Squier affinity P bass, is it worth it?

[DwaynieAD]

I want to buy a P bass, and I’ve seen some squier models selling new for around $230. Is this kind of bass actually going to be playable or will it just look like a P bass? I’ve played guitar for about 20 years, but I want to learn some bass methods in order to start playing r&b music. I’m a big fan of Marcus Miller, and I know he plays a jazz. I usually find p basses easier to play than jazz basses. The jazz bass having smaller necks might be the reason.

I have an Affinity p bass and it is one ofy favorite basses and was wonderful out of the box. @marko138 has an Affinity p bass that was awesome when he got it. He's since modded it to hell but it was a top notch instrument prior to that

You will get a lot of old heads stuck in their ways that will poopoo on anything squier but they are so far off base it's not even funny

 

[brianrost]

Pretty surprised that your GC has no Affinity basses. My local GCs always have them in stock.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I want to buy a P bass, and I’ve seen some squier models selling new for around $230. Is this kind of bass actually going to be playable or will it just look like a P bass? I’ve played guitar for about 20 years, but I want to learn some bass methods in order to start playing r&b music. I’m a big fan of Marcus Miller, and I know he plays a jazz. I usually find p basses easier to play than jazz basses. The jazz bass having smaller necks might be the reason.

Yeah. It's a lightweight p bass, with crappy hardware. But, the neck ain't bad at all. Just, a little thicker than your average P neck.

Replace the hardware, and it's a pretty decent little beast.

It's a little neck heavy though. Not anything to be concerned about though.

I can't stand jazz necks. I put a P bass neck on my jazz bass. I put P necks on everything.

 

[OOD]

Twisted necks are one argument for buying used. If a neck is still straight after 3 or 4 years, chances are it'll stay straight for a good long time if cared for reasonably.

+1 if I had access to a good used market I could try before I buy I would only ever buy used mostly for this reason. Unfortunately there’s next to nothing near me most of the time.

 

[jd56hawk]

Everyone mentions to try it out in a store first...

Almost everyone.
I have eleven basses, four of them $1,000 plus, and I've only bought one in a brick-and-mortar store.
Just bought my Squire online Thursday.

Sure, it's a bit of a gamble, but it helps if you make a smart bet. Try to buy something with a good track record, try to buy from trusted sellers, and buy only if they have a good return policy.

 

[leonard]

I think ordering an Affinity is not a big deal. You can just return it if it's a bad example.

 

[SgtHulka]

No.

 

[BassDaddy77]

If buying sight unseen, I agree with others that have suggested purchasing from an online retailer with a good return policy. Then there's virtually no risk. You may very well end up getting a gem of a bass and a keeper. And if not, just send it back (or return it in person if it's Guitar Center). Either way, a safe proposition.

 

[Isotope717]

Twisted necks are one argument for buying used. If a neck is still straight after 3 or 4 years, chances are it'll stay straight for a good long time if cared for reasonably.



No - like my comment above, it all depends on things like if the neck is still straight. That's the big thing on a bass; everything else on a bass is fixable for a reasonable price. If a bass has a straight neck, I can fix anything els that may need tweaking relatively easily/cheaply. If a bass has a bad neck, I don't care who made it or when, I wont offer you a nickel for the thing.

I agree; the neck is the the crucial point for the playability. Beautiful wood grain and hand rubbed oil finishes on the body don’t mean a thing if some frets are high or the neck has a hump or a twist. A perfect neck will work well on a plywood body.

 

[Isotope717]

Someone mentioned earlier that they’re surprised I’m asking about a P bass since I’m coming from a guitar background. The jazz neck is slimmer/narrower and that seems to accommodate many guitar players coming to bass. I like jazz basses a lot, and I own one. But they seem to be more cumbersome to play while sitting. That lower bout is awkward when I’m sitting and trying to look at sheet music or a computer screen to read the music, etc.