Thoughts on Squire Basses for Professional Musicians?

[Blue_Whistle88]

If a bass player turned up to my band's audition with a Squire bass, I'd send him home. In fact, if any bass player turned up to my band's audition, I'd send him home.

 

[Justybuddy]

I have taken a couple Squire basses off the wall in the last few years and put them right back. If I feel like I'm going to need band aids after the frets get done with me, there's no chance. I have however played a few of the older Japanese Squires. Actually quite solid build quality.

 

[Feral Feline]

... I'm convinced that Victor Wooten use Fodera because those basses let him be at his best while a cheap Squier won't give him what he needs.

I'm convinced Wooten is still going to rock your socks off on a cheap Squier if that's all he can get his hands on after the airline loses his luggage. Wooten needs something that isn't defective and stays in tune, he prefers his Foderas to other lesser-comparable-better mainstream or boutique brands for many reasons, I'm sure.

A craftsman is only as good as his tools...

Yes, up to a point. I've had cheapo screwdrivers (ubiquitous here, unfortunately) that strip on first contact with the screw, literally. It looked like a screwdriver, but it wasn't one. I had to go out, buy another better screwdriver that could do the job and didn't strip itself immediately on the screwheads – *was it a Snap-On or some other premium brand? No, it's a no-name and a Snap-On wouldn't have done any better at getting the screws out. A skilled craftsman will use any tool
of sufficient quality that Gets The Job Done.

...
I knew a cat growing up who would buy a $10000 mountain bike, only to discover that it didn't make him a better bike rider so he'd sell it for $5000 and buy another different bike for another $10000. Repeat.
A poor workman always blames his tools. There's a saying you can hang your hat on.

I had to laugh at this. That is SO HONG KONG! People buying mega-buck bikes every season or even as often as every six months.

I was riding my hard-tail on a XC trail with friends, taking a break and some young guys with heavy-duty DH big-hit suspension bikes went by. At the tail end of the group was a guy on an all-mountain dual suspension MTB. He was somewhat overweight, and not very skilled on his obviously new and very shiny alloy steed – he was not keeping up.

We hopped on our bikes and followed. I offered encouragement and pointers and the guy said:
"No, I need to get a better bike so I can keep up with them."
I thought "no, you need to keep riding to gain skills and lose weight" and then he lists off several DH models he's been looking at that are way heavier and ill-suited to where he's riding and his level of ability. His bike was lighter and better suited to the ride than his friends' bikes. If his skill-set matched his buddies, he would've smoked 'em up the climb.
_______________

Too many gear snobs liken Squiers to that screwdriver look-a-like I mentioned or a wrench that rounds itself off when encountering a nut. Squiers aren't that cheap of a tool, most Squiers are up to the task. Check one out, if you can, before you decide to buy it or not. (I bought mine over the Internet and it worked out okay).

How many here get by with a Sears (*or equivalent) power drill or saw, and don't have a DeWalt or Makita, and are not a professional woodworker of some sort? For the odd jobs, you don't need premium equipment. As you become more serious about your woodworking you might encounter the limitations of your Sears drill (no variable speed, let's say). At some point you may decide, I want a Bosch or Black & Decker.

I'd love a Dingwall, but my skills aren't pushing the limits of my Squiers yet. If I could buy a Dingwall I would, regardless of ability, but my Squiers would not be neglected in the least.

In the end, there's always the princess and the P-bass. If a Squier Jazz doesn't feel good to you, so be it. I can't feel the difference between a P and a J neck, so I'm happy with either. Plug in my Jags and a friends P and you get... bass. I can't tell you much about wine either, but I know what tastes good to my palate. If you're a connoisseur of wines, basses or MTBs and can tell the subtle differences between similar things and you've the fiscal means to choose only the premium stuff, more power to you. Just don't try to tell me what my tastes should be or that they're inferior to your own.

Yikes. What a load of ^^ rambling ^^. Off to go practice...

 

[Roy Vogt]

Here's my buddy Bay Area Bassist Steve Evans (Elvin Bishop, Jesse Colin Young, Coco Montoya, Roy Rogers and the Delta Rhythm Kings) rockin' his 80s MIJ Squier with EMGs:

 

[pklima]

In the end, there's always the princess and the P-bass

Ha. Great summary. Threads like this really do remind me of the story of the princess and the pea.

 

[alexlocurto]

Last I saw, the guy from Accept played a Squier P bass, and that thing sounds like thunder!

 

[LAST_C]

People forget the economic factor. Some players might be great bassist who simply can't afford a $1,200.00 Fender MIA bass. People are loosing their jobs and not everyone can buy a Fender MIA or a Fodera to play a $50.00 gig. Would I like to have a MIA P-bass? Of course. Can I afford it right now? No. Can you have some fun playing a gig or 2 with a Squier while cashing a buck or two? Then do it. 90% of people (non-musicians) can't tell a Squier from a Fender.

 

[sjeverett]

When I was in school, my cousin played washburn, jackson, ovation, and fender guitars. He ragged on friends and bandmates who played harmony guitars because their parents werent as well off. Every one of those guys he made fun of made something of themselves musically. Touring in country, tejano, rock bands. One of them is a college music professor. My cousin? Well he is more of a guitar collector with his marshall full stack in the backroom playing the same handfull of songs he played in the mid 90's. You can buy a good instrument but you cant buy talent and dedication.

 

[Atshen]

One thing to consider is the design aspect. Most Fender designs are very simple and are hard to get wrong, unless you have some really low quality components or very poor craftsmanship.

Also, with today's CNC and other automated manufacturing techniques, consistency has gone up a great notch, I think, but quality control may have taken a lesser role, as a negative side effect of this.

 

[GK Growl]

I'm going to audition for a band next Tuesday and while talking to the singer (only sings, doesn't play any instruments) on the phone yesterday, he asked what kind of gear I had. So I told him a 500 watt amp, 410 cab, and several basses. Then he said no, what brands do you have. So I told him everything and when I got to the basses I told him my Squier P/Js are my main players and he was speechless. He was surprised that I choose those over the Fender P I have. When I asked him why that was he really couldn't give a good answer. I'm surprised he didn't cancel the audition right there. I guess he'll get to see and hear the Squier P/Js in person. It goes both ways you know. He told me all the brand name top dollar PA crap that he owns (not that I asked) but I wouldn't be surprised if he can't really sing.

 

[LAST_C]

It's funny to me how people need the blessing of complete strangers to play a Squier. Play whatever you like or can afford.

 

[Woodchuck]

If a bass player turned up to my band's audition with a Squire bass, I'd send him home. In fact, if any bass player turned up to my band's audition, I'd send him home.

LOL!!!!

 

[KISSbestfan]

There is no bass for the start or for the end. There are just bassists who starts or ends.

Thats my friends motto and im with him. An instrument would be always an instrument, and how well you play it depends only on you. Ill always play my Defil, even if id be more advanced

 

[maxiegrant]

Well Squier basses tend to be inferior. And worse than that, most band leaders, guitarists, and those holding auditions know that a player with a Squier shows that he is not a serious player because a serious player would own a serious instrument.

Hmm. So you don't take this playing seriously here:
https://soundcloud.com/maxgrant/surround-you
https://soundcloud.com/maxgrant/love-in-the-time-of-sin-1
https://soundcloud.com/maxgrant/belong

Are you telling me you listen to this and think I'm an amateur? One of those recordings features a "real" bass (in your rather amusing opinion). The other two feature Squier instruments. Can you tell me which one is which? Do you think I'm less serious on the "fake" basses than the real ones? Could you even tell me what they are?

I'm seriously doubting you are aware enough to dispute me, but you are making yourself look right foolish. The name on the bass is irrelevant. If you are looking at the nameplate of your fellow musicians' rigs, go home. You're in the wrong place.

 

[adamsmatthewj]

I play Fenders and Squiers (yes, professionally) and I can tell you, it's the bass, not the headstock logo. I have played some Fenders that were more like toys than basses, and some Squiers that were more like Fodera NYCs. I believe it comes down to the particular model and, what's more, that particular model's production run. You gotta try em ALL, no buying online sight-unseen without PLAYING one!

Example:
I live very close to the local guitar center. I wanted a Pbass. Went in with my tax return and an open mind. played all 9 Fenders they had on the wall, all 5 Squiers, and a used Lakland skyline P they had (yes I played about 15 different Pbasses that day, I think they hated me at that store that day). Know what? Every single one was different, and useful in its own way. Even two models that they had doubles of were different from each other! (Yes I played them both!)
In the end, I walked out with a Squier! I chose it over 4 other Squiers from $200-$500, 9 other Fenders from $500-$1,500 and even that skyline Lakland! (Which shocked me, I was sure I'd go for the Lakland, but not after playing it up against that one Squier... Must have been an off day for that lakland because I have played other Lakland US and Sklyline and they're usually AMAZING) I ended up with the red "vintage modified early 60s" model: basically the Squier version of the Fender Pino Palladino signature. It sounded deeper, had better fretwork fit and finish, played smoother, and was just better in every aspect than the 14 other Pbasses in the store that day. Went home, put flatwounds on it, and haven't tweaked it or repaired a single thing on it. I'm still amazed.
That Squier is now my main 4string, right alongside my main 5string, an American Custom Shop Fender 5string Jazz Bass that cost (literally) 5 times what that Squier did.

Moral of the story? Open mind.

I completely understand the low opinion of Squiers. in the past, most of them SUCKED... But they have done something very special over at Squier/Fender recently, and it truly is amazing what $400 can buy. You just gotta try EVERY THING, EVERY TIME to see what's really there. No book-cover judging!

 

[phillybass101]

I have a friend, Tony Jones who is an absolute monster on bass and a working pro. I went to see him play a local (bill paying) gig in a small club. He played on a Squier. He normally plays on Warwicks but due to type of gig etc. He played on his Squier. They are hit or miss but in the hands of the right player any bass can be played into submission. This is why I don't hate or discriminate when to comes to someone else's gear of the day.

 

[AngelCrusher]

I completely understand the low opinion of Squiers. in the past, most of them SUCKED... But they have done something very special over at Squier/Fender recently, and it truly is amazing what $400 can buy. You just gotta try EVERY THING, EVERY TIME to see what's really there. No book-cover judging!

Yeah this is what I was wondering too. I mean, the Roadworns sound freaking incredible and they are assembled in Mexico. It seems as if there are a lot of steals that fly under the radar.

I would actually take pride in ripping up a stage with a squier because I have never been a huge gear head, and it would be funny to have some gear guy ask me about it.

You need to have the hands and the ears to know when a bass is good. It is not about the name on the headstock.

 

[heynorm]

Got my Squier J in the 80's, put a lot of miles on it for 14 years (added EMG's at 5) before getting an AmStd P. Thought it was retired, then restrung it and goes back into rotation. People are still amazed how good it sounds and plays like 'butta.'

 

[plarry]

I play Fenders and Squiers (yes, professionally) and I can tell you, it's the bass, not the headstock logo.

.../....

I completely understand the low opinion of Squiers. in the past, most of them SUCKED... But they have done something very special over at Squier/Fender recently, and it truly is amazing what $400 can buy. You just gotta try EVERY THING, EVERY TIME to see what's really there. No book-cover judging!

I couldn't agree more. I bought 2 Squiers:

- Vintage Mod. JB 70
- Vintage PB

Replaced the bridge PU with a DiMarzio Ultra-Jazz on the JB, added a series-parallel switch , and installed a "real" Seymour Duncan SPB-1 on the P Bass, and man! I can assure you they don't sound "cheap"! And it's not my own personal (biased) judgement. Every single person who's tried them was really blown away, including pros and a luthier.

Bottom line, the word "Squier" doesn't make me smile the same way today than a few years back...

 

[metron]

What are your thoughts on serious or professional musicians using Squire products? I'm in a serious band and I'm looking at buying a Squire Vintage Modified Tele Bass but I have a sort of negative view of Squire. So what do you all think of Squire?

I think people blow out of proportion both how good and how bad they can be. It will definitely work. You can get a lot done with a Squier. Eventually you may find that lower quality instruments are a bit limiting but perhaps not. I sort of feel that way but if I were on a desert island with a Squier, it would be perfectly sufficient. Hopefully there would be electricity and an amp on the island as well...