First Bass: Gibson SG Faded Vs Squier Mustang VM?

[lowvoice]

Hi all, first post!

I am a guitarist of some 20 years, and recently have been looking to give bass a try!

I want something short scale due to wrist issues from guitar, and went to andertons over the weekend to try out a few models.

After trying everything it came down to the SG faded or the squier mustang.

Now cost isn't so much of an issue (obviously cheaper is nicer!), but really I'd like something to be proud of, and to me this is why im leaning towards the gibson.

However the squier did seem to play nice, and I was very surprised by the fit and finish.

Please let me know your thoughts on these 2 guitars, any particular things I should be aware of/look out for?


Thanks in advance!

[neepheid]

Sorry to leap straight in with a question but why wouldn't you be proud of either bass?

The Mustang is probably the better all-rounder in terms of sound and I would imagine an easier introduction to bass. The SG is a little more polarised in its sound, given the nature of its pickups and their relative positions. On the other hand, the Mustang has a 19 fret neck, the Gibson has a 20. Not a huge issue unless you're wanting a high Eb, but I thought I'd try and balance things out.

Either could be a great bass. But as much as I am a dyed in the wool Gibson fan, I wouldn't recommend an SG for a first bass. The Mustang has a much greater chance of being a simple "plug and play" and the ergonomics are probably a bit more forgiving.

[lowvoice]

Well to be honest when I started playing electric guitar Squier were really a bit of an argos brand to be avoided, and even though the one I tried out felt very nice indeed (in fact it's fit and finish was better than the mim fenders I also looked at), I still can't shake the idea that it is a brand to be avoided! I guess I just don't have much faith in it.

Also, the Squire is £291, made in Indonesia and comes with nothing, the Gibson is £649, made in the US, and comes with a Gibson hard case. The Gibson seems to be to be the far better deal?

As it won't be my primary instrument, I can't see myself buying loads of basses (as I have done with guitars), and I'd like something that will literally last me a lifetime.

As a Gibson fan, could you advise me as to any potential issues to look out for when buying an SG bass.

[Gust0o]

Squier have improved no end, since their roots, and were seen to be worrying Fender in terms of quality.

I'll echo Neep's comments above. The Mustang will be the better all-rounder... But there's just something about the Gibson!

[neepheid]

[quote name='lowvoice' timestamp='1369044416' post='2084115']
Well to be honest when I started playing electric guitar Squier were really a bit of an argos brand to be avoided, and even though the one I tried out felt very nice indeed [b](in fact it's fit and finish was better than the mim fenders I also looked at)[/b], I still can't shake the idea that it is a brand to be avoided! I guess I just don't have much faith in it.

Also, the Squire is £291, made in Indonesia and comes with nothing, the Gibson is £649, made in the US, and comes with a Gibson hard case. The Gibson seems to be to be the far better deal?

As it won't be my primary instrument, I can't see myself buying loads of basses (as I have done with guitars), and I'd like something that will literally last me a lifetime.

As a Gibson fan, could you advise me as to any potential issues to look out for when buying an SG bass.
[/quote]

You've kinda answered your own question with the bit I highlighted in bold. Trust what your eyes and hands are telling you, the name on the headstock and its country of origin are in my opinion irrelevant. If your senses are telling you it's a good instrument, then it is a good instrument. The quality of output of the Indonesian factories is excellent. Would G&L or Lakland have trusted the construction of their "budget" basses to muppets? I think (and know) not. I have two G&L Tributes and they are exceptionally good instruments for their price point. In fact I would say they are "too good" in the sense that I have never felt the need to "upgrade" to a USA made G&L.

Of course if you're really bothered about the name on the headstock then there is a "proper" Fender Mustang but even that's made in Japan if memory serves me correctly. There are Chinese made Fenders. The game has changed. Everyone in the far east has upped their game to the point where at times it's embarrassing to the old hands in the west and seriously calling into question the worth of the price premium.

Regarding your Gibson question - just check everything and double check it. In no way can 2 instruments condemn the entire output of a factory, but at the start of the year I tried to buy a Gibson Grabber 3 70s Reissue bass and both of the ones I received had issues and had to go back, including strap buttons screwed in squint, orangy peel finish, wiring issues (touch buzz on pole pieces and hum/buzz in general) and basically I didn't feel like I got my money's worth, it didn't feel like an £800 bass. I have an old Yamaha BB450 that I resurrected and it felt and played better.

Of course, these judgements are deeply personal and only applicable to me. But as far as I'm concerned (and this was the double whammy of my first ever brand new Gibson USA purchase), there's something rotten in Nashville at the moment and it saddens me. In the end I went and bought an Epiphone Jack Casady for just over half the price and it was so much better. Better looking, better feeling, better built, just intangibly better. And for the record, it's made in South Korea.

So, to bring it all back round to my initial point - ignore the name on the headstock, ignore the country of origin, it's either good (by your own standards and definition), or it isn't.

[lowvoice]

[sub]Thanks for that response neepheid, it is really really useful.[/sub]

[sub]Other than brand name, I think that I'm leaning towards the Gibson as I think that I like the look better in general, but the squire with the slightly shorter neck and smaller nut width did feel slightly better after a couple hours in the shop testing them out.[/sub]

[sub]As to the Gibson, I did think at one point that the E string wasn't as loud as it the other strings, and that the gap between the neck pickup and the neck itself seemed slightly wonky, but again tbh I didn't really spend much time looking over the instrument, I was more focused on sound and playability.[/sub]

[sub]Whats your opinion on these potential issues?[/sub]

[geoffbyrne]

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/207767-nbd-epiphone-eb0/

G.

[neepheid]

RE: pickup cover/neck gap - it's little things like this that piss me off when I'm laying down significant coin on a new bass. If I'm buying something new, I want it to be pristine and properly screwed together, especially as it's supposed to have had some decent one-on-one time with human beings during its production - isn't that where the price premium goes? Sounds cosmetic though, won't matter a jot operationally I would think.

As for the perceived quiet E, it could be lots of things. Could be a duff string. Could be that the action on the E side of the bridge is a touch high, thus taking it away from the pickup. The pole pieces can be height adjusted a bit on an SG bass, so the E could be brought up a bit. Did it seem quiet on one or both pickups?

[lowvoice]

thanks again for the input.

RE the gap, it was so slight that I wouldn't be bothered by it, I was more concerned over whether it was the pickup or the neck that was slightly off - I didn't want a neck that was slightly off-centre.

With the E string, as I'm new to bass it may well just have been a technique issue, but again since leaving the store I thought maybe if the neck was misaligned, perhaps the low E wasn't directly over the pole piece. This is the sort of stuff that I would have checked but didn't have time in store to do so!

I placed a reserve on both instruments and was planning to make a decision, and then have the chosen one shipped to me.

[Norris]

+1 for Indonesian Squiers

[Dr M]

Another recommendation for Indonesian Squiers here.

Just a suggestion - did you have a chance to try a Squier VM Jaguar Short-Scale while you were looking? Andertons often seem to have them in stock, but not on display.

If not, I would highly recommend giving one a go. One of the best value short-scales on the market at the moment, in my opinion.

[Jono Bolton]

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1369044866' post='2084120']
Squier have improved no end, since their roots, and were seen to be worrying Fender in terms of quality.

I'll echo Neep's comments above. The Mustang will be the better all-rounder... But there's just something about the Gibson!
[/quote]

Surely Squiers have dropped in quality since their beginnings? The original JV Squiers are far superior to the modern day equivalents. Actually, that should read: "They started off with incredible quality, the quality dropped significantly over the next few years, but has picked up again recently, although there are some decent instruments in amongst them."

I'd ignore brand and where the bass was made, ultimately it's about how it plays and sounds, and whether it's right for you or not. That said, there's no accounting for taste, and if it's the Gibson that floats your boat, then if you come away with the Squier then you may always regret not getting the SG. If I was going to spend that amount on a bass then I'd want to make sure it was 100% right, there's nothing worse than dropping a large sum on a bass and then having a few niggling issues that may be expensive to correct. a bass like that shouldn't really have any QC issues.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='Jono Bolton' timestamp='1369065687' post='2084459']
Surely Squiers have dropped in quality since their beginnings? The original JV Squiers are far superior to the modern day equivalents. Actually, that should read: "They started off with incredible quality, the quality dropped significantly over the next few years, but has picked up again recently, although there are some decent instruments in amongst them."
[/quote]

I remain indebted to your pedantry, sir

I missed the Squiers the first time. Can only comment on what I've seen

[lowvoice]

Hi all, so I went and tried a number of different basses yesterday, and have come to the conclusion that although it is not the most versatile, I just prefer a bass tone to be very, well bassey.

I tried the Japanese mustang and firstly, the squire was just as good, and secondly, I thought it just sounded a bit too samey samey for me.

Then I gave an original '64 SG a try, and loved how low it was, but it was a bit too unrefined for me.

Then I tried a cheap far eastern hofner violin bass and LOVED the tone. That is really the sort of ball park that I want to be in (however the design is just too well connected to a certain fella from Liverpool - I think I'd struggle to make it my own).

So I'm leaning more heavily towards the SG now... Gonna try another asap and hopefully get a bass before this weekend!

[neepheid]

The SG will certainly be "well bassey"

Good luck with whatever you decide to go with.

[Dr M]

[quote name='lowvoice' timestamp='1369132514' post='2085127']
Then I tried a cheap far eastern hofner violin bass and LOVED the tone. That is really the sort of ball park that I want to be in (however the design is just too well connected to a certain fella from Liverpool - I think I'd struggle to make it my own).
[/quote]

How about the Gretsch Junior Jet? Similar 60's styling and electronics to the Violin, but fewer connection to a certain Liverpudlian!

[grandad]

All good advice above.

The Tokai SG 32" MIK and the Gretsch Junior Jet II 30" MIC would be well worth considering. Both are keepers for me.

The Epiphone Viola 30" was a real fun bass to own. I wish I'd kept mine.

Tried a sunburst Squier Mustang at PMT last weekend. It was - ok. I thought the headstock looked large & not quite in proportion to the body. The neck felt strange which I think was just bare wood, sort of unfinished to me. Maybe I'm just used to to a high gloss neck.

Edited May 21, 2013 by grandad