Squier Basses - what's the deal?

[radiophonic]

There seem to at least three different sorts of Squier - affinity. VM, classic vibe. Fender seem pretty cagey about describing the body materials or other build details and the prices seem to almost overlap. Anyone care to educate me? I tried out a classic vibe 70s P this morning and with a few caveats it felt pretty good. Is this really a 400+ quid bass would I be regretting it in 6 months? Pickups looked a bit cheap but they are claiming a hi mass bridge lurking under the retro cover.

[Cato]

I've got a VM70s Jazz that I'm very happy with.

I have changed the pickups the bridge and the electrics but that was more because I wanted to experiment with modding a bass than because there was anythinh wrong with stock items.

My feeling is that the Affinity range are pretty much bog standard starter instruments, no better or worse than anything else in that price bracket. The VMs are excellent intrstruments for their price range.

It gets a bit trickier with CVs. They do have an excellent reputation but they're priced so closed to the equivalent Mexican models that I'd certainly want to do a side by side comparison before deciding whether to go Squier or Mexican.

Edited February 26, 2017 by Cato

[Cat Burrito]

I used two Squiers solidly for about 3 years until recently, having previously owned some high end Fenders. The CV range particularly is very good but special mention should go to the VM range too. The Affinity stuff is Squier's entry level and generally proves that Squier has been having something of a peak again recently. Some will always insist on having Fender written on their headstock but if that isn't an issue for you then the chances are you can find a really decent bass. My two were bought to modify but were so good I kept them as stock in the end.

[prowla]

Affinity are the bottom end (haha!) of the range.

I've got a partsblaster which started as a box of Affinity P-bass parts, but only the body is left now (until I replace that too); I have to say that it is really good.

I've also got an Affinity Strat and it plays and sounds like a Strat, except all of the parts are noticeably cheaper and less well finished than my USA Standard. I was going to sell it, but ebay suggested a price of £40, so I couldn't be bothered to go to the effort of listing it!

I've also got a partscaster I built on a budget and it's got a Squier Affinity neck on it (cost me a tenner); it's a decent guitar.

But I would never go out with the intention of buying a Squier.

[Harryburke14]

I have a CV 50s P Bass that is superb. Some La Bella flats on there has turned it into a very good instrument. The only problem for me is that the pickup is a little bit quiet and not as growly as I'd like so its not yet been used for a gig, but still a great instrument.

[grandad]

Squier VM Mustang here. Excellent, can't fault it.

[url="http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2011/08/26/squier-releases-vintage-modified-mustang-bass/"]http://www.notreble....d-mustang-bass/[/url]

Edited February 26, 2017 by grandad

[Naetharu]

As I understand it:
[list]
[*]Affitnity are standard range - these are the Squire versions of the current Fender line-up
[/list][list]
[*]Vintage Modified are classic designs with some more modern features. Here you'll find modern version of bridges, pick-ups etc. I have a Squire guitar from this range, which is a Strat but with a hard-tail bridge and hot-rails humbuckers rather than single coils.
[/list][list]
[*]Classic Vibe are their reissue instruments. Here you'll get stuff like the 70's Jazz with the oversized headstock and block inlays.
[/list]
I don't think there is any quality difference between them; they're not tierd like Mexical/US-Special/Standard are. They're just three different loose groups of instruments to cover a range of styles. I think they do make very low end budget stuff that goes under the Bullet banner. This tends to be very cut down (for example, the gutiars often have cheap bridges without the strings going through the wood and no tone controls) and for the most part these come in packages along with tiny started amps, straps and so forth.

Are they £400 instruments? Not really. I'd say they are decent and if you pick one up 2nd hand for under £200 you'll likely be very pleased. But £400 for what amounts to a middle-eastern made factory bass with generic passive electronics and a few rough edges stikes me as expensive. Especially when you could get a 2nd-hand Mexican for the same price and that would keep its value.

[Lozz196]

I`ve had a Squier CV Precision, and currently got a Matt Freeman Sig Precision. For so called entry instruments I think they`re pretty darn good. If I didn`t have the money to buy more expensive Fenders, which I do prefer for both playability and sound I might add, I`d be fine gigging my MF. It`s a good instrument and though for me not as good as my Fenders, that doesn`t mean it`s bad, not at all.

[prowla]

Another thing is these "Signature" instruments - are they what the musician really plays on tour, or just a marketing tick-box?

[Grangur]

I just saw a Squier Gary Jarman Signature Bass on Evilbay for a little over £300 with a good spec and high mass bridge.

Looks good to me. That said; the body looks big and chunky.
http://www.bonnersmusic.co.uk/squier-gary-jarman-signature-bass.ir?gclid=CJPf5pWYrtICFQqdGwodkrcPQg

Edited February 26, 2017 by Grangur

[RickyV]

I have a Squier VM 70's jazz. Its my main gigging bass and I love it. Black with a block and bound maple neck and the 'Duncan Designed' pickups are great too.

[fftc]

I heard the reason Squier do not mention body woods is so they can change them depending on what is available at the best price. Some runs might be alder, some might be basswood, and some might be something else!
My opinion on Squier is that you will generally get a perfectly serviceable instrument for your money. I don't think they are necessarily better than other makes in the same price range, and indeed there might even be a bit of a price hike for the 'licensed design' tag.
If I was spending £400+ on a new bass a Squier wouldn't be top of my list, but I wouldn't rule them out either. Have a good scout around, and look out for discounted instruments from higher priced ranges.

[SH73]

I own two squier; a jazz c vibe and Matt Freeman p bass. Both brilliant.

[Painy]

I bought my Squier VM P5 because I wanted a traditionally styled P bass but I needed a 5 string (haven't played a 4 string for the best part of 20 years now). There's not a lot of choice out there in the way of 5 string precisions and the Fender equivalent was over £1200 more which I didn't feel I could really justify at the time.
Fortunately for me I absolutely love it. Genuinely the most comfortable neck I've ever played (and I've owned some very expensive basses over the years and played a fair few more).
I have made some modifications to the electronics and I'd like to upgrade the pickup at some point but for feel and playability it's excellent.

[Grangur]

[quote name='Painy' timestamp='1488132617' post='3246164']
I bought my Squier VM P5 because I wanted a traditionally styled P bass but I needed a 5 string (haven't played a 4 string for the best part of 20 years now). There's not a lot of choice out there in the way of 5 string precisions and the Fender equivalent was over £1200 more which I didn't feel I could really justify at the time.
Fortunately for me I absolutely love it. Genuinely the most comfortable neck I've ever played (and I've owned some very expensive basses over the years and played a fair few more).
I have made some modifications to the electronics and I'd like to upgrade the pickup at some point but for feel and playability it's excellent.
[/quote]
If only they didn't have that awful 4+1 headstock!

[Jono Bolton]

I've had lots of the Squier CVs; a 50s Precision, a 60s Precision, a 50s Telecaster and a 60s Strat, as well as 2 Matt Freemans that come from the same factory. All of them have been immaculate in terms of fit and finish, and all of them played brilliantly. If I'm in the market for a new instrument, I always look at Squier first. I'm picking up a 50s Strat later this week.

Costs are cut with the wiring and pots, but the pickups are made by Tonerider and are good quality.

If it had a different name on the headstock the price wouldn't be an issue. Because Squier is commonly associated with low-end instruments the gut reaction is that £400 for a Squier is too high, but you're easily getting £400-worth of instrument.

[interpol52]

I've had a couple of VM jazz basses and they were exceptional. Currently I have a Squier Deluxe Dimension V that is one of the best basses I've played, one too many strings though it seems for me!

I had a Squier Telecaster in the 90's that was amazing too.

[lownote]

I have an Affinity P bass, bought secondhand for £150. It's really light and the fingerboard is pretty much good. It's made of bass wood. The neck doesn't stay in rock solid tune but it doesn't wander far out. I spent £39 on a Tonerider pup, £29 on a Kiogon loom and fitted some Wilkinson tuners which it didn't really need. Now it's an awesome bass with lovely tone and I would challenge anyone to tell the sound from a grown up P bass.

Just had a VM 5 P for a week and was very impressed, but only after fitting a Kiogon loom.

Scott Devine recently opined that all you need is a Squier with mods, and even cited two pros who climbed the career ladder with unmodded Squiers.

Edited February 26, 2017 by lownote12

[sprocketflup]

My gig set up features two Squiers, a CV jazz which I simply cannot fault and an Affinity P/J which plays a whole lot better than its £90 price tag. the Affinity could be improved, I don't think the jazz could.

[Zummerbass]

I have a James Johnson Squier Jazz. Great neck fairly light,,in Lake Placid blue (nice!) I've changed the pups to Nordstrand (nv4's?).Usually goes out as my gigging backup.

Excellent value for money, might change the machineheads for better tuning stability.

If my Precision went down (Armageddon?) would be more than happy to gig this Squier.

[yorks5stringer]

On the VM range, the natural wood bodies tend to be heavier as they are nicely grained maple as opposed to lighter basswood covered with paint.

[lownote]

My VM P 5 was astonishingly light, and when I checked on the GAK site they're listed as basswood body.

Edited February 27, 2017 by lownote12

[Rikki_Sixx]

When I was in college most players I knew were playing entry level Squiers which were as wonky and cheap-feeling as any Argos special. I came to associate the brand with cheapness for the next few years.

When I was looking for new gear two years ago I spent ages reading up on what I could get in my budget and trying things in person. Being from Yorkshire, I research any purchase over £10 for months before committing to buying, and everything kept bringing me back to Squier - particularly the Vintage Modified range. I was blown away; great equipment, well built with good materials at affordable prices. Nothing I found in my budget came close to the Squier VM Jazz 77 that I finally took home. So far I haven't had to modify anything or even give it a thorough set-up. It came ready to go, with a neck better than anything I ever thought I'd play.

If the CV P you tried felt as good as you say, give it a go! The only thing I regret are not buying my Squier sooner. You could easily sell it for a good price if you come to regret it in 6 months, but I'd put money on you wanting to keep it!

[mcnach]

[quote name='Naetharu' timestamp='1488124665' post='3246049']
As I understand it:[list]
[*]Affitnity are standard range - these are the Squire versions of the current Fender line-up
[/list][list]
[*]Vintage Modified are classic designs with some more modern features. Here you'll find modern version of bridges, pick-ups etc. I have a Squire guitar from this range, which is a Strat but with a hard-tail bridge and hot-rails humbuckers rather than single coils.
[/list][list]
[*]Classic Vibe are their reissue instruments. Here you'll get stuff like the 70's Jazz with the oversized headstock and block inlays.
[/list]
I don't think there is any quality difference between them; they're not tierd like Mexical/US-Special/Standard are. They're just three different loose groups of instruments to cover a range of styles. I think they do make very low end budget stuff that goes under the Bullet banner. This tends to be very cut down (for example, the gutiars often have cheap bridges without the strings going through the wood and no tone controls) and for the most part these come in packages along with tiny started amps, straps and so forth.

Are they £400 instruments? Not really. I'd say they are decent and if you pick one up 2nd hand for under £200 you'll likely be very pleased. But £400 for what amounts to a middle-eastern made factory bass with generic passive electronics and a few rough edges stikes me as expensive. Especially when you could get a 2nd-hand Mexican for the same price and that would keep its value.
[/quote]


I disagree, albeit based on my less than statistically significant experience based sample The CV series is superior in pretty much about everything.

From what I've seen over the years, I would not look down at any of them, but the Affinity would excite me the least. When the Affinity started there was a Standard range and the Affinity became the ultra cheap ones and were noticeably lower quality. Later when they revamped the whole thing it seems the Affinity is the new Standard. They're budget instruments, but perfectly useable, and a little TLC can turn them into great playing instruments. The electronics tend to be the weak link, in particular the pickups, althout the new Affinities don't seem as bad as they used to and I've gigged with similar instruments no trouble.
So, I would not hesitate buying one if my budget were restricted, but I would not be excited about them... although they have this beautiful red PJ bass for under £200 that if only it had a maple fingerboard I imagine it would probably be in my music room right now

Then the VM range... I find them a step higher in quality. Not so much built quality, but the finish and in particular pickups seem to be pretty decent. They also come in more exciting combinations of finishes etc, so it's possible to come out of the store with a relatively inexpensive instrument that plays great, sounds great, and it also looks great. Very cool.

Then... the CV range. A considerable step up, and to me they're worth the £400. Ignore the Squier label and play the thing. I've played a few and owned four different ones by now... not one was bad, not one was "meh", they were all different hues of nice or very-nice. The feel of the necks, the set up straight from the box, balance, electronics. Everything is spot on. If you compare them with higher end models you will likely notice differences that make the Squier clearly not as nice, but if you find that an extra £700 in your pocket are 700 important little factors, you will play that Squier and love it

I have been playing in a ska/reggae band for a few months now (it was supposed to be just a mini summer tour of weekends around UK dep thing but it may turn out to be a more permanent thing after all). There's just one guitarist, and he's been playing for decades. He's very experienced and has a great ear and knows his stuff. I was amused when I showed up for practice and there he was with a beautiful beautiful natural/maple telecaster which sounded fantastic as he was doing a little solo chordal Jazz thingy to amuse himself... and it was a Squier CV. That's the guitar he plays all the time. I played my Stingray for the first couple of shows but then I brought out the Matt Freeman Precision/Jazz hybrid (essentially nothing more than a CV series with a signature on the headstock and a particular colour scheme) as I thought it fitted better and I liked the idea of playing Squiers

The Matt Freeman is superb, and the nicest of the CV instruments I've had (closely followed by the CV60s fiesta red Precision I should have never sold)... £400? No problem.

[mcnach]

[quote name='prowla' timestamp='1488125346' post='3246060']
Another thing is these "Signature" instruments - are they what the musician really plays on tour, or just a marketing tick-box?
[/quote]

as I understand it it's pretty much marketing.
The Matt Freeman has the colour scheme that Matt seems to have favoured (not exclusively) over the years... but it's not much more than a stock Precision... a well made one, 'though. I doubt Matt plays them other than the odd photo opportunity the contract must dictate. If MusicMan made a 'McNach signature Stingray' I would probably own a couple, but I would still like to use my old Stingray which just feels right to me and has been slightly modified to my taste (I doubt MM would install preamps from other companies ).

I have three signature instruments: a Richie Sambora Fender Stratocaster, a Mike Dirnt Precision and a Matt Freeman Precision (which has been converted into something else, however). The signature had no relevance whatsoever when I bought them, but they just had the right specs and I liked them.