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Squier Affinity or Starcaster Jazz Bass?

K

killjoyshidae

Nov 22, 2012
2
0
#1
I currently play a Squier VM Jaguar Bass Special, and even though had it for almost a year and love the variety of tone, my problem with it is the body. For me, the body is a little on comfortable to play on :hmm:

Before I got my Jag, I had a Affinity Jazz Pack. I returned it a week or two later as some of the electronics didn't work. I sadly didn't want to take the risk of screwing it up through modification, so I just went on and got my Jag :o

I always loved Jazz Basses. Their sound, feel, and influence on so many bassists. I'm thinking of selling my Jag for a Jazz, but my "budget" is $200 and below. Though I heard both positive and negative of both sub brands, should I get another Affinity (particularly the new 2013 models), or go with Starcaster? (Also, if you have more recommendations that aren't Jazz Basses, I wouldn't mind checking them out :))
 
#2
$200 in the used market could get you most Vintage Modified or Classic Vibe Jazz in the Squier line ... or even a Fender MIM Standard Jazz in some cases ... personally I would not buy either of the two you are asking about NEW, they are a dime a dozen in the used market at half the price ... JMHO
 
#4
Starcasters are really meant to appeal to the toy store market and compete with such fine instruments as First Act and Lotus. Don't expect one to last under even moderate use. An Affinity may be very inexpensive but at least it is intended to be a proper instrument.
 
#5
I actually own a Starcaster jazz bass that's pretty good.
It is generally true that Starcasters are junk, it seems that Fender put out two different lines of them. One line for the discount big box stores & one for the mom & pop music stores.
The Chinese Starcasters are pretty bad & not as good as a Squier Affinity. The Starcasters made in Indonesia ( that's the model I have) are well made starter basses. Alder body , nice neck & hardware that's a step up from the Affinity's.
If you see an Indonesian one check it out. I think they discontinued these because no one would touch them due to the bad rep of the Starcaster brand. Retailers have been blowing them out & you can get one cheaper then an Affinity. Mine's a step up from that.
 
#6
For my money I would get this...

Link Removed

I just bought one a few weeks ago. It needed a set-up and that was all. The pickups are decent, the electronics are decent, and the neck and fretwork are *astounding* for only $139.

It's better than any Squier I've played, and better than any MIM Fender I've played or owned.

Seriously -thins is a very good bass for a great price. Search the TB site for "Essex" and you'll read great things about these basses.
 
#8
b_carville said:
I actually own a Starcaster jazz bass that's pretty good.
It is generally true that Starcasters are junk, it seems that Fender put out two different lines of them. One line for the discount big box stores & one for the mom & pop music stores.
The Chinese Starcasters are pretty bad & not as good as a Squier Affinity. The Starcasters made in Indonesia ( that's the model I have) are well made starter basses. Alder body , nice neck & hardware that's a step up from the Affinity's.
If you see an Indonesian one check it out. I think they discontinued these because no one would touch them due to the bad rep of the Starcaster brand. Retailers have been blowing them out & you can get one cheaper then an Affinity. Mine's a step up from that.
Click to expand...

+1 on this.

I was out browsing at one of my local pawn shops and they had a black Starcaster jazz bass hanging on the wall. It's an Indonesian made model and it was priced at $79.99.

I figured I would give it a quick play. It felt solid, the hardware was identical to my vintage modified jazz, nice straight neck, smooth frets, low action. Pickups are fairly blah. I offered the salesman $50 and he said yes, so I took it home. Now maybe mine is a diamond in the rough but I'm definitely glad I didn't just dismiss it because of the Starcaster logo!
 
#9
Hank Scorpio said:
Do the new Affinity models have the open back tuners now? I seem to remember the closed back ones they were using being pretty sub-standard.
Click to expand...

I asked the same thing when the new Affinities came out. I'm told they are the standard Squier open-back tuners now. And yeah, I had an Affinity Jazz a ways back. The only "weakness" it had, given the price I paid for it, was the closed-back tuners. They were weak, creaky and I was always guaranteed I'd have to put everything back in tune from day-to-day.
 

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