Can I "train" for a Fender precision with a Squier Classic Vibe Precision?

[Ostie]

$200 and it plays great. I would say if you can't afford a MIA then get what you can afford and play it until you can.

 

[NeilJazz]

This is a new concept to me and I've played many different basses over a 50 year career. Training towards a particular bass seems to me to be unnecessary. A bass is a bass. Not long ago I set up a friend's Squier Precision and there was very little difference between it and my old '73 Precision. You will adapt to whatever you buy quickly and easily.

This. I rotate between 4 & 5 strings, different pickup configurations and neck profile but still can play no problem.

I do wonder if I stick to one if I stick to just one, will it make me a better player?

 

[JProbber]

Many many thanks to my repliers. Lots of valuable, practical advice.

Jon

 

[pbassnut]

I aspire to an American Precision someday. If I get a used Squier CV Precision, will it give me an effective, accurate preview of a top-line Fender? If not, what would I be missing out on?

Thanks,

Jon

Here's a post I made not too long ago about a truly stellar 1st generation Squier Classic Vibe Precision that I have ...

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/do-you-have-a-blues-machine-lets-see-it.1657342/#post-28589885

I won't make any blanket statements about these basses ... especially because mine is so tricked out. However, most of the ones I've played were really good and I think that the 1st generation run Squier made of their CV Ps and Js were pretty darn good on average ... especially given the price point they were sold at. A guitar player who I play with liked mine so much that he asked me to keep an eye out for one just like it for him. I found a totally stock 1st generation fiesta red one on eBay for a very reasonable price and told him about it. He brought it to a gig and let me play it for a set and it was every bit as good as mine only his was bone stock.

 

[Sgtthump]

You can make music on any bass, cheap or not doesn't matter. Don't overthink the gear. Just practice and have fun!

That it!

 

[Mike Vee]

Yes.

And if you're lucky, the Squier could be a really good one that's like 85-95% the same. With basses, it's all about the neck shape and finish, and how the neck and body geometry interact to give you a comfortable or uncomfortable playing experience. If you're going for mostly flinger style, I suggest going for a very low setup. It makes the bass like 1000x easier to play. I would also highly recommend flatwound strings. Labella LTF. Chrome ECB80 basically play themselves. Give them a week or two to break in.

 

[Cleezmo]

2 things:

1- If you play bass, you play bass. Even with their differences, most basses are similar enough that it takes a microscopic amount of time to adjust to the slight differences. Any bass you have now is fine, and when you get a new bass, you'll still be able to play it. Every bass is ever so slightly different from every other bass, but they're all pretty much the same at the end of the day. Don't overthink the nuanced differences of two models, especially two nearly identical models such as a Squier (by Fender) P and a Fender P.

There is no special training needed to play an American Fender Precision.

2- Don't aspire to a certain bass. Aspire to play better and then get that bass you lust after when it's financially feasible... but only if you play it first and it's everything you thought it was going to be. The magic you imagine in your head and see in the pictures and when other people play it in videos isn't always there when you actually get your hands on it.

It's that old saying, "Never meet your heroes." That saying gets applied to many things, including bass guitars. Too many times people "aspire to" their dream bass, only to spend a lot of money on it and find out, it's kinda crap. Or at least it's nothing special. Or it just doesn't vibe with them when they play it.

I'm not saying don't lust after instruments you want. I'm not saying don't get an American Precision if you really want one. Just, don't "aspire" to it, like getting it means you've achieved something, or like it'll make you a better player. All getting an American Fender Precision means is you've traded money for a bass guitar and now you have another bass guitar.

You're the player you are on any bass. Dream-basses are just expensive toys for some, and expensive tools for others. But it's you that makes music with it.

And if you do play one and you do love the way it feels and sounds, by all means, get that thing!

There is much wisdom in this post.....

 

[Cleezmo]

IME, lower-cost (notice I didn't say 'cheap') basses have come a really long way in terms of build quality in the last 10 years or so. My stable was all US-made until recently when I acquired a MIK bass. I played a lot of basses in the $300-$2,000 range in various stores just to try them, and was impressed with how well some of the lower-tier basses played/felt. If you have or find a Squire that you like, then play the heck out of it and don't worry about the name on the headstock.

But as many have said - while everything is on CNC mills and tolerances are likely tight, you have to play them to really see if they are one of the standouts, or or if they feel, well, cheap. For every $250 Squire that sounds and feels amazing, there's probably one out there that doesn't. And, FTR, this applies to the US products as well, but maybe the ratio is more like 3:1 or something.

Up to a point, more $$$ don't always correlate directly with an equal increase in quality, playability, sound, etc. It's entirely possible that you spend $1,400 or whatever on a US Precision and think "This thing is amazing!", but it's also possible that you spend that coin and think "I mean, this is nice, but is it $1,000 better?"

 

[Killing Floor]

The cost doesn't affect the profile of the neck. Get a bass you can afford that feels right in your hands. Then if you want a different price point bass get one with similar neck profile. It will seem the same.

 

[Gervais Cote]

I would start with a Squier as is and give it a serious ride.

If it's not "beefy" enough, replace the pickup with some Fender Pure Vintage 63.

Doing so, your humble lightly modified Squier will put to shame many US Fender out there.

The trick with Squier is to find one that had a good quality test and a neck that's in good condition.

 

[CallMeAl]

Once I learned to touch up frets and neck finishes, I stopped thinking about upgrades. I can take a 100, 200, 400 dollar instrument and get it to a place where I like it as much as any MIA. (Assuming the neck is straight and takes a setup well.)

And sometimes they're already fantastic right off the rack!

Another important point is specs and preferences. I'll take an Affinity over a Cv 9 times out of 10, as I just prefer her satin finish and the slightly slimmer profile.

 

[MHensleyJr]

They are literally the same thing.

 

[direktor]

I have a 72 and a classic vibe.

CV neck is much shallower front to back.

Other than that, they are very close to each other in many of the ways that matter.

So answer is yes, and no. I'd say making the jump from CV to US would be minimal.

 

[ThudThudThud]

I had a CV CIC Fiesta Red (poor man's Pino). All I did was change the pots, and the jack. That pickup, and a set of Chromes was dynamite.
Not sure if that's first generation, as I know the blue one came out first.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I aspire to an American Precision someday. If I get a used Squier CV Precision, will it give me an effective, accurate preview of a top-line Fender? If not, what would I be missing out on?

Thanks,

Jon

Yes. You may decide the MIA version isn't worth the money. One other point, modding a Squier is cost effective for getting a better experience. A trip to to a luthier to fix nagging issues is money well spent, and will be a lot less expensive that another bass.

If you are worried about others that will look down on it because of the label, don't. Once the notes start flying what is going to be most important is your ability to play the parts well. As long as your bass plays in tune and sounds like an electric bass, nobody is going to care about your bass. Trust me. Best wishes.

 

[Crab Key]

I gigged with a Highway 1 P Bass for 15 years. It currently resides in the retirement home as it's a bit worn out.
Picked up a Squier 40th Annv'y P Bass last year from GC and haven't put it down yet.

The weight & playability is amazing at the price point . May or may not swap the pickups. I'm unsure what I am missing from using this bass in place of my previous model?.. It's a winner.

 

[MtManiac]

It's like buying a GM vehicle. It's less of a quality difference than it is a features or trim level difference.

Some vehicles are only offered under one brand, like the Corvette or Camaro or Hummer.

However, a Chevy Equinox, a Buick something or other, and a Cadillac XT something or other are going to be basically the same vehicle. One may have different engine or transmission offerings, they'll all have different colour options, some will have the really nice leather seats while others will have perfectly respectable PU leather seat options. Some will have new driver convenience or safety features that haven't yet moved downmarket yet - for a while, it was impossible to buy an entry time level vehicle with electric windows or a moonroof. Hell, if I'm not mistaken, for a while there way back they didn't have automatic transmissions in the lower trim levels.

Same with Ford/Mazda/Lincoln, if you prefer.

At the end of the day, a P bass is gonna be a P bass. You can replace the pots and pickups with the same ones from a higher end model, and they'll sound as identical as any other two different P basses with the same pickups will sound.

The differences are in the feel of the neck, the tuners, the bridge, the colour options, the preamp in the case of active basses, and the fretboard and body woods used.

For me, I can justify at *used* market prices a MIA Fender P bass based purely on the neck feel. Sometimes I get tempted by a used Ultra/Elite/Deluxe model or an Original/Vintage Series, etc. I've certainly owned quite a few Squiers and MIM Standards. Honestly, if a different trim level had the same neck as an American Standard/Pro/Pro II, that's what I'd be playing. They don't, though. Whether that matters is 100% up to you and your hands and your ears.

 

[Pings Bass]

A lot of us oldsters learned to play on absolute trash instruments. So when we could finally afford a fender we really appreciated it. Most entry-level basses these days are so good, hobbyists may never get good enough to be held back on them.

More to you question I think: There's nothing special about learning on the student model instrument of the pro model you aspire to. Well-learned technique transfers to any instrument.

 

[Hot Rats]

Get the Squier, it's actually a Fender product. Says it right on the headstock.

 

[Geogio]

Assemble one yourself. Parts are everywhere!