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Keep a Cheapie?

Dr. Cheese

Dr. Cheese

Supporting Member
Mar 3, 2004
57,287
120,425
Metro St. Louis
#1
Being on Talkbass has given me a much more realistic perspective on my love of bass and basses. First of all, the time I have spent here has really made me aware of major weaknesses in my playing which is why I am taking lessons (albeit sporadically.) Second, an honest assessment of what I make playing and other expenses has really made me revise downwards the amount of money that I am willing to spend on a bass. The bottom line is that I now have a Squire Affinity J-Bass V, the cheapest of the cheap, as a compliment to my Yamaha TRB5 ( a really sweet undervalued modern five.)

This Affinity, like one I had before, is actually a decent bass. I have straightened out the neck with a few turns of the trussrod, and I have lowered the bridge. The action is low with almost no buzzing (just a slight open A buzz when I really let the note ring out a long time.) The pickups are weaker than a real Fender, but it certainly delivers Jazz tone.
I may pick up a Sadowsky outboard preamp or some other pickups to boost the tone a touch, but this bass is seriously gigable.

My issue is that should I let practicality rule, or should I give into ego and get a bass with a cooler name on the peghead?
I know there is single answer, but I would like some feedback.:)
 
#2
I'm keeping my Affinity now that it is actually playable. :hyper:

Ego is so overrated!

I'll also keep my SR500 and prolly all the other basses I now own as I hate to send my children away - I hope you understand that in the right way.

After sitting for years in the closet (the Squier, not me) I finally took it out and added a few twists to it and it plays so very well that I haven't the heart to part with it by my own accord.

Let 'em laugh at the Affinity-Squier logo - it plays just right and has had a lot of admiring looks and plays by others too.

PS: I'll keep the Squier/Affinity logos on the headstock too. Let 'em eat cake.
 
#5
Enjoy your "cheapie".

Change out the pickups (and pots, they DO make a sound improvement) yourself. Try different tone capacitors, too. Switch to a high-mass bridge and see if you can hear/ feel any difference in the instrument. Try different guages/types of strings. Try the series/parallel wiring trick, too.

In short, use this one as an "experiment" and mod it just for the learning experience. Who knows, you may wind up with an bass you REALLY like, or at least, you'll gain a hands-on practical education of the inner-workings of the instrument. Can't lose either way.
 
#7
Dr. Cheese said:
My issue is that should I let practicality rule, or should I give into ego and get a bass with a cooler name on the peghead?
I know there is single answer, but I would like some feedback.:)
Click to expand...

First. A "cooler name on the peghead" is NOT "ego"! REAL ego is when you know what you want and how to get it and know WHICH name on the peghead gives you just what you want! Stepping on stage with some piece of crap bass is a valid reason for being laughed at! What you want to do is step on stage with a bass where everyone's ears perk up and they start asking "who is that?" and "What kind of bass is making that sound?" I know quite a few guys like that. I'm one. And the "cool" comes when people check your peghead and find SX or Squirer or whatever. Then that creates your "aura" or "legend".

So what you want to do is first pick out that "special" cheapo bass with a certain "special" tone or other qualities that you know can suit your music. I'm sure you know that all Squirers are not the same and one must choose wisely to get the one you can "show class" with on stage. Then the next item which you already hint at is to take that "keeper" bass with some "special" quality and then tweak it out in every way you know how or can afford to best take advantage of whatever "mojo" potential the bass has. The final result is the squirer on stage that produces the "cool" aura you want. It gives a head-turning tone but when checked more closely all they find is a name to laugh at. Nobody will laugh!

For example to draw an analogy here, it is common in blues to play an old cheap "traditional" guitar that often looks like it's been laying in the swamp for years. That is the "aura". BUT you'll always note that this nasty looking instrument always plays and sounds like a dream. That makes YOU look good and keeps people from laughing.

Of course the ultimate ego and "cool" is to have BOTH the Squirer AND a Sadowsky on stage! Then that automatically makes the statement: "For me it's the music and I don't care if the instrument cost a fortune or came from a pawn shop, I use it for what it gives me." In other words, it's all about YOU and not the instrument or what you paid for it. Hopefully, nobody will laugh at that!
 
#10
M.R. Ogle said:
Enjoy your "cheapie".

Change out the pickups (and pots, they DO make a sound improvement) yourself. Try different tone capacitors, too. Switch to a high-mass bridge and see if you can hear/ feel any difference in the instrument. Try different guages/types of strings. Try the series/parallel wiring trick, too.

In short, use this one as an "experiment" and mod it just for the learning experience. Who knows, you may wind up with an bass you REALLY like, or at least, you'll gain a hands-on practical education of the inner-workings of the instrument. Can't lose either way.
Click to expand...

I will probably keep it but I probably won't do to many mods. IMO, too many mods defeats the purpose of buying a cheaper bass.:)
 
#13
Currently using a parts bass as my main bass. For whatever reason, it sounds better than my Musicman SR5. I dunno, maybe just a phase. I'm not going to sell the Musicman or anything, but I am really into passive p bass types right now.
 
#15
Dr. Cheese said:
... I now have a Squire Affinity J-Bass V ... it certainly delivers Jazz tone ... this bass is seriously gigable ... let practicality rule ...
Click to expand...
There's your answer -- in your own words.

Seriously, that Squier Affinity is a nice little bass and if it plays well, I think it's a keeper -- and I wouldn't spend a dime on mods, either. Its a POJB* and it does a very good job of being that.


* "Plain Old Jazz Bass"
 
#17
Even though I now have a Lightwave Saber SL4, I think that my Toby Deluxe will still get the bulk of my playing time..., and I still need to finish my Peavey Foundation fretless (home project). I do play my Jay Turser Beatle bass for acoustic gigs, it has the right sound for that style. I honestly wish I still had my very first bass, a Kalamazoo single pickup (model one style) on an SG style body with a Fender style neck...I learned a lot of stuff on that bass....
 
#18
Dr. Cheese said:
Being on Talkbass has given me a much more realistic perspective on my love of bass and basses. First of all, the time I have spent here has really made me aware of major weaknesses in my playing which is why I am taking lessons (albeit sporadically.) Second, an honest assessment of what I make playing and other expenses has really made me revise downwards the amount of money that I am willing to spend on a bass. The bottom line is that I now have a Squire Affinity J-Bass V, the cheapest of the cheap, as a compliment to my Yamaha TRB5 ( a really sweet undervalued modern five.)

This Affinity, like one I had before, is actually a decent bass. I have straightened out the neck with a few turns of the trussrod, and I have lowered the bridge. The action is low with almost no buzzing (just a slight open A buzz when I really let the note ring out a long time.) The pickups are weaker than a real Fender, but it certainly delivers Jazz tone.
I may pick up a Sadowsky outboard preamp or some other pickups to boost the tone a touch, but this bass is seriously gigable.

My issue is that should I let practicality rule, or should I give into ego and get a bass with a cooler name on the peghead?
I know there is single answer, but I would like some feedback.:)
Click to expand...

Go with what works for you. Take a cue from other musicians who don't play bass, but are good musicians on whatever instrument they play, and don't live in world devoted to brand name snobbery or gear fads like we bass players, and guitar players can get caught up in.

I work with a few incredible guitar players who own top notch new and vintage gear, but they ain't afraid to gig with some battered old Silvertone or Mexican made Strat if it delivers the goods, but may wrinkle the noses of gear snobs. Above all they have fun, and let their playing do the talking. They know about tone, but they do love any budget instrument, that they may run across and offers a lot mojo for the low dollar.

I think we all could benefit from taking a break from the brand name fads or whatever other gear snobbery that runs rampant, and just enjoy any bit of gear that gives us pleasure, be it a budget beauty, or the best of the best.
 

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