You can say choice of materials all day long...whatever. You can say choice of anything you want all day long. Yet given the fact that, in these "modern times", these basses are utilized in studios to sit in the mix better...playing with the rest of the band your ear will never get a chance to hear those subtle differences. Only until you isolate that bass will you begin to even notice those nuances. I would go with a Squier anyday before I would ever waste my time with a Mexican made any Fender bass. I challenge the hype, I heard no difference between that Squier and that Mexican made, period. Damn sure not enough difference to justify the almost (in some cases..) double the cost. I played numerous Squier and entry level Mexican made Fender P's and J's...and when playing with a group live or rehearsing you can't tell a difference. Slighty, itty bitty difference in feel. The difference there being the Squier played and felt superb to the Mexican made. That was with no setup either. Fret work felt indentical to each other. Hype. So tired of all the hype. It is only until you get to the, nowadays Professional series, and what used to be the Roadworn series that the differences are noticed...these are/were Mexican. As in the beginnings of the Roadworn you got the one piece maple neck with nitro finish and anodized pickguard. Which, is a night and day difference to the Squier and entry Mex Pbass. But still difference is so subtle that I would not pay the amount extra for the same build, same concept. It's all just brand hype😐.
joseph walton I’ve got to disagree. Well, I do agree on several points. I bought a $100 Squire a few years back, just to work on. I leveled the frets, installed Hipshot tuners, copper plated the cavity, installed Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders, and a Babicz bridge. I also installed a Tusq nut and went to medium gauge strings. It sounded awesome! Major, major improvements across the board, the sound was strong, deep, powerful, immediately noticeable on any mix. A friend who had just spent $1600 on a new American Fender P Bass, gave me his bass and said he wanted it to sound like my Squire. So, seeing it had a new top of the line American neck, I changed the nut, copper plated the cavity and installed the Seymour, the tuners and bridge were already top notch so I didn’t bother with those either. He was very pleased! Well, fast forward two years and the guy died from heart disease. I purchased that bass from his friend who inherited it, and changed the strings to the medium gauge, and it blows my old Squire into the dirt. Yes they both have good tone, but the American Fender has better tone wood, so it does have a noticeable amount of sustain the Squire doesn’t, but mostly, the neck! The playability is amazing, the difference is major, it makes me sound like a better bass player. The geometry of the bass makes it a better bass, and if I can play it better, then it sounds better. Sadly my Squire sits in its case, I haven’t played it in near two years.
For 4700$ you get qaulity hardware and diffrent wood and diffrent pickups and handmade than other companies make them from a machine Me have a 1509$ bass that i love but i have a squier pj bass that i have chamge many thing and hardware but not neck or pickups
Agree. Thanks for the review sir. However, it seems like there's not much of a difference in sound (is the teeny weeny difference worth hundreds of $? Maybe there should be a sound wave comparison as well, for a complete comparison - just to see how big a difference each bass makes.
Arnel Mendoza The Fender custom shop P bass had a deep resident bass sound compared to the others, the village model had a clearer mid range, and the earlier ones from Squier to American made had a spectrum of sound quality that I noticed. The higher the quality for me, the better it sounded. This is probably because I have a pretty acute and observant ear.
Admittedly I have beginner ears, but I couldn't hear a lot of difference. But where is the Affinity? I would love to hear the cheapest Squier in a comparison like this.
The 58 P bass was specifically made to be made cheaply in it's time. It really shouldn't be surprising that the same design still sounds as expected if made cheaply.
Lads, as someone who's played bass for most of their life, you stop paying for sound quality at around £600-£800, even basses as low as £500 can sound as good as the top tier ones. With Fender P-Basses, and any basses or guitars for that matter, what you're paying all that extra cash for is playability, aesthetics, durability and/or, of course, when/where it's made. (Which, granted, can add more money than is usually worth, but it is nice to know that your guitar was made in a country that actually guarantees workers a fair wage) That Squier P-Bass might sound pretty great, but can you confidently say it looks just as pretty as that American Performer? I guarantee you it doesn't play as well either. My first bass was a squier mustang, and playing it back to back with my Performer P-Bass is like night and day. The neck is smoother, the frets are much more neatly fitted and don't buzz anywhere near as much. It's lighter and feels incredibly solid, whereas I have to be very careful with my Squier, as there are still things that become loose that shouldn't. Restringing that thing was a nightmare. The Fender is also balanced so much better than the Squier, despite being a short-scale that Squier has a fair bit of neck-dive. When it comes to when it's made, that's for collectors. They like to own a piece of history, and a huge portion of these people will pay a large amount of money to do so. These basses are rare, finite, and will never be made or weathered the same way again by a bass made in 2020. Keep in mind, as well, most of these basses aren't sold by Fender themselves, they're sold by other collectors and shops second-hand, so you can't even blame Fender for this one. Are any of these dealbreakers for the Squier? No, of course not, especially not to a beginner, and not to the many professionals I know who use them both outside and inside the studio (I have a mate who swears by his Squier Jazz Bass - he says there's something he feels with it that just makes him play better than more expensive models). Those basses are still, for the most part, well-made, nice-looking and comfortable instruments. It's still a Squier, after all, and they've been doing this for a long long time. But if you have the money to spend on a mexican or american fender, you will be paying for a much sturdier, nicer feeling and ever so slightly nicer sounding instrument. (Of course, some of this can be subjective as well. The best thing to do is to play each instrument available to you within your budget, and make a decision based on individual preference. What looks best to you, feels best to you and sounds best to you should all come first, within your budget.) TL;DR No, these basses aren't all the same, they'll all *feel* and play differently to one another, regardless of how similar they sound.
@@montyeyesclosed I would say yes. I recently purchased a Fender Vintera P Bass, which is made in Mexico. It was $900, but it plays great and sounds awesome in a recording mix. I'd say most of the time anything over $500 is decent territory. I'd say this is true for most brands out there. On the flipside though, I used to own a Epiphone Les Paul that I spent $800 on and it played like hot garbage.
well said, and I agree entirely. like you said, the instrument should inspire you: sometimes that's found in quality, and other times in aesthetics. there are no one-size-fits-all instruments because there are no two players exactly alike.
@@montyeyesclosed There's a famous guitarist who started a revolution in the late 70s with his phenomenal playing and unique sound. He did it all on a parts guitar that he put together himself.
gotta be honest i don't see a damn thing wrong with the squier. put whatever pickups you want in it, and you never have to worry about anything except your ego!!!
I see nothing wrong with going for a more expensive bass. There’s some joy to be found in it for sure just as with owning any “Premium” instrument. But I do have to agree that from a functional perspective the Squire basses are excellent and it’s very hard to justify the need for the more expensive Fender models. I find it a bit disingenuous when he mentions that the American bass is “build to last” and thus implies that the Squire and Mexican one will not last well. They’re made from the same basic stuff (the Mexican’s now even use the exact same hardware as the American Special) so there is no reason at all that the American would be any more reliable or last longer than the more affordable models. As I say, nothing wrong with going for a more expensive model. If you can afford it and will enjoy owning it fire away. But if you just want a solid workhorse bass the lower priced instruments are perfectly good.
@@lil_weasel219 it's not that they are sharp. It's just that on high end hand made instruments the ends of the frets will be hand sanded. The ones on the Squire will just be like those on most CNC guitars from factories. I have one hand made bass that has that little extra attention to detail and it certainly feels premium. But it's in no way a deal breaker to not have it. Some poor quality guitars or ones where it's been through dramatic temperature change can get fret sprout where the neck wood shrinks a little. But that's not a common issue at all. Just give the guitar a once over before you buy and ask the shop to address any issues before the sale.
I've never kept the stock pickups in any Fender bass I ever bought but they all would have worked fine. I just like to see what else is out there to tweak the beasts. Change out the controls to a push/pull on the tone so I can by-pass and get the straight pickup signal without a tone cap in the way.. It's a cool upgrade.
I've bought this Squier and installed spb-4 on it. It's great guitar, nice look, the neck was ok, frets weren't sharp. On the other side I was looking for something to play & chill at home so it's everything that I wanted.
I've been playing Fender P basses for almost five decades. I've had and tried them all. In my lonely opinion 1974 to 1978 P basses were perfect, probably because I was so used to them. Earlier models where too heavy or too C shaped neck for my taste. Besides, 90's Japanese models are very good also. Not too good experiences with the mexicans, except the Anniversary series with ash body. The around 2010 Am. Std. P Bass with graphite reinforcemente neck is interesting, more like a piano sound, a different instrument. And finally I agree with another comment here by Iptomtom: The Squier Classic Vibe P Bass is one of the best instruments Fender made lately. Excuse my english, I'm from Argentina, in the deep south.
? Perdona vos inglés? Hay nada para perdona ( es superbien) .Sigue tocando. Hace 10 años he visitado tu rincon lindo de Argentina. .Saludos de este de Londres.
I can agree with the 70's stuff sounding just that little bit... More. I think that was around the time Marcus Miller started getting involved with Fender to make his signature Jazz bass. That changed the tone of a lot of basses then when fender started to make brighter, fatter sounding pups. I had a set of 1974 jazz bass pups in a custom bass I had (from Michigan) and even with LaBella tapewounds on it it still had a *snap* to the sound that I haven't been able to get since.
I just got a new Squier Affinity Tele and I love this thing. I don't own any expensive guitars (I'm mostly a drummer) but this thing sounds and feels great
SOUND SAMPLES Tone on ----------------- Squire: 1:43 Mexican 3:53 American Pro 5:53 Relic 8:06 '58 9:59 Tone off ---------------- Squire 2:23 Mexican 4:28 American Pro 6:31 Relic 8:40 '58 10:36 Jazz pickup --------------------- Squire 2:53 American Pro 6:57
Depends on: 1- the player 2- practice time 3- the comfort of the neck/overall bass for the player, weight of the bass, balance, width at nut, stays in tune 4- did you find a good bass in the series? easier to find a prize paying more $$$, but they exist at lower levels too. Plenty of expensive dogs out there too. 5- sounds great at home, what happens when the whole band fires up? does it get lost? many times it does 6- preamp/amp 7- venue/PA system less important: 1- what you paid 2- brand name 3- color/finish Vintage is a personal preference. Relic or no is a personal preference. Used or new is a personal preference. Fretboard is a personal preference. I went through 5 used MIM Fender basses and finally found one I love, but it took a while of playing them to figure it out. I bought a used American P that I also love, but is a very different animal. Trial and error, time spent using the bass, and remember that your tastes will typically evolve. Watched some guys tearing it up in a bar in Austin a few years back and went up to give them the thumbs up between sets... and 2 guys were playing Squiers! They were unbelievable! An eye-opener for me. Just my opinion!
Best value for quality: Japanese Fenders. When the first batch of Japanese Fender copies came over, the luthiers at Fender were literally shocked at how well the were made, and how true to vintage spec they were. That's why they cut a deal to put the Fender name on em. I have a Japanese PB70 Fender p-bass. It plays and sounds great, and the craftsmanship is superb. They're going up in value, because words been out for years now, but you can still score them for around the cost of a new Mexican one, just have to keep your eyes open.
Agree. A Japanese-made P-bass is similar in quality to the American Performer shown in the video, but significantly cheaper. However, if you want the PJ configuration, your options with the Japanese precision basses are very limited. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one.
Honestly from a technological standpoint, I’d be a little worried if the vintage bass is “as good as it gets”. You mean to tell me 60 odd years of advancement but the best hardware that you’ve used in your product is from 60 years ago? What have you been doing? I understand the premise of vintage products marketing and selling at higher price point due to rarity, historical impact, and the like but if there have been no improvements to the bass sonically and as a matter of fact the vintage sounds better, I’d feel hard done by purchasing any of the newer models.
To be honest playability and versatilty is usually what I buy premium guitars/basses for. In the end your Amp and effects will determine the tone more then the guitar or pickup (not saying there is no difference)
@Orion69North That's a good example. As with anything, the rule of diminishing returns applies _everywhere_ and basses are no exception. Up to a certain point you do get more value for your money. But beyond that you're just paying for something else. Usually the brand name, novelty factor, or a combination of those. Hey, it's understandable. Maybe it's because the price of that rare guitar that was owned by a famous musician may go up even higher, who knows.
here's something that I don't get, no one - that is, no one who knows what they're doing - who is looking to buy a Precision Bass is going to be "rolling the tone off" as their go-to sound when doing a comparison. At least in the modern era where you have other options. If you want to play jazz-style bass tone, buy a Jazz Bass, it does it way better - or a Warwick etc. Precision Bass tones are for rock punk and pop, with the bright treble metallic ring and scooped mid. That's what a P-Bass does, and broadly speaking that's reflected in the professional industry as well.
Thought that exact thing myself. Of all the songs to choose to showcase the P-Bass vibe, he goes with a worn-out holiday jingle ... Up next on Reverb: 5 Jazz Basses with Jake, featuring "Christmas Don't Be Late" by Alvin & the Chipmunks.
I agree. First thing I look for--the wider the better as far as I'm concerned. My old 62 P Bass was 45mm or I 3/4" wide! It's why I am uncomfortable on a Jazz Bass.
I can't thank you enough for ***not slapping and popping*** during your demonstration. You allow us to hear the clear, legato bass tone. I love my several Precision basses. Mine are representitive of different levels of quality. They all do exactly what I ask them to do. P-bass, simple, reliable and always satisfying. Parts are everywhere. Everyone everywhere recognizes them. Easy to resell if you need to.
I played a 62 P Bass for nigh on 40 years which was my dream bass. I defretted it myself, didn't bother filling the fret slots and played it as a fretless for a while before having it refretted---I just didn't know any better!
I actually liked the MIM or the MIA best (those two sounded similar to me regarding the split-coils) - obviously the thing we don't get to feel is the build quality and craft.
Ahh inflation....in 20 years time it s gonna be impossible basses for the future generations , piece of wood and pickups for twenty thousan dollars to start with and your bodyguard around each you ll play a gig.
I bought my MIM P 26 years ago for what the Squier stuff costs today. The best thing I did for it was replace the bridge followed by replacing the pickups a couple of times because... reasons. Thousands of hours on this instrument and it plays as well today as it did when I slapped cash down on the counter of the local music store. The player series today is a great value just like mine was then. Everybody else says "get a good amp" and they aren't wrong - 200w min with a headphone jack so you can practice at night.
Another "expert" who only knows what someone else told him and the guy who told him only knows what someone else told him...and passes it like it's gospel. "My 1958 INSERT PRODUCT NAME HERE is waaaaay better than my 2021 INSERT SAME PRODUCT NAME HERE." Ok, whatever you say. I guess your 1958 TV, car, phone, oven, air conditioner is better too because "they just don't build them like they used to."
One is also built by a chinese kid in a sweatshop, one is built by true hardworking American's trying to support their family building bad ass instruments. You take your pick on who you support.
Dr. Fishing : yea and the people in China aren’t working to support themselves or their family. Come one get out of here with that shit, no one buys an instrument to support the factory worker that put it together, they buy it because it looks, feels, and sounds good to them, and sometimes because of whatever the name on the headstock says although the former three are more important.
Could barely hear the custom shop one when you turned the tone down, and there was quite alot of fret buzz on most of them, which is either the action is too low or your tecneque.
Good video idea, but you only payed the Squier over the bridge pickup so it sounds thin. You need to play over the split pickup to get the full voice. The P bass is so wonderfully simple the player has a bigger impact on the tone of the instrument. Higher cost P basses feel better; rolled edges, fret work, body weight, balance, finish. But they don't really sound better. If you are starting out, the Squier VM P bass will serve you well. Spend the rest of what you can on quality amp and a professional guitar setup.
S'funny all this love for 70's Fenders in the comments, not something I've seen before. From my experience (and it's a lot) anything Fender knocked out in the 70's is to be avoided, with rare exceptions.
I can hear the difference even on tiny computer speakers. I've been playing for 25 years. What newbies don't understand is that cheap instruments don't play the same as nicer ones. It's like in Harry Potter where they talk about certain wands resisting the wizard. It isn't just about sound but also feel, and an instrument that feels good inspires you in ways a cheap one can't.
I mean, I’d don’t mind an instrument that looks like it’s had some history, but do they have to make it look like someone left it lying out on their lawn for years?
Honestly, P-basses are the best basses for getting away with the cheaper deal. While there might be some difference in sound between the P-bass pickup on a Classic Vibe Squier vs a Custom Shop Fender, the difference is so hard to notice in the mix that it doesn't really matter. All that matters is the feel and the appearance. There's not really any need to spend more than $1500 for your ideal P-bass
What sucks is going into a guitar shop and every bass has the worst round wounds on them. Between that and other shoppers, its almost impossible to find out the sound
When I was first starting off as a bass player, I bought a Squier P-Bass that looked almost exactly like the Mexican Fender that Jake plays in this video. I knew almost nothing about making adjustments to the bridge or the action, so the sound and playability of it certainly could have been adjusted, but it had some clear limitations. Around that time, an older gentleman I knew lent me his late-1960's model American Fender P-Bass for a gig, and while the sound of it was overall an improvement over mine, the playability of it was astronomically better. It was like going from Steak-Ums to chateaubriand. So, I mean, ultimately a car is a car, but the experience of driving it can vary widely for the driver depending on what they pay for.
Believe it or not the best sounding one is custom shop, and then the squier. The other ones would require much more operation on a recording/mixing phase.The most expensive one is not worth it at all.
Granted that's with all the tone rolled off, yeah they sound alike. With tone opened up, they sound pretty different. Anyway, just shows that sound is mostly in how you play, not what you play I guess.
I gotta say, that custom shop bass brings the heat. The only thing I'd change is putting a good set of flatwounds on it! Nice video. Wouldn't mind seeing more of these.
I'm actually impressed with the Squire. I was thinking about getting a Mexican P but this video has me reconsidering. It sounded really good and I like how you get the extra J pickup like on the American one.
Brett Blakeway I tend to agree about the pau ferro but it is possible to darken it considerably. I recently bought a MIM P Bass because they are now discontinued and were on a really good blow out deal which I couldn't resist. I used Crimson Guitars Fretboard Restorative which works wonders. Other similar products are also available!
I think a new Fender Custom shop bass is much better than a 50/60 year old “vintage” production model. Age does not make the instrument better and many times these old basses have been modded or repaired over the decades and were also mass produced. Second, the VM squier is a great bass and is a higher end squier , he should have started with the real entry level affinity p bass that comes in at 200$.
@@ashidbt9164 OH don't I KNOW it:) After 53 years of playing and gigging I have finally be able to admit that I prefer short scale axes, made in the late 80s and early 90s, in Japan, particularly Charvel Fusions and Jackson Professional Fusions:) I recently bought a new Charvel San Dimas Pro Mod, and I was appalled at what a piece of crap they are:) One of my favorites is a $200 pawn shop axe, Charvel Fusion Custom:) I recently picked up a Jackson Professional Fusion Standard for $300 and it is currently my favorite. It has nothing to do with money because I have a USA Jackson SL1 and I never play it, probably never will again:) Fender and Gibson have never made a guitar I would play if they gave it to me:)
Almost everybody that I know that has a squire or a less expensive bass does the same thing.. UPGRADES them to make them more playable. I get it.. Value is perceived.. but I dont get any of these comments about how a more expensive bass is not better. Your justifying it because you dont have the coin.. Stop hating, enjoy what you have but understand that there is better out there. The price is higher for a reason.
The Fender P Bass wasn't "one of" the first commercially successful electric basses, it was THEE first commercially successful electric bass. At the time it was introduced, in 1951, only a handful of electric basses had been produced by a small company in I think Seattle, in the 1930s, believe it or not, which never sold in any real numbers and today, only like 3 or 4 examples of which exist. Gibson didn't release their electric bass until 1953, and even though it was very successful, it wasn't nearly as popular as the p bass, which beat it by 2 years.
Since this is an old video, it's worth noting that some of the P-Bass clones out there now (Donner, etc.) can be just as good or better than a comparable Squier for a much lower price. The fact that you can get a perfectly good bass for under $200US these days makes you wonder just how much companies like Fender are overcharging us...
I get where Jacob is coming from, but I have to take umbrage with a few things that inexperienced buyers should be aware of. First... No, Squier doesn't get a bad rap, but has an excellent reputation- even with professional bass players and sometimes even*better* than some of *today's* Mexican models! Look carefully at the red Squier... It has a heavy bridge, not on the MIM (only put on Fender's more expensive basses) and has a ROSEWOOD fingerboard, rather than the low grade Pau Ferro Fingerboard ont the Mexican. The pickups on the Squier may or may not be better than the MIM, but a pickup swap is cheap, especially if you can find top quality used pups. I have a 2011 Squier VM Jazz bass and with new pups and with the Aguilar pickups I installed- AND THE RIGHT STRINGS sounds as good as any $2000 bass in Fender's lineup. As for the new American series... beware that they changed the necks to a *MODIFIED* C neck. Not for everyone as it can displace the thumb and may be uncomfortable (as that neck is in my hands). Additionally MIM basses were MUCH better back in 2010 and 2011. I've got a MIM Jazz 5 which is as good or better as the American Professiona. With a 3rd party pre-amp I'll take my 2010 MIM over an American Elite any day of the week. Lastly, STRINGS make all the difference. If you want the tight sound that you heard in the American basses, all you need is a string swap. D'Addario NYXL's or DR Sunbeams or HiBeams or LaBella Stainless Steel strings (or gauge changes) can get you there. Should you buy an expensive bass? Why not? But just know you can get there for exponentially less money. A lot of what you get from more expensive basses is ego enlargement rather than improved sound or playability- if you're willing to invest a few dollars in strategic upgrades like fret level/crown and setup, pickups and strings. You can add a great active system (drop in) for around $100 and you'd have to spend $2000 more to best that silly "low end" Squier.
Yeah, I just got an American Professional Jazz brand new (£1290) and while it is nice, well made and with literally perfect intonation, it's not quite as amazing as I'd like it to be compared to my late 90s Squier Silver Series (£250), which has been properly set up (no pickup change, though. All original, just the way I like it) and plays beautifully. I think the Fender does sound 'better', but it's relatively subtle. Also got a 90s P bass from Fujigen (not silver series but almost) and that is a rough, growling beast that I bloody love. Cheap like the J bass too.
I didn't want my original response to become any lengthier than it is, but I did a few "upgrades" to my 2010 Squier VM70's Jazz bass that I wanted to mention specifically (not in order of importance). 1) I put in a Gotoh heavy bridge ($40). It added a little sustain but didn't change the tone, but looks cool. 2) I rewired it with full size pots, and honestly didn't improve performance or sound. But honestly it didn't need it and just did it 'cause folks said it would improve things. No big deal. HOWEVER, the next two things... I installed AGUILAR noiseless pickups. They did make a notiecable difference, although not earth shattering. But the most important thing was letting my luthier do a fret level/crown and setup. The thing plays like butter. The last thing is finding the right strings for the sound. I stopped short of putting in an Audere pre-amp as it sounds awesome without having to go that far. As long as the Squier you buy is one of the "vintage modified" or "classic vibe" seriers you've got an awesome bass to play as is or upgrade as desired- one that compete with the big boys.
Agreed... and I've had recent experience to back this up. Two Squier Vintage Modified basses (Jazz Bass fretless and Jazz Bass V) that are really excellent, and two MIM Fender basses (Jazz Bass V and Mustang) that had notable manufacturing and fit-and-finish issues. I actually returned the Mustang and bought the Squier 5-string instead! I also own a Fender American Professional P-Bass and while it's definitely way better than the Squiers, the Squiers are definitely better than the MIM Fenders! The only thing Squier has going against it is headstock vanity. Thinking about a Fender Player Series? Get Squier VM instead and you can buy a P AND a J for the same price! I was a bit disappointed in this video... I felt like it was more just a sponsored Fender ad than an honest look at the pros and cons of the various lines. My advice to anyone going for a Fender bass: Squier VM is great. If you can't afford a Japan or USA Fender, get a Squier. You won't be disappointed.
i mean the squire/first bass you showed blew my mind. that is pretty much the EXACT tone i’m going for right now. can’t wait to see the higher end stuff. (do more of these) after watching. The squire and custom shop are the ones that stand out to me. Great video btw make more.
From many years of experience, I can tell you, The Real Key to Great Playability/P.Bass tone, (and ANY Guitar for that matter) you can imagine... *...know, & Make Friends with as Many Guitar Techs/Luthiers as possible!*
AND.........................Learn to fix your own shit. It ain't hard. If you will run for your computer to learn how to play something you should be willing to do the same to fix something. Take your instrument to someone just to change strings? There is nothing mystical or magic about it and you can't break it. If you do it can be fixed. 100s of videos will show you how.
A great player on the cheapest will sound amazing and a poor player on the best one will sound bad. The differences in the instruments are important to snobs but musically speaking mean very little. I once heard this black cat pickup a piece of shit no name bass with nylon wrapped strings that were past due changing and he blew me away with good solid technique and years of experience.
Sound quality is one thing that can be easily reproduced with just about any pickup if you're running through a preamp. Once you play one of the upper tiers for awhile, you will end up turning all your budgets into modders, which is fine, because that's fun. There is a significant difference in feel, playability, sustain going from a Squier to an American Performer, which is about as good as it gets for a passive Fender. Anything beyond that will have enhanced electronics and custom cosmetics. All that said, the Squier Classic Vibes are really nice out of the box and look no further for your first guitar, imho. To each their own, of course.
Jesus the one in the end sounds fucking killer, amazing, light years apart from the others with that natural sounding high end. For every other I'd go with anyone, even the cheap squier (with a good amp + player), hell I'd record with 'em.
So glad you brought up the Squier, I've had one for 3 years and gig with it moderately. Really dependable and got it for 200 bucks, though don't go under that or you end up in buzz city
this video is very sad. how you gonna show more basses with that jazz bass pick up imo no p bass should sport anything other than the stock pickup unfortunately it's a trend that wont go away... and how are you gonna play so close to the bridge it just sounds like a guitar.. Play it like a P bass for crying out loud get some bottom end out of that instrument guy its not a guitar
Gareth Englebert This is the thing, I'm after a bass for bedroom recording and playing about with and for around £350 that is awesome value, especially compared to the Fender American versions which are around £1500
For 300$ brand new, the Squier VM p bass leaves nothing to be desired. It sounded just as good as the MIM and MIA performer. The custom shop and the 58 were amazing sounding.
Whats the difference between a $300 P-bass and a $5k P-bass?
$4700
Bagel
Choice of materials..
Choose a PJ bass..
I’ve got the first one in this video too.
You can say choice of materials all day long...whatever. You can say choice of anything you want all day long. Yet given the fact that, in these "modern times", these basses are utilized in studios to sit in the mix better...playing with the rest of the band your ear will never get a chance to hear those subtle differences. Only until you isolate that bass will you begin to even notice those nuances. I would go with a Squier anyday before I would ever waste my time with a Mexican made any Fender bass. I challenge the hype, I heard no difference between that Squier and that Mexican made, period. Damn sure not enough difference to justify the almost (in some cases..) double the cost. I played numerous Squier and entry level Mexican made Fender P's and J's...and when playing with a group live or rehearsing you can't tell a difference. Slighty, itty bitty difference in feel. The difference there being the Squier played and felt superb to the Mexican made. That was with no setup either. Fret work felt indentical to each other. Hype. So tired of all the hype. It is only until you get to the, nowadays Professional series, and what used to be the Roadworn series that the differences are noticed...these are/were Mexican. As in the beginnings of the Roadworn you got the one piece maple neck with nitro finish and anodized pickguard. Which, is a night and day difference to the Squier and entry Mex Pbass. But still difference is so subtle that I would not pay the amount extra for the same build, same concept. It's all just brand hype😐.
joseph walton I’ve got to disagree. Well, I do agree on several points. I bought a $100 Squire a few years back, just to work on. I leveled the frets, installed Hipshot tuners, copper plated the cavity, installed Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders, and a Babicz bridge. I also installed a Tusq nut and went to medium gauge strings. It sounded awesome! Major, major improvements across the board, the sound was strong, deep, powerful, immediately noticeable on any mix. A friend who had just spent $1600 on a new American Fender P Bass, gave me his bass and said he wanted it to sound like my Squire. So, seeing it had a new top of the line American neck, I changed the nut, copper plated the cavity and installed the Seymour, the tuners and bridge were already top notch so I didn’t bother with those either. He was very pleased! Well, fast forward two years and the guy died from heart disease. I purchased that bass from his friend who inherited it, and changed the strings to the medium gauge, and it blows my old Squire into the dirt. Yes they both have good tone, but the American Fender has better tone wood, so it does have a noticeable amount of sustain the Squire doesn’t, but mostly, the neck! The playability is amazing, the difference is major, it makes me sound like a better bass player. The geometry of the bass makes it a better bass, and if I can play it better, then it sounds better. Sadly my Squire sits in its case, I haven’t played it in near two years.
I would take a Lakland PJ over any of those easy. A lot cheaper than that custom.
For 4700$ you get qaulity hardware and diffrent wood and diffrent pickups and handmade than other companies make them from a machine
Me have a 1509$ bass that i love but i have a squier pj bass that i have chamge many thing and hardware but not neck or pickups
After listening to this very carefully, I can confirm that these are, in fact, all basses.
wait really? i thought they were banjos
Thank you, I was wondering why they all sounded so much like basses
Davie be proud. I got you.
Yea...my favorite is the P bass
Does red sound different than black?
I like the 5 price point idea hope it’s a series
zeboogieburitto I second this^
March Martin ye, j basses let’sgo
Agreed!
Agree. Thanks for the review sir. However, it seems like there's not much of a difference in sound (is the teeny weeny difference worth hundreds of $? Maybe there should be a sound wave comparison as well, for a complete comparison - just to see how big a difference each bass makes.
Arnel Mendoza The Fender custom shop P bass had a deep resident bass sound compared to the others, the village model had a clearer mid range, and the earlier ones from Squier to American made had a spectrum of sound quality that I noticed. The higher the quality for me, the better it sounded. This is probably because I have a pretty acute and observant ear.
Everyone: they all sound the same
Me: ooh maple neck looks nice
Yeah man I feel you.
The sound is the xfactor
For me it is all about how it feels in my hands.
Lol same
Alternate title: The cheapest P-bass you can get sounds exactly like a '58 Precision.
i read this and was thinking the same thing...going to sound like Simon Gallup for about 7 hundo...
SO TRUE
Admittedly I have beginner ears, but I couldn't hear a lot of difference. But where is the Affinity? I would love to hear the cheapest Squier in a comparison like this.
The 58 P bass was specifically made to be made cheaply in it's time. It really shouldn't be surprising that the same design still sounds as expected if made cheaply.
Doesnt tho. And I dont even play bass.
Buy a cheap bass and spend the extra cash on a good amp and teacher to sound good
Marvin teacher 😂
Wisdom...
oh yeah, soooo smart)))))
Too cheap is a false economy though, don't skimp too much? And buy some flats!
@@PorchBass depends what you're going for. Flats have their thing, but for what I do I have to use stainless rounds.
really appreciate you playing the same riffs throughout. Makes it a lot easier to differentiate between tones
Aaron Collins Notice his inconsistent right hand plucking position.
All differences in tone you heard are now invalid.
@@ts4gv 😂
Lads, as someone who's played bass for most of their life, you stop paying for sound quality at around £600-£800, even basses as low as £500 can sound as good as the top tier ones. With Fender P-Basses, and any basses or guitars for that matter, what you're paying all that extra cash for is playability, aesthetics, durability and/or, of course, when/where it's made. (Which, granted, can add more money than is usually worth, but it is nice to know that your guitar was made in a country that actually guarantees workers a fair wage)
That Squier P-Bass might sound pretty great, but can you confidently say it looks just as pretty as that American Performer? I guarantee you it doesn't play as well either. My first bass was a squier mustang, and playing it back to back with my Performer P-Bass is like night and day. The neck is smoother, the frets are much more neatly fitted and don't buzz anywhere near as much. It's lighter and feels incredibly solid, whereas I have to be very careful with my Squier, as there are still things that become loose that shouldn't. Restringing that thing was a nightmare. The Fender is also balanced so much better than the Squier, despite being a short-scale that Squier has a fair bit of neck-dive.
When it comes to when it's made, that's for collectors. They like to own a piece of history, and a huge portion of these people will pay a large amount of money to do so. These basses are rare, finite, and will never be made or weathered the same way again by a bass made in 2020. Keep in mind, as well, most of these basses aren't sold by Fender themselves, they're sold by other collectors and shops second-hand, so you can't even blame Fender for this one.
Are any of these dealbreakers for the Squier? No, of course not, especially not to a beginner, and not to the many professionals I know who use them both outside and inside the studio (I have a mate who swears by his Squier Jazz Bass - he says there's something he feels with it that just makes him play better than more expensive models). Those basses are still, for the most part, well-made, nice-looking and comfortable instruments. It's still a Squier, after all, and they've been doing this for a long long time. But if you have the money to spend on a mexican or american fender, you will be paying for a much sturdier, nicer feeling and ever so slightly nicer sounding instrument.
(Of course, some of this can be subjective as well. The best thing to do is to play each instrument available to you within your budget, and make a decision based on individual preference. What looks best to you, feels best to you and sounds best to you should all come first, within your budget.)
TL;DR No, these basses aren't all the same, they'll all *feel* and play differently to one another, regardless of how similar they sound.
Staniel42 your comment is great. It deserves a video
I love your comment, would you say a £650 PJ Mustang Fender Bass would be a good start for the purpose of practicing and also recording?
@@montyeyesclosed I would say yes. I recently purchased a Fender Vintera P Bass, which is made in Mexico. It was $900, but it plays great and sounds awesome in a recording mix. I'd say most of the time anything over $500 is decent territory. I'd say this is true for most brands out there. On the flipside though, I used to own a Epiphone Les Paul that I spent $800 on and it played like hot garbage.
well said, and I agree entirely. like you said, the instrument should inspire you: sometimes that's found in quality, and other times in aesthetics. there are no one-size-fits-all instruments because there are no two players exactly alike.
@@montyeyesclosed There's a famous guitarist who started a revolution in the late 70s with his phenomenal playing and unique sound.
He did it all on a parts guitar that he put together himself.
gotta be honest i don't see a damn thing wrong with the squier. put whatever pickups you want in it, and you never have to worry about anything except your ego!!!
I see nothing wrong with going for a more expensive bass. There’s some joy to be found in it for sure just as with owning any “Premium” instrument. But I do have to agree that from a functional perspective the Squire basses are excellent and it’s very hard to justify the need for the more expensive Fender models.
I find it a bit disingenuous when he mentions that the American bass is “build to last” and thus implies that the Squire and Mexican one will not last well. They’re made from the same basic stuff (the Mexican’s now even use the exact same hardware as the American Special) so there is no reason at all that the American would be any more reliable or last longer than the more affordable models.
As I say, nothing wrong with going for a more expensive model. If you can afford it and will enjoy owning it fire away. But if you just want a solid workhorse bass the lower priced instruments are perfectly good.
Not sure but heard that the frets can be sharp. Though you can sand them down
@@lil_weasel219 it's not that they are sharp. It's just that on high end hand made instruments the ends of the frets will be hand sanded. The ones on the Squire will just be like those on most CNC guitars from factories.
I have one hand made bass that has that little extra attention to detail and it certainly feels premium. But it's in no way a deal breaker to not have it.
Some poor quality guitars or ones where it's been through dramatic temperature change can get fret sprout where the neck wood shrinks a little. But that's not a common issue at all. Just give the guitar a once over before you buy and ask the shop to address any issues before the sale.
I've never kept the stock pickups in any Fender bass I ever bought but they all would have worked fine. I just like to see what else is out there to tweak the beasts. Change out the controls to a push/pull on the tone so I can by-pass and get the straight pickup signal without a tone cap in the way.. It's a cool upgrade.
I've bought this Squier and installed spb-4 on it. It's great guitar, nice look, the neck was ok, frets weren't sharp. On the other side I was looking for something to play & chill at home so it's everything that I wanted.
Tone Comparison:
1:43 Squier Vintage Modified P-Bass
3:53 Fender Mexican P-Bass
5:54 Fender American Performer P-Bass
8:07 Fender Custom Shop P-Bass
10:00 Fender '50-'70 Vintage P-Bass
Thanks
ty
Thank you, helps a lot.
Thanks mate
Mexican and Custom Shop is quite similar sounding in my ears.
Sounds like he’s playing “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”
I've been playing Fender P basses for almost five decades. I've had and tried them all. In my lonely opinion 1974 to 1978 P basses were perfect, probably because I was so used to them. Earlier models where too heavy or too C shaped neck for my taste. Besides, 90's Japanese models are very good also. Not too good experiences with the mexicans, except the Anniversary series with ash body. The around 2010 Am. Std. P Bass with graphite reinforcemente neck is interesting, more like a piano sound, a different instrument. And finally I agree with another comment here by Iptomtom: The Squier Classic Vibe P Bass is one of the best instruments Fender made lately. Excuse my english, I'm from Argentina, in the deep south.
? Perdona vos inglés? Hay nada para perdona ( es superbien) .Sigue tocando. Hace 10 años he visitado tu rincon lindo de Argentina. .Saludos de este de Londres.
Thank you. I have an early 90s Japanese fender bass and i love it
Thanks for your opinion! Which one- I’m guessing the 70’s classic vibe?
Your English is excellent! Thanks for the advice.
I can agree with the 70's stuff sounding just that little bit... More.
I think that was around the time Marcus Miller started getting involved with Fender to make his signature Jazz bass. That changed the tone of a lot of basses then when fender started to make brighter, fatter sounding pups.
I had a set of 1974 jazz bass pups in a custom bass I had (from Michigan) and even with LaBella tapewounds on it it still had a *snap* to the sound that I haven't been able to get since.
Let's see the telecaster version of this. My first electric guitar is a squier telecaster and it's still kicking.
Great idea!
th-cam.com/video/Mlk-dccm-P8/w-d-xo.html... Here's a video of one of the "lower end" squiers out "fendering" a High end fender....
I just got a new Squier Affinity Tele and I love this thing. I don't own any expensive guitars (I'm mostly a drummer) but this thing sounds and feels great
@earlycuyler my Phone crushed when I clicked on your link!
SOUND SAMPLES
Tone on
-----------------
Squire: 1:43
Mexican 3:53
American Pro 5:53
Relic 8:06
'58 9:59
Tone off
----------------
Squire 2:23
Mexican 4:28
American Pro 6:31
Relic 8:40
'58 10:36
Jazz pickup
---------------------
Squire 2:53
American Pro 6:57
American performer not pro.
Btw it's Squier not Squire
Thanks!
Thanks
Depends on:
1- the player
2- practice time
3- the comfort of the neck/overall bass for the player, weight of the bass, balance, width at nut, stays in tune
4- did you find a good bass in the series? easier to find a prize paying more $$$, but they exist at lower levels too. Plenty of expensive dogs out there too.
5- sounds great at home, what happens when the whole band fires up? does it get lost? many times it does
6- preamp/amp
7- venue/PA system
less important:
1- what you paid
2- brand name
3- color/finish
Vintage is a personal preference. Relic or no is a personal preference. Used or new is a personal preference. Fretboard is a personal preference.
I went through 5 used MIM Fender basses and finally found one I love, but it took a while of playing them to figure it out. I bought a used American P that I also love, but is a very different animal. Trial and error, time spent using the bass, and remember that your tastes will typically evolve.
Watched some guys tearing it up in a bar in Austin a few years back and went up to give them the thumbs up between sets... and 2 guys were playing Squiers! They were unbelievable! An eye-opener for me.
Just my opinion!
Best value for quality: Japanese Fenders. When the first batch of Japanese Fender copies came over, the luthiers at Fender were literally shocked at how well the were made, and how true to vintage spec they were. That's why they cut a deal to put the Fender name on em. I have a Japanese PB70 Fender p-bass. It plays and sounds great, and the craftsmanship is superb. They're going up in value, because words been out for years now, but you can still score them for around the cost of a new Mexican one, just have to keep your eyes open.
Agree. A Japanese-made P-bass is similar in quality to the American Performer shown in the video, but significantly cheaper. However, if you want the PJ configuration, your options with the Japanese precision basses are very limited. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one.
+1000
My mij ‘93 p Bass is a BEASHT
@@莊自得 The original bass that Duff used was a Japanese P bass but with a Jazz neck plus both P & J pickups
@@莊自得 Here's one: Fender Aerodyne P/J. I own one and can't wipe the sh1t-eating grin off my face when I bring it to rehearsals.
I bought a PBass Player Series (maple fingerboard). I'm very happy, Great bass.
I do not hear anything different, except the jb pickup in the squier.
Randal H Dalme now you know the secret
Randal H Dalme the young guy can't extract the sound of any bass. He have not a bass player "touch"
“We didn’t get a chance to cover all of our bases...” [dramatic pause] I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE, JAKE.
Well played
Honestly from a technological standpoint, I’d be a little worried if the vintage bass is “as good as it gets”. You mean to tell me 60 odd years of advancement but the best hardware that you’ve used in your product is from 60 years ago? What have you been doing?
I understand the premise of vintage products marketing and selling at higher price point due to rarity, historical impact, and the like but if there have been no improvements to the bass sonically and as a matter of fact the vintage sounds better, I’d feel hard done by purchasing any of the newer models.
Loving that lick you were playing when you “rolled the tone off”
You missed the best one: The American Professional (about $1500). Probably the greatest best I've ever played , vintage or new.
The sound to cost difference just doesn't add up, bros.
To be honest playability and versatilty is usually what I buy premium guitars/basses for. In the end your Amp and effects will determine the tone more then the guitar or pickup (not saying there is no difference)
@kyleA agreed 100%
@@steveluth3139 And it doesn't even have to be premium these days in order to have great playability and versatility.
@Orion69North That's a good example. As with anything, the rule of diminishing returns applies _everywhere_ and basses are no exception.
Up to a certain point you do get more value for your money. But beyond that you're just paying for something else. Usually the brand name, novelty factor, or a combination of those.
Hey, it's understandable. Maybe it's because the price of that rare guitar that was owned by a famous musician may go up even higher, who knows.
Never, ever will. Same with guitars.
here's something that I don't get,
no one - that is, no one who knows what they're doing - who is looking to buy a Precision Bass is going to be "rolling the tone off" as their go-to sound when doing a comparison. At least in the modern era where you have other options.
If you want to play jazz-style bass tone, buy a Jazz Bass, it does it way better - or a Warwick etc. Precision Bass tones are for rock punk and pop, with the bright treble metallic ring and scooped mid. That's what a P-Bass does, and broadly speaking that's reflected in the professional industry as well.
Skipped over the Squier CV series, which is one of the best things Fender does IMO
Totally - the Classic Vibe and Vintage Modified Series are both great options.
Have a look at the 2019 Cv series. Seriously nice basses!
CV precision?
I own the squire jazz bass. Lovely bass. Like the USA ones
Never played a Custom Vibe. I did have a MIM P bass. How would the slightly cheaper CV P bass compare?
It sounds like he keeps playing I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.
Phish's Limb by Limb
Is that what Phish calls their cover of I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus?
Sounds just like a Horace Silver tune, I'll try and look it up. Woudn't be surprised Phish knows the tune.......
Thought that exact thing myself. Of all the songs to choose to showcase the P-Bass vibe, he goes with a worn-out holiday jingle ...
Up next on Reverb: 5 Jazz Basses with Jake, featuring "Christmas Don't Be Late" by Alvin & the Chipmunks.
That made me laugh out loud.
Good day, the one thing you missed on all the bass's is the nut size. Very important to us viewers, thanks.
I agree. First thing I look for--the wider the better as far as I'm concerned. My old 62 P Bass was 45mm or I 3/4" wide! It's why I am uncomfortable on a Jazz Bass.
The nut size depends on the shape of the neck
I can't thank you enough for ***not slapping and popping*** during your demonstration. You allow us to hear the clear, legato bass tone. I love my several Precision basses. Mine are representitive of different levels of quality. They all do exactly what I ask them to do. P-bass, simple, reliable and always satisfying. Parts are everywhere. Everyone everywhere recognizes them. Easy to resell if you need to.
I'm going to start saying "agathis" the way he does. It makes it sound like my guitar is comprised of dark matter.
I like P Basses, but I have to say that the PJ tones added are pretty cool to hear/have...... Thanks for cool Bass video Reverb Team!
I played a 62 P Bass for nigh on 40 years which was my dream bass. I defretted it myself, didn't bother filling the fret slots and played it as a fretless for a while before having it refretted---I just didn't know any better!
4 years later now a p bass costs 859€ instead of 600$
...wonder how much in 2027.
10:59 young Erlich Bachman (if he played bass) (....maybe he did?)
Don’t bother with the expensive vintage. It’s a trophy only.
but its such a pretty trophy
@@adroit57 Plus they hold their value, even increase their value..
Custom Shop Precision sounds best.
Ya don't say
I actually liked the MIM or the MIA best (those two sounded similar to me regarding the split-coils) - obviously the thing we don't get to feel is the build quality and craft.
No it doesnt
Ahh inflation....in 20 years time it s gonna be impossible basses for the future generations , piece of wood and pickups for twenty thousan dollars to start with and your bodyguard around each you ll play a gig.
I bought my MIM P 26 years ago for what the Squier stuff costs today. The best thing I did for it was replace the bridge followed by replacing the pickups a couple of times because... reasons. Thousands of hours on this instrument and it plays as well today as it did when I slapped cash down on the counter of the local music store. The player series today is a great value just like mine was then. Everybody else says "get a good amp" and they aren't wrong - 200w min with a headphone jack so you can practice at night.
Real P Basses have 2 knobs and no bridge J. Anything otherwise.... 🤢
Another "expert" who only knows what someone else told him and the guy who told him only knows what someone else told him...and passes it like it's gospel. "My 1958 INSERT PRODUCT NAME HERE is waaaaay better than my 2021 INSERT SAME PRODUCT NAME HERE." Ok, whatever you say. I guess your 1958 TV, car, phone, oven, air conditioner is better too because "they just don't build them like they used to."
Difference is the price
Pretty much. Cheapest one has more options for sound, than the most expensive though.
That's why he rolled the tone off on the squire, to sound more worse than others basses.
One is also built by a chinese kid in a sweatshop, one is built by true hardworking American's trying to support their family building bad ass instruments.
You take your pick on who you support.
@@dr.fishing5740 gone are the days of child labour in china
Dr. Fishing : yea and the people in China aren’t working to support themselves or their family. Come one get out of here with that shit, no one buys an instrument to support the factory worker that put it together, they buy it because it looks, feels, and sounds good to them, and sometimes because of whatever the name on the headstock says although the former three are more important.
Could barely hear the custom shop one when you turned the tone down, and there was quite alot of fret buzz on most of them, which is either the action is too low or your tecneque.
fret buzz sounds cool
Absolutely true, I've played well set up Harley Bentons that sound and play well.....Emperors Clothes syndrome.
At the beginning i thought you said "hello there, its Jacob Reverb!" and i was like cool the founder of Reverb!
Good video idea, but you only payed the Squier over the bridge pickup so it sounds thin. You need to play over the split pickup to get the full voice. The P bass is so wonderfully simple the player has a bigger impact on the tone of the instrument. Higher cost P basses feel better; rolled edges, fret work, body weight, balance, finish. But they don't really sound better. If you are starting out, the Squier VM P bass will serve you well. Spend the rest of what you can on quality amp and a professional guitar setup.
Define "professional guitar setup". You aren't getting one at Guitarmart. Think of how shitty the guitars hanging on their walls are.
S'funny all this love for 70's Fenders in the comments, not something I've seen before. From my experience (and it's a lot) anything Fender knocked out in the 70's is to be avoided, with rare exceptions.
I can hear the difference even on tiny computer speakers. I've been playing for 25 years. What newbies don't understand is that cheap instruments don't play the same as nicer ones. It's like in Harry Potter where they talk about certain wands resisting the wizard. It isn't just about sound but also feel, and an instrument that feels good inspires you in ways a cheap one can't.
Finally someone said, a bass/guitar that feels nice boosts your confidence when playing way more then one that feels cheap.
Bollocks, you're just cork sniffing.
I just hear really bad bass playing.
This guy looks like half the age he sounds like when he talks.
True
someone should tell this guy you don't have to yell in your youtube videos
The Costume Shop look and sounds great.
Reginald Marcial Yeah, all that ridiculous relic’ing does make it look like it came out of a ‘costume’ shop.
I mean, I’d don’t mind an instrument that looks like it’s had some history, but do they have to make it look like someone left it lying out on their lawn for years?
@@SvenElven : ))
That custom,vintage blows those squires away
Left out Fender Japan, which are some of my favorites. Thanks for the demos.
The squire was badass.. great deal for 300
Honestly, P-basses are the best basses for getting away with the cheaper deal. While there might be some difference in sound between the P-bass pickup on a Classic Vibe Squier vs a Custom Shop Fender, the difference is so hard to notice in the mix that it doesn't really matter. All that matters is the feel and the appearance. There's not really any need to spend more than $1500 for your ideal P-bass
What sucks is going into a guitar shop and every bass has the worst round wounds on them. Between that and other shoppers, its almost impossible to find out the sound
That face after giving dem puns at the end
squier need updates, but they can be cool
You’ve got to be a serious fool to pay $4000 for a relic instrument.
They are all the same boring Fender basses we need less of...................the Mccdonalds of BASS!
But......everyone loves McDonald's; go there anytime day or night and there are cars at the drive thru. It's cheap and there at any time.
When I was first starting off as a bass player, I bought a Squier P-Bass that looked almost exactly like the Mexican Fender that Jake plays in this video. I knew almost nothing about making adjustments to the bridge or the action, so the sound and playability of it certainly could have been adjusted, but it had some clear limitations.
Around that time, an older gentleman I knew lent me his late-1960's model American Fender P-Bass for a gig, and while the sound of it was overall an improvement over mine, the playability of it was astronomically better. It was like going from Steak-Ums to chateaubriand.
So, I mean, ultimately a car is a car, but the experience of driving it can vary widely for the driver depending on what they pay for.
Believe it or not the best sounding one is custom shop, and then the squier. The other ones would require much more operation on a recording/mixing phase.The most expensive one is not worth it at all.
Skip fast between 2:23 and 10:36, is the huuuughe price difference worth it?
Not at all
Wow - they sound identical :o
Granted that's with all the tone rolled off, yeah they sound alike. With tone opened up, they sound pretty different. Anyway, just shows that sound is mostly in how you play, not what you play I guess.
Pulpo Falc - and you can get that tone by upgrading the pickups
gonna be some difference in the mix, the pricier bass sounds full, but good mixers can just equalize that
The Squier sounds best for me...
I gotta say, that custom shop bass brings the heat. The only thing I'd change is putting a good set of flatwounds on it! Nice video. Wouldn't mind seeing more of these.
Does anyone know the bassline at 2:24?
I'm actually impressed with the Squire. I was thinking about getting a Mexican P but this video has me reconsidering. It sounded really good and I like how you get the extra J pickup like on the American one.
PJ Configuration is not a P-Bass!!
That Pau Ferro fretboard on the MIM is so gross looking.
Funny, I really like the Pau Ferro look. Different strokes I suppose.
it's like something you'd buy at IKEA. Terrible. I miss rosewood aha.
Brett Blakeway I tend to agree about the pau ferro but it is possible to darken it considerably. I recently bought a MIM P Bass because they are now discontinued and were on a really good blow out deal which I couldn't resist. I used Crimson Guitars Fretboard Restorative which works wonders. Other similar products are also available!
@@kingstumble I thought they still have the MIM basses in the current line- Performer
Mark Chyna You're right. I should have said the MIM Standards have been discontinued.
I think a new Fender Custom shop bass is much better than a 50/60 year old “vintage” production model. Age does not make the instrument better and many times these old basses have been modded or repaired over the decades and were also mass produced. Second, the VM squier is a great bass and is a higher end squier , he should have started with the real entry level affinity p bass that comes in at 200$.
Lordy, I hate to say it but the 1st Mexican sounded the best:) There wasn't 2 cents difference in the rest:)
The ones I buy!
Hmmm. No there are differences.
@@lessingesnus If you say so:) Are there thousands of dollar difference?:)
@@batmandeltaforce its not always about sound yknow ofc sound is the most important but its also importand how it feels to play is important too
@@ashidbt9164 OH don't I KNOW it:) After 53 years of playing and gigging I have finally be able to admit that I prefer short scale axes, made in the late 80s and early 90s, in Japan, particularly Charvel Fusions and Jackson Professional Fusions:) I recently bought a new Charvel San Dimas Pro Mod, and I was appalled at what a piece of crap they are:) One of my favorites is a $200 pawn shop axe, Charvel Fusion Custom:) I recently picked up a Jackson Professional Fusion Standard for $300 and it is currently my favorite. It has nothing to do with money because I have a USA Jackson SL1 and I never play it, probably never will again:) Fender and Gibson have never made a guitar I would play if they gave it to me:)
this is somewhat painful to watch from a guitarist‘s perspective...
is he playing a particular song, interested in finding out what they are
Squier’s vintage series pickup are a really good quality, I’ll put those up against Fenders standard or Yosemite pickups, in my opinion
Almost everybody that I know that has a squire or a less expensive bass does the same thing.. UPGRADES them to make them more playable. I get it.. Value is perceived.. but I dont get any of these comments about how a more expensive bass is not better. Your justifying it because you dont have the coin.. Stop hating, enjoy what you have but understand that there is better out there. The price is higher for a reason.
It's like a new Honda Civic vs the 20 year old beater you are driving.
The Fender P Bass wasn't "one of" the first commercially successful electric basses, it was THEE first commercially successful electric bass. At the time it was introduced, in 1951, only a handful of electric basses had been produced by a small company in I think Seattle, in the 1930s, believe it or not, which never sold in any real numbers and today, only like 3 or 4 examples of which exist. Gibson didn't release their electric bass until 1953, and even though it was very successful, it wasn't nearly as popular as the p bass, which beat it by 2 years.
9:52 haha "vintageginstruments"
Since this is an old video, it's worth noting that some of the P-Bass clones out there now (Donner, etc.) can be just as good or better than a comparable Squier for a much lower price. The fact that you can get a perfectly good bass for under $200US these days makes you wonder just how much companies like Fender are overcharging us...
I get where Jacob is coming from, but I have to take umbrage with a few things that inexperienced buyers should be aware of. First... No, Squier doesn't get a bad rap, but has an excellent reputation- even with professional bass players and sometimes even*better* than some of *today's* Mexican models! Look carefully at the red Squier... It has a heavy bridge, not on the MIM (only put on Fender's more expensive basses) and has a ROSEWOOD fingerboard, rather than the low grade Pau Ferro Fingerboard ont the Mexican. The pickups on the Squier may or may not be better than the MIM, but a pickup swap is cheap, especially if you can find top quality used pups. I have a 2011 Squier VM Jazz bass and with new pups and with the Aguilar pickups I installed- AND THE RIGHT STRINGS sounds as good as any $2000 bass in Fender's lineup. As for the new American series... beware that they changed the necks to a *MODIFIED* C neck. Not for everyone as it can displace the thumb and may be uncomfortable (as that neck is in my hands). Additionally MIM basses were MUCH better back in 2010 and 2011. I've got a MIM Jazz 5 which is as good or better as the American Professiona. With a 3rd party pre-amp I'll take my 2010 MIM over an American Elite any day of the week. Lastly, STRINGS make all the difference. If you want the tight sound that you heard in the American basses, all you need is a string swap. D'Addario NYXL's or DR Sunbeams or HiBeams or LaBella Stainless Steel strings (or gauge changes) can get you there. Should you buy an expensive bass? Why not? But just know you can get there for exponentially less money. A lot of what you get from more expensive basses is ego enlargement rather than improved sound or playability- if you're willing to invest a few dollars in strategic upgrades like fret level/crown and setup, pickups and strings. You can add a great active system (drop in) for around $100 and you'd have to spend $2000 more to best that silly "low end" Squier.
Yeah, I just got an American Professional Jazz brand new (£1290) and while it is nice, well made and with literally perfect intonation, it's not quite as amazing as I'd like it to be compared to my late 90s Squier Silver Series (£250), which has been properly set up (no pickup change, though. All original, just the way I like it) and plays beautifully. I think the Fender does sound 'better', but it's relatively subtle. Also got a 90s P bass from Fujigen (not silver series but almost) and that is a rough, growling beast that I bloody love. Cheap like the J bass too.
I didn't want my original response to become any lengthier than it is, but I did a few "upgrades" to my 2010 Squier VM70's Jazz bass that I wanted to mention specifically (not in order of importance). 1) I put in a Gotoh heavy bridge ($40). It added a little sustain but didn't change the tone, but looks cool. 2) I rewired it with full size pots, and honestly didn't improve performance or sound. But honestly it didn't need it and just did it 'cause folks said it would improve things. No big deal. HOWEVER, the next two things... I installed AGUILAR noiseless pickups. They did make a notiecable difference, although not earth shattering. But the most important thing was letting my luthier do a fret level/crown and setup. The thing plays like butter. The last thing is finding the right strings for the sound. I stopped short of putting in an Audere pre-amp as it sounds awesome without having to go that far. As long as the Squier you buy is one of the "vintage modified" or "classic vibe" seriers you've got an awesome bass to play as is or upgrade as desired- one that compete with the big boys.
Agree! Got the squire jazz bass 5 string and as good as the American ones. Sound feel and look.
Agreed... and I've had recent experience to back this up. Two Squier Vintage Modified basses (Jazz Bass fretless and Jazz Bass V) that are really excellent, and two MIM Fender basses (Jazz Bass V and Mustang) that had notable manufacturing and fit-and-finish issues. I actually returned the Mustang and bought the Squier 5-string instead!
I also own a Fender American Professional P-Bass and while it's definitely way better than the Squiers, the Squiers are definitely better than the MIM Fenders! The only thing Squier has going against it is headstock vanity. Thinking about a Fender Player Series? Get Squier VM instead and you can buy a P AND a J for the same price!
I was a bit disappointed in this video... I felt like it was more just a sponsored Fender ad than an honest look at the pros and cons of the various lines. My advice to anyone going for a Fender bass: Squier VM is great. If you can't afford a Japan or USA Fender, get a Squier. You won't be disappointed.
@@joeg6242 I'm a pro player now semi retired. My P Bass is a 2015 American Vintage 1963 Reissue. I love it. Best playing and sounding P I've ever had.
Your not old enough.
If you want to compare P basses, please take five damn classic one split pickup P basses. . .
That's what i thought. Can't compare the first one with the other ones.
P hass has one split pup. It's not a P-J.
Really fucking simple and every guitar making company around the world has made one at some point.
Squire, the $ 300 bass, is the best.
i mean the squire/first bass you showed blew my mind. that is pretty much the EXACT tone i’m going for right now. can’t wait to see the higher end stuff. (do more of these)
after watching.
The squire and custom shop are the ones that stand out to me.
Great video btw make more.
I swear, he keeps playing "I saw mommy kissing Santy Claus."
From many years of experience, I can tell you,
The Real Key to Great Playability/P.Bass tone, (and ANY Guitar for that matter) you can imagine...
*...know, & Make Friends with as Many Guitar Techs/Luthiers as possible!*
Learn Music not too sure how knowing someone makes a instruments tone better but ok
AND.........................Learn to fix your own shit. It ain't hard. If you will run for your computer to learn how to play something you should be willing to do the same to fix something. Take your instrument to someone just to change strings? There is nothing mystical or magic about it and you can't break it. If you do it can be fixed. 100s of videos will show you how.
Who plays a P bass behind the pickup? That’s criminal that is! And with bloody roundwounds no less! That’s it I’m calling the police!
Sting is on his way!
A great player on the cheapest will sound amazing and a poor player on the best one will sound bad. The differences in the instruments are important to snobs but musically speaking mean very little. I once heard this black cat pickup a piece of shit no name bass with nylon wrapped strings that were past due changing and he blew me away with good solid technique and years of experience.
00:22 "One of the first commercially successful electric basses".
Uh, don't you mean the FIRST?
Sound quality is one thing that can be easily reproduced with just about any pickup if you're running through a preamp. Once you play one of the upper tiers for awhile, you will end up turning all your budgets into modders, which is fine, because that's fun. There is a significant difference in feel, playability, sustain going from a Squier to an American Performer, which is about as good as it gets for a passive Fender. Anything beyond that will have enhanced electronics and custom cosmetics. All that said, the Squier Classic Vibes are really nice out of the box and look no further for your first guitar, imho. To each their own, of course.
The first commercially successful electric bass.
The definition of electric bass.
Thank you Leo.
Jesus the one in the end sounds fucking killer, amazing, light years apart from the others with that natural sounding high end. For every other I'd go with anyone, even the cheap squier (with a good amp + player), hell I'd record with 'em.
So glad you brought up the Squier, I've had one for 3 years and gig with it moderately. Really dependable and got it for 200 bucks, though don't go under that or you end up in buzz city
this video is very sad. how you gonna show more basses with that jazz bass pick up imo no p bass should sport anything other than the stock pickup unfortunately it's a trend that wont go away... and how are you gonna play so close to the bridge it just sounds like a guitar.. Play it like a P bass for crying out loud get some bottom end out of that instrument guy its not a guitar
Tell that to Geezer Butler who literally finger picks on the end of the neck
@@Headbanger9000 the end of the neck above the pick up is a better sound than by the bridge.. I don't know geezer butler i don't care really
Damn, blindfolded I’m having a hard time distinguishing between the cheapest and most expensive.
Custom p bass wins
That first Squire Vintage model, the red one, sounded absolutely perfect
lewis morrison
I have one too..
believe me you won't regret it.
I agree. It's as good as any Fender (and that's coming from someone who owns a Fender Elite Precision, which costs 6 times as much).
Gareth Englebert This is the thing, I'm after a bass for bedroom recording and playing about with and for around £350 that is awesome value, especially compared to the Fender American versions which are around £1500
Man I would like to own a custom shop bass. They are fantastic but expensive
Live with it 5 years.
The cheapest sounds more like bass than the others
For 300$ brand new, the Squier VM p bass leaves nothing to be desired. It sounded just as good as the MIM and MIA performer. The custom shop and the 58 were amazing sounding.
I Will say it forever, it is not about the bass, it is all about the amp
It's about the head on the shoulders of the player.
What Is The Song when Jake play in full Tone from 5:54 ?
"I saw mommy kissing santa claus" ...?