Fender squire and TMB30

Squire affinity P bass or Jazz?

 

The Squier is going to have the jazz style neck, ie. not as wide as the TMB30. It all comes down to a matter of preference in terms of scale size. Tension and feel is also going to differ, as such the tone is going to be affected.
Good choice imo on the pickup configuration. PJ basses are my favorite and very versatile, both are good options and well regarded basses for the price.

 

because i love a slim neck, i'd go for the squier. do you have a neck preference?

is there a reason you're looking at both a 30" and a 34" scale bass?

 

Yamaha BB234 smoke both Affy PJ and ibby TMB.

 

Hehe yeah I'd look for a Yamaha BB as well.

 

squiers have many models, so be sure it's the same model.

if you're good with long scale, i'd go for the squier. let us know how it goes.

 

The TMB30 is a fantastic bass and you don't see that many of them out there. Meanwhile... everyone has an Affinity and you can find them used anytime you want - they never change in used value; which is about half of what they sell for new. I could find a nice condition used Affinity PJ for $150 Canadian 10 years ago and could easily find one for the same price today.
A number of inexpensive short scale basses on the other hand are worth more used than they originally cost new. Once they get discontinued they seem to go up in value - Vista MusicMasters, Gretsch G2202 and most recently the Squier Jag SS are just a few examples. As used basses, both my Gretsch and Jag are worth double what I paid for them new in 2012. I'm guessing my TMB30 in 8-10 years will be the same.

 

@MakoMan What you say about used prices going up is already true of the lefty Talmans.

 

Not surprised. They are really under-rated basses and probably won't be truly appreciated until after Ibanez discontinues them
My TMB30 actually feels and plays a lot like my Squier Vista MusicMaster. It's got the same chunky P-style short-scale neck and balance is almost identical.

 

I would pick the Squier, because personally I prefer the neck profile and long scale. (Looks like the nut is <mm difference, practically the same. I don’t have measurements on difference in thickness, but the TMB necks feel thicker to me.)

I’d have to give the quality control points to Ibanez though. They put out great basses at this price point. I can fix a majority of the “errors” Myself on a squier, which can be hit or miss; but not everyone can/wants to do that. Nice NBD/review thread here, with lots of discussion
NBD! Ibanez Talman TMB30 30"short scale bass!

It’s nice you can try the Squier (but not the Ibanez?) and have a little playing experience. Even trying one will give you a frame of reference, and your hands will tell you more about the two basses than 100 pages of internet discussion.

good luck!

 

Forget the Affinity, get the Squier Vintage Modified P-bass, with maple neck, black block inlay
and binding. Black finish, Hi Mass bridge, throw a quarter pounder in it....Bam!
You’re Mr. Cool.

 

I had both a tmb30 and a Squier Jag ss. Both were PJ and sounded very similar, but I preferred the Squier neck. Then I got a Mustang and love it, so I sold the Talman and the Jag.

Of your two choices I think I would go with the Squier, unless you really want a short scale.

Also, the tmb100 is less than $200, and they are very good for the money. But the neck profile is the same as the tmb30, but proportionally larger.

 

I don't think so - the specs on Fender's website list that neck as 1.625" at the nut, like a P.
Affinity Series™ Precision Bass® PJ | Squier Electric Basses

Ibanez lists the same spec as 41mm, or 1.614".
TMB30 | Talman Bass | ELECTRIC BASSES | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars

 

I stand corrected, thanks for clarifying. Nut width of the Squier Affinity PJ is wider than the Jazz, but not as wide as the Squier CV P bass (42.8 mm), it's in between.
The Talman has a neck that doesn't taper as much and is chunkier back to front, so it feels like a baseball bat, much like the full scale brethren, the TMB100 and above. It's not necessarily a bad thing, all a matter of preference.

 

Here.... let me help you out.

The Squier.

There ya go.....