Squier Jaco Bass -- Hmm

[bullshark]

I don't count string costs, but it would probably wash anyway because I'm sure the MIMs are shipped with rounds.

Actually no, fretless Jazz MIM ship with Fender flatwound and they are very nice strings. And at 50 bucks a pop I do count them, but I also understand not everybody has the same tolerance level for spending money.

It seems to me MIMs would have the same problems (cheap bridge and tuners) as the Squier, but be $170 more expensive. I don't worry too much about the different woods used at this price level. One of the guitarists I play with has an agathis Ibanez, and it sounds fine.

The first MIM fretless I bought and returned was actually alright, I returned it because the high D was completely dead but the rest of the bass was actually quite nice. The second MIM I got in exchange was horrible, totally unplayable and it looked like it was put together by 5 years old kids, I wouldn't have paid 10 buck for it.

The store I go to is getting one in for me to try, here's me hoping that Squier turns out to be a nice bass after all.

 

[bullshark]

Maybe I got a gem?

They do have very nice reviews. Maybe Squier stumbled upon something other builders don't know about?

 

[Microbass]

i played one of these on monday and was very impressed. i've skimmed this thread but the one i played had a very fake looking grain (assuming its a laminated). the neck was wonderful and tuners felt solid. i never got the chance to plug in.

the duncan designed pups on other squires ive tried have failed to impress me but it was a nice bass acousticly...

 

[Bighead Kid]

I doubt it sounds bad. Agathis is similar to Mahagony tonally, ebonal sounds good, and SD has never had a bad sounding pickup to my knowledge. I kinda want one too...

Ebanol sucks a lot of the twang from the bass. It took some some serious treble boost too give it a good sound. I've played this before and I liked it.

 

[GeddyisGod]

Actually no, fretless Jazz MIM ship with Fender flatwound and they are very nice strings. And at 50 bucks a pop I do count them, but I also understand not everybody has the same tolerance level for spending money.



The first MIM fretless I bought and returned was actually alright, I returned it because the high D was completely dead but the rest of the bass was actually quite nice. The second MIM I got in exchange was horrible, totally unplayable and it looked like it was put together by 5 years old kids, I wouldn't have paid 10 buck for it.

The store I go to is getting one in for me to try, here's me hoping that Squier turns out to be a nice bass after all.

I don't count string costs because I change them on a fairly regular basis. I've always considered it an "operating expense". Fender and a few other manufacturers make flats for $20-25. That is cool though that Fender ships flats on their MIMs. Didn't expect that.

That's kinda my point. There doesn't seem to be as much of a gap anymore between MIM Fenders and the better Squiers.

 

[bullshark]

Well, finally went to try that bass out, gave it a very thorough look over...and brought it home with me along with a set of Fender flatwound, don't think I'll keep the box either.

Frankly, I think it's built better than the two MIM I had bought earlier, maybe I just stumbled upon one of the better Squier and the worst MIM, but the Squier is very nice, neck has got this smooth satin finish and the wood looks nice, Ebonol fingerboard feels good, no drip or other finish defect on either the body or neck, neck-to-body fit is very tight (can't get a piece of paper in there), the control knobs feels solid, smooth and tight and the bass sound very good trough my Yorkville XM200 with just the right amount of mwah. With this good an instrument I can certainly live with the Squier name on the headstock and neck plate.

 

[MtManiac]

I've been playing (and gigging) mine since April. I love it. I did replace the pups with Ultra J's, but only after I bought a new head that seemed to suck all the mwah out of the tone. The UltraJ's fixed that, but the DD stock pups were great, wouldn't have changed them ever otherwise. Set up was great out of the box. I also own two MIA P basses and an old Peavey from the 80s - the Squier fretless gets the most gigging action out of any of them, playing rock too.

Well, finally went to try that bass out, gave it a very thorough look over...and brought it home with me along with a set of Fender flatwound, don't think I'll keep the box either.

Frankly, I think it's built better than the two MIM I had bought earlier, maybe I just stumbled upon one of the better Squier and the worst MIM, but the Squier is very nice, neck has got this smooth satin finish and the wood looks nice, Ebonol fingerboard feels good, no drip or other finish defect on either the body or neck, neck-to-body fit is very tight (can't get a piece of paper in there), the control knobs feels solid, smooth and tight and the bass sound very good trough my Yorkville XM200 with just the right amount of mwah. With this good an instrument I can certainly live with the Squier name on the headstock and neck plate.

 

[kayakbass]

At the risk of sounding like a party pooper here, WHAT makes this a "Jaco" bass? Wrong body wood, wrong pickups, wrong fingerboard...... Just another way for the corporate greedy-guys to make a buck off of a name and NOT a product. That said, it still looks to be a good entry level fretless. Just hung up about them using the Jaco name to sell a bass that is NOTHING like Jaco's. Am I being a grump about this or does anyone else agree? For instance, if they took the "Jaco" name off of it wouldn't it be even MORE affordable?

 

[Khronic]

.... the Squier is very nice, neck has got this smooth satin finish and the wood looks nice, Ebonol fingerboard feels good, no drip or other finish defect on either the body or neck, neck-to-body fit is very tight (can't get a piece of paper in there), the control knobs feels solid, smooth and tight and the bass sound very good trough my Yorkville XM200 with just the right amount of mwah. With this good an instrument I can certainly live with the Squier name on the headstock and neck plate.

+1 I tried one of these several months ago and was very impressed. I've never been a huge Fender fan but I would buy one of these. The sound was unbelievable for a $280 Bass. Nice pick-ups.

 

[bullshark]

At the risk of sounding like a party pooper here, WHAT makes this a "Jaco" bass?

Absolutely nothing. It isn't advertised as such by Fender or it's retailer, and it doesn't feature the Jaco name anywhere on it.

Peoples started associating it with the Jaco name because it sort of looks like one of the bass Jaco used.

 

[mello_bedwetter]

Link Removed


I just noticed this one... I like this one too. I may reconsider buying and modding my friends Squire P with a allparts block neck now. I could spend $150 more and have an extra body laying around!

That's the one I like. I was thinking of putting a BADASS on it and one of the chrome "bridges" that go over the strings between the pick ups. It would look similar to a Marcus Miller jazz.

 

[MtManiac]

At the risk of sounding like a party pooper here, WHAT makes this a "Jaco" bass? Wrong body wood, wrong pickups, wrong fingerboard...... Just another way for the corporate greedy-guys to make a buck off of a name and NOT a product. That said, it still looks to be a good entry level fretless. Just hung up about them using the Jaco name to sell a bass that is NOTHING like Jaco's. Am I being a grump about this or does anyone else agree? For instance, if they took the "Jaco" name off of it wouldn't it be even MORE affordable?

Relax, it's not a Jaco bass, that's just the name of the thread. It's a Squier Vintage Modified Fretless.

 

[Deacon_Blues]

I can't believe someone hasn't brought up the Squire's terrible fretwork!!!!

...

Just kidding.

Actually, I will do it. No kidding, I'm serious. The inlaid fretlines are not on the same level as the rest of the fretboard and I'm planning on taking this bass to a luthier to get the neck planed. I can actually feel the lines when I'm playing and that's not really how it should be on a fretless.

Regardless from this issue, I like the bass very much. It sounds great (great duncan designed pickups!) and it's easy to play and adjust. Anyway, due to the bad fretwork I haven't been able to lower the action as much as I'd want to.

Btw, with roundwounds, you get a good, thick vintage slap sound from this too.

EDIT: Oops, didn't notice this thread was nine pages long...

 

[MtManiac]

Actually, I will do it. No kidding, I'm serious. The inlaid fretlines are not on the same level as the rest of the fretboard and I'm planning on taking this bass to a luthier to get the neck planed. I can actually feel the lines when I'm playing and that's not really how it should be on a fretless.

Regardless from this issue, I like the bass very much. It sounds great (great duncan designed pickups!) and it's easy to play and adjust. Anyway, due to the bad fretwork I haven't been able to lower the action as much as I'd want to.

Btw, with roundwounds, you get a good, thick vintage slap sound from this too.

EDIT: Oops, didn't notice this thread was nine pages long...

Not to mention over a year old!

 

[GeddyisGod]

I'm guilty of bringing it back up because I'm seriously interested in one of these. I wanted to see if the people who were singing its praises when they got it are still happy now that some time has passed.

 

[Nils]

I'm playing it right now through my Akai Headrush E2 and I'm loving it

 

[bassbrad]

I've had mine since April and I love playing it. I am not going to defend it or declare it the best bass ever but I can get the sound I want and execute the things I want to on it and everyone esle seems quite pleased.
My only issue is the slight buzz I get when recording but when I use a grounded DI the buzz is gone. I tried some other pickups but went back to the Duncan designed originals.

 

[Mofo-Kang]

Why in the name of God can't Fender make a half decent UNLINED fretless Jazz?!?!

My unlined Fender fretless Jazz is pretty nice, actualy.

 

[Mofo-Kang]

...Just have issues with Fender using an artists name to sell an instrument when the instrument is completely different from what the artist use's/used. I'm sure it's a good bass though.

No, a fretted neon orange BC Rich Warlock with dual active P-bass pickups is "completely different" from Jaco's famous bass. This one is "very similar." And Fender's NOT using Jaco's name to sell it, remember?

 

[SteveC]

I have a Squire 70's Vintage Jazz and it's a nice bass. I upgraded a couple things but even stock it was OK. It's also for sale as I tend to just play my 5 string.