To the OP: You say you like nothing about your Squier. Could you at least narrow down what two or three things stand out the most about "nothing"? Give us a little more to work with. Is it the esthetics and looks? Is it the weight, fit or feel? Is the sound not "what I want" and if so, what is the sound you want?
You say you don't have a very good local music store, but in another thread you mention your "local Sam Ash". Did you have a bad experience there or was the go-to-bass-person not there? Certainly a big store like that will have, at the very least, a fair selection of basses to try out, right? All the ones I've been to, from New York to Florida, seem to be decently stocked. Also, Sam Ash stores tend to be in fairly populated areas. Surely there are other nearby stores to take a peek at. Hell, the Cherry Hill, NJ store is in the same plaza as a Guitar Center. Do they overlap on stock? Yep! But they also have enough variety between the two of them to give a good cross-section of selections, outside of the high-end boutique market.
Ultimately, if you're going to be dropping a fair chunk o' change on anything (bass or otherwise), make a bass-huntin'-day of it. Go to as many places you can reasonably travel to, bring a notepad and try out as many as you can until you're satisfied with one, two or three. Forget brands. Ignore whether or not "this" or "that" is overrated or underrated. Afraid of pushy salespeople? Tell them you're going to try out as many basses as you can. Find out what feels good, regardless of the price. And when you're done, if it's affordable
grab it! If not, find out what it is that makes it "The One" and see if you can find a similar or used bass that you can afford.
Never owned one and never will own one, but I played several at music stores and such.
