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Squire Basses

Jim Roseberry

Jim Roseberry

May 24, 2007
342
3
www.studiocat.com
#1
I was a GC a couple of days ago... and played a couple of new Squire basses. (Mainly due to all the positive comments I've seen recently).

Affinity Jazz V
Antique Burst Standard Jazz
Vintage Modified Jazz

I was amazed at how well the Squires felt/played/sounded!

I currently have three nice 'classic' basses...
So I don't really *need* another bass... especially not a "cheap" bass.
But I'll admit I'm half temped to go to GC and buy two or three of them. Swap out the bridges... maybe the tuners...etc.

The Squires were far better than I expected...


Jim Roseberry
www.studiocat.com
[email protected]
 
#3
badboy1984 said:
The Vintage Modified Jazz is the best out of the 3 you mention.
But you said you don't need another bass, so i would suggest save up abit more and a get MIJ Fender, MIA Fender or Fender Reissue Bass
Click to expand...

That's the thing...
I have a MIA Jazz, SR5, and a Ric! ;)
I'm not saying the Squires are of that calibre... but they're a LOT better than I was expecting.

I think a Squire would be fun to mod/etc.



Jim Roseberry
www.studiocat.com
[email protected]
 
#4
Hi Jim,

I just picked up the Squire Vintage Modified jazz and as you said: it's fun to modify it :)

I started out replacing the bridge with a BadAss II bridge, put in a Audere 3Z preamp and got the neck lacquered by a local luthier. Next thing might be the tuners, but the stock ones seems good enough to keep it in tune. I'd say that this bass (with my mods) is a Fender MIA jazz beater :) sounds and feels nice.

Anyway, just thought I would chime in just for your inspiration.

/ Bo
 
#5
Jim Roseberry said:
...But I'll admit I'm half temped to go to GC and buy two or three of them. Swap out the bridges... maybe the tuners...etc.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with that! Modding is a great way to learn about basses in general! I would encourage any player to have a mod platform or project guitar on hand to experiment on, mod, learn setups on. That's a good thing! And it makes the most sense to do that on a value instrument.
 
#7
Hey guys. New member to the forum, but not to playing in general.

I just picked up a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz yesterday, and for the money, it cannot be beat. That bass has much better punch and resonance than the MIM Jazz that I compared it to.

I happened to find one with a 2 piece body that looks almost bookmatched, perfectly seamed right down the center, and beautiful grain too.

I'm gonna take _uly's suggestions and throw on a BadassII. That'll geddy-fy it. haha.
 
#9
Here's my Squire bass:
csnew.jpg
 
#12
My VM was quite decent out of the box, but I could hardly contain my enthusiasm for having a bass I could mod and play around with, so it quickly ended up looking like this:

IMG_0700.jpg


After installing some new tuners (black), Badass II bridge, and some Fralins I had laying around, it plays and sounds as good as darn near any Jazz I've played short of a Sadowsky and the occasional great MIA I've come across.

It was a really fun project. Here it is next to my NYC Sadowsky PJ. Quite an odd couple!

IMG_0701.jpg


An Audere may go in next. It's hard to believe, but I'm playing this bass all the time, despite the fact that it's the cheapest bass I own.

It's a killer bass!!
 
#13
BartmanPDX said:
My VM was quite decent out of the box, but I could hardly contain my enthusiasm for having a bass I could mod and play around with, so it quickly ended up looking like this:

IMG_0700.jpg


After installing some new tuners (black), Badass II bridge, and some Fralins I had laying around, it plays and sounds as good as darn near any Jazz I've played short of a Sadowsky and the occasional great MIA I've come across.

It was a really fun project. Here it is next to my NYC Sadowsky PJ. Quite an odd couple!

IMG_0701.jpg


An Audere may go in next. It's hard to believe, but I'm playing this bass all the time, despite the fact that it's the cheapest bass I own.

It's a killer bass!!
Click to expand...

+1 Gorgeous bass.

To the OP, there's no shame in owning a Squier. In fact, just yesterday I walked into GC and walk out with a black Affinity V. The bass kicks serious butt - and yes, I own a very nice MIA Fender Jazz Deluxe V (for about 5 months now). But to be totally honest, I'm completely stoked on how incredible the Affinity 5-string sounds. Maybe I'm just a passive J-bass guy at heart & finally realizing it? I'll gladly save the wear & tear on the MIA 5-string for the next several gigs at least. A great bass is a great bass - regardless of price tag.
 
#14
+!

I have a SQ VM J & FL
when i put the Gotoh 201 bridge on it really ooooopened up the sound on it!!..that is on the VM J.....when i did it on the FL i did not gain anything much more-- that is probably b/c it already sounded so go..both ofg them are getting close to my GL (but not quite-- that thing is just sooooo sweet).

But like someone said -- i play the VM J all the time mostly, except when i want to test my fretting then i p/u the FL.

I may put on some Rotos on the VM J this weekend.

btw .....i also have an Affinity V in white i got for $169 from MF (blem-yeah, where?)

I will put up pics later:
 

Attachments

#15
I've got a VM J FL that I'm looking forward to modding - once I get finished moving I'll be grabbing some new tuners for it (the thing it needs the most), and maybe a set of DiMarzio model J's. I might end up putting on a new bridge and/or getting a new nut cut for it, depending on how low I can get the action when I throw on the DR's I've got for it. Should be a good time.
 
#17
Before you drop too much $$ into these basses realize the body wood. If you're a fan of Alder or Ash, in the long run you'll be disappointed by the Agasis(sp) or Basswood that they use for the bodies. I bought a Basswood body bass and at first loved it for the weight and tone, then the bass became dry to my ears, best way to describe it. And I went back to my heavier but happier(sounding) alder body bass. For the price these basses are very nice, but you can tripe the cost of the bass with upgrades and then...... Well there's a reason people pimp out Honda's before Hyundia's.
BM
 
#19
Bassmickeyd said:
Before you drop too much $$ into these basses realize the body wood. If you're a fan of Alder or Ash, in the long run you'll be disappointed by the Agasis(sp) or Basswood that they use for the bodies. I bought a Basswood body bass and at first loved it for the weight and tone, then the bass became dry to my ears, best way to describe it. And I went back to my heavier but happier(sounding) alder body bass. For the price these basses are very nice, but you can tripe the cost of the bass with upgrades and then...... Well there's a reason people pimp out Honda's before Hyundia's.
BM
Click to expand...

I'm a fan of ash, but I find the maple body on my SX to be as good as the ash bodies on any of the Fenders I've played.

Basswood is a whole other story, but the VM Jazzes (fretted) are maple, and it sounds a whole lot like ash. If I didn't like the way it sounded acoustically, I would not have put all the time and money into modding it.

I'd also put my Super-Squier up against nearly anything under $1k. YMMV.
 

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