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Squier, you've really out done yourselves.

#21
I love the Affinity basses - don't know why they get such a bad rep. They are really fantastic, I currently own 2 Affinity jazzes (got rid of the 3rd) and have gigged them many times over the last several years. My only thought is that people must be judging them in their local Neglection Center - completely dead strings, in desperate need of truss rod adjustment, or anything resembling a general setup & then of course there will always be people who tend to "hear with their eyes" when viewing a price tag. To each their own - mark me down as "like them a lot". They have a great, thin C-profile neck that is very fast & comfortable to play. No need for any fret work at all on mine or ones I've played at the store. Good low action from the factory - at least in my experiences with them. I really like the stock pickups as well - pump up the 200Hz frequency on your amp a little, and these suckers speaker very authoritatively - they have a strong voice in the low-mids and with very little help they give you that kick-in-the-chest tone. To my knowledge, the Affinities are still the only Squier models made with Alder bodies (vs. soft maple, agathis, and basswood). I'd recommend to anyone that they are worth trying out at home after a proper setup & fresh strings - they can always be brought back for full refund.

Too many pics:

100_0695-2.jpg

100_0692-2.jpg

This one was souped up at one point, but now back to stock everything:
100_0769-2.jpg
 
#22
Squiers in general have just been amazing the last few years now. The quality control on them has gotten quite exceptional. I really think they have been feeling the pressure from the chinese brands like SX, and realized those "cheap chinese basses" were not the garbage they used to be. It became time to step up the game or get buried.
 
#29
Tommygunn said:
Only problem with buying these basses. The jazz is black and the pbass is red. I hate both of those colors on a bass.
Click to expand...

Regardless of models (Affinity, VM, CV, etc.) I get the impression that Squier is still pretty limited across the board when it comes to offering a wide selection of colors. I wonder if that is by choice or by mandate from FMIC. :eyebrow: They recently added a Brownburst model to only the Affinity 5-string jazz basses, not the 4-string P-basses. :hmm:
 
#31
Muckaluck said:
I sold my 5 string American Standard Precision when I decided I'd get in on the LOG bass. I wanted something to last me for the meantime so I auditioned 3 or 4 squier affinity p basses and picked the one I liked best. I never thought I'd be so happy with a budget instrument. The P bass is everything a P bass should be. I put some Labella Jamersons on it and it totally sings. This bass gets around one hour of play time per day.

I found that when I compared the squier to the US models in the store, the squier beat out many US models in body resonance. The ceramic pickups are a little crisper than the alnico ones on the US models, but I find when I play the ceramics in a mix, they sit much nicer than the alnicos did on my 5 string precision. I love the unfinished neck on the squier and found that some Fender neck finishes are less appealing.

I'm reminded of Leo Fender's initial mission, which was to make a production instrument that could be sold to the masses. From what I understand, he chose the materials that he chose for the sake of cost effectiveness. I think that the squier affinities echo the original fender mandate, as they provide an accessible instrument that requires no bells and whistles to let each musician's talent through.
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+1. I own a 2002 Squier Affinity P-Bass 20th Anniversary Edition. It's your basic P-Bass. I don't understand why some people spend $3,000+ for a P-Bass, when an Affinity with a few upgrades can be made to their specs. Sigh.. To each their own.
 
#32
Tommygunn said:
Well I could handle a black jazz, but I would rather the pbass to be the blue color.
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Musicians Friend is listing the P bass as offered in Black, Metallic Red or Metallic Blue. Select Color Option pull down menu.

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Affinity-Precision-Bass-Pack?sku=513289

Here is the jazz I got rid of in Metallic Blue - the color just wasn't quite right to me in person, it just seemed to have a prominent purple-ish under-hue about it. But again, to each their own, you may dig it.

100_0749.jpg
 
#34
stingray69 said:
Musicians Friend is listing the P bass as offered in Black, Metallic Red or Metallic Blue. Select Color Option pull down menu.

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Affinity-Precision-Bass-Pack?sku=513289

Here is the jazz I got rid of in Metallic Blue - the color just wasn't quite right to me in person, it just seemed to have a prominent purple-ish under-hue about it. But again, to each their own, you may dig it.

100_0749.jpg
Click to expand...

That's funny that you said that about the purple hue...I was talking to a bass player once who had a Jazz bass and I said how nice of a purple it was. He then said he was color blind, and had bought it because he thought it was blue.

BnB
 
#38
I have a Squier Affinity P-Bass which I got on eBay in January 2008 for $50. I've replaced everything on it except the tuners. The tuners hold their tuning as well as any other bass I've seen so why replace them? My P plays and sounds as good as any other P I've tried at GC. ;)
 
#39
I bought a VM 70's P-Bass a month ago and once I got done tweaking it with brass bridge saddles, to replace the cast metal original ones that DID sound way different, UltraLite Hipshot tuners because I had them already, and a genuine Sprague 225P Orange Drop .047 cap, the bass has been my main gigging bass lately and can't wait to gig with it again tomorrow night. Oh yeah, I also put MIA P-bass knobs on it and had the nut slots tweaked. The pickups are amazing with that new cap and the bass is balanced really well; it only weighs about 7lbs 5oz. It sounds incredible thru my rig and I'm just going to play it for awhile and not do anything else to it. I should mention that I also have a really nice '06 Hiway 1 Jazz bass w/ DiMarzio Model J's and a '68 parts Jazz bass w/ Model J's that's also really nice. Both of those basses have been staying in the cases at home on gig nights while I take my Squier P-Bass...Oh yeah, and the best part, I got it for $240 bucks out the door. Could NOT be happier... :bassist: )-(

BTW, a new set of D'Addario EXL-220's really helped as well.
 

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