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Modding an Affinity....


Grassie

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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..?

:)

 

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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 by Jonesy
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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.

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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... ;)

 

 

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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. 

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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 by PaulThePlug
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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.

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