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Forget wood, does anything matter?
- Thread starter steve_rolfeca
- Start date
I've been looking at P basses lately, so I made a point to spend a lot of time at the Fender booth at this year's NAMM checking out all kinds of P's. The one that appealed to me the most, out of just about every Precision there, was a red American Special. The Vintage Reissues were nice, but they just didn't speak to me the way this bass did. Similarly, the Mexican Standards were nice (especially for their price point) but the Am. Special just had a little something extra for me. Strangely enough, my least favorite P's were consistently the American Standards. Not sure why, just didn't like the feel or tone as much as the mid-level offerings. Special mention goes to the Nate Mendel sig, which would be my choice if I were strictly a rock player. The tone was a little less present in the low mids, a little more aggressive in the high mids, and had a lot more high end extension. Sounded and felt very nice.
I'm not sure all of this has much of a point, other than this: you can't always assume that the most expensive option will be the best, especially for your specific needs.
I'm not sure all of this has much of a point, other than this: you can't always assume that the most expensive option will be the best, especially for your specific needs.
Your experience is similar to mine, in the sense that I can easily tell which instruments are more expensive/exclusive by a cursory glance, but I know that price doesn't always determine tone. We've all heard the Am Std that was a bit of a dog, and the MIM that exceeded expectations.
But did you watch the video clip at the start of this thread? Those guys are in the trade. They know the model lines intimately, and had no trouble sizing up price/quality/model line visually.
But blindfolded, they were hard pressed to tell what was what by feel, weight or acoustic output alone. Not just between good/better/best, but even between a lowly Classic Vibe and a Custom Shop.
Makes me want to try it for myself.
It all adds up to your tone. There are dozens of factors including pickups, wood, strings, preamp settings, technique, amp settings, preamp components, power components, speakers, speaker cab tuning, etc. All of them matter, but once you get to a certain level of quality (notice I didn't say price point) then no ONE THING is a deal breaker or maker.
Totally agree.
I have a cheap Squier project bass kicking around, and I like it, but it doesn't feel anywhere near as good to me as my better basses. Clearly a nice starter bass, as opposed to something I'd gig with.
But once again, did you watch the vid?
Two guys, one of whom I don't know, but the other who i know to be a gifted musician, a gear nut and a tone hound, were both completely out of their depth, the minute their eyes were closed.
I have always believed at an instinctive level, that while things like fret ends, neck feel, finish thickness, etc., are nothing more than small details on their own, they add up to more than the sum of the parts, and make the good stuff feel noticeably better than lesser instruments.
Up until I watched that video, I would have sworn up and down, that I could tell the difference between a Squire and an Am Std, never mind a Custom Shop, just by touch, with my eyes shut.
I wouldn't necessarily love the Custom Shop (or the Squire, for that matter), but I would just...
...know, which was which.
But what would it say, if the differences are so subtle that I couldn't tell them apart the minute my vision is obscured? If it's true, then how much have I been not just listening, but feeling, with my eyes?
First of all, it's spelled S-Q-U-I-E-R. And I have one made in Japan in the mid 80s. I dare anyone here to put it up against any "real" Fender in their stable. It plays like a dream. The fit and finish are as good as my Fender Roscoe Beck Sig V and that bass was originally around, what $2,000?
the current batch of SQUIRES seem to be really nice and although they may 'sound' just as good or nearly as good(another very subjective topic) as their more expensive counterparts, you just cant argue, as many others here have echoed, that the components going into to building these budget guitars are vastly cheaper. The video that the OP posted shows the initial reactions to these instruments, but id be willing to bet that down the road, they just wont hold up nearly as good as MIA, custom shop, etc stuff. I think alot of people have the longevity factor in mind when they purchase higher end gear, besides just the instant gratification aspect.
I did watch the video, and I thought it was a riot. I liked how they kept confusing the Squier and the Custom Shop.
Ironically, you can't get an ebony board on a fretted Fender, which is one of the longevity-related items I look for in an expensive instrument...
With regards to Squier vs MIA, we can chalk that up to features and consistency of quality.
With higher quality parts found in an MIA, you are likely going to get a good model more frequently than with a Squier CV. However, if you get a good one they can be GREAT. My stock, personal setup Squier CV 60's P never goes out of tune and sounds amazing with the Chromes I have on it. My only gripe is that I would like a LITTLE more low-mid thump from the pickups, but other than that the bass plays and feels great. Not everyone's experience will be like that though, and for some people the peace of mind knowing that they have a better chance of landing a good one is worth paying of $1k for. YMMV!
With higher quality parts found in an MIA, you are likely going to get a good model more frequently than with a Squier CV. However, if you get a good one they can be GREAT. My stock, personal setup Squier CV 60's P never goes out of tune and sounds amazing with the Chromes I have on it. My only gripe is that I would like a LITTLE more low-mid thump from the pickups, but other than that the bass plays and feels great. Not everyone's experience will be like that though, and for some people the peace of mind knowing that they have a better chance of landing a good one is worth paying of $1k for. YMMV!
