I still believe ...

[pbrocker56]

As much as I like Fender, there is something about Gibson that I just love.

While Fender was alright produce essentially the same two basses for many years due to their success, Gibson created so many wonderfully different instruments. They HAD to keep changing things up, pickups, body shapes, electronics, etc. You get all these different basses over several years, just trying to stay in the bass market. I'll take an RD or any Gibson bass for that matter (if they made a lefty models more available...) over a Jazz bass any day.

I just wish they would come out with more basses, and in more colors, instead of doing this whole digital robot guitar thing. An SG Bass and Thunderbird? You know you have a whole stable of designs waiting to be put into production Gibson...I don't want an "SG" bass, I want an EB!

At least Epiphone is updating the Bird a bit. Wish they'd do the same with their EB0/3.

[n!k]

I just never got on with F*nd*r's, I noted elsewhere that they feel just l"ike a lump of wood"

This is me too. When I started on bass it seemed like a lot of guys I liked to listen to played Fender basses so I assumed that was what I wanted. Its always sounded like plunky, noodley junk to my ears. Cleary the case is more that my hands don't make the sounds my ears like with a Fender.

In this day and age of many more choices for bass players; the boutiques, the custom shops, every brand and preamp type, more aftermarket pickups, etc., etc., I think that Fender=bass equation doesn't hold very much with younger players.

[TBird1958]

 When I really started to like music it seemed like most of my bass heroes played Gibsons, so no affinity Fender for me there. By the time I graduated H.S. in '76 I loved RUSH so my first good bass was a black 4001 Rick that I kept for 30 years, as time went on I tried several Fenders, a P and 2 J's but the magic just wasn't there for me, but I'd never suggest they aren't a nice instrument that's left an undeniable mark on modern music.
Not having A Fender never cost me a band job, ever. If anything here in Seattle the local music scene has always been a bit different even when it comes to instruments, so playing a Rick and later my first 'Bird never hurt my cause. 
I've always seen it as the path less travelled..............

[Nocturnal]

I like the sound of a P bass, but they look a little generic to me at this point. Never liked the looks or feel of a J bass body but they can sound nice.

In my first "real" band I had a 64 P bass and a 76 T-bird. The guitarist loved the T-bird and wanted me to use it for most of the songs. I've never run into any prejudice to my bass choices in bands, but I've been given a rash of shit from other bassists.

[Freuds_Cat]

I have to agree with Uwe on this and admit that I am one of the guilty party. I have used (mainly) my Jazz bass for 30 years now. It wasn't until I became aware of Allen Woody that I even questioned why anyone played a Gibson bass. Even though I knew Jack Bruce and Andy Fraser were EB players I think I had read media comments to the effect that they only used them because they were little guys with  short fingers. I had tried Grabbers and Rippers in shops that were not setup at all and they felt awful. Then I got to borrow a mates Victory. 

That was it, I was convinced that Gibson might make great Les Pauls but they had no idea how to make a bass. And thats how it stayed for years.

Then I was introduced to Govt Mule and instantly I was blown away by the sound that the bassist was getting. It was deeper richer and mostly more organic sounding but with massive amounts of tone drenched power and I wasn't able to emulate it. With my Jazz which is modified quite a bit I can cover most  (or what I considered to be then) sounds reasonably well. Listening to Allen Woody on the Live at the Roseland Ballroom album opened up a whole new world of bass sounds that not only were interesting but it was like opening the door to a candy shop after hours for a kid.

I love the bottom end that Gibsons have that Fenders dont. I love the sound of the wood that Gibsons have that seems less apparent on a P or Jazz.

I have learned with much enthusiasm how damn good a Thunderbird with TB plus pups can sound through an Ampeg. Man, What a sound!

I Love the sound and feel of my Allen Woody sig bass and I still dont understand why Uwe switched out the Woody/Farmer designed pups for the TV Jones. Mind you, I haven't heard Uwe's AW bass either.

And finally the bassist who must be mentioned for having a Mudbucker installed in his Fender Jazz bass to get THAT sound is Mel Schacher.  He obviously felt the need to be taken as a serious bass player but still wanted real bottom end

[ramone57]

I played my EB-3 exclusively for 20+ years and it never prevented me from being in a band, but I have been called 'the guy who likes Gibson basses'  .  most of the comments regarding my sound have been positive although there's almost always an element of surprise in their voices.   maybe they're just being polite.   of course, I'm an amateur hack rocker, and the other amateur hacks I play with are just glad they don't have to play bass.  hacks don't seem to care about what kind of gear one uses as much as the seasoned pros.  while my Gibsons are accepted, my Ric seems to get more respect.

[barend]

most band members don't give a sh*t which bass I bring along for a gig. They even can't tell the difference between a Gibson or Fender (with the exception of some guitar players).

The female singers are the worst. They only look at the colour. Oeh, that blue one looks nice.
Last rehearsal I had the same bass as rehearsal before and the female singers asked if I brought a different bass each rehearsal. It was because the colour looked a bit different under the lights....

I think the only ones who cares which bass it is are the bassplayers themselves.

[godofthunder]

 I don't think the Bias towards Fender holds all that true today with younger players. I also thought Fenders just felt like a cobbed together plank compared to Gibson which to me feels more like a instrument. I am not slamming Fenders I even own some now Most of my favorite players always played something different. Paul Hofner/Ric, Jim Lea EB3s, Entwistle Thunderbirds/Fenderbirds, Dennis Dunnaway modded EBO (then he switched to a J  ) Martin Turner Wish Bone Ash Thunderbird. Fenders always seemed so pedestrian to me.

[EvilLordJuju]

my first good bass was a black 4001 Rick that I kept for 30 years

Yeah, here in the UK, a ric was always coo'd over way more than a Fender (at least in my experience). Fact is, the 60s players didn't really have Fenders too often, and so a good deal of the Fender shaped basses were copies. Hollowbodies made more of an impression too.

My first bass was an EB4L - I settled for it because I didn't quite have enough for the ric I wanted... and i've never looked back. I eventually got the ric, and barely use it.

Fenders have always looked generic to me (except coronados and competition mustangs).

[Barklessdog]

I don't think the Bias towards Fender holds all that true today with younger players

Only on some other sites I will fail to name....

[rockinrayduke]

I know that bandleaders I've worked with are more comfortable seeing a Fender Precision if you're subbing, they have a comfort zone about them and they know pretty much what they're going to hear. Lately though I've had a few people out of the crowd come up to me and ask if I "brought the Thunderbird tonight" which surprises me. Nice to know they're watching and listening.

[Chris P.]

I have a lot on not-playing friends. They can't see the difference between a bass and a guitar, but they all know my T-Bird:)

[gearHed289]

The, "sound guy," explained to me that he was a bass player, and he was mostly turned off by it claiming that anything my bird could do, his jazz could do and better.  Of course, he couldn't mix or manage the PA very well...

Most "sound guys" are deaf! 

[Dave W]

Most "sound guys" are deaf! 

Only about 80% of them. And most of the other 20% are tone deaf. 

[Chris P.]

Pete Townshend at the end of a very bad gig. One of the first Quadrophenia gigs with bad working tapes:

'I'm sorry this has been a shit gig, but we're going to play Won't Get Fooled Again and I p[romise to play it in tune, not that any of youthick cunts would notice the difference.'