Gigging the Squier Precision

[Len_derby]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1330827' date='Aug 7 2011, 12:09 PM']Maybe he was just trying to give you a subtle hint towards getting one? [/quote]

Yeah, I'd love a genuine Marcus Miller Jazz.
If I swoped the Squier VM for one the wife might not notice.

[merello]

[quote name='Conan' post='1330701' date='Aug 7 2011, 10:41 AM']What you tryin' to say man?!

Although I am in two bands at the moment, neither is quite up to gigging speed yet. Having said that the bass I've been mostly using with both bands in full rehearsals is my Squier Affinity P. It just does what I want it to do, and I look forward to gigging with it when the opportunity arises. The Status is in temporary retirement! [/quote]
Ha!

[steve-bbb]

well as much as im always ***hearting*** my yamaha, i must also confess to a soft spot for the squier P

my mate Lee is giving the trb a much needed thorough setup at the moment and as i have a few rehearsals and a gig tomorrow her lent me his squier P

put it through my harke with just the single 15 and left off the 4x10 - nice tone - a joy to play - in fact im totally gobsmacked - in fact im almost tempted to say it sounds better than my trb

but maybe not quite

but not far off

[steve-bbb]

[quote name='Len_derby' post='1330839' date='Aug 7 2011, 12:18 PM']So, [b]in my experience[/b], you get a better overall sound by moving a greater proportion of your 'spend' over to the amp and cab.

So, I think your plan is a good one.[/quote]

AND if you go for a hartke you get serious bang for your buck without shelling out huge amounts of beer tokens

recommendation for gigging for anybody wanting a good solid clean sound and tone whilst watching the budget would be a squier P or J and a Hartke combo

[BottomE]

[quote name='steve-bbb' post='1331085' date='Aug 7 2011, 05:18 PM']AND if you go for a hartke you get serious bang for your buck without shelling out huge amounts of beer tokens

recommendation for gigging for anybody wanting a good solid clean sound and tone whilst watching the budget would be a squier P or J and a Hartke combo [/quote]
Right heres the downside. I was telling my goodly Mrs BottomE about this and she was delighted. She said i can sell my expensive basses and replace them with Squiers

[Killerfridge]

Well, I know that UK session master Phil Mulford uses a pair of Squiers (both 1980s, one J one P) which sound [i]amazing[/i].

[Delberthot]

Got a Jazz copy from the US which actually cost me nothing as it was damaged, they sent a replacement which cost about £80 as that is what I had originally paid.

I was waiting for Warmoth parts for my now fabled gold '54 precision (for sale by the current owner BTW) so had no choice but to gig with it. Fired on the only strings I had in the house which were a set of Power Slinkies and went off to the gig.

Got there and took the bass out only it was no longer a bass, it was some kind of bow or perhaps wooden banana. I managed to tighten the truss rod enough to straighten out the neck in time to gig it.

Did a few gigs with that bass.

Funny thing is that you're never disappointed with cheap basses, only surprised when they do what you need them to. My theory is that if everyone bought cheap basses then more people would be happy as opposed to those who spend thousands only to find flaws


My main bass for the past year has been an Epiphone Gothic Thunderbird that I've played in front of thousands of people. Its given me much more satisfaction, not to mention better sounding and playing than some £2000+ basses I've owned

Edited August 7, 2011 by Delberthot

[lanark]

I gigged for a year with my Affinity P - only to replace it with the CV Jazz. I have nothing but good things to say about Squier.

[Dave Vader]

After 20 odd years of gigging it, I still find I use the Sunn Mustang P copy that I got for 30 quid gets more use than anything else. It has had a few tweaks and changes over the years, but it still plays and sounds monster. Love it.

[Bernmeister]

My main gigging & recording basses are Squier P Basses.
I have three 1 x Jv, 1 x Korean & A Chinese made one. All have a slightly different feel, but play great.
The Korean & the Chinese both cost me £100 each s/h. Excellent value for money too.

I've always thought that they sound great, without too much adjustments.
Although they have been slightly modded with new bridges & pickups.
I've owned & tried more expensive basses, but i always come back to the Squiers.

[BottomE]

Just to complete this thread i recorded very quickly a track using the Squier on my home studio. Very quick mono track alongside an aretha frankiln mp3 with the bass EQ'd out as much as possible. I think the Squier sounds great for this stuff!

[url="http://soundcloud.com/bottome"]£75 Squier Bass - great sound[/url]

[fretlessguy]

I bought a very inexpensive short scale Jazz fretless, an SX (Essex) for about $169 USD, including the hard shell case. I spent a little more and replaced the bridge with a Fender one and traded out the strap buttons for Schaller ones. The pickups were very interesting sounding, and a bit deeper than the ones on my 74 Fender Jazz, so I kept them.
The bass was bought to play when my arthritis shows its ugly self, and the stretch on the 34 inch basses is too long. It is now my favorite bass to play, and used it in a regional all-star Gospel orchestra and choir a few years back. I've been nominated to play a couple of times to serve in the orchestra since, and they always request I play that "little red bass".
Yes, my Fenders and Carvins usually stay home now.

[Hobbayne]

I lent my VM Jazz to an old friend of mine who has been playing bass since the early 60's. He couldnt believe that it was a budget instrument! He told me that back in those early days the basses that they used to play where virtualy unplayable, unless you could afford a real Fender, yet the quality of a cheap modern day Indonesian made basswood guitar blew him away!!

Edited August 10, 2011 by Hobbayne

[Lozz196]

Yep, I couldn`t believe the quality of a Squier Affinity P-Bass that I bought as a backup. Ok, the sound was not as good as my main MIM Fender I had at the time, but the playability and construction of the bass were amazing, and it was a £110 bass.

To be honest, in terms of playability, it was probably better than my MIM P-Bass, but the MIM beat it on sound.

[LemonCello]

I've got rid of more expensive basses than my '96 50th anniversary Squier P. These Korean made instruments are just the dogz. I regularly go for the Squier in favour of my US standard. I think that says it all.

LC

[barkin]

[quote name='BottomE' post='1330215' date='Aug 6 2011, 07:15 PM']How many of you gig cheap sub £100 basses?[/quote]

My main bass is an '82 Westone Thunder 1. I've recently also been using a Ryder P, but only because the Westone is so heavy that it makes my left shoulder & arm ache after a while.

It didn't used to bother me 20 years ago...

[janmaat]

is it true that while squire basses sound good, squire guitars sound crap?
i was under that impression.

[BottomE]

[quote name='janmaat' post='1336702' date='Aug 11 2011, 05:00 PM']is it true that while squire basses sound good, squire guitars sound crap?
i was under that impression.[/quote]
I get that impression too although i am told it is dependant on when/where they (Squier Guitars) were built. I really don't know enough about the weaker sex (guitars) but i have a friend who says the same thing - he won't go near Squier guitars.

[Hobbayne]

[quote name='barkin' post='1336531' date='Aug 11 2011, 03:23 PM']My main bass is an '82 Westone Thunder 1.[/quote]


My first "proper bass". back in early 1983 I think. I learned Funeral Pyre by The Jam on it!!

[Davout]

[quote name='janmaat' post='1336702' date='Aug 11 2011, 05:00 PM']is it true that while squire basses sound good, squire guitars sound crap?
i was under that impression.[/quote]

While being a 'Part-time amateur' bass player, I am mainly a guitarist in a gigging semi-pro band. I must take issue about Squier (not Squire) guitars. There have been many series of Squier guitars & basses from the early '80s right up to the present time, & many places of manufacture. Like most other guitar makers, their ranges have varied in quality from the best to pretty poor from time to time. Squier made a good start with the JV (Japan Vintage) series in the early eighties, which,at the time, were said to be better in quality than what was being made in the USA by their owners, Fender ! Thus, they are very collectable & expensive these days. The current basic budget Squiers, known as the 'Affinity' series are a cheap & chearful range aimed at beginners & are priced accordingly. The good news is that the recent 'Classic Vibe' series of guitars & basses are definitely in the 'JV series' style & quality, & should not be dismissed out of hand as mere Squiers. These are serious Fender-style instruments that sound good & are worth a lot more than their cost. I have two guitars & a bass from this range & would recommend them to anyone; Pro or Amateur. Check out various videos on YouTube to hear how they sound.

Tony.

[Wil]

I gig my parts P a lot. Body is from an encore, I've upgraded the neck/pickups but it still comes in at under £150 I reckon. Love it to bits, and it sounds great - I really don't see the need in spending a fortune for a working bass guitar. I like a traditional sound though, if I wanted to sound like Marcus Miller or similar then I guess I'd want something a bit more hi fi, but I've found you can get some really great full low end and articulate mids from cheap planks.