Terry M.

Yes I've seen this article before in a previous thread. It speaks the truth. Nothing aimed at @Bass Direct but it's capitalism and greed gone crazy. We're essentially talking about two pieces of wood bolted together with a few screws.

So does petrol but it's still overpriced 🤭

This all day every day.

Those are also over-priced 😄

I remember Bass Direct had some limited edition Stingrays some years back and they were priced lower than regular Stingrays. From memory it was because they only came in red or blue (possibly black also),had a gig-bag rather than the usual hardcase, had a 2-band eq and...was poplar-bodied! I have no personal issue with poplar but find it interesting it was used on a cut-price Stingray and now on this Pino re-issue. I wonder if his original was made of it. I've owned poplar basses and it's never bothered me tonally I might add. Ok Google just helped me out,the Stingrays I mentioned were known as "Limited Edition 133" . Bass Direct had a couple back in roughly 2014 and they well under a grand,about £850 or so.

Love his work with the Mizell Brothers production duo. In particular the Gears album by Johnny Hammond from 1975.

You may already know that Chuck Rainey was asked by Steely Dan NOT to slap on "Peg" so during recording he turned his back and did it anyway. They ended up loving it 😊

What are your thoughts with regards to the Sadowsky outboard preamp pedal? It keeps things real simple. Edit: you said you don't want to fiddle with pedals so ignore.

Another vote for the Sadowsky outboard premp pedal. You have the bonus of the bass's tone control in both active and passive a la VTC and you don't have to perform any surgery on the bass should you desire to move it on as-is. It will sell as it left the factory no problem as a lot of users want them all-passive. Then sell the pedal on also if needed.

To be fair he didn't specifically say he loves the sound. But I'm sure he does 😊

Maybe it is maybe it isn't. You're using a subjective term though when you say better.Play a bunch of USA basses and Squier ones and you'll know for definite. The ultimate test would be a blindfold one. We go to Sainsbury's and see McVities Digestive Biscuits and we see the Sainsbury's own brand version. Guess which one most people will assume is superior before even sampling either packet? Well McVities make both despite the lower price of Sainsbury's "version". Leo used ash and alder based on cheapness and availability. It was not a tonewood choice in the beginning. There's no magic there so if a Squier is poplar bodied for example there is no inherent disadvantage other than what the user places on it based on preconceptions and prior association.

I've owned American Fenders and I've owned Squiers and I've enjoyed both to some degree but can't see any "magic" with the USA made stuff,but you mustn't interpret this as "they're crap" They're not crap. CNC machines work indiscriminately regardless of where they're plugged in. In this day and age I find it hard to believe there's a magic formula to bolting together two pieces of wood with just 4 screws and a thin metal neckplate is all I'm saying. The marketing machine would have us believe otherwise but really?

But someone with double the hearing acuteness you have can still prefer the sound of a Squier over your American Fenders. Aren't we talking about personal taste here? "Good" sound is subjective. How many of us has spent quite a bit on "upgrading" pickups only to either not hear the difference or prefer the originals?

If it's made well it makes no difference where it was assembled.

I paid for a brand new American Fender once and within weeks the paint started to peel. Fender replaced it through the retailer Guitar Guitar but I've never had a Squier do that.

I'm not telling you what your experience is at all,no way can I do that. I'm saying that it feels superior to YOU which is all that matters 👍

I've played some American Fenders that felt lifeless and dull and Squiers that were not and have owned several of each. I watched a video online earlier this year where a "gourmet" food stand was set up and was giving out free samples. Everyone actually thought they were eating gourmet food and was seemingly impressed. It was revealed to be Greggs all along.

This is subjective. On paper yes the Fender is supposed to be superior but...

But this simplicity and quality can exist in far-eastern produced Squiers at a fraction of the cost. Exactly how can Fender justify the much higher prices for essentially the same thing? I think with regards to sounds between boutique and Fender basses ,in many cases the "best" bass tone isn't what's required.I've been in situations where people just want the sound they're used to hearing on their favourite albums. It makes no difference to them if an alternative sounds "better". I'm not suggesting this applies to you personally but it's definitely out there.

They should have kept the S-1 series/parallel switch found on passive American Series Jazz Basses. As it was so unobtrusive it would be up to the user to ignore it if they wanted it in parallel the whole time. Nothing lost there and an extra sound palette for the series switching fans. In fact have it on even the active Jazzes. Didn't see the point of it as much on P basses however.

Fender know there are many loyal fans who won't stray from the brand so it almost gives them a licence to charge what they feel like. They have a sizeable captive audience. I don't have a problem with the brand per se but I don't feel their prices are in line with their innovation. As mentioned previously you now pay a premium for an already bashed up looking "new" bass.

I gigged my sub £1k Mexican Player Plus Jazz V just last night and it did everything I needed it to do. Would it have done more if it was a £4k Custom Shop model? I vote no. I like my Fender but at heart I'm a Warwick fan.

I'm totally with you on this.

I tried a Squier Affinity Jazz Bass V in a store once followed by a Fender American Ultra ii Jazz Bass V and for the life of me couldn't understand the price difference. I'm not saying the Fender wasn't better but they're both essentially two pieces of wood screwed together (I know I'm gonna pay for saying that 😂). So I too don't know where the price point you mentioned happens either.