Squier Basses - what's the deal?

[mcnach]

[quote name='fftc' timestamp='1488130659' post='3246131']
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.
[/quote]

Good answer. At that price level, there are many other good options. Squier knows this however, so their £400 range is made to be able to compete in that market, and they do it very well.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1488132783' post='3246168']
If only they didn't have that awful 4+1 headstock!
[/quote]

Yeah, I'd love to see a 3+2

[Jono Bolton]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1488205518' post='3246744']
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.
[/quote]

Allow me to share this anomaly; you can see from the picture that the bass he's using has the Squier badges on the headstock, but the truss rod adjustment is at the heel of the neck, rather than the headstock end as you'd find on the production model. I don't know if he's got a prototype, or if it's something else badged as a Squier. It's definitely got the same bridge as mine. Either way, I've definitely seen him playing the standard bass you can buy in the shops.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Jono Bolton

[Lozz196]

I think I read somewhere that Matt does use the Sigs live as he doesn`t want to knack in his 70s Precision which the Sigs are based on.

[gary mac]

I set up and maintain instruments for a couple of schools, so I get to see and work on plenty of Squier basses and guitars. Some of them have come to me in dreadful condition but once cleaned and set up, each and everyone has been perfectly playable.

If they can survive the abuse dished out by secondary school age kids, they are tough enough for gigging

[Chiliwailer]

I still fancy a VM fretless P Bass for a bit of now and again fun, as fretless isn't really my thing.

If one came up second hand near me for the right price I'd jump on it. Not sure if I want to spend full price though on a bass that won't stand up to my others. Yeah yeah, I know they are good, but not that good

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='lownote12' timestamp='1488186069' post='3246498']
My VM P 5 was astonishingly light, and when I checked on the GAK site they're listed as basswood body.
[/quote]

My VM Natural Jazz was a brick and my VM P lighter but a basswood body under white paint.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Jono Bolton' timestamp='1488208680' post='3246786']
Allow me to share this anomaly; you can see from the picture that the bass he's using has the Squier badges on the headstock, but the truss rod adjustment is at the heel of the neck, rather than the headstock end as you'd find on the production model. I don't know if he's got a prototype, or if it's something else badged as a Squier. It's definitely got the same bridge as mine. Either way, I've definitely seen him playing the standard bass you can buy in the shops.
[/quote]

That's an interesting bass. And cool if he actually uses the production models too. Quite often you see them being used as little more than 'photo opportunities'.

[Telebass]

I had a VM P fret less, incredibly light, and fitted with a VM77 Jazz neck. All Squier bitsa, should never have parted with it.

[anzoid]

Might as well chip in...
Recently bought a new Squier CV Jazz in Inca Silver - quality is very good.
Then, also bought a secondhand Fender MIM Jazz in LPB with maple neck - quality is very good.
Comparing the two you'd be hard pressed to tell them apart. Output is about the same from both, the maple fretboard gives the Fender a touch more brightness... perhaps.
Both weight about the same, paintwork is excellent on both of them. The Squier has a gloss neck and the Fender has a satin finish - both feel good.
Fit and finish of both basses is superb. The hi-mass bridge of the Squier is better than the BBOT of the Fender - the saddles tend to move, so going to swap the Gotoh 201 off of my P-bass onto the Jazz.
Tuners are solid on both and do what they're supposed too without much movement between times.
Both basses now sport KiOgon looms. The CV has the one with the pull pot for serial/parallel and for the Fender I went for a VBT setup.
Other than that, nothing else needs changing, but both basses definitely benefitted from the change - in both instances the tone "opened up" after fitting the new looms.
Considering there was about a £150 difference between the new Squier (I got a very good price on this from my local music shop) and the secondhand Fender... well, the Fender isn't that much better, if at all better than the Squier. The Fender purchase was for the colour and the maple board... the Squier because I wanted a Jazz and the Inca Silver is awesome

[radiophonic]

Thanks for all the opinions. I am reading them! I thought the neck on the CV 70s P felt pretty good and the action was very low, without any choking. It wasn't clear whether this is a narrowrer profile than a standard P neck - it did look narrower, but not shallower to me. Again, Fender are light on facts here and the shop didn't know - or show much interest (PMT = all Guitarists I guess). I did think the body was rather light, but I'd need to play one back to back with a Fender and use a strap in order to tell whether it's really an issue. The pickups seemed a bit plasticky and for someone who anchors his thumb right there, the sharp edged moulding round the screw mounts was annoying. I'd like to have a closer look at the bridge too - it looked like it had brass saddles but they could be toffee. It says hi-mass on the site but that could mean anything. Quite tempting on first play.

[PaulWarning]

I've had a couple of Jazz VM(lefty's natural finish), first one I wasn't happy with, the neck was maple satin finished, the frets stuck out a bit and I got fret buzz at my normal string height, the second I've still got, maple gloss neck and finished off well and the action is the same as my MIA P, I suspect my current one is an earlier model (hasn't got seymour ducan on the pickups), so I guess, as always try before you buy if possible.
Regards the wood they do vary depending on the finish, the Black VM's are light basswood but the natural finish ones are heavier alder, I think anyway

[Jono Bolton]

The brass saddles on the CVs are good and solid.

[bonzodog]

Another happy VM jazz user here. Its my main bass, incredibly light and good build quality. I have never been influenced by name badges and peer pressure so I have no issues with only playing Squiers. In the past if ive had cash free ive played a MIM with a view to buy but never seen any improvement on the Squier VM. Ive also just bought a VM Precision and again cannot fault it at all.

[Basscabman]

I own two CV P basses, the fiesta red and the sonic blue. One with flats the other rounds. I'll NEVER sell em. They are that good. Both basses cost me £400.

[Mister RLP]

My Matt Freeman P Bass and VM fretless P Bass also are going nowhere.

[mcnach]

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1488282351' post='3247460']
Thanks for all the opinions. I am reading them! I thought the neck on the CV 70s P felt pretty good and the action was very low, without any choking. It wasn't clear whether this is a narrowrer profile than a standard P neck - it did look narrower, but not shallower to me. Again, Fender are light on facts here and the shop didn't know - or show much interest (PMT = all Guitarists I guess). I did think the body was rather light, but I'd need to play one back to back with a Fender and use a strap in order to tell whether it's really an issue. The pickups seemed a bit plasticky and for someone who anchors his thumb right there, the sharp edged moulding round the screw mounts was annoying. I'd like to have a closer look at the bridge too - it looked like it had brass saddles but they could be toffee. It says hi-mass on the site but that could mean anything. Quite tempting on first play.
[/quote]

I haven't played the CV 70s P, I owned a CV 60s and own a Matt Freeman which I believe is pretty much a CV 70s... although for the two points I want to make this doesn't matter...

1) action: you can make any of those basses have as low or as high an action as you want. It's adjustable. So don't judge a bass on that alone.

2) pickup cover being a bit edgy... you can change the pickup cover. There are lots around, usually at about £5 for a set, and they vary in how rounded the edges are. You can find one set that feels nicer.

[Davebassics]

I own a VM fretless jazz and a CV P.

The CV is definitely a step up from the VM. I and a few other bassists have all A/B'd the CV with much more expensive American and japanese Fenders. We all agree that the CV is easily comparable if not better than the fenders. Obviously my views are a bit biased.

If it wasn't for the fender name, the CV range should be a serious problem for fender.

I haven't compared the VM to any fenders but I'm sure the result would be the same or similar.

[radiophonic]

I'm surprised at the lack of reviews on youtube. There are a couple but not very informative or not in English. I need to play a few P's back to back to be sure but it sounds like the neck profile is deliberately different to other currently available P basses. Unfortunately PMT in Notts have sold their only Nate Mendel, which was the obvious comparison to make. I don't understand why fender don't just stick the measurememts on their website.