Modding an Affinity....

[Grassie]

Afternoon all,

 

I have a Squire Affinity jazz bass that I'm thinking of modding, but would like some opinions on whether you lovely people think it's worth spending money on (as it's an Affinity)

I have a shopping list in my head:

John East pre-amp (J Tone model)

Compatible pickups (EMG/Barts/Nords)

Headstock re-shape

Paint strip and re-finish (with matching headstock)

Eventual replacement of bridge and machineheads.

 

The paint job and re-shape will have to be done professionally, as I don't have the tools/room to do it. The body and neck are all good and straight, although I won't know if the body is a 1/2/3 piece job until I strip it.

 

Thoughts..?

 

[franzbassist]

That's quite a shopping list of upgrades for such a budget bass!  I'd imagine all that expense will actually make the upgrades cost more than the bass was originally bought for, or importantly would ever be worth in the future, so on that basis alone I would say don't do it.

 

[Trueno]

I would (and have done) replace pickups/electronics and bridge (bridge for cosmetics only). But I wouldn’t go for refinishing or reshaping. I’d replace tuners if they weren’t working very well.

[Thunderbird]

If its a keeper bass and the mods are what you want go for it 😊

[Jonesy]

Have you tried doing some window shopping and seeing what you could get if you sold the affinity and combined it with what you were going to spend on upgrades? Might be worth a look, especially if you wanted to make your budget go further 2nd hand.

 

As others have said, you won't make that much back if you sold it after upgrades and you'd be better stripping it for parts if you did come to sell it.

 

On the other hand, if all of this made your dream bass that you couldn't afford to buy outright and you're not fussed about making your money back then go for it. However, I wouldn't bother with the reshape or refinish and would just upgrade the pups and guts for now. Maybe look at tuners and bridge after I had lived with that for a while

Edited December 20, 2021 by Jonesy

[neepheid]

Make sure you keep all the stock parts. Cheap bass + cost of upgrades > resale value of modded bass. 

[Nicko]

I guess the question is whether what you end up with will have cost you more than buying something that's already that spec.

[Cato]

I spent a fair wedge putting Aguilar pickups, a Babicz bridge and Kiogon loom into a Squier VM Jazz.

 

I did it not because I was trying to build a 'super jazz' on a budget, but purely because I fancied a go at modding.

 

I had a lot of fun doing it and I was thoroughly pleased with the results.

[Grassie]

I've modded a VM Squier P bass before - new pups, Ki0gon loom, but the loom was probably the most expensive part of the mod. Ended up moving it on purely because my head had been turned by something else. Can't say it won't happen again, but GAS is a terrible thing...

 

 

[Doddy]

I don't think I'd do all that to an Affinity.  I get that it's fun to mod stuff but if there is any chance of you selling it on, it's still ultimately a Squier Affinity and will go for that price.

[Rich]

Go for it, except for the headstock re-shape. Keep it stock (and therefore easily re-sellable).

Make sure any mods you make (apart from the paint, obvs) are reversible -- keep all the stock parts. If it goes well, you might decide you want to try the same thing with a better base instrument or with fancier components, e.g. Warmoth body, Status neck, etc. 

[SteveXFR]

It almost sounds like you want a completely different bass. Changing so much suggests you don't like much of what you've got.

[Lozz196]

I’d say same as Rich, leave headstock alone but all the rest can be put back to stock and upgrade parts sold on if necessary so go for it.

[uk_lefty]

If you don't have the tools, times space or skill for the major works don't even bother. Having built my own parts bass a year ago what was supposed to be a learning experience and labour of love turned into a torment. I spent far too much and still had to get a pro to finish it off. The finished product is very good and unique but I could have saved a lot of money buying a factory built bass with a guarantee. 

 

If you are determined to do it no matter what.... From the parts you've listed out it sounds like you may as well buy a better quality body and neck. Once you've done that you can still have your Squier to play around on while you spend a year trying to source parts, see what you can get second hand and realise that not everything fits together so you'll buy three necks, then change your mind on the body colour.... It can go on a bit!

[Thunderbird]

After more thinking I agree with other posters about not reshaping the body or headstock but whatever you do good luck with it 

[Chaosanator]

If you want to spend some money upgrading your squire bass, then I say go for it 🙂

Edited December 20, 2021 by Chaosanator

[jezzaboy]

Buy a nice Sire V7 and have a cracking bass with a weird shaped headstock already!

 

Will cost you less than the mods you plan and is a cracking bass.

 

But if you want to mod the Affinity go for it.

[SteveXFR]

What he said 👆

The Sire V7 is seriously good for a very reasonable price. 

 

[stingrayPete1977]

I modded a red affinity Jazz, it was one of the best jazz basses I've ever played, only sold it as I went exclusively five strings. Go for it.

[StickyDBRmf]

I bought an Affinity Strat for $60US in a pawn shop it's red, rosewood (or whatever) fingerboard. There wasn't a scratch on it 'till I added two more springs in the back and the screwdriver slipped. I hear the bodies are thinner is that the same as the Affinity Jazz? 

Everything works on it and it stays in tune as much as a Strat w/ a whammy bar can. I tune it to Joni Tunings so I'm changing it all the time. Like 5 times on a good day.

Why would I want to change anything? It cost me sixty bucks.

[theplumber]

Buy a sandberg...

[stewblack]

The voices of experience have spoke and there are wise words in what they say.

But having just done my first ever modding job I know that it's better to start on an inexpensive bass. As it happens I'm delighted with the result, but if it had been a more expensive instrument and things had not gone well, I'd have been so dispirited.

[PaulThePlug]

Lookout for a second hand Pre on here...

I'd stay passive and just upgrade the pickups, again secondhand on here...

Anything wrong with the bridge 'n tuners a clean n lube with a dab of vaseline on the threads 'n worms wont fix?

As for a refin n reshape... lot of money if not doing it yourself... for no real gain...

But hey...

Edited December 20, 2021 by PaulThePlug

[yorks5stringer]

Why would the OP want to reshape the headstock, surely even an Affinity has the trademark Fender shape? If they want it to look like a clone, just buy a HB clone.

[Boodang]

My Squier VM jazz has no original hardware on it but I love the way it plays and the mods have turned it into something special. 

If you like the way your Affinity plays then go for it. I've never worried about resell value, it's all about the end result.