5 string Mike Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 As I'm a Squier fan of sorts, I see they are expanding their Vintage Modified line a bit with a Vintage Modified P bass in amber, a VM Jazz "77" (black on black), and the VM Jaguar The VM 77 Jazz and the butterscotch P look pretty cool. It's good to see them offering their VM line with some more variety. I can see myself with one of those black '77' Jazz models. Has anyone seen these up close yet? "Political language... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind"- George Orwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b5pilot Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 I've seen the Jag at the local GC but I haven't tried it yet. Lydian mode? The only mode I know has the words "pie ala" in front of it. http://www.myspace.com/theeldoradosband Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicklab Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 What in the hell is Agathis and when did it start getting used as a body wood?!?!? Obligatory Social Media Link "My concern is, and I have to, uh, check with my accountant, that this might bump me into a higher, uh, tax..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenfxj Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Agathis Info Push the button Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenfxj Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 I can see myself buying that P-bass. Push the button Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 I've seen all but the '77 at the local GC. The new Squier higher-end line is quite impressive, considering the brand's chequered past. I think these are now good starter basses for people, as well as good second basses when filling in some sounds not covered by the main bass. It's fun that they added the Jaguar to the line-up! Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 string Mike Posted September 22, 2010 Author Share Posted September 22, 2010 Yeah, they are getting a pretty good reputation as a solid instrument. A GC salesman I was talking to once said the VM Jazz was the top selling bass they had. Personally, I'd take the fretless Sunburst body, add a tort pickguard and a maple fretboard neck or the new Jaguar neck with the pearloid inlays and that would be a killer old school vibe-to me anyways. "Political language... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind"- George Orwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russkull Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 Personally, I'd take the fretless Sunburst body, add a tort pickguard and a maple fretboard neck or the new Jaguar neck with the pearloid inlays and that would be a killer old school vibe-to me anyways. I'm with you, I'd love to get that fretless. I play one every time I go to GC or SA and haven't played a bad one yet. Can't justify getting another bass right now but it's definitely at the top of the want list. Nice thought about the Jaguar neck too.... "Of all the world's bassists, I'm one of them!" - Lug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted September 25, 2010 Share Posted September 25, 2010 I, personally, do not dig the Jaguar bass. Such is life. However, I do most seriously dig the 77 P-bass. And so it goes. Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted September 26, 2010 Share Posted September 26, 2010 I played the jazz and jaguar at the store and liked both. Really nice basses for $300. I liked the vole/tone controls on the Jaguar. The jazz was really hot and growly. If I wasn't such a gear snob I'd be really tempted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cthulhu Fhtagn Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 When you absolutely, positively don't need an Alembic, the $300 Squiers aren't such a bad deal. Bought a VM Fretless about a year ago. With a little tweeking, it is certainly a servicable bass. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 string Mike Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 Yeah, I'm not that excited about the jaguar's body shape myself, but I dig the control layout, the P/J pickup configuration, the inlays and matching headstock. Thinking that in the spring, I might trade my Deluxe 5er in on a jag or 77 Jazz... "Political language... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind"- George Orwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotlix86 Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Great stuff when you can't afford a real bass. The necks are horrible. Really. An army of me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cthulhu Fhtagn Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Great stuff when you can't afford a real bass. ... and what qualifies as a real bass? Brand name? Dollar amount? Read back a few month when everyone was discussing quality control at Ric. The point is to get past the initial "gear snobbery", stop saying "ewww, Squier" and actaully review the instrument. The necks are horrible. Really. Not great, but certainly not horrible. I have two and with a little tender, lovin' care, the necks are quite playable. A little truss rod here, a little shave with the file there ... If I decide that my jazz project would sound better with a fretless, I would rather pay $300 and find out it's not going to work than buy a $800 Fender and find out it's not going to work. In the current economy, I can move the Squier and take a $100 loss. I would lose at least $300 on the Fender. It's a matter of degrees. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b5pilot Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 The necks are horrible. Really. They feel like a Fender. I've been recently shopping for a jazz bass and I've tried just about everything from Squier Affinities to the American Standards and really there isn't much difference in the feel of the necks. Actually the Affinity bass felt a touch better because it had a satin finish as opposed to the glossy finish the Fenders had. By the way, what's a "real" bass? Lydian mode? The only mode I know has the words "pie ala" in front of it. http://www.myspace.com/theeldoradosband Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 string Mike Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 Great stuff when you can't afford a real bass. Yep, that's me It isn't an issue of "can't" as much as "don't want to". I have other priorities in my life and can't justify spending big dollars on a 'real' bass when my $250 15 year old used MIM P bass and my $300 Squier deluxe jazz 5 do everything I want to do. ... I would rather pay $300 and find out it's not going to work than buy a $800 Fender and find out it's not going to work. That's how look at it as well. The necks are horrible. Really. Yeah, they aren't the best out there, but manageable. Like most other things, one person's horrible is another's buttah. "Political language... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind"- George Orwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky McDougall Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 The necks are horrible. Really. I do not agree, I think they are pretty nice for their price range. What are you comparing them to? "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb, voting on what to eat for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanYmaL X Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 The Squiers I've played/owned in the past have all been serviceable.. they may need a bit of TLC to be good gig-worthy instruments, but they are great for a budget-conscious player. And they are highly modifiable. You can always drop in upgraded electronics, and even replace the neck if you want... I'm liking the 77 Jazz and the Jaguar, myself... too bad the Jag isn't available as a J-J as well... DX Aerodyne Jazz Deluxe Pod X3 Live Roland Bolt-60 (modified) Genz Benz GBE250-C 2x10 Acoustic 2x12 cab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cthulhu Fhtagn Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Yeah, if I'm going to create "Frankenbass", I'd just as soon swap necks, bridges pickguards and pups, not to mention routing fresh holes on a $300 Squier than a $3000 Alembic. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotlix86 Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 The necks are horrible. Really. What are you comparing them to? Ummmm, a real bass? There is no comparison between a squire and a Fender jazz and to suggest there is any is ignorant. For their price range yes, I'm sure they are fine. And modifying one? Why spend the money? You still have a lousy foundation. An army of me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 There is no comparison between a squire and a Fender jazz and to suggest there is any is ignorant. For their price range yes, I'm sure they are fine. And modifying one? Why spend the money? You still have a lousy foundation. Despite, hotlix86's occasionally abrasive style, I agree with her. I've played a VM Squier right next to a used Mexican Fender and the difference in sound and feel was huge, while the difference in price was relatively small. I own a Squier strat and it feels like a toy. It cost me $100 and I got my money's worth. Off course, if you change the neck, hardware, pickups, pickguard and body, you could end up with a nice instrument. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b5pilot Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 I've played a VM Squier right next to a used Mexican Fender and the difference in sound and feel was huge Really Jeremy? Granted I was trying out the five string jazz models but I found really no difference in feel between the Squier Affinity and the MIM standard model. Then again the "feel" of any given bass is subjective. I'll give you the sound was a bit better simply because the hardware and pickups were better but the woods and the fingerboard radius are the same. Yes of course there are some differences in the bargain Squirers and the "real" Fenders (the American not the Japaneese or MIM) besides the fact that one costs 5 times or more the other and the snob apeal of owning a fender MIA, but I don't think for the most part Squiers are junk and certainly with a little tinkering they can be very serviceable instruments. Lydian mode? The only mode I know has the words "pie ala" in front of it. http://www.myspace.com/theeldoradosband Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanYmaL X Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 I own a Squier strat and it feels like a toy. It cost me $100 and I got my money's worth. Mine cost me $65. No, to be sure, it wasn't an American Deluxe or SRV Signature model by any means, but it played just fine, and sounded decent for what I used it for. If I'd had $2500 to buy a custom shop model, I certainly would have done so. Or even $4 or $500 to buy a used Standard, for that matter... My MIM Tele was a bit better quality out of the box, but the electronics were not any better. The guy I play with at church has, among others, a $5000 McPherson acoustic, a very nice high end Gretsch electric, and a standard Squier P bass hanging on his wall... (modified... with Fender pickups) and it does the job he needs it for just fine. He's also got gold records, Dove awards and other accolades hanging right next to them all. Squier makes a product for a specific market... those that can't, don't want or don't need to pay top dollar... For their price range yes, I'm sure they are fine. I think that's the whole point. I do own a Fender bass, it's MIJ though, and I'll stack it up against a US Fender any day... in fact, I did when I bought it. The US Jazz Deluxe may have been just a little bit nicer, but not nearly enough to justify the < 3x 'nicer' price tag... DX Aerodyne Jazz Deluxe Pod X3 Live Roland Bolt-60 (modified) Genz Benz GBE250-C 2x10 Acoustic 2x12 cab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 I have to respectfully disagree, too. I thought these were pretty nice instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lug Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 I have to respectfully disagree, too. I thought these were pretty nice instruments. I have to disrepectfully agree with SteveC. You can stop now -jeremyc STOP QUOTING EVERY THING I SAY!!! -Bass_god_offspring lug, you should add that statement to you signature.-Tenstrum I'm not sure any argument can top lug's. - Sweet Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Will- Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Because of this thread I stopped in and tried a couple at a local shop.. they weren't all that bad.. definitely worth the price. I compared a Classic Vibe P bass to an American Standard and while the American was definitely nicer, the Squier would be a nice starter or backup bass. Besides, it's all in the fingers anyway, right? Music has no boundaries. It is yours to discover, to enjoy, to draw from and to pass on to others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 I've taken apart numerous Squiers and found that the bodies were made of plywood. I suppose you could say that Alembic basses are also made of plywood. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul K Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 You're made of plywood, as are Kubicki's. I've played a bunch of guitars and basses at various stores. Setup always sucks so bad that I can't tell the gems from the junk till after I have it home for a week. I mean, they don't even tune the damn things. And since I'm not familiar with the amp in the store and usually aren't in a quiet room, I've no idea how they sound. But that doesn't help settle the score in the least. I just like to rant on about things. Things are just the way they are, and they're only going to get worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 I've only been able to compare the Squier to the Tony Franklin Fender fretless, so can't speak of the $800 Fender edition, but I would say the quality and sound ratio of those two basses corresponded quite well to their price difference ($300 vs. $1200 used). Squier is suddenly a very different brand, maybe starting a year or two ago. The entry-level Squiers are still the same as before though. I think these higher-end Squiers are a reaction to the economy. My personal feeling, regarding the basses and guitars that I've tried under $1000, is that the Squiers in the $400 range are a somewhat better buy than most fenders under $1000. Bottom line, it's always best not to bring prejudice to an audition, when trying new instruments. Companies turn around without warning, or go downhill suddenly. Also, each model, and even each guitar or bass, is a unique instrument. My guitar technician tells me that the current line-up of Squiers is a safer on-line buy than the current Fenders, in terms of neck consistency. But of course it is always best to buy in person, and at that point it's just a matter of being patient and persistent, to find the right instrument. Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 And of course our friends at Fender have been consistently raising prices over the past few years for both Fenders and Squiers. The prices of the Custom Shop Fenders are fairly unbelievable. Fender Custom Shop Master Built 1970s Jazz Bass Heavy Relic Black over Candy Apple Red $6,690.92 http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/9/0/0/621900.jpg I doubt if this bass sounds or plays better than my Mike Lull bass (or the Sadowsky that SteveC just sold for a sixth of that price). Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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