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Difference between squier and mim fender

#21
pbgonecrazy99 said:
I am replacing the electronics and pus almost immediately, so I wasn't going to bother looking at the cv or vm. .
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This just makes absolutely no sense to me. Planning on changing the pickups before you even have the bass? I fell for this before, thinking some higher end or "better" pickups will increase my output or beef up or clarify my sound. I have changed pups to varying degrees, sometimes putting in "better" pups to result in a poorer sound. But this was only after being unhappy, or at least thinking I was unhappy with the original pups. Geez, buy a bass that sounds great, then don't worry about it! Don't think you will be making it better by upgrading the pups, because you might not be making it better.
 
#22
BassDudeSA said:
This just makes absolutely no sense to me. Planning on changing the pickups before you even have the bass? I fell for this before, thinking some higher end or "better" pickups will increase my output or beef up or clarify my sound. I have changed pups to varying degrees, sometimes putting in "better" pups to result in a poorer sound. But this was only after being unhappy, or at least thinking I was unhappy with the original pups. Geez, buy a bass that sounds great, then don't worry about it! Don't think you will be making it better by upgrading the pups, because you might not be making it better.
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I might have not made it as clear as I should have. I bought 2 pairs of Sb-3s + preamp. So I am stripping the paint, routing the new pickups at the bridge, and repainting. I have a squier VM jazz and my first bass which was a p/j squier (later put some SD's in it), and I can attest to its sound, but squiers in general feel weaker and thinner and missing some feel that some other basses have. So the question wasn't about sound, since I am changing that. I am more concerned about the wood and quality of instrument.
 
#25
pbgonecrazy99 said:
I am more concerned about the wood and quality of instrument.
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Great. Then as others have attested here, try a whole bunch of used MIMs and Squiers until you find one that has great wood and quality, then you'll be set! Nothing more may be needed. I think some people just want to upgrade for the sake up upgrading, even if unneccesary. Actually I think that happens alot. If that is fun for you, then go for it. But for practical purposes there is a high degree that upgrading anything will be very unneccesary. And if you think it is, maybe then just don't buy that bass.
 
#26
The OP wants a suitable platform for electronics that he already purchased. Personally, I like alder and ash bodies better than bass wood or agathis. I also like the MIM necks better than Squier necks in general. The necks on the Squiers that I tried in the past didn't feel solid and vibrated like a broken bat when played. I haven't played the CV or VM series though.
 
#27
i've fondled every fender bass i could,couple items of note= a `78 MIA P that just looked like a `matsumoko' copy from years ago,i'm guessing that was produced during the so called downturn of fender before CBS sold out(sounds like a decent excuse anyway),and i just hated holding it even,looked at it twice just to make sure,i think it sold for 550 wHSCase @ the local GC,,,proving=just because it was produced in US doesn't mean it feels good/looks good,ok yeah but not=:hyper:

ok so moving on; every time i pick up a fiesta red CV i just can't beleive how nice it looks and feels in hand=:hyper:

i have 2 MIM's and i do my own setup work,i love mine but neither one was ready to rock and in fact every time i visit a GC i don't bother to try any of what's there because=they all need setup,after playing buttery low action where you just THINK about it,versus uh where's the arrows at i can use this one for a bow(get what i'm saying?),they are all a bunch of parts until they get the setup love they deserve

so to sumarize=my MIM's people love only because i bought a Squire with a sapling neck and cross threaded truss rod(new),,and so i had to go thru he!! to get to where i have(doing all my setup stuff) no qualms about tearing a neck off shimming it etc. one sold on ebay with`some buzzing' the other the truss rod was tapped tight(i stole em both):D

ok red hot chilis going away here(on headphones) just buy what blows your skirt way up and make friends with a tech and it won't matter=peace:bassist:
 
#28
Hawaii Islander said:
The OP wants a suitable platform for electronics that he already purchased. Personally, I like alder and ash bodies better than bass wood or agathis. I also like the MIM necks better than Squier necks in general. The necks on the Squiers that I tried in the past didn't feel solid and vibrated like a broken bat when played. I haven't played the CV or VM series though.
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Well then you have not played the best Squier can offer. Still nobody get arrested for not installing new electronics. Give the bass a chance as it is
 
#29
Just remember that no matter how much money you put into them, the Squier will remain a Squier and the Fender will remain a Fender. I just sold a highly modded SX bass and it didn't matter what I put into it, in the end, it was still an SX. I would go with the MIM, just take your time picking one out.
 
#30
tbassist4 said:
Do yourself a HUGE favor: Go to the store, find a used Squier, find a used MIM (both are extremely abundant, even used), play them, and then buy whichever feels better. Done. .
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Unfortunately it's not all that simple. Setup has a lot to do with the equation, but way more importantly, the sound of the bass when it hits the stage or studio and working for it's place in the mix.

My thoughts. The "Fender" logo has a great placebo effect. Some people will be satisfied simply because the headstock has that sticker. "Squier" can have the same, but opposite effect. :) Will those stickers effect how you feel?

IME I think the Squiers comepletely outdo the MIM Fenders. I had a P deluxe, wen't stock, swapped the pickups, and just couldn't get that bass to have any authority in a band setting. On the other hand I've owned 2 squiers and both sounded awesome out of the box. I've gotten compliments on my tone, and more than one, "Damn! I can't believe that's a Squier!"
 
#31
tabdog said:
The answer is yes and no. The MIM have
poorer pickups than the VM and CV. The
wiring is no better in a MIM. But the MIM
is better than the average Squier. But
only sometimes.

Confusing, I know.

But, each bass should be judged on it's
own merits. If you get a good one, it
doesn't really matter if it says Fender
or Squier.

The MIM and most Squiers will need a
pup and wiring upgrade. The VM and
CV already have a good pup.

Body materials vary and should be considered.
But, even the lowly Affinity can have a
nice alder body and a nice neck. Or a
more expensive CV may have a bass wood
body and a funkie neck. (most CV's have
bass wood bodies.) Most MIM have alder
bodies, I think. ( I may be wrong)

But, if you want Fender on the headstock,
spend the extra money.

Tabdog
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The mim fenders come with solid shaft cts pots. Much better than the wiring in a squier
 
#33
Each and every instrument needs to be judged on it's own merits. I've played killer budget instruments, and flagship, top-of-the-line stuff that sounded and felt like ass (not in a GOOD way, mind you :eyebrow: ;) ). My two basses are both early 80's: MIK Fender P-Bass Special, and Ibanez Roadstar RB650, both P/J. Both play and sound fantastic. Neither are/were pricey instruments, and both are Asian (Cort-Korea and Fujigen-Japan, respectively). I've played many pricier, fancier instruments that don't feel or sound "right" to me, as these do. Mind you, I WANT others to top these when I play them, but it hasn't happened yet.

Budget instruments cut corners on the materials, because the labor required to build them is essentially the same. Woods are not graded, so you CAN get a crappy piece of alder, OR a good piece of basswood. You might even get a nice, straight-grained neck in a Squier. Again, you MUST play the instrument you are going to buy, because if you special-order on, it might be a VERY different animal.
 
#34
tbassist4 said:
Do yourself a HUGE favor: Go to the store, find a used Squier, find a used MIM (both are extremely abundant, even used), play them, and then buy whichever feels better. Done. You can't judge a bass as being better or worse without playing it. You'll find Squiers that are better than MIMs, you'll find MIM's that are better than Squiers. Even if you plan on changing electronics, the feel is the key to a good bass.

This thread will reach a ridiculous amount of posts, and it will just include a lot of bashing of both MIMs and Squiers from their respective parties. Do it the classic way - go try some basses, have tons of fun, and pick one you love.
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This, right here. PLAY before you PAY. And buy USED!
 
#35
I've got a 2009 MIM J-Bass and it had ceramic pickups straight out of the factory. I replaced that for normal/conventional/classic winded Toneriders with magnets in the center, not glued under the pickups like the ones from the MIM- factory. That was a major sound upgrade. With a BadAssII bridge and a pickup upgrade (matter of taste and budget) a MIM bass is a great workhorse. When I bought it new I compared it to a Highway One and a Squier and it sounded way better then both of them (even with the ceramic pickups, which I wasn’t aware of when I bought it). At least better than the ones I have tried but every guitar is different. I bet there are great Squier’s out there so trying a lot of them will help you decide.
 
#36
Ive got a 1996 Korean Squier made in the Cort factory [ has a Fender 50th Anniversary sticker on the back of the headstock ] ...... it blows the pants off any other Fender Ive played period ! , nice clear , hot output , satin backed neck that fits like a glove and in Black/Tort looks killer . Only downside is its a bit heavy but a wide strap takes care of that .
As most other people say , ALWAYS play first , unless you get it so ridiculously cheap that you could flick it on no probs .
BTW a lot of great players i gig with use " lesser " quality makes that they have stumbled across on their travels and have no problem whatsoever playing a Squier etc if it sounds great ..... and a lot of them do . I wouldnt go for a Affinity or California series though , try to get something with a bit of age in it . VM is good , I found my CV I had to be a bit " gutless " .
 
#37
johnk_10 said:
IME, the MIM (up to 2004) are a much better bass. they have solid alder bodies, USA CTS pots and much better (straighter) necks. i haven't played or worked on a Squier (CV or VM) that has impressed me at all yet. not to say that there aren't out there, but after working on 10 (and test playing 10 others at a GC) of the newer squiers (2010-2011 models) i personally would not buy another one.
i do like the duncan designed pickups in the squiers better than what comes stock in an MIM bass though.
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Couldnt agree more. I had an early MIM P bass. It was very light and very well put together. I tried a squire P bass recently and it was so heavy and did'nt feel comfortable....there's something about a heavy guitar that just does'nt seem right to me somehow.
 
#38
tbassist4 said:
Do yourself a HUGE favor: Go to the store, find a used Squier, find a used MIM (both are extremely abundant, even used), play them, and then buy whichever feels better. Done. You can't judge a bass as being better or worse without playing it. You'll find Squiers that are better than MIMs, you'll find MIM's that are better than Squiers. Even if you plan on changing electronics, the feel is the key to a good bass.

This thread will reach a ridiculous amount of posts, and it will just include a lot of bashing of both MIMs and Squiers from their respective parties. Do it the classic way - go try some basses, have tons of fun, and pick one you love.
Click to expand...

This! Always try before you buy.


pbgonecrazy99 said:
I don't care about what is says on the headstock at all, or I would have bought the mim already. But since I am putting the new pu's in and an active electronics, I just wanted to know if like the wood and craftsmanship of a mim is worth the extra money over the squier, or if they are same, and I should just got for a squier.
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If you're going to make it active and put new pickups in, then why not try and find a used MIM Deluxe Active Jazz? They're inexpensive if you buy it used, sound quite good, and are very comfortable to play.
 
#39
I'm more than happy with my Affinity Jazz, and I've played quite a few basses.

The only thing that needs changing is the strings and possibly the pickups.

No wiring on any bass needs changing unless you want a different schematic or if something breaks.

I'm the kind of person to take something apart as soon as I buy it. I did that with my Jazz, the wiring is solid. The pots are full-size, the wire is very thick, and it was well-soldered.

Before I overhauled the wiring, I hit the control plate quite hard a few times just to test the reliability of the wiring. Nothing broke.

People replace things thinking it will change the bass. For example, the bridge, tuners, and neck plate need not be changed. These will NOT affect your tone unless they are completely awful to start with.

Get a Squier, stick some Quarter Pounders and some new strings on it. You're good to go.
 
#40
I was in NYC a few months ago. I was walking nearby Union Station and had to stop by GC.
There they had all the Squier CV an VM models and MIM Fenders. I tested the CV 60's P and compared to the MIM P. I have to tell you, the MIM had a much more punching sound than the CV. I could hear a noticeble difference on the headroom. Both had nice setup, the MIM had the action a little higher, but it had a killer P Bass sound. I also tried the VM Jaguar and was quite impressed.
I was looking for a P Bass, to get that classic P tone, but my conclusion was that I could get a very nice P sound with my Jazz with the neck pup soloed.
 

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