Only bass players and people that know a bit about musical instruments can tell the difference between a Fender and a Squier. So, if you're worried about the name on the headstock, then you're only worried about a handful of people and not the vast majority.
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Professionals using a Squier
- Thread starter Wade10987
- Start date
There's the problem. People knowing only a bit but thinking they know a lot. There are people around here who snob at me for using a Squier Jag V, thinking it's a poor quality bass. The guys who know more about Squiers like it.
My only bass right now is a Fender AV62 RI P-Bass and I love it, it's a great bass....but I really miss my MIM P-Bass that I stupidly sold years ago...there was just something about that bass...it was just fun to play and sounded great....I might have to pick up a Squier real soon.
I have a bunch of great expensive basses, and my Squire VM Jazz Bass V is one of my favourites. The feel and tone of the instrument is as good as any of my others.
A Squier that's better than an MIA? Now you are fooling yourselves. Really. No comparison in build quality and finish. A Squier better than an MIM I can believe but not better than an MIA,these rock!
I have Fender MIAs, MIMs, MICs and MIJs and my Squiers are just as good as any of them and better than some.
I've been inside both, and frankly, the Squiers are very well built, on a par with Americans. BUT, the wood selection for necks are more often blemished in one way or another on Squiers. That being said, I find that the raw sound of both can be improved upon greatly, and that the Squier is more economical in this regard. Advtantage? Squier. Plus, few bassists have played my modded Squiers and not been impressed with them. Including offers to buy.
I used to be a terrible gear snob. If it did'nt say Fender or Musicman then I was'nt interested, then one day last year I visited a big box music store not far from me. I'd heard people going on about the new Squires so I picked one up and had a look. I tried a few others, compared weights etc even got the drone behind the counter to pull down a few unopened boxes for more comparison.
Long story short? I walked out of there with a VM P/J in Lake Placid Blue. It's a very good instrument and as I've said before on TB, it's light weight and beautifully made. Sure the PU's are'nt over powerful but that can be sorted anytime and above all it's killed the gear snob in me stone dead!
Long story short? I walked out of there with a VM P/J in Lake Placid Blue. It's a very good instrument and as I've said before on TB, it's light weight and beautifully made. Sure the PU's are'nt over powerful but that can be sorted anytime and above all it's killed the gear snob in me stone dead!
I swapped the pickups on my VM PJ with a Delano large pole P, and a DiMarzio model J, and it sounds incredible. I'm actually not sure which I'm taking to a gig tomorrow, that or an AmStd Precision.
Fantastic value for money, in honesty.
If you think you can tell the quality of a bass by the name on the headstock and where it was made you are fooling yourself.
When I was looking for a Fender-shaped headstock I tried every Squier, MIM and MIA within road trip distance. If you think MIA dogs don't exist you are wrong. I played them myself. Of course the chances of finding a keeper MIA are greater than a MIM is greater than a Squier. But they exist at all levels. My jazz is MIM and my PJ is Squier. All that means is that when I looked those were the best. But anytime you look out there it's going to be different. I did find a couple of great MIA basses too, but they weren't any better than the ones I ended up with. I suppose if one obsesses over the size of the gap between the neck and the body rout, MIA is "better". Personally I obsess over playability and tone. Each tree is different.
Care to explain why I've sold EVERY MIA Fender (all bought used) I've owned but kept all but 2 of the Squiers? Oh, right. It's because the Quality to price ratio just isn't there. Sure, they've got "better" QC and woods but the fit & finish on new Squiers is just as good and the tone/playability is all there. The only thing I do to my Squiers is put on strap locks & roll the fingerboard edges with a razor & sand paper...not something I'd spend $1000 extra to have done. Sorry.
The hardware and finish on the Squier isn't as nice as my MIA Precsion or any of my other expensive basses, but the hardware is totally functional and the bass stays in tune. The bass is quite heavy, that doesn't bother me though, I use a wide strap and am a big dude. The neck on my VM V Jazz feels fantastic and is so stable, way more stable than my MIA Precision, which moves in the humidity at the drop of a hat. I upgraded the pickups in my Squire to SD Basslines, but the original pickups were pretty darn good too.
I never said all MIA's are perfect. Nor did I say Squiers are dogs.
Most MIAs are better than most Squiers. You admit they are better but not worth the extra money, you are agreeing with me then that the MIAs ARE better, just not as good value, lol.
Squiers are much much better value, no doubt, but don't say they are better than MIAs. They aren't, Fender will tell you that lol, you really think they don't have better hardware and QC? Come and see my MIA.
Most MIAs are better than most Squiers. You admit they are better but not worth the extra money, you are agreeing with me then that the MIAs ARE better, just not as good value, lol.
Squiers are much much better value, no doubt, but don't say they are better than MIAs. They aren't, Fender will tell you that lol, you really think they don't have better hardware and QC? Come and see my MIA.
I can tell you the Americans I have seen have much rougher routing, but that's not a QC issue. Squiers are much easier to shield because of that fact. And of course Fender will tell you that they're better. If they admitted Squiers were better (or even a better value), they'd lose a boatload of sales.
I bought my first Squier last month for $95. Its a '07 Pbass with a 1 1/2 inch neck. My other bass is an '89 Peavey Foundation and I can't believe how good the Squier sounds. I have said this once and I will say it again "99% of an audience is not going to tell what type of bass you use or if you are playing a song note for note but, 100% of your audience can tell if you are out of tune or playing the wrong notes". Play what sounds good
Ha...I've just noticed that my Squire has nicer body contours than my 71 P bass....especially the arm chamfer and the cutout on the back which are nicely curved..
So if they're saving on the electrics to achieve this then that is good...you can replace electrics - hardware etc..you can't do anything about weight or body/neck finish.
So if they're saving on the electrics to achieve this then that is good...you can replace electrics - hardware etc..you can't do anything about weight or body/neck finish.
There is nothing wrong with a good Squier. I have a new VM that sounds and feels really really good.
If you are concerned with what other people are going to think of you using one, that is in your head.
If a bass feels and sounds good, use it!
If you are concerned with what other people are going to think of you using one, that is in your head.
If a bass feels and sounds good, use it!
Haven't we all realized by now....the bass is just a tool and the music is brought forth by YOU. A writer can create a masterpiece equally on a cruddy pencil and paper as well as a $3k mac book pro....they are simply tools nothing more. Ohhh and BTW, although I have not messed with the Squier's much yet, I played a few of the Indonesian sterling SUB's and they played, sounded and felt really great. For $300 bucks wow....
I have 3 Squiers, 2 older MIJ SQs and a newer MIC Standard Delonge Strat.
All have good construction and play nicely. All have tight neck joints and good necks. All have solid hardware, although the Strat does have some casting marks on the bridge saddles, and one tuner was broken when I got it used (cheap, easy fix). The Strat also has a really thin finish, which is worn through in places.
I have recorded and gigged with each of them, and all sounded and performed as expected, i.e. perfectly for the tracks/gigs. I have been paid to do these things.
I have also played many inferior instruments, from Fender, Squier, and other makers. Names don't mean everything.
A good setup is most important with any instrument, of course, but a lot of Squiers seem to really need more attention to this. Not sure if it's the trip to 'merica, general indifference from store employees, or what, but most every "lower-tier" instrument I see really need some time put in on this. Neck/fret work may be needed, but it's really more about proper string choice for the instrument and all the niggling adjustments that follow, imo/ime.
Pretty much any gear will play and feel tons better after proper care and attention, wherever made, and whatever the label.
Names don't mean everything.
All have good construction and play nicely. All have tight neck joints and good necks. All have solid hardware, although the Strat does have some casting marks on the bridge saddles, and one tuner was broken when I got it used (cheap, easy fix). The Strat also has a really thin finish, which is worn through in places.
I have recorded and gigged with each of them, and all sounded and performed as expected, i.e. perfectly for the tracks/gigs. I have been paid to do these things.
I have also played many inferior instruments, from Fender, Squier, and other makers. Names don't mean everything.
A good setup is most important with any instrument, of course, but a lot of Squiers seem to really need more attention to this. Not sure if it's the trip to 'merica, general indifference from store employees, or what, but most every "lower-tier" instrument I see really need some time put in on this. Neck/fret work may be needed, but it's really more about proper string choice for the instrument and all the niggling adjustments that follow, imo/ime.
Pretty much any gear will play and feel tons better after proper care and attention, wherever made, and whatever the label.
Names don't mean everything.
Just like every body else that says this is mis-characterizing what people are really saying. they're not saying the Squiers ARE better, they're saying they LIKE them better that any MIA they've ever tried. That's a big difference and you can't say they're wrong.
