Is there really a big difference between Squire vs Fender

[Calaverasgrande]

Either way, no matter what side you fall on in the tonewood debate, NOTHING has been proven for either position.

exactly.
It's like the whole tube vs solid state or analog vs digital thing.
You simply cant PROVE something one way or another when it comes to subjective qualities.
Sure digital reproduction of music has lower noise floor and wider bandwidth, but does that make it better?
I'd say not, but then a lot of folks disagree.
Same goes for the materials used to make instruments.

 

[Batmensch]

Which is why I don't obsess on what the body wood is on any particular instrument I may be interested in, except maybe for aesthetic or stability of construction concerns. I really don't think the type of body wood is really going to be as significant or reliable enough of an indicator of tone that it would enter into the equation for me.

 

[Mandero]

I have owned squires over the years, and will still pull them off of the store rack from time to time. The newer Vintage Modified ones are really cool and play/sound great for the price point. In my opinion, some of them will feel exactly the same under my fingers as the American Standard Fenders.

It comes down to what you have the resources for. Buy the best that you can afford because you do get what you pay for. Most of the time.

 

[JIO]

Which is why I don't obsess on what the body wood is on any particular instrument I may be interested in, except maybe for aesthetic or stability of construction concerns. I really don't think the type of body wood is really going to be as significant or reliable enough of an indicator of tone that it would enter into the equation for me.

There will always be exceptions to the rules, but as long as the instruments construction quality is a given;

1) neck
2) pu's/electronics
3) body
4) hardware
5) strap

 

[Turock]

Yes, there is a huge difference.

 

[Tampabass]

I would love to see a blind bass test with Squiers and Fenders right out of the box, with players who weren't builders or people who modify all their basses. I think the results would be hilarious, and people would speak and feel very differently about Fender basses.

I love my Fenders (Tony Franklin sig P's, fretless & fretted), but I'd love to see a blind bass test like that.

Couple of years ago at the Bear Creek fest, one of the best bass sounds I heard was played by a young guy with a Squier five-string Jazz. Took me aback a little ... but shouldn't have.

 

[wraub]

There are good and bad Squiers.
There are good and bad Fenders.
Believe it or not, even some boutique instruments can be (and sometimes are) less than perfect.
Shocking I know, but true, nevertheless.

Just play the bass in front of you, and get on with it.
Make it rock, make it loud, make it funky, make it proud.
That's why you play bass, right?

wraub

 

[JIO]

There are good and bad Squiers.
There are good and bad Fenders.
Believe it or not, even some boutique instruments can be (and sometimes are) less than perfect.
Shocking I know, but true, nevertheless.

Just play the bass in front of you, and get on with it.
Make it rock, make it loud, make it funky, make it proud.
That's why you play bass, right?

wraub

+1

 

[jnammy]

i appreciate squiers as much as the next guy, but there are 5 tangible differences I've noticed between newer squiers vs newer american fenders (generally speaking):

1) fenders are lighter
2) their body wood splices are hardly noticeable because the grains are more carefully matched
3) the string slots on the nut are cut lower so to provide lower action at the lower frets (frets closer to nut). this is probably the most noticeable difference to me.
4) the frets are dressed a lot better and don't stick out beyond the edges.
5) the pickups are a bit more balanced sounding whereas the squier pickups lack a bit of bass and treble or it sounds too midrange focused, depending on how you look at it.

 

[SurferJoe46]

QUOTE=john nam;14446727i appreciate squiers as much as the next guy, but there are 5 tangible differences I've noticed between newer squiers vs newer american fenders (generally speaking):

1) fenders are lighter

Not 100% true. I have Squires that weigh less than a couple of my Fenders, so this blanket statement is in error.

2) their body wood splices are hardly noticeable because the grains are more carefully matched

On a natural/transparent body, thus may be so but I've got one outstanding '70s Jazz Squire that is as nice and as well-matched as many Fenders, so this is assumptive and drawing to it's own (incorrect) conclusion.

3) the string slots on the nut are cut lower so to provide lower action at the lower frets (frets closer to nut). this is probably the most noticeable difference to me.

This is a set up situation at best and a no-problem condition that is of little-to-no consequence anyway.

4) the frets are dressed a lot better and don't stick out beyond the edges.

Any neck is capable of seasonal shrinkage, although one of the worst offenders in my harem has been a Fender P, 1986 era. Fret dressing however may be a tad better on a Fender, although I've had no complaints on anything under the Fender or Squire badges.
.
5) the pickups are a bit more balanced sounding whereas the squier pickups lack a bit of bass and treble or it sounds too midrange focused, depending on how you look at it.

Horse cookies! I've got two Squires that produce what is called "deeper lows" although that description is nebulous and subject to conjecture. FWIW - I've got a set of Guitar Fetish pups that I'll hold up to comparison with either Fender, Squire or any other big-bux brand pups as they work very well and have beautiful voicing and qualities.

At best, your comments lack a certain benchmark qualification that show limited experience and observation.

 

[Batmensch]

Joe ... for shame. Squire? 5 times no less. Have you got a headache or something?

 

[KISSbestfan]

My adventures with Made In China Fender lookalikes ?

Squier is one of those brands you wont be ashamed here in Poland while playing, because new ones are at least 3 times, and used ones 2 times more expensive than the cheapest stuff.
Most of them has one neck profile (same for P or JB) of course with the same scale (34" because of the common bass string length), and the same hardware - tuners, bridges, I think that pickups too. The look is based on the early 60's models (dot markers, no binding, etc), headstock shape mostly based on 60's Fenders, but it varies, colors mostly black, red and 2-tone sunburst or tobacco burst. Rosewood fretboard in every single one, just like white pickguard. To make the production cheaper none of this brands has additional models with Fender-like covers or square markers. Necks mostly made from basswood, and body from aghatis. Electrics are made pretty same way.
The sounding - to me it nearly emulates Fender CBS era sounding (both electric and bass). I think that for its price the guitar is very nice. Of course for the money I'm still up to buy an used guitar, but if I would have no choice I'd go for it.
The worst spots to me are the pots, that just crashed when I tried to take off the knob. It can be luckily simply replaced, and the rest is perfect for any cosmethic modifications - repainting etc. to make it look unique, or at least the way that you want - just like I turned my strat from blue sunburst with pearl pickguard into pearl white with tort. And I'm still talking about guitars CHEAPER than Squiers !

If I have to be honest I played Squiers and Fenders, and yes - there is the difference, but if you have not much money - you wont lose that much. But thats just my opinion

 

[AlexanderB]

I am not impressed with the build quality even in the MIA Fenders. In my search for a good Jazz I tried a number of different Fender models and the MIA Standard (brand new from un-opened box) could not be set up to Fender's own specifications without shimming the neck!
Flattening the neck (relief) and lowering the saddles could not be done without strings dragging on the fretboard end (ski-jump style). (And it was not just ONE MIA bass, it was on a couple of them.)

On the other hand, setup has worked out fine on my other six basses, costing from $400 to $3000+, including two Squiers. Go figure...

 

[PopFizz]

In my opinion, Squiers vs Fender is a very general subject.

For Example: Comparing a Squier Affinity P Bass vs. American Standard Fender P Bass is a very different question than Squier Classic vibe vs. Fender Mexican Standard

Like aasti3000, I'm also looking for my first bass

 

[jnammy]

Surferjoe46, I wasn't making a 100% blanket statement; I think you may have missed the part where I said "generally speaking". Sure there will be Squiers that are lighter than Am Fenders, have more correctly cut nut slots, better dressed frets, lower action without buzzing, etc, but generally speaking, this has not been the case in my experience when comparing newer Squiers to newer Am Fenders. The 2008+ Am Fenders are very very well made with careful wood selections. Take weight for example: I have no scientific proof, but I doubt you'll find an Am Fender 5 string made on or after 2008 that's over 10.5lbs. Squiers, I've tried many new 5s that are over 10.5lbs.