Squier Affinity PJ Bass Review

In this episode we review the Squier Affinity Series PJ Bass, talk about the history of the PJ Bass, compare the new ones to the one I have, look at the quality, do some sound tests and talk about who this bass would be a good choice for.
#squirebass #squireaffinitybass #pjbass

[@cliffpurcell6363]

I teach guitar and bass at a local after-school student center. A friend gave me her 2010 (I believe) Affinity P-bass and a Rumble 40 to give the students something decent to learn on. I did a full re-string/cleaning/setup on it with a set of flat wounds. I can’t get over how good that bass sounds for the money!

[@rockoutvideography91]

I think these would be great starter instruments for anyone, including high school kids. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@ramencurry6672]

The reason why it’s low in price is because it’s made by Cort guitar company with Fenders instructions. Cort guitars can keep prices low because they make far more guitars than Fender. Fender is a smaller company and if they made the same exact bass it would cost around a thousand dollars

[@johndoe9450]

Wonderful review. Straight and to the point with no-nonsense and a well performed demo. Thank you!

[@rockoutvideography91]

I'm glad you liked the video. thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@Robin-gd5up]

Thank you very much. I could finally descide on which bass I want and I am really excited to start learning!

[@rockoutvideography91]

I'm glad you found the video halpfull! I obviously think you made a great choice and I highly recomend this bass to beginners. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!

[@jmwhitt]

Great review Tim, thx! I was thinking about getting that one!

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and leave a comment!

[@ThePequenocristo]

Just ordered the same model and color! Thanks for the review!

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!

[@tonytucker747]

Hi Tim, thanks for your informative and honest review. This has helped me make decisions getting back into bass after 20 years, and to jam with the kids. Looking forward to a video on the mods, new pickups etc, when you get around to it.

[@rockoutvideography91]

Glad I could help! They really are great basses. I just recomended one of these to a singer songwriter I met last night who want's to start playing bass. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@christopherhurst6111]

Love my Affinity. Got it as a x-mas gift from the wife last year so I could get back into playing. Got the Sunburst/Ready to Play model. Looks good, sounds great. I'm no professional, so this bass will probably last a lifetime.

[@rockoutvideography91]

I think these Affinity series basses are really great. It's my number one recomendation to people who want to learn to play. It's affordable, it sounds good, and as I stated, for most people, it's probably the only bass you will ever "Need" Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@paulcunningham1387]

A very detail-focused and knowledgeable review. I like these vids that are all about the instrument not the reviewer. I feel like I know this bass well enough to buy it now

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for taking the time to watch, and for the compliment. We're gald you liked the video and found it helpfull.

[@BB-fk1wf]

First time I have seen this channel. I like your straightforward bordering blunt style, it's refreshing and comes across as honest and sincere. Bravo! This particular video helped me decide whether this bass was for me (it's not). Thank you!

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for watching and taking time to comment. I'm trying to make the videos I would want to watch if I were going to buy a piece of gear. I'm glad you found the video usefull!

[@miguelangelcolon1345]

Hi, then you did not buy it?

[@rockoutvideography91]

I did buy it. When I stated "I'm trying to make the videos I would want to watch if I were going to buy a piece of gear" I didn't mean that I literally make the video I would want to see before I buy the gear. In most cases I have watched review videos of the gear I bought before I made my purchase and often found myself with unanswered questions after watching multiple reviews.

[@SteveGodrich]

I've been looking at getting a bass and this one (in black) took my fancy. I'm a beginner and I wanted something that will do a good job and will last me. You've convinced me that I chose well. I'll be picking it up in the near future. Thanks for the review!

[@rockoutvideography91]

The black ones do look really cool. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I'm glad the video was helpful.

[@gentlemagala3829]

Been thinking about my first bass and im considering this one, nice video you got to the point and i like your style

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for the comment. I think this is probably the best choice out there right now for a beginner bass that is good enough to gig with. Of course, I am partial to fender style basses, so I do have bias.

[@emmanuelgutierrez6306]

Great review and very detail. ❤️❤️❤️

[@rockoutvideography91]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@ThePequenocristo]

This is the same model and color I ended up getting. The review really helped!

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks! I'm glad the video helped you make a decission. I appreciate you taking the time to comment.

[@Akaakaaka-ep9xh]

Very informative. Thank you!

[@rockoutvideography91]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@durasjan]

I didn't know Robert De Niro knows how to play bass

[@rockoutvideography91]

I'm far uglier than Robert DeNiro, but thanks for the compliment! I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment.

[@daveweed2765]

Damn dude. Don't insult the boy like that. Robert DeNiro... a fake wise guy. And he that can play music. Which one is real?

[@bayoubengal1961]

Dude looks nothing like DiNiro

[@rockoutvideography91]

I WISH I looked as good as Robert DiNiro...

[@ramencurry6672]

Huh??? Massive failure of a comment

[@geoff0137]

I have this bass in the Lake Placid Blue. It is my first bass and has been excellent to play on.

[@rockoutvideography91]

I have to admit, the Lake Placid Blue basses Squire has put out look really cool. If I was going to do it again, I might pick that or the Charcoal Grey. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@picklepragginz7687]

I had one of these that I used live and it played/sounded great, but because the body was slightly thinner than a standard P bass, it suffered from neck-dive. Great review!

[@rockoutvideography91]

This is probably the bass I play around the house the most and continue using it on gear demonstrations when I think round wound strings are most appropriate. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@EarthtonesCymbals]

Thanks for the great review. I'm getting the P instead of the PJ but this information is absolutely helpful nevertheless. Cheers! I think these Affinity bass guitars will definitely get the job done without issue as is.

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for watching and commenting. These are really great basses, not just "For the money" but just in general.

[@dtimm612]

Been a guitarist and keyboard player for over 25 years and strongly considering this for first bass, since either the P or J basses seem most recommended for a one and done bass I figure why not get a PJ and hopefully get something like the best of both worlds. Thanks for the review

[@rockoutvideography91]

We are glad you liked the review and found it helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@valetlz9169]

Thanks for the review. It's very informative. I'm considering buying a pj bass - love the tone and style of splitcoils. But I'm not sure if 20 frets is enough.)

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for watching and commenting.!

[@tedsimington7654]

I have this one also and it sounds very good thanks for sharing👍🏿

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@emmanuelgutierrez6306]

I just bought this bass and it's the first one I have ever bought. I am bass begginer but sounds great on the Fender 25 amp Rumble. Love this bass❤❤❤

[@rockoutvideography91]

Great to hear! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@P0RTUGEEZA]

Hi Tim, nice video :) I recently decided to give bass a try, I've bought the charcoal affinity pj. Mine was made in china also, no skunk stripe for us :( None of the UK retailers even knew they had swapped factories from Indonesia. Anyway, the bass I have is very nice overall, finish is excellent, literally perfect, the electrics not so much! So I'm going to be waiting to see your follow up upgrade video, please do go into detail on choice of all the parts, pots and pickups. Thanks You!

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. I'll be sure to go into as much detail as possible when I do the upgrade.!

[@markblackstad8705]

I have that bass in sunburst as part of my stable. Most always I just solo the P pickup but the J can be useful at times. Good place to hold your pick too, lol! Big question is where did you get the sweet 42 T-shirt?

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for sharing! I appreciate the comment!

[@whamni]

Hey Tim, great video, I'm interested to know what replacement pickups you put in ?

[@rockoutvideography91]

I haven't done the upgrade yet. It's too hot here in the Arizona summer to work out in the shop, which is in my garage. I bought some Fender vintage style pickups and some new pots from Stew Mack. I'll add your question to my next Q&A video and go into more detail where I can show the parts. Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment!

[@chaltaloma]

Great video been looking to buy a beginner bass and these really fits my style and is a good price.....new sub btw.

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for the sub! We appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment!

[@GGarza-uc6jw]

Great review! I bought his bass for one of the reasons you stated. I did not want to take out any of my what are now considered vintage basses. They weren't called that many years ago when I bought them. Ha!Ha! Bad things can happen when your gigging at a dive bar on the wrong side of town! The only thing I did was swap out the pick ups with EMGs Geezer Butler types. It's a complete kit and is passive so you don't need extra room for the battery. It plays and sounds great. Geezer has always been one of my favorites!!!!!

[@rockoutvideography91]

If I were on the road, I would definitely take one of my Squier basses and leave the 1993 U.S. Vintage 62 P Bass at home. I have the parts to upgrade this bass, but just haven't had time to get started yet. Thanks for taking the time to watch and leave a comment!

[@098751thg]

Great video, thanks for sharing

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thank's for taking the time to watch and leave me a comment!

[@rodcatani5164]

Great review thank you very much! Had a PJ Fender before and can dfntly confirm it’s a winner, need to buy a new one on the cheap side and looks like Squier is the one, if it’s playable out of the box as stated in this review then a few basic improvements by a luthier and new pick-ups will dfntly make a great difference at a reasonable extracost without having to splash more than a grand on an US Fender🤟🏼

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for watching and commenting. I think this may be one of the best choices for a beginner.

[@jezmez68]

Solid review.

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@ericstrauch3215]

I have an Affinity PJ bass and after some mods (Neck adjustments, complete fret job and a pickguard change) it plays really well. Im gonna upgrade the pickups next. I love the sound and tone options with the P J configuration.

[@rockoutvideography91]

Cool! I'm looking forward to doing my mod, as soon as it cools down and my workshop is livable again

[@justinTime077]

What is a “fret job?” Sound sexual in nature

[@BB-fk1wf]

Serious question from a bass newbie: with the money you spent on modding your bass in addition to the original cost of it, couldn't be more convenient to get a better bass in the first place?

[@rockoutvideography91]

You are exactly correct... Probably... Maybe? It depends on specifically what bass and what upgrades. I'm doing it for the fun and experience more than anything. However, it's possible that if pickups and new pots really do make a big difference, than I could not get a bass with the Fender pickups like the ones I bought for it for the same or less than what this one will have cost by the time I finish.

[@Emoralis]

@@BB-fk1wf I’m late to the party but if you’re new to playing. mods aren’t super important. However if it buzzes a lot when you play it could be worth the 60 odd dollars at something like guitar center to get a proper setup. (Neck adjustment, fret polish, bridge intonation, possible nut adjustment.) these are things you can do on your own too. If you look up videos on how to perform a setup on a guitar.

[@GazHogan]

Nice video and a cool and honest, no BS review. Nice job bro

[@rockoutvideography91]

I appreciate that! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!

[@EnglishPalette]

Have you had a chance to swap those pickups and pots? I have the same bass and I am just curious on how it went. It would be cool to know what parts you got and whether the mod was hard. Thanks.

[@rockoutvideography91]

Sorry, I haven't had time to do the upgrade yet. I have some Fender pick-ups and some CTS pots and Orange cap that I got from Stew Mac. The bass is actually fine the way it is. I don't expect to hear a huge difference in sound after the upgrade. It's more of a vanity project than anything else. Keep playing and enjoying your bass the way it is. I think you made a great choice. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment, it's greatly appreciated!

[@MarcG7424]

I'm currently looking for a starter bass for myself and this bass is in my final two

[@rockoutvideography91]

As a starter bass. I don't see how you can go wrong. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!

[@MarcG7424]

​@@rockoutvideography91My wife bought the Squier for me two weeks ago as a early birthday present I found one pre-owned in great condition at a great price Olympic White with a maple fretboard and after a setup which is to be expected I love it

[@user-ip6jy7ek2l]

great video. i have been playing bass since the seventies and have owned many usa made fenders, ricks, gibsons blah, blah blah. about 20 years ago i bought a tacoma abg and fell hard for it. only thing i have played since i got it. over that time i felt the need to have an inexpensive electric around just in case. i have had terrible luck with the affinity basses i have owned. it is always a neck problem. dead spots, uneven volume etc. i recently tried again and got a new affinity sonic. it was the worst of the bunch. do you think i might be more successful with this model. kind of hesitant at this point. thanks for listening. subscribed.

[@rockoutvideography91]

At this point in my life, I expect to have to do some kind of set up or adjustment on any bass I buy. Even if it's playable right out of the box, the intonation will probably be off as was the case with this one. Samuel's new left handed Glary P Bass was a little off with some buzzing on the A string. All it needed was about 30 minutes of my amateur level set up skills to get it playing well and the intonation on. I just follow videos here on KZbin when doing a set up. Doing a basic one is easy. The current basses are being made in Indonesia. The one me and Sophia tried out at Guitar Center was playable but probably in need of a set up as well. The D string was out of tune, but that was lazyness on my part not wanting to take time to tune it up. I didn't check the intonation. Otherwise, it was fine. All of my Squier basses have needed a set up but were playable right out of the box with no fret sprout or dead spots. My personal experiences with the Squier basses let's me recommend them with confidence. As with anything in life, your mileage may vary. If you are concerned about spending money on something you may decide to turn around and sell, maybe a used one is a more logical choice if you just aren't confident about the bass. I looked at the Guitar Center Used site and found these going from around $185 to $220. Thank you so much for taking the time to watch the video and leave us a comment. It's greatly appreciated and I hope I was able to help you with your question. We also appreciate you subscribing to our channel. This helps us grow.

[@jezmez68]

What kind of pickups did you get for that? I already have a 20th Anniversary Affinity P-bass that a guy modded with all black chrome hardware and painted the red bass a black, and put a black/red pearl pickguard on it (looks like MURDER!). I upgraded the wiring/pots, and got a set of Fender Yosemite P-bass pickups for $5 (BRAND NEW IN THE BOX!) and that thing would be perfect for me except I like maple fret boards. I keep jonesing over a buttercream P-J Mustang they're selling at Sweetwater, but part of me thinks why not buy an affinity with a maple fretboard and upgrade it?

[@rockoutvideography91]

I bought a "Fender Original Vintage Design" P bass pickup, a "Fender 75 Jazz Bridge Pickup", along with some new CTS pots and an orange cap from Stew Mac. Ultimately this upgrade is really nothing more than a vanity project and something fun to do with the kids in the shop. The bass is fine as it is. THANKS FOR THE COMMENT!!

[@johnrefe]

as a guitar player bought this to get out of routine and learn bass songs . My first and only bass so far, love it, enjoy playing it, but tend to use 90% P pickup and 10% both together, I aint no expert on anything but I don't really like the Jazz pickup sound alone. Oh yeah the inlays on side, they are in bad place, have trouble spotting them from time to time myself :D

[@rockoutvideography91]

The side inlays are really the only thing I find wanting with this bass. I'm thinking of getting some bright orange model paint and see if that helps. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!

[@somarmd]

I decided to give Bass a try and purchased the Affinity package in tobacco burst. I like it very much. The only thing I notice is the jazz pickup has a hum when it’s turned up half way or higher. I’m not sure why but will look into. Thanks for the video.

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for commenting! Is this happening when you roll off the split coil humbucker? Single coil pickups can pick up RF and electrical interference. Please let us know what you find!

[@somarmd]

@@rockoutvideography91 Hello and thank you for replying. I misspoke and have looked a little closer into my situation. It's my Tone Control when turned half way or higher creates a hum noise. It turns out the room I play in has some kind of electrical interference. I believe it has something to do with the electrical meter located on the outside wall of my house. I don't get the hum when plugged into other rooms. Maybe this will help someone else. Thanks again

[@rockoutvideography91]

@@somarmdThanks for sharing the info. I'm sure this will help other people who are having the same issues.

[@somarmd]

@@rockoutvideography91 I thought I would share that for kicks I tried using a wireless plug and play to my amp and the hum is gone . Whatever is causing the RF interference is picked up by my amp chord. The chord came with my Fender amp. I’m going to purchase a better quality chord. Any suggestions on what to buy appreciated. Thank you

[@rockoutvideography91]

I have had good luck with GLS cables lately that I bought on Amazon. There's a review here on the channel. I also have a "Monster" brand cable that I bought over 20 years ago and it's still going strong. The monster cables are not cheap however

[@stevebocardo4336]

What type of strings would you recommend for this type of Bass?. I am thinking of going from an Ibanez to step up in the bass guitar

[@rockoutvideography91]

For round wounds, I have been using the Ernie Ball strings in the pink package for about 30 years now. I have tried a few different flat wound strings on my basses, including the Fender brand, and the LaBella's. Jury is still out on flat wounds, but I'm probably favoring the Fenders right now. Thanks for taking the time to comment. This will probably be a good question to add to the next Q&A.

[@stevebocardo4336]

I think I will return it and go for a Fender PB style. I just enjoy playing all types of music. @@rockoutvideography91

[@IYF_Productions_SL]

You are correct saying that the Duff McKagan bass sounds pretty good. I enjoy mine and get all the sounds I need out of it. It's great!!! One I like better and is my no1 go to, would be my Michael Anthony Schecter bass. That thing kicks!

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@aaronwilson8966]

Wish Squier still made this with the laurel fretboard. Looks so much better with the white/black than the maple. Definitely a cheaper alternative to the American Performer for those looking to save and doesn’t sound bad either.

[@rockoutvideography91]

I'm actually torn between what looks better with this color, the laurel or the maple fretboard. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@bobt5778]

Nice review. I get the concept of taking a cheaper bass on gigs, but only after installing better tuners and wiring harness. These tuner knobs won't take many falls or drops and crappy solder joints can cause grief at any moment. Also cheaper basses may (not always) have necks that shift excessively with temp and humidity changes. If your getting paid to play, the tools should be decent at least.

[@rockoutvideography91]

I think it comes down to budget for a lot of people and in my oppinion you are perfectly describing the gray area between "Really need" and "Want. This is going to be different for each person and this bass fits somewhere in that area for me. As long as it will hold up to each individual's abuse or care, during their frequency of use, it will sound "Good enough" with the stock pickups and pots / wiring to get the job done... For most people. As a 55 year old guy, I have an appreciation for the quality of instrument you can get these days at such low prices. If the Affinity Series isn't good enough for someone, it's difficult to argue that a Squier Classic Vibe, or Mexican Fender won't be good enough for giging. This bass is a great pick for someone who is starting out and really wants to play / practice / gig with other people in the future. It's great value for the money and won't "Need" to be replaced for a long time, if ever. Thank's for taking the time to watch and leave a comment. It's greatly appreciated!

[@miguelangelcolon1345]

Hi, i liked what you played.

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and leave a comment!

[@daveweed2765]

Im glad someone is actually giving cheaper guitars thier due. Most gigs people could care less about the name on the head so Epi over Gibson and Squier over Fender at gigs in dive bars for sure. Or pretty much any gigs. Save the big boys for studios where it has to sound perfect and less chance of "injuries".

[@rockoutvideography91]

I agree. I love my 62 reissue P Bass, but also gig with my Squier CV 50s P Bass and my Squier Vintage Modified 70s Jazz quite a bit. Although I have purchased new pick ups and pots for this bass, It doesn't really "Need" them. It's just something fun to do. I expect that the actual change in sound won't be very dramatic. No one ever leaves a show saying "The band was really good except the bass player had a cheap bass. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@daveweed2765]

@@rockoutvideography91 Plus it's a helluva lot cheaper to replace cheaper guitars. You always stand the chance playing gigs that you could drop one. Smack the head against something and mess it. Even Tripping on something. Plus traveling around with them even in a good case. The only people that will say anything are other musicians because most people don't pay attention to head shoes or the names printed on them. Plus you can afford more cheaper guitars and have them tuned totally different, different string gauges and so on. For one Fender you can buy roughly 4 Squiers. For example. Playing ACDC, standard tuning. Play Kiss, half step down. Motley Crue is a hole step down. And roundwounds sound really good playing Black Sabbath. There are four bass setups right there for roughly the price of one 1200 dollar Fender headstock.

[@rockoutvideography91]

Brilliant observation. I have what I think is a pretty nice collection of giggable Squier basses for less than $1,000

[@daveweed2765]

@@rockoutvideography91 Especially basses. You tune down a whole step then I really need a higher action. All my basses a higher action than normal any way because I hate fret buzz. The only time it sounds half ass right is playing Black Sabbath. Then the strings slapping the frets while aggressively digging those pick fingers in fits the song. Higher action is a bitch on your fretting fingers and my fret fingers are so tough I can't even pick my nose anymore. And let's face one fact. Guitars are addictive. Everyone one of them sounds different. And if the particular guitar be it bass or guitar makes the sound you intend it makes you a helluva lot better player because you are not trying to force the sounds you want from 1 guitar constantly retuning for different songs that you cover. Cheap guitars allows us musicians that aren't famous to span a spread because constantly retuning strings shortens the lifespan of the strings. Now if you are famous them by all means go top of the line. The manufacturers will practically throw guitars at you for marketing purposes. Because they want to use your name to push thier products. If I was famous I would probably still play what I got. Almost was one time on the tail end of Hair Metal. And to be totally honest? I don't want some kid whose parents lay down 2000 dollars for a name on a headstock because the kid thinks they wanna' play because they could get a high score on Guiar Hero. That may be why most music sucks today. No emotion behind what you fret. Just fretting and shredding. That is truly sad. Country is a genre now where every vocalist sounds the same with nasally whines. Bass is still roots, 5ths and 4ths with walk downs and ups but guitars have jumped on the rock and roll train and even now we have rap country. I hate New music now that the record Cartels push on people. And these are the folks that instrument makers are throwing their products at. Wow what a rant. But it's the same thing Robert Johnson sang about with the Devil at the Crossroads. Once you sign a contract they own your creativity processes. And why in my era ballads were pushed so hard. And I can't stand grunge rock. But way more money signing contracts than playing gigs. Ask Dee Snyder or Randy Rhoads.

[@javiermarcosmontano6229]

Hello. this bass is color Artic white or Polar white??? thank you

[@rockoutvideography91]

They are being listed as "Olympic White" on the Fender website (Today 10/25/2023) Olympic White is a common Fender color. I "Think" mine is also Olympic White as well. Thanks for commenting!

[@Neightmedia]

No, yours isn't the one listed, you have a 2020 Affinity and it's made in China and is Arctic white@@rockoutvideography91

[@Neightmedia]

His is Arctic white. Olympic White is new as of 2023

[@splashfreelance2376]

I bought the Indonesian version of this in about 2003. The pickups sounded a bit weedy, so I dropped a Basslines in the neck position and it's shocking how good it is. I used to have an Ibanez RB850 and before that a 1972 Fender Jazz, so I think I have some idea of what makes a nice bass. OK, the Jazz was awful (it was cursed somehow, sounded terrible, the neck would never stay the same shape and bits kept falling off it - a 70s Fender lemon). I sold it for the 850 and I loved that Ibanez Roadstar. It was then borrowed by a 'friend' (ex-friend) who did an American and European tour with it, but he was, let's say, unmanageable, and when gave it to someone else to return it to me (with added awful belt rash from his studded belt) I never saw it again. I was gutted. I was no longer playing bass live so I just wanted something cheap but reasonable as a stopgap for recording my own ideas, so I bought the Affinity PJ. I've never felt the need to replace it, it plays wonderfully, the neck is great and it looks great, black with a black headstock and mirrored pickguard. I'm too old and ugly to care that it has Squier rather than Fender on the 'stock. Now that I'm playing again, I doubt 99.9% of people know the difference and musicians who might be snobby about it can go swivel, not that I've met any. I'm thinking about getting a pro setup (I've always setup my own instruments, but I thought I might treat myself) and replacing the bridge, J pickup. This pickup doesn't sound terrible but compared to the Basslines it is a bit meh. The level is also so much lower than the P pickup and it does something funny when both are on full, my goto knob positions are full everything except the J pickup wound back a tiny bit so it doesn't kill the wonderful deep stuff coming from the Basslines. Maybe I screwed up the install or something, but I don't remember if I did it myself or not. Anyway, TLDR. I don't know how different they are 20 years later but generally, guitars and basses seem to be getting better by the decade. Once the pickup was changed, and that's a matter of taste, really, it's become the favourite bass I've ever owned. And because it was relatively cheap (under £200) I don't feel I need to be precious with it, unlike my Les Paul 1971 Deluxe guitar!

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for watching and taking the time to share your story. 2 gigs ago I played my Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass and it sounded great. No one, including other musicians at the gig had anything to say about it. I also used to mostly play my Squier CV 50s P Bass with the band and everyone thinks that one sounds great as well. (That bass has a damaged input jack and is getting completely un-necessary upgrades ) At my last gig a few weeks ago I played my "62 re-issue real Fender USA P Bass" Guess what? No one came up and asked what kind of bass it was or commented that I sounded any better than usual. The Affinity Bass is also getting a bunch of "Upgrades" soon. But honestly, these modification or "Upgrade" projects I have going on are just passion projects for fun. I really do not expect any drastic improvement in the way the instruments will sound.

[@EyanDeyv]

Hey this or Aria MK3 Detroit?

[@rockoutvideography91]

I had not heard of the Aria MK3 Detroit, so I looked it up. The bass has some interesting features, and the sound demos all sound good, but they are going used right now for between $400 and $600, so I think a better comparison would be something from the Squier Classic Vibe series. The only PJ configured bass in that series is the "Jaguar Bass" which only has 2 knobs that are stacked controls, so it's still not a one on one comparison. I would watch as many reviews here on KZbin of the basses you are interested in as you can. Hopefully that will help you make a choice. Thanks again for taking the time to watch and comment.

[@Tjoppy]

It's Squier, not Squire. But nice review!

[@rockoutvideography91]

LOL!! Thanks! I have to admit that I have always spelled it that way and never caught my mistake. No one has ever pointed it out before. I fixed the thumbnail and title. Now I just have to do that for all the other Squier videos on my channel...

[@Tjoppy]

@@rockoutvideography91 no need for that dude, most people are not bothered by it. I just noticed because I have several Squiers myself. Kind regards!

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

UK viewer here. No offence, but I think you're wrong about the Affinity bridge being made from cheaper materials. Logistically, it doesn't make sense to produce two different bridges - any saving in materials is outweighed by the added complication of having to machine another (otherwise identical) item then keep it separate it in inventory. I should mention here that I spent the last 15 years of my working life in internal logistics for a world leading manufacturer of industrial testing instruments, where the exact same principles apply. I think I can safely say I know what I'm talking about. Rather, it makes a lot of sense to use the same tried and tested Fender bridge that's used on so many other models - the fact that they can manufacture in bulk is a significant cost saving in its own right. Savings have been made on things such as the lack of shielding, cheaper pots and wiring, less substantial tuners, smaller strap buttons, and thinner pick guard. All of these things can be upgraded by the user should they wish to. I also reckon they've chosen finishes for the Affinity that are less troublesome to apply and cause fewer QC issues, as well as using body blanks that wouldn't pass for making the more expensive guitars from.

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and leave a comment. I had made the assumption that they were cheaping out on materials but had not concidered the logistic and supply chain issues you raised. Since these Squier instruments are being made by different companies, in different countries, at different times, I wonder just who is making the "Fender" bridges. Does each factory make their own, or are they being sourced from sub-contractors who provide them? If I buy a bridge from a company like "Musicilly" is it the same product? Now I'm really curious. The person who would probably be able to answer this is Phill McKnight.

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

@@rockoutvideography91 I'm utterly certain that the bridges are made by a sub-contractor. A standard bridge (for example) has 21 components, 5 of which need to be machined (I count 25 drilling & 12 tapping operations) polished, and electro plated. In the case of the Himass bridge, the same 5 components are die castings - does anyone know of a guitar factory that has a foundry ? The investment in machinery & plant needed to produce bridges simply isn't worth it when there are plenty of engineering factories who already have the tooling & are capable of turning them out relatively cheaply, and while it's perfectly feasible to produce them separately in each country where the guitars are built, I'm sure that it would be simpler & cheaper to source them all from one supplier and ship them to the different factories as required. Phil McKnight may indeed be able to answer the question, though whether his factory tours have ever included the factories' component stores - nothing exciting to see there - is doubtful.

[@rockoutvideography91]

Dang, that was a really great response. Thanks!

[@babyblue4824]

Squiersonic is way better in build, looks n sound.

[@rockoutvideography91]

I have not had a chance to get my hands on a Sonic Series yet. I'm surprised to hear that they are better than the Affinity Series since they are cheaper. I'm looking forward to checking them out. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@babyblue4824]

@@rockoutvideography91 : yep bro... I got both the squiersonic mustang n p bass. They play n feel good right out of the box. Build quality has significantly improved over the bullet as well as affinity series. And i got them at US dollar price of 199 & 219 usd..... I have a fender player strat, its better of course but the squiersonic is not so far behind after proper treatment n pick up swaps..... Cheers mate.

[@Neightmedia]

Yours is Artic white not Olympic and CY means China, jesus dude

[@rockoutvideography91]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Everyone makes mistakes, including me (I just caught one last night while editing the next video) I assumed you were right, so I looked up the serial number again. My reference for this is www.squierwiki.com/Serial-Number-Tracking This is what it says “CY (“Crafted in China”) - C = China, Y = Yako (Taiwan), the first number following the prefix is the year. 8-digit number. The serial number on my bass is CY19xxxxxxx. So, my Squier Affinity Series PJ Bass was made in Taiwan, in 2019. Again, assuming you were correct and that I had made a mistake, I checked the Squier Website again and found that the current basses, which are now made in Indonesia, are listed as being “Olympic White”. This was my reference when making the video. However, since mine was made in Taiwan in 2019, perhaps mine is Arctic White. I couldn't track down a Squier catalog from 2019, the most recent I found was a illustrated price list from 2015 which had the PJ Bass listed as “Olympic White”. There were no pictures of the serial number in the document, so I'm not sure where they were being made in 2015. If you can post the link to info showing that they were Arctic White in 2019, I would appreciate it. I'm always looking for new and better sources of reference when doing research for the videos. Thanks again for contributing to the conversation and helping me to avoid mistakes.

[@rockoutvideography91]

I found a review of the Squier Affinity PJ Bass from 2019 where the white option is listed as "Olympic White" guitarsforidiots.com/2019/07/18/squier-affinity-series-precision-bass-pj-review/