Hat's off to you Squier!

[heavyhitter]

I just got back from my local guitar shop. After looking at all of the $1-3k basses I went and looked at the cheapies.

One from across the room caught my eye. It was one of those 60's Jazzes (classic vibe?) This thing was fantastic. I mean very very nice bass regardless of price or name brand.

Also there was a Vintage Mode Telebass. Again T was stuned at how great of a bass this was for the $$. On this one though the setup was horrible, the G string would fret out anywhere on the board. But a proper setup would solve that.

Now Im sure there are a million threads about these instruments. In my past experiences with Squier the QA was really hit and miss. But if all of thier new stuff is anything like these two samples I seen today, then without a doubt Squier is making the best instrument dollar for dollar.

Like I said there are probably a million post about these basses. But I just had to write about it because I am so estatic about them after just now playing with them 30 minutes or so ago.

No doubt if the "Squier" was taken off and they were rebadged as another higher end brand Im sure even more would sell. Even myself has been guilty of "brand snobbery" in the past, but these little guys really opened my eyes today.

 

[Iroquoi]

Vintage modified series and classic vibe are excellent options for low money and even who wants basses around 1k... surprising what those basses do...
myself got 3 already

 

[Skywalker83]

Ed Friedland did a good review of the classic vibe series
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You get a good comparison on the tone and look of them compared to the original fenders.

Gotta say i am really impressed with these basses, and shall hopefully be able to fork out the cash at some point for one of them (i like the telebass) and a VM 70's Jazz.

 

[John M. Cote]

I have 13 basses, mostly Fender Ps from various eras (starting with my '65 P).

I tried a Vintage Modified Telebass at Sam Ash's last year and was amazed at the tone, the build and the overall quality (and the great price). I bought it.

I then saw the Classic Vibe 50's P (in LPB) on Musician's Friend's website and and bought it. It arrived perfectly set up right out of the box. All I needed to do was tighten the strings. Again, an absolutely fabulous instrument and a great price.

I then got a used Squier 5 string P for a song at a local store and it is also very good - its 2 jazz pickups give it a unique tone.

Squier is definitely on to something.

 

[de la mocha]

I'm telling you, Squier is killing them right now! The classic vibe series, modified and artist series are better then all the Fender MIMs I've tried this year.

 

[budget bassist]

+1, loving these new squier basses

Tried a classic vibe strat the other day too, and they even seem to be making good gu*tars too!

 

[JazzyLambert]

Are they made in the Cortek factory in Korea?

 

[stuonbass]

I wish my local GC would get the tele and the 50's ones in so I could check them out. I bought both the VM Jazz basses and nearly bought the VM P.

 

[heavyhitter]

I'm telling you, Squier is killing them right now! The classic vibe series, modified and artist series are better then all the Fender MIMs I've tried this year.

I would love to disagree on this with you. But the simple fact is, I cant. This has been my experience aswell. I used to recommened a MIM to a beginner, now I will have to say get a Squier.

 

[savit260]

Are they made in the Cortek factory in Korea?

The CV's I played were made in China.

 

[GlennW]

From what I've seen on ebay it looks like the CV's are made in China and the VM's are made in Indonesia.

 

[LAPetrarca]

Love my VM fretless Jazz! It's my main bass now...sounds and plays like a much more expensive instrument.

 

[johnnycat42]

Agreed, as good a bass as there is under $650. I do think that is where the differences start to show though. I think the MIM 70's Jazz Bass is a bit better but those are like $700 or so. I want the daphne blue P.

 

[MaxRossell]

Ed Friedland did a good review of the classic vibe series
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You get a good comparison on the tone and look of them compared to the original fenders.

Gotta say i am really impressed with these basses, and shall hopefully be able to fork out the cash at some point for one of them (i like the telebass) and a VM 70's Jazz.

Bloody hell, the Jazz is close as dammit to the original!

Definitely going to have to check this bad boy out.

 

[PilbaraBass]

my squier is a 2007-built, 2008-bought Jazz Deluxe Active V...

an absolutely amazing bass for the $300 US that I paid for it...

BTW...I didn't realise that Ed did a review on the CV series...COOL!

(I don't get youtube at work, so I'll have to check it out when I get home)...

I love Ed's reviews...simply great...

 

[The Universe]

I've got to check these Squiers out...I grew up in the 90s, when Squier was well known for being even worse than Samick

I've moved past the days of thinking about playing an entry level instrument myself, but it's nice to know there are good instruments out there to recommend to students

Also, I'm intrigued, by the look of the new Fleabass instruments

 

[PilbaraBass]

I've moved past the days of thinking about playing an entry level instrument myself, but it's nice to know there are good instruments out there to recommend to students

It's nice to know that you think so highly of yourself...

for me, it's not about "entry level" at all...it comes down to what I can afford to play...

 

[By-Tor1000RR]

I've moved past the days of thinking about playing an entry level instrument myself, but it's nice to know there are good instruments out there to recommend to students

I've been playing for 18 years now and have a pretty decent flock of basses but I fell in love with the Vintage Modified Jazz basses. My Squier now gets played a bit more than my Ric 4003 or my Geddy Jazz. I did do some mods to the Squier but total cost with a gigbag, MM pickup, and Gotoh bridge is around $325. I don't care if the headstock said "Blowjob" on it, this bass rocks!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing wrong with getting more bang for your buck! Now I really want to get either a CV 60's or VM Precision bass.

PS, these are not the beginners instruments of years gone bye.

 

[telepbrman]

Another one here on how good the Squier's are...tons of fun on the cheap, dy.

 

[dgce]

I was in a guitar shop in New Hampshire just looking around and I spotted some new Squires. Just killing some time, I tried out what turned out to be the Vintage Modified '70s Jazz Bass, the Vintage Modified fretless Jazz, and the Deluxe Active 5. Wow, I was impressed. All were (I think) about $270 or so. I was amazed. Only the 5 string needed a set up which I'm sure would have been an easy fix. I wasn't in the market for a bass but if I were, I would have snagged one of these. At this price, I just can't see beating them.

BTW, some of you older guys may recall that the first generation of Squires that came out of Japan in the 80s were excellent. There were only the J & P basses and Strat & Tele guitars. All were bassed on US 70s model Fenders. This was pre-American Standard Fender. Some commented that the Squires were better than the domestic models at less than half the price. However, soon Fender started cleaning up there domestic act and sadly the Squires quality control dived.