I recorded some tracks on our new record with my VM jazz (only mod is BA bridge). When i pulled it out our producer wasn't so sure because i tracked the rest of the album with my Ibanez Prestige 6 but when i plugged it in he was shocked. We finished up tracking and he asked me if i would sell the bass to him. He even offered to trade me his Fender Tele and his higher end Peavey active for it. Check out the track Sandcastles at www.TheDropaStone.com.
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Professionals using a Squier
- Thread starter Wade10987
- Start date
MIK Squier (swapped out pups and bridge) is my goto touring bass right now. That things been all over the US and UK and works like a charm. No stress when flying and if it gets stolen, not a huge loss.
I can 't say I'm a pro but I have no problem gigging with my Squire VM Jazz. Like a few others that have posted earlier if something happens to it its easily replaced although my VM has a sentimental value as my wife bought it for me for my 40th birthday. The VM series of basses and guitars are just great playing/sounding instruments once they have a proper setup. That said I'm not giving up my Fender Highway One Precision Bass (another surprise from my wife). I have the best of both worlds bass guitars and wife. Now if I can convince her I need a new amp well........
Now, in most cases, we revere the Matsumoku and Fujigen stuff FOR its quality. But back in the day? No way.
Squier was originally beyond crap. The first Bullets were complete horse$%^t. I purchased one when they were first released and the grounds were not connected properly, there were cold solder joints, the neck pocket was like a neck surrounded by a moat, yada yada. The tuners were really weak. After putting some elbow grease into it played fine, and was definitely decal friendly.
Are you refering to the first editon Squiers or am I reading this wrong? The JV and SQ's were great basses including the bullet. If anything Squiers went down hill after the first 5-8 years kind onf like Fender.
Those MIK Squiers have quite a cult following despite having plywood bodies. I guess it goes to show how hung up we get on little details and strange misconceptions we have about our instruments instead of just trusting our ears. Those things sound good!
You should at least check them out. Even though I think my Squier VM's are the best thing since baked beans with bacon, that doens't mean you should buy one just on my say-so. It would be a shame though, that one might miss out on an opportunity to get a great bass at a great price because of a couple of bad run-ins with their cheaper models.
Mr.Hat said:He couldnt read the logo . . .
Oh dear. Yea he exclusively used Squier's in his last years. RIP.
Tone is mostly in the hands and touch of the player. A good player can make a **** guitar sound phenomenal. Listen to some gypsy swing and see some of the garbage boxes they're using. Or listen to Jack White on his old pre custom endorsed Airlines and hear how good it sounds. He uses custom built ones now, but in the beginning they were legit beat up airlines, ravens and import silvertones.
Sea Sick Steve makes some awesome music with his three stringed guitar and a tiny solid state amp. He doesn't seem to much care about the visual opinions of others, as he looks upon his lavish collection of cars and travels the world.
Must be rough life, given that he doesn't play a real Fender. Poor guy.
Must be rough life, given that he doesn't play a real Fender. Poor guy.
- Jun 3, 2009
- 3,330
- 398
- Disclosures
- Bassgearu, Music Industry Consulting and Sales. Tech 21, NBE Corp, Sonosphere.
I was referring to the first Japanese issued Bullets under Squire. If you remember, the very first Bullet basses were made in the US and out under the Fender brand but used cheap imported parts. So when they got assembled in the factory here they got good touch and quality.
Mine was from the Squier first run, I think 1984 or 1985. Maybe I got the goat, but I still remember what the cavity looked like.
Quality again took a dip when they moved it out of Japan and to a new Pan Pacific factory, as most do when you switch factories because they aren't up to speed on quality or expected standards.
The 84' MIJ Bullet I have is a really nice bass. The neck pocket is as tight as a CS Fender and the build is as good as a MIA. The neck is maple and to die for rolled edges and fast. I can set this bass up so low its scary and it sounds great. Another Tber posted here and said he has 3 good ones also. IMO the early 80's JV and SQ squiers are some of the best basses I have ever played for a Fender type bass and feel lucky to have two.
Exactly. I'm not sure if you can call a Squier with mods a Squire or not. I mean it's sort of two different discussions to talk about pulling a Squier off the wall in a store as is vs using one as raw materials to build some kind of super bass.
Same thing for me. I wanted a nice PJ 5 string. Does Fender have anything like that? nope. So I picked up a used Squier PJ special 5. Well, honestly it was the worst bass on the planet. Pickups were 4 string so they didn't properly cover 5, tone was lousy, and neck had high frets.
So a new pickguard, Fender P-bass 5 pickup and DiMarzio ultra J pickup and fretboard leveling later, I have a 5 string PJ bass that is totally amazing! And in fact I love that it says "Squier" on the headstock to put it to Fender who always seem to think that pros don't need anything with more than 4 strings.
I guess it depends how many "years ago" you're talking about. "Years ago" I remember the working musicians in my home town and surrounding areas (Jersey Shore, Atlantic City, north Jersey, NY City, Philly) all toting little custom hot rods they made out of whatever was available to them.
Name brand didn't rule the world for the 7-days-a-week working "professional" who taught lessons in the day time and played all the gigs they could get at night (bars, clubs, weddings, private affairs, college orchestras, casino bands, etc).
The music store owners I knew had their choice of grabbing whatever bass and amp they wanted. But the average "man on the street" back then understood the value of a dollar and wasn't tied up by marketing schemes. If it played well, sounded good and stayed in tune... it was a tool for work.
You might be pleasantly surprised.
Those basses can be solid players at a realistic price point for those people not blessed with large gear budgets.
EDIT: and, if your Squire necks are good then perhaps it's worth replacing the pickups and wiring? I've done that with Squires and SX basses and made good players out of them. Been using such for the past few years out here in Phoenix while saving any pennies beyond those that go for the kid's school needs
Cool story! I am about to finish customizing my Squier Affinity P Bass. Like I said somewhere else in this thread, I found the pickups to be weak, overall construction wasn't impressive (maybe that is why I started this thread...).
I went with a Badass Bass II bridge, Dimarzio PUs. Routed a spot for a J PU. Defretted the neck and inked it so it is jet black like an upright bass, new knobs...Sculpted the body in a woodshop so it looks more along the lines of an Ibanez/Schecter, reshaped the pickguard to fit the new aesthetics. Its ridiculous. Totally new bass.
Thanks for sharing your opinion. I am glad someone else realizes that Squiers may leave a lot to be desired. Maybe they are hit or miss?
On the topic of customizing and modding, it makes sense too that pros (and I kinda meant people in magazines) might play a Squier tweaked to their style and needs. My Affinity P Bass now has 400$ worth of mods...I hope it plays "OK" when I finish painting it and get a setup.
