The Squier Mini Precision Bass Club

[andare]

we use similar pads made for polishing jewerly, and they worked magic on my mini P's neck and fingerboard as well as one of my mikros that had a rough neck, too. now they're smooth and awesome.

my husband had nut files already, and the nut slots are now perfection. is there someone who can loan you theirs?

I can't borrow tools. I'm the only player in my circle who even knows that setups exist
My experience with local techs has been negative, that's why I'm slowly becoming a tech myself. I'll probably buy nut files soon. I have 4 basses already, they might come in handy

 

[andare]

I think I've done the most work on one of these by taking it down to a pile of parts and stripping away everything down to the wood. I've got to say the body and neck, at the fundamental level, far exceeded my expectations. They could have used a knotty mess of patchwork for the body, but no, it had 4 nice, clear boards in it. No one was going to look past the paint on these things, so it's a surprise they didn't skimp here. My neck is the same way, nice clear maple, good grain orientation. Things like sharp fret ends, or not being intonated, or lose tuners, for me personally, are just minor annoyances. The bones of these basses are good.

For the price, the Mini P is very good. The bones as you say are solid. I'm especially pleased with the clean shielding job.
The neck on mine even has some flame in it
My new pink Bronco is the same. Squier is crushing it right now.

I also don't mind having to do a setup and fret and nut work at this price point. I actually welcomed the opportunity to learn how to fix these issues on a cheap instrument. It gave me the confidence to do these jobs on my more expensive instruments without fear of messing them up.

 

[andare]

This is the guy I found on YouTube who inspired me to research the Mini, which brought me here to you guys. He's using a stock Mini for recording sessions now

 

[DavesnothereCA]

I can't borrow tools. I'm the only player in my circle who even knows that setups exist
My experience with local techs has been negative, that's why I'm slowly becoming a tech myself. I'll probably buy nut files soon. I have 4 basses already, they might come in handy

~
Good one !

If you don't mind, I'm going to use that line myself.

Maybe you have a birthday sometime this year, and could ask for some files.

It's well worth getting into performing setups, even if only for yourself, but you might eventually be able to make some money by doing them for other folks, if the situation is so insufficient at the music stores near you.
~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

For the price, the Mini P is very good. The bones as you say are solid. I'm especially pleased with the clean shielding job. - The neck on mine even has some flame in it - My new pink Bronco is the same. - Squier is crushing it right now. - I also don't mind having to do a setup and fret and nut work at this price point.
I actually welcomed the opportunity to learn how to fix these issues on a cheap instrument. - It gave me the confidence to do these jobs on my more expensive instruments without fear of messing them up.

~
Exactly.

I did not use my Ric to learn how.

Actually, a machinist who ran a music store got me started earlier than that, and he had plenty of cheap guitars for sale during the 1970s.

Paying me to restring and set them up was a good investment for him, as it helped sell them, plus it helped for future references and repeat purchases.

And I still want one of those pink Broncos !
~

 

[andare]

~
Good one !

If you don't mind, I'm going to use that line myself.

Maybe you have a birthday sometime this year, and could ask for some files.

It's well worth getting into performing setups, even if only for yourself, but you might eventually be able to make some money by doing them for other folks, if the situation is so insufficient at the music stores near you.
~

I'll do setups for friends. Sometimes I get a burger out of it. I just like to baby my instruments and I feel so smart buying a cheap bass and making it feel like a million bucks haha

 

[DavesnothereCA]

I'll do setups for friends. Sometimes I get a burger out of it. I just like to baby my instruments and I feel so smart buying a cheap bass and making it feel like a million bucks haha

~
You should be getting a STEAK dinner !

But yes, there is a certain satisfaction from doing something productive and useful for yourself.

AND, you could save yourself what it costs to buy that steak, or bottle of Scotch, or whatever else you happen to like to eat or drink.

Win-Win !
~

 

[macmanlou]

~
You should be getting a STEAK dinner !

But yes, there is a certain satisfaction from doing something productive and useful for yourself.

AND, you could save yourself what it costs to buy that steak, or bottle of Scotch, or whatever else you happen to like to eat or drink.

Win-Win !
~

Or you could start your collection of nut files and other tools. Good quality tools aren't cheap.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

Or you could start your collection of nut files and other tools. Good quality tools aren't cheap.

~
And they are sometimes also hard to find, even with the help of Professor Google.

I have a feeling that StewMac might be one decent place to look, though all of my setup tools were purchased BTI [Before the Internet].
~

 

[Diver]

Hey, it's 2021, did Dave buy the bass yet?

 

[pistonrod8]

Truth. Every time I pick up Li'l Red, I fall in love all over again.

Yes sir! I was inspired to play my mini at church this morning for our worship set. One of the songs, I tune to drop D and she roared! Love playing the Mini.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

Hey, it's 2021, did Dave buy the bass yet?

~
What ?

The shell pink Squier Bronco ?

I would, but sellers will not to ship them to Canada !

And Canadian retailers have ignored them [and us citizens who live here].
~

 

[Volker Kirstein]

~
What ?

The shell pink Squier Bronco ?

I would, but sellers will not to ship them to Canada !

And Canadian retailers have ignored them [and us citizens who live here].
~

I'd be happy to drop ship one to you. I'd even write "gift" on the customs declaration. However, this will still probably cost more than you're willing to pay.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

I'd be happy to drop ship one to you. I'd even write "gift" on the customs declaration. However, this will still probably cost more than you're willing to pay.

~


A kind soul you are !

We should talk.

I understand the term 'drop ship', from running a business in the past.

Could that method work in our situation ?

Considerations :

If they made you pay the EU VAT first, that would raise the price notably, compared to what it would cost if they would just sell me one directly.

Shipping [Thomann is all which I have researched on your side of the pond] is only one choice [UPS Express class, 4 business days to my door, IIRC], which costs something like $90 CAD [and no more for two basses than for one, BTW - yeah, why not get TWO ], and which I believe does include brokering fees to UPS, but not duty and taxes. - Canadian HST is 13% of the net price of the merchandise.

I'm not sure how 'gifting' would influence the various fees.

But you have me thinking....
~

 

[Volker Kirstein]

My cost for a SHP Bronco is €175 (CAD275).
Squier Affinity Bronco Bass MN SHP « E-Bass
DHL is another €54 (CAD85) .... €88 (CAD138) for premium service.
DHL Paket International - schnell und weltweit bis 500 Euro versichert | DHL

So it would NOT be cheap.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

My cost for a SHP Bronco is €175 (CAD275).
Squier Affinity Bronco Bass MN SHP « E-Bass
DHL is another €54 (CAD85) .... €88 (CAD138) for premium service.
DHL Paket International - schnell und weltweit bis 500 Euro versichert | DHL

So it would NOT be cheap.

~
Thanks for looking up the info.

OK, for perspective and comparison, from L&M in Canada, a new regular red or black Squier Bronco bass would cost me CAD $280 plus 13% HST.

$280 + $36.40 = $316.40 CAD

To that, add shipping, or instead add $25 or $30 of fuel for me to drive an hour each way to pick it up from one of their nearest physical stores.

If a closer alternate named store could get one in, it would save me about half of the fuel cost, and the net price would be equal.

I'm pretty sure that I would still have to pay the HST if someone sent me one from outside of Canada.

The net price of a new Bronco bass would be consistent in all scenarios, just the colour would change.

So it's really mainly about what it would cost to ship one to here from outside of Canada, and whether and how much any duty might be.

Would you be taking delivery and reshipping the bass ?

I do not think that a true drop ship from the store would be allowed, for the same reason that they will not sell and ship to me.

I reckon that the only way that I might do better is if someone in the USA decided to sell me theirs used, and was not trying to turn a profit, such as is often the situation now with Squier Jag SS basses.
~

 

[Shorty3]

I haven't been following this thread for a while and didn't want to read through it all.
I would like to know if anybody has put flatwound strings on the Mini P and can confirm the E string did not break, possibly telling brand of strings and gauges.
Thanks!

 

[andare]

I haven't been following this thread for a while and didn't want to read through it all.
I would like to know if anybody has put flatwound strings on the Mini P and can confirm the E string did not break, possibly telling brand of strings and gauges.
Thanks!

I put short scale Chromes on mine. The E wraps around the post for 1/4 tone but it looks solid. I don't expect it to break anytime soon. It does sound bad though, almost out of tune with itself. That might be the short scale though. It looks like I'm the only one with this problem here. The A string has the same issue to a lesser extent.

 

[Basman58]

I put short scale Chromes on mine. The E wraps around the post for 1/4 tone but it looks solid. I don't expect it to break anytime soon. It does sound bad though, almost out of tune with itself. That might be the short scale though. It looks like I'm the only one with this problem here. The A string has the same issue to a lesser extent.

I put short scale GHS Precision flatwounds, 45-95, on mine (set 3020). These strings sound great, no problems at all.

 

[andare]

I put short scale GHS Precision flatwounds, 45-95, on mine (set 3020). These strings sound great, no problems at all.

Aren't they super floppy?