Fender "Squier" Protone 5 string

vstringbassist · #1 03-14-2012, 04:45 PM

I received a Protone today from fellow member ad9000 - an excellent transaction and my first here on Talkbass. This is my first Protone - I have wanted one for a few years after reading about them and the quality. These basses are some of the best looking P-type basses I have seen. I love the translucent red accented with the pearloid pickguard (and gold hardware/soap bar pickups). I couldn't wait to experience what all the fuss was about and I was not disappointed! The bass came with a setup that surprised me - nice low action just the way I like it. I did not have to tweak it at all. I started playing it and found it comfortable - I like the wide string spacing. I will be bringing it to my rehearsal tomorrow for a test-run (Country band). I am used to active basses and my current "primary" bass is a MIA Peavey Cirrus but I have been craving a P-bass for the Country band but prefer soap bar pickups - I may have found what I was looking for!
Cheers!

mb94952 · #2 02-01-2013, 10:44 AM

I saw a bass like that on Craigslist and the first thing I thought was that this is Fender's version of the Cirrus.

The I read your post and saw that you are a USA Cirrus player. This surprises me. To me, this is just a Fend-Irrus. It has nothing to do with a Pbass as far as pickup location or pickups go. The only Fender thing about it is the look. I wouldn't imagine that it sounds anything like a Pbass, either. The pickup position is like that of a Cirrus , MTD, and Ken Smith, so a modern tone would be expected.

I am very curious as to why you would like it more than a Cirrus. I am NOT knocking you at all. I am genuinely curious. Is it like you said that you crave soapbars, but need a more traditional "look" to fit the country band ?

vstringbassist · #3 05-13-2013, 01:06 PM

I am very curious as to why you would like it more than a Cirrus. I am NOT knocking you at all. I am genuinely curious. Is it like you said that you crave soapbars, but need a more traditional "look" to fit the country band ?[/quote]

I did not say I liked it more than my Cirrus but ended up playing it more than my Cirrus for a while. I was just craving a P-Bass (style) and prefer soapbars (I have owned a few US P-Basses). My band mates loved it and I did to but I missed the options I got with my Cirrus and Jon Hill basses (tone, extended range) after a while. Some of the songs we started learning learning had some high bass "mini solo" parts and I found it easier to play them with the extended scale basses. As I had said I "may have found" what I was looking for. It is hard to beat a US Cirrus especially for the used price you can get one for. I have owned 3 of them (bubinga, walnut, burled walnut top). I had changed the electronics configuration in the Squier from VVT to Volume, Balance, Tone and added a series/parallel switch which I liked better than the stock version.
Cheers!

puremusic · #4 05-13-2013, 01:24 PM

I am very interested in this protone bass also my main bass is a US Cirrus 5, and my backup is a Squier DAJV. I would like to know how you describe the sound of your protone.