I've bought a Japanese Squier... but what exactly?

[JonnyScaramanga]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here, a guitarist converting to bass (let the ribbing commence).

I rashly bought a Japanese Squier Precision on eBay without doing my research properly, and now I want to find out what I've bought and if it's a good deal. The seller claims:

[indent=1][size=4][font=times new roman,times,serif]Alder body, maple neck, rosewood board.[/font][/size][/indent]
[indent=1][size=4][font=times new roman,times,serif][color=#000000]This is a high quality light weight bass. Silver logo. These series became known as the silver series and were held in such high regard that Fender actually brought out a new range called 'silver series' and put a decal on the head saying that, but those were not as good as the original un named silver series which spawned the legend. [/color][/font][/size][/indent]
[indent=1][size=4][font=times new roman,times,serif][color=#000000][color=#000000]Same quality of build and materials as JV but without the £700 price tag. Originally I had a JV but this was lighter better sounding and had an adjustable truss rod from the head [/color][/color][/font][/size][/indent]
[color=#000000][font=Times][size=1][color=#000000][font=Times][size=1][color=#000000][font=Times][size=1][/size][/font][/color]

[size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]From the photos (it hasn't arrived yet) it looks like the serial number is P020262 (or possibly P920262), which would make it 1993-1994 as he claims. I'm confused though, because I thought the official 'silver series' was on sale by this time, contradicting what the seller says.

Is it likely to be made of plywood?



I've paid £405 + shipping, which I suspect is over the odds (like I said, impulse purchase). Any information about this bass, what its actual value probably is, and what reputation these basses have would be great.

Original listing [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231716437945?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT"]here[/url].[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font][/color]

Edited October 14, 2015 by JonnyScaramanga

[stu_g]

Looks like a silver series,which looks similar to my one
mines a O serial number and i think its a basswood body
Value wise ive seen them go for around the £200 mark,there was one on ebay the other month which was in very good condition i messaged the seller and couldve got it for around £160
I paid £100 for mine about a year ago
They are nice basses though

[gjones]

After manufacture of Squiers went from Japan to Korea the quality suffered. The Korean basses used cheaper hardware and laminated plywood bodies. In order to compete with the Fender copies of the time and give the Squier brand a bit more kudos, Fender returned production to Japan and started to manufacture an up market brand of Squier called 'The Silver Series' . The Silver series that I have seen (and I've owned two) all had 'Silver Series' in small black script at the end of the headstock. They were manufactured between 1992 and 1994. The Jazz and Precision Silver Squiers all had 40mm nuts. Which are wide for a Jazz and narrow for a Precision.
Your bass was manufactured, according to the serial number, in 1994. so it might not be a 'Silver Series' but it was made in Japan, so will still an excellent bass.

As far as cost goes? The early nineties, Japanese, Precision Squiers, rarely go for more than about £250 on Ebay or Basschat. So you didn't exactly get a bargain but you did get a really nice 20 year old bass.

[gjones]

By the way, please tell me you didn't buy it from this numpty! His whole selling speil is utter bullshit http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SQUIER-by-FENDER-Silver-Series-Jazz-Bass-USA-Accessories-CUSTOM-COLOUR-VGC-/262087208146?hash=item3d059d6cd2

[Raslee]

It's looks like the original seller was from Totnes (Devon) you do know that Totnrs was once twinned with Narnia? Although now I hear it is closer to Area51 ...totally off topic but it looks a nice bass

[JonnyScaramanga]

Thanks for the info. I knew I'd overpaid but I was hoping it was worth over £300. Ah well, my own fault.

I think the 1993/94 date I found was for a Japanese Fender, not a Squier. How do I date a Squier, other than guessing?

I didn't buy it from that numpty, gjones, but I suspect my seller was similarly full of it. He claims it's an alder body. Is there a way to check? Neck pocket, perhaps? I want to know if the advert was misleading. Is it actually a silver series or not?

It arrives tomorrow, so then I'll know the full extent of my foolishness.

[gjones]

[quote name='JonnyScaramanga' timestamp='1444861214' post='2886884']
Thanks for the info. I knew I'd overpaid but I was hoping it was worth over £300. Ah well, my own fault.

I think the 1993/94 date I found was for a Japanese Fender, not a Squier. How do I date a Squier, other than guessing?

I didn't buy it from that numpty, gjones, but I suspect my seller was similarly full of it. He claims it's an alder body. Is there a way to check? Neck pocket, perhaps? I want to know if the advert was misleading. Is it actually a silver series or not?

It arrives tomorrow, so then I'll know the full extent of my foolishness.
[/quote]

No, it's not a Silver Series but I wouldn't worry too much about that. All Japanese basses are very good quality instruments. Japanese Squiers of that period were usually made of basswood not alder. The neck pocket, or the routing for pickups or controls, will probably have some bare wood on show. Basswood is a closely grained wood, so there won't be much, if any, grain showing.

There's a few articles on silver series basses and guitars on the internet.

[blue]

[quote name='JonnyScaramanga' timestamp='1444852347' post='2886773']
Hi everyone,

I'm new here, a guitarist converting to bass (let the ribbing commence).

I rashly bought a Japanese Squier Precision on eBay without doing my research properly, and now I want to find out what I've bought and if it's a good deal. The seller claims:

[indent=1][size=4][font=times new roman,times,serif]Alder body, maple neck, rosewood board.[/font][/size][/indent]
[indent=1][size=4][font=times new roman,times,serif][color=#000000]This is a high quality light weight bass. Silver logo. These series became known as the silver series and were held in such high regard that Fender actually brought out a new range called 'silver series' and put a decal on the head saying that, but those were not as good as the original un named silver series which spawned the legend. [/color][/font][/size][/indent]
[indent=1][size=4][font=times new roman,times,serif][color=#000000][color=#000000]Same quality of build and materials as JV but without the £700 price tag. Originally I had a JV but this was lighter better sounding and had an adjustable truss rod from the head [/color][/color][/font][/size][/indent]


[color=#000000][font=Times][size=1][color=#000000][font=Times][size=1][size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]From the photos (it hasn't arrived yet) it looks like the serial number is P020262 (or possibly P920262), which would make it 1993-1994 as he claims. I'm confused though, because I thought the official 'silver series' was on sale by this time, contradicting what the seller says.

Is it likely to be made of plywood?



I've paid £405 + shipping, which I suspect is over the odds (like I said, impulse purchase). Any information about this bass, what its actual value probably is, and what reputation these basses have would be great.

Original listing [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231716437945?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT"]here[/url].[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color][/size][/font][/color]
[/quote]

Your Bass looks great. As far as plywood, I don't know, I can't speak for Squires. My MIJ P Basses are made of Ash.

I love MIJ Fenders, I bought 2 back (MINT CONDITION) in 2009 used. Both came w/cases $450.00 EACH.

I took the pick guard of the 1951 re-issue. See pic in the background behind me.

Blue

Edited October 15, 2015 by blue

[yondergo]

A tiny bit OT, but just to stick up for korean squiers after the claim they have plywood bodies - not completely true.

Early E1 series korean basses and guitars from young chang had solid wood bodies, and are blooming lovely guitars to play with outstanding necks. I have a tele 6 string and a j bass of that era, and previously had a Squier bullet bass. All were solid bodies, basswood I think, and excellent players.

[JonnyScaramanga]

Blue, those 51s are fantastic looking basses. Funny know why that style isn't more common.

[Twigman]

[quote name='JonnyScaramanga' timestamp='1444861214' post='2886884']


I think the 1993/94 date I found was for a Japanese Fender, not a Squier. How do I date a Squier, other than guessing?


[/quote]

Fender and Squier shared the serial numbers for the MIJ stuff

[Paul S]

I had a Silver Series Precision and also a Jazz. Both had 'Silver Series' written on the headstock, afaik a silver logo doesn't mean silver series. Straight out of the case with no mods the P bass was one of the nicest I have ever laid hands on and I was totally stupid to sell it. Weighed around 8lbs, had a 40mm wide neck and a dark, woody tone.

[JonnyScaramanga]

It's here!

It was a bit minging when it arrived. Fretboard was covered in gunk (whole guitar was filthy in fact) and the strings needed changing. The tech I used happened to be free so I took it round for his second opinion. It didn't ring very well at first, but after he re-seated the neck in its pocket the bass sounded far better acoustically. Now it's got some new strings and the truss rod adjusted it's a very nice thing to play.

There are a few dents that weren't shown in the pictures but it's in very good condition for its age. Sounds great. Taking the neck off was enough to confirm it is not an alder body.

I've asked the seller to consider giving me some money back because it was listed as "set up for optimum sound and playability", which it wasn't, and because of the other misleading lines in the advert. I expect he'll ask me to return the bass for a full refund or just suck it up though, in which case I'm not sure what I'll do because I do like the thing, but as a non-mint, non-silver series, non-set up, basswood-bodied Squier, it's clearly not quite what I thought I was buying.

[spyder]

Send it back.

[Subbeh]

I'd go for a refund, his description is misleading at best and bull*&!£ at worst. I'm sure it is a decent bass but look in the for sale section on here and you could have a Japanese or Mexican Fender for that money or any number of other interesting basses. They'll will be well looked after and wont turn up covered in gunk!

Edited October 15, 2015 by Subbeh

[Luulox]

I would send it back too. It would nag at me that I had paid too much after been mislead and end up taking the enjoyment out of owning it I should think.

[blue]

[quote name='JonnyScaramanga' timestamp='1444893963' post='2886988']
Blue, those 51s are fantastic looking basses. Funny know why that style isn't more common.
[/quote]

I've been gigging with my 51 for the last couple of weeks. Guys are always asking me if it's a Tele.

I love the string though body. It helps keeping the intonation in check.

Very cool looking and fun to play.

Blue

[Geek99]

Send it back
If it's not as described, send it back or raise a case for a partial refund

I would be pleased if I were the seller to get it back since you've added value with a setup and new strings

Edited October 16, 2015 by Geek99

[FuNkShUi]

Send it back.

No doubt. Might be nice, but i reckon you could do better for your money

[gjones]

I would send it back and get a refund. The seller lied in order to get a higher price. It's a nice bass but not worth £405 in today's market.

You can then keep an eye out for another on Basschat, which will be for sale at about half of what you paid.

[cameltoe]

As above, £400 is more SQ series money than 'Silver Series' (or not) money.

The official 'Silver Series', as mentioned above, have the logo on the end of the headstock. I have a 3-tone sunburst Precision at the moment bought from loudandclear on here in May, it's a great bass. I previously had a Jazz which was very good as well. Both cost me well under £400.

There seems to be evidence to suggest the first batches of MIJ Squiers that came through in the 90's were unofficially referred to as Silver Series (due to the silver script), before Fender made it a 'thing' and added the actual Silver Series logo to back up the good reviews they had been getting. I'm not sure whether this is true, as certainly some of the non-silver series logo'd basses I've seen over the years have later serial numbers. Mine is an M- serial and my Jazz was an L- Serial, both had the logo.

There is more info here:

http://planetbotch.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/original-1992-squier-silver-series-stratocaster.html

Regardless, I'm willing to bet there is very little difference between your instrument and a logo'd 'Silver Series'. They were built at almost the same time, in the same factory, from most probably all the same parts. In fact, have a measure of your nut width and see if it falls at 40mm, like the Silvers.
Both my Silver's had Basswood bodies.

If it helps put it into perspective, I've seen both Fender badged and Squier badged E-series instruments (made 1984-1987 in Fuji-gen Gakki.) I've played both as well, and the logo really had no bearing on the quality IMO.

Nice bass- the scratch plate looks high-quality from the pics?