Trying to figure out this Squier

[dbsfgyd1]

I have been hunting around for a cheap 5 string and found a Squier on FB Marketplace for a decent price. As I started looking at it further I saw the the headstock says "Squier Precision Bass," but the body has J bass pickups. The pickguard is a P bass style, but there are 3 controls like a J bass. The serial number says it is a 2001 model made in Indonesia. I have not contacted the seller yet, but do you think someone would go through the trouble of routing out a J pickup cavity and wiring in another volume control or is this some obscure factory model.

I almost bought one of those 10 + years ago, same thing. Everything but the body looks like a JB but decal said PB. $175? For $175, it could sound like a kazoo and that would still be a bargain. Seriously, it’s credible instrument that set will play well and sound like a bass. If you are getting more out of it, all the better.

 

[el murdoque]

IIRC, the neck pickup on these Squier Standard series 5s has it's center line where the two halves of a P pickup would meet rather than matching up top edge to top edge like in that photo.

Interesting, thank you!

 

[jtemple]

I bought one of these for $100 at a pawn shop. They are well built for the money. What I will tell you is the pickups they put in those are really for a 4 string so the low B is not going to sound great. I put a new set of Seymour Duncans in mind and it sounded fantastic!

 

[Griev]

I had one! Great bass but 5's were an experiment for me and I'm back to 4 only.

SOLD - 2000 Squier Standard Series Precision V w/Bartolini Pickups PRICE DROP

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I have been hunting around for a cheap 5 string and found a Squier on FB Marketplace for a decent price. As I started looking at it further I saw the the headstock says "Squier Precision Bass," but the body has J bass pickups. The pickguard is a P bass style, but there are 3 controls like a J bass. The serial number says it is a 2001 model made in Indonesia. I have not contacted the seller yet, but do you think someone would go through the trouble of routing out a J pickup cavity and wiring in another volume control or is this some obscure factory model.

Squier 5 string P bass - P bass body, 2 J pickups, VVT from the factory. Was this part of the 'ProTone' series? Should be a good pick unless it has any of the usual old bass issues. (2001 is old - yikes). Nearly bought one back then.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I had one! Great bass but 5's were an experiment for me and I'm back to 4 only.

SOLD - 2000 Squier Standard Series Precision V w/Bartolini Pickups PRICE DROP

Ditto, which is why I didn't get one. Well, I got a fretless 5, twice, no longer have them...

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I bought one of these for $100 at a pawn shop. They are well built for the money. What I will tell you is the pickups they put in those are really for a 4 string

No , they are for a 5 string and have the requisite number of poles. Pretty much all 5 string pickups are just the same as four string, but wider. If there was a difference then the E..G would sound off.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Yes that was a stock Squier model. PBass body, and a Precision style neck, with 2 Jazz Bass pickups. They came in that green, a sort of sand metallic, and candy apple red. Passive pickups with a vol/vol/tone layout just like a Jazz Bass.

That's a shame: IF it was as clean as the pics and no issues, $175 was a great price. Would have made a great starter five-string.

They came in black too, as that's the colour I nearly bought.

 

[Malak the Mad]

It's a Squier Pro Tone.

Was this part of the 'ProTone' series?

Nope, @AHaze got it right. It's part of the Squier Standard Series. It even says so on the headstock. The ProTones had soapbar pickups, gold-colored hardware and a 5-inline tuner configuration.

If I remember correctly, the ProTones were manufactured in Korea, not Indonesia. At the very least, I know some were definitely Korean, but I'd love to know for sure if any were made elsewhere.