Played one today at Guitar Center and it was absolutely horrible! {} Now, I've owned one (maybe the nicest MIM Fender made) after playing easily half a dozen and this one was the first flop...sharp fret edges, wonky control knobs (had to turn the amp up to 5 just to get some sound out of it and the tone knob was very unresponsive, too) and the bass simply didn't feel right...almost felt like I was playing a Squier Affinity bass, and an older one at that. No need lying, the bass sounded great after I found just the right settings…jammed along with a few songs on my ipod: played "Blue Turk" by Alice Cooper and it nailed the tone to a T, "Hey Tonight" by CCR and "Private World" by the New York Dolls and two originals from the band I'm in now. Again, this bass sounded great! Should've never sold mine because I can't walk past this one without grabbing it up off the wall every time I'm in this or that GC and I frequent four or five. So, what can we learn from an experience like this?
I agree. Squier Jag sounds like $3000 bass compared to this one. I tried it couple years back and it's dull bass. Sorry.
It has probably been played to death in a store with no humidifier for the frets or a tech straightening the neck from time to time. Playing one in good condition will give you a better idea about this model.
Went to GC to order an Olympic white version. I picked up the green one to play and was so crushed after reading so many positive reviews. The neck was thick and odd feeling, the blocks looked cheap and the build quality felt more like a cheap P bass than a Mexican Fender bass. This another one my Matt Freeman Squier will run circles around....just my opinion and probably just a bad apple at Guitar Depot.
Oh, sure, I know…I've written extensively about this bass and I've recommended it to plenty of people. Not to mention, I usually talk about how great Guitar Center is. That's what I was getting at...even a good model can vary from individual bass to individual bass. That's why it pays to play before buying. (This from a guy who bought his last three basses online!)
As much as I love to make fun of GC I am glad they are around. Its nice to be able to try a bunch of different brands under one roof and their goal of keeping the customer happy is always welcomed, try to bring back a bass after 30 days to a local shop and see what they say.
