Fender "innovation" launch

[Cosmo Valdemar]

2 hours ago, Grahambythesea said:

The Starcaster bass was also quite innovative or was it just a short scale version copy of the Les Paul Signature (later the Jack Casady).

No particular similarity to the Jack Casady that I can see. 

[Linus27]

If I was Fender, and I admit, I am a big Fender fan boy, I would make the following line of basses.

 

Vintage: These would be US Reissues in vintage colours made to original specs. Pretty much there American vintage range.

62 Jazz

62 Precision

70 Jazz

70 Precision (Fretted and Unlined Fretless Options)

51 Precision 

73 Telecaster

66 Mustang

 

Modern: These would be a US model and a modern take on the Jazz, Precision and possibly the Mustang to compete with other high end manufacturers who have done their take on the Fender Jazz and Precision. They would be available in a range of standard Fender colours a range of more unique colours and limited runs in more unusual colours. There would be a choice of neck woods as well as matching headstocks on limited run colours. There would be the option of active and passive and different pickup configurations like PJ, Musicman as well as regular Jazz and Precision pickups. A fretless option, both lined and unlined would be available as a special order. These would be premium models and priced accordingly. You could configure your bass in the same way as the Sandberg website.

 

Traditional: These would be Mexican and Japanese made basses similar to what we have now in the Vintera and Hybrid range with a variety of price points. Options would be limited but there would be a Jazz, Precision, Mustang and Jaguar available. Colour choices would be limited but still a wide variety. Pickup choices would be limited to the standard Jazz, Precision and PJ configuration. There would be regular FSR models based on Vintage reissues, for example a 51 Precision, a Telecaster bass, a 62 Jazz, a 70 Fretless Precision along with special versions based on the Modern range, for example a PJ Precision in a limited colour. These basses would be the more entry to mid level basses, in a range of price options to suit the beginner to the more seasoned player.

Edited Friday at 22:58 by Linus27

[OliverBlackman]

1 hour ago, Doctor J said:

Absolutely. They make sure their instruments appear in the hands of a lot of the most popular instrument players. Association sells. 

Yep, want to sound like the bass on your favourite record? Chances are you’ll need a Fender bass…. Been the same way for 70 years

[tauzero]

3 hours ago, Doctor J said:

Absolutely. They make sure their instruments appear in the hands of a lot of the most popular instrument players. Association sells. They have not innovated anything useful in quite a while, however.

 

It would be the musical equivalent of Harley Davidson, except that changing legislation meant that Harley had to move on and eventually abandon its old models. There's nothing to make Ps and Js obsolete in the same way, and they're functional and have plenty of fanbois. It's just annoying to non-fanbois that Fender keep pretending they're doing something different when they're just putting out a different set of colours.

[Doctor J]

7 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

Yep, want to sound like the bass on your favourite record? Chances are you’ll need a Fender bass…. Been the same way for 70 years

The basses used on my favourite albums which immediately spring to mind are, off the top of my head, a Zon Legacy, a Spector NS2, a G&L SB-2, an Aria Pro II Integra, a G&L L-2000, a BC Rich Eagle and... another Spector 🤣

 

No doubt, the original Fender designs are superb but they are not the be all and end all in the way they used to be. Jumbling up existing parts or a different colour of paint isn't innovation, no matter how much FMIC want you to think it is. Fender stopped innovating when the big man moved out.

 

I'd love to see some genuine innovation from them, something genuinely new and creative but I fear this will be another minor tweak of the same core instruments, as it has been for the duration of FMIC's tenure. Perhaps this time it'll be different, let's see.

[OliverBlackman]

41 minutes ago, Doctor J said:

The basses used on my favourite albums which immediately spring to mind are, off the top of my head, a Zon Legacy, a Spector NS2, a G&L SB-2, an Aria Pro II Integra, a G&L L-2000, a BC Rich Eagle and... another Spector 🤣

 

Fair enough, but I suspect your favourite albums account for a very small % of recorded material. 
 

If they’re the sounds your used to, I’m surprised you have any interest in Fender at all.

[krispn]

9 hours ago, LiamPodmore said:

 

I got myself a Squier Dimension earlier this year and quite enjoy it, other than the 400kg weight (Like anything else basswood). Wish they sold better because i'd quite like another one to play around with modding.

My mate has the passive 5 string and it’s a wonderful instrument. It plays great, sounds great and and overall is a solid well made bass. The killer part is we both saw it on a local gumtree ad and he got to it before I did and paid £600 or something like that. 
 

For the money it’s fantastic value. He gigs it often and loves it even though he normally plays a short scale due to a neck issue. 

[eude]

I would love to see an affordable, but quality Fender branded Musicmaster Bass reissue, with a better pickup. Hardly innovation, but I think that's the only itch left to scratch that would probably appeal to Fender heads.

I know there have been some wild things over the years too, but I doubt they'd be commercially viable.

[JohnDaBass]

I have to say that the Squier Paranormal SS Rascal has some small innovative steps. The range of tones from the two wide range humbucking Pups makes it a very versatile bass indeed. The bridge Pup is 12ins from the 12th fret ( exactly the same as the SS Stingray) and delivers a very Stingray-like tone.

While the body shape is not everyone's taste it does play and balance quite nicely. 

I would like to see a SS Squier Jaguar with the Rascal Pup layout and controls. 

Edited Saturday at 07:54 by JohnDaBass
Error

[NancyJohnson]

9 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

Yep, want to sound like the bass on your favourite record? Chances are you’ll need a Fender bass…. Been the same way for 70 years

 

While I reckon this statement is reasonably accurate, if I see bassists using Fender stuff it's almost like marking the whole band down a point.  It was like this when I saw Geddy Lee photographed with his Jazz bass on the inner sleeve of (I think) Farewell To Kings.  'That's not a Rickenbacker,' I almost shouted out.

 

I'm so glad that guys like Mick Karn, Jeff Ament, Eddie McDonald, Muzzy, Pete Vukovic, Overend and (early) Nikki Sixx bucked Fender.

 

Despite owning three Fenders over the years, 10+ years since last ownership, I despise the brand.

 

 

[Kev]

9 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

Yep, want to sound like the bass on your favourite record? Chances are you’ll need a Fender bass…. Been the same way for 70 years

I don't agree with this at all anymore.  I don't think any of my favourite records feature a Fender.

[itu]

9 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

Yep, want to sound like the bass on your favourite record? Chances are you’ll need a Fender bass…. Been the same way for 70 years

Or a bass with similar pickups. My choice is a more ergonomic, lighter instrument with wider tonal options. I won't say never an F, but so far I haven't played one that fits me.

 

Innovative and Fender have been contradictionary terms after Leo left the company. But if a new colour chart sounds like an innovation, fine.

[OliverBlackman]

24 minutes ago, Kev said:

I don't agree with this at all anymore.  I don't think any of my favourite records feature a Fender.

Same response as below. Plus don’t forget that even with bassists for bands, they won’t necessarily use what they’re associated with or play live, and the studio or producer might have an old fender knocking about that sounds right for that track.

 

Then there is also the old tales of session musicians having to be brought in to re-record parts that the famed band member failed to get right.

1 hour ago, OliverBlackman said:

Fair enough, but I suspect your favourite albums account for a very small % of recorded material. 
 

If they’re the sounds your used to, I’m surprised you have any interest in Fender at all.

 

[Lozz196]

A very large percentage of my fave music has been played on Fenders, even more specifically on Fender Precisions. Probably why I love them so much. Still wish they do a regular one with reverse pickup tho. 

[Kev]

1 hour ago, OliverBlackman said:

Same response as below. Plus don’t forget that even with bassists for bands, they won’t necessarily use what they’re associated with or play live, and the studio or producer might have an old fender knocking about that sounds right for that track.

 

Then there is also the old tales of session musicians having to be brought in to re-record parts that the famed band member failed to get right.

 

But it's the very small % bit I'm also disagreeing with.  What % of modern Metal music, lets say the last couple of decades, would you say was recorded with Fender basses, for example? 

 

Don't get me wrong, Fender's impact and dominance in the 20th century can't be argued with, but I don't think its as B&W as it used to be, not anymore.

[Kev]

Watch Fender launch a multiscale headless jazz bass with an asymmetric neck and humbuckers next week now...

[tauzero]

3 hours ago, eude said:

I would love to see an affordable, but quality Fender branded Musicmaster Bass reissue, with a better pickup. Hardly innovation, but I think that's the only itch left to scratch that would probably appeal to Fender heads.

 

Fender need to appeal to the non-Fenderheads though, people who are buying Ibanez, Cort, etc and don't have any interest in current or past Fenders.

[BlueMoon]

2 minutes ago, tauzero said:

Fender need to appeal to the non-Fenderheads though, people who are buying Ibanez, Cort, etc and don't have any interest in current or past Fenders.

This is a conundrum for Fender. When they stray even a little from the familiar P and J basses the “innovative” instruments seem to not sell very well. Take the Dimension - not a bad bass, which was more evolution than revolution………but it tanked. 
 

I’ll be intrigued what they end up putting out as “innovative”

[tauzero]

12 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

Yep, want to sound like the bass on your favourite record? Chances are you’ll need a Fender bass…. Been the same way for 70 years

 

I want to sound like me.

[tauzero]

17 minutes ago, BlueMoon said:

This is a conundrum for Fender. When they stray even a little from the familiar P and J basses the “innovative” instruments seem to not sell very well. Take the Dimension - not a bad bass, which was more evolution than revolution………but it tanked. 
 

I’ll be intrigued what they end up putting out as “innovative”

 

I think their trouble with the Dimension was the half-heartedness of it. New pickups, change the pickguard, tweak to the body shape, leave the massive headstock which screams "Fender!" unchanged, make the pickup switching clunky.

[tauzero]

1 hour ago, Kev said:

Watch Fender launch a multiscale headless jazz bass with an asymmetric neck and humbuckers next week now...

 

With a dummy headstock.

[neepheid]

Everyone ends up playing a Fender P.  It is as inevitable as arthritis.  I know some of you are doing your best to push back against your ultimate fate, but you will succumb, or die young.

[neepheid]

FWIW, I like the Dimension, and my favourite one is the Modern Player one with the passive triple coil pickup and 5 way rotary instead of a tone control - my kind of bonkers!

[eude]

1 minute ago, neepheid said:

Everyone ends up playing a Fender P.  It is as inevitable as arthritis.  I know some of you are doing your best to push back against your ultimate fate, but you will succumb, or die young.

I choose death.

[tauzero]

21 minutes ago, neepheid said:

Everyone ends up playing a Fender P.  It is as inevitable as arthritis.  I know some of you are doing your best to push back against your ultimate fate, but you will succumb, or die young.

 

I've owned two. I now have arthritis. So now we know cause and effect - eschew the P, save your joints!