The Squier Mini Precision Bass Club

[Frank Vozak]

This is a beautiful bass. I am saving for my new Squier and can hardly
stand the wait. As a youth I played primarily short scale and when I
returned to playing bass at retirement I bought a Squier Precision PJ
bass but discovered that the larger Precision body and 34 inch neck made
things difficult. Sold the Precision and now totally Fender designed short scale basses

 

[Frank Vozak]

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Here's a long scale, short scale, and mini P next to each other. You can see it's not much smaller than a "regular" short scale. The pickguard is adequate to rest your thumb, and it is fun to play!
View attachment 3885915[/QUOTDid you put a foam mute on your 34" precision. I am looking for foam material to try on my Squier SS Jaguar since I really liked the foam mute on my 67m Mustang Bass many years ago. I guess I'm a real mute guy since I always used the felt mute on my 67 Gibson EB-O. Sadly these two plus my 67 Jazz Bass are long gone. Thought I never play bass again so overt time sold all my stuff. But surprise the bug bit me again at 67 when I retired. Do you notice this theme of "67" for me....1967, 67 years old always about a bass guitar. By the way I started playing the first time in 1967 After I persuaded my parents that playing a six string guitar is not like playing a violin and they acquiesed and I got my California made 1967 Mustang
Bass and a 1967 Kalamazoo Bass 50. amp shortly replaced there after by 1967 AMPEG BT 15 D solid state two cabinet portaflex. Sold that too, bad move all around

 

[daveobieone]

I guess I don't understand the scale length choice for this bass.?. Had it been a 30 or 30.5 I'd be all over it. As it is, this length makes string selection a problem.

I also switch back and forth between 34 inch and 30 inch basses fairly often. Making that transition is difficult enough. A couple of inches shorter, that would be really difficult for me. Perhaps some can deal with it, but I probably can't.

I like my Gibson Les Paul SS basses, and my Mustang P/J. I also have a Gretsch G2220, which is amazing for the price. I like all of those basses a lot, but really wish ANY of them had a right arm contour instead of slab bodies...which can get really uncomfortable after a couple of hours. This bass has the contour, but the 2 inch shorter scale is a non-starter.

The only SS basses I have with some degree of contour are my SG basses, and an Epi EBO, which just doesn't sound good enough (even with an expensive aftermarket PU...costing more than the bass) to be gig-able.

This announcement really got my hopes up. I really wanted a SS P-Bass, but I guess the wait will continue.

Why Fender can't just do a real, professional-grade, Fender P in standard 30 inch SS, instead of 50 different varieties of long-scales is beyond me. Why not do something really different and useful for a change Fender? Hello...Is anyone in California listening? No, I guess not. They are busy "designing" the 51st version of the long-scale P-Bass. Ya, we really need that.

Dave O.

 

[MakoMan]

So my shop texted me today to tell me the Squier Mini P had arrived. They did not specifically order it for me, but I had first dibs. I just happened to be about 2 minutes away so instead of replying to text I just stopped by and when I got there they had just taken it out of the box and tuned it, but not set up yet. I plugged it into a Rumble 200 just like mine and played it for about 30 minutes. Here are my impressions.
- This is definitely a mini P. Unlike most of my short scales which have pretty much normal sized bodies with 30" scales the body on Mini P is tiny.. almost identical to the small body on my Jay Turser Mini P. But where the 30" scale looks almost disproportionately long on the Turser, the scale on the Squier and headstock size and shape looks in proportion to the body. It really does look like shrunken Fender Precision Bass. The mini lollipop tuners are cool.
- The setup out of the box was actually pretty good. The stock round wound strings really surprised me as I usually despise stock rounds. The stock rounds on the Bronco I just purchased are thin and rattle. The ones on the Mini P were thicker and didn't rattle at all. I could actually play this bass with the stock strings and switch to flats later. Tension was fine, better than my Bronco with its stock strings and I'll bet it will be even better with Chromes on.
- Frets were smooth with no sharp edges and all the hardware on the bass seemed tight.
- With the small body it's light. Not as light as my Turser which weighs only 5 lbs, but I would say about the advertised 6 lbs. It is however very nicely balanced with zero neck dive.
- I loved the neck. It feels chunky for a 1.5" width nut - think much more Bronco than Jag. I noticed no difference between it and a 30" scale while playing... your mileage may vary.
- And finally, this thing is THUMPY!!!... even with the stock rounds. No need for the Vintage button on the Rumble 200.... this is a Precision Bass.
So I bought it. They're going to set it up to my personal specs and I will pick it up tomorrow. I decided to keep it with the stock strings on it and if in a few weeks I hate them the shop will install the Chromes for free.
I'll post pics and a full review with a comparison to some of my 10 or so other shorties in a couple of days

 

[Frank Vozak]

I guess I don't understand the scale length choice for this bass.?. Had it been a 30 or 30.5 I'd be all over it. As it is, this length makes string selection a problem.

I also switch back and forth between 34 inch and 30 inch basses fairly often. Making that transition is difficult enough. A couple of inches shorter, that would be really difficult for me. Perhaps some can deal with it, but I probably can't.

I like my Gibson Les Paul SS basses, and my Mustang P/J. I also have a Gretsch G2220, which is amazing for the price. I like all of those basses a lot, but really wish ANY of them had a right arm contour instead of slab bodies...which can get really uncomfortable after a couple of hours. This bass has the contour, but the 2 inch shorter scale is a non-starter.

The only SS basses I have with some degree of contour are my SG basses, and an Epi EBO, which just doesn't sound good enough (even with an expensive aftermarket PU...costing more than the bass) to be gig-able.

This announcement really got my hopes up. I really wanted a SS P-Bass, but I guess the wait will continue.

Why Fender can't just do a real, professional-grade, Fender P in standard 30 inch SS, instead of 50 different varieties of long-scales is beyond me. Why not do something really different and useful for a change Fender? Hello...Is anyone in California listening? No, I guess not. They are busy "designing" the 51st version of the long-scale P-Bass. Ya, we really need that.

Dave O.

Un fortunately you would have to go to Japan to that MIJ 20 inch neck Precision. By the way Fender gets weirder my Acoustic Fender CB 60 has a 32 inch neck. Just long enough that it takes some adjustment to play my Squier SS Jaguar Bass.
Try nylon tape wound string on your Epi EB-0 I could not get my 67 Gibson EB-Oa to sound right with Gibson round wounds or flat wounds but 1968 Guild Tape Wound Bass strings hit the sweet spot.

 

[MakoMan]

Picked up my Squier Mini P late yesterday and played it a bit last night. Just one little problem, which you can see it in the photo below.
I'm dropping it off at the store today and they will order a replacement.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

Picked up my Squier Mini P late yesterday and played it a bit last night. Just one little problem, which you can see it in the photo below.
I'm dropping it off at the store today and they will order a replacement.

View attachment 3907786 View attachment 3907786

Wait. What? You didn't notice this when you played it for half an hour yesterday at the shop? You specifically mentioned the fretwork, so you looked at the neck. Did they mess it up when they put on the chromes?

 

[MakoMan]

Honestly I did not notice and I have no idea why, because that is usually one of the first things I would check. I looked at specific parts of the bass and checked to see if everything was tight, fret ends, how the tuners worked etc. I played the bass, but I'm not the world's greatest bassist and I'm a little shy when playing in the store so I stuck to pretty simple stuff that I know I can play and was focusing on the action, buzzing and tone. Also keep in mind that I'm not used to testing out instruments while wearing a face mask and trying to stay 15 feet away from everyone - it was a little weird in there and very distracting. When I picked up the bass they asked me to try it to make sure everything was right, but I just said I would try it at home because I really didn't want to spend a lot of time again with the face mask on. It was not until I got home and started playing more complex stuff that I really noticed the issue and took a closer look.
I had asked the shop to hold off on installing the Chromes and just do a basic set up and loctite the output jack, so I could play the bass as is before installing new strings just in case something like this came up after I got the bass home and I'm now really glad I did that. I'm a little surprised that they didn't notice it when doing the set up, but I've never had an issue with this place in 20 years and I know they are super busy and dealing with a pandemic right now. They'll make it right.

 

[SBassman]

I'm not sure I'm seeing the obvious problem. From that picture, it looks like the strings are grossly misaligned to the board. Is that it, or something else?

 

[Volker Kirstein]

I'm not sure I'm seeing the obvious problem. From that picture, it looks like the strings are grossly misaligned to the board. Is that it, or something else?

I'm pretty sure that's what he's talking about.

 

[MakoMan]

I'm not sure I'm seeing the obvious problem. From that picture, it looks like the strings are grossly misaligned to the board. Is that it, or something else?

It’s that.

 

[Frank Vozak]

Picked up my Squier Mini P late yesterday and played it a bit last night. Just one little problem, which you can see it in the photo below.
I'm dropping it off at the store today and they will order a replacement.

View attachment 3907786 View attachment 3907786

I'm hoping that I have better luck with the mini-P I ordered today from woodwinds/brasswinds

 

[Frank Vozak]

Looking at the price level the mini P is quite the same as the Bronco. Thomann put 175 Euros for the Bronco and 173 Euros for the mini P.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Bronco will be discontinued.
The mini P apparently has the same hardware used for the Affinity P, same bridge, same wood for the fingerboard (laurel), etc. so maybe Fender thought about reducing costs by using some of the same assembly-line used for the Affinity P.

Considering the extra short scale length, they are also going to compete with brands like Ibanez (Mikro Bass).

Most important thing I would check is the frets, on the low budget area sometimes fret filing is seriously needed.

Anyway, I am really curious to try one.

hopefully the Bronco will stay with that maple fingerboard it is appealing

 

[Frank Vozak]

I went ahead and preordered a red Mini Precision from Guitar Center. Most other US vendors have it listed at $179.99 (including Sweetwater and Squier's own website). Finger crossed GC honors their preorder price of $149.99.

The confirmation email states, "This item is available but requires extended shipping time." I have no idea when it'll actually arrive but I'm certainly eager to test it out. Now I need to figure out which set of flats I can put on it.

Thank you for the GC quote. I used your figures to get a Red Mini for $149 plus sale tax from Woodwinds/Brasswinds phone order. Mine is supposed to arrive in about a week. I am very
excited

 

[Volker Kirstein]

I'm hoping that I have better luck with the mini-P I ordered today from woodwinds/brasswinds

Did you order it in Black or Red?

 

[Frank Vozak]

Did you order it in Black or Red?

Red

 

[SBassman]

When I look at the picture of the misalignment, it is disturbing.

It means they are building this thing on one of their poor manufacturing lines, not the better lines.

A few years ago, when they did the VM line, they were pumping out really high quality stuff at a great price point.

It seems companies frequently do this - do the small model, and then build and price it like a toy. It's not the right way.

I always dwell in the lower end of things, but, I personally would much rather have seen this built at the quality and price point of the VMs rather than what it appears they are doing now.

The fact that people are able to catch a 150 dollar price on this means it is an excessively low end build. Would much rather pay 250 and have a consistently quality build. [along with - how radical - maybe a few more colors/finishes.]

Compare this to the Mikro line. Very high quality. No reports, that I am aware of, for builds like this. With - how radical - lots of different colors and even translucent finishes - at a great price point.

 

[macmanlou]

A few years ago, when they did the VM line, they were pumping out really high quality stuff at a great price point.

The Fender MIM P-Bass JR was a much better build (alder body, string-through-body bridge, uses most short-scale strings), but it was the same price as the full-size MIM Precision. These days, one of those used usually goes for $600-$800.

I agree that a VM (or CV) quality mini for about $100-$150 more would have been nicer.

 

[MakoMan]

When I look at the picture of the misalignment, it is disturbing.

It means they are building this thing on one of their poor manufacturing lines, not the better lines.

A few years ago, when they did the VM line, they were pumping out really high quality stuff at a great price point.

It seems companies frequently do this - do the small model, and then build and price it like a toy. It's not the right way.

I always dwell in the lower end of things, but, I personally would much rather have seen this built at the quality and price point of the VMs rather than what it appears they are doing now.

The fact that people are able to catch a 150 dollar price on this means it is an excessively low end build. Would much rather pay 250 and have a consistently quality build. [along with - how radical - maybe a few more colors/finishes.]

Compare this to the Mikro line. Very high quality. No reports, that I am aware of, for builds like this. With - how radical - lots of different colors and even translucent finishes - at a great price point.

Yeah it is a little troubling to me as well... but that's what a warranty is for. The pickups, neck etc. though are really nice and I like the scale length.
I should note that I have a tendency to be somewhat unlucky at times with new purchases. If there is one bad one out there, it will find me. I had a new Fender Mustang P/J that was nothing but trouble and before that an Epiphone Rumblekat on which I had both bridge and tuner issues. Those are both highly rated and much-loved basses on TB, but in my case they sucked. I'm also probably the only person in history who has ever bought a set of QSC speakers and BOTH of them had issues. Fortunately the replacement set has worked flawlessly for the past year.
New equipment can be a bit of a crapshoot. On the other hand I've had cheap basses and Kustom, Phonic and Behringer products work flawlessly and last for years, so I'm not totally turned off on the Squier Mini. Hopefully I just got unlucky and the replacement will have no issues.

 

[Frank Vozak]

Yeah it is a little troubling to me as well... but that's what a warranty is for. The pickups, neck etc. though are really nice and I like the scale length.
I should note that I have a tendency to be somewhat unlucky at times with new purchases. If there is one bad one out there, it will find me. I had a new Fender Mustang P/J that was nothing but trouble and before that an Epiphone Rumblekat on which I had both bridge and tuner issues. Those are both highly rated and much-loved basses on TB, but in my case they sucked. I'm also probably the only person in history who has ever bought a set of QSC speakers and BOTH of them had issues. Fortunately the replacement set has worked flawlessly for the past year.
New equipment can be a bit of a crapshoot. On the other hand I've had cheap basses and Kustom, Phonic and Behringer products work flawlessly and last for years, so I'm not totally turned off on the Squier Mini. Hopefully I just got unlucky and the replacement will have no issues.

I hope that your replacement Mini works out well. You have a really positive attitude about new equipment. I admit that I probably would have held off ordering my Mini but that bass just sang to me and it was a price that I could afford and my wife would be comfortable with (I already own two basses, a Squier Jaguar Bass and a Fender Acoustic Classic Style bass CB 60 and have access to a short scale Kramer Bass so she could have written another bass as too much). So far I have been luckily in life with gear, except for the 68 Silver Face Bassman with a speaker cabinet that would not fit in any of the family cars when I was in high school so it had to go back (again as luck would have our local music store gave me a really great price on an Ampeg 1967 BT 15D that really served me very well for the balance of high school and college).