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Squier Affinity Precision PJ or Vintage Modified Precision PJ?

#21
Hmm, thanks for the help guys!

I think I'l hold out until I have the cash for the VM then. I still need to find a seller locally anyways who has one in stock so I can try it out, preferably in Buffalo since the Canadian sellers here have the guitar here for a much higher price (at least, I think there's a Canadian seller in my area who has one in stock).

EDIT: I forgot that I had a webpage bookmarked that had a listing for a VM locally for $380. May not be as cheap as getting it at over the border, but at least I'l be able to try it out.
 
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#23
to me it sounds like your wallet is going to make your choice for you (not unlike most of us at one time or another)buy what can afford and you can upgrade (customize) the bass as time go's on .You mite just find that it ends up being one of your favorites' like an old pair of shoes that looks like hell but fit so good.
 
#24
I have a VM jazz and an affinity p/j. I like them both for different reasons. I like them both because I can mod them easily if I want. And I have. But I feel the VM's are higher quality instruments and are built better. They're both great basses with proper setups after I got them home. And again, love both. But if I had to pick one that was a little better quality? The VM would win out.
 
#25
I have a CV p-bass I dropped a Fralin '51 over-wrap, and strung with flats. I'm into it for a total of $300. Every bass player who touches it says holy crap, or some variation, and several have tried to buy it from me on the spot. (It's the blue one over my right shoulder in my profile pic)

I also have a VM tele with the 3 different pups, and it also kills, even stock. Big, fat, C neck (damn near a holy grail "U"). It's a bit uneven volume-wise, but it has 3 distinctly different/totally useable tones available at the flick of a selector. The mini humbucker in the neck spot is hot butter.

Both the VM and CV series are WAY better build/finish than anything in the Affinity line. While it may seem OK, it is not a bass you can really grow with. That's why they ship them in those "starter kit" boxes. On the other hand, a CV or VM is something you can keep as a back-up/mod platform forever. I have steered more than one student towards the all-black Squire VM Jazz 5 basses. Those things kill, and look perfect. Black paint, black neck, black guard, and black matching headstock. There's hardly a gig on earth that bass doesn't fit the look for. You walk into a jazz gig? You da man. Walk into a church gig? You da man. You walk into a Metal Church gig? You still da man. I don't like to see young players who are picking up their first "real" bass to pigeon hole themselves with some crazy finish or pointioscity. That naked babe airbrushed bass may be cool in the garage, but...
 
#27
Both offer things the other does not. Not to be too agressive about it, but the haters about Affinities overlook the fact they are really good isntruments in their own right with plenty of advantages. I INTENTIONALLY chose to pick up an Affinity Jazz and modify it rather than a Vintage Modified or Classic Vibe Jazz... For the simple reason that although there is plenty of hate for them, the neck on the Affinity has a unique finish in the line, and works best for me, not to mention I prefer an Alder body over Agathis, and lastly, I liked the color options on the Affinity series better...

Vintage modified models have better pickups without a doubt, although aside from shielding problems, that even the American Standard Fenders reportedly suffer from, there really isn't anything wrong with Affinity pickups, and Vintage Modified pickups are easy as pie to source up cheap and swap into an Affinity...

Mind you, folks will try to dissuade you from an Affinity making Fit and Finish claims... Mine is flawless, most of them I have seen are, there are certainly duds out there, but then again, there are duds coming out of the Fender Custom Shop USA too...

Bridges are better in the Classic Vibe 60s models, guess what? Those too can be swapped over at relatively little cost.

Same tuners, same nut, same body routing, similar / same pick guards, same pots, same jack, same strap pins. Not a whole lot else going on there.

I would A/B them, and pay particular attention to the feel / balance of the instrument, which one talks to you? Get that one. If it's the Affinity, but you prefer the sound of the Vintage Modified, grab a set of the VM "Duncan Designed" pickups and do the conversion.

I do HIGHLY recommend you shield your bass no matter what model you get. If you don't know how, or can't handle DIY, hire a guitar shop to do it for you. Worth the $$ in the long run.
 
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#28
f?
GoldMan27 said:
Hmm, thanks for the help guys!

I think I'l hold out until I have the cash for the VM then. I still need to find a seller locally anyways who has one in stock so I can try it out, preferably in Buffalo since the Canadian sellers here have the guitar here for a much higher price (at least, I think there's a Canadian seller in my area who has one in stock).

EDIT: I forgot that I had a webpage bookmarked that had a listing for a VM locally for $380. May not be as cheap as getting it at over the border, but at least I'l be able to try it out.
Click to expand...
$380 ?
That pricing is more in line with the Classic Vibe basses. Vintage Modifieds go for $280-299 new. If he's charging $380 for a VM , then he's charging too much, even if it's new. You can try it out there but I wouldn't buy it from him.
 
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#30
Batmensch said:
f?
$380 ?
That pricing is more in line with the Classic Vibe basses. Vintage Modifieds go for $280-299 new. If he's charging $380 for a VM , then he's charging too much, even if it's new. You can try it out there but I wouldn't buy it from him.
Click to expand...
Well, considering the US/Canadian currency exchange rate, it's an on-par price. Long & McQuade has one for $400CDN, and it would take $380 CDN to buy a VM from GC worth $280USD.
 
#31
i have the affinity in black. got it for 180. it was good as it was, but with a $40 investment for a fender super55 bridge pickup(noiseless), and a quick cavity shielding job, this bass rocks, and it has become on of my favorites. the biuld and comfort of this bass is very nice IMO.
 
#34
I do agree the fret ends aren't well dressed, but a proper fret file, basically a fine 3 corner file with the edges ground smooth so you don't score the fingerboard, and a couple of easy swipes and it's a done deal... Then again, I have heard of Ricks that shipped from the factory with sharp fret ends.
 
#37
Well, after tossing it around in my head some more, I think I'l try out the VM personally before I truly make a decision. If I decide that the Affinity feels more my style, I might just go ahead and take it, even though replacing pickups/shielding might be a tad harder considering I haven't done DIY stuff before (and bringing it to a local store might be a tad more money). If I decide to hold out and get the VM, the most of modification I'l do with it (other than shielding) might be just replacing the pickguard so it's white (because a CAR body with a white pickguard always looked so cool to me).
 
#39
GoldMan27 said:
Well, after tossing it around in my head some more, I think I'l try out the VM personally before I truly make a decision. If I decide that the Affinity feels more my style, I might just go ahead and take it, even though replacing pickups/shielding might be a tad harder considering I haven't done DIY stuff before (and bringing it to a local store might be a tad more money). If I decide to hold out and get the VM, the most of modification I'l do with it (other than shielding) might be just replacing the pickguard so it's white (because a CAR body with a white pickguard always looked so cool to me).
Click to expand...

The Entire Squier line, and most Fenders along with most other MFGs are not shielded. This is apparently an issue with passive instruments period. You would likely need to shield a VM as well, or an American Standard.

Replacing pickups is costing me under $30.00

I know older Affinities used different, closed back tuners.
 
#40
Please excuse the derail, but I have a PJ Affinity on it's way that I'm getting specifically to upgrade and learn how to set up...my question is what are the best cheap-but-good pickups to use? I was thinking EMG GZRs, but those might be doin too much on a $180 bass
 

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