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Squier 70s Jazz Bass: How Can They Do It?

#24
RxFunk said:
They make VM fretless P's now.
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I wanted the slimmer Jazz neck, so I bought the P body off eBay and a "scratch and dent" fretless Jazz for the neck.
 

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#26
Wallace320 said:
tjh said:
... except the ones that are either Agathis or Basswood ;)

Well: my fault

I confess I was hurryin' to tribute my experience with OP Vintage Modified '70s that I simply didn't mention both Fretless (agathis)
or '60s 3TS (basswood).

Cheers,
Wallace
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no biggie, tough to keep track of them all without a score card ;) ... I forgot the Fretless was agathis, both I had were pretty heavy ... that 3TSB and Black '77 are agathis too .. I have a black one, that probably gets the most play of anything I have because of its light weight, especially for 4-5 hour rehearsals ...
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#27
Man, I don't know. I played a VM Jazz today since I was in guitar center anyway, and I wasn't too impressed with the feel. The tone seemed pretty decent. I know it's only one, and it might be a dud, but how bad were cheapo basses before this lauded set came along?
 
#28
How they can do it has nothing to do with the money they save on parts and pieces. They save a fortune on workers and labour standards by outsourcing them to these countries. Cort and Samick (one of which builds Squier, cannot remember which one) both have horrible track records and one of them had a group of employees storm NAMM to protest working conditions IIRC.

The reason Fender is in Mexico has more so to do with environmental laws than anything else from what I have heard, you can only legally spray so many toxins into the air in America.

I personally have yet to see a boutique quality Squier but I do like to believe they exist, like Santa, so I keep looking.
 
#29
Nobody claims they are boutique quality! ?? They're 300 dollar guitars for Pete's sake. And very good for the cash. Oy!

Too bad Cort treats Korean workers like that. Now with the China plants, they can pay less! But being China, I wonder if they dictate wage levels to foreign companies. Seems to me China's govt would want to get good wages for their people from interloping companies to further spur the economy but it is till much cheaper than paying Korean workers. I wonder.
 
#30
96tbird said:
Nobody claims they are boutique quality! ?? They're 300 dollar guitars for Pete's sake. And very good for the cash. Oy!

Too bad Cort treats Korean workers like that. Now with the China plants, they can pay less! But being China, I wonder if they dictate wage levels to foreign companies. Seems to me China's govt would want to get good wages for their people from interloping companies to further spur the economy but it is till much cheaper than paying Korean workers. I wonder.
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China compels foreign multinational to settle 50/50 joint ventures, or no go
So that they apprehend technology and manufacturing techniques, savin' the day in front of both workers and international community that all the one and only party does (that's chinese democracy men!!!) is creatin' employment and welfare... Not, ehm, slaves as we all guess.

Cheers,
Wallace
 
#34
IME (as stated elsewhere, I'm a foreign tax officer and had some... "encounter" with multinational giants every now and then for tax purposes) it's not necessarily that they charge too much on MIM/MIA instruments... it's that modular electric instruments, such like Fender's, can be assembled almost everywhere, with no particular loss in mere functionality.

Then, as always, things bringin' a product up while leavin' another down are craftsmanship, quality raw material, proficient electronics, reliability, luxury finishes and so on.

I made a provocative example with China, not because VM come from over there (Squier '70s Jazzes) but because of stunnin' quality of Squier's top line Classic Vibe

Vintage Modified line is from Indonesia (like Sterling by MusicMan, G&L tribute, Lakland Skyline, Yamaha, Ibanez, Epiphone, Peavey... they're countless) there they're now experiencin' a step up in development and wealth. They're overall QC is lesser than proverbial chinese one, but that's because of less authoritative government, that's pushing economy in cooperation with foreign investors and not on behalf of their influence

Condition of workers in Korea was desecrable, but we all know about that because of no dictatorship there... I don't think in Indonesia things are goin' any better, down to condition and security, that's why prices are so low. But in China we could not even argue

So IME it's not that high the charge over MIM/MIA instruments

I guess the most of business comes out of inexpensive, to us,
far east lines: try to figure how inexpensive labor cost can be.

Cheers,
Wallace
 
#35
It's funny - I always felt that the Chinese instruments were a little behind Indonesia. I've played several Chinese instruments with noticeable issues, but most Indonesian instruments I've played (with the exception of a really lousy Eastwood Magnum) have been really solid, be it from Yamaha, ESP LTD or Squier.

Anyway, neither of this detracts from the fact that I think BOTH VM and CV are really good. I picked up one of each (both Js) yesterday at Sam Ash, and they were both good instruments. Originally I wasn't that impressed with the VM, but now I can really see why so many people think it's awesome - they are a great value. The CV could've used a few setup tweaks, though.
 
#36
ggvicviper said:
It's funny - I always felt that the Chinese instruments were a little behind Indonesia. I've played several Chinese instruments with noticeable issues, but most Indonesian instruments I've played (with the exception of a really lousy Eastwood Magnum) have been really solid, be it from Yamaha, ESP LTD or Squier.

Anyway, neither of this detracts from the fact that I think BOTH VM and CV are really good. I picked up one of each (both Js) yesterday at Sam Ash, and they were both good instruments. Originally I wasn't that impressed with the VM, but now I can really see why so many people think it's awesome - they are a great value. The CV could've used a few setup tweaks, though.
Click to expand...

latest Classic Vibes come from Indonesia too

A fan of Scot finest Biffy Clyro's James Johnston, and proud owner of his signature's (take on Classic Vibe Jazz bass with lake placid blue matchin' headstock and mint green pickguard) I was shoppin' for lead singer, guitarist, songwriter Sam Neil's signature Stratocaster (again, Classic Vibe Stratocaster with Fiesta red/Salmon pink finish and mint green pickguard)
I came across a surf green Squier Stratocaster with three lipsticks, clearly recallin' a glossy Classic Vibe kinda model, except this writin' behind headstock: "made in Indonesia".

Chinese QC is so consistent, Fender's goin' to place a specific Fender - and Fender only - line into former Squier Classic Vibe plants, not sharin'
'em with Squier anymore, movin' to Indonesia

Cheers,
Wallace
 
#38
My two bits... I recently bought a used (but hardly!) Squier VM Jazz (not the '70's style, more '60's) to play while overseas and away from my beloved Ricks, Gretsch, MM etc. I haven't tried a bunch in shops, so can't speak for uniformity of quality, but I am more than pleasantly surprised. It has a beautiful birdseye maple neck, fit and finish are fine (not up to US standards, but far from bad) and it plays and sounds great: in fact, I've decided it's a keeper which I'd be happy to gig alongside my pro-level instruments. It's also cheap enough for me to risk taking back home on the plane (hope it gets there OK!). As for body wood, it doesn't look like maple to me, more likely basswood, but the tone and sustain are what matters. As others have pointed out, "maple" is a generic name applied to several different species of wood anyway. I'd say, if it feels and sounds good to you, buy it. Like me, you'll probably end up keeping it! :bassist:
 
#39
A lot of the comments here are just from heresay, passed down though generations. Soft maple is an awesome wood for electric bass guitar and plenty hard enough. As a matter of fact I'm having a Custom Bass made here in America from soft maple that is going to be killer. America was sold long ago and to think that wood from America is superior to wood from another country IMO is ridiculous. No wonder the world is looking at us and laughing. We think we're superior and steadily losing our place in the world because we're so damn ignorant and think we're better than anyone else. The Squire VM
s are cheaper for a lot of reasons and play and feel better than a lot of so-called made In America Basses.
 
#40
bolophonic said:
If it sounds good, why would you even care about what wood it is made out of? And the idea that one side of the globe grows high quality trees, while the entire Asian Pacific region is populated with "inferior" trees that can't hold a screw is ludicrous. Even on the cheapest basses I have ever owned, there was never a problem with screws working their way out of the wood.

I own about six or seven Precisions, all built from a variety of different parted out Squiers, MIM Fenders, USA Fenders, Hondos, Mighty Mite, No-Names. I couldn't even tell you what wood most of them are made out of. I think that 99% of the people talking about wood choice on sub-$400, poly-coated basses are frankly talking out of their behinds.
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I agree. I own a Squire VM Jazz, and I still have yet to play another bass that I like better. I'm sure that in the future I may upgrade to an American standard or something of the like, but for now I just don't feel like there's a better bass for the money. I too put put a Badass bridge on mine, and it plays fantastic!
 

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