• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

The Fender/Squier Bullet Bass Thread

#21
Here is my red B30 Bullet Bass. I bought him one year ago. Was the most expensive Bass I ever bought (>1k). I looked for one for years (and years). I would have preferred a white one, but this was the first B30 Bullet ever, which showed up in Germany. Sadly at a shop which is specialized on vintage guitars, so the pricing was accordingly. It took me two weeks hesitation to bring myself to buy it. I finally accepted it as the only ever possibility for me, to lay my hands on one, so I clicked the button.Except for a little lacquer damage at an unproblematic place it is in good shape and with the original case. The neck is a bit on the bigger side for my taste, but still fine. The bullet bass seems to be a little bit bigger in every respect than the musicmaster or bronco basses.The pickups sound a bit thin, but with tapewounds I am fine with them. I like it, but it is not my first go-to bass (this is my pink bronco). But I am glad I bought it and it has a personality of its own.
Still missing a mustang bass to have a proper M2B2 collection...
Bullet B30 Bass.JPG
my current favourite three (M1B2):
M1B2.JPG
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: TN WOODMAN, vbrodgers, Justinian and 5 others
#22
matt-o- said:
Here is my red B30 Bullet Bass. I bought him one year ago. Was the most expensive Bass I ever bought (>1k). I looked for one for years (and years). I would have preferred a white one, but this was the first B30 Bullet ever, which showed up in Germany. Sadly at a shop which is specialized on vintage guitars, so the pricing was accordingly. It took me two weeks hesitation to bring myself to buy it. I finally accepted it as the only ever possibility for me, to lay my hands on one, so I clicked the button.Except for a little lacquer damage at an unproblematic place it is in good shape and with the original case. The neck is a bit on the bigger side for my taste, but still fine. The bullet bass seems to be a little bit bigger in every respect than the musicmaster or bronco basses.The pickups sound a bit thin, but with tapewounds I am fine with them. I like it, but it is not my first go-to bass (this is my pink bronco). But I am glad I bought it and it has a personality of its own.
Still missing a mustang bass to have a proper M2B2 collection...
View attachment 4499638
my current favourite three (M1B2):
View attachment 4499639
Click to expand...
It looks so good!

And look at those three beauties together. That gold firebird pickup is calling my pink Bronco. If only I had the means to route the pickguard I'd be on it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Justinian and matt-o-
#29
Hey I've got one of these! My buddy gave me his a few years ago. It's a great bass, I've got it strung with Daddario Chromes and I love how it feels and sounds. Unfortunately it never really gets playing time, so I'm about to trade it to a friend. I'm happy knowing that he's getting a solid player though.
 
#30
I love the SQ Bullet Bass. Mine are 1983 and 1984 B-34. I had my necks refretted to a larger wire, badass bridges, and had them shielded with copper infused paint. These are sweet basses. The body’s are copied from the 1954 slab p-bass. The necks are from leftover 70’s tele bass. The pickups are from leftover 70’s mustang basses. They have amazing tone.
 
#32
matt-o- said:
Here is my red B30 Bullet Bass. I bought him one year ago. Was the most expensive Bass I ever bought (>1k). I looked for one for years (and years). I would have preferred a white one, but this was the first B30 Bullet ever, which showed up in Germany. Sadly at a shop which is specialized on vintage guitars, so the pricing was accordingly. It took me two weeks hesitation to bring myself to buy it. I finally accepted it as the only ever possibility for me, to lay my hands on one, so I clicked the button.Except for a little lacquer damage at an unproblematic place it is in good shape and with the original case. The neck is a bit on the bigger side for my taste, but still fine. The bullet bass seems to be a little bit bigger in every respect than the musicmaster or bronco basses.The pickups sound a bit thin, but with tapewounds I am fine with them. I like it, but it is not my first go-to bass (this is my pink bronco). But I am glad I bought it and it has a personality of its own.
Still missing a mustang bass to have a proper M2B2 collection...
View attachment 4499638
my current favourite three (M1B2):
View attachment 4499639
Click to expand...


That is very cool, red is the best looking of the factory finishes, with white a close 2nd. Is the neck "bigger" because of the width or is it thicker?

My "take it to my grave" '78 Musicmaster was always my prized bass but the original neck was like wrapping your hand around the big end of a Louisville slugger! The Bronco neck was a huge improvement for my arthritic hands.
 
#34
yodedude2 said:
both, i'd say. the b-34 necks remind me of the tele bass necks in both their width and girth. even the b-30 neck has a 'substantial' feel to it, unlike a mustang or jazz bass neck. a short scale for big folks...
Click to expand...

Interesting, like I said I've always been an admirer of the overall look of these but never had a chance to lay my hands on one in real life.
 
#35
V2Mosrite said:
I love the SQ Bullet Bass. Mine are 1983 and 1984 B-34. I had my necks refretted to a larger wire, badass bridges, and had them shielded with copper infused paint. These are sweet basses. The body’s are copied from the 1954 slab p-bass. The necks are from leftover 70’s tele bass. The pickups are from leftover 70’s mustang basses. They have amazing tone.
Click to expand...

There are lots of leftover stock stories but I don't think any of them pan out. The 70's tele basses had a thicker profile and none that I have seen have maple skunk stripes. The profile on the Bullet basses is really pure 80's Fender and falls in line with the early 80's standards and even the reissue models. Fender made Mustang basses all the way to pretty much when these were introduced so there would be no leftover 70's stock. They are the same pickup though If there was leftover stock it was from 1981 and these came out in 1982.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: V2Mosrite and yodedude2
#36
yodedude2 said:
both, i'd say. the b-34 necks remind me of the tele bass necks in both their width and girth. even the b-30 neck has a 'substantial' feel to it, unlike a mustang or jazz bass neck. a short scale for big folks...
Click to expand...

This is interesting to me. I never played a Bullet bass that I thought was beefy at all. They have all been pretty slim front to back. Not Fullerton reissue thin but still thin.
 
#38
Johnny Alien said:
This is interesting to me. I never played a Bullet bass that I thought was beefy at all. They have all been pretty slim front to back. Not Fullerton reissue thin but still thin.
Click to expand...

i'd describe my fullerton reissue a 'b+' (wide, thin) and my old tele and current b-34 neck (on a p-bass body right now) as 'c' (baseball bat). the b-30 neck i have reminds me more of a (short) normal 'b' p-bass neck. i.m.e.
 
Last edited:
#40
Johnny Alien said:
...Fender made Mustang basses all the way to pretty much when these were introduced so there would be no leftover 70's stock.
Click to expand...

they ran out of mustang bass bridges, so when smith took over, they developed the bullet as a way to get rid of all those mustang bass pickups without having to build more of those funky bridges 8-)

i just made that up 8-)
 
  • Like
Reactions: TN WOODMAN and Johnny Alien

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back