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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 11:49 pm
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True enough.
I still believe Leo was pragmatic rather than romantic about his designs and that FMIC, by trying to improve on them without actually deviating from the basic concept, is doing what Leo would likely have done.

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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 11:59 pm
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Arguably possible, perhaps even probable.

But history shows that Leo himself with his later (and presumably improved) endeavors was never able to eclipse his earlier efforts for the company that bore his name. I'll wager that neither the Music Man line of amps or the G&L guitars and basses ever captured ten percent of the market share that FMI and ultimately FMIC would maintain.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:04 am
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I suppose if you want to look at what Leo would have done is to take a look at G&L guitars, which I've found to be rather nice instruments. At least the ones I've played around with. It's funny, he didn't seem to bother with amps again, other than those Music Man ones before he started G&L. I guess it was too much of a pain in the arse, or didn't have the time to do so.

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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:46 am
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I had a G&L ASAT for a few years. It was a beautiful guitar and it felt an played wonderfully. Leo did a great job with that model. For some reason I never bonded with it. I have no idea why. Same thing happened in '01 or '02 when I bought a PRS Custom 22 flame top w/birds. Beautiful guitar to behold. Stunning, in fact. Amazing neck to play. The best designed locking tuners I've ever come across. The best vol/tone pots I've ever come across. For some reason I never bonded with it. I did put PRS pots in my Les Paul so I kept something of the PRS at least. Don't know what's different about their spec but they're wonderful. The smoothest and most linear sounding (as in not mathematical) pots I've ever put fingers on. Pricey at $25 per.

I've never been able to figure out why different people bond with different kinds of guitars. I love Teles. I should have loved that ASAT.

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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 1:11 am
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Yeah instruments are a funny thing like that. In a way, I suppose they are like people. There are some people that you love to death, yet others you'd wish to take a long walk off a short pier. Then there are others that are just plain neutral. No feelings either way.

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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 3:34 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
I've never been able to figure out why different people bond with different kinds of guitars. I love Teles. I should have loved that ASAT.


I love my Tele and I am primarily a bass player. I thought I was getting a 2012 Tele with the body contour. I was wrong in my presumption and got a 2011 Amer. Stand Tele. I am glad it worked out that way. I like the full body Tele. I am not against body contouring, it is a nice feature on the guitars that come with them. But...The Tele is an icon to me and it just looks 'right' being a nice fat hunk of resonating wood. :D

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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 5:38 am
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The only thing that prevents Mr. Fenders designs from being perfect is that there is no such thing as perfect. But the brilliance of his work is hard to dispute.

How many products in the history of manufacturing combine the innovation, functionality, ease of production, ease of maintenance, market success, and longevity as the Broadcaster/Esquire/Telecaster?

Is the Tele perfect? No.
Is the Tele brilliant? No doubt.

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In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.


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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 5:40 am
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Mr. Fender wasn't Ben Franklin, Gyro Gearloose, Emmet Brown and Santa Claus, all rolled into one person.

This worship seems rather ridiculous. Yeah, he was the "father of the mass produced electric guitar" just like Henry Ford was the ""father of the mass produced automobile". Neither man was more than a man, and if it hadn't been them, others would have come along.


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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 8:12 am
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arth1 wrote:
Mr. Fender wasn't Ben Franklin, Gyro Gearloose, Emmet Brown and Santa Claus, all rolled into one person.

This worship seems rather ridiculous. Yeah, he was the "father of the mass produced electric guitar" just like Henry Ford was the ""father of the mass produced automobile". Neither man was more than a man, and if it hadn't been them, others would have come along.

Can you point out the ridiculous worship in this thread? For that matter can you point out an undeserved accolade to Mr. Fender in this thread?

Who said Mr. Fender was the equal of Ben Franklin? Much less Franklin and those other rolled into one. Some of his biggest fans on this forum have even pointed out mistakes he made in this thread of so-called ridiculous worship.

So what if others might have done the same? Do you really want to pile speculative history on top your straw man?

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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 8:32 am
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mhowell wrote:
arth1 wrote:
Mr. Fender wasn't Ben Franklin, Gyro Gearloose, Emmet Brown and Santa Claus, all rolled into one person.

This worship seems rather ridiculous. Yeah, he was the "father of the mass produced electric guitar" just like Henry Ford was the ""father of the mass produced automobile". Neither man was more than a man, and if it hadn't been them, others would have come along.

Can you point out the ridiculous worship in this thread? For that matter can you point out an undeserved accolade to Mr. Fender in this thread?

Who said Mr. Fender was the equal of Ben Franklin? Much less Franklin and those other rolled into one. Some of his biggest fans on this forum have even pointed out mistakes he made in this thread of so-called ridiculous worship.

So what if others might have done the same? Do you really want to pile speculative history on top your straw man?


Can you point to where I said that this thread was one of ridiculous worship?
No? Who's building a strawman here again?


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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 8:43 am
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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 3:06 pm
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all this and tone deaf too. one of my heros.


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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 7:34 pm
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I had some G&L basses, great designs, they played well, etc. The one thing about the G&L's, no local dealers in the area anymore. Very similar to Fenders also. Mr. Fender did well with the G&L's.

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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 6:37 am
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G&L has a new, or I suppose, reissue of a P-Bass type bass that looks interesting: http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/2 ... 100-review

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Post subject: Re: Clarence Leonidas Fender
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 10:44 am
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While there have been "tweaks" to the original design, a basic Telecaster bought brand new today is so similar to an early 1953 model that an untrained eye would not notice the difference. The same could be said for a Stratocaster.

Leo got 'em mostly right directly out of the chute; Arjay was right regarding the (needed and technologically possible) 5-way switch on the Strat, and I (for one) am not enamored with stock Telecaster switching (I put a four-way switch on mine, and that's way to go, IMHO).

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