Why is a Fender bass so much more than Squier? (And is it worth it?)

[@IceNinja2007]

Ironically, the Japanese made Fender's are some of the highest quality produced guitars in Fender's history.

[@whoohaaXL]

Thank you! Somebody knows where they're bloody talking about!

[@error404m]

My '97Japanese Jag is a beaut'

[@Sreven199]

Love my MIJ Fretless Fender Jazz Bass Special

[@chrischillax6245]

True I have japanese telecaster. Top notch.. American pro my ass

[@wesjett2008]

Yeah Fender Japan have been putting the US instruments to shame for a long ass time.

[@markwarrensprawson]

I've been doing repairs on strung musical instruments since I began my apprenticeship in 2002. (My prices still haven't changed since then.) Something worth mentioning and emphasizing is that the basses that come in at the higher price points do tend to have faaaaaarrrr better electronics. I can set almost any really cheap bass- give it a little fret dressing - and it'll probably play just as well as any Fender American Standard. The troubles people will have will often be most noticeable when it comes to the wiring, pots, capacitors, shielding and all of that jazz. That being said, I've sold loads of cheap basses to beginners along with a nice setup, new after-market pickups and a nice rewiring and in a lot of cases, those players have gone on to use those bases for years and years as backups or as that bass that one finished the set with and doesn't mind banging up a little bit. Those guys have ended up being really grateful to me. So that's a thing to remember, all you beginners out there, and all you who are looking for an instrument to take greater risks with and that. The luthier/decent guitar tech is your friend. But if you want a good guitar from the get-go, just go for broke and buy the bass that makes your special places tingle. But if you're not a Rockefeller and have a limited budget, or aren't sure how serious you are about playing the bass, look for a nice-looking cheaper bass and a decent tech. You'll find your way. You'll see.

[@schmaler68]

You're so damn right. I never had much money for instruments. Rockinger Bass handmade in Germany from 1986 (cost 1500DM=750Euro) I didn't have to do any neck or woodwork, the string action was as flat as a Marleaux bass, only the pickup wasn't that great and the active electronics still in their infancy, still my beloved bass for more than 30years...Thought if I bought a 1600Euro Ibanez bass it would be an equal replacement, but it's not. Had to finish the frets anyway. My Harley Benton is better off. You have to straighten and adjust it too, but 129 euros, plus homemade pickups and active electronics for 125 euros make it a cheap daily driver and I even use this fretless at gigs. The logo has been removed, nobody has said it's bad yet...

[@TheTruthMatters1971]

I have one of these vintage vibe squires. Overall, pretty good. I put a set of Fender ‘74 jazz pups in it, and it made a world of difference. The quality of the sound rivals that of my +$2000 American Elite J. I wish I had known a guy like you to setup my first bass. Would have made a difference. I’ve learned to do my own setups, truss, saddle heights, intonation; but have yet to tackle fretwork. There are virtually no good luthiers in this area. I had to replace my bone nut when it snapped off a corner by the low B. Glad you are helping these new players out. Might be a big factor in them sticking with the instrument.

[@secallen]

Thank you for your helpful comment. I am going to get a Squier and upgrade it when I can.

[@DadPlaysBass]

I want a pbass but I don’t wanna spend over a thousand dollars on a fender. I just wanted to buy a squier and change the pickups and strings. Do you think that’s enough to sound as great and have the same feeling?

[@beornthebear.8220]

That makes sense. Thank you for doing an excellent job.

[@majormal1]

I have an Affinity Jazz bass in my home studio since 2005. It records great and nobody can ever tell I'm using a Squire.

[@johnwalsh9883]

I just kinda said same thing. Playing bass in a loud hard rock band nobody can hear any difference Even in these videos you see the difference is very marginal.

[@markdavis4754]

@@johnwalsh9883 True, Not just in a loud hard rock band. The only people that are closely listening are other bass players. And that may only be 5% of your audience, unless your playing at an open mic.

[@valk67]

That's correct for now. I also have a Squire P-Bass on the bench, always. The only important thing is that you can test such an instrument in peace and harmony in the shop, because orders are a risk when it comes to product distribution. Especially when it comes to electronics. It's worth replacing them with more valuable ones later anyway.

[@powerchord9342]

I picked up a used Squier Affinity PJ bass, put Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Precision and Jazz bass pickups in it and honestly it rips. Super versatile guitar. I may at some point upgrade the pots. But it would be more out of boredom (need to tinker) than necessity.

[@ramencurry6672]

Squire pickups sound great probably because the nature of bass pickups is that it’s easy to achieve a great sound. Unlike budget guitar pickups, they tend to sound mediocre unless you spend a little extra for an aftermarket pickup.

[@Bobby-wn5yr]

When I started building pickups this was the lesson I really learnt. The electric parts are far better on the higher end basses. But… only a small part of it is actually the cost of those components. Once you start building pickups in particular you realise pretty fast the price difference between a squire pickup and an American elite pickup or whatever is pretty small. Sure you can get custom shop parts that cost a bit more because they use old old parts not made in volume anymore … and that have no effect on tone, but actually the cost of winding your own pickups that transform a squire is pretty small. People would definitely be happy to pay that difference. Then it hits you. Sure they’re nickel and diming on pots and resisters too, but actually these are super simple circuits and a lot of what they sell you on makes NO difference to tone. They are saving a couple of bucks, but actually the sound is worse purely because they must be, because if a squire sounded like an am pro 2 (which it easily could for only a couple of dollars more), less people would buy an am pro 2.

[@Daddy53751]

100% nail on the head there! As a guy who builds and mods, “paying for the name” is a real thing, although there’s a ton of people who’ll argue that all day long.

[@FrankCadek]

My question is how does my neck through Carvin compared to the Fender Jazz Bass how how do you think it would compare thank you I appreciate your time

[@Daddy53751]

@@FrankCadek Bobby is totally correct about PU’s. (Naturally active and passive are two totally different animals) Guitars and basses fall into the same business model as fishing equipment. The running joke there is “it’s designed to catch fishermen more so than fish”. I’ve owned a few neck thru instruments, and my brother actually owns a Carvin 5 string bass. It’s just a personal opinion of mine, and opinions vary wildly, But as far as specifically neck thru VS bolt on, I’ve never noticed any difference at all, other than maybe the tiniest bit of sustain. Number 1 thing is the neck has to feel good. Everything else to a large extent becomes minutiae. (Other than “it functions”, and $1 pots vs. $5 pots) Same thing with string thru body. I’ve done some experimenting with the cheapest Chinese eBay PU’s, wax potting and experimenting around with magnets, and you can get these ultra crappy PUs sounding just great, for about 1 100th of the price of a lot of the ultra high end jobs. IMO, your sound is almost completely dependent on your amp and effects, with the towering caveat of YOU. Great example of what I mean is Geddy Lee. You can have your GL American made signature model bass, and all his signature equipment, but unless your right hand attacks the strings in the way he does it won’t sound like him, even if his equipment emulates his sound to a good extent. I’ve often said that even if I had a $20’000. Carl Thompson bass, I’d still just sound like me.😂

[@Johny9405]

@@Daddy53751 Nailed it. The base can be buit of the most premium premium materials but it won't make you a guitar or bass god. that depends on you, the musician.

[@Wingman52]

I'm an old guy and have been playing guitar seriously since the late 1960s. At that time all the guys I knew playing in all the bands I saw were playing Gibson SGs, 335s and Les Pauls so that's what I wanted. I bought a used Gibson ES-335 at a little local music store that sold cassette decks, cheap stereo systems, guitar strings, etc., and a few guitars. I bought the guitar in 1970 (it's a 1967) for $225 dollars which was a fortune to me (list price at the time was a little more than 2x that). I had to get a loan from a bank to pay for it and I remember the payments were $18 a month for 12 months. I told my Dad that it was a guitar that could last me a lifetime and I could use it for any kind of music, so with some reluctance he co-signed the loan for me. I wasn't lying! I'm 71 years old now and still have that guitar. Today, it's worth in the vicinity of $7000 - $8000 maybe, and I still think it's an incredible guitar, and after 53 years of use it is a true relic. So... if you can, buy the Fender.... used, and when you're an old man you'll be glad you did.

[@bassboi5052]

Just bought a used fender jazz bass for $650. Asking price was $850. It's the most expensive bass i got and it plays amazingly. I prefer active and it's passive but it was totally worth it and im glad i have it in my aersenal

[@Wingman52]

Good for you.. I hope you enjoy it. I have a Fender Jazz bass too that I bought new about 20 years ago. I ordered it from Wildwood guitars which at the time was about a mile and a half from my house, 1 piece ash body, in 2 tone sunburst. It's a keeper. Good luck with your latest addition.

[@bassboi5052]

@@Wingman52thank you! i definitely am glad i got it

[@bookerbosq7850]

The investment aspect is often overlooked

[@grannydeen1586]

I'm an old man, too. The way you described it, it sounds like we shopped at the same store in the early 70's. Actually got my first bass and little amp at Jamesway in probably 1969. Tough to play but I practiced until my fingertips were like leather. My next bass was a Silvertone copy of the Beatle bass along with a Wards stack with 15" Jensen's. Then I graduated to a Ventura, Fender Precision copy and a Carvin FH1400. Divorced, needed money, sold it all. Wish I still had the Ventura and Carvin. Want to play again but it's been 40 plus years.

[@johnniedelong9322]

Your the first person to ever explain the cost to valve and backed it up with a chart. Super vid...

[@johnniedelong9322]

@@Peter-ff1tp thanks for the kind words

[@ramencurry6672]

I don’t think he mentioned the primary reason. Squires are low in price because it’s not made by Fender. Squires are made by Cort guitars. So your buying a Cort guitar with Fender’s permission

[@johnwelch557]

I have a 5 string Affinity bass since 2007. Gigs, recording, etc. No issues with sound or playability. Excellent bass. Mine came with nice tuners. I rolled the edges years ago. Easy work. Have no desire to change. Thanks!

[@betterwithrum]

yeah same my Affinity has really nice tuners as well.

[@voornaam3191]

What does "rolled the edges" mean? English and Enigma are the same. A bass has lots of edges, you know. It could be anything!

[@johnwelch557]

@@voornaam3191 Hi Voor, Sorry this is 1 yr late. "Rolled edge" is slightly rounding the transition of the fretboard edges at the top sides of the fretboard that transition into the sides of the neck. This gives a more comfortable thumb and inner fingers feel while playing. There are many tutorials on YT. One must be sure there is ample fret and board remaining before beginning. Thanks!

[@bert_buikema]

Interesting comparison, very credible reasoning, and of course your personal view. Great video. Personally I prefer to have fun with four or five cheaper basses instead of spending their combined cost on one USA Fender. Everybody should do what they like best.

[@garywillacey9979]

@@Ryzanu You can still get good quality in a cheaper bass, Vintage Modified, Classic Vibe. These are robust, you can gig with them no problem. I can't fault anyone who wants a very high quality bass, but I do think that the difference in quality is any way reflected the same as the price. Give me a few good quality budget basses over one overly priced American Pro Series. It's a personal choice, such as yours.

[@stephenhookings1985]

@@garywillacey9979 particularly when you learn to set up guitars and basses. Sometimes I wish Fender would see a Classic Vibe kit guitar - but neck/body. Let me buy my own pickups and hardware.

[@MrMOGHammer]

I really like my squier affinity , and it does have the Fender name in small print on the headstock. Without the price tag coming from branding, case, and maybe quality (one that can be improved if you know what you're doing)

[@MrChopsticktech]

@@Ryzanu That is a fine attitude until something happens to your only bass.

[@tjsogmc]

If you have the skills to do a setup on the bass yourself, then buying a lower cost instrument makes sense. More often than not the price difference between expensive and cheap basses is not the materials, but the time it takes to correctly assemble them and then attend to the details of a proper setup.

[@RoyCousins]

A good well considered review. It's always interesting to see comparisons between "original" and "replica" basses. I have a Squier Vintage Modified Precision PJ (made by Cort in Indonesia). Apart from the slightly dodgy machine heads, it's a good quality instrument and only cost around £300 in 2017. The Fender American PJ equivalent is at least 4 times the price.

[@bobt5778]

Thanks for emphasizing durability. Few reviewers even mention it. Compare the control cavities on these two and you may find some scary differences. Dull solder joints, wires cut half way through from the stripping step, dinky potentiometers. Stuff that won't hold up to the rigors of gigging, with all the bangs and bumps that go with it. You'll pay big bucks for a road worn Fender, but you won't find many road worn Squiers (not stock anyway).

[@petegaslondon]

I think I'd rather save a grand and get the soldering iron out, personally! (But hey, I always end up putting my own electronics in - I have a few lil secrets ;) )

[@bernardjharmsen304]

Squiers are fantastic value, no doubt. But they will require more maintenance. eg, input jacks become sloppy, tuners become imprecise. Cheaper components as a result of cutting costs of manufacture.

[@kcapkcans]

I was watching and thinking in terms of the actual value adding features, what would it cost to recreate the tangible benefits of the US bass. So, basically, the bridge, the tuners, the pickups/electronics. I paid about $40 USD for a Hipshot high mass bridge. A shot in the dark on tuners would be about $60 USD (Give or take). New pickups/electronics, $150 USD. Rolling fretboard and dressing frets is free if you have the tools. So, we're talking $250 USD to get really close with an Affinity. Hell, if you're that bothered, a waterslide of the headstock branding is about $12 USD on eBay (don't do that). Great video, and you just saved me hundreds of dollars!

[@paulblack3608]

I have a lefty, Fender made in mexico jbass bought used 10 years ago. Played nearly every day, and is still amazing. I have done nothing to it and it is fantastic. Holds tune forever and just works. 300 bucks with the case in the local pawn shop which was a hard sell for them due to being a lefty model. Best 300 I ever spent.

[@pipkins1972]

For me, having owned Squier & Fender guitars, i only have Squier guitars & basses now. I'm no professional but have played guitars for over 35 years. There was a point when having Fender on the headstock was very important to me. Not anymore. Squier knock out some amazing guitars and basses.

[@RinaldoJonathan]

isn't Squier actually owned by Fender?

[@pipkins1972]

@@RinaldoJonathan they are

[@dcuss7294]

For the last 15 years or so, I've been into 7-string guitars. Fender doesn't make one, but Squire does.

[@treeherder2201]

Same...I own an Ibanez, an EBMM Stingray, a Squier, and a Fender P bass. I still gig with with my Squier. Nothing at ALL wrong with those basses.

[@thatoneguy9437]

Adam T - me too... I used to care, and I've had US and Japan Fenders... now it's Squier Vintage Modified... my VM Jazz had an amazing neck, fairly light and balanced, sounds amazing... all I need.

[@progrocker84]

Phenomenal breakdown of the price difference and cost-benefit considerations.

[@ramencurry6672]

One of the reasons why Squire is cheaper is because it’s not made by Fender. Fender hires Cort (I think that’s the correct company) to make the guitars under their instructions. That makes a big difference in price. So you’re buying a Cort guitar with Fender’s permission basically

[@jan-ovepedersen5764]

Thank you for the video. I'm a bass player, been for 30+ years. I own 4 basses that I regularly play. Among those I own 2 made in Japan Jazz Basses. My first bass, which I bought used from a family member for 40 GBP, is a Kasuga JB from 1979, only 600 were made at Hoshino Gakki in 1978-1979. The other one is an Ibanez silver series JB from 1977 also produced by Hoshino Gakki, this one I got for free from another family member. Both basses are bone stock still, and they sound absolutely great. I have played Fender JBs and there is no difference in quality over the Japan made JBs IMO. A good setup and the Japanese JBs sounds absolutely great. I will never sell them as they mean a lot to me, and there you have it. The name on the headstock doesn't mean anything to me, only what the instrument feel like playing and the sound it produces thru my Ashdown rig and pedals. I also own two new Ibanez SDGR 5 and 6 string basses with active electronics for the more modern sound they produce, they play great but they sound very different from the JBs.

[@lustforlow-end6022]

I’ve had a Squier Affinity J bass for around 5 years now & it’s never let me down. It sounds good & is very well made. It cost me €300 with a 15 watt amp. Being “well made” is quite subjective at this price though. I’ve come across other basses which were more expensive than mine & had sharp fret ends & problems with the electronics etc. Definitely try before you buy if possible 👍

[@rothloaf1980]

I have an Affinity. Notes below A on the e-string sounded less rich, kinda flatwound sounding but I cured that with the cheapest heavy bridge I found on Amazon. It's no beauty in looks, but it's a great playing/sounding instrument.

[@Curtybob]

I picked up an Affinity P for $100. Put in a $50 tonerider pickup, $25 wiring and pots, $25 bridge, and spend some time and effort on the neck and installing shielding. Nicest playing 4 string I have. I'd put it up against any USA Fender. It may not whoop 'em due to subjectivity, but it would absolutely impress the most die hard Fender purist.

[@EvilSean62]

@@Curtybob totally ... i bought a squier wildkat ... plays well , sounds awful i bought a squier bass V ... set up was abysmal took me some time with a dremel ... is now amazing bought me a classic vibe telecaster in the white ..ish finish ( it looks like white chocolate thinly coating the wood and is fantastic ) best sounding / playing tele i have ever touched including some embarrasingly 'spensive stuff my crown jewel is the classic vibe strat ... i tried ALL the strats ...ALL!!!! after i got it home and set it up properly i went out and bought a Roland GR-55 GK pickup and routed out the scrathplate to fit ... yes i have the synth :) OMG its the perfect fit as far as dynamics go ... the input level is even across the board ...didnt have to tweak the input sens apart from the G was alittle high but i fixed that with a balanced set of strings ... it is quite simply out of this world !!! and played clean is stupid good ...the frets needed edge dressing and i tightened the truss rod a little as i like a low action but that was it

[@mauriciosierra8523]

​ @Gary Willacey Absolutely. I agree with you 100%. Both basses serves their function very well. And yes, there'll always be that one guitarist/bassist snob acting like they know better but really not, I know I've met some myself. I believe you have to be sort of a connoisseur to know what you're looking for. So for someone to really buy that expensive Fender should have a fairly reasonable explanation, or just an outright squanderer but at least be honest about it.

[@rothloaf1980]

@@mauriciosierra8523 An early Les Paul was basically a necked and fretted 4×4 post and I bet Les played TH out of it. We buy necks and frets and pickups with optional farkles and sparkles, usually marketed at our perception of what makes a "musician." Musician can make any POS sing...

[@andyhbassman]

Hi Jules - a terrific informed analysis. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I sense. I have a 1967 Fender Jazz bass that I purchased second-hand with my first paycheque in 1978. I replaced the original bridge, as the grub/Allen screws kept collapsing on me, with a Schaller bridge, and never looked back. I was also fortunate to have received, as a birthday present, a Squier short scale Jaguar bass - 2019 model. My word - that Squier Jaguar surprised me in all the right ways. The sound and richness of the tone is beautiful - and for the gigging musician - it is significantly lighter than my '67 Fender Jazz. It feels completely different - I prefer the long-scale Jazz in that regard (probably through decades of familiarity), but I have not been able to knock the Squier in terms of delivering a rich sound and doing what I want it to do. It continues to surprise me.

[@petersage5157]

Regarding the feel of the neck, a few minutes with a sanding block on the edges of the fingerboard and a ball of 000 steel wool on the back will bring the Squier on par with the Fender. Darrell Braun has done videos about doing this kind of thing, and it's worked a treat on my Chinesium Strat copy. Only caveat is you need to make sure not to get any steel wool dust on the strings or pickups.

[@copperfish543]

Yea but put lipstick on a Pig and what do you have?

[@yellowcat1310]

chinesium, lmao you must watch that guy who does power tool reviews.

[@petersage5157]

@@copperfish543 Well, since you had to drag Gibson guitars into this discussion, you have an overpriced Epiphone that probably won't play and sound as good as its shaffordable counterpart.

[@richardrichard5409]

You could buy a US Custom and still need to dress the frets. Fret sprout comes with new basses and, they all need a proper set up to get them up on their toes, end of.

[@davetheimpaler204]

@@copperfish543 You have a well-playing instrument to play music instead of paying for an expensive showpiece that you probably don't need unless you're a professional musician.

[@MrDaneBrammage]

The interesting thing is when you can see them realize they've made a mistake. Such as the hugely popular Squier VM 5-string Precision, which they discontinued when it became clear that it was cannibalizing sales from the much more expensive Fender-branded basses.

[@hankrogacki8356]

With a good set up a 2x4 will play fantastic. Look I love the classics but enough is enough. Like much of the current labor cost vs quality US workers are wtf below many other countries.. It boils down to your choice.

[@thomaspaine6496]

I bought a Mexican Telecaster with 3 pickups. I don't think there's an American that can challenge it. They took that puppy off the market real quick.

[@Weird_Old_Uncle_Kenny]

The bass I currently own was given to me in a trade, where I traded 2 guitars with an old friend for 2 different guitars. In my end of the deal, one was a 1990s Left-handed Squier "P-Bass Special" (P/J) made in Indonesia, strung "Righty" and flipped over, looking like Hendrix's Strat. I was really interested in the other guitar I got, I thought this was a joke, a novelty, never even plugged it in for at least a couple years. The previous owner had removed all the pots and wired it "wide open", which is the way he normally plays anyway, because with it flipped over, they got in the way of his right hand while playing. Eventually I dragged it out, and I installed new CTS pots and wired it back up, volume/volume/tone. The first time I plugged it in, I was struck by how GOOD it sounded. Incredible tone. With the split "P" pickup still essentially inverted, it lends a distinctive sound. Blended with the "J" pickup at the bridge, even better. The neck feels and plays great, just a tiny tweak on the truss rod got the playability superb. Sitting down with it, I certainly experienced issues with my right hand interfering with the controls while playing, but standing up with a strap, that became a non-issue for me. With the strap button now on what was the lower horn, it makes the neck protrude away for a slightly longer reach with the left hand, but I quickly got used to that by playing it a little more vertical, which also helps me avoid screwing up the controls. Now, there's another "bonus". He had sanded off the Squier decals on the headstock, and replaced them with counterfeit "Fender" logo and "Made in U.S.A." decals, and a Fender Custom Shop logo on the back of he headstock. He didn't do this to cheat a "customer", he did it only to "show off" on stage at gigs, and he disclosed it fully to me before the trade. But that's why I'll never sell it, because some yahoo will try to pass it off as "genuine" and rip off some poor soul. I use it for recording, and I LOVE it!

[@ThatOtherMikeyGuy]

Interesting, useful,, level-headed approach. I'm not a bass player but enough of the content applies to guitars generally to keep me watching to the end.

[@frankvozak7280]

This is a great presentation . When I was young I owned a 67 Jazz Bass, a 67 Fender Mustang Bass and a Gibson EB-O. When I went into the Army I began selling off basses eventually being bassless. When I retired at age 67 I decided to go back to playing bass so of course I returned to Fender but being a retiree I bought a Squier. I started with a Squier PJ Precission and after a set up it played really well but a 34 inch neck was hard for me to play fingering exercises so I bought a Squier CV Jaguar Bass and then the new Squier Precission Junior and since I play regularly with an acoustic band I bought a Fender CB-60. My biggest problem I think is that both the mail order and the local Fender dealer really did not do a great job with setup so in many ways the mailrorder basses and local Fender dealer basses felt less good than my trio of 67's did----I think it was more the quality of the luthier than perhaps the basses itself. I agree with you that tapewound strings really are a pleasaure though I remain with the string that came on the basses to save money. I think your comparrison format is the best that I have seen and would be an excellent one for someone deciding at which Fender price point to buy. My big surprise was my Squier Mini Precision which came just about perfect from the factory

[@someonebald2022]

Did you ever consider the Squier VI six string bass? 30" neck and guitar tuning, but an octave lower. However, the OE strings are not heavy enough so you'd need to replace them with something a little more beefy.

[@lahondafolk4334]

Wow, you had a long break from playing.

[@josiptomic9077]

Š

[@chasing_dragons]

Thank you for this objective presentation. I have not owned a guitar in almost a decade. Long story. That Squier bass, even used and beat up would be a Godsend for me now and would baby it.

[@nohandleforme....]

I own a Squire Music Master guitar. I upgraded the bridge, the tuners, and the nut. Now it is one of my favorite guitars, and it sounds and plays awesome!

[@danadane2501]

This is an excellent financial breakdown/cost analysis if I've ever seen one. I have to say the kind of money Fender is charging for their Mexican Made and U.S.A. made models are absurd. Especially in this day and age where there are countless lesser known companies that put out better instruments for way less.

[@markvonwisco7369]

A couple of thoughts... 1. I started learning to play guitar in the early 80s. For the price, the Affinity series instruments are a upgrade in quality and playability, compared to most of the instruments I learned on. This was very noticeable when I began learning the bass in the early 2000s. 2. I'd be interested in seeing the same comparison done with the comparable Classic Vibe series bass. Finally, I agree with your conclusions on the relative quality and value of each instrument. There's something about the feel of a higher quality instrument that you recognize as soon as you start playing.

[@kijekuyo9494]

I am a former Fender Precision player, and after 16 years of stage performance, I finally sold it because I didn't like the ergonomics. I replaced it with a Squier Affinity J-Bass, and I love it. I am so happy I didn't spend more. The only reason I don't play my Affinity often is because I am now a convert to short scale basses, and I bought a Squier Jaguar SS.

[@Ndlanding]

Maybe your next move should be to ukelele?

[@kijekuyo9494]

@@Ndlanding Goldilocks tried the J-Bass, but the J-Bass was too big! She tried the Kala, and it was too small! Then she tried the Jaguar, SS and it was just right!

[@rickcourier8451]

Good review. Either one will do good job. I played '63 Jazz bass for ages. I started getting more calls to play guitar. Recently I wanted to get back into bass playing. Picked up a new Squire for $129. It does everything I ask of it. I've never drawn my self esteem from name on the head stock. Some people do, it doesn't bother me.

[@superbroadcaster]

Honestly a budget electric player's best friend is learning how guitars and basses are wired and how to solder. I've torn apart many Squier guitars to pull out everything but the pickups and replacing everything else with American made pots, capacitors, switch jacks, etc. and having a great player for less than $60 of rebuild cost. My main strat is a bullet strat with Custom Shop '54s and Switchcraft everything else. $75 for the guitar, $200 for the pickups (got a deal) and about $45 for the rest of the parts and that's probably less than what I paid for the pots and jack, and capacitors. Built an Esquire from scratch, machining the body and neck and it was less than $400 for parts including the pickup. Buy a Squier and learn how to solder!

[@xephachi]

Thanks for adding this. I personally find that the problem I have with budget guitars and bass guitars are imperfect necks, hotspots on the frets, cheap tuning hardware, bad electronics. The former can be avoided with bringing a seasoned player to the store to find some of the better made models but I've definitely enjoyed my fair share of modding and electronics swapping on my budget guitars which I'd never do on a much more expensive one that I'd rather take to a luthier or a tech, great advice

[@GavinMorris1]

Totally agree. I just dropped a £70 'Hendrix' (cloth wired CTS and Switchcraft harness) into an old Marlin Strat that cost me £40 and wired in a bunch of pickups I've had lying around from projects. 150 US ish for great vintage guitar. Squiers are way better than Marlins.

[@martinreuter1060]

You're complete right. Last year I bought a mexican player precision bass, because I love the body-shaping of this serial. The neck was way to thin and sounded dead. I replaced it by a japanese allparts-neck and changed the cap to a 1uF Cap. Done!! It's so close to my 72 precision, witch is one of the better samples. My mex player now runs cicles around most pro and customshop p-basses. Thank you for this video!

[@acemechanical275]

The squire classic vibe series is all you need. The ‘70s jazz bass, telecaster custom, ‘50s telecaster, ‘50s and ‘60s strats are all great guitars.

[@TommyWashow]

got one of the 60s esquires a few months back played better than every other tele in the store

[@johnpillow481]

Well-played! A pleasantly informative, rational comparison without any hyperbolic ranting. I own three of the Squier Vintage Modified series made in Indonesia and find them the equal if not superior to the MIM for electronics, especially. The 'Fender Made in USA' doesn't really mean much anymore excepting pre-CBS vintage instruments. Now those really add value ($$$$) ! Cheers from across the pond.

[@JulesGuitar]

Thanks, appreciate the feedback! Agree the old vintage mods punched above their weight.

[@johnpillow481]

As a postscript, I must say I recently had the chance to play a fretless American standard circa 2015 and I was impressed

[@pensnut08]

I have a Squire Jazz.. Added a Hipshot bridge and new Seymour Duncan PUPs and pots.. It sounds AMAZING. First time I recorded with it the studio engineer could not believe it was a Squire.

[@ZeroMod]

Meticulous presentation. As a player and builder for 45 years I really enjoy people like you taking the time to run down these ideas. CNC and global manufacturing had totally changed the game in "cheap vs" expensive". My first bass in 1973 was a Kay for $65 ($411 in today's dollars!)and it had toy pickups a baseball bat neck and sounded like dump....I own two 4003 Rics, a 78 Fender, a Kubicki Jazz and many others. I find so many affordable basses that kill once they have had a setup and maybe some minor upgrades. The BIG THING you get with paying more? Consistency ! The cheaper the bass - the more it becomes a "pick of the litter" thing. I went to a friend's shop to get an Epi EB3 and he let me try out all six he had in stock to pick one. The biggest variations are in the neck/fretwork on cheaper basses( one to another).

[@micktomazou]

I like most of what you said (especially about getting your gear set up properly) however I disagree about your point on consistency. Most guitar producers now have CNC machines and the variation in quality is getting harder and harder to spot. Go and buy a mid range Yamaha bass and you'll see that they build amazing basses which are up there with the best American made Fenders for less than half the money. Close your eyes and most people wouldn't know how much the bass they're playing costs. It's getting really hard to buy a bad "new bass" - even the rubbish is infinitely better than the mediocre stuff produced in the 70s and 80s. I've owned lots of high end basses - Ritter, Overwater, Wal - none have been leaps and bounds over mid range basses - you certainly don't get lots more for your money. You don't have to spend thousands to get a good bass today.

[@ZeroMod]

@@micktomazou We really overall agree here - the big difference that still exists is choice of wood. More expensive basses *should* be using much more seasoned choice pieces of wood. This is where "consistency" becomes a thing. An otherwise perfectly rendered bass from Indonesia may turn out to be a dog when that unseasoned neck wood declares itself a year later. The other area I see shortcomings still abound is in the fretwork quality. But most often can be brought up to standard with a dressing and working the fret ends.

[@LouTufillaro]

Great video, absolutely nailed it. I have a $300 Mexican P bass, and a $2300 American P bass. Both Fenders. I love them both! Tones are a bit different, but they have their unique uses. The quality of the hardware on the American cannot be understated. The tuners are far superior. On the Mexican, the switches and input jack have all been replaced. That's one thing I would add to this video: cheap knobs and input jacks will have to be replaced eventually. They wear out much faster than the American made models.

[@jdrukman]

I was looking for a fretless bass recently. I’m not a great player, just wanted to mess around and have fun. The squier vibe was under $500 and everything else was more than 3 times the price. I got the Squier. I’m loving it! Interestingly the color scheme is the same as your USA Fender. Looks great, plays good (I’m not an expert so maybe it’s lacking something but I can’t tell what it would be). I figured I’d be missing something spending so much less but your video really explained it all. Great job.

[@denniscaton3894]

It's refreshing to read your observation, "I can't tell what it would be". Neither can I. Good strings and a professional set up make it a fun instrument that can be played anywhere.

[@ejor31]

Excellent video. This underscores the role of emotion in advertising and how the USA label holds such value. Fender is a global company whose business model sees players upgrade to the premium-and more profitable-product. That is not to say that non-USA Fenders , or Squier, are poor instruments. My own Mexican Classic '50s P Bass is of very high quality, period-authentic, very playable and sounds great. Its low price, relative to a USA Pro bass, is largely explained by wage differences between the USA and south of the border. At twice the price, though, the Pro has a few incremental improvements but is definitely not twice as good. Indeed, many players are using old vintage basses for decades with original components that are found on today's budget instruments-and are still going strong, my own 1966 Jazz Bass being a case in point!

[@MrClassicmetal]

That's very a good point, actually. Those vintage instruments _are_ kind of similar to the budget instruments today, quality wise. I never thought of that.

[@craigwillms61]

The same could be said for high-priced cars, right? They all get you from point A to point B. Would you rather have a Chevy or a BMW? One will cost you many $$$$ more than the other. Is it worth it?

[@BluegillGreg]

What's the difference between a Chevy and a BMW? The BMW's made in the USA.

[@craigwillms61]

​@@BluegillGreg touché

[@LukeLendrum]

Let me start by saying this is a great video and a lot of people have made some very insightful comments about things like the ecological and ethical impacts of different country's manufacture practice and also the resale value of genuine Fender versus Squier. The areas I think you have missed are to do with comparing 1 example vs 1 counter example as opposed to a larger selection size. Having played many many many Fender basses of all vintages and labels I would observe the following: MIA Fenders tend to have the best timber quality which will directly affect weight, sustain and how well an instrument holds its tuning in varying weather conditions. Going down the line of MIM, MIJ, MII, MIC, etc I would say that the cheaper instruments tend to have younger immature timbers which have been grown rapidly and dried using an industrial process which does not yield the same tensile strength as naturally matured timbers which leads to a bendy neck. Fender USA (particularly for the custom shop) reserves the best timbers for its most expensive basses. Genuine vintage (particularly pre-CBS) Fenders are desirable for this reason in particular as the timbers they had access too then are much stiffer and resilient with the added benefit of getting both lighter and stronger as they age. This folds into my next observation which is to do with build quality across the different lines. It is an absolute fact that you can find a cheap Squier which is better than an MIA Fender. However the likelihood of encountering a gem decreases in the cheaper ranges and the likelihood of encountering a lemon increases immensely. Simply put, the consistency on more expensive instruments is part of the premium you pay. I'd comfortably order an MIA or MIJ Fender online without having played it, I would not for any other country. I would also like to add the observation that the longevity of the basses themselves is a huge factor that should be considered. Cheap parts deteriorate quickly. I have a lot of experience with Fenders Made-In-Indonesia Vintage Modified Squier series which I still say is the best bass you can buy in its bracket (although that may have changed in recent years. It should be observed that the nuts are cheap plastic which can break under tension (happened to a student), the bridge saddles were not metal but coated plastic and complete crap, the pickups (though Duncan designed) were badly shielded and noisy. However, if you have a good neck you can replace almost everything else quite cheaply and end up with a cracker of a bass.

[@t.m.1502]

I have a couple of MiJ Fender Aerodynes and an MiM Fender Jaguar Bass. Those have been great so far. The made in Indonesia Squier Affinity J that I started on, I still have and it plays decently enough. I've yet to get rid of it since it's my first bass and I'm sort of emotionally attached to it. I've also kept my Squier Jaguar since it's the first bass I've had slightly customized (sling stud behind the neck), so I'm also attached to that one since it's the first bass I had adjusted to me.

[@seangautama]

Your comparison videos like this are excellent. I saw a similar one with various iterations of the Fender Strat too. I've owned about 20 Fender basses in my life from the cheapest to the most expensive (not including custom shop) and IMO, the Squier Classic Vibe line is the sweet spot in Fender's catalogue.

[@mp-kq3vc]

In this video, you taught me so much about the bass, which as a guitarist, has always been rather a mystery. I also gleaned a few of your licks from that bit with the drum track. Thanks, man.

[@nisselarson3227]

The only thing I would add to your presentation is that the RESALE value is different if you're buying and selling instruments and not just playing them yourself.

[@J--5]

100%. the only two reasons to buy a fender over a CV are 1: resale value and 2: to fulfill a dream of owning a fender, if you have such a dream. otherwise... CV and some upgraded tuners.

[@Direwoof]

squie affinities still go for a decent amount used. But also im a left handed so its really hard to find instruments for a good price -.- like I see two of teh same bass one RH and one LH and teh LH one costs like 80% more.

[@martijn_yt]

The resale value of the Fender obviously will be higher than that of the Squirer. The Squirer, you could probably resell for 100 pound , the Fender may be for 1000-1200 pound. That would mean that you would still only lose 100 pound on the Squier, while you would lose at least 300 pound on the Fender... Thus, also on resale value, the Squier is a better buy ;).

[@superxorn]

In absolut terms you'd lose more on the american.

[@JerryLeeHowell2]

@@Great-Documentaries The right instrument unfortunately does not exist.

[@punkoid76]

The most important point is that spending more will not make anybody a better player, I’ve owned every level of bass and I make any sound good, it’s all in the fingers, as they say.

[@gioigeniale6711]

So it is. I can't sing better with a better microphone... If I sing lousy, the better micro will tell everyone how lousy I'm singing.

[@GrexKhusan]

Nor does it make the song any better... (if you write your own songs)

[@BassClefCity]

Agreed. A well experienced bassist will appreciate the finer appointments of a better built, more attention to detail, professionally crafted bass.

[@manomanomano79]

The most important point is that spending more will not make anybody a better player, I’ve owned every level of bass and I make any sound...... awful, it’s all in the fingers, as they say.

[@irwingca]

I agree most people won’t need a priced true vintage era bass but as a beginner player it does make a difference having a decent instrument to learn

[@jorgewolynski9125]

Been playing bass for over 23 years. For 21 of those I invested more heavily in my rig/effects/recording equipment. I basically never owned a bass with a list price higher than $400. For the most part I never had an issue. I bought a Squire jazz bass in 2013 using my employee discount for $99. My only complaint was that the electronics were garbage. The tone was ok, but definitely didn't measure up to the classic Fender tone and it made a horrible popping noise if I plucked it too hard. I couldn't use it in a professional setting for this reason. I ended up buying Fender 60's custom shop jazz pickups for $120, new control plate and replaced them on my Squire. Holy hell! it was night and day. Turned my cheapo bass into a $1500 sounding bass. How do I know this? I got a nice bonus this year and given we saved a ton of money during Covid lockdown I decided to treat myself for my birthday. I felt I deserved a nice quality bass for once after 23 years. I purchased a $1500 American Jazz bass. While it feels a little more solidly built than my modified Squire, I can't say I hear a difference in the sound quality. The tone is a bit warmer on my Squire due to the nature of the Fender pickups I installed, but they both sound very comparable. I use my Fender mostly on settings where there's a high expectation of professional sounding in the recording (so in other words the Fender brand is mostly for show). I use them interchanbly in my own recordings and I sometimes forget which is which. If you are a seasoned player and you have expectations set upon you, then the appearance of a $1500 Fender bass helps, if anything to keep appearances and for credibility. "You can't tell me you are not sure about the bass tone because it's a high end Fender bass guitar, with brand new strings recorded through DI with your cables using the control knob settings you asked for. You can't expect a better Fender Jazz sounding tone." Some people will look at the brand and make up their mind about it before they even hear it. For all other practical purposes, I would advise buying a middle tier Squire and upgrading the pickups. You'll have a great sounding/feeling bass that objectively you can't go wrong with. That won't do much for external perceptions in some situations but you'll be personally satisfied every time for cents on the dollar.

[@arthurverlaine6434]

Bro thanks for this. I kinda already knew it because I tried different basses and had the same experience with a not awsome guitar. After I bought the TV Jones humbucker sounded killer, amazing. Btw I have a bass that needs a bit of "adjustments" by a luthier. (No less than 150€ in my opinion) Plus I need to buy a pickup/humbucker for it because the one on it sucks and is miscellaneous one (Only one slot). I was thinking of some seymour duncans recreating Music Man or Hofner signle pickups. Even if I would like more of a Precision/Rickenbacker type of sound, but they both have two pickups which wouldn't fit in the bass. Would it be crazy to buy just the neck pick up of the Rickenbacker by seymour duncan? Or it would be wiser to buy a miscellaneous one like Hofner or Music Man? I was very curious by experimenting the neck rickenbacker, but at this point I would like to spend money wisely. ANY ADVICE?

[@copperfish543]

You know I always thought what were to happen if a car company in Japan made a carbon copy of a Porsche 9-11, and had the name plate have the Porsche design. But have the cost 1/3rd less. People would buy them but many would always feel that it still isn’t a Porsche. I see people that get Harley Davidson knockoffs. They look and sound the same (to me) but I know a guy that bought one. He rode it for 6 months and sold it and bought a HD with the same color.

[@PasqualinoFondanzio]

Lol i used the fake stingray , the sterling sub by musicman and finally i got my original musicman stingray and i can say you just saying bullshit lol the stingray original its just perfect

[@TheMemo659]

@@PasqualinoFondanzio You are missing the part in your story where you replaced the electronics in your sterling. The stock pickups in Squires/Sterlings/Epiphones/etc are always a weakness. Upgrading electronics on a cheap bass makes it no longer sound like a cheap bass. Now, if it played like shit, it still will... but there are LOTS of amazing to play cheap bases. My #1 to this day cost me $350 in 89. My American Jazz is gorgeous, sounds and plays amazing, and did not become my #1 like expected. My old bass just plays and sounds better. Nothing wrong with being proud of your new bass, but dismissing what OP said without even understanding what they said is derpy AF.

[@AKAxeMan]

My first bass was a squier p-bass that i bought in 2003. The electronics are failing which is probably due to lose solder joints. I plan on upgrading it similar to how you did, but i just bought a Rickenbacker 4003 so I've been playing with that exclusively. I'll fix up by old bass eventually.

[@Bass.Player]

Very good review! I played an American Jazz Bass a few years ago at Guitar Center and I have to say it was very good and so much better than the same series I bought back in the 80's. The quality was so bad back then that I moved to playing American schecter Basses which were so much better. Now I own a variety of Basses none of which are Fender, The 4 or 5 new Fenders I bought back in the 80's forever changed the way I feel about them...

[@micktomazou]

I started playing in the early 80s - the build quality of Fenders at that time was so bad that it allowed small independent custom bass builders to carve a niche in the market which wouldn't have happened had Fender not dropped the ball. They only have themselves to blame. I've never been able to get over this. I've owned MANY basses since - I think that I've owned 4(?) Fenders in that time - none of them suggested that they were built by the market leader. I don't think that I've missed anything by not having a "F" on the headstock of my gear.

[@AntiActionFox]

I dont usually comment but I wanted to say not only is this an excellent video with a very intelligent host, but when he talks about the manufacturing process at the end of the video , and the geopolitics of it , he in my opinion said one of the most elegant speeches about manufacturing and how it truly is that I've ever heard. I'm extremely interested in the logistics and philosophy of manufacturing and tearing down the masses of ignorant beliefs about how other countries choose to create products. Thanks man. Wonderful video

[@scottfrommaryland7658]

As a bass and guitar player I think the differences on higher end guitars are much more noticeable than on the bass. The bass doesn't require such tight tolerances to play good as a good guitar does. CNC machines have been a good quality equalizer

[@diegobanos2675]

So true!

[@IgnacioSepulveda2112]

Finally! this is absolutely true!

[@joshuahernandez6945]

There’s a pretty huge difference in playability and durability on high end basses than cheaper production instruments. You can get a usable tone from virtually any reputable brand at any price point for either instrument

[@copperfish543]

And people that say there are no difference are Poor Assed people that are cheap.

[@colinburroughs9871]

facts here. There's a difference, but it's basically you who notices because of the nature of the bass

[@DaisyHollowBooks]

Interesting video. You cover a lot of issues I think are important. I think the high end stuff makes sense for pros. A lot of us can get along with lower end gear.

[@murraypollard]

I had a Made in Mexico Strat, it cost me $300 in 1995. Everyone told me I need an American made one, and I decided to follow the advice and bought a 1997 Strat for $1,000. I could not tel the difference! After that waste of money I have stuck with guitars in the $400 - $500 range, and they are great! I bought an Epiphone Les Paul for $400, put on custom wound pickups from Performance Guitar (Hollywood, CA) and had them do a set up. Total investment was now $700. I would put this up against a $3,500 Gibson Les Paul any day.

[@ramencurry6672]

I own both Mexican and USA Strat, I prefer the Mexican because it’s a slightly ore comfortable neck. With proper maintenance a Mexican Strat is actually an A list instrument

[@pedropenduko2714]

Very detailed comparison, and highlighted important features. You make the difficulty of choosing easier!!!🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@captainsergeant]

I purchased a brand new made in Mexico (MIM) Fender player series P bass recently and have fully customized and restored both a Chinese Squire and an Indonesia Squire P Bass. The Chinese Squire went back together like a dream, and after making some upgrades mainly to the electronics I feel it plays and sounds just as good as my MIM Fender. The made in Indonesia Squire was a nightmare to work on. It required new everything, and I noticed it did not use standard hardware like the MIM and China P Bass. Aside from virtually all of the hardware being junk, of the biggest issues with this bass was the neck pocket was routed too deep (the original paint was present so it had not been modified). Once I finally got it fully repaired and set up properly it seems to be performing just fine. I definitely could tell the difference in quality, fit and finish between the two Squires, both of which coincidently were made in 2004.

[@kerpoise]

There are SO many cognitive biases that reinforce people's belief that either a higher price, or a more well thought of brand is better. Choice Supportive bias, Post Purchase Rationalisation, Confirmation Bias, The Decoy Effect, Anchoring, Social Desirability Bias, Spotlight Effect...etc. We're constantly fighting human psychology when we've been drummed into us by friends, family, brands, marketing, idol, heroes that Fender is better than Squier, Gibson is better than Epiphone that we struggle to remain objective. Additionally to this when people talk about *FEELING* that a guitar is better, it's largely psychological between things like a Classic Vibe and a Player.

[@nerfnerfification]

When I was young (in the 60's) we were told 'buy American' the reason being the action and playability of US instruments was far better then contemporary European ones. Back in those day luthiers were few and far between which meant you took the instrument with it's action 'as is' and could not easily get it adjusted - although again Fender had built in adjustments that say Hofner lacked. Nowadays the story is totally different as you can get well built, adjusted, and adjustable instruments made in China PLUS there are people around who can set them up properly without charging an arm and a leg to do so. So the choice is yours - I have both and the US made stuff mostly stays home, the other goes to gigs.

[@Basslightning666]

Nice review and breakdown! I think you are right about the pricing, the jumps don't justify the differences. It comes down to your budget, and preferences, like anything music gear related. I have used USA Fender and Gibson for years now, and I know the quality is better than any knock off, but in the early days I had a much lower budget for my gear...lol So, I've owned Squires, Korean Made Spectors, MIM J and Ps, etc, and always got by with them sounding good enough on stage, but can't go down in quality at this point in my musical life. Also, USA Fenders increase in value over time, import versions never do. EX: Ever price a Vintage Fender? This is just my humble opinion after 30 years of Professional experience....

[@geraldfrieberg7921]

I own a 2006 CIJ Fender Jaguar, and love the guitar. I also owned an American Fender Jag of identical specs. They are both equivalent, IMHO, in quality, performance, and sound. So, to each his own. Thanks for this great video. I hail from Ohio, USA, and am also a huge Johnny Marr fan. Cheers and peace to all.

[@hellerjon1]

Great job on this. Last year I found a guy selling a bunch of fender basses including a bunch of mexican basses where he upgraded the pickups to seymour duncans. I went there to get a mid priced $500 bass, but once I played the American jazz, I was sold. The neck was so much better and felt like butter in my hands. The Mexican bass with the seymour duncans sounded great but I bought the american bass for about $850 (this was a few years ago), and have zero regrets.

[@caljerm]

20% quality increase from Classic Vibe to MIM is being pretty generous

[@thewomble1509]

The Vintera series is far too expensive, especially with the Player models coming in at around £590.

[@ramencurry6672]

You’re probably right. I have a Squire Classic Vibe P Bass. There is nothing I can fault. Even the tuners and bridge is fine and there was not need to replace it and I love the stock pickups

[@peterrussell8409]

Had Chinese and USA my current Basses are CIJ Which I prefer, great vid tho.

[@brentsykora7541]

I have two J-basses: a Vintera and an Ultra. Obviously, the Ultra has more features, controls and is active, but the Vintera is great. The Vintera makes a great sound, and while the Ultra is capable of being a little "cleaner", I really dig the sound of the Vintera. It's just a "meat and potatoes" type of bass. I own 5 basses in all - and I typically purchase for sound differences. I think the great thing about the Squier line is that you can buy a couple basses that make a great number of sounds for a fraction of an American Fender. My first J-bass was a Squire, and I loved that thing. And, that's where my love of J-bass came from.

[@bflo1000]

IYO, how much better is a Vintera vs the MIM Player Series?

[@larrymeegermonswotzki981]

@@bflo1000 A lot better IMHO. I own a Vintera 70s Jazz and the neck is absolutely stunning. There is really no describing that 7.25" vintage C neck with the binding in Pau Ferrero. Some people don't like the lighter look compared to rosewood but I've come to love it and the midrange growl it contributes to.@Brent Sykora is so right when he talks about the bass being more growly and "meat and potatoes." My band is in love with my bass's tone. To be honest with you, the fact that the Vintera has American pickups (American 70s Vintage Revoiced) gives me very little reason to upgrade. I absolutely love my Vintera Jazz I wouldn't trade it for an American Std.

[@bflo1000]

@@larrymeegermonswotzki981 You just answered my question in very complete detail. The comparison to the MIA says it all. Are all of the Fender Vintera basses as nice as the JB?

[@motnik]

21:48 Kudos for showing a Ritter as the higher end option; I definitely love mine! :-) But I agree with your video, a Squier - once properly set up - will get you started, can serve as your main instruments for quite a while, and even be a solid backup for a pro gig. Spend more and you get a higher quality product that will definitely amuse the queen. Also, playing music is about transporting emotions, so the way an instrument feels makes a huge difference in a performance. So when an instrument feels worthy, the performance will improve. We're emotional creatures after all. Thanks for this thorough video!

[@ryanwood6407]

For me the US JAZZ has a lovely silky neck and just feels great to play. Worth it if you’re playing it everyday IMO

[@angelacevedo2112]

Not much difference between the 2 basses.. I'm not really a fan of that Fender Jazz sound but the best sound advice to a bass player is to invest in a great amp it will make all the difference. instead of playing a $2,000 bass through a rumble amp get a decent affordable bass and put it through a really good amp you'll never talk about bass brands ever again it's all about the amp.

[@emilzatopek8241]

Bravo!

[@eaglebauer944]

Exactly.

[@deadpoinsettia]

My first bass was a Squier Jazz Bass. Had it for 20 years....in that time I also owned 3 different Fender Jazz Basses. Sold them all. Liked the Squier the most. :) I no longer have that Squier....have a Fender.... it's the first Fender Jazz Bass I ever loved. :)

[@charlesp9888]

The bass is a tool , the most important issue affecting the sound is the individual playing it.

[@madmaximilian5783]

Charles P...you would be surprised at a good quality made guitar or any other instrument...it does make a difference dude. (Sorry)

[@petegaslondon]

I think the raw beginners should get the real expensive ones that 'play like butter' rather than the Pro's - might make em way keen to continue ;) My first exps were with some 'real' bands with 'real fenders, so maybe I was lucky and got to kerrang on something nice, pretty early - tho I STILL aint tried any 3+grand basses to see if theres that much difference Once you've got your own style, well,.Lemmy would still sound like Lemmy on a P-bass! ( or a freakin electric Ukelele, right?)

[@charlesp9888]

I have all fender , g&l, guild and Gibson basses. I bought a Glarry Pbass for a hundred bucks, changed the pickup with an overwound pup with 13600 wraps and the volume and tone pots. The output is phenomenal as is the sound . I am into this bass for a little over $200 including the bass, it is amazing .

[@petegaslondon]

@@charlesp9888 Kewl .. I DIG hot pickups! Mine cost a shade more to make - but not much ;)

[@charlesp9888]

@@petegaslondon I had the pup custom wound by a friends company in town. His website is Cavalier pickups and obviously he makes Cavalier pickups . The pickup is a hot 57 P bass pup. I paid the friend price , that was why it was so inexpensive. The pots , especially the tone increased the sweep dramatically. We also changed the input plug , the original was garbage.The pup is hotter than my G&L Fullerton SB 1 and the sound a little more on the Vintage side. He usually winds 12,000 wraps , I requested it be overwound and left it to his discretion. I will probably never spend more than a couple of hundred dollars on another bass ever again. This has become one of my favorites ,if not my favorite. It did need a setup , the fret ends filing and a light sanding of the neck, by the which is literally a baseball bat.

[@raymartin9146]

I've had both and no way is the Fender worth that much more than the Squier. A few upgrades around £100 and the Squier will last a very long time. It's the name pure and simple.

[@timhenderson2643]

Remember, there are different price points for all income levels. A person may want their nice bass to stay at home. Then have a gigging bass that is cheaper to take out. Also some look at instruments as investments. I am kind of that way myself. I have Mexico, Japan and American Fenders. They all have their place but my nicest one is also the one I paid the most for.

[@gadierespino6775]

I never understand why someone wants to buy an instrument to only sit in a case at home. I have three basses. All three are different price points. All three get playing time at my gigs. I am not a great bassist but I enjoy rotating my basses.

[@ConsensusReality]

The quality of entry level guitars and basses has reached the point where it just doesn't make sense to spend all the extra cash.

[@davidbaines7330]

The $200 - $500 or so price range nowadays is a real sweet spot that will satisfy the requirements of most any regular players. Of course there are those the always want/need more, but I really find it hard to justify premium price tier instruments.

[@thedude7726]

@@davidbaines7330 i have a custom shop dean ml in dime slime finish. I never play it but its my baby

[@michaelb.42112]

SOOooo true. Even the least expensive basses from China are pretty damn good in 2021.

[@777Lateralus]

I find it gross that Gibson gets away w the amount they charge with horrible quality control

[@shawn2571]

I believe nothing is made as good today as it used to be. They just make stuff cheaper and charge more money for it. Although there may have been advancement in electronics technology.

[@twisted2291]

The Squire is the budget model. Squire is owned by Fender. The Quality Control on the U.S. products are a bit tighter controlled. If you are a touring musician. Then the hardcase is a must have. A gig bag isn't going to protect it in back of a truck or in a plane being thrown around. I have owned many guitar and basses, To me. It comes down to two things. The overall feel and tone of them. Play what you like, and what feels right and fits you well. For the Blues I play a Fender American P Bass, For Prog Rock I like a Fender Mexican J Bass, Hair Metal and Glam Rock I am between a B.C. Rich Warlock or Dean Metalman, and for Classic Rock it's a toss up between the J or P styles of any brand. But these are just what I like.

[@davehorton4039]

EXCELLENT video - what more could you want to know?!

[@mr.albro14yearsago11]

As a guitarist, the Squire sounds exquisite to my ears. Why waste money on a morally Fender when you can save money with a Squire of the same quality?

[@joeywilson5998]

And I just sand the squier name off the headstock on the day I buy it.

[@TheDamesBand]

From my experience, it's about quality control. You can get a wonderful Squier, but you can never be remotely sure whether a new Squier is good enough and will remain so. And remember, problems can appear way down the line. So it's very much buyer beware. However, if you find one that has some mileage on it, hear it played (best by a pro) and it sounds and feels good, go for it. Of course, quality control is rarely a problem for high-end brands. Their reputations depend on it.

[@bobstranzenbach4700]

I had 2 Mex. Fenders I loved but the necks were very unstable. I sold them and got MIA Fenders and the necks have been fine. I really liked the MEX. Fenders and I’d often wondered if they used less seasoned wood or something that allowed them to move all the time. I’d heard the same thing from a luthier friend about students Squiers. I also have a Squier fretless now that I love. The fretboard had to be planed but I really like it. No problems with the neck so far…. I don’t know what to think. Just glad I’ve finally got some nice lightweight basses. 🙂

[@Seethenhagen]

My experience is that Squier guitars are that they have fit and finish dependent almost entirely on the contracted manufacturer. I've noticed that my Squiers that come from the Indonesia factory have FNF that are far greater than most guitars at their budget. If the typical feel of Indonesian Squier guitar is something you're okay with(or prefer even), then the only think that keeps you from getting that high end sound is an electronics upgrade and new pickups. You do get what you pay for to a degree, since high end Squiers get gloss necks and higher quality hardware, but it still won't be the same quality of hardware that you'd get from a MIA equivalent model. That isn't to say each factory isn't capable of putting out bad guitars, and amazing guitars, even within the same run of guitars, as my first guitar, a Squier Bullet Strat, has the original pickups and hardware and I think its absolutely amazing to play and listen to.

[@Prentach]

Thank you for this video. This is exactly the kind of measured and reasonable information I was looking for and could not find elsewhere. It will certainly guide me in my future base purchases as my first instrument is a Squier affinity PJ. Cheers !

[@joelongstaff7601]

As a bass player it sounds odd to me when you talk about value. I buy my tools according to sound and comfort. I do not think I have ever wondered about the resale value of my guitars, there my tools I might modify them but they're all here and each has it's own sound.

[@mrt77wv]

I love my MIA P bass and a few years ago wanted to get a MIA J bass. I tried out a few models and went with the MIM J bass. The MIA was nicer, but not $800 nicer.

[@Icebergslim91]

That’s how I felt when getting my strat last year. I played a bunch and was seriously looking at a pro 2 but to me the neck on the MIM was just way nicer and to me that is the most most important aspect of a guitar. Overall the pro 2 was better but not twice the price better and I couldn’t justify it. Maybe if I was a professional musician gigging night in and night out I could justify the cost purely for the slightly better build quality. I was originally going to upgrade the pickups in my MIM and probably will at some point but actually even they are pretty damn good.

[@GetMoreMellow]

Impressed with your expertise and knowledge Jules. I've been playing for years but mainly I'm lazy, my playing has never really all connected, and watching things you do, I realised I can learn a lot and learn how to play properly. I know some theory, learned some baroque by learning how to read a little but needed some help as to how to interpret all of the rests and symbols, etc. I also play some jazz and blues but haven't learned soloing properly, I do play from the heart, what I want is to be able to play what I feel and hear in my head and to be able to play with others far better than I am able right now. So I will be looking into what you have online. I'm wondering how you learned so much, all self-study or schooling? Or practical experience and studying while playing in bands perhaps? I would say you have had musical training, it's easy to follow you. Thanks

[@Gazdatronik]

I do agree mostly with your diminishing breakdown prices---however there is a workaround. My secret is that I buy a cheapo bass or guitar every 5-10 years. But I play it first. Test every single thing. Because I know that some of the cheap instruments are great and some are terrible. One of the best basses I have ever had was a Crate Electra P-bass that I picked up for 99 USD which was great. I later changed the neck pickup with $60 Seymour Duncans and had a very good setup guy set it up and install a bone nut. All the bass afficianados with the big dollar basses really loved the thing. I liked theirs too, so it was all good. Your video of the Jazz bass comparison lead me to buy a 5 string(always wanted one) Jazz Squier Affinity V and for my money, its damn good. It was good off the shelf. Somebody at the guitar store dropped it, and there is a big chunk of paint taken out of it under the knobs. They gave me 60 dollars off, so I walked out with it instantly. A new distressed "Fneder" for under 200 dollars. How could I say no?

[@cjjuddaustralianartist]

Excellent presentation. I really enjoyed viewing this video. I have both Fender and Squire. I really love the Squires. I've got many of them.

[@Stratisfied22]

I have a Squier Classic Vibe Jazz Bass I bought used for $150 that i'll put up against any American Jazz bass.

[@wally-001]

Conne on bro that's silly

[@Stratisfied22]

@@wally-001 Why is it silly. I compared it to other American Fenders and it played and sounded as good or better. Fender gives you shit for the money and I don't think people realize this. The Squier Classic Vibe Jazz Bass is one of the best jazz basses out there for the money.

[@vyshawnforeman8384]

@@Stratisfied22 there's no need, to explain yourself to gear snob!

[@ryanr5139]

I saw this bloke’s grill and knew the accent I was about to hear from 0:01

[@RankoTomic]

They sound almost the same. Maybe a little bit of more low mids on Fender and a little bit of more high mids on Squeir, but everything else is hardly to distinguish.

[@neutonikharmonix]

So many differences over the years. I recently took a chance out of pure curiosity and purchased an 80s KOREAN Fender Jazz (not a Squire), which in turn steered me to immediately sell my American Pro II, as the quality, feel and sound of the Korean was honestly super surprisingly great! Had various Mexicans, Japanese and USA Fenders over the years and depending on which decade they come from the results vary quite a lot!

[@Fremulshmat]

Great explanation of ‘law of diminishing returns’. Thanks for posting.

[@edsmith202]

Buy American so when your career as a fill-in gig player fails, you can get your money back at least.

[@djpenton779]

I'm a boomer (which means "old"). When I was a Beatles-obsessed teen, music stores had two kinds of guitars: (a) too expensive for me, and (b) crap. The wide range of prices and qualities now available, as illustrated in this video, is truly wonderful. Even a relatively inexpensive instrument can be very playable these days, It's worth mentioning that when Japanese guitars first became common in North America, they were often scorned. These days Japanese made instruments are often premium quality (and price).

[@musicartguy1]

This is absolutely spot on. I work in MI, have played everything, and can say this: 1. The higher the level, the better the hardware, woods, finish, and electronics. That said, I would gig with any Fender Classic Vibe and up. 2. The higher the level the better the setup, playability, and QC (typically) 3. The resale value difference is immense. 4. More expensive instruments come with cases 5. Undeniable snob appeal Is a Murphy Labs Custom Shop Les Paul superior to an Epiphone? Undoubtedly. Is it 12 times better? That is up to you to decide. The good news is that garbage guitars made by brands with a good reputation are almost non-existent these days. And if you don't like your guitar, invest in a professional setup and Plek job if you can afford it. You will be amazed.

[@zachshipstead5247]

I have the MIM. I can't imagine NEEDING to upgrade.

[@bflo1000]

That's the "compromise" between Squire & MIA fender.

[@congerscott6064]

I think it depends on what you are going to use it for, if you are going to play out on a regular basis then by all means get a Fender American bass, if your a "at home hobbyist" like me then a Squier is more than enough, I have a Squier jazz bass and bought a nice amp, great video, thank you 👍.

Very nice video and explanation. Totally agree and I Always consider the "Cost x Benefit" ratio when looking for a new instrument. Well done!

[@JohnWhite-xc3md]

The Squire Affinity is actually a very good instrument. Where they lack is the electronics. The pots, pickup wire look like they were made by Mattel. Decent sound, but long term gig worthy durability? Not there. Just my experience. I like less expensive instruments when out in public. If someone steals it, or it falls off its stand, I won't be heart broken.

[@agcacustoms2852]

Considering that most of what makes a cheap instrument like a guitar or bass cheap is mostly hardware or electronics with only a few simple mods you can make your instrument sound just a stood or better than the more expensive equivalent. I have a Kramer baretta special and I love the guitar it sounds great and plays amazingly, I’ve played guitars triple the price and besides fit and finish I’ve found that I’ve enjoyed the Kramer even more.

[@ChuckKnowledge]

You nailed it with the Apple comparison. It's tough to deny American workers the work, but we don't run these companies. Personally, I use local luthiers to setup my instruments. I appreciate having local shops, but I understand that they carry stock straight out of factories - and yes maybe those products might come with a case. I've learned that any instrument should get some TLC up front. Even (or especially!) when it's an expensive guitar, I'll ask - and pay - for my shop's guys to set it up. That's going to be a good guitar. Even when it's a cheap guitar. I understand that's different in business from the margin the shop makes on the instrument, and what you spend on someone setting it up properly is priceless.

[@nachyomoney3598]

As an American, I love American made products and especially Fender guitars. I have played guitar for basically my whole life. I've owned Squires and currently own a Mexican fender thinline telecaster, as well as a few other Epiphones. He is spot on with this video. Be it the Fender/ Squire debate or the Gibson/ Epiphone debate, you are often paying way more for the American made standard product. What you are paying for when you buy the top of the line American product is assurance of quality. You know you will be getting premium parts, accessories and building materials if you buy the top of the line American product, but sometimes that may not be what you are always looking for. I have learned that because the quality control is so good at the American guitar manufacturers at Fender and Gibson, means the actuall wood blanks that are used to make the guitar bodies are selected from beautiful pieces of wood with nice and even grain direction. For most people that is a good thing, but sometimes having a knot in the grain of a guitar body in the right place can be a better thing. Sometimes the lower quality blanks make a unique sounding guitar that sounds better or noticeably different than an ascaesthetically pleasing chunk of wood used in the higher end guitars. Sometimes those "imperfections" in the wood grain end up giving the guitar more sustain, more treble, or more bass. My Mexican thinline telecaster blows the doors off of a lot of the American versions of itself for this reason. If you are a guitar nerd you can always find a cheap guitar with a unique body then upgrade and customize the guitar yourself with the big boy parts. You still may end up paying less, while getting a unique sounding guitar, by either building or customizing a guitar yourself. Having a guitar that is really high quality but is not so standardized that it sounds exactly like everything else, is even better than having just a high quality guitar. Remember no 2 guitars are ever the same.

[@mathewmolk2089]

I have a '65 Epiphone Texan I bought brand new. I have never seen ANY Gibson with better quality. Also have a '63 Jaxxmaster I also bought new. And an 80 Korea Epiphone Sheraton made by Samick I bought used a few ago. zero quality issues with the Sherri and it is my go to guitar when I play out with Guitar. It plays much better then the Jazzmaster. What can I say? Bass is my weapon of choice, though and I play a Samick Artist 6 stringer active (bought used) most of the time, but my '88 (I think) Mexican Fender J-Bass (Also bought new) plays better then ANY bass I have ever had my hands on,,,,and just about anybody who ever played it says the same. In fact I have turned down $3000 for it. So bottom line, Matters not the name on the headstock, the factory it was made in, or even the year. My Cousin had a Jazzmaster that played way better then mine and they were purchased form the same store 1 month apart. It's the individual guitar or bass that makes the difference. (My wife says I ought to know, I have 5 Basses + the Kay M3 stand up, and 13 Guitars,,,,,Hey, anybody got a Squire Bass VI for sale,,,,,,,,, Honest honey,,,,Just ONE more, I promise)

[@ronniefrown3458]

Allthough a bit biased I enjoyed your video. Might I say a comparison between the Classic Vibe from 2012 which is closer to the Standard would have had you answering with "No, the Fender is not worth the extra 800 quid".

[@JulesGuitar]

haha, I try not to be biased... Classic Vibe Tele is the best guitar I've ever bought considering the price and I've never felt the need to buy a 'better' Tele. Cheers

[@smelltheglove2038]

I have a 70s classic vibe strat. Feels and plays great. I had to do some set up, but I’d have done that to every guitar I buy. I like lower action and that usually requires some bridge and neck adjustments, and I had to dress the frets and oil the fuck out of the fretboard. Now it’s smooth as butter. Almost as nice as my plek’d Gibson LP.

[@stephenhookings1985]

@@JulesGuitar try an SX Tele for £139. Price of a Bullet, quality of a Player.

[@AVFCAM]

12:42 the neck finish is real. I bought a Yamaha Pacifica last November, I love it, but when I was trying out guitars, the store guy got a pre owned Fender, a real nice one (but it had a lot of cosmetic damage, hence being comparable in price to the Pacifica)…the feel of the front, back and sides of the neck was amazing…I just couldn’t get past the cosmetic damage…don’t judge me, I wanted my first guitar to be perfect!

You are being overly generous on the quality increase between models comparison. I’ve been investigating the quality part from what matters to a player side and I would say that after around 600 - 800 € Fenders basses really see no meaningful improvement before you go way over 2000€ and even then we are talking more of finishing touches, that any luthier worth their salt can adjust to prime with just couple hundred euros for the cheaper basses; so it’s really steep incline after that point. And, on occasion even the 400€ Squiers are prime quality.. just saying you don’t need to be too generous, people who spend money to an instrument to play should be really picky after that certain 800€ price point.

[@freto_cognito9001]

That's a fair point. I for one really enjoy heavier guitars, so I tend to prefer USA made guitars as the woods used are generally of higher quality. I won't go so far as to say this will make the tone better though. But one thing that the USA models will ALWAYS have in their favor is the resale value. It's night and day. Lower quality guitars will 99% lose value over time, higher quality guitars are pretty much the opposite.

@@freto_cognito9001 It is a bit different in guitars I give that. There is so much cheap garbage around that have really soft woods used in them that they are basically impossible to get playable; for example I have a strat copy that is made by Cort that I’ve been reworking to make it playable. All else seems to do but the studs for the trem just won’t hold still, and the wood basically gives more and more until it finally breaks. My solution to this was basically carve the wood from the place where the studs are set and put some hard wood in place, which works perfectly but illustrates the quality of the wood sometimes is a big factor like you pointed out. Still likely the wood quality doesn’t show that much in most cases, but rather how the instrument is being setup and how accurately and how good and precise all joints etc. are done. I bought my first American made J-bass in 2009 and frankly I was first impressed but over time I started to notice quite many things I didn’t like, I was just way too excited to get an objective view at the time. I hated the poly laquer in the neck, the neck joint wasn’t as well cut as it could be, there was no proper shielding, the fret work was terrible for the value and the capacitor was way too dark - actually have since replaced the cap which nominally should have been 47mF but was actually almost 100mF. It’s these fairly small things in combination that can make a big difference in the overall, but you can find almost certainly better work in many cheaper basses. I would argue the most important things to look in a instrument are not only wood quality, but the craftsmanship in general, how good and well done are the pickups (and combination of your own preference), the quality of the bridge and the electronics in general. You can do a well playing and sounding instrument from scrap wood, but none of this matters if the parts over the frame that are supposed to transfer the sound are made of crap. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it isn’t as clear as buying American made is best deal, I have seen many instruments from Japan and Korea which are much better overall for the value than they should be also seen lots of crap for sure. For 800€ you should get a really good instrument none the less, Squier as a reference point might not be the best for comparison.

[@freto_cognito9001]

​@ yeah I agree with you, I think the quality of the wood/metal components and the accuracy of it's assembly is the most important factors in evaluating a guitar. Fret work is obviously a must as well, but you can technically get those redone. But all of the electronics, which I would argue attest for probably 70% of the tone, can be swapped out with with ease. In fact, one of my best sounding guitars is an 2005 Epiphone LP that I swapped out all of the electronics and pickups. I think it may actually be mahogany as well cause it weighs like 9 pounds. Real rosewood board. Oh and I always get a bone nut custom installed on my electrics, and I find that actually improves the tone as well. But yeah the electronics are very important, and really need to be fine-tuned to the guitar itself. Takes some legwork and experimentation to get there. But yeah that Epi LP sounds so freaking good it's disgusting. The ONLY downside I can say with the guitar is they clearly ended up drilling the bridge post holes at a slight angle, so the bass strings are a little bit farther away from the nut. Not the biggest deal as it's pretty minuscule, but even this slight discrepancies translates to the strings slightly off-center on the fretboard. But I still firmly hold it plays and sounds just as good as any Gibson out there. Epiphones now, and most guitars in general, are becoming lighter and lighter. Old wood is running out, and that's inevitable at the rate we consume it. Nice work on the repair job! Ingenious. You gotta check out "String-Tech Workstations" YT channel sometime. I'm sure you'd love his videos. "Twoodfrd" as well. Cheers mate!

[@smelltheglove2038]

@@freto_cognito9001 just got back from my brothers, he has an American telecaster from the 90s. The fucking bridge is crooked and the tuners are shot. I couldn’t even bring it up to pitch. The angle had the high E string break every time. Ugh. I wasted three packs of strings!

[@Peter-Alexander]

Very interesting video, the deminishing law makes sense (not only true for bass). I must say I was surprised with the sound of the Squier, much better than I expected. In terms of holding value I guess the Fender will probably be a better 'investment', maybe even go up in value should you decide to sell it.

[@acehandler1530]

Really enjoyed your breakdown. I've owned many guitars/basses over the years, I recently bought a Squier CV Starcaster which I really like. I have two Strats (American and a MIM Roland-Ready) but for basses I've ended up with the Ibanez fanned-fret 5-strings. Loved the first one so much I bought a second one to leave in my jungle home down south. And the Roland JS-10 completes the kit - loved them so much I now own 3 of them! Truth is subjective opinion of course, be True to Yourself always. Thanks.

[@EdMuse1122]

Here's another ingredient to consider in this recipe: G&L. Yes, I realize that comparing against another brand is beyond the scope of this video (though there was a comparison to extreme low-end J-Bass copies). But here's the rub: Leo Fender's involvement with G&L makes the comparison almost unavoidable. I've owned an American-made '70s J-Bass, and played several others, both new and old. At this point, I can't find any good reason to consider buying a new Fender bass of any kind, American, Mexican, Squier, it matters not. And the biggest reason for that is that G&L instruments have all of the improvements Leo Fender could have and would have made if he had stayed with Fender. The hardware is incomparably better. The electronics are generally better (and they even ship American-made pickups to Indonesia for use in their Tribute line). The construction is easily as good. They're marginally cheaper. And as far as that last bit about gigging with a Fender vs. gigging with a Squier, nobody would look down on you for gigging with a G&L. Lastly, the G&L JB4 -- even the Indonesian one! -- feels and plays better than any modern Fender J-Bass I've tried. So unfortunately, anytime I hear someone ask the question, "Squier or Fender," to me the simple answer is, "Neither. G&L." Full disclosure: my current main bass is an early-'80s Hamer but my 5-string is an Indonesian G&L M2500. Also, lather, rinse and repeat as above, with Music Man.

[@lancegould]

It seems to me, that once you've "become" a bass player, the cheap shit no longer is acceptable. By "become", i mean, that you are physically capable of easily wielding a bass and your understanding of playing bass is grasped firmly. I had a Fender P Bass and I learned to play it quite well. It was, still, ultimately beyond my physical comfort zone. It was very easy to play though, and i was able to become quite apt. I had tried other basses before and just couldn't get anywhere with. I've wanted a Bass VI but I'm still shopping around on that idea. I always just end up buying another electric guitar. It's ok though, i always turn a profit on each one when i sell it.

[@EdMuse1122]

@@lancegould I contended with this concept a number of years ago, the idea that "the cheap shit" was "no longer acceptable." Not to brag, but I've been a bass player, now, for almost 40 years. I have three degrees in music, and I'm a university music department faculty member. I'm definitely not the greatest bass player in the world, but I think I can objectively say that I'm for real. So a while back, I was in a local pawn shop hunting for a fretless. They had a mid-'90s Ibanez Soundgear SR405FL. I loved the look of it (black, with black hardware, and an unlined rosewood fingerboard -- I call it "Darth Fretless"). It sounded good and played like a dream. And it was only $125. I decoded the serial number to find that it was made in Korea at the Cort factory. Understand that Cort has made a few good instruments in their time, but they have a history of making crap, too. They're a great representation of what the maker of this vid is talking about when he talks about cheap-o manufacturers being able to make decent stuff. I liked everything about this bass, though, but as I told the kid who worked for the place, "My problem is that I'm able to afford better than cheap Korean garbage at this point in my life." So I stewed on this conundrum for exactly 24 hours, thinking that because I'm a "real" bass player, I have to spend more on a bass. And I finally came to the conclusion that I liked that bass, and goddammit, I was gonna buy that bass! So I did. I gig with it often. People compliment me on it. More importantly, every time I go to play it, I reach into the gig back and wrap my fingers around its neck, and say to myself, "Wow, I really love this bass!" At some point, hopefully, we have that "get over yourself" moment, and realize the gear doesn't define us, but rather is just to tool we use to get the job done.

[@EdMuse1122]

@@lancegould Another thing your comment about "becoming" a bass player reminds me of is the idea that while they are "becoming" bass players, many young people have some preconception of what soft of instrument they have to have. They may think they have to have the most expensive instrument, as though that's going to make them a better player, or gain them respect, or something like that. But more importantly, they may think getting that Glarry with the terrible fretwork and outrageously high action will be fine because it's cheap and looks for all the world like a real J-Bass. Then they end up frustrated because they can't seem to learn to play it well and don't enjoy it. Often, they blame themselves for this, when it's really the instrument's fault. One example is that a young player may think they absolutely must have a bass with a 34" scale, since that's what "real" bass players play, even if they have small hands and find that uncomfortable. Finding the instrument uncomfortable, to them, just means they can't be a "real" bass player. Well, I'll tell you this: the one Fender I would still consider owning is a Mustang bass. Comfortable, sounds great...and aside from that, it just happens to be short scale. And that gives it a certain stigma, since a "real" bass player who plays a Fender product has to play a P-Bass or a J-Bass. And that's unfortunate. BTW, a "real" bass player doesn't play a 34-inch scale. They play a 45-inch scale. It's called an upright. 😉

[@PondoSinatra680]

What about resale value? Should that be taken into account when evaluating price differences?

[@JulesGuitar]

Good point! My view is the MIA will likely hold/increase in longer term, but in the short term if you buy one and quickly realise it's not for you, the loss in resale value could be more than the whole price of the Affinity.

[@HashiAkitaPuppy]

Buy an instrument that you want to play, not resell. Yes you will get more for a used American, but you will lose much more as well.

[@pandorski35000]

this is the exact point i was thinking to after watching the vid, the arguments on the loss in case of resale are correct i'm afraid, so my advice is buy second handn in case of resale, the loss is already absorbed in the lower purchase price

[@ericrickert3045]

Agreed. Made in the USA does count. I have a Strat and am happy to own it and play it. I also have a high-end Martin Acoustic (D12-28 from 1975) and I think the made in America does count, but only if the product is also great.

[@theftking]

The best value _Fender_ basses right now... hm. The Aerodyne is sooo nice, and quite affordable considering it's a Fender bass. Some great basses coming out of Japan.