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Professionals using a Squier
- Thread starter Wade10987
- Start date
I just traded in a vm squier jaguar, it was a very nice bass! 100% gig worthy! I only sold it to go to a fender jaguar.
I know a top session guy here who has custom shop Fenders and still always uses his MIJ JV series Squier. Beat to hell, now it is.
I saw Herbie Flowers live using a Squier Affinity Jazz.
Francis Dunnery always used his Squier strats, despite a rake of Fenders at home.
I guess the real answer is that just because you pay more for something doesn't make it better, and these guys know the tone is in their hands, not the instrument
I saw Herbie Flowers live using a Squier Affinity Jazz.
Francis Dunnery always used his Squier strats, despite a rake of Fenders at home.
I guess the real answer is that just because you pay more for something doesn't make it better, and these guys know the tone is in their hands, not the instrument
It's the Indian not the arrow. I do like to buy American because it appeals to the patriot in me and guitars are one of the few MIA items you can still buy these days. Of course I have a sneaky suspicion that my MIA Jazz should actually say "Made in Corona California by illegal immigrants."
I think at the end of the day most "professional musicians" use what sounds good to them. I play what has the tone I like, I don't care what is on the headstock. Only time I ever had anyone ask about brands was other bass players and at the end of the day I really dont care what other bass players think as long as I get the girls on the dance floor. My bass of choice happens to be a Spector, but I wouldn't think twice about playing a squier or SX if that was thew tone I was doing for, and I know a lot of my counterparts feel the same way.
Not to take any credit for Chris finding the Squier active 5, but I happened to be at GC when he bought that. I got to talking with him about that line, cause it was still fairly new, and was telling him about my friend Tony Marvelli that had been rocking those on the road for a little while. He played it, loved it, and ended up walking out with it. Also, Randy Smith (Lee Ann Womack band) had one for a while. I think his got stolen from a gig though.
If y'all haven't seen or heard of Chris Kent, look him up. He was a monster player and one of the nicest guys you'd ever have the pleasure to meet. Huge loss for Nashville.
- Jun 3, 2009
- 3,330
- 398
- Disclosures
- Bassgearu, Music Industry Consulting and Sales. Tech 21, NBE Corp, Sonosphere.
Truthfully, most basses played regularly by "pro" bassists are not stock. I'll explain it from what we do here at Brubaker, and what was done for decades at Kramer.
An artist agrees to use a bass, or sees one out and wants to try it. So the company either has him or her in, or we go to them with samples to try. And we snap pictures, lots.
If the artist likes it, we have the artist down for an artist meeting, and our artist rep discusses the bass, what they like and don't like, what they have used in the past and what they find best for them. Then we take those basses and tweak them. Maybe we change string brand, string guage. Maybe we touch the electronics a bit for them. Sometimes maybe we reshape the neck, or change nut material. The artist does a few trials and then either has the bass shipped or leaves with it. And we snap lots of pictures.
Then, when they have a show, we go and work with their techs to make sure everything is up to snuff. We enjoy the show. We snap lots and lots of pictures.
We go home, give the snaps to our marketing guys. They create ads, posters, graphics.
Most pros are not paid for their endorsements. Larry Hartke has said it numerous times here, and I know for a fact that even Eddie Van Halen never received a penny from Kramer in endorsement dough. They do get free stuff, and in cases special care and treatment of the instrument (and sometimes the same for the artist), but they do not play them just because they are paid. In the long run that never works. Just look at Rudy Sarzo. Washburn blew tons of cash on him back in the eighties, but he kept coming back to his Peavey.
Mike Dirnt does not play the Squier version of his bass, he plays the Fender version.
There is nothing inherently wrong with playing a cheaper import. Lee Sklars famous bass was a cheap Yamaha, and he used it forever, in the studio and on stage.
Gary Tallent used Danelectros up until 1976 at all times.
I would agree that on the surface it makes no sense for someone who can move up a step in quality doesn't, but as I said, often the bass they are using is better then the stock version in many ways.
An artist agrees to use a bass, or sees one out and wants to try it. So the company either has him or her in, or we go to them with samples to try. And we snap pictures, lots.
If the artist likes it, we have the artist down for an artist meeting, and our artist rep discusses the bass, what they like and don't like, what they have used in the past and what they find best for them. Then we take those basses and tweak them. Maybe we change string brand, string guage. Maybe we touch the electronics a bit for them. Sometimes maybe we reshape the neck, or change nut material. The artist does a few trials and then either has the bass shipped or leaves with it. And we snap lots of pictures.
Then, when they have a show, we go and work with their techs to make sure everything is up to snuff. We enjoy the show. We snap lots and lots of pictures.
We go home, give the snaps to our marketing guys. They create ads, posters, graphics.
Most pros are not paid for their endorsements. Larry Hartke has said it numerous times here, and I know for a fact that even Eddie Van Halen never received a penny from Kramer in endorsement dough. They do get free stuff, and in cases special care and treatment of the instrument (and sometimes the same for the artist), but they do not play them just because they are paid. In the long run that never works. Just look at Rudy Sarzo. Washburn blew tons of cash on him back in the eighties, but he kept coming back to his Peavey.
Mike Dirnt does not play the Squier version of his bass, he plays the Fender version.
There is nothing inherently wrong with playing a cheaper import. Lee Sklars famous bass was a cheap Yamaha, and he used it forever, in the studio and on stage.
Gary Tallent used Danelectros up until 1976 at all times.
I would agree that on the surface it makes no sense for someone who can move up a step in quality doesn't, but as I said, often the bass they are using is better then the stock version in many ways.
Yes, the JV series were the first Squiers produced and the SQ series soon followed around 1983-84... I think. Both of those basses are as good and IMO if not better than any MIA P bass I have found. I have owed 2 MIA 70's Fenders and sold them both. My 2 SQ's one a 83' the other an 84' are lighter and feel, play and sound better than the 70's P basses and they both were great basses.
These basses could can be used by any bassist pro whatever. Also The new CV are really nice for the money and they too are nice. I have no issues playing Squiers and own 3 Including a Vista SS. I love them all and play them with pride although I am not a pro.
Dario violating a really old orange squire squier jazz bass in the studio. he did some of three from the ghetto with that bass and it sound as good as any of my vintage or others that I've had the chance to play.
It is deinately the Indian and not the arrow.. Take it from a real one
It is deinately the Indian and not the arrow.. Take it from a real one
I have a Mexican Squier Strat that I thought was the cat's pajamas until I got a Standard Fender (also Mexican). World of difference better, IMO. And no Squier can compete with my MIA Jazz Bass, really. They might play and sound good, but there are other things not so evident that make the MIA bass better.
MY OPINION, ok?
MY OPINION, ok?
Matt freeman plays his signature squier all the time. I've seen plenty of pictures with him playing it live.
Don't know what kind of basses you're playing to call a Squier CV pretty decent. They are damn well good and it's like stealing for $350. People can always play Fender or whatever brand, but hell, you might as well be asking why anyone would play a MIM Fender over a MIA Fender; or play a Fender at all when they could be playing a Fodera. Does it even matter? No. Is that a business move by Fender? One could say yes, but when Fender stepped up their QA for their entire Squier VM & CV line, as well as release their Modern Player and Blacktop series: that was a better move for the learner/budget line.
LOL, I've never been accused of being either "street" or "hip" but I've played quite a few inexpensive basses.
HereIGoAgain said:
Didn't Reggie Wooten play a Squier? I thought I remember seeing him playing one on one of the Bass Day videos with Vic from 1998 I think?
I came to this thread to mention Steve Evans but you beat me to it! Great player and that Squier sounds amazing.
Because a professional doesn't give a rats fanny what is on the headstock beyond what may be an endorsement agreement.
The only people that care what is on the headstock are the haters and people who are insecure in their own abilities and looking for a psychological crutch.
I'll stick an old Tobias Classic 5 on a stand right next to my Sadowsky PJ5 and my Squier Active Deluxe Jazz 5 and the one I pick up is the one I like for the job at hand.
But then what the heck do I know, After all, I only play slightly more than 300 shows a year.
