Squire vs Fender…

[Boodang]

Love my Squier VM jazz fretless, one of the best basses I’ve ever owned. Upgraded pups, preamp (still passive) and nut, don’t care what the resell value is as will never sell. Plays a treat. With the resin fingerboard and flats, everyone who plays it loves it.

 

Edited July 10, 2023 by Boodang

[smithy]

I own a 60s Vintage modified Squier Jazz which was my first bass out of 6 now and I still love playing it. From time to time I have GAS for a different style of bass but  that´s not a question of a particular brand to me.

[martthebass]

More than 250 gigs on this little Indonesian Squier. It’s definitely standing the test of time. 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

My main basses at the moment are Squier 50s Precisions. I recently had the chance to try one of the US reissues and the Squiers are much more comfortable to play and honestly there wasn't much difference in the build quality.

[PaulThePlug]

Squier... and an excuse to post this again... It's lovely...

[Buddster]

To go against the trend on this thread, but I have a Squier CV jazz and a Fender delux jazz. The fender is by far the better instrument. 

The Squier needed quite a bit of adjustment from new and was then nice to play. But the fender is much, much nicer. Sound, feel and finish.

Unplugged, the difference is quite noticeable. The Squier sounds dead in comparison. I haven't really wanted to play the Squier after buying the fender. 

 

Not saying Squiers are bad, certainly not, they're great for the money. 

 

Plus I'am willing to accept that all basses are different and others will have other experiences. 

[mcnach]

On 08/07/2023 at 16:46, LeftBass2022 said:

I think I prefer my Squier Jazz to my Fender Jazz.  Anyone else feel this way?   I dug out the Squier and I just think it sounds better.   The Fender is a new Player series,  nice enough,  the Squier is just a Squier.  But - if I had to give one up right now, I’d keep my second-hand Squiggly.  I’m even thinking about getting a Squier P.bass to see if it compares to the Squier Jazz.  Maybe I’ll sell the Fender?  Any opinions welcome guys.  😎

 

Keep what you like, of course.

 

At one point I had 6-7 Jazz basses, 4 of which were Fenders. I only kept one, a '94 Korean battered Squier (no, not for deep frying, I just meant it had a lot of little marks and scratches) 

[neepheid]

11 minutes ago, mcnach said:

 

Keep what you like, of course.

 

At one point I had 6-7 Jazz basses, 4 of which were Fenders. I only kept one, a '94 Korean battered Squier (no, not for deep frying, I just meant it had a lot of little marks and scratches) 

 

I'll have the tempura squier, please...

[miles'tone]

3 hours ago, neepheid said:

 

I'll have the tempura squier, please...

Your getting into used Mexican Fender Enchilada money there though...

[neil___lien]

And then you try a Sire... 

 

🤯🤯

[ead]

My absolute favourite P bass is my Squier Silver Series.  Cheap as chips and really nice to play with the slightly narrower 40mm nut.

[VTypeV4]

I haven't owned a 'full fat' Fender for 15 years or more..

 

The VM and 40th Anniversary Squier Jazzes are the best passive basses I've ever owned. Compared against a lovely Japanese '75 reissue, an American Standard and an active Mexican Deluxe V, I'd pick the Squiers. Incidentally, I played both back-to-back when I got home last night and even 6 months later, I couldn't choose between them.. ❤️

 

I can't help but feel Fender may well have shot themselves in the foot with the quality of the high end Squier basses. Based on my own experience (YMMV), other than the 'it says Fender on the headstock' kudos, the Squier models are at least equal to most of the Fender basses I've played both historically and recently.

 

I have an Affinity series Jazz, too and even that is a useful tool - I've gigged it on occasion plus it's made it on to more than a few recordings at the studio too - I can't say it was ever lacking. It's had some cosmetic upgrades over the last few years but still has the stock pickups, electrics and hardware.       

[Bassman68]

I have three Squiers that are my main touring instruments.. 

A 10yr old Infinity Jazz in Burgundy mist (Betsy style?) that I imported (It didn’t seem to be a colour available in Europe at the time? And the colour was important at the time for the band I was in?), An Infinity Precision (PJ) in white (I wanted a maple fb, black dots showed up better on dim stages) & a CV70’s Jazz in Sunburst (love the look).

All have been tweaked with different bridges, looms, pick-ups etc. but I regard them as my working tools.

They’re out & about 60-70 gigs a year, either travelling with me in my car, in the crew van or flown & have never let me down.

I use the Squiers as opposed to anything more expensive due to worrying less if they get knocked or damaged on the road, Most excesses for insurance would cover the price of replacements?

I don’t care what it says on the headstock ( although the bm jazz has got a Fender decal? ) They all sound like the basses they are? Let’s face it, as long as it’s a good piece of wood that’s stable & holds tuning & action, you can upgrade most of the parts to make it a better instrument without paying through the nose for the Fender prestige? 

Edited July 15, 2023 by Bassman68

[SurroundedByManatees]

I've owned and played a lot of Fender and Squier basses from a wide range of series and era's. Anything from affinity Squiers to Vintage '60s instruments.

 

Ime the USA and Mex Fenders are all over te place when it comes to build and sound quality. They can be superb, or just plain bad. Even the Custom shop models aren't always flawless (sloppy routings, dead spots...

The Japanese being consistently decent or just very good though, never played a bad one.

The two worst sounding Fender products I've played we're both USA standards, they were just dead...not even a fancy preamp or high end pickups that could make them breath. 

 

For the Squiers I tried I felt they were built consistently decent, but in some cases with obviously lacking hardware. I even played a bottom line affinity that had a great fit and finish, good playability with low action and good JB sound. I would have happily gigged it in stock condition, choosing it over some USA built ones.

 

When looking at prices for Fender products, I feel that the higher spec Squiers are a the best value for the money.

Three weeks ago I bought a new Squier Rascal bass. I can't recommend that bass enough, it just sounds and feels 3 times the value to me. Build quality is definitely better/tighter than many of the more expensive basses I've owned. The tuners even feel decent, which I thought were the weak point of the classic vibe precision Ive bought about 2 years ago.

 

 

Edited July 15, 2023 by SurroundedByManatees

[Lozz196]

A few years back I had - at separate times - two Squier VM77 Jazz basses. The second was a good bass whereas the first was outstanding, it just felt so “right” when playing it.

[theplumber]

Second gig for my Squier Classic Vibe 60s Precision and what a sound! Even the punters next to my cab liked it!.....hopefully!

[VTypeV4]

23 hours ago, SurroundedByManatees said:

When looking at prices for Fender products, I feel that the higher spec Squiers are a the best value for the money..

 

..it just sounds and feels 3 times the value to me. Build quality is definitely better/tighter than many of the more expensive basses I've owned..

 

 

 

I appreciate I've paraphrased you a little here but I couldn't agree more. ❤️

 

 

40th Anniversary Gold Edition - just fantastic.

[Paul S]

I like Precision basses.  I've owned loads, handled even more.  The two that have stayed with me are a Squier JV and a 70s Antoria.

[jd56hawk]

Couldn't resist. 

Had to buy this one.

Damned glad I did!

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by jd56hawk

[meterman]

I’m mostly a Mustang player, I’m currently on my seventh, they’ve ranged from 1970s USA Fenders to 2000’s MIJ reissues to more recent Squiers. I swear the Squier CV Mustang is the best and most consistent of all the ones I’ve owned. I might have just got lucky with this one but it is excellent and not just for the price. I’ve played JMJ signature Mustangs and a black one is on my wants list but for now the Squier CV for 300 notes (plus 50 for the La Bella strings) is brilliant.

 

I still own both Fender and Squier gear, and I’ll play whatever ever feels right. Badly, obviously, but I’ll still play it 😂👍

[Rexel Matador]

My current main gigging bass is a Squier P and it's Mexican Fender equivalent is my backup. The Fender is great but the Squier just sings.

[uncle psychosis]

On 13/07/2023 at 11:04, mcnach said:

 

Keep what you like, of course.

 

At one point I had 6-7 Jazz basses, 4 of which were Fenders. I only kept one, a '94 Korean battered Squier (no, not for deep frying, I just meant it had a lot of little marks and scratches) 

 

You didn't get rid of that Vintage, did you? 😲

[Cosmo Valdemar]

19 hours ago, jd56hawk said:

Couldn't resist. 

Had to buy one of these.

Tell us more!

[jd56hawk]

2 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

Tell us more!

Arrives tomorrow.

Take a look at my other Contemporary Active basses on the first page.

I also own this one.

Edited July 20, 2023 by jd56hawk

[mcnach]

12 hours ago, uncle psychosis said:

 

You didn't get rid of that Vintage, did you? 😲

 

I'm afraid so  

I had to downsize and it was a great bass, but that supernarrow neck that made me love it initially became the thing that made me not play it anymore...