In search of: The Katrina Bass

[bassassin]

Fender's construction methods were one of Leo's great gifts to musical mankind, allowing Fender to construct millions of fairly-priced instruments and put them in the hands of players of all skill levels. The Tele and Strat were the musical equivalent of the Model T Ford.

Unfortunately, cynical marketing and opportunistic philosophies have twisted Fender into a selling behemoth which peddles instruments of dubious intrinsic value to star-worshippers at silly, overblown prices.

Beautifully put, Paul.

With your permission, I'd like to be able use this quote as part of my attempts to persuade people that a guitar carrying a Fender brand shouldn't necessarily be their automatic first choice - particularly among starter instruments.

Jon.

[jingle_jangle]

Jon, Merry Christmas and how could I refuse a request to spread the word?

As I've said before, I love Fenders. My first guitar was an old Tele; my second new guitar was a '65 Mustang. I currently own eleven, both vintage and new. But I don't agree with their current strategy of megagrowth at the expense of integrity.

[bassassin]

Thanks Paul & all the best of the season to you & yours.

It's quite common on non-music forums that I frequent that someone will post a "learning to play - what should I buy?" topic & the answer is always, but always - Squier, or MIM Fender, and I think such is the brand-fixated nature of our culture today that it's hard to convince anyone otherwise. Not that there's necessarily anything bad about these instruments, for low spec guitars, but people simply won't accept that they're paying a big premium for the name and headstock shape!

J.

[jingle_jangle]

Jon: In place of the MIMs (also Made in China, and Made in Indonesia, as the mini Strats are wont to be), what do you suggest as a starter guitar?

[johnallg]

It's quite common on non-music forums that I frequent that someone will post a "learning to play - what should I buy?" topic & the answer is always, but always - Squier, or MIM Fender, and I think such is the brand-fixated nature of our culture today that it's hard to convince anyone otherwise. Not that there's necessarily anything bad about these instruments, for low spec guitars, but people simply won't accept that they're paying a big premium for the name and headstock shape!

J.

Very true Jon. I am a very firm believer in getting a well-made starter instrument but until you find out if Junior or Missy willl really take to it and enjoy playing, you probably don't want to wrap up $600 and up into their first instrument. You want an instrument that is well made, competent, and easy to play and learn on, but doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I have found the SX (Essex) Jazz or P basses from Rondo Music to be equal to or exceed the Squier and many of the MIM Fenders I have tried in the stores. At $120, they are more than a bargain. I had to put new strings on (my preference, they come with D'Addarios) and dress the frets, a whopping 15 minute task, and then adjust the truss rod and bridge to my liking, but it is such an easy bass to play and sounds more Jazz-like than the Squier.

Paul, SX also makes Strats, and the few comments I've read on Talkbass lead me to believe the same bargain exists in the guitar line.

My opinion, for what its worth.

http://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar.html

[jwr2]

if you see this coming then run and take you Ric with you ...

[jwr2]

I have owned several sx basses ... in the end I am usually unsatisfied with the bass ... cheap pickups, cheap bridges, cheap pots, the frets always need dressing and leveling, the bodies resonate a little too bright and harsh, and the neck sometimes s curves.

[bassassin]

Jon: In place of the MIMs (also Made in China, and Made in Indonesia, as the mini Strats are wont to be), what do you suggest as a starter guitar?

I've been very impressed by what I've seen of the build quality & out-of the-box playability of low-end Yamahas & Ibanez, I'm thinking about the Pacifica guitars & GSR200 basses respectively. Here in the UK there's a brand called Vintage - decent quality, mostly heavily influenced by popular designs (although none of RIC's ) and these are very good for the money.

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity of trying a big range of starter guitars when my daughter started playing. It was for her birthday so obviously she made the final choice... It had to say "Gibson" on it, so it ended up being a low-end Epiphone, against all my advice. It set up OK, sounds & plays well enough, but within the price range doesn't hold a candle to the lesser-known brands. Kids, eh?

J.

[jingle_jangle]

And my daughter got a mini-Strat last year, made in Indonesia, as I recall. But it had received a nice pearl powder pink paint job--by Santa's elves, of course. It's not a bad little guitar; cheap electronics and thoughtlessly-finished fret ends let it down, but it plays well, stays in tune (once you change out the stock light gauge strings) and sounds killer through my '64 Dual Showman.

[ilan]

For a beginner whose mom or dad plays guitar and knows how to deal with these things, I'd suggest a second-hand Ibanez with a Floyd Rose trem and a locking nut. Once set up properly, stretch-tuned to pitch and locked, these things NEVER go out of tune. And you can set them up to ridiculously low action - those guitars almost play themselves.

My eldest son plays bass (my '78 Fender Musicmaster... he wants the white '73 4001 but I said, dream on), but had he played guitar, that's what I'd buy him.