My made in Korea Squire Precision Bass

[TaperChuck]

I'm an electric guitar play who never owned a bass. I friend gave me one of his that he never plays anymore last week. It has a small crack that runs parallel for about an inch at the top of the neck. I don't perform, so I'm just going learn on it. I'm really excited about learning to play this new (to me) instrument.

From the serial number/stock logo and stickers on the back I've identified it as made in Korea 1989-1990 Squire Precision Bass. I'm trying to find the specs sheet for it. Neck radius etc... so I can set it up properly. Any help in further identifying this instrument will be appreciated. If I've posted in the wrong place, apologies...

 

[unbrokenchain]

If I've posted in the wrong place, apologies...

I have a feeling this will magically appear over on the bass guitar side of the house (you're at double bass currently)

 

[TaperChuck]

I have a feeling this will magically appear over on the bass guitar side of the house (you're at double bass currently)

OK, so sorry. Thanks for the heads up. LOL
Should In repost over there?

 

[unbrokenchain]

OK, so sorry. Thanks for the heads up. LOL
Should In repost over there?

Generally one of the mods will swap it over, or if you re-post they can just delete this one I'm sure. You'll have a way better response to your question on the other side though

 

[TaperChuck]

unbrokenchain? Deadhead? Phil Lesh reference. Pleased to met you. I was a GD concert taper back in the day hence my handle.

 

[TaperChuck]

Generally one of the mods will swap it over, or if you re-post they can just delete this one I'm sure. You'll have a way better response to your question on the other side though

I'm going to hope someone moves it over, because I'm not sure about where to re-post...

 

[unbrokenchain]

Looks like you're here already

unbrokenchain? Deadhead? Phil Lesh reference. Pleased to met you. I was a GD concert taper back in the day hence my handle.

Props! I may have listened to your recordings, ya never know!

 

[TaperChuck]

Thanks to the mod who moved me here. I like this place already.

 

[Turnaround]

Sorry to say it's a fake Squire. You can tell because they misspelled the name on the headstock. Very common fake - I've seen lots of them.

 

[TaperChuck]

Oh, I misspelled it in the title. The headstock is spelled correctly, Squier.

 

[unbrokenchain]

Haha I think @Turnaround is just messing with you, Fender apparently misspelled "Squire" when they created the brand, and autocorrect won't let us forget about it.

Your bass's pickguard looks really interesting, never seen a P bass with the guard split like that. My first bass was a Korean Squier P-bass in midnight wine, wish I still had it, great bass.

Hey what do you think your favorite dead show was/is?

-edit - looks like the original pickguard was cut at one point maybe, and a slightly mis-matched extra piece added?

 

[TaperChuck]

My buddy who gave it to me did his best Pete Townsend imitation one night after getting a new bass and pushed the headstock into a speaker, hence the cracked neck. Not sure what happened on the pickguard, but yeah, It's definitely a bad patch job with a piece of plastic fashioned to look like the bottom of the pick guard. I've included a photo of the underside of it. I kind of like the franken guitar look, so I'll keep it that way.

As far as favorite Dead show? Man I can't answer that. You may as well ask which granddaughter is my favorite. But, IF could go back in time I'd make sure I'd make it to 6-18-1974 Louisville.

Any ideas on where to start with learning to play the bass without developing bad habits right off the bat? Right now, I'm just playing the strings/notes along to songs I already know on guitar. Bad idea?

 

[TaperChuck]

I found a place that says my neck radius is 12" does that sound right? I like knowing the specs of my instruments...

 

[ardgedee]

Haha I think @Turnaround is just messing with you, Fender apparently misspelled "Squire" when they created the brand, and autocorrect won't let us forget about it.

Squier was an instrument company (named after its founder, Jerome Squier) that Fender acquired in the 1960s. They retired that company's product line and then in the 80s revived the name for their economy instrument line.

 

[unbrokenchain]

I found a place that says my neck radius is 12" does that sound right? I like knowing the specs of my instruments...

Surprised you haven't got an answer to that one yet (I don't have it), but you might try over in setup/repair if no one chimes in.

Any ideas on where to start with learning to play the bass without developing bad habits right off the bat? Right now, I'm just playing the strings/notes along to songs I already know on guitar. Bad idea?

Nah, not a bad idea imo. There are a few subtle technique differences to bass from guitar, but it's a bass guitar after all, so if you haven't injured yourself on guitar you're probably good to go

I've listened to a lot of music in my life, as a listener, a musician for hire, a sound guy, etc, I mean a LOT of music of all different types. Still never heard anyone do what Phil does. His lines let the whole band lift off the ground, don't know how else to describe it. Rick Danko is in the same neighborhood, but otherwise, every other bass player in the world seems to think that the root note must always be on beat 1, and that bass lines must be repetitive.. Not Phil though. Got that 6/18/74 cranked up at your suggestion, listen free here if anyone else is interested Grateful Dead Live at Freedom Hall on 1974-06-18 : Free Borrow & Streaming : Internet Archive

 

[Killing Floor]

Cool bass, black and maple is good for you. Welcome to TB.

 

[pigpen ridding]

I'm an electric guitar play who never owned a bass. I friend gave me one of his that he never plays anymore last week. It has a small crack that runs parallel for about an inch at the top of the neck. I don't perform, so I'm just going learn on it. I'm really excited about learning to play this new (to me) instrument.

From the serial number/stock logo and stickers on the back I've identified it as made in Korea 1989-1990 Squire Precision Bass. I'm trying to find the specs sheet for it. Neck radius etc... so I can set it up properly. Any help in further identifying this instrument will be appreciated. If I've posted in the wrong place, apologies...

if i was you i would spend the money to get the neck repaired and also see if you can trace its history as some of those early models are as good and in some cases better than the newer made models also this site might be of help in finding the specs Squier Wiki | Korean Squiers

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

Welcome to talkbass!
The pick gaurd makes me think that it had active preamp in it at one time and they did that to get to the battery easier.

 

[pigpen ridding]

i found this on one of the sites if its of help
1987 models are all 9.5” radius.
From 1988 to mid-1995 all are 12” radius.
Starting with the VN/CN gold logo models in mid-1995 the radius is 9.5”

 

[PennyroyalWe]

Congrats on the new bass, those are some real gems. I briefly had a E9 Korean Squier jazz bass, it played great and was really solid. One of the best feeling necks IMO. Ended up selling it to a friend who needed a bass. The only “downside” I’d say about it is that the body was plywood, so I’d check your p bass for that. Not that that’s a bad thing, just makes it a little heavier.