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Squier 40th Anniversary Precision Bass - thoughts


cetera

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I tried one of these in Guitar Guitar yesterday..... played really nicely and sounded great. Really like the lake placid blue with blocks.... but also the black with blocks! Both look great....

 

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/220118379926025--squier-40th-anniversary-precision-bass-gold-edition-lake-placid

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/220118379927025--squier-40th-anniversary-precision-bass-gold-edition-black-india

 

Anyone else tried one/got one? Thoughts?

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I don’t understand Fenders current strategy. The Squire CV basses I have played are frequently better than the MIM Performer’s. The Vintera, Nate Mendel and Flea MIM basses are excellent, IMO easily as good if not better than many  of the USA built Fenders.
Fender seem to have lost the plot in terms of price and marketing, which I feel is impacting the used market as MIM basses are still seen as being inferior to the USA models when many lines, the Vintera for example are premium basses. I sold my USA P before the Vintera. They were both good basses but the USA one was just a bit meh, bland with little character whereas the Vintera was a joy, bags of character and sounded fantastic.

 

Edit: I don’t think the old hierarchy  of Squire / MIM / MIJ / USA makes any sense anymore. Just buy the one that works for you at the best price. To answer the original question would I buy a 40th Aniversary Squire. No. There are 2 used Vinteras for sale on this forum at bargain prices. I would snap them up.

Edited by tegs07
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4 hours ago, jd56hawk said:

True enough, but Fender MIM prices are edging ever closer to Fender USA prices.

PhotoCollage_20220225_223653283.jpg

Blimey, they are going up indeed, and by a lot at that.  Perhaps in some ways understandable as the cooking MIS models were always over rated.

 

With the increasingly excellent finish and playability of the Indonesian Squiers I can see some folk defecting from the big F in favour of the more cost effective option.

 

PS, I like the seafoam green model in the middle. Smutty.

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2 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

Blimey, they are going up indeed, and by a lot at that.  Perhaps in some ways understandable as the cooking MIS models were always over rated.

 

With the increasingly excellent finish and playability of the Indonesian Squiers I can see some folk defecting from the big F in favour of the more cost effective option.

 

PS, I like the seafoam green model in the middle. Smutty.

I started a thread on Talkbass...Basses You Wanted To Love, But Couldn't.

 

Saw one at a local store, played it for a nearly half an hour, 
I have to say the tone was everything you'd want from a P bass..but it just didn't work for me.
Wasn't actually a comfort issue, wasn't simply the neck, it was something I couldn't quite put my finger on.
Hate going to that store and seeing it, or the Dakota Red model, because I still want one.

th.jpeg-315.jpg

Edited by jd56hawk
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Also tried these in guitar guitar Epsom yesterday. I went along with a mate who tried out a load of strats and couldn’t resist a peek in the bass section.
 

They had two anniversary P basses in different colours, both were very good, the blue one the best one. I worked my way through their bass selection and preferred the squiers to the Mex (tried a standard and active PJ) and US models (performer pj, ultra) which felt really stiff and not much of a step up for the massive price difference. This was an overall theme for the visit. My mate tried fenders from mexi player series up to US Ultras and custom shop and the player was 80-90% as good as the top models for a small percentage of the price. He also tried a £6k prs hollow body which looked great but we couldn’t work out how this was worth 6 times the cost of an se hollow body. 
 

The necks on the squiers felt great, just the right amount of gloss and felt very similar to worn in 70s fenders. The gold hardware wasn’t too bright and blingy (is that a word?) even under the very bright store lights. Bonus looms and am considering one! 
 

They had a few interesting second hand exotics, a warwick or two, lots of sand bergs, a few dingwalls, and lots of single basses from a few brands I hadn’t played before (Kennedy??). I really liked a tribute l2500 for £499 but it had one of those satin finishes that scratches when you look at it. I’d consider one of these in another colour. 
 

The store was great, loads of staff, all really friendly and knowledgable, very enthusiastic and helpful throughout. 

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On 26/02/2022 at 07:27, tegs07 said:

Edit: I don’t think the old hierarchy  of Squire / MIM / MIJ / USA makes any sense anymore. 

I don't think it ever made any sense. It's just people being snobbish, often for no reason.

 

As you rightly point out, different product ranges from the same factory can vary in fit and finish significantly, often with much overlap and overtake between the different factories and price ranges.

 

On top of that Fender's, and to a much lesser degrees Squier's, quality can be so variable from instrument to instrument that it can differ significantly between otherwise identical bits of kit.  The idea that an MIA, for example, is automatically superior in "quality" when individual instruments from Fender can vary so greatly is frankly laughable.

 

This all oft mooted idea of a hierarchy of quality was always so riddled with exceptions to the rule that it never made a great deal of sense, and these days that is true more than ever. You can't even use it as a rough rule of thumb.

Edited by Bassfinger
My typing was made in China
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It really hit home for me how it’s not remotely about the name on the headstock, it’s the instrument in your hands. I don’t think I’m ever going to mail order a bass again! 
It’s so subjective and driven by personal requirements, it’s not worth the risk to me.

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On 08/03/2022 at 08:35, Pow_22 said:

Havent bought a brand new bass in years but really liking that black P bass, looks very classy......and im in the market for a p bass too!

Me neither, always pre-owned, but a black/gold is on its way from Germany.

 

I think these may become quite sought-after. Thomanns said they had 20 in black but would be no re-orders once they had gone.

 

Ive a JV from '82 so it was only right to have this from '21 (as I think they are dated)

 

Delivered - set up like donkey. 7/64the at 17th on the A, unmeasurable relief at 7th, plus the A rings when played open. Will set up from scratch with flats and then judge it properly.

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Edited by Paddy515
added pics
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On 26/02/2022 at 07:27, tegs07 said:

I don’t understand Fenders current strategy. The Squire CV basses I have played are frequently better than the MIM Performer’s. The Vintera, Nate Mendel and Flea MIM basses are excellent, IMO easily as good if not better than many  of the USA built Fenders.
Fender seem to have lost the plot in terms of price and marketing, which I feel is impacting the used market as MIM basses are still seen as being inferior to the USA models when many lines, the Vintera for example are premium basses. I sold my USA P before the Vintera. They were both good basses but the USA one was just a bit meh, bland with little character whereas the Vintera was a joy, bags of character and sounded fantastic.

 

Edit: I don’t think the old hierarchy  of Squire / MIM / MIJ / USA makes any sense anymore. Just buy the one that works for you at the best price. To answer the original question would I buy a 40th Aniversary Squire. No. There are 2 used Vinteras for sale on this forum at bargain prices. I would snap them up.

The way I think about the pricing is that with the MIM Fenders with the Player series you have what is basically Fenders "entry level" instrument ie the cheapest instruments available that will carry the Fender name, ime the Player series is basically comparable to the cheaper Squiers, maybe slightly better quality but not a world of difference and at this price point you are pretty much just paying for the name.

 

When you go up in pricing to Vintera and Classic 50's these basses are a tonne better than the Player series, better necks, hardware, pickups the lot.  The player plus series is also better than the standard Player series but I would take the Vintera or the Classic 50s over these .

 

This is all imo and based on my experience only,  I had a chance recently to play a load of Fenders/Squiers from the entry level Squiers up to the more expensive MIM Fenders

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As I confirmed Fender US fan-boi I can state that although I find the US instruments to invariably be better than Squiers & Mex Fenders I don’t think the price tag new is realistic or reflective of the difference in quality. I had a Squier VM77 Jazz and whilst my US Professional Jazz was better was it actually 4 times better? Probably not. 

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I like the idea of these 40th Anniversary instruments, but the price instantly puts me off.

 

I feel like since Covid we have seen the biggest price increases since I first got into playing about 28 years ago!

 

I'm kinda glad I don't need a new instrument now. I can look but I've not been tempted for a long time. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I love just tried one of these at a local music shop. The blue one is gorgeous to look at,and the jazz neck is really slim and comfy. With the blocked jazz neck, they should have released this as candy Apple Red, very Duck Dunn. 

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  • 3 months later...
On 26/02/2022 at 07:27, tegs07 said:

I don’t understand Fenders current strategy. The Squire CV basses I have played are frequently better than the MIM Performer’s. The Vintera, Nate Mendel and Flea MIM basses are excellent, IMO easily as good if not better than many  of the USA built Fenders.
Fender seem to have lost the plot in terms of price and marketing, which I feel is impacting the used market as MIM basses are still seen as being inferior to the USA models when many lines, the Vintera for example are premium basses. I sold my USA P before the Vintera. They were both good basses but the USA one was just a bit meh, bland with little character whereas the Vintera was a joy, bags of character and sounded fantastic.

 

Edit: I don’t think the old hierarchy  of Squire / MIM / MIJ / USA makes any sense anymore. Just buy the one that works for you at the best price. To answer the original question would I buy a 40th Aniversary Squire. No. There are 2 used Vinteras for sale on this forum at bargain prices. I would snap them up.

 

I've gone for the Dakota Red 'vintage' model, with aged chrome and a satin finish it has a 'roadworn feel' without being a relic. The Alnico 5 pups sound great. My opinion is that these top-end Squiers are at least as good as entry level Fenders. I also have a Flea and it was the best of the MIM and American jazzes I tried out.

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2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

I've gone for the Dakota Red 'vintage' model, with aged chrome and a satin finish it has a 'roadworn feel' without being a relic. The Alnico 5 pups sound great. My opinion is that these top-end Squiers are at least as good as entry level Fenders. I also have a Flea and it was the best of the MIM and American jazzes I tried out.

Nice, I ordered the Vintage Satin blonde as well, should be here this week. I also have the Flea J :)

Edited by Highfox
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  • 4 months later...

Picked up a lake placid blue one with gold hardware and blocks last week in the Thomann Black Friday sale for £280 delivered (inc all taxes etc)!

Fantastic bass, looks awesome and plays/sounds fantastic. A wonderful addition to the collection. Makes me want a black one now!

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