name of the parent company... I just don't understand it.

I hear what you say 👍

In my case I didn't set up to have 3 fenders let alone 3 of the same model but I must admit only one is stock Fender and the other 2 have various upgrades so they all have a different flavour 

[tegs07]

1 minute ago, Doctor J said:

 

Positive bias based on good experience is perfectly normal, but it's different to brand loyalty, no? You appear to have moved on from VW? Is loyalty not sticking with a brand despite there being good reason to go elsewhere?

True. When the next generation of engines were not so reliable I went Japanese. Buying something you know isn’t very good just to remain loyal to a brand is definitely cult like, irrational behaviour on that we agree.

[Steve Browning]

I use the gear I do because it does the job I want it to do, and it does it perfectly (for me).

 

I have tried other basses (and own a Jazz type and a couple of Stingray types) but a good Precision is the perfect bass for what I want to play and how I want to sound. Similarly with Mesa Boogie. I have had flirtations with other things over the years but have always owned and come back to the brand. In years of touring it's never let me down, and the sound of it makes me smile, even after more than 30 years of using it. The actual equipment may have changed but the core sound hasn't (to my ears).

 

The same with strings. I have broken just one string in 50 years. That broke as I fitted it. Again, it's a vital component of the sound I really like.

 

There are plenty of makes that I haven't tried but there's no point. My gut feeling is that the (not insignificant) investment in those rigs has saved me a fortune in chopping and changing over the years.

 

Of course, you'll see that I endorse some of these things but I was using the gear way before I became an endorsee. That is very much the icing on a very expensive cake! 🙂

Edited November 18, 2021 by Steve Browning

[cetera]

Spector and GK all day every day for me, but then you already knew that. The Spector feels like a part of me and in conjunction with GK gives me 'my' sound. 

 

I also enjoy a good Fender P, Wal and a few others..... as well as Tech 21 for preamps and Genz Benz amps/cabs. Lots of great stuff out there.... and I own many different brands which I enjoy for their individual qualities.

[Thunderbird]

10 minutes ago, cetera said:

Spector and GK all day every day for me, but then you already knew that. The Spector feels like a part of me and in conjunction with GK gives me 'my' sound. 

 

I also enjoy a good Fender P, Wal and a few others..... as well as Tech 21 for preamps and Genz Benz amps/cabs. Lots of great stuff out there.... and I own many different brands which I enjoy for their individual qualities.

And your collection is mind blowing I remember seeing the pics you posted of your gear collection sometime ago and I was like wow just wow 

[bassbora]

I have never really spent much time bothering too much about gear but I have been playing Warwicks since '97.  I just cant be bothered buying and selling gear just to try something and it might not work for me, too stressful.  Warwicks just work so no point for me in looking other basses.  I have have always though fancied to try Sadowsky or Zon but I am not going to shift my lovely Warwicks just to have a go.  I dont really care about amps and cabs. 

[Machines]

Yamaha for me, it seems. I tend to find they work for me - necks particularly, as well as having unique designs and not-too-boring finishes.  I like not having a 'everyone has one' brand that the F logo tends to be (although I do have a P bass for occasional use) but also that they tend to be pretty cheap 2nd hand. I've been through pretty much all the big names (except R*ckenb*cker) and all the others tend to get moved on faster. All the Yamahas I have sold, have been 4 strings. 

 

Current stock: 
 

Yamaha BB415

Yamaha RBXJM2

Yamaha RBX765

Yamaha RBX775F

 

Previous:

Yamaha BB734A

Yamaha RBX374

Yamaha TRB4

Yamaha SBV500

Yamaha BB614

[Doddy]

I have some loyalty to the companies that I have endorsement deals with, but for the most part I like trying out different gear. I did have 8 or 9 Fender basses at one point, but I'm down to 6 now (with one being out on long term loan), but I buy from certain brands because I like what they do rather than because of their name.

[DaytonaRik]

By no means a fan boy, I have stuck with Ashdown as they just give me the sound that I'm looking for.  I started with an ABM 500 2x10 combo which I replaced with an ABM 2x10 cab/head setup and added a 1x15 NEO cab.  As for basses - being a guitar player for 30 odd years means I struggle with larger, fatter necks and currently use Thunderbirds because of the narrow nut width and small, compact feel in my hands.

 

I have no brand loyalty to either and would happily use other amps/cabs/basses if they suited my needs.

[DaytonaRik]

*Double Post*

Edited November 18, 2021 by DaytonaRik

[Bassfinger]

15 hours ago, Thunderbird said:

Good call for the price it's great stuff 

Absolutomundo.  You can spend 5 times as much with ease, and not get anywhere close to twice the bass.

[Leonard Smalls]

I'd be extremely happy to be fiercely, even violently, loyal to a brand if they would be so kind as to bung me free stuff and put me up as an edorsee on their publicity...

And if another brand came and attempted to buy my loyalty with bigger and better free stuff (in much the same way as the first one did), there's absolutely no way I'd jump ship, oh no. 

 

[RhysP]

I prefer Branston Baked Beans to any other make, I've used them exclusively for years.

[neepheid]

18 hours ago, Thunderbird said:

I always used to think that Fenders were pretty boring basses and was never a fan but for some reason I now have 2 full fat Fenders and a Squier bought them as they just suited me and loved playing them so am I now a fanboy lol anyway which brands really do it for you guys? and do you not try other brands because you are so loyal to the brand you like?

 

Which brands do it for me?  G&L, Gibson (in spite of everything), Epiphone, Yamaha.

Not averse to trying anything if I like the look of it, regardless of how Gibson-centric I may have appeared in the past.

[Jonesy]

I've got a few favourite brands that I'd look to first if I was in the market for something, but I wouldn't disregard other brands for a bass/amp/pedal. The only time I stick to a particular brand is when it comes to strings. Rotosound for round wound and TI for flats.

 

[Thunderbird]

15 minutes ago, Jonesy said:

I've got a few favourite brands that I'd look to first if I was in the market for something, but I wouldn't disregard other brands for a bass/amp/pedal. The only time I stick to a particular brand is when it comes to strings. Rotosound for round wound and TI for flats.

 

I think if I was a bit richer I would be pretty loyal to diaddario but sadly the strings I like from them are 3X more than the ones I use. They have fantastic customer service it's second to none imo

[Dan Dare]

8 hours ago, Doctor J said:

I don't see the point in brand loyalty. It's a bizarre concept. I know a guy who dresses only in SuperDry branded clothes. I don't understand that. Doing the same for instruments, only playing X or having multiples of the same model by the same manufacturer... I just find it quite tragic. I appreciate we're bombarded with marketing designed to manipulate and instil brand loyalty in our brains from the time we leave the womb, but we should be able to see past these things. We've never had it better, never had a greater choice, even with traditional designs. There are faithful recreations and creative reinterpretations of utterly magnificent quality, as well as the mass-produced mundane. There is so much out there to experience. To pay for the pleasure of allegiance because of the name of the parent company... I just don't understand it.

 

Many replies on this thread are slightly tongue in cheek. Don't take it too heavy. If I find through experience that a company produces good stuff (or stuff I like, which is why I use PJB cabs), I will, within sensible limits, tend to favour its wares. That's why I drive a Toyota. Having invested the time and effort in finding something I like, I'm not going to start at square one every time I want to buy something. Life's too short. 

[StickyDBRmf]

Chapman Stick. Not gonna change tapping instruments at this point. Basses, whatever. Fretted, fretless, short-scale, hollow, whatever. 

[Doctor J]

4 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

 

Many replies on this thread are slightly tongue in cheek. Don't take it too heavy. If I find through experience that a company produces good stuff (or stuff I like, which is why I use PJB cabs), I will, within sensible limits, tend to favour its wares. That's why I drive a Toyota. Having invested the time and effort in finding something I like, I'm not going to start at square one every time I want to buy something. Life's too short. 

 

Don't worry, I won't attack your Toyota for people having different opinions on an internet forum 🙂

Edited November 18, 2021 by Doctor J