The F Word

[MondoKen]

Just Wishing

I tried quite a few Fenders. Actually bought a few and then returned them. Did I say that I like my Sterling HS? I like variety that's why I didn't get a second. Psst...I also couldn't afford a second MM. So I settled on that German model.

The GC in Central Dallas, Arlington and Lewisville are great to work with, BTW.

For the record, my Sterling is the bass of choice for me. The W will be a distant second.

 

[PzoLover]

look who's having a great fall

Here is my question. Is there anyway you guys at Ernie Ball could buy the brand F company? Someone needs to st ep in and get them on the right track. Hopefully, you would have more success than Mercedes did buying Chrysler. If not them, how about buying brand G company? The only difference I see between brand F and G are that G offers little to bassists?

Who needs the F brand headache? sounds like a case for "all the king's horses and all the king's men ... somebody call Monty Python's school of business management NOW
/PL

 

[Steamthief]

If your example can be applied to "any retailer" why are you singling out GC? There is always a positive and a negative, maybe the positive could be "excuse me Mr retailer, this has dead spots. can you do me a better deal?" Then when you get home you can apply your own advice: "A good set-up, or even a slight truss rod adjustment, can help lessen the severity of a dead spot."

Did you read my earlier post about going to a GC and playing eight basses, all with major dead spots? That's why I singled out GC - my experience is that their instruments aren't maintained as well as an independent store's.

As for my advice, I said an adjustment can, not will, help lessen the severity of a dead spot. Last year, I bought a burst/rosewood 75 AVRI Jazz off eBay. It arrived with a wicked dead spot at the 7th fret on the G. A pro set-up with new strings didn't eliminate it to my liking, so I sold it and bought my SR4.

All I'm saying is a retailer should set up an instrument to play and sound it's best. Isn't selling the instrument the goal? Colin, since you're a retailer, maybe you can explain why a retailer would theoretically choose to make less profit with a discounted selling price on a bass rather than take a couple minutes to do the necessary adjustments?

Alz, your point is well taken on dead strings, it's actually the benchmark for me when I need to change the strings on both my P/J and my SR4. Again, my experience at multiple GC locations has been most basses I've demoed, mostly Fenders, have ungodly high action, which I feel contributes to the wicked dead spots.

MondoKen, I'm still wondering what your issues were with the dreaded "F" products?

 

[prickly_pete]

Are you sure you are not confusing fret buzz with dead spots?

 

[PocketGroove82]

I look at it this way.
If new fender basses didn't suck so bad, then how would we know that EBMMs are so lovingly and finely crafted?

I get the feeling that the Fender attitude is something like, "We invented the Stratocaster!...we don't need to care about the quality of our basses!"

I never really hear guitar players complain about QC on fender guitars, yet you hear it all the time from bass players.

 

[LisaIs]

F***** has its place in history and makes some nice instruments but nothing sounds as sweet as a MM.

A really cool thing is that when the church asked me to move over from bass onto drums because they were down a drummer while at the same time a new bass player was interested in joining.... well the cool part is that my replacement plays MM. See the universe really is balanced.

 

[prickly_pete]

Why is everyone spelling Fender, "F*****"?

 

[Big Poppa]

they dont have to for my sake

 

[Aussie Mark]

Why is everyone spelling Fender, "F*****"?

Acme takes less keystrokes

 

[Colin]

All I'm saying is a retailer should set up an instrument to play and sound it's best. Isn't selling the instrument the goal? Colin, since you're a retailer, maybe you can explain why a retailer would theoretically choose to make less profit with a discounted selling price on a bass rather than take a couple minutes to do the necessary adjustments?

I understand your point but my point is why mention any names? The smaller stores can probably control the quality of the stock more easily. The higher turnover (hence my discount comment) in the larger stores combined with larger amount of staff and members of the public handling the product is another reason why it's happening.

 

[Big Poppa]

GUess what I hate it when I go into a store and our stuff is in disrepair. It happens in all stores big and small. Search Guitar center and read the long thread that went something like"if you could change on ethin at GC" and read the responses includeing detailed ones from the CEO////Real good insight

Jackie if you read this could you make that thread a sticky in both bass and guitar?

 

[bovinehost]

The Guitar Center Megathread?

I'll see if I can search it up.

 

[Big Poppa]

yes

 

[bovinehost]

Consider it stuck.

It's still closed....my superpowers do allow me to fix that, too, if you like.

 

[Gushfest]

I full heartedly agree with some of the past posts that yes, my stingray is obviously my main bass... but sometimes a song just calls for a warm fender tone, and that's pretty much all there is to it. Plus it's just nice to mix it up every once and awhile. Although, I must admit that I'm fortunate enough to own a pre-CBS precision that I adore. But I also have a newer american J that's great as well. But for some reason, I will always pickup the stingray first. So I tip my hat to the company.

 

[syciprider]

A warm Fender tone is best served on a Bongo dish.... with flats.

 

[DTG]

see,i just dont know....i played a SR4 for years then one day came accross a Fender P bass,brand new played like butter everything was perfect.Turns out a really good session player I kinda new also played it and set it up in the shop for the owner and said this will sell in a week.I bought it tne next day,not knowing the story behind it.
A good set up will sell guitars,quite simple really.

I do love the Fender but it does not get giged much,only because it still is nowhere as sweet as my sr5,but then its half the cost.

As everybody here i am a MM player and cant see that ever changing,but i grew up playing a P bass and will always have a fond spot for them.

BTW i think i have scored a SR4

 

[Frankie5Angels]

Fender quality control, unlike EBMM's, seems to be hit or miss sometimes, particularly with instruments that aren't MIA. I guess that's just the nature of the beast when you have manufacturing going on at different plants around the world.

I just sold a 1999 MIA P-bass that was a top notch instruments all around. It was nearly perfect. I wish I could have kept it, but I needed the $ to supply my Bongo habit!

 

[scowboy]

DTG's experience is so true.

I have a J-bass I put together out of parts (none of them are actual Fender parts mind you) but it sounds like a J-bass and plays like one. Some much of it is in the set up. It is a formidable back up bass and when I need or want J tone it fits the bill.

My Stingray 4 was purchased from GC. It was the color I wanted and I got it for a great price however it needed some love when I got home. Honestly I will NEVER sell that bass. It played like crap off the wall but once I got it set up it plays wonderfully. I think it was a return and someone had tried to oil the neck. A session with some 1500 grit sand paper made it better than new.

Bottom line is a little set up does make or break most instruments.

I have never in my whole life in GC or any other retailer picked up Peavey bass that was set up correctly. I am sure they play good and sound good but I could not state that with any experience to back up the statement.

 

[Musicman Nut]

Fender Or Music Man

Well for me it's very simple, I don't think Fender has Made a decent Bass Since 1966, So why Bother. I'm a Huge Fender Fan from 1957 til 1966 and Have owned Many from those years.
But Ernie Ball Has Taken Music Man and Made them the Bass which has become a Bass Players dream,
The New Fender Stuff is Made by People that aren't musicians, I've tried several and the feel horrible.
EB is very consistant with what they do, So the Quality is always the same which you can depend on and it's what i really love.

So for me life is easy. I buy what works every time and its an Ernie Ball Bass.