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Professionals using a Squier

W

Wade10987

Sep 27, 2011
246
2
38
Tampa, FL
#1
I never understood why anyone professional (not people who have passion and play bars/clubs/parties) but people who are rich and have endoresments would use a Squier. Why would they not just use a real Fender?

I am NOT hating on Squier. I have two and I appreciate their value, for the price. Also I know recently the VM and some of the Classic series are a pretty decent quality.

But years ago I saw ads with people playing Squiers on stage, with their best (or worst, its hard to tell) guitar face.

Is that just a business move by Fender, to raise more awareness and prestige for their learner/budget line?
 
#2
I've never owned one and don't know a lot, but I think Squiers were first produced in Japan (JV Series?) and are regarded pretty highly. The only professional I can recall playing one is Peter Baltes from Accept who is still using the same P-Bass he was playing in the 1983 Balls to the Wall video.
 
#4
Tupac said:
They don't really, it's just a picture dude. If it was from a real show, they were paid to. Probably.
Click to expand...

going to go ahead and call BS on this ^^^

one of our TB members posted video of himself playing a Squier Jag (stock except for stings) on Leno

plenty of folks here who earn their keep playing have gigged on Squiers

an experienced, skilled player could play the gig on just about any decent (stays in tune) bass - now what they choose to play is a matter of personal preference, budget etc. (imho, ime, ymmv)

heck, I have played gigs and whole 6 week mini-tours on a CV P - plenty of compliments, band leader pleased and paid exactly what was promised.....and I have no magic in my hands...

imagine Basketball players - does Kobe need $300 sneakers? Or would he pretty much kick just as much butt in a $40 pair of BKs?
 
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#7
My most expensive bass is an Alembic
My vintage bass is a 1966 Gibson EB2D I have owned since the 70's
My cheapest bass is. Squier Affinity V @ $225 delivered to the door. It is one of the best basses I have played and I have no plans to sell it.

I also owned a Fender MIA Jazz 5 and when I played it side by side in my Hartke amps, I junked the MIA. It was inferior to the Squier in pick up volume, punch and tone. It also was not a better finished instrument even though the materials were likely better on "paper".
 
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#8
My first electric was a Squier fat strat, and after a pup swap and a setup it was a great guitar.

There are "artist signature" Squiers being made and sold, and I doubt a performer with any kind of notoriety would allow their name to be put on junk.
 
#10
Aussie Player said:
My most expensive bass is an Alembic
My vintage bass is a 1966 Gibson EB2D I have owned since the 70's
My cheapest bass is. Squier Affinity V @ $225 delivered to the door. It is one of the best basses I have played and I have no plans to sell it.

I also owned a Fender MIA Jazz 5 and when I played it side by side in my Hartke amps, I junked the MIA. It was inferior to the Squier in pick up volume, punch and tone. It also was not a better finished instrument even though the materials were likely better on "paper".
Click to expand...

lol - almost word for word what I was going to post.
My most expensive bass is a 1998 Alembic Essence 5, my vintage bass is a 1968 Fender Precision, my cheapest 5 string bass is a Squier Affinity 5 I purchased at Guitar Center for $220. It's one of the best basses I have played and I have no plans to modify or sell it. I too own a Fender Americal Deluxe 5 Swamp ash Jazz bass, bought new in 2005 for $1200. After sinking an additional $600 in it (East deluxe preamp and Bartolini jazz pickups) it almost sounds as good as the $220 Squier. Looks and build quality of both basses is excellent and the MIA Fender does have higher end hardware (except for the cheap bridge, go figure) but the Squier hardware is quite functional and hasn't given me any problems.
Since I bought that Squier, I've purchased several more Squiers (Mustang SS, Jaguar SS, Bronco & Surf Strat) and I intend to buy more. I'm sold on the Squier brand being a viable alternative to MIA and MIM Fenders and one of the best gigging options out there.
 
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#13
I have several friends that use the Squier active 5 String Jazz Basses as "fly" basses, so that they can leave their A gear at home. One of them was the late, great Chris Kent when he was traveling with Country Star Lorrie Morgan.
Here's my good friend Steve Evans, who has rocked his 80s MIJ Squier with EMGs with Roy Rogers and the Delta Rhythm Kings, CoCo Montoya and Elvin Bishop among others. His other Road Bass is a Scott Ambush 5 String, but the Squier has been home for as long as I've known him.
 
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#14
There are some great Squiers out there an plenty of people play 'em.
It's also true that some players who have their own signature model basses use specially made, modified and/or very select versions. This pretty much goes for every large manufacturer, including Squier/FMIC.
 
#16
Well since I've been playing for pay for 30+ years I guess I'll chime in as a "remotely professional" bassist. Over the past 30+ years I've owned at least a half dozen MIA Jazz Basses and I guess I could play one now if I chose including an MIA Deluxe that I sold.

I honestly can't find damn thing about my CV Jazz that would be greatly improved upon by spending $1000 more for an MIA Jazz Bass. It sounds and plays as well as any MIA Standard I've ever owned. So I have no idea why anyone would find them objectionable other than the name on the headstock.

Seems to me that many who go around knocking them are simply trying to convince themselves that because they spent $1000 more they got $1000 more worth of bass. Maybe it would be just too embarrassing to admit they could have had great quality for far less which the may have learned if they'd even bothered to give a try to the bass they're knocking.

I've never been laughed at or criticized by another musician because I play a Squier nor have I had a band leader tell me I wasn't good enough to be his bassist because of that name on the headstock. Some have even complimented me on it. Nobody seems to care what I play as much as how I play.

We live in a world of choices and if anyone feels they will get more for their money if they buy an MIA Jazz Bass I don't put them down for it. It's their money so they should spend it as they choose. Mine was bought with my money and I did the same and I have no regrets whatsoever.
 
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#18
Wade10987 said:
I never understood why anyone remotely professional would use a Squier. Why would they not just use a real Fender?

I am NOT hating on Squier. I have two and I appreciate their value, for the price. Also I know recently the VM and some of the Classic series are a pretty decent quality.

But years ago I saw ads with people playing Squiers on stage, with their best (or worst, its hard to tell) guitar face.

Is that just a business move by Fender, to raise more awareness and prestige for their learner/budget line?
Click to expand...

You're making the big assumption that Fender > Squier in all cases. It's easy to generalise about quality of components, wood, finishing etc but there are bad Fenders and great Squiers. Someone 'remotely professional' will play what the job requires - if they've got a great-sounding Squier, why not use that?

I was at a gig on Saturday night and identifying what the bassists were playing. Three bands, all with really good bass players making good sounds - I don't know whether this was a full-time job for all of them but they were all at least 'remotely professional'. Main act: battered sunburst/tort Fender Jazz. First support band on stage: nice new-looking butterscotch G&L ASAT with maple neck. Second support band on stage: I saw the headstock first behind the amp and said "Gibson Thunderbird". As soon as I saw the body I had to correct myself - it was an Epiphone Pro model. Gear snobs might question why he wasn't playing a 'proper Gibson', whereas I enjoyed the sound coming out of it. Maybe he couldn't afford a Gibson. Maybe his Gibson was being repaired. Maybe he just preferred the Epiphone. Whatever the reason, he played it well and it sounded good. That's surely the most important thing?
 

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