Make Believe You Are Blindfolded ----

[SurferJoe46]

---- and someone hands you a Fender or Squier bass.

Besides actually playing it, how can you tell quickly and solely by touch that it's a high-dollar bass?



I contend that the feel of the headstock is a dead give-away for the quality/price point of the instrument.

Try it yourself if you have a couple of different Fender/Squier basses.

The more expensive one will just feel more quality-like; smoother, more sculptured, friendlier in your hand, etc.

 

[stratovani]

Good thing we don't play the headstock!

 

[Mike M.]

I doubt I could pass the headstock test. However, a few weeks ago I tried out 4 Jazz basses; a Squire, an MIM Standard, an American Special and an American Standard and I could feel the differance as I went up the line. They all played good and it's not like it was a drastic A to Z differance going from one to the other, but it was just enough of a differance. When I played the American Special I thought "this is actually a great, very comfortable player." And it was! But when I then played the American Standard that little differance in feel made all the differance.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

---- and someone hands you a Fender or Squier bass.

Besides actually playing it, how can you tell quickly and solely by touch that it's a high-dollar bass?



I contend that the feel of the headstock is a dead give-away for the quality/price point of the instrument.

Try it yourself if you have a couple of different Fender/Squier basses.

The more expensive one will just feel more quality-like; smoother, more sculptured, friendlier in your hand, etc.

I'd run my grip up and down the sides of the neck. If I feel the edges of the frets I can tell it's not a high end bass.

 

[SurferJoe46]

I'd run my grip up and down the sides of the neck. If I feel the edges of the frets I can tell it's not a high end bass.

I dunnow. Frets can sprout on the finest bass and may not be the best indicator since all wood shrinks/expands and yet the finish on the head is forever unless it's RWd.

 

[CapnSev]

I'd run my grip up and down the sides of the neck. If I feel the edges of the frets I can tell it's not a high end bass.

This, and if the Fender is American, the rolled fingerboard edges are a dead giveaway.

 

[pocketgroove]

My Squier, though I like it, has a really dry feeling neck. That could be a dead giveaway, for me.

 

[Tupac]

Squiers typically have some sort of distinctive cheap feeling neck, I could tell pretty easily from feel. Balance/neck dive is another big factor.

 

[georgestrings]

This, and if the Fender is American, the rolled fingerboard edges are a dead giveaway.

This...


- georgestrings

 

[MarthaSamira]

I've seen 10.000 dollars basses with sprouting frets.

I would have a hard time telling the difference between the newer and nicer Squiers (VM and CV) and a Fender bass if blindfolded.

 

[jabsys]

I doubt I could tell the difference between a VM and MIM blindfolded, CV would be easy because of the neck finish and fret sizes.

 

[PBnJBassist]

Basically what everyone else said. Fretwork, neck profile and finish, and other little things like the material of the nut (plastic seems to be a dead giveaway of cheap or cut corners), asymmetrical neck (never found one on a bass less than $1000 except MTD Kingstons) Can't tell much from the bodies since those thick urethane finishes hide even the cheapest of bodies from feel.

 

[pacojas]

I've seen 10.000 dollars basses with sprouting frets.

I would have a hard time telling the difference between the newer and nicer Squiers (VM and CV) and a Fender bass if blindfolded.

???

 

[RawOrange]

I contend that the feel of the headstock is a dead give-away for the quality/price point of the instrument.

How can you tell by the feel of the headstock? That sounds interesting...

 

[Modern Growl]

They are the same. You cannot tell. A $300 dollar bass is just as good as a $1200 dollar bass.

There - I told you what you wanted to hear. If that statement is true is another story.

 

[two fingers]

I worked at a Fender dealer for a decade. Back then (up until early 2000's) it was a crap shoot. Honestly, the ones from Japan felt better to me on a regular basis. But as far as USA vs Mexico, the difference was the number of cherries per dozen. What I mean is that the USA basses would be usually 6 good ones, a few so so basses, and a couple of crap basses. While Mexico provided 1 or 2 cherries, quite a few so so basses, and half a dozen crap basses. It varied from bass to bass more. According to many on this forum, the last few years have seen a vast improvement in quality control at Fender USA.

It has always been my rule to play the bass. If it feels "right" in your hands right away, buy it and worry about hardware and electronics later. That's why I leaned towards MIJ's back then. They all felt great even though some of the pickups were OK at best. That being said, one of my biggest regrets was letting a really nice plain old wine red MIM Jazz get away from me. I kept putting off buying it because it was "just a MIM". I went in to buy it on my day off and it had sold ten minutes before I got there. That thing played perfectly. And I talked myself out of it because of it's country of origin.

 

[MarthaSamira]

They are the same. You cannot tell. A $300 dollar bass is just as good as a $1200 dollar bass.

There - I told you what you wanted to hear. If that statement is true is another story.

What makes the most difference in the price of an instrument is the salaries of those who make them.

A Chinese worker makes 10 dollars per week.

Squiers VM and CV are as nice or nicer than most MIM Fenders I have played and sound better than a few MIA Fenders. I understand Fender instruments' quality went up since 2008, but still... You'd be hard pressed to tell a difference between a Lakland Skyline and it's American twin, if blindfolded. I've done it and they feel and sound alike.

If you feel price is everything, nothing will convince you. If you actually analyze the quality of an instrument without looking at the headstock, you may be surprised with the basses coming from Asia these days.

 

[Baird6869]

I've seen 10.000 dollars basses with sprouting frets.

+1.

This is normal in climates with big temperature/humidity changes.

 

[pacojas]

@Martha,..

with all due respect, you are missing the bigger picture! it may be so that an instrument may feel and sound great (to you), compared to higher priced ones. the fact is, the cheaper one are literally break-able! i want one that feels sturdy.

 

[JonKim]

You can make a little piece of crap Honda civic as fast as a Ferrari 458 but I rather drive the Ferrari. Same goes as my basses