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From Squier to Fender

#41
Surf Green should look really good. When I got my Affinity P, a while back now, it was also black and white(minus the frosting), but the knobs were missing, the action was terrible, and it had one of the worst stringing jobs I have seen in a long time.

I did my aforementioned pots/cap/wiring upgrade and a neck shim to get better action and adjustment. Then I replaced the missing knobs with gloss black dome knobs and blacked out the pick guard.
 
#46
You can not turn a Squier into a Fender. The materials from which the two are made of are different. Not all pieces of alder, rosewood and maple are the same. They have different densities, grains, fiber, age, whatever ... and they simply do not sound the same. I've had the same pick-up on a Squier and on a Fender, the hardware was original on both of them indeed, but the Fender had much more presence, more harmonics, clarity, punch, low-end, you name it. As long as the wood differs between the two instruments, you can change electronics and hardware all you want, you won't get the same results. Just saying this so you don't waste money, time and expectations on your projects.
 
#47
Noot said:
I've had the same pick-up on a Squier and on a Fender, the hardware was original on both of them indeed, but the Fender had much more presence, more harmonics, clarity, punch, low-end, you name it. As long as the wood differs between the two instruments, you can change electronics and hardware all you want, you won't get the same results. Just saying this so you don't waste money, time and expectations on your projects.
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There would likely have been many things different between the two basses other than the type of wood.

Also, was it a blind test? if not, there's no telling if it wasn't just the brand name tricking your ears.
 
#48
I've had the same pick-up on a Squier and on a Fender, the hardware was original on both of them indeed, but the Fender had much more presence, more harmonics, clarity, punch, low-end, you name it.
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Most Squiers that I have seen, use cheaper pots and tone caps of different values than mainline Fenders. That can have a big influence on how the the same pickup will sound in both, if your Squier still had its stock pots. I'm not saying wood quality doesn't count some as well, but it's not the only difference between the two that could count for different tone from the same pickup.

When I swapped all mine from stock 500k mini pots to full size 250k CTS pots, they took on a more "Fender" sound, with less harshness on the high end that seemed to let the bottom out a bit more.

Less dramatic on the basses, but my strat was particularly cheap and nasty sounding before the upgrade. All the pickups on mine are still stock.
 
#49
SquierJazz72 said:
Even simple things can make them a better instrument.

I can tell you what I've done with mine, all Affinities.

The first thing I do is get rid of the cheaper 500k mini pots and tone cap. I follow Fender specs and replace with full size 250k CTS pots, a .047 tone cap, and I upgrade to better gauge/quality wiring then what Squier uses. I believe standard Fenders use 22 gauge, where the stock Affinity stuff is pretty thin. Just doing that can bring new life, even if you retain the stock pickups.

You can do a lot with these things for not too much, and if you want to go further, one certainly can.
Whether or not it's worth the cost is up to you. If you want a nicer instrument, right off the bat, and one you should have to do less to, buy an MIM and just upgrade simple things. If you want the satisfaction of playing something you really built up yourself, I'd say gut the Squier and go to town. But you'll never get back what you put into it, if you were to sell it at a later point.
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This

Electronics first, pickups if you must (don't spend $100, its not worth it: you should upgrade to fender bass before doing that). Guitar fetish offers some good replacement pickups for around $30 that would be much better than stock.

Keep in mind whatever upgrades you make, you will not get back if you sell it. If you plan to keep it, then whatever floats your boat. If you stick with bass, you will eventually get a Fender or something else higher end. In the meanwhile, adding a piece or two will help you understand the technical aspects of the instrument. Take advice of those who have done this before...there are thousands.

Oh...and play it lots, improve knowledge and technique and worry about hardware later, IMHO.
 
#50
I haven't bothered replacing the pickups yet as I actually I don't find the stock ones too bad, with better electronics. But Guitar Fetish has some that I am definitely considering at some point. I have kind of been eyeing up the the Alnico P bass pickups for around $35. Just haven't decided on standard 10.5k or the hotter 16k. I did put a set of their smooth stainless block saddles on my Strat and am pretty happy with them.

If you want to mod up a cheap Squier better than stock, but not spend big money on it, they have some great stuff.
 
#51
SquierJazz72 said:
I haven't bothered replacing the pickups yet as I actually I don't find the stock ones too bad, with better electronics. But Guitar Fetish has some that I am definitely considering at some point. I have kind of been eyeing up the the Alnico P bass pickups for around $35. Just haven't decided on standard 10.5k or the hotter 16k. I did put a set of their smooth stainless block saddles on my Strat and am pretty happy with them.

If you want to mod up a cheap Squier better than stock, but not spend big money on it, they have some great stuff.
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I have only changed the pots/capacitor in my Squier standard jazz. The stock p-ups sound fine, stays in tune and neck is great. If I ever upgrade I'll use the guitar fetish pickups and call it a day. But thats just me. Everyone is different.
 
#52
Hey if I want to replace the pots in my Squier P with active EMG's, what would be a good match for them? I have the original pots in that have always been in there. They are getting a little scratchy and id like to replace them for that and maybe even to get a different sound out of them? I keep hearing that 250K pots are pretty sweet. What exactly will they do to the sound if anything? My Squier was bought probably around '98. If you guys need more info please ask me, I wasn't sure how much info y'all needed on my end. Thanks.
 
#53
gregmon79 said:
Hey if I want to replace the pots in my Squier P with active EMG's, what would be a good match for them? I have the original pots in that have always been in there. They are getting a little scratchy and id like to replace them for that and maybe even to get a different sound out of them? I keep hearing that 250K pots are pretty sweet. What exactly will they do to the sound if anything? My Squier was bought probably around '98. If you guys need more info please ask me, I wasn't sure how much info y'all needed on my end. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I also want to replace the cap. How do I tell what value of the cap is? Will it say it on it? And what does the cap look like? Sorry for ignorance. I haven't done much to this P other than swapping the pups out over 10 years ago so I'm trying to get as educated as I can to make this baby sing. I want to get more punch out of this bass. It's pretty clanky and grindy, which I like, but id like more more punch WITH the clank and grind if that makes sense. I've been wanting to change the pups again too but I'm not sure with what yet. I was thinking Delano's. But for now, I would like to change out the pots and cap. Suggestions please.
 
#54
Here's pics of the pots and what I think is the cap:

ImageUploadedByTalkBass1373154248.831537.jpg
ImageUploadedByTalkBass1373154301.458649.jpg

Does anyone know what are the values of these?
 
#58
You confused me. I think you have the EMG passive pickups, not active. You don't have a battery, correct? I was replying to your post which said you wanted to upgrade to actives. The pots in your pictures are probably not stock unless the older Squiers had different pots than the newer ones. They appear to be 25k solid shaft versus the stock 500k split shaft pots. Stock capacitor in p basses is usually 0.047 microfarads, but there's no way to tell what you have in yours.
 

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