squier comparison

[nikon F]

I quite like the idea of a jazz ,,,,so whats the difference between the affinity and the vm ? is the vm worth the extra hundred and thirty quid ? also while I was looking at the music shops website that I go to I see the squier ss jaguar for less than two hundred any thoughts on that one please????? thanks Andy

[jezzaboy]

I had a black VM and it was a really nice bass but it was £240 new and that was only a couple of years ago!

Never played an Affinity but the old adage runs true. Get into a shop that stocks both and try them. Squiers can vary so much that I think you have to play them and decide for yourself. Bit of a bugger if you are in the middle of nowhere but the likes of Andertons, Thomman etc give you 30 days to return it if you don`t like it.

The Jag is supposed to be a good bit of kit but see above.

[bonzodog]

I really like my vm jazz. Build quality is exceptional and I prefer it to my MIM jazz

[Hobbayne]

The Affinity's are cheap like the budgie. Cheap hardware, pickups etc. You get what you pay for. They are OK for beginners but I would spend the extra on the VM rather than an entry level bass.
The VM's have a good rep and are well built with better quality parts.

[yorks5stringer]

Affinity's are MIC I think, whilst the VM MII. I have a 5 String Jaguar which is 34" neck and MII and no issues.

[BrunoBass]

I'd strongly recommend the J&D '75 Jazz Bass - £109 and better than the Affinity Jazz I used to have.

[dlloyd]

I would tend to avoid Affinity series squiers. They're aimed squarely at beginners who are on a tight budget and are made with cheap parts and materials, and with looser qc. They're essentially built to be grown out of.

[Les]

I've had an Affinity P bass and it was ok cos I only paid 50 quid for it but it felt cheap even though in all honesty it did sound fine, I also have another bitsa P with a Squire standard Jazz neck on and that's a decent bass.

Bought a VM Jazz a month ago and it's really good, it's become my gigging bass.

The difference between the Affinity range and the VM range is large.

As above avoid the affinity range if the VM is within your budget, I paid 180 for mine second hand but immaculate with an aluminium hard case, well impressed.

Les

[Thunderbird]

[quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1500221468' post='3336288']
I would tend to avoid Affinity series squiers. They're aimed squarely at beginners who are on a tight budget and are made with cheap parts and materials, and with looser qc. They're essentially built to be grown out of.
[/quote]could not agree more 👍

[Cato]

I've got a VM 70s Jazz which I love to bits.

It was originally supposed to be a stop gap until I could upgrade it for a US Fender model, but, to be honest I can't really see the point.

A US Fender will obviously be a better instrument, but I seriously doubt it's £1000 better.

[nikon F]

thanks for all the replies ,,,,,,affinity is out then ,,,,,,,,,,

[Marvin]

I picked up a 2nd hand VM Precision last year. It's the Amber/Maple one, the same scheme as the 70's VM Jazz. I shouldn't like it really simply for the colour, but I love it. It's got a great sound, it's incredibly loud and is great to play. I've probably gigged it more than my Sire V7 since I bought it, partly because it only cost me £150

[blue]

If the Squire is MIJ it would be the way to go IMO.

MIM, not for me.

Blue

Edited July 25, 2017 by blue

[jezzaboy]

Hi Blue. The VM is made in Indonesia more than likely by Cort.

[BrunoBass]

[quote name='nikon F' timestamp='1500225865' post='3336324']
thanks for all the replies ,,,,,,affinity is out then ,,,,,,,,,,
[/quote]

Try one, if you can, and see what you think. Yes, they are beginners basses, with components to suit, but they aren't by any stretch of the imagination bad basses.

[skidder652003]

surely this would be the way to go
http://basschat.co.uk/topic/308461-fsft-sire-v7-swamp-ash-maple-4-string-l300/

[paul_c2]

It depends firstly on how much, and what kind, of use you're going to give it. And secondly, on the individual bass concerned - as others have explained above, no two guitars play the same, although they'll be similar there will be differences, and its an inexact science - the cheaper of two guitars could sit in your hands and feel perfect for you, where the more expensive didn't.

Given the above, I'd say try out as many as you can. So, that means as well as Squiers, have a peek around at other makes/models in the price range, you never know. And if you have a bass already (I'm not sure, I didn't look at your other posts) then take it with you too, to do a back-to-back comparison.

I dislike going to music shops to try out instruments, although I much prefer it to buying "blind" - well not blind, you can see photos, but getting something sent from a distance is always a risk in my eyes. Fortunately on the past two occasions, as soon as I had the instrument in my hand, I knew within the first 5 seconds whether it had that "wow" factor for me.

[timhiggins]

I've had 2 vm's and they were both great but i have also played affinity's that were there equal so i wouldnt write them off if i was you
have a look at this comparison thread its quite an ear opener

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/248523-squier-affinity-p-bass-vs-fender-custom-shop-pino-palladino-p-bass/

[dlloyd]

[quote name='timhiggins' timestamp='1500237697' post='3336436']
I've had 2 vm's and they were both great but i have also played affinity's that were there equal so i wouldnt write them off if i was you
have a look at this comparison thread its quite an ear opener

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/248523-squier-affinity-p-bass-vs-fender-custom-shop-pino-palladino-p-bass/"]http://basschat.co.u...lladino-p-bass/[/url]
[/quote]

Yes, with a bit of work an affinity can be a really good bass, assuming you have one that doesn't have any issues like an unstable neck to start with. The guy in the other thread has installed a 62 CS pickup (£120 worth, equivalent for jazz would be £180) and a set of TI flats (£45). A bit of work on the frets, swap the pots and add a decent set of tuners and you'll have a bass that will play fantastic... but by that point you'll have spent enough money to get a solid second hand CIJ Fender.

[timhiggins]

True but they can be great as standard too
have a look at this comparison

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nJrkU9QfiQ"]http://www.youtube....h?v=2nJrkU9QfiQ[/url]

Edited July 17, 2017 by timhiggins

[oldbass]

Had to sell my vintage bass for the money so went out and looked for a replacement. Guy at PMT took down a box with a VM P in it. I was surprised. Weight is 7 3/4 pounds with perfect balance, its nicely made and sounds very good and I'm a tweaker so I rolled the fret board, fitted a vintage RI bridge and PU's though it didnt really need it.
I now have a very giggable lightweight keeper.
Its also worth remembering that the VM range are made from Basswood which is softer than Alder but no probs so far.

[bazzbass]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1500220178' post='3336268']
Affinity's are MIC I think, whilst the VM MII. I have a 5 String Jaguar which is 34" neck and MII and no issues.
[/quote]

I think these days with CNC, the country of manufacture has less impact on the final quality of a bass than the quality of the hardware and electronics does.

VM over Affinity every day of the week.

Personally I'd go used MIM. I think my 2013 MIM P is really really good My MIA is only better due to the hardware and electronics and the rolled board edges.

[vonbladet]

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1500220788' post='3336280']
I'd strongly recommend the J&D '75 Jazz Bass - £109 and better than the Affinity Jazz I used to have.
[/quote]

I never had an Affinity Jazz but I am very happy with my J&D '75. I hear good things about the Harley-Benton JB-75, too. Basically anything with a 75 in the name and block inlays will be fine. A shoot out between those two, the Squier 70s VM (which is billed as a maple body) and maybe the Affinity would make a good YouTube video.

[SpondonBassed]

Try it out [i]properly[/i] before you buy if you can. By that I mean strap-up, amp-up and try to hide your big red face as you pick out grooves and runs that won't embarrass you too much in front of the shop staff and customers in general when you bugger them up.

I had a Squier fretless Jazz many years ago. It was the eighties and I don't know what flavour of Squier it was but I grew to hate it. In the shop I thought it was fine but I was intimidated by all of the Saturday morning slappers and tyre kickers in the busy Dublin music shop. As a consequence I did no more than admire the sunburst finish and imagine how cool it would make me look. I was typically shallow in my youthful approach. I didn't put it through its paces until I got it home. I tried it out at band practice. Over a couple of sessions I confirmed my fears that it was a bad choice on my part. It went back on a trade in for my Vantage within the month!

These days you can change your mind and you wont lose on the deal as someone mentioned above. With good dealers you can usually change your mind after a cooling off period and return the goods undamaged. It's still a ball-ache to do that though.

[FuNkShUi]

I have a Squier CV Jazz. It has upgraded pickups, but it is a fantastic bass.
See if you can get one of them in the classifieds, and you wont be dissapointed