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The Squier Mini Precision Bass Club
- Thread starter sabre79
- Start date
I have to tell you I have had several basses and other guitars with poplar bodies and will tell you I do not think that is your problem. I would first have to say possibly change out the stock strings for some good flat wounds to start. I would think next the pickups but if you are using Seymour Duncan quarter pound pickup I would say that should have helped. Try changing the strings. Now you say this is happening on your Squier Mini P Bass? If so the scale length being 28.6" which we know could be part of the issue especially if you are trying to compare it to a full size bass but it should not sound that bad. I have heard too many that sounded pretty good online when played straight thru the system without enhancement. I see the mini comes with .040 -.095 gauge strings. I would not try much heavier strings for it may cause more issues. All I would say is to go up like .005" in thickness. Like .045 - .100. You may have to try a custom string mfg. but I am not sure. Also you mentioned something about Nato. That is nothing but a species of mahogany with good sound quality and they have been using that for a while to make instruments since they have had problems getting other special woods. Wish you the best.
My experience is that the electronics are about 80% of the sound, so I'd take a look there before thinking it was the body wood. I don't know about the Quarter Pounders (I've heard good things) and I've got Epic Custom pickups on one of my basses, and I think they sound great for about $40 less.
F1 for P Bass
I recently had pots and caps replaced in one of my basses, and it really sweetened up the sound.
And seconding the recommendation to change the strings. Probably a good idea to play without headphones too. I've not found any that I think sound as good as good speakers.
Just one person's experience.
My experience is that the electronics are about 80% of the sound, so I'd take a look there before thinking it was the body wood. I don't know about the Quarter Pounders (I've heard good things) and I've got Epic Custom pickups on one of my basses, and I think they sound great for about $40 less.
F1 for P Bass
I recently had pots and caps replaced in one of my basses, and it really sweetened up the sound.
And seconding the recommendation to change the strings. Probably a good idea to play without headphones too. I've not found any that I think sound as good as good speakers.
Just one person's experience.
I have to agree with RodRy about electronics on these bassses as being the main contributor for good sound. I had a Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar short scale with stock pickups. It sounded good but a little on the punie side of things. I switched them out for some Dimarzio DP122 pickups (P &J)and some good quality Fender pots and wiring and I can tell you it made a world of difference. Sounded just as good as any other Fender PJ bass on the block. Wish I would have kept it.
The Hipshot really adds sustain (in my opinion). Plus, I REALLY like their 3 string tree too! (the A string rides too high with a factory button tree, in my opinion) Yes, I was a hard core Dimarzio guy from 1980-2000. But, I really like the way Semour Duncan's pickups seem to be a little more subtle, and reserved than the big Ds. Note: When I added the Quarter Pounder I also upgraded the pots, wiring, cap and jack. I'd also added a set of Semour HOT RODS to my D'Angelico Jazz box, and they gave me a wider range of sound for recording! To me DiMarzio's always felt like they were a 12 on a scale of 10. Not a lot of finesse, but real hammers when you needed to rock out! (I'm 66 now, so consider the source...loll)
(I'm dropping a new set of strings on tomorrow, so please ignore the chewed up threads on the G string)
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That sounds interesting. I may have to try the Seymour Duncan quarter pounder the next time I switch out stock pickups. I guess I can say you are pleased with your Fender Mini Bass as far as sound quality and playability? What type stings are you going with?
I absolutely LOVE my little 28 1/2" scale bass, as I am primarily a guitar player.
Actually, I needed something convenient for the occasional double studio call.
(Bonus: It slips perfectly into any of my strat/telly hardshell and/or gig bags)
Since you asked: Rotosound R77S jazz bass, short scale, flatwound,
.40-.90. They are absolutely perfect for this "mini" bass...
Jazz Bass 77 Short Scale | 40-90 • Rotosound Music Strings
One last note: The guys may laugh at you if you walk into a
session with one of these, but as soon as they plug it into the
board and hear it, they understand*.
* Disclaimer, the only components on this bass I haven't upgraded are the factory neck, and the body blank. However, I did level and dress those frets and roll that fingerboard the day it arrived. Fortunately the new electronics (with full size Bourns pots and a switchcraft jack) fit perfectly without having to re-route the cavity! Same with the Seymour 1/4 pounder, Grover 20-1 Tuners, and KickAss bridge, all direct drop-ins with the help of a screwdriver. Installing the Hipshot 3 string tree and applying copper shielding to the new pick-guard were the most time consuming upgrades so far... loll
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Just tell that it isn't how big it is, it's what you do with it.... The guys may laugh at you if you walk into a session with one of these, but as soon as they plug it into the board and hear it, they understand*.
Wood choice on a solid-body electric instrument has been shown to be a moot point in blind testing several times over.
Wood selection is there for psycological, and/or on transparent finishes astetical, reasons.
One "thinks" they'll hear a difference so they hear a difference.
Not to say the Mini doesn't sound different, it does, but it ain't the wood.
Strings, pots, pups, that's where the "meat" is.
Scale length of course is the biggest difference here.
Reminds me of a story I heard of a engineer who spent some time tweaking this one setting.
He vacillated for a while, liking aspects of both sounds but wanted it to be "perfect".
After an hour or two of this he realized that channel he was adjusting was muted the whole time and the entire exercise and the "differences" between the settings were all in his head.
Again if one expects to hear a difference, one will hear a difference.
This is why buying a $200 "Indo" bass for work wasn't crazy! I bought it primarily because it has a 28 1/2" scale, and it "feels" like playing one of my guitars! It fits in my current cases and it weighs less than 8 lbs. I didn't care about it being made out of poplar, or that it had a "laurel" fingerboard, or that it had import electronics & hardware. I ONLY cared about the construction of that neck and the fit to the body. The rest was just semantics. Roughly $400 in the right parts (and lots of free labor) and it's a monster in a little package.
They never see it coming... lollAttachments
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This describes the Mini to a "T" as well....I bought it primarily because it has a 28 1/2" scale, and it "feels" like playing my guitar! It fits in my current cases and it weighs less than 8 lbs. I didn't care about it being made out of poplar, or that it had a "laurel" fingerboard , or that it had import electronics & hardware. I ONLY cared about the construction of that neck and the fit to the body. The rest was just semantics. Roughly $400 in parts (and lots of free labor) and it's a monster in a little package.
Not so sure about your tone wood point in this case. I had a Fender P Junior with the same 28.6 inch scale and it sounded significantly better than the Mini does, had an alder body. Im sure it had better pickups as well. So I dont think its the scale length. I also had a cheap Glarry P bass that was probably made from plywood for all I know. Sounded terrible, my first thought was to swap the pickup. I put the exact same SD Quarter Pound pickup that I had in my MIM Fender P and it sounded nothing like the Fender. Still sounded like garbage. Had a hollow, clunky sound to it that was almost certainly the cheap wood.
So today, I compared the Mini to 3 different P basses (CV 60s, CV 70s and CV 40th anniversary), which I should have done before buying it I guess. It had that same kind of hollow and clunky tone to it as I had in the Glarry bass that even an excellent pickup couldn't fix. The full sized P basses sounded great, like a P bass. Not sure what to do. I do have a 28.6 inch scale mini jazz bass coming in a few days. I'll be interested to see how that sounds compared to my full sized CV 40th anniversary jazz.
I'll have to look for some videos with modded Mini Ps and see how the sound compares to see if it is indeed the pickup. Here is a video with the Fender P Junior by the way. Wish the Squier Mini had half that tone. I should have never sold mine!
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First, I'm pretty sure it's not the wood... loll
OK. Let me make sure I understand you correctly. You owned a limited edition ($800 back in 2002) American Precision Bass Junior (made of Alder). Recently you sold it to buy a stock Indonesian made 2022 MINI (made of Poplar) that sells for less than $200 in 2022. Now, when comparing them, your not happy with the sound of the MINI compared with your vintage Junior? That's kind of like comparing a Lexus 450H to a stock Corolla Cross, isn't it? If I remember correctly, those Precision Bass Juniors were partially hand assembled in either Corona, or Japan, and had full-on American grade hardware, wiring, and electronics. Your stock MINI was mass produced in Indonesia with import electronics, pickups, and hardware. Just dropping a Quarter Pounder in it, and not upgrading the electronics or the hardware, isn't going to take advantage of your pickup.
How about comparing it to a "lightly" modded Mini P, like mine. It has Grover 20-1 tuners, a hand cut Tusq nut, I dressed and leveled the frets, I hand rolled the fingerboard, I added a Seymour Quarter Pounder, I also added (a side of) Bourns pots, an orange drop cap, Gavitt wires, and a Switchcraft jack (to go with my Quarter Pounder loll). Next I added a Hipshot tree and a Kickass bridge. Then I professionally dialed it in. (and I spent 10 years working for Fender, Musicman and G&L in my youth) When needed (I'm primarily a guitar player) I've been using mine in the studio since January instead of my Vintage 1965 Precision, because it's safe and easy to fly with (and I'm not going to risk my 65 while traveling during a stupid Pandemic!) I could have easily rented a Precision when I got there (but my MINI sounded fine in the mix). Who knew? I'm pretty sure my MINI might compete a little better with the memory of your Junior.
Seriously, comparing a stock $200 instrument vs an American grade instrument worth $1k on the street (right now 20 years later) is interesting. I'm not trying to be rude, but that's not really a surprise, is it?
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Since you disagree with wood making a difference I have to ask why you think Bourns pots, an orange drop cap, Gavitt wires and a Switchcraft jack contribute to the sound.
I'm no electronic engineer but the difference between cheap and high quality pots is the reliability, the precision of the taper and the tolerance. Most commercial effect pedals have cheap Alpha or even cheaper pots. The type of capacitor doesn't make an audible difference in guitars, Orange Drops are simply known to be reliable, have nice thick leads and have been used for a long time but the value is what matters. And a high quality jack is just more robust but doesn't affect the sound.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
OK, If you say so. (I'm not really here to argue with you). But don't you think that also having a high density bridge, a quality tree, a professionally cut nut, and the right strings (short scale flat-wounds sound best on a MINI) along with high quality tuners also contribute to the overall sound? I'm pretty sure the difference between using an Alder or a Poplar body blank may be less than you think. At G&L (while building the F-100 Prototypes in 1978 with Leo) I asked if he thought Poplar, Swamp Ash, or Alder sounded best? (He had builds made of each, in his work bin) He didn't really have a preference... (and for what it's worth, my brother has been an Electrical Engineer for 50 years)
On a lighter note, my ex-girlfriend was from Poland!
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I asked about the electronics and asked you to correct me if I'm wrong and instead you talk about bridges and nuts...OK, If you say so. (I really didn't want to argue with you). But don't you think that also having a high density bridge, a quality tree, a professionally cut nut, and the right strings (short scale flat-wounds sound best on a MINI) along with high quality tuners also contribute to the overall sound? I'm pretty sure the difference between using an Alder or a Poplar body blank may be less than you think. At G&L (while building the F-100 Prototypes in 1978 with Leo) I asked if he thought Poplar, Swamp Ash, or Alder sounded best? (He had builds made of each, in his work bin) He didn't really have a preference... (and for what it's worth, my brother has been an Electrical Engineer for 50 years)
On a lighter note, my ex-girlfriend was from Poland!
I have no experience with different bridges on the same instrument. Nuts have never changed the tone for me, certainly not on fretted notes. Obviously they must be cut properly.
I've changed necks on one bass and the sound improved but I have no recordings to prove it so I just might be psychoacoustics.
I never said I believed in tone woods btw.
OK, you asked for it. Professional grade electronics allow a cleaner, purer signal than cheap electronics with the same "documented" specs. The quality of the components in a signal chain do matter! Call the techs at Fender, or Gibson, or Seymour Duncan tomorrow, and ask them if the quality of the components in a signal chain matter?
It's late and I'm an old man, so I'm going to bed. Have a nice evening!
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Now that it's morning (and I'm fully awake again) Good Morning! So, you're right, and you're wrong. Let me explain. Everything between your pickup, and your amplifier directly affect the quality of your pickup's signal. Higher quality, higher rated pots with the correct values allow a brighter cleaner signal through and yes, they are generally more dependable. Larger diameter, cloth wrapped, high quality, properly shielded wires generally have more capacity, and have less affect on your final audio signal. The quality of a cap "should" not matter, but I've found (over the past 40 years or so) they do make a difference if the cheap one in your guitar is not meeting manufacturer specs (which happens a lot more than you think). So choosing an Orange Drop (or any other high quality cap) helps to guarantee that isn't going to be a problem and get in your way. Finally, a high quality switchcraft jack usually makes a really good connection, which also doesn't get in the way of your signal.The thing is, were all trying to get the best signal from our pickups in our instruments, to our amplifiers. Electronics are the highway we use for our instrument's signal to get from point A to point B. Using higher quality components & wire simply help to make sure you have the clearest widest highway possible! So, electronics really can make a big difference. PS the other thing I didn't mention is your cord! Your guitar/bass cable can make a huge difference in your final sound quality, depending on the quality and length. Longer is not always better (no matter what those porn actresses may tell you!) Now, have a great day, and keep playing!
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Let me rephrase my point for clarity.
My point about "tone wood" in a solid-body electric instrument is that it is just "wood" it makes no discernable difference in "tone".
As far as the neck length I'm saying that all else being equal a shorter scale bass is going to have a different sound than a full scale bass. To get the same note the string tension is completely different lending to a different sound.
As far as same scale and type of electric solid-body instruments sounding different, this has everything to do with the pups, the values of the caps and pots, and the strings.
Do you really think the reason the Squire Mini Precision sounds different than the Fender P Junior is due to the difference between alder and poplar?
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