Hey,
Lots of people have asked in the past, and people have given their seperate opinions, but I recently acquired a Squier VM Fretless Jazz and can now make a direct comparison. They're both good basses in their own right, so I'm not slamming either. Read on after the pic!
Build quality - Both are good, but in my opinion the Squier is just that bit better. Obvious, given it costs almost double. The Agathis in the Squier seems nicer, I am pretty sure the HB is a photo laminate layer, over an Ash body. The HB weighs a ton! Has nice sustain though.
Sound - They both have their own unique sound. The pickups in the HB sound a bit flatter, and the timber board vs. the ebonol board definitely makes a difference. The Squier has the Jaco "singing" sound thanks to the ebonol but the HB has a nice woody tone. They are both different, if you're after that Jaco tone, you'd go the Squier, and if you want a nice fretless tone, with a more double-bass-ish timber tone go the HB.
Playability - Here's where the Squier shines. The HB is nice, but has a P profile thickness neck, with a J bass width. It's a bit of a log. The Squier has a proper Jazz profile neck, and it plays a bit nicer and slicker. Even with a new setup on both, the Squier just has a lower and faster action. Maybe some nut work would fix the HB, but that's not a cost I'm willing to pay on a $150 bass.
I am glad I have both, but if push came to shove, I'd sell the HB and keep the Squier.
Hope this helps!
Lots of people have asked in the past, and people have given their seperate opinions, but I recently acquired a Squier VM Fretless Jazz and can now make a direct comparison. They're both good basses in their own right, so I'm not slamming either. Read on after the pic!
Build quality - Both are good, but in my opinion the Squier is just that bit better. Obvious, given it costs almost double. The Agathis in the Squier seems nicer, I am pretty sure the HB is a photo laminate layer, over an Ash body. The HB weighs a ton! Has nice sustain though.
Sound - They both have their own unique sound. The pickups in the HB sound a bit flatter, and the timber board vs. the ebonol board definitely makes a difference. The Squier has the Jaco "singing" sound thanks to the ebonol but the HB has a nice woody tone. They are both different, if you're after that Jaco tone, you'd go the Squier, and if you want a nice fretless tone, with a more double-bass-ish timber tone go the HB.
Playability - Here's where the Squier shines. The HB is nice, but has a P profile thickness neck, with a J bass width. It's a bit of a log. The Squier has a proper Jazz profile neck, and it plays a bit nicer and slicker. Even with a new setup on both, the Squier just has a lower and faster action. Maybe some nut work would fix the HB, but that's not a cost I'm willing to pay on a $150 bass.
I am glad I have both, but if push came to shove, I'd sell the HB and keep the Squier.
Hope this helps!
