The Squier Mini Precision Bass Club

[MakoMan]

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I have done full setups and adjustments to all guitar types, and most types of repairs and mods including electronics, as well as chiseling a solid body for pickup changes.

My Franken-Ric is testament to that last part.

I have occasionally filed and recrowned frets [Dunlop has a special tool for this], but have not replaced any.

For a period at one point, I contracted to a music store doing such repairs - fixed old tube amps too.

My experience in electronics predates my becoming a musician.
~

What a coincidence! My inability to nail two pieces of wood together predates my becoming a musician too!

 

[Shorty3]

Back in May in post #25 I wrote I would not have been surprised if Fender/Squier were going to discontinue the Bronco bass since they covered the same price level with the Mini P.
Today I went looking at the Thomann website (italian version) and they only show the red Bronco while the black one is no longer showing.
Maybe the Mini P is having a huge success so the Bronco will be gone.
Or maybe they will build a new version of the Bronco with a 4-saddle bridge and a real bass pickup.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

....maybe they will build a new version of the Bronco with a 4-saddle bridge and a real bass pickup.

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I'd like it if they did, and keep the neck 30" scale and Maple fretboard, with a 1.6" nut width as several folks here have reported.

I might buy such a bass, if the price does not go crazy at the same time.

However, if they did all of the things which you and I mentioned, it might hurt the sales of their Mustang series.
~

 

[Shorty3]

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However, if they did all of the things which you and I mentioned, it might hurt the sales of their Mustang series.
~

I agree, that's why I think Fender might just substitute the Bronco with the Mini P.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

I agree, that's why I think Fender might just substitute the Bronco with the Mini P.

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Yes, they might, but that hasn't worked out well for some of us, such as me.

Also, somebody needs to start making and offering proper length and gauge sets of strings for this growing group of 'extra short scale' instruments and their owners, in round, AND in flat wound types.

Most people are not as talented and motivated as 'Doctor Volker', in dealing with things such as that.

I should add that there ARE other companies which already DO offer budget-priced 30" scale Fender lookalike basses with 1.625" nut width and P-style pickups.

In North America, there is Jay Turser's JTB-40, and in Europe, Harley Benton's PB Shorty.

The only thing not covered by those two is the Maple fretboard, but c'est la vie on that.

One could reasonably speculate that over the last few years, those same two basses have eaten the Squier Bronco's lunch [AND some of the Mustang's], and that strangely, the Squier Mini-P is now actually the different choice, from a playing point of view [due to its scale length], at least for people who want something which looks like a Fender, and that Fender launched it to compete with the 'extra short scale' Ibanez Mikro series, more than for any other reason.
~

 

[pcake]

Also!

I just did a "retaper" on a 084 string for my "mini bass vi" project, and discovered that this is very easy to do, albeit tedious. Strings will no longer be a Mini P issue for me!
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several people on TB have done this in the past, and sometimes the strings started unwinding further on their own, so please keep us posted on this.

I have to say there are a lot of people in this thread with greater skills and more confidence than I. Taking apart a brand new bass? The only time I would do that is if I had an issue or wanted to make a modification of some sort. And even then I would normally take it to someone who knows what they are doing.
I'm a player - my technical skills are mostly limited to string changes, setups and polishing. I can count the number of times I've removed a neck on one finger!

in the case of my mini precision, it required going into things to get it right. i used to do some of my own work, but my husband has become an accomplished hobby luthier, so he did all of it including cutting a new nut and getting all the masses of dried glue under the old nut out.

Back in May in post #25 I wrote I would not have been surprised if Fender/Squier were going to discontinue the Bronco bass since they covered the same price level with the Mini P.
Today I went looking at the Thomann website (italian version) and they only show the red Bronco while the black one is no longer showing.
Maybe the Mini P is having a huge success so the Bronco will be gone.
Or maybe they will build a new version of the Bronco with a 4-saddle bridge and a real bass pickup.

or it could mean they're out of black broncos. i hope that's what it means, because i don't find the mini P a replacement for my bronco at all.

 

[ClusterFlux]

or it could mean they're out of black broncos. i hope that's what it means, because i don't find the mini P a replacement for my bronco at all.

My impression is that Squier instruments come and go. I don't expect any specific Squier model to be available for very long, which is why I'm considering getting a second Mini. Worst case scenario is I loosen the strings, and put it in storage.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

several people on TB have done this in the past, and sometimes the strings started unwinding further on their own, so please keep us posted on this. ...

Will do.

This was for the "mini bass vi" project, so I'm not too worried about it unravelling: I'm going to convert it back to a guitar.

Were I to do this for the Mini P, I would definitely add a heat-shrink "silk".

 

[Volker Kirstein]

... I'm considering getting a second Mini. Worst case scenario is I loosen the strings, and put it in storage.

I'm thinking about a 2nd one, as well, for BEAD, using the lower 4 of a Mikro 5-er set for strings.

 

[ClusterFlux]

I'm thinking about a 2nd one, as well, for BEAD, using the lower 4 of a Mikro 5-er set for strings.

Do you think the B string will work on a 28.6"? Seems like it it'd be a bit loose.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

Do you think the B string will work on a 28.6"? Seems like it it'd be a bit loose.

The Mikro is also a 28.5" scale, and Ibanez Mikro strings fit the Mini P perfectly (except for the G), so I imagine a set of Mikro strings for the Mikro 5-er will work. I have not heard anything bad about the B string on a Mikro 5-er.

 

[Bassamatic]

I see 2 solutions to the string issue for the mini P as well as other sub-short scale basses - - - -

1) I have a strange little sub-short-scale bass that has a through-body bridge, lengthening the string path, allowing it to use standard strings. I have been considering drilling through the bodies of my miKros behind the bridge at a 45 degree angle and adding ferrules, making them through-body to be able to use standard short scale strings.

2) I saw a custom Medium scale bass that had a second bridge mounted behind the first one (without saddles). It extended the strings by 2" so standard 34" scale strings could be used instead of hard-to-find medium scale strings.

I am thinking that piece of aluminum or hardwood across the back of the bridge of the mini-P, drilled to match the bridge holes, could be used to extend the strings an inch or so, so that standard 30" strings should fit without much difficulty.

By extending the strings either of these ways, they get proper tension.

 

[SBassman]

The solution for strings is to choose designs that are flexible enough to be cut.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

The solution for strings is to choose designs that are flexible enough to be cut.

~
I know that it's only a pipe dream, but mayhaps one day the string makers could start to show bass players some respect.

FFS, they KNOW what instruments are being manufactured, and prob'ly before WE do.

I'd even be willing to pay a couple of bucks extra per set to have whatever I want, and this speaks to gauges, as well as to scale lengths and types of wraps.

For me, this has been a career-long lament.

No, I didn't feel this way in the womb, but shortly afterwards, yes.
~

 

[J Posega]

I see 2 solutions to the string issue for the mini P as well as other sub-short scale basses - - - -

1) I have a strange little sub-short-scale bass that has a through-body bridge, lengthening the string path, allowing it to use standard strings. I have been considering drilling through the bodies of my miKros behind the bridge at a 45 degree angle and adding ferrules, making them through-body to be able to use standard short scale strings.

2) I saw a custom Medium scale bass that had a second bridge mounted behind the first one (without saddles). It extended the strings by 2" so standard 34" scale strings could be used instead of hard-to-find medium scale strings.

I am thinking that piece of aluminum or hardwood across the back of the bridge of the mini-P, drilled to match the bridge holes, could be used to extend the strings an inch or so, so that standard 30" strings should fit without much difficulty.

By extending the strings either of these ways, they get proper tension.

You really only need to worry about extending the E string, the rest will fit just fine. I actually plan on using the tiny baby itty bitty strap buttons to extend the low E.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

....I actually plan on using the tiny baby itty bitty strap buttons to extend the low E.

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Talk about being 'green' !
~

 

[JPJ]

I see 2 solutions to the string issue for the mini P as well as other sub-short scale basses - - - -

1) I have a strange little sub-short-scale bass that has a through-body bridge, lengthening the string path, allowing it to use standard strings. I have been considering drilling through the bodies of my miKros behind the bridge at a 45 degree angle and adding ferrules, making them through-body to be able to use standard short scale strings.

2) I saw a custom Medium scale bass that had a second bridge mounted behind the first one (without saddles). It extended the strings by 2" so standard 34" scale strings could be used instead of hard-to-find medium scale strings.

I am thinking that piece of aluminum or hardwood across the back of the bridge of the mini-P, drilled to match the bridge holes, could be used to extend the strings an inch or so, so that standard 30" strings should fit without much difficulty.

By extending the strings either of these ways, they get proper tension.

I touched base with DR last week and, at my suggestion, they're going to talk to Fender, will get a Mini P, and may develop a set that will work for the Mini P (and possibly the Mikro as well). I outlined the opportunity for them and presented my recommendations on how they could address the need via pre-orders, limited runs, etc. There's no guarantee (and it certainly will not be a priority for them), but I'd like to see them make a run at offering a set. There's at least a chance.

 

[Diver]

I am sorry if I missed it, but have we started collecting model names of string options that are working for this specific bass? Like a link to a google sheet or something that can be a useful sticky as the thread is getting bigger?

 

[Volker Kirstein]

I am sorry if I missed it, but have we started collecting model names of string options that are working for this specific bass? Like a link to a google sheet or something that can be a useful sticky as the thread is getting bigger?

That depends on how you define "working":

If you don't mind having the fat part of the string wrapping around the tuner post - and many people don't - any short scale strings will work.

If you insist on having the taper only wrapping around the tuner post - and many people do - your choices become limited.

 

[Diver]

That depends on how you define "working":

If you don't mind having the fat part of the string wrapping around the tuner post - and many people don't - any short scale strings will work.

If you insist on having the taper only wrapping around the tuner post - and many people do - your choices become limited.

I mean like what is available that works out of the box or with minimal work?