I collect Squier Teles (and a Strat). A pickup swap, maybe new pots, and a setup can do wonders. Sometimes they're great out of the gates.
In the band I play with the most, I play an Affinity Jazz (Chinese? maybe Indonesian) that I put Dimarzio Model Js wired parallel directly to the output jack- no volume, tone or cap. You'd be surprised how many compliments that bass receives. I leave my USA Lakland 55-94 at home when I want a jazz tone and bring the Affinity. Plus, I fly a few times a year. After having road cases punctured by a fork lift (I think) or lost for a couple of days, I just feel safer removing the neck from the body and packing it in my luggage. If it gets lost, stolen (as my $4k Lakland was- and, fortunately recovered), damaged, I'm out $100. I'm not too attached to it. Buy another.
Is it a Sadowsky? No. The build is not as solid, note to note it isn't as consistent, it's a bit rougher. You can file the fret edges or level the frets if you want. But, they're such a good platform to mod and test different components. I've come to realize that I don't like high mass bridges after swapping. I prefer the character of a bass that isn't even from note to note. I can sand the back of the neck down without ruining the value- heck, anything you do it pretty much keeps the value or increases it. When I pick up 5 MIA Fenders from the wall, they are all about the same. For whatever reason, they're boring to me. Vintage Fenders appeal to me, but the cost, fear of being stolen, inability to mod them (doesn't a refret devalue vintage instruments?), sometimes the pickups aren't so great. An instrument that has been played for 30+ years might sound great, but it might have some eccentricities (polite word for problems).
I was convinced the instrument doesn't make much difference to 99% of the audience. When I heard positive feedback on my Affinity, I was sold.
In the band I play with the most, I play an Affinity Jazz (Chinese? maybe Indonesian) that I put Dimarzio Model Js wired parallel directly to the output jack- no volume, tone or cap. You'd be surprised how many compliments that bass receives. I leave my USA Lakland 55-94 at home when I want a jazz tone and bring the Affinity. Plus, I fly a few times a year. After having road cases punctured by a fork lift (I think) or lost for a couple of days, I just feel safer removing the neck from the body and packing it in my luggage. If it gets lost, stolen (as my $4k Lakland was- and, fortunately recovered), damaged, I'm out $100. I'm not too attached to it. Buy another.
Is it a Sadowsky? No. The build is not as solid, note to note it isn't as consistent, it's a bit rougher. You can file the fret edges or level the frets if you want. But, they're such a good platform to mod and test different components. I've come to realize that I don't like high mass bridges after swapping. I prefer the character of a bass that isn't even from note to note. I can sand the back of the neck down without ruining the value- heck, anything you do it pretty much keeps the value or increases it. When I pick up 5 MIA Fenders from the wall, they are all about the same. For whatever reason, they're boring to me. Vintage Fenders appeal to me, but the cost, fear of being stolen, inability to mod them (doesn't a refret devalue vintage instruments?), sometimes the pickups aren't so great. An instrument that has been played for 30+ years might sound great, but it might have some eccentricities (polite word for problems).
I was convinced the instrument doesn't make much difference to 99% of the audience. When I heard positive feedback on my Affinity, I was sold.
