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Squier, you've really out done yourselves.

#41
Same experience as everyone else here. Went to GC Picked up a Fender american Jazz deluxe 5 string, played it, sounded nice, looked at the price tag and thought - ouch - a little pricey for a fender. Then found a used MIM 5 string jazz, played it and thought it sounded every bit as good and was shocked that it was only $400. Came back with cash in hand to buy the used MIM and it was gone. Got really bummed, mulled around the store for a while playing a few other basses and killing time. Picked up a Squire Jazz 5 string affinity and was impressed by the fit and finish, plugged it in and WOW - it sounded better than the american deluxe jazz or the MIM jazz. Paid $230 cash for it, took it home, plugged it into my SVT VR - Berg 610 rig and man it's sweet.
I've had it for about a month now and played the heck out of it with no issues. Tuners, bridge, controls etc. all seem fine. I don't know how they can sell these things at this price range and make money but I'm glad they're doing it.
I have a heavily modded Fender american jazz 5 (nearly $2000 sunk into that bass) that can't hold a candle to this $230 Squire. The Fender is now back in the case and in storage. I'm playin the Squire and lovin it.
As I've said on other posts - now all I need is a therapy session to get over the word "Squire" on the headstock.
 
#42
Squiers are the new bee's knees. Thats why i decided between my decision for a new bass between an MTD Kingston vs. Jazz vs. SBMM i've cut the Jazz out of the decision making cause i could just save up again, but only have to save $ 300ish and get a bass as good as a Standard series or even Japanese series Jazz. I was in a music store just demoing basses and i found the CV 60s Jazz to be better than the GL, i was only considering cause astehtically the GL was slightly cooler (who doesn't love black an maple, especially when you switch the PG for a black one and when the maple board has blocks?
 
#43
The Thinker said:
I played one of the Squier signature models (the P/J with the skull painted on the body) and could not believe it. The only reason I didn't dig out my wallet was...well, it had a skull painted on it. Sound and playability were great.
Click to expand...

I WISH it was painted on! If it was, I'd scrape it off after I bought it - no, make that going out the GC door I'd be scraping it off!

Unfortunately, there's ANOTHER little detail to queer me ever buying one of these basses even if I could get rid of that one on the body - the fretboard has another skull & crossbones on it, but this is INLAID!

Too bad they ruined it with those logos; it's a nice bass in every other way.
 
#45
Really? Here's the Frank Bellow pix:

492464.jpg


Looks like a skull to me.

LINK + Invalid Link Removed
 
#47
I have been saying this for a while and getting mocked or ignored for saying it. I have two modded Squier P bass that are great. They sounded great before they were modded and I ended up leaving the stock pick up in because it sounded so good.
 

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#48
I have to agree with everyone in this thread except for one thing - the Squier on the headstock. I think it is great when members of the audience or s sound guy complements me on my tone only to discover it's a squier they've been hearing. I'll call this the "squier mindf**k." :bassist:

Something that endears me to these basses is the "little bass that could" quality. There is no way they should sound and play this well considering the price point. Why would I want to sell a bass that tries so hard to be like its big brothers.

Here are my Affinity 5's. Both have a custom pickguard from WDmusic and inlay stickers from Jockomo on Ebay. They are otherwise completely stock.

IMG_2626.png


The sunburst one also has Ebay inlay stickers from Jockomo. The inlays and black pickguard add to the "squier mindf**k" as from 5 feet away it appears to be an american deluxe fender. :ninja:

IMG_2625.png
 
#49
i have a sienna sunburst fender p bass since about 86 a few years ago i decided to try a squier 20th anniversary p bass that has a gotoh bridge, i played it and said wow now i rest my sienna, i put emg's in the squier i really dig its sounds just as good as my u.s.a. sienna sunburst so later on i bought a jazz squier with a redish sunburst that looks amazing i installed a warwick preamp and barts and that guy bumps! really great instruments i like the jazz necks a lot, now im looking for a fretless neck to swap in it and other pre amp pick up combination since the basses are very reasonable on the used market im also reconsidering a 5 stringer since i sold a hohner professional 5 stringer because i didnt feel comfortable playing 5 string...but now im really really thinking that one over to try that 5er again but i got a lot of basses at the moment.

by the way that jazz bass with the sticker inlays loooks killer im looking for jackomo now!!
 
#51
justbark said:
I have to agree with everyone in this thread except for one thing - the Squier on the headstock. I think it is great when members of the audience or s sound guy complements me on my tone only to discover it's a squier they've been hearing. I'll call this the "squier mindf**k." :bassist:

Something that endears me to these basses is the "little bass that could" quality. There is no way they should sound and play this well considering the price point. Why would I want to sell a bass that tries so hard to be like its big brothers.

Here are my Affinity 5's. Both have a custom pickguard from WDmusic and inlay stickers from Jockomo on Ebay. They are otherwise completely stock.

IMG_2626.png


The sunburst one also has Ebay inlay stickers from Jockomo. The inlays and black pickguard add to the "squier mindf**k" as from 5 feet away it appears to be an american deluxe fender. :ninja:

IMG_2625.png
Click to expand...

Great post and pics! Love your "Squire mindf**K" comment. The black pickguard on the 5 string burst bass is a great improvement over the stock plain white one. It's the same bass and color I have. I've been looking for a replacement pickguard and was thinking flat black or cream or possibly tort. Which of the WD pickguards is an exact fit for the 5 string Squire Affinity - is it the Fender Mex 5 jazz or the American 5 jazz? Didn't see a category for Squire.
 
#52
GBassNorth said:
Which of the WD pickguards is an exact fit for the 5 string Squire Affinity - is it the Fender Mex 5 jazz or the American 5 jazz? Didn't see a category for Squire.
Click to expand...

FWIW, I have had both those guards on my Affinity 5's. They both will fit, but both will also have a few holes that will be just a hair (.5mm or so) off from perfect alignment of the existing holes. A few of the holes still remain perfectly dead-center under the pickguard's holes. No real need to drill complete new holes, I just put the screws in the existing holes & let them settle into their new "expanded homes" on their own accord. You could of course fill them & re-drill new holes, but that is a lot of work for being off alignment by such a small margin.

That said, the American 5 Jazz pickguards have a truss rod access cutout at the bottom of the neck (Affinitys have truss rod adjustment access at the headstock), so it leaves a gap. Better to use the Fender Mexican Pickguards - leaves no truss rod access gap around the neck pocket area.

CLARIFICATION EDIT: I wanted to add that although the MIM pickguard gets rid of the truss rod gap, both MIM & MIA pickguards will still expose a very small 1/8" inch gap of body showing at the very end of the neck pocket. Fortunately, it is right up where the neck meets the body & mostly hard to see, and it would never be seen on indoor/night gigs. AFAIK, no 100% direct-fit Squier pickguards seem to exist other than the stock single-ply pg from Squier or sending your current pg out for a custom made job.

Put this on recently (Fender Mexican 5 pickguard):

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#55
I've noticed that Squires are really quality instruments as well.
I'd be willing to bet that most people wouldn't know if they are listening to a Squire P-Bass or an old pre-CBS P-Bass from 1964 on a recording.

Sometiimes expensive dosen't always translate into a great bass.
 
#59
Well after reading these posts I walked into the GC at 8:10 P.M. and there sat a 4 string CV jazz and it has a forever home now. All for 200 bucks, I cant believe it. It played 100 percent better than anything on the wall made by Fender. It needs a set up to be perfect but I am kinda afraid cause it plays so well.

What mods do most people make? I want to put some low tension flats on but what else?
 

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