*sigh* Stuck in the 50s

[adouglas]

Just got an email from Bass Player, touting "The hottest new gear of 2010" from NAMM.

NAMM 2010

Two of the five basses shown are, yep, you guessed it, another J clone and another P clone. For $2399 and $2600 respectively.

I wish their makers (neither of which begin with the letter F) well and I'm sure they're giving the public what it wants, but crikey.

Did nobody notice the Big Al? Or the Gamechanger? Hello? Is this thing on??

 

[strummer]

Obviously it's not just talk, the things we hear about advertising equalling editorial space...

Not that I have any problems with P or J clones, but still...

 

[syciprider]

There is no moving forward until people let go of paradigms.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Not to defend anybody, but maybe it's because most manufacturers aren't releasing much that is radically new. And didn't they review the 25th and Big Al previously in the past year or so? Maybe they didn't want to look repetitive.

 

[bovinehost]

Cool! More J and P bass copies! And look! The prices are outrageous!

It does get a tad boring.

 

[oli@bass]

And didn't they review the 25th and Big Al previously in the past year or so? Maybe they didn't want to look repetitive.

How non-repetitve is another J?!
But it is interesting to see how the whole market has changed during the past 25 years. In the early 90's, Music Man seemed to be one of the more conservative manufacturers, sticking to one bass model and classic shapes when a lot of newer and smaller companies came up with pointy and flashy stuff. Today it seems to be the opposite.

 

[syciprider]

Not to defend anybody, but maybe it's because most manufacturers aren't releasing much that is radically new. And didn't they review the 25th and Big Al previously in the past year or so? Maybe they didn't want to look repetitive.

Catch 22. If it doesn't sell, manufacturers won't make it. Players see nothing but Fender clones and they drive the market. Producers and engineers prefer them, so they too drive the market. This chokes development.

 

[syciprider]

BP could just sit back and watch the SRs and the Sterlings roll off the SLO Elf shop line with the matching KA CHING in his pockets but thank goodness that is not enough for him and so today we have the Bongo, the BigAL, Reflex and soon the Game changer.

 

[Moose308]

Just a thought. But how many new styles of the double-bass have we seen in the last....200 years? Apart from cool paint-jobs for the swing bassists, the double hasn't changed at all. And who is really complaining about that? When a product reaches maturity there is little need to change. Perhaps this is simply a case of "if it aint broke, don't fix it."

 

[DTG]

I think bp should make a j clone,and then decide not to put it into production just to show he could do it but really is not that pushed;-) might be a bit on the mad side

 

[DTG]

Slogan could be 'we made the best jazz in the world but it still dont sound like a stingray' sorry guys its been I long night!

 

[adouglas]

Not to defend anybody, but maybe it's because most manufacturers aren't releasing much that is radically new.

And this is different from the last 50 years in what way, exactly?

I'm not griping because somebody's putting out another one of these. There will always be J clones and P clones and endless tiny variation on those two instruments.

That's fine, but when the press highlights such a predictable instrument as the "hottest new gear" when there is stuff right across the floor that actually is amazing, well, it just makes me a bit sad.

 

[RocketRalf]

Just a thought. But how many new styles of the double-bass have we seen in the last....200 years? Apart from cool paint-jobs for the swing bassists, the double hasn't changed at all. And who is really complaining about that? When a product reaches maturity there is little need to change. Perhaps this is simply a case of "if it aint broke, don't fix it."

Maybe. But there are endless variations on the first Stradivarius violins, and even those very same stradivarius were heavily modified in the 19th century to their current modern state (they put longer ebony fretboards, thicker bridges, cheek rest, shoulder rest, etc).

So think of the J and P (and even the classic Ray) as the original "baroque" strads, and the Big Al, Bongo etc as the 19th century modern version. The comparison is a little rough but you get my point. I hope

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

EBMM seems to enjoy the best of both worlds in this respect. The Stingray is a classic and seems to sell well (the best selling MM bass?) and they still do that. But, they are also pushing things forward with the Bongo, 25th/Reflex and Big Al as well as adding variety to the staples in the form of various pickup configurations - all while not basing it on another manufacturer's model.

Even when they make anniversary models or the Classics, they are not just doing a reissue; they're taking elements from the past with modern refinements that make them unique.

As for the press, I guess they like J and P based basses this year. What can you do?

 

[Rano Bass]

What happens is right now "vintage" is cool, just look at the new Classic EBMM line.
A few years ago it was all about foderas, pedullas, ken smith and all those boutique makers.
Things go in circles

 

[RaginRog]

I can't believe that even Spector would copy a Jazz bass....He had his own innovative designed basses....

 

[RaginRog]

Just a thought. But how many new styles of the double-bass have we seen in the last....200 years? Apart from cool paint-jobs for the swing bassists, the double hasn't changed at all. And who is really complaining about that? When a product reaches maturity there is little need to change. Perhaps this is simply a case of "if it aint broke, don't fix it."

That's a good point. I guess no matter how you look at it....to a non-musician, the frequency that bass is in, makes it difficult for them to pick up the tonal variations we may hear with every different bass we play.

 

[agplate]

Maybe the new EBMM Classic Series should be in the hottest new gear....

 

[Big Poppa]

YOu know I dont think that I could survive just making stingrays and sterlings...IU would have to go offshore...

You know what it is the free market and everybody thinks that they are doing the appropriate thing.....

 

[bovinehost]

YOu know I dont think that I could survive just making stingrays and sterlings.

We've certainly proven that if you build it, we will come. I don't even HAVE a Stingray or a Sterling! (Unless we're counting the SR5.) If the Bongo and Big Al had never come along, I'd still have a room full of Stingrays, I guess. That wasn't a bad time!

it is the free market and everybody thinks that they are doing the appropriate thing.....

Speaking of appropriate things, did you hear about Lakland? Man, selling 4K-plus Precisions and Jazz copies must not be the money-maker you'd think.