The Squier Mini Precision Bass Club

[MakoMan]

I feel like I lucked out on my specimen.

After the out of box bomb of the alignment being off, the rest of this bass has been pretty close to perfect.

• Electronics are super quiet.
• Tuning is very stable. Those extra 3 inches over the sub shorts/guitar scales makes a significant difference with stability.
• Set up was very good. Action is pretty close to perfect. Intonation was close to perfect and is perfect now after my tweak. Most important, the nut was cut perfectly.

Far exceeding my expectations for a bass this price.

Next up: the pickguard is Screaming at me to be replaced. If anyone goes down that road, please post here so that I can copy your answers.

Ditto for mine. Other than the misaligned neck - which was easily fixed - my Mini P is pretty sweet. I'm betting it will be even better when I put Chromes on it.
I remember our discussion in the sub short scale thread a few months ago about how something around 28" would be a perfect scale for us. Fender must have been listening

 

[SBassman]

Ditto for mine. Other than the misaligned neck - which was easily fixed - my Mini P is pretty sweet. I'm betting it will be even better when I put Chromes on it.
I remember our discussion in the sub short scale thread a few months ago about how something around 28" would be a perfect scale for us. Fender must have been listening

Now I am already gassing for other finishes, so that I can buy a second. Like a blue burst. But, it ain't happenin.

 

[macmanlou]

If the Mini proves popular enough, Fender ought to make a Player version based on the MIM P-Bass Jr (strung-through bridge, but add a tone control this time). This could also be their opportunity to offer a wider variety of colors on a higher priced model. Back when I got mine, it was the same price as a full-size MIM Precision.

 

[SBassman]

If the Mini proves popular enough, Fender ought to make a Player version based on the MIM P-Bass Jr (strung-through bridge, but add a tone control this time). This could also be their opportunity to offer a wider variety of colors on a higher priced model. Back when I got mine, it was the same price as a full-size MIM Precision.

I would be glad to pay for it. Currently, they don't have plans. [I asked already. ] Hopefully, sales of this will open their eyes.

 

[SBassman]

If the Mini proves popular enough, Fender ought to make a Player version based on the MIM P-Bass Jr (strung-through bridge, but add a tone control this time). This could also be their opportunity to offer a wider variety of colors on a higher priced model. Back when I got mine, it was the same price as a full-size MIM Precision.

Refresh my memory. Do you have Jr and a Mini or just a Jr? Would be interesting to know if neck dimensions are same or not.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

....I remember our discussion in the sub short scale thread a few months ago about how something around 28" would be a perfect scale for us. Fender must have been listening

~
Fender WAS listening - listening to the cha-ching sound which they could hear all of the way from Japan, of the cash register at the Ibanez head office, for Mikro bass sales.

And did Fender buy out Jackson ?

Not sure, but regardless, that's the other way that they might have gotten an idea to broaden the Minion customer-bass [pun intended], with a more mainstream-looking product - I mean, what looks more mainstream than a Fender P ?!

BTW, please would someone be so kind as to post a link to that thread ?
~

 

[HaphAsSard]

link to that thread ?

Sub-Short Scale Talk
Launched by @SBassman many moons ago, it covers a lot of types, from uke basses to 28.5" scale short shorts.

And here's a recent, still short thread about the hunt for a mini J:
sure, there's the mini P bass - where's the mini J?

 

[B455PL4Y3R]

I put a Bill Lawrence EB60P in mine just the other day. It's not the "good" Wilde brand pickups made by BL and his family, but it's a great sounding pickup, very even, fat, more midrange complexity than the stock pickup. I left in the stock pots. While I had the strings off I oiled the fretboard, which was incredibly dry.
Hi. I bought a Bill Lawrence EB60PC pickup a few years ago. It has 3 wires - red, white & black. Do you have a wiring diagram, or any help with how to wire it? Would be most appreciative if you did.

I definitely want to replace the pickguard with something classier, and possibly even have the frets dressed, but that all comes after I figure out whether I'll drill for a string-through bridge or not.

 

[J Posega]

Custom pickguard a are expensive because they aren’t just cutting your template out and then using that paper template on a pice of material. They’re making an MDF or maybe acrylic template that is then used to cut your guard. Then they have to countersink screw holes, cut the bevels where they belong, and make your p
i have to check what I did. I think black and white are ground, red is hot but I’ll open it back up and double check.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

cholyoke said:

Is the nut width 1.6" (40.6 mm) or 1.5" (38 mm)? I have seen both listed online.

Also, what is the string spacing?

The [MIni P] nut is indeed 38mm (Bronco is 40mm)
View attachment 3883459

You can also see how my (factory) E string is curved between the nut and tuner. I'm sure it doesn't effect anything, but it bugs me, aesthetically.

The string spacing is 18mm
View attachment 3883463

~
WHAT ?!

I had not completely read this thread, and am catching up now.

All listings which I have seen for Squier Broncos say 1.5" [38mm] at the nut, and all listings which I have seen for these new Mini P basses say 1.6" [40.6mm].

Yeah, I can see it on the display of your calipers, but please confirm the measurement of your Mini P nut width for me.

If someone else has already raised the same question again in the last 10 pages, and you answered it, I apologize, and will be reading it shortly.

It will be a deal breaker for me, if these really are 1.5", as well as poor info publication by Fender, as their own website says 1.6" for the Squier Mini P, and well-known music store websites from both Canada and USA just copy and paste the info, it seems.

Here is part of the page from the Fender site :

~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

....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.

~
I hear you !

But I do not manufacture musical instruments.

The closest thing which I have seen, that they have to what you said, seem to be some of the current Mustang models.

Even so, I would like to cherry pick certain features from those and Fender's other basses, to come up with....

How about a MIM SS Precision with a Maple fretboard on a 30" scale neck, 1.625" wide at the nut (some of the current Mustangs claim to be, if Fender's site is to be believed, and based upon my last post about the apparent Mini P specs misquote, maybe not), and make the body proportional in size and weight to match the neck scale reduction.

Is that asking for so much ?
~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

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

~
The 1.5" nut width confirmation ruins it for ME, but I appreciate you taking the time to review it.
~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

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.

~
Yes.

There becomes a point in cutting costs when the term 'cheap' reveals its original definition : 'poor quality'.

BTW, what years did they build the MIM P-Bass JR basses ?
~

 

[Volker Kirstein]

... Yeah, I can see it on the display of your calipers, but please confirm the measurement of your Mini P nut width for me. ...

As my Mini is here, and my Bronco in in Frankfurt, I can confirm that this measurement is indeed from my Mini.

I lke 38 mm (jazz) width nuts. Why is this a dealbreaker for you?

 

[J Posega]

How is 1/10th of an inch that big of a deal on an instrument this small? I could see it mattering on a full scale instrument, or a guitar where chording on the lower frets could be cramped, but a tiny bass?

 

[JohnMalay]

A 30" scale PBass.

Of course, I had to build it myself since Fender decided I didn't really need one. Harrumph!

 

[DavesnothereCA]

As my Mini is here, and my Bronco in in Frankfurt, I can confirm that this measurement is indeed from my Mini.

I like 38 mm (jazz) width nuts. Why is this a dealbreaker for you?

How is 1/10th of an inch that big of a deal on an instrument this small? I could see it mattering on a full scale instrument, or a guitar where chording on the lower frets could be cramped, but a tiny bass?

~
They don't fit my huge hands, and my 1974 Ric, bought new that year, has a [typical for them] 1 11/16" [43mm] nut width.

I'm an old dog, I reckon.

I can learn new songs, but not so good on new tricks.

From time to time, I have tried narrow nut basses, but they feel weird and uncomfortable, especially after all this time with the Ric, and regular scale Precisions prior to that.

Most recently I played a Schecter Stiletto 4 [1.5" nut and 34" scale as most Schecters are] for a whole 4 hour gig, to test it after restringing and setting it up for its owner.

I got thru it.

The bass was nice and light weight, sounded decent, with no hum, but....

Last year, I scooped a Hofner Ignition series Club bass.

Short [30"] scale, but the nut width is same as the Ric, therefive MUCH easier transition for the left hand, and feather-light at around 5 pounds.

The kicker is that I do not NEED any more basses (few of us here really do, even if we can afford the cost), so if it's going to give me GAS, it either has to be a bass which I will actually try to play, including being light weight [which Rics are not], when gigs resume after Covid, or it has to be AWFULLY pretty on the eyes.

If I want pretty [for the wall], I might buy a Jazz with a Maple fingerboard and natural body, or one of those Schecters in natural finish.

But a lightweight 30" scale bass with a wide nut and Maple fingerboard, and no hum, it could look ugly as sin and I could justify buying it to play at gigs.

That's why.

Oh, and BTW, a 1/10" change represents a larger percentage of difference on a smaller scale instrument.
~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

A 30" scale PBass.

Of course, I had to build it myself since Fender decided I didn't really need one. Harrumph!View attachment 3955633

~
I second the "Harrumph!" !

Colour is not bad either.
~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

....I'd love to see a Squier P-Bass Junior with a full 30" scale, P-Bass width neck and slightly larger body for us old fat guys LOL!

~
That's what I'm talkin' 'bout !
~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

I am totally with you, I think a P Bass Jr with 30 inch neck P bass Width neck and a slightly larger body would be great. Even a Mustang Bass with P Bass pickups would be great.

~
They do make those.

But for about a grand USD, IIRC, and only some of them have the P-width neck [1.625" at the nut].
~