Two years ago, my wife underwent unsuccessful spinal fusion surgery. Our income was cut in half, and with the expenses, some toys had to go, including my two Alembic five-strings. Faced with the choice of keeping them or turning them to make six months' mortgage, the answer was obvious.
Now I no longer gig, but I've had axes around the house since the late 70's. I was now bass-less. Facing several new realities, I bought a Squier James Johnston Sig Jazz Bass, and a little later, a Squier Precision Five. All I really wanted was something to play around the house, and I've always wanted to own a few Fenders to hot rod, since everyone except Edelbrock makes aftermarket parts for them, so that was part of it as well. I figure retail to retail, the spend is roughly 1/10 of the Alembics.
Honestly, it was time. Alembics are wonderful, nothing else is close, and they ARE everything you think they are, and are built and backed by the very best people in the music business. I'd owned them for more than a few years, and it was time for something else. But the problem is how do you go up from Alembics? You don't. So I went the other way. The best way I can put it is that the Alembics were like dressing to the nines every day, the Squiers are like my favorite pair of old jeans. No worries if I clunk into something with one of them.
The difference in construction is of course vast, but the Squiers are sufficient as I know what parts are OK as-is, and what needs upgrading with my experience of all these years. I have no illusions that they are just as good as the Alembics (what is?), but in my new circumstances they are sufficient, I have fun with them, and I can keep my hands in the game, even if it's only from the sidelines from here on out.
