Hello. I am new to this forum. A few weeks ago I found this bass for sale near my house for about 350 USD very cheap in my opinion. I have some Squier but never an SQ Japanese one. I researched the serial number and it seems to be from 1984. I have some doubts about the body; its
normal for the wood to have those textures? It seems to be relatively well-kept for its age. Thanks!
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cheap Squier SQ 1984
- Thread starter goetzze
- Start date
The body grain? Maybe not enough grain filler or just wear.
Those were kinda nice basses. They are somewhat collectible in that they were made in Japan and not early Chinese-made Squiers. If it feels good to you and plays and sounds good, I would throw out $250 and see if they bite. But if you like it get it
Some are running a grand on Reverb.
https://reverb.com/item/91223474-sq...pe-bass-guitar-blue-4-string-41125-s000039065
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/nbd-squier-sq-precision.133b.
Those were kinda nice basses. They are somewhat collectible in that they were made in Japan and not early Chinese-made Squiers. If it feels good to you and plays and sounds good, I would throw out $250 and see if they bite. But if you like it get it
Some are running a grand on Reverb.
https://reverb.com/item/91223474-sq...pe-bass-guitar-blue-4-string-41125-s000039065
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/nbd-squier-sq-precision.133b.
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they're very good basses. if the truss rod works, i'd make an offer. the finish damage is unfortunate, but it seems to be priced accordingly.
I'm only mentioning the truss rod because mine is backed all the way out. Fortunately, the action is right where I like it. I'd have to do a fair amount of work to raise it if I wanted. But I don't.
I'm only mentioning the truss rod because mine is backed all the way out. Fortunately, the action is right where I like it. I'd have to do a fair amount of work to raise it if I wanted. But I don't.
I re-habbed a 1984 Squier Strat that had been in a house fire for a guy once, had the laminated body as well, I set it up to standard Fender specs and it played soooo good and sounded so good. He was looking for a Strat with a gritty sound and boy did he get it, he actually sold his U.S. Strat! Never looked back.
If it plays well, plays in tune for $350, I wouldn’t worry about the wood.
I’m pretty sure it wasn’t caused by termites. I seen some relic’s basses that have wood looking a lot worse than that.
If it were me, I'd snap it up in a heartbeat.
Buy it and enjoy it. That simple.
If interested to sell it, send a DM.
If interested to sell it, send a DM.
Looks like a great snag. The Japanese don’t F around. I think making good product is ingrained in their culture. They’ve been kick butt in mfg forever. Allparts necks for example. Even the cheap ones always have better fit and finish on the fretboards than most fender stuff. If the neck has behaved all these years then you got a diamond in the rough there.
As far as the bare body wood goes. Any damage like that is susceptible to moisture wick and grain raise and could easily look pretty rough after years of exposure. It’s quite possible you could stop any further chip off with some wood glue applied and then wiped off right away focusing on wiping towards the paint to get a little in under it. Super glues would wick right in but probably end up looking horrible.
As far as the bare body wood goes. Any damage like that is susceptible to moisture wick and grain raise and could easily look pretty rough after years of exposure. It’s quite possible you could stop any further chip off with some wood glue applied and then wiped off right away focusing on wiping towards the paint to get a little in under it. Super glues would wick right in but probably end up looking horrible.
I initially thought it was plywood but it appears to have different thicknesses to some of the layers as well as some ray flecking. The open sections of wood probably just got some sweat in there over the years to very mildly raise the grain. Looks more like ash than alder. Possibly Japanese “sen ash”.
IMO - the bass in your pics is 100% legit.
It looks REALLY similar to the grain on my black 84 MIJ Squier Precision.
The spot in the pic is the arm contour - mine got a ding there that was irritating my forearm, so I decided to "relic" that spot.
Then, I continued making mods...
Anyhow, I've had SEVERAL bassists offer to buy that bass from me.
Going rate for MIJ Squire Precisions seems to be $700 and up, so if you can get the one near you for $350, IMO it's a bargain.
My very first bass was another 84 MIJ Squier that my mom, sisters, and granparents went in on for Christmas 1985 - it cost $320 then.
Adjusted for inflation, that would be $959.
It looks REALLY similar to the grain on my black 84 MIJ Squier Precision.
The spot in the pic is the arm contour - mine got a ding there that was irritating my forearm, so I decided to "relic" that spot.
Then, I continued making mods...
Anyhow, I've had SEVERAL bassists offer to buy that bass from me.
Going rate for MIJ Squire Precisions seems to be $700 and up, so if you can get the one near you for $350, IMO it's a bargain.
My very first bass was another 84 MIJ Squier that my mom, sisters, and granparents went in on for Christmas 1985 - it cost $320 then.
Adjusted for inflation, that would be $959.
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Worth more than the asking price if the neck is straight and the truss works.
Congratulations! No way this is plywood... what I see is uniform grain with some nice flaming. Possibly basswood. They used it a lot in the 80s.
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Here's a description of Squier Japan instruments...
Regarding the body wood - it's probably sen; a hardwood common to Japan and other Asian countries.
It's similar to ash, but a different species.
Once upon a time, I did some messy pickup routing on my bass (hidden under the pickguard, thankfully).
A few years ago, I cleaned it up by re-routing and filling with a block of alder - which is common on US Fender basses.
That alder was a decent match to the rest of the body, but maybe a little softer.
So IMO the sen body on the MIJ Squiers might split the difference between an ash and alder-bodied bass.
And that's a good thing.
"Marketing executive Dan Smith, quoted in “The Fender Book” recalled, “Everybody came up to inspect them and the guys almost cried, because the Japanese product was so good — it was what we had been having a hell of a time trying to do.”
If at one time an inexpensive electric guitar was synonymous with a low-quality one, the new Japanese instruments showed that this was no longer the case. In fact, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was generally acknowledged that the build quality of Fender instruments made in Japan equaled, or even exceeded their stateside counterparts..."
Regarding the body wood - it's probably sen; a hardwood common to Japan and other Asian countries.
It's similar to ash, but a different species.
Once upon a time, I did some messy pickup routing on my bass (hidden under the pickguard, thankfully).
A few years ago, I cleaned it up by re-routing and filling with a block of alder - which is common on US Fender basses.
That alder was a decent match to the rest of the body, but maybe a little softer.
So IMO the sen body on the MIJ Squiers might split the difference between an ash and alder-bodied bass.
And that's a good thing.
MIJ 80's are all solid instruments and somewhat sought after. The quality during this period was great!
Action looks very high In the photo, but it probably just needs a proper setup.
Great price if the truss rod works and it most likely does. Based on the location of the scratches and lack of normal play-wear, I would bet that was a 14 year old birthday present that has been moving from closet to closet for 40 years.
Great price if the truss rod works and it most likely does. Based on the location of the scratches and lack of normal play-wear, I would bet that was a 14 year old birthday present that has been moving from closet to closet for 40 years.
I had a Squier Strat that I (coincidentally) lost in a house fire. Bought it for $99 as a floor display model. Set it up, put a new pickguard on it, and it was one of the nicest strats I've ever played. I really thought I'd have it forever. Following the fire I had to make do with a Fender, and even then I had more work to do to make it play and sound like that Squier did.
Those early Squiers are all about the necks, that's where the hype comes from. If you like the feel of the neck and everything is in working order, I think it's worth it. I have one from the same year with an "A" serial number I got on Marketplace for 400 dollars a year or two ago. It's my number one player now, great bass. Don't be surprised if you feel the need to swap pickups, but it's still worth it for that neck IMO.
