BottomE Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 I spent today setting up a 1986 Squier Precision, made in Korea that i bought off of Ebay for £75. After getting the action down and the intonation sorted i plugged it in and recorded a couple of tunes. It sounds great to my ears! I loaded it in the car and took it down to the soundcheck. Again really surprised that it was punchy through the amp and sat so well in the mix! This means that i am going to gig a bass that costs a 10th of the price of my other basses! And its pig ugly with chips out of the body and scratches and dents all over it. For some insane reason i really like it How many of you gig cheap sub £100 basses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merello Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Gigged a Squier PJ Special I got for £60 and it cut through the mix like Conan through a field of daisies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Undead Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 You do love those Squier Precisions don't ya mate? I have gigged cheap basses with no problem at all. Once my CV is sold though, I'll be gigging my Warwick as it's the only bass I'll have left after my clear out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwild16 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 i've gigged squier affinities before now....and staggs. I got more compliements on the sound of the squier than i have off real fender machines..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.noisy Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 I've gigged Squier PJ special few times, i had this bass two years and i'm still missing it since it's sold. But new owner use this bass as his main bass as well. It was amasing bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojobass Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 gigged a 'bitsa' jazz i put together a while ago, total cost about £95! sounded good to me!! but i cant help playing my 'wicks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 [quote name='Evil Undead' post='1330224' date='Aug 6 2011, 07:19 PM']You do love those Squier Precisions don't ya mate? [/quote] Its only a recent thing though Mel. And your old Affinity is getting the treatment with US PuPs/Neck/Bridge and Machine heads. This revelation came from playing a Squier at a jazz funk night and it was superb - i turned down a Wal to play the Squier! Glad to see that there are other equally crazy people out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 My Rogue fretless cost £100 and I have gigged it many times. It goes well in the acoustic duo I play in. Cheap does not always mean rubbish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 on a slight tangent, I was staying at a friends place for the weekend. My friends wife thought about playing guitar. She hasn't boyhered about it to be honest . I can't play guitar either, however when I picked up her cheap sqier(salmon pink) I was amazed at how good the quality was. Got me thinking that sqiers are seriously well made instruments. A guitar friend of mine raved about them in the'80s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 I've gigged my Aria several times, it sounds the business! It was my backup bass in my covers band days but got plenty of outings, i really like it as an instrument, it has bags of character and tone. In fact i was playing it today through headphones and my cheapo Zoom pedal (daughter having a nap so i snuck a quick practice in), still sounded the nuts! Roll the neck pup off slightly and it's a killer. Cost me £45 off eBay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 All last year I was gigging a Squier Jazz that I paid £110 for. Totally stock, except I put a series switch in it, and strung it with La Bella flats. It sounded great. On the last 4-track EP we recorded I used it on two of the tracks because it just sounded right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Done loads of gigs first set on the pre EB Ray then the Squier Jazz for the second (or vice versa). If it's good it's good, Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1330343' date='Aug 6 2011, 08:55 PM']Done loads of gigs first set on the pre EB Ray then the Squier Jazz for the second (or vice versa). If it's good it's good, Enjoy [/quote] + 1 its just so damn ugly but i like it already in the same way you get attached to a mangey old dog. All my usual analaty (is that a word) has gone out the window about finish and condition etc. Gonna go gig now. I'll report back and let you know how we get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinson Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Best bass I've owned is my 87 Korean Jazz. Its been through hell and back over twenty odd years. Surviving two UK tours without even a gig bag. Not to be sniffed at! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 Heres the lowdown. Checked the tuning before playing and the bass had been standing on the stage in an air conditioned club for about 4 hours. Needed no adjustment as it was in perfectly. That was a major surprise given all the mucking about i did with it today. First song was a Stevie Wonder song, I Wish, which i normally play on a jazz bass towards the back pickup. We start it on the bass so its moment had come. It didn't let me down. The bottom end was so phat i had to take some off on the amp. In retrospect i forgot to lower the pickups after lowering the action today and the strings were probably too close to the PuPs - had to take the gain down as it was clipping. This bass sounds massive. In the end i used the Squier for almost the whole first set and have to say that i am in a state of shock at how an instrument costing £75 can sound so good. Whats going on? The jazz bass came out for the second set as there are a couple of covers that required the slap tone and i need to experiment with the Squier as far as that is concerned. The Jazz imediately felt less present in the mix then I remembered to re-EQ back to flat. What a strange experience - after years of lusting after high end Fenders, Stingrays and such i am finding love for a beat up old Squier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyBiskit Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 (edited) I have 2 squier basses, and they are my main gigging basses- 1 is an affinity precision-bought it 7 years ago and a VM Jazz-which i bought at the beginning of the year,I take em both to every gig and they never let me down. the precision is great for stone roses numbers-a lovely fat sound. and the Jazz-well I just love the growl of those duncan designed pickups. In Fact I'm only writing this post now as i have just got back from a gig,at which both basses were used for different numbers. T. Edited August 7, 2011 by LeftyBiskit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckman67 Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 I have a 1989 Squier Precision (MIK) that I used a couple of times,and my friend who bought it off me for 10 years used it all the time for gigs. My back up bass years ago was an Encore E83 with the ash body remember them. A couple of pics of my '89 Squier.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 For the last two years my only bass has been a Vintage (brand, not the age) jazz. It's been gigged dozens of times and I recorded my bands EP using it. I've regularly had compliments on how good it sounds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 (edited) [quote name='merello' post='1330218' date='Aug 6 2011, 07:17 PM']Gigged a Squier PJ Special I got for £60 and it cut through the mix like Conan through a field of daisies![/quote] What you tryin' to say man?! Although I am in two bands at the moment, neither is quite up to gigging speed yet. Having said that the bass I've been mostly using with both bands in full rehearsals is my Squier Affinity P. It just does what I want it to do, and I look forward to gigging with it when the opportunity arises. The Status is in temporary retirement! Edited August 7, 2011 by Conan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Doesn't it just show all the nay sayers that Leo must of got the core basics right both with the p and the j from the start, 99% of the work was done leaving Sadowsky , Alleva , overwater etc etc etc just the final 1% to fettle? Top bloke old Leo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 As I've mentioned on another thread, I bought a Squier VM Jazz off Gareth Friend of this parish, to use as back up and my first fumblings in modding. But it's a such a lovely instrument I've been using it more and more. After one gig (luckily it was back in it's gig bag) a bloke said 'I love the sound of those Marcus Miller basses'. I just said 'Yeah, so do I'. To cross-refer to another thread, I think all the postings on this one answer the question why we don't see more boutique gear at gigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 [quote name='Len_derby' post='1330821' date='Aug 7 2011, 12:00 PM']To cross-refer to another thread, I think all the postings on this one answer the question why we don't see more boutique gear at gigs.[/quote] I used to use a boutique bass (2k new) and my cheapo Aria at gigs, never really thought of it as weird that two basses at opposite ends of the price spectrum both got equal use. If anything the Aria got more playing hours because i just leave it lying around the house. You have to keep those expensive basses in flightcases! Tbh i've thought about shifting all the expensive gear and just using my 3 cheapo Jazzes exclusively, i can get pretty much everything i want out of them and i have serious Promethean/BF Midget GAS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 [quote name='Len_derby' post='1330821' date='Aug 7 2011, 12:00 PM']As I've mentioned on another thread, I bought a Squier VM Jazz off Gareth Friend of this parish, to use as back up and my first fumblings in modding. But it's a such a lovely instrument I've been using it more and more. After one gig (luckily it was back in it's gig bag) a bloke said [b]'I love the sound of those Marcus Miller basses'.[/b] I just said 'Yeah, so do I'. [/quote] Maybe he was just trying to give you a subtle hint towards getting one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 [quote name='lemmywinks' post='1330825' date='Aug 7 2011, 12:07 PM']Tbh i've thought about shifting all the expensive gear and just using my 3 cheapo Jazzes exclusively, i can get pretty much everything i want out of them and i have [b]serious Promethean/BF Midget GAS![/b][/quote] I reckon my Squier sounds better through my BF BigOne/LMIII than my MIA P Deluxe does through a Behringer2X10/Hartke set up I sometimes use. So, [b]in my experience[/b], you get a better overall sound by moving a greater proportion of your 'spend' over to the amp and cab. So, I think your plan is a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 [quote name='Len_derby' post='1330839' date='Aug 7 2011, 12:18 PM']I reckon my Squier sounds better through my BF BigOne/LMIII than my MIA P Deluxe does through a Behringer2X10/Hartke set up I sometimes use. So, [b]in my experience[/b], you get a better overall sound by moving a greater proportion of your 'spend' over to the amp and cab. So, I think your plan is a good one.[/quote] Yeah i already have a Schroeder/LMII rig which sounds great whatever i put through it - i used our guitarist's girlfriend's pink 3/4 PBass copy (complete with Hello Kitty stickers) as a backup once or twice and that still sounded great! I just really want a Promethean combo or a Midget, or both! I have no real bass GAS these days but amp GAS is terrible! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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