I believe I will heed your advice brother. IF I decide to hot-rod up a jazz bass, there are many other worthy candidates.
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Indulge me for a second...Squier content
- Thread starter Wolfenstein666
- Start date
I believe I will heed your advice brother. IF I decide to hot-rod up a jazz bass, there are many other worthy candidates.
For me I was toying with the idea of buying an American std. I can afford it but when I played one the playability did not feel like $1300. The sound was fantastic but from what I've read these squiers play great and then maybe some new pups and I'm still up $7-800.
True I don't play pro but for my first p, why not?!
True I don't play pro but for my first p, why not?!
I'm not a company shrill, and I don't like to brag about something just because I own it. However, it might be worthwhile to search about for a used or good deal on the below linked PJ (MIM Fender PJ). OTOH, I would honestly consider the Matt Freeman Squier P bass. At the same time, I would never say anything negative about the VM 70s Jazz I owned; and may own one again at some point.
Fender Deluxe PJ Bass
Ugh. I've been drooling over that bass for far too long. GC has a used active version of that bass that I almost bought today.
Would you be cheaping out by buying a Toyota Corolla instead of a Camry? Both of them are 4-door sedans that drive and get comparable gas mileage, either one can get you from point a to point b. Squiers are the epitome of bang-for-the-buck in my opinion, for the price you can get some really sweet basses that nail the "vibe" of standard J's and P's with relative ease.
However the question most people are actually asking is "Do the Squier basses suck compared to Fenders?" The answer is "Maybe", and that goes both ways. I've picked up awful Fenders and great Squiers before, either brand name can create a sub-standard or superior bass, it depends on how that particular bass came out. People return or cite flaws with many basses from various brands and countries on here all the time, so the best thing you can do is go play something with "Squier" on the headstock and see if it's a good one. If it is, don't get a "new in box" one, buy THAT one. Might have to wade through some stinkers, but pick up one or two of each bass and ask yourself if it FEELS like it's worth $300+ more than the Squier...
However the question most people are actually asking is "Do the Squier basses suck compared to Fenders?" The answer is "Maybe", and that goes both ways. I've picked up awful Fenders and great Squiers before, either brand name can create a sub-standard or superior bass, it depends on how that particular bass came out. People return or cite flaws with many basses from various brands and countries on here all the time, so the best thing you can do is go play something with "Squier" on the headstock and see if it's a good one. If it is, don't get a "new in box" one, buy THAT one. Might have to wade through some stinkers, but pick up one or two of each bass and ask yourself if it FEELS like it's worth $300+ more than the Squier...
I have a Squier VM P5 in Sunburst/Tort. It bats third. The Spirit is my go-to, and the Ibanez bats second. After gigging one bass right behind the next a few times, I like everything I get from the headless the most, followed by the Ibanez, and then the Squier.
All 3 do the job, all 3 I got great compliments from fans for my sound. All 3 feel great when I get in the zone. But the P can't give me as much bottom as the first two, it's definitely more mid-range. I love all 3 basses. I'd upgrade the Ibanez from a 305 to a 505 or above before I upgraded the Squier to a real Fender.
There's no denying that the Fender J and P basses are the workhorses that laid many of my favorite reggae tracks, so they do have a place in my heart and I do plan to own some type of true J bass at some point. More than likely, it will be a Squier VM J 5.
All 3 do the job, all 3 I got great compliments from fans for my sound. All 3 feel great when I get in the zone. But the P can't give me as much bottom as the first two, it's definitely more mid-range. I love all 3 basses. I'd upgrade the Ibanez from a 305 to a 505 or above before I upgraded the Squier to a real Fender.
There's no denying that the Fender J and P basses are the workhorses that laid many of my favorite reggae tracks, so they do have a place in my heart and I do plan to own some type of true J bass at some point. More than likely, it will be a Squier VM J 5.
I love my Squier Jag as my second/ backup bass. I prefer my Japanese Fender P bass though as my #1. Not to say a Squier wouldn't work as a number 1. I was blown away by the quality of the Squier when it arrived from purchasing it online and never playing one before.
I have a Squire Vintage Modified J Bass. Obviously you can't compare the Fender SHOULD be better. But the Squire does it all. It stays in tune, it feels good, it plays well, and sounds good. I mean if you want it to sound amazing you can always upgrade the pick ups but it gets the job done. I've also gigged with it many times. They are good basses, great for a back up. Just get one of the better ones. They are still cheap.
I bought a vintage mod 70s Squier recent and sold it 3 months later. I found the hardware was not nearly the quality of an MIA jazz. The saddles were poor quality as the tuners. The bass felt great, it played well and sounded very much like a jazz should. I never liked the logo and that affected my decision to sell it too. I wouldnt buy another because of these issues but their sound is fantastic. The wood grain on the body (maple) was just okay. The neck felt really good and fast. If you're priority is price I'd say go for it! If you value excellent quality you may find yourself upgrading the hardware. If you value the Fender name you're out of luck. I'm not a fan of removing and changing decals...
I just bought a Squier Jazz Vintage Deluxe 5 string because I need one for a gig. Get home and go to adjust the saddles and the holes are stripped so you can't adjust them. There are also two higher frets that need to be leveled. I don't expect much from a $330 bass but those two things should be addressed in production. I'm going to return it later this week and give it another shot.
In comparison to my American Jazz and P bass it's not even close that the quality of the American Fender line is much much better.
In comparison to my American Jazz and P bass it's not even close that the quality of the American Fender line is much much better.
Without doubt, one must truly inspect all aspects of a new, and especially used, instrument. They guys building them aren't playing them....just working for a wage.
Fret and neck problems, I won't even deal with them. Bridges and tuners are worthwhile upgrades. PUPs and POTs are also worthwhile; as long as the construction of the instrument quantifies the additional upgrades.
Shop used there is deals out there and that way you can flip it or mod it out to your liking, I was very fortunate to score this Squier VM for less than what all the mods cost which was around 300, I tried a Squier VM sunburst RW board bone stock it sounded weak and nasily to me, this bass changed my mind about Jazz basses, I would gig with it anywhere anytime...good luck with your search..
Guitar Center is 10 minutes from me so it's an easy return. Figure it's worth a shot to try it but I'm not buying what others are saying. I can hear and feel the difference. That's not to say you can't get away with using a Squire because they can do the job. But I play so much I don't see it holding up over a few years. And paying a tech to fix a cheap bass is not something I plan on doing.
Well that was a wealth of information, I appreciate everyone chiming in!
I think is what I really need to do is sit back, be thankful for the great basses I already have.......then save up my money and buy a Fender J when the time actually comes. GAS is a horrible curse, a disease if you will and it has it's hooks in me deep. I will forgo the Squier for now and wait until I have the funds to get a better bass. Not that the Squier's are bad (as evidenced by the things said in this thread) but I think I'd get it, play it for a few days and then immediately start GASing for something else and ultimately be disappointed that I didn't wait until I had more money.
I think is what I really need to do is sit back, be thankful for the great basses I already have.......then save up my money and buy a Fender J when the time actually comes. GAS is a horrible curse, a disease if you will and it has it's hooks in me deep. I will forgo the Squier for now and wait until I have the funds to get a better bass. Not that the Squier's are bad (as evidenced by the things said in this thread) but I think I'd get it, play it for a few days and then immediately start GASing for something else and ultimately be disappointed that I didn't wait until I had more money.
I wish I could 'like' this comment twice. I don't think they get how disrespectful to fellow forum members they are being when they start talking about what a waste of money any bass more than $XX is. And some of them admit they've never played the basses they are trash talking!
I don't need to compare my Ben Lindsey bass to a Fodera to feel good about it. Why do some people who buy inexpensive basses need to compare them to high end basses in order to justify their purchases??
I'm glad people like their Squiers. You should be happy with the bass you play. Just don't trash talk my bass so you can feel good about yourself.
I just clicked on it.
.....Dude. You're not helping out here.
Those are some seriously nice j-bass for the money.
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