I walked into a store to buy an American Fender J. Had the $1500 MONEY! Walked out with a $300 Squire. Put in some Bassline pick-ups and it's still my main bass 15 years later!
This. I own a Modulus Q5 and an Ibanez Sr755 with top of the line Bart stuff ini it and coil taps, etc. Wanted an authentic jazz bass tone and spent a long time looking at American Fenders. Heard good thing about the Squire Classic Vibe 70's, so I picked one up and played it at the local GC... ended up buying a used one off Craigslist same day. $200 and a killer tone. Unbelievable bass for $200.
You're a smart dude. I wish more musicians would stay away from brand snobbery. They're missing out. Thanks for addressing the subject of an inexpensive GOOD instrument. A lot of guitar companies market lower priced gear as "Beginner" or "Student" instruments. And call the pricey stuff "professional". Which throws people off. A professional musician doesn't want to have a "student" instrument. So they feel like they HAVE to buy the expensive gear. The American made 3500 dollar fender basses. Or the 2000 dollar "American professional series" guitars. They just market it that way. Strategically. And it's insulting. I compared a 5500 gretsch to a 799.00 electromatic made in China. Guess what. The cheaper one played, and sounded better. And it will be in my professional rig. Despite how it's marketed. I've got high end Gibsons. And cheaper epiphones. If the tone is right. The instrument is right. Take care man! Thanks again.
Not being a real bass player ( I play guitar), I decided to buy a bass about a year ago. I figured I would pick a squire since my skills didnt dictate a more expensive instrument. I got a squire jazz bass ( i think its based on a 70s model). I cant believe how good it sounds and plays. I went online too see if I was crazy or on to something. turns out a lot of studio guys love squire basses. I was a brand snob in the beginning but I have to say, I prefer my MIM strats to the over priced american's ( not that I dont support american products, I DO!) that i have owned and sold and can make a case for many so called lower quality brands.
Great points. Bottom line is does it feel good in your hands? Are the pickups responsive and are the corresponding tone/volume controls work smoothly and free of annoying buzzes and hums? How is the string action: do the strings compress nicely without too much effort? Are the tuning pegs smooth when tuning the instrument? I bought a Fender Mexican-made sunburst fretless bass for around $350 and put in a new tortoise shell pick guard, Bartolini pickups, new volume control pots and knobs, new bridge and halfwound strings. Fantastic sound now. The pickups were key as got rid of a lot of noise. So you can always do some mods to make the sound and look of the instrument better after purchase.
Parker Hatcher I got the 70s squier jazz, its amazing. I would like to get an american jazz, or something else that's high end, but I'm probably keeping this bass for life.
I started playing bass in 7th grade in 1966 right after seeing The Beatles here in Seattle. Been playing professionally ever since. I've owned and gigged on lots and lots of basses and ... I can't believe how incredible the Squire basses are these days. Onstage or in the studio, Squires are great. I've got two Rascals ... a Precision ... three Jazz basses ( I just LOVE the lacquered necks and the sexy block inlays) ... two Telly's ... and a gorgeous Tahitian Coral - colored Bronco 😍 IMHO they're worth a lot more than Fender is asking for them. But don't tell.
It's always good to see a professional musician championing the 'lesser' brands. I have several Fenders but I love Squier too. I've just bought a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz bass. Absolutely fantastic instrument for the money. Thanks for posting this much needed vid.
Know the reason you’re buying a bass. Very good advice. When I started to play bass I bought a Fender Precision because I wanted to look professional. It was a good move at the time, but I wouldn’t need to do that now.
Great video. I have played guitar professionally for many years. In 2014 I purchased a Squire Classic Vibe 60's Strat simply because it's a great guitar. I love it. I used the $800 I saved over the American Standard to buy two E.V. p.a. speakers that I needed.
If someone hasnt played a squier they probably dont have a good sound or tone...these basses are very economical and great sounding. My first bass was a white squier jazz 4 and i wish i still had it..thanks for the video
For Squires, if you can play them at the store you can find a fantastic instrument. The electronics are just a hair cheaper than the full models, but the real difference for the rest quality control. So if you quality check it and it's great, then it's still great. And then you swap out the pickups (which you know you were going to do anyway) all of a sudden you have a phenomenal instrument for pennies on the dollar.
You are preaching to the choir with me, I own 7 Squires and 3 Fenders they are great basses and I've played many in my 37 years of playing. My Squiers are 6 of the Vintage modified Jazz basses, and one Vintage modified Precision "Pino Palladino" look alike. Don't sleep on them ya'll!
fantastic you are the first person who I see a video and does not run to compare basses by range. what you do in this video is fabulous because you practically say you are the musician, you are the one who gives life to the bass, it is not the brand, I know that there are basses that the truth is, they are very bad due to construction, but not because of the low price, it is bad you have to feel those strings vibrate and make them part of us and they will do their job thanks for giving us this video greetings from 🇵🇦 Panama
I bought one used for $100. Added Tim Brantley Geddy Lee pickups, and replaced the electronics, made it passive. Replaced with a HipShot Kick@$$ bridge. Thing seems as good as a bass costing over grand. Appreciate your honesty! Kids need to know you can get a decent bass for
More and more, I appreciate the old homily that "it's not the bass; it's the player." I have Squier Classic Vibes P-Bass, and I can't fault it at all. It looks good and sounds great (although I did change the pickups).
Great to see a seasoned professional appreciating good cheaper instrument. Just picked up my first ever Squier CV Jaguar 32", Gotoh Bridge and she is so SWEEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!
I purchased two basses a few years ago, a squier 70’s modified Jazz 5-string, & a more expensive Ibanez 5-string with Bartolini pickups in it. A dream to play! Bought the squier as the backup bass, kinda “leave at the church, session bass, if something happens to it it’s not a big deal” bass. Over time I grew to love the squier more and more, & found that’s all I was playing. I then put Seymour Duncan pickups in it, whew! I ended up selling the more expensive Ibanez because I didn’t enjoy the tone, I loved the neck & the playability, but beyond that I could not get a single tone out of the bass that I liked. So I sold it & fell more in love with the jazz. Other musicians have borrowed my bass & used it for services & have commented they really liked the sound & were surprised that it was a “cheap” fender. 👌🏼 honestly it’s awesome that squier & epiphone quality has gone up over the years, for the money they are not bad!
Bought my very first bass in 2000, a cheap Squier P-bass. And I still love it to death. It's my main instrument. I like it so much better than the expensive Lakland I bought a few years ago, because I thought I needed an "upgrade". Lesson learned!
Pure wisdom generated from real experiences. "Each instrument you pick up, and you put in your hands, it makes you different...each bass is gonna sound different in each person's hands..everything don't sound great everywhere." Well said, old boy!
Some of the higher end Squiers can be turned into something special. The very first bass I ever owned, started out with it, was a Squier Jazz Bass. One of those Classic Vibe's from the early 2000's. I still have it to this day. I dropped some DiMarzio pickups in it, ran some steel wool down the neck to get those fret ends feeling better and upgraded the bridge and it plays just as good as my MIA Fender and Musicman basses do.
I actually know a guy who put about $900 into a squier including purchase price and in the end he had a bass that felt, played, and sounded better than any MIA fender costing $1500 or more
Love that statement of yours. It's cool attitude toward instruments. The whole marketing point is very strong and tge point you made about experienced musicians that you see in courses and the big stage almost always playing that nice fancy boutique bass or highbend stuff doesn't help until a certain level. So thanks for your honest word. It was the first video from your channel.
Squier basses are a lot of bass for the money. I'd have no problem playing a squirt on a show if my Aerodyne wasn't able to be used. Like stated in the video, it is important to try out different instruments. My dream bass was actually my last choice when I was shopping for a bass. I tried all the fenders and squiers in the store, avoiding the one bass that caught my eye. When I picked that one up, the action was like a perfect match for me and my style of playing.
Just founded this channel. You are so correct. Squier do make great instruments period. I still have my 1985 squier Strat. I’ve been saying this for years; can’t always go by name brands. You have to trust your EARS and FINGERS. 😊
Bravo man,. Thanks for the unbiased review. I thing most players go off what they see people playing. I know budgets are always a factor, but I feel like the bass is what you make it. Cheers man.
This video made me subscribe. You’re very knowledgeable and honourable. I play a certain way and my heroes play fender p-bass, but I play differently, so I respected your comments. Thank you
Absolutely! It's my pleasure. Also, check the link above for my website. I have a course for beginners and I can get you started and on your way. I'd love to walk with you on your bass journey.
I have a Squire PJ bass, I put a set of EMG pickups in & it tunred it into a lightweight powerhouse... one of the smootherst basses I have ever played.. & in 40 years I played many
Yes Mr. Morgan, so true!! shop around, go and check out different music stores sit down and see how they feel in your hands, listen to their tones just take the time to try them out.
About two years ago I developed tendinitis in my left arm. My doctor of physical medicine suggested I should stop playing bass. Yea, right. I bought a couple of short scale basses, among them a Squier SS Jaguar Bass. I wasn't expecting much for $200. In past years I had found the sound of Squier basses somewhat disappointing. This little guy blew me away..it sounded exactly like my Fender Jazz. You have given some good advice here, Jermaine. Many of today's Squier basses and guitar are pretty darn good instruments in their own right. And if you are not sure about whether you really want a Fender Jazz, or Precision, by all means, get the Squier version first, and if you are happy with it, then maybe spend the "big bucks" on the Fender. Great Video!
Jermaine thanks for the video, very informative, I appreciate you taking the time to lay it out for us bass players that actually care about the specs and the opinion of other bass players. Keep up the awesome videos. God bless.
You make a great point there, Jermaine! If a bass sounds great and plays great, then it is a great bass, no matter what the price tag or sticker on the headstock says. There's just so much brand snobbery on the internet. A lot more than I see irl. And I’m pretty sure that some people commenting don't even play bass or started playing like two weeks ago and never even played more than one bass. I have a Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass, that I bought new in 2011. I had the pickups replaced by a set of Fender Custom Shop '60s PUs and it’s got this awesome 'vintage Jazz Bass' sound. To be honest (I’ve played both), between a Mexican Fender and the Squier Classic Vibe series, I don’t know why anyone would want the more expensive Fender MIM. Even with the PU mod, I still payed less for my Squier CV than I would have for a Fender MIM Jazz Bass at the time, which came with a set of cheap ceramic PUs (the Squier comes with Alnicos) and a neck that didn’t feel nearly as good as the one on my CV Squier. My Squier JB is definitely a keeper and in fact it's currently my only bass. So, I might at some point look for a nice P-Bass and a fretless bass. It's like you said, what bass player can't use another bass? : ) And when I do, I will be looking at some Squier models, for sure!
Great advice for musicians in general. Thanks very much for uploading this video. I’m a guitar player of 25 years looking for my first bass. Really appreciate your advice.
Thank you for supporting my thoughts on basses to buy because I've learned the hard way that a good musician can take inexpensive bass and make it sound expensive but an expensive bass cannot make beginner musician sound experienced... My bass of choice is Lakland 5 String
I really fell in love with my Squire Jaguar when I played it, in fact I ended up selling my Fender Precision because the Jaguar just felt so good in my hands
I own expensive basses and i pick up a squire bass. I find myself playing the squire more often than my other expensive basses. Unfortunately a lot of people judged me why i bring my squire bass instead of my other high end basses... only bass player would know the answer to this...i guess.
I bought a Fender Jaguar bass, the MIJ with active/passive circuit and it became my fav bass. Has so much grit and personality as a 60's Fender so I got it relic'ed because it was so red and shinny I could not stand it.....now I love it :)
I have bought two Warwick Rockbasses, the one I have now is a Corvette with two active Gold MEC pickups, medium scale. I love them because the sound is thick but cuts. It sounds great for the price. I picked up a Squier in my local music store a few days ago and it played fantastic, didn't plug it in but it was around 300. and I am thinking about getting it solely on how it played. Since I am a guitar player I wish a good company would come out with a short scale bass that sounded thick with some growl and cut.
I had that same Squier Jaguar Bass, a couple of them. I ultimately went to American Made Fender counterpart. But yes for a $200 bass, it does more than its job.
I own two Squire MB4 , and they are my go to for funk ,jazz,metal,rock,and even punk, I like them better than any fender ,vox,Gibson,Ibanez,or my 5 string Cort!
cyko phor tell me how are doing your knobs, cause in my MB4 tone knob is very uncreal when you change the level of it and blend pickup knob is so quiet at 50/50, but also too loud at 100/0 or and 0/100. I saw another sell offer of MB4 and someone said that he had problems (idk if this same problems) with knobs too. Is that really common in this bass or am I just unlucky?
Thanks for this man. I just bought the same bass today. Im guitarist starting to gig on bass and wanted that P-bass sound but with a slimmer neck so this one was perfect. So your video makes me feel good about my purchase, coming from a REAL bassist lol
It's hard to argue with the combination of the split coil and the single coil. That split coil will do everything from muted Motown sounds, old school funk, rock, metal and country. The single coil gives you a tightness in the bottom end that opens up options like disco, newer funk stylings, pop, gospel, etc. And the fact that most studios are happy to record with those makes it a no brainer.
My friend hooked me up with a nice Squire Jaguar bass, that he put a P-Bass neck on. It's awesome! It plays well, and he gave me a GREAT deal on it. I was about to drop $700 to $900 0n a Fender P-bass, but I'm so glad I waited man. He did all the proper work to it, and it feels and sounds awesome.
I recently decided I wanted to play bass as a hobby, so I bought a used Squire P bass for 183 USD. Just got it today and can't wait to learn some songs for it!
Hey Jermaine! Loved video! I just picked up my first Squire bass a few weeks ago, an Affinity 5 string and love it! And your right my friend, "What bass player can't use another bass" Ha!Ha!Ha! Be well sir!
I went from a 6 string Keith Roscoe bass to a 4 string squier....put a Carvin pre amp in it and get the most compliments on my tone! I love the tone from my Fender Squier.
bought the jaguar short scale, approx $175. good out of the box. but after Dimarzio pickups and Bartolini preamp with controls. WOW !!!!! Love my Squire !
I had a Squeir Jazz that got stolen a few yrs ago & loved it. My bass is the Schecter Diamond Series P bass. Harley Benton makes really nice & inexpensive basses as well.
Ms. Von on Bass What do you do with the bass boost knob? Leave it off/on/half all the time? It seems gimmicky to me. Also, I saw another comment mentioning the cheap tuners. How are yours?
Ms. Von on Bass I bought the the 5 string a while back and I find it difficult to maintain a decent amount of tension/articulation in the 5th low b. I tried using a 145 string but it's still very floppy.
Those Squier Jaguar basses are great. I picked up a short scale model and fell in love with it. It was a really fun bass to play, and sounded great. I ended up selling my 70's P Bass because I just didn't play it anymore.
I got myself a Squire Fretless Jazz in 08 when I still couldn't really play yet and blamed a lot of my tone problems on that bass and thought Squire was a POS and put it on a stand for years collecting dust. After years of playing and buying a really nice fretless for way more $$. I found a bridge plate from my fathers old Fender Jazz (he passed away, and I don't have the bass itself} and realized I could put it on my Squire and at least it'd look good on there. So I bought some new strings and put them on before putting on the bridge plate and saw just how bad the set up was. As a kid I never knew. After fixing the intonation, lowering the action, adjusting the neck with the truss and putting some new strings on there and what do you know? It plays absolutely amazing! If your new to the bass and having problems with the instrument itself and don't know how to set up your bass and are afraid to learn to do it yourself, I highly recommend you have it set up by a shop.
than you for this . I've been a Spector guy for years, I decidede to get a jazz bass, I went to a local store an the guy kept bringing different bass' I said which one I liked best an it was the Squire , I did replace the pick ups an cap an its great. most people can't believe it's a squire
I played for 20 years on a 1983 Precision that I added a Jazz bridge pickup to. Shortly after I bought it, I tried a Jazz at a guitar shop, and it simply felt much better to play. I preferred the narrower neck, the physical balance, and the fit of the contoured body against my torso. However, for emotional reasons, I stuck with my P(J)-bass. It sounded great, but it was a little bit less comfortable to play. Just this last year, I was learning that the Squier Affinity line of Fender Jazz basses was impressing TH-camrs with their sound and quality. They are only $200. At the same time, I saw that a P-bass identical to mine (Cherry Sunburst, 1983) sold for $1200. So, I decided to sell the 1983 and replace it with the Affinity. I ended up selling the Precision for $785 (I priced it down because of the custom work, although it was otherwise immaculate). I'm really happy with my new Squier Jazz. Back in the 1980s, I never would have believed I would be writing that. We all thought my friend's Squier Telecaster was junk!
Love my Squire Vintage Modified fretless jazz. Upgraded the bridge to a Babicz bridge and added a Richter passive control for the pots and it makes the Duncan Designed pickups sing. It’s worth spending a few extra bucks to really make the bass come alive.
I have a Ric 4003 and two P-Basses, a Steve Harris Signature model and a Warmoth body with a Steve Harris neck and electronics. Over Covid, I have bough a few Squier P-basses, replaced the bridges with hi-mass bridges, put Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder pickups and new CTS pots. With the upgrades, the Squiers sounded pretty damn good. Once I was done, I sold them. I didn't make any profit, but I didn't really lose anything, so it worked out. I just bought my first Jaguar bass, which is getting delivered Monday and plan to make similar updates. I can't wait to see how it plays.
HEY GUYS YOU CAN GET 2 FREE BASS LICKS TODAY: basslicks.jermainemorgan.net/riffs-and-licks-libraryn5lo5rw7
I walked into a store to buy an American Fender J. Had the $1500 MONEY! Walked out with a $300 Squire. Put in some Bassline pick-ups and it's still my main bass 15 years later!
That's awesome. Play what works.
Swap that bent steel bridge for a Fender high-mass bridge ($50), and get setup to get the action right. It adds a TON to what that thing can do.
There you go, because most makers of anything buy parts from same vendor and put their name on it.
This. I own a Modulus Q5 and an Ibanez Sr755 with top of the line Bart stuff ini it and coil taps, etc.
Wanted an authentic jazz bass tone and spent a long time looking at American Fenders. Heard good thing about the Squire Classic Vibe 70's, so I picked one up and played it at the local GC... ended up buying a used one off Craigslist same day. $200 and a killer tone. Unbelievable bass for $200.
@@Jimbeaux Convince me why that upgrade is worth it. Any sound comparison videos?
You're a smart dude. I wish more musicians would stay away from brand snobbery. They're missing out. Thanks for addressing the subject of an inexpensive GOOD instrument. A lot of guitar companies market lower priced gear as "Beginner" or "Student" instruments. And call the pricey stuff "professional". Which throws people off. A professional musician doesn't want to have a "student" instrument. So they feel like they HAVE to buy the expensive gear. The American made 3500 dollar fender basses. Or the 2000 dollar "American professional series" guitars. They just market it that way. Strategically. And it's insulting. I compared a 5500 gretsch to a 799.00 electromatic made in China. Guess what. The cheaper one played, and sounded better. And it will be in my professional rig. Despite how it's marketed. I've got high end Gibsons. And cheaper epiphones. If the tone is right. The instrument is right. Take care man! Thanks again.
Not being a real bass player ( I play guitar), I decided to buy a bass about a year ago. I figured I would pick a squire since my skills didnt dictate a more expensive instrument. I got a squire jazz bass ( i think its based on a 70s model). I cant believe how good it sounds and plays. I went online too see if I was crazy or on to something. turns out a lot of studio guys love squire basses. I was a brand snob in the beginning but I have to say, I prefer my MIM strats to the over priced american's ( not that I dont support american products, I DO!) that i have owned and sold and can make a case for many so called lower quality brands.
Great points. Bottom line is does it feel good in your hands? Are the pickups responsive and are the corresponding tone/volume controls work smoothly and free of annoying buzzes and hums? How is the string action: do the strings compress nicely without too much effort? Are the tuning pegs smooth when tuning the instrument?
I bought a Fender Mexican-made sunburst fretless bass for around $350 and put in a new tortoise shell pick guard, Bartolini pickups, new volume control pots and knobs, new bridge and halfwound strings. Fantastic sound now. The pickups were key as got rid of a lot of noise. So you can always do some mods to make the sound and look of the instrument better after purchase.
Parker Hatcher I got the 70s squier jazz, its amazing. I would like to get an american jazz, or something else that's high end, but I'm probably keeping this bass for life.
If it plays well and sounds good, it is good. Simple.
preach
"What bass player can't use another bass?!" -Jermaine Morgan
I'm sharing this quote with my wife! 💯
absolutely!lol
JoelitoHolmesMusic i
JoelitoHolmesMusic yeah my wife's about to hear this
JoelitoHolmesMusic needs to be a T-shirt
Me too!!! Classic..
A great lesson in "cheap" versus "inexpensive".
Squier has stepped up their game recently---greatly increasing build quality, sound, and precision of bass guitars. Thank you for the videos!
I hear you Jermaine, I bought a squire Jazz bass and it sounds great. My friends can't believe it is a squire.
which one? I'm shopping for one- I'm looking for a full, round, Jamerson vibe
@@winstonsmith8236 Buy a precision bass
Drink everytime he says bass
Denis Akopyan are you trying to kill me?
Denis Akopyan I won't be able to get out of bed in the morning.
piddle does reset challenge?
Already drunk
Denis Akopyan q
I started playing bass in 7th grade in 1966 right after seeing The Beatles here in Seattle. Been playing professionally ever since. I've owned and gigged on lots and lots of basses and ... I can't believe how incredible the Squire basses are these days. Onstage or in the studio, Squires are great. I've got two Rascals ... a Precision ... three Jazz basses ( I just LOVE the lacquered necks and the sexy block inlays) ... two Telly's ... and a gorgeous Tahitian Coral - colored Bronco 😍 IMHO they're worth a lot more than Fender is asking for them. But don't tell.
It's always good to see a professional musician championing the 'lesser' brands. I have several Fenders but I love Squier too. I've just bought a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz bass. Absolutely fantastic instrument for the money. Thanks for posting this much needed vid.
If you set up a cheap guitar and get all the adjustments right and the pickups sound good and the neck plays good then the guitar is good.
Great Video! I have a 1980's Squire ll Bass that I bought new in around 1983. I love it!
Know the reason you’re buying a bass. Very good advice. When I started to play bass I bought a Fender Precision because I wanted to look professional. It was a good move at the time, but I wouldn’t need to do that now.
Thank you, Jermaine! I appreciate your honest review! I have a Squier Jaguar and I love it.
Great video. I have played guitar professionally for many years. In 2014 I purchased a Squire Classic Vibe 60's Strat simply because it's a great guitar. I love it. I used the $800 I saved over the American Standard to buy two E.V. p.a. speakers that I needed.
If someone hasnt played a squier they probably dont have a good sound or tone...these basses are very economical and great sounding. My first bass was a white squier jazz 4 and i wish i still had it..thanks for the video
I have a Pete wentz bass and a Eva Gardner bass
Eric Hargrave bro I have the 4 string squire bass with 4 nobb. Ik vol, treble,what are the other two nobb for ???
For Squires, if you can play them at the store you can find a fantastic instrument. The electronics are just a hair cheaper than the full models, but the real difference for the rest quality control. So if you quality check it and it's great, then it's still great. And then you swap out the pickups (which you know you were going to do anyway) all of a sudden you have a phenomenal instrument for pennies on the dollar.
You are preaching to the choir with me, I own 7 Squires and 3 Fenders they are great basses and I've played many in my 37 years of playing. My Squiers are 6 of the Vintage modified Jazz basses, and one Vintage modified Precision "Pino Palladino" look alike. Don't sleep on them ya'll!
fantastic you are the first person who I see a video and does not run to compare basses by range. what you do in this video is fabulous because you practically say you are the musician, you are the one who gives life to the bass, it is not the brand, I know that there are basses that the truth is, they are very bad due to construction, but not because of the low price, it is bad you have to feel those strings vibrate and make them part of us and they will do their job thanks for giving us this video greetings from 🇵🇦 Panama
I bought one used for $100. Added Tim Brantley Geddy Lee pickups, and replaced the electronics, made it passive. Replaced with a HipShot Kick@$$ bridge. Thing seems as good as a bass costing over grand. Appreciate your honesty! Kids need to know you can get a decent bass for
Gdawg 68 awesome deal 😎👍🏾. Thanks 🙏🏽
A good man speaking the truth. I been playing for so many years. This mother makes sense! Thank buddy!
More and more, I appreciate the old homily that "it's not the bass; it's the player." I have Squier Classic Vibes P-Bass, and I can't fault it at all. It looks good and sounds great (although I did change the pickups).
Those CV P-basses are great indeed!
You’re an amazing Brother who inspires all with his phenomenal playing. Thank you Jermaine.
Squier vintage series best ever man.. even better than any fenders American or not.
Great to see a seasoned professional appreciating good cheaper instrument. Just picked up my first ever Squier CV Jaguar 32", Gotoh Bridge and she is so SWEEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!
Very refreshing comments and analysis ! Thank you!
Excellent video! You touched on so many important points of how and why to purchase an instrument. Just outstanding!
Thanks!
I purchased two basses a few years ago, a squier 70’s modified Jazz 5-string, & a more expensive Ibanez 5-string with Bartolini pickups in it. A dream to play! Bought the squier as the backup bass, kinda “leave at the church, session bass, if something happens to it it’s not a big deal” bass. Over time I grew to love the squier more and more, & found that’s all I was playing. I then put Seymour Duncan pickups in it, whew! I ended up selling the more expensive Ibanez because I didn’t enjoy the tone, I loved the neck & the playability, but beyond that I could not get a single tone out of the bass that I liked.
So I sold it & fell more in love with the jazz. Other musicians have borrowed my bass & used it for services & have commented they really liked the sound & were surprised that it was a “cheap” fender. 👌🏼 honestly it’s awesome that squier & epiphone quality has gone up over the years, for the money they are not bad!
I have a Squier PJ bass that i put the Seymour Duncan SPB1 and a Bartolini in the bridge. Great combination.
love your perspective and attitude towards instruments.
I’ve been playing a Squier P-Bass Special for more than a decade. It’s old, beat up, comfortable and the favorite of any bass I’ve ever owned.
Bought my very first bass in 2000, a cheap Squier P-bass. And I still love it to death. It's my main instrument. I like it so much better than the expensive Lakland I bought a few years ago, because I thought I needed an "upgrade". Lesson learned!
Pure wisdom generated from real experiences.
"Each instrument you pick up, and you put in your hands, it makes you different...each bass is gonna sound different in each person's hands..everything don't sound great everywhere."
Well said, old boy!
Great vid, I'm new to the bass, about 2 years in, Everyone was quick to bash squire.
Some of the higher end Squiers can be turned into something special. The very first bass I ever owned, started out with it, was a Squier Jazz Bass. One of those Classic Vibe's from the early 2000's. I still have it to this day. I dropped some DiMarzio pickups in it, ran some steel wool down the neck to get those fret ends feeling better and upgraded the bridge and it plays just as good as my MIA Fender and Musicman basses do.
Hutch214 you put bout 500-800 in it so whats your point why not get a better guitar 2begin with 💩
I actually know a guy who put about $900 into a squier including purchase price and in the end he had a bass that felt, played, and sounded better than any MIA fender costing $1500 or more
Great thoughts, Thanks for being so real and honest.
Love that statement of yours. It's cool attitude toward instruments.
The whole marketing point is very strong and tge point you made about experienced musicians that you see in courses and the big stage almost always playing that nice fancy boutique bass or highbend stuff doesn't help until a certain level.
So thanks for your honest word. It was the first video from your channel.
Squier basses are a lot of bass for the money. I'd have no problem playing a squirt on a show if my Aerodyne wasn't able to be used. Like stated in the video, it is important to try out different instruments. My dream bass was actually my last choice when I was shopping for a bass. I tried all the fenders and squiers in the store, avoiding the one bass that caught my eye. When I picked that one up, the action was like a perfect match for me and my style of playing.
Man you're a talented dude. Love your work!!!!! Glad to see a guy of your caliber be so humble and giving to others. Thank you.
I’ve been playing Squier PBase 50 anniversary for about 30 years now tried other guitars keep going back to this it’s lovely
I got a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass off of Craigslist and I love it.
First video I’ve seen of yours. You have another big fan, sir! Keep em’ comin
Just founded this channel. You are so correct. Squier do make great instruments period. I still have my 1985 squier Strat. I’ve been saying this for years; can’t always go by name brands. You have to trust your EARS and FINGERS. 😊
Bravo man,. Thanks for the unbiased review. I thing most players go off what they see people playing. I know budgets are always a factor, but I feel like the bass is what you make it. Cheers man.
This video made me subscribe. You’re very knowledgeable and honourable. I play a certain way and my heroes play fender p-bass, but I play differently, so I respected your comments. Thank you
My pleasure! Thank you!
I can't play the bass to save my life but that squire Jaguar bass 😲 gotta have it. the sound is amazing on that thing
I am wanting to get started playing bass. Thank you for an honest, open review!
Absolutely! It's my pleasure. Also, check the link above for my website. I have a course for beginners and I can get you started and on your way. I'd love to walk with you on your bass journey.
Jermaine Morgan - Bass Lessons thanks man! I will definitely do that
I have a Squire PJ bass, I put a set of EMG pickups in & it tunred it into a lightweight powerhouse... one of the smootherst basses I have ever played.. & in 40 years I played many
Got the same bass. Best 159 I’ve ever spent. Your right with the studio sound. I have to find the right bass to play live 👍
Yes Mr. Morgan, so true!! shop around, go and check out different music stores sit down and see how they feel in your hands, listen to their tones just take the time to try them out.
About two years ago I developed tendinitis in my left arm. My doctor of physical medicine suggested I should stop playing bass. Yea, right. I bought a couple of short scale basses, among them a Squier SS Jaguar Bass. I wasn't expecting much for $200. In past years I had found the sound of Squier basses somewhat disappointing. This little guy blew me away..it sounded exactly like my Fender Jazz. You have given some good advice here, Jermaine. Many of today's Squier basses and guitar are pretty darn good instruments in their own right. And if you are not sure about whether you really want a Fender Jazz, or Precision, by all means, get the Squier version first, and if you are happy with it, then maybe spend the "big bucks" on the Fender. Great Video!
To the top-this is essential advice-hear with there eyes-so true-love it!
Rocking a Squier Jazz Bass standard with flats for jazz band. Love it! My other bass is almost the same quality.
I am a hobbyist player, and own two high-end Squier Jazz basses.
They are beautiful sounding...
Jermaine thanks for the video, very informative, I appreciate you taking the time to lay it out for us bass players that actually care about the specs and the opinion of other bass players. Keep up the awesome videos. God bless.
You make a great point there, Jermaine! If a bass sounds great and plays great, then it is a great bass, no matter what the price tag or sticker on the headstock says. There's just so much brand snobbery on the internet. A lot more than I see irl. And I’m pretty sure that some people commenting don't even play bass or started playing like two weeks ago and never even played more than one bass. I have a Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass, that I bought new in 2011. I had the pickups replaced by a set of Fender Custom Shop '60s PUs and it’s got this awesome 'vintage Jazz Bass' sound. To be honest (I’ve played both), between a Mexican Fender and the Squier Classic Vibe series, I don’t know why anyone would want the more expensive Fender MIM. Even with the PU mod, I still payed less for my Squier CV than I would have for a Fender MIM Jazz Bass at the time, which came with a set of cheap ceramic PUs (the Squier comes with Alnicos) and a neck that didn’t feel nearly as good as the one on my CV Squier. My Squier JB is definitely a keeper and in fact it's currently my only bass. So, I might at some point look for a nice P-Bass and a fretless bass. It's like you said, what bass player can't use another bass? : ) And when I do, I will be looking at some Squier models, for sure!
Stumbled upon a CLEAN Fender Squier Jazz in a thrift for $200...love it!! Adjusted the terusa and bridge and plays amazing!!
Great advice for musicians in general. Thanks very much for uploading this video. I’m a guitar player of 25 years looking for my first bass. Really appreciate your advice.
caster3283 Thank you. Your kindness is much appreciated
I literally got my first squier bass today and this video popped up, what a coincidence
Thank you for supporting my thoughts on basses to buy because I've learned the hard way that a good musician can take inexpensive bass and make it sound expensive but an expensive bass cannot make beginner musician sound experienced...
My bass of choice is Lakland 5 String
Very well described, that´s the way, you have to use what you like most and what you feel better to play
I really fell in love with my Squire Jaguar when I played it, in fact I ended up selling my Fender Precision because the Jaguar just felt so good in my hands
I own expensive basses and i pick up a squire bass. I find myself playing the squire more often than my other expensive basses.
Unfortunately a lot of people judged me why i bring my squire bass instead of my other high end basses... only bass player would know the answer to this...i guess.
Very well said. Thank you for sharing an honest and objective opinion. It’s all in the hands 🙌
Jermaine you speak a lot of sense really good advice that bass sounds great probably because your playing it😉
Thank you for sharing. I own a Fender Squire five string bass and it is a phenomenal bass. It's my go to instrument and is very versatile...
I just got a squire vintage modified fretless, I fell in love as soon as I saw it in the store.
I bought a Fender Jaguar bass, the MIJ with active/passive circuit and it became my fav bass. Has so much grit and personality as a 60's Fender so I got it relic'ed because it was so red and shinny I could not stand it.....now I love it :)
Love this video man. It doesn't matter what the headstock says, if you like it you like it.
This was helpful. Thank you Jermaine!
Your letting the secret out!! The higher end Squier’s with gold lettering are great!!!
I have bought two Warwick Rockbasses, the one I have now is a Corvette with two active Gold MEC pickups, medium scale. I love them because the sound is thick but cuts. It sounds great for the price. I picked up a Squier in my local music store a few days ago and it played fantastic, didn't plug it in but it was around 300. and I am thinking about getting it solely on how it played. Since I am a guitar player I wish a good company would come out with a short scale bass that sounded thick with some growl and cut.
I had that same Squier Jaguar Bass, a couple of them. I ultimately went to American Made Fender counterpart. But yes for a $200 bass, it does more than its job.
I am a guitarist, but I just picked up a squire vintage modified Jazz for tracking in my home studio.
I own two Squire MB4 , and they are my go to for funk ,jazz,metal,rock,and even punk, I like them better than any fender ,vox,Gibson,Ibanez,or my 5 string Cort!
cyko phor tell me how are doing your knobs, cause in my MB4 tone knob is very uncreal when you change the level of it and blend pickup knob is so quiet at 50/50, but also too loud at 100/0 or and 0/100. I saw another sell offer of MB4 and someone said that he had problems (idk if this same problems) with knobs too. Is that really common in this bass or am I just unlucky?
I own a White Squier VM Jazz V. Bass. Love the look and sound of it. Nice alternative.
Great video. And some sick playing!
Thanks a lot! Greatly appreciated
Thanks for this man. I just bought the same bass today. Im guitarist starting to gig on bass and wanted that P-bass sound but with a slimmer neck so this one was perfect.
So your video makes me feel good about my purchase, coming from a REAL bassist lol
I bought this exact bass last year and love it, the options between P and J pickup with a pre-amp are awesome!
It's hard to argue with the combination of the split coil and the single coil. That split coil will do everything from muted Motown sounds, old school funk, rock, metal and country. The single coil gives you a tightness in the bottom end that opens up options like disco, newer funk stylings, pop, gospel, etc.
And the fact that most studios are happy to record with those makes it a no brainer.
I've used a Squier Precision Vintage modified for almost 5 years now as my main. That cheap thing has been on so many recordings. I love the tone.
My friend hooked me up with a nice Squire Jaguar bass, that he put a P-Bass neck on. It's awesome! It plays well, and he gave me a GREAT deal on it. I was about to drop $700 to $900 0n a Fender P-bass, but I'm so glad I waited man. He did all the proper work to it, and it feels and sounds awesome.
I recently decided I wanted to play bass as a hobby, so I bought a used Squire P bass for 183 USD. Just got it today and can't wait to learn some songs for it!
Hey Jermaine! Loved video! I just picked up my first Squire bass a few weeks ago, an Affinity 5 string and love it! And your right my friend, "What bass player can't use another bass" Ha!Ha!Ha! Be well sir!
I went from a 6 string Keith Roscoe bass to a 4 string squier....put a Carvin pre amp in it and get the most compliments on my tone! I love the tone from my Fender Squier.
Wow! Now that's extreme!
bought the jaguar short scale, approx $175. good out of the box. but after Dimarzio pickups and Bartolini preamp with controls. WOW !!!!! Love my Squire !
sweet
I had a Squeir Jazz that got stolen a few yrs ago & loved it. My bass is the Schecter Diamond Series P bass. Harley Benton makes really nice & inexpensive basses as well.
Great video!! Agreed, go with which bass inspires you!!! Thanks!!!
Best TH-cam intro I’ve ever seen!
Wise words, dude
On a Squier VM '77 Jazz myself and I can't imagine playing anything else, at least for now
I have this EXACT bass and the 5-string version. They are great basses, deep sound, affordable. Love my Lakland, but these Squiers are the business.
Ms. Von on Bass What do you do with the bass boost knob? Leave it off/on/half all the time? It seems gimmicky to me. Also, I saw another comment mentioning the cheap tuners. How are yours?
Ms. Von on Bass I bought the the 5 string a while back and I find it difficult to maintain a decent amount of tension/articulation in the 5th low b. I tried using a 145 string but it's still very floppy.
Those Squier Jaguar basses are great. I picked up a short scale model and fell in love with it. It was a really fun bass to play, and sounded great. I ended up selling my 70's P Bass because I just didn't play it anymore.
I got myself a Squire Fretless Jazz in 08 when I still couldn't really play yet and blamed a lot of my tone problems on that bass and thought Squire was a POS and put it on a stand for years collecting dust.
After years of playing and buying a really nice fretless for way more $$. I found a bridge plate from my fathers old Fender Jazz (he passed away, and I don't have the bass itself} and realized I could put it on my Squire and at least it'd look good on there.
So I bought some new strings and put them on before putting on the bridge plate and saw just how bad the set up was. As a kid I never knew. After fixing the intonation, lowering the action, adjusting the neck with the truss and putting some new strings on there and what do you know? It plays absolutely amazing!
If your new to the bass and having problems with the instrument itself and don't know how to set up your bass and are afraid to learn to do it yourself, I highly recommend you have it set up by a shop.
Solid advice man. Your bass reminds me of my first bass, only it was a p-bass and red.
I've never looked at it like that...."Buying a guitar as an investment" and looking for a ROI. Makes sense 100% Thanks for that perspective. 👍
than you for this . I've been a Spector guy for years, I decidede to get a jazz bass, I went to a local store an the guy kept bringing different bass' I said which one I liked best an it was the Squire , I did replace the pick ups an cap an its great. most people can't believe it's a squire
I played for 20 years on a 1983 Precision that I added a Jazz bridge pickup to. Shortly after I bought it, I tried a Jazz at a guitar shop, and it simply felt much better to play. I preferred the narrower neck, the physical balance, and the fit of the contoured body against my torso. However, for emotional reasons, I stuck with my P(J)-bass. It sounded great, but it was a little bit less comfortable to play. Just this last year, I was learning that the Squier Affinity line of Fender Jazz basses was impressing TH-camrs with their sound and quality. They are only $200. At the same time, I saw that a P-bass identical to mine (Cherry Sunburst, 1983) sold for $1200. So, I decided to sell the 1983 and replace it with the Affinity. I ended up selling the Precision for $785 (I priced it down because of the custom work, although it was otherwise immaculate). I'm really happy with my new Squier Jazz. Back in the 1980s, I never would have believed I would be writing that. We all thought my friend's Squier Telecaster was junk!
Love my Squire Vintage Modified fretless jazz. Upgraded the bridge to a Babicz bridge and added a Richter passive control for the pots and it makes the Duncan Designed pickups sing. It’s worth spending a few extra bucks to really make the bass come alive.
I have a squire jazz bass , and it’s a lovely playing guitar , the build quality is superb for the money ,
That Jag bass is something amazing, I have a short-scale that plays as well as anything I've ever played.
Bought myself a Squier VM longscale passive Jaguar bass yesterday used, love it, verry light and great sound and playabillity.
I have a Ric 4003 and two P-Basses, a Steve Harris Signature model and a Warmoth body with a Steve Harris neck and electronics. Over Covid, I have bough a few Squier P-basses, replaced the bridges with hi-mass bridges, put Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder pickups and new CTS pots. With the upgrades, the Squiers sounded pretty damn good. Once I was done, I sold them. I didn't make any profit, but I didn't really lose anything, so it worked out. I just bought my first Jaguar bass, which is getting delivered Monday and plan to make similar updates. I can't wait to see how it plays.
I got that one - and I love it!! Greatest sound ever! Only flaw is - it's active and I gotta watch the battery.