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Post by ariel on Jan 9, 2017 2:59:39 GMT -6
So I bought a Squire Affinity PJ bass the one with the precision and Jazz pickup layout which is the same as my old 1990's Japanese Fender Jazz Bass special. I just did an A/B comparison and the result is that I will return the new Affinity Bass. The Squire had new strings on it whereas my Japanese one had strings that were boiled in hot water to try and liven em up. So advantage for the squire you would think. Here is what I noticed, The Japanese one had more low end, far better clarity and the notes sounded more 3D and together and the mid range had a more forward tone to it, a nice grind on heavy gain settings. It was quite a huge difference, the squire sounded flat and the note definition through distortion was lacking. I was surprised at the large difference. The Japanese one also had more weight to it which I preferred. I dont like light weight instruments as there is no physical authority behind it when you play em. Saying all that, the price point was great on the squire but if your looking for tone as priority then look elsewhere. I could replace the pickups but then I would have do some searching on sound shootouts of pickups. I also saw a youtube video of someone doing a similar shootout and I heard the same thing going on. I was surprised at the comments saying how much better the squire was- that is what you get when people listen on laptops of speakers with no low end. lol www.invictusaudio.com |
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Post by jcoutu1 on Jan 9, 2017 5:49:57 GMT -6
I have a Fender Japan bass and would describe it similarly. Rich with clarity and a great midrange bark. Really love this bass... www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/JBass66AgOwtMy first Fender was a tuxedo Japan jazz body with a Japan Jazz Bass Special fretless neck with black headstock. Loved that bass too. It was stolen from my locker in college. Total bummer. |
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Post by bowie on Jan 10, 2017 21:43:58 GMT -6
There's definitely a pleasant quality to the 90's Japanese Fenders I've played. I think the model I owned for a couple years was the 'Special', same as yours. I remember it getting "in the pocket" with less woof and thump. Probably shouldn't have let that one go but, I love trying new things and I can't keep em all.
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Post by popmann on Jan 11, 2017 10:10:32 GMT -6
Those new "talked about a lot on forums" Squire basses....I'm sorry....I returned it within days. While it IS a better beginner instrument than I'd ever played by ANY manufacturer....I mean was it $275 out the door? I've been playing too long for a beginner axe....which is all it was. I would recommend it in a HEARTBEAT for a parent who says their child wants to take bass lessons, but the reports that the Squire series guitars are "the next best thing to...." Disagree if you're going to use a professionally viable bass as foil.
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Post by svart on Jan 31, 2017 10:06:43 GMT -6
I have a Squire bass in the studio. I routed it to make it a P/J and installed Fender American pickups that were pulled by folks doing "upgrades" and installed a billet bridge. It gets used more than Fender brand basses that folks bring into the studio with them.
I like the mid-line instruments for the studio. They play decent enough that people don't really notice, are cheaper (even when upgraded), and I don't worry much about them getting knocked over or dropped (which happens more than you'd expect).
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Post by ariel on Dec 27, 2017 21:05:12 GMT -6
So an update on my Squire, well I went and bought a second one for $160. I am still impressed by the way they play and will swap out the PU's later on.
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Post by mrholmes on Jan 21, 2018 21:20:45 GMT -6
I have a Squire bass in the studio. I routed it to make it a P/J and installed Fender American pickups that were pulled by folks doing "upgrades" and installed a billet bridge. It gets used more than Fender brand basses that folks bring into the studio with them. I like the mid-line instruments for the studio. They play decent enough that people don't really notice, are cheaper (even when upgraded), and I don't worry much about them getting knocked over or dropped (which happens more than you'd expect). Me too ... when it comes to electric bases / guitars I love to buy cheap and I upgrade them to my needs. A few things I watch out for real wood, no laminate....a decent fret job...and a working truss rot... |
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Post by Tbone81 on Jan 21, 2018 22:10:03 GMT -6
I just bought a (almost) new Squire Vintage Modified Jazz bass for $200. I'm really happy with it, however the hardware sucks on it. Its all good though because I have a Mexican Made Jazz body that I'm going to swap out, as well as a new set of tuners someone gave me. I plan to frankenstein this bass and figured for $200 I can't go wrong.
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Post by svart on Jan 22, 2018 8:38:30 GMT -6
I just bought a (almost) new Squire Vintage Modified Jazz bass for $200. I'm really happy with it, however the hardware sucks on it. Its all good though because I have a Mexican Made Jazz body that I'm going to swap out, as well as a new set of tuners someone gave me. I plan to frankenstein this bass and figured for $200 I can't go wrong. I like the thinner necks on the Squires, although I don't necessarily hate the half-baseballbat fender necks either. However, I once watched a guy put his American jazz on a stand crooked, and before anyone could get to it, it fell forward and smashed the head into a coffee table, snapping it clean off. I'd never seen a guitar or bass break that easily.. I suppose it was just a fluke or bad neck, but that was an expensive bass.. I've knocked over this squire a handful of times, and it's still kicking, not that I'm saying the squires are built more sturdy, I'm just saying that I don't care nearly as much as if it were an expensive bass! |
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Post by Guitar on Jan 22, 2018 16:11:30 GMT -6
I like the SX basses from Rondo Music.
Dirt cheap.
They need fretwork, electronics work, basically a complete full rehaul. But eventually, if you get there, they are very nice in the end.
I bet the Squier needs a lot less attention.
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Post by stratboy on Feb 7, 2018 18:23:30 GMT -6
I like the SX basses from Rondo Music. Dirt cheap. They need fretwork, electronics work, basically a complete full rehaul. But eventually, if you get there, they are very nice in the end. I bet the Squier needs a lot less attention. I have a short scale J bass SX I bought from Rondo in 2006. Flatwounds and a good set up, plays really well. My only complaint new was the G string dominated. The flatwounds and pickup height adjustment fixed that. Good tone, cost $120 plus the setup and strings. What a deal! |
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Post by Guitar on Feb 7, 2018 18:30:24 GMT -6
I like the SX basses from Rondo Music. Dirt cheap. They need fretwork, electronics work, basically a complete full rehaul. But eventually, if you get there, they are very nice in the end. I bet the Squier needs a lot less attention. I have a short scale J bass SX I bought from Rondo in 2006. Flatwounds and a good set up, plays really well. My only complaint new was the G string dominated. The flatwounds and pickup height adjustment fixed that. Good tone, cost $120 plus the setup and strings. What a deal! I just got a new Agile AD-201 guitar today. "Les Paul Junior Special." Less than 200 buccos. Right up front, the pickup selector is in the WRONG PLACE. That is fine, because there's a huge route under the pickguard, so I can probably move the switch down there. As well, the nut slots are too high, and the bridge slots are too shallow, especially on the low strings. All this, for me, is easily fixable and I will do the work. Especially for the price. Frets are perfect, neck is perfect, no problems with the important stuff. I will redo all the electronics. most likely going to contact Pete Biltoft for some Vintage Vibe P-90s. Also probably going to try "50's Wiring" in this guitar. The tone knob has almost no effect between 10 and 2. Between 2 and 0 there is a huge, drastic leap between "tone" and "dead sound." WTF is going on there I don't even want to know... These are quirky guitars, and basses, but I do think they polish up pretty well. I don't want a whole bunch of them, but this does make 4 by now so I guess I'm a glutton for fixer uppers. |
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