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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

I bought my USA standard jazz about 9 years ago. I paid a lot for it but I knew I would never need to buy a better bass again. It has stood the test of time so far perfectly.

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.

i have the jazz classic vibe ...and quite a few other basses well over ten times more in price...i was pleasantly surprised at how good the vibe held its own, i bought it as a cheap throwaway for practice during lockdown fully expecting to sell it on but i still have it, there is something about an instrument that you don't have to worry about dropping in the studio that still plays great, i love it.

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

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!

Only a personal finding on this, but I have a Mexican Fender Jazz Bass..., and I found that replacing the standard bridge with a Badass, made an enormous difference... It was like night and day. Much brighter, more sustain, and just a very worthwhile upgrade to the bass. Just my take on it..

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Great video, I love how thorough you are when you explain the differences, and switching between the basses instantly playing the same material was great.

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

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!

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.

Excellent review. I just bought a squire affinity which is still in the box unopened. I’m picking up the base as a fifth instrument to write a symphony. This base will serve my needs. Thank you for your outstanding assessment.

Great video Jules! Thanks for taking the time to be so thorough. When I was looking for my 1st bass, I considered the Affinity. They have gotten better since then, but back then, they were low quality, entry level instruments that if it didn't work out, would make a nice wall hanger. I opted instead for a Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Bass. Cool name and cool look! Not exactly the best criteria for choosing a bass. I didn't know that there was a P bass, a J bass or PJ Bass. I bought it because of the Fender name but I didn't want to drop $1200+ on something I wasn't sure I was going to keep up at. I came across a real good opportunity to buy a Fender American Special Jazz bass. It was a demo, and I bought it for $400! I played it for a few months, and honestly, I liked the feel on the Squier better than the Fender. I sold the Fender American Special for $900. About a year later bought a Marcus Miller Signature (made in the USA). I was on top of the world! I have used my Squier as my go to and have gotten loads of compliments on the tone. And let me tell you, it can sustain a note! I put flat wounds on it and it made it just that much better. So where is my Squier? On my bass stand so I can look at it and play it whenever I want! Where is the Marcus Miller? In the case, and only use it about 10 times a year. No argument, the Marcus Miller is a better bass in every respect and when you kick in the active electronics, it's a different and much better world! But there is a lot of truth in that you never forget your first! I will never get rid of my Squier. I wouldn't have a problem selling my Marcus Miller.....eventually! 🙂

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

The 5 string Squire I bought years is tuff as nails and still plays well,it has active pickups and a hi-mass bridge which is how I purchased it.

Excellent video! I have an Affinity Squier and I'm very happy when I see content like this, as Affinity is unfortunately very underrated. Here in Brazil, unfortunately, even the entrance basses are extremely expensive, so getting a new Affinity was something amazing for me! For you to have a reference: the minimum wage in Brazil is R$1100 (equivalent to US$212). A new Affinity costs around R$2800 (US$540). A new Fender American Professional costs R$16000 (U$3085)! The price is 15x the Brazilian minimum wage! Unfortunately here in Brazil, instrument is a lux item. So I'm still very happy to have a Squier Affinity. And even happier to see with this video that, no doubt, it's a bass that's worth it, especially for those who want a Fender and can't have it.

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.

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!

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.

I have a used Chinese Squire bass I bought for $100. Plays friggin' great. Stays in tune. Paint job is great. The pick ups are a little weak compared to an American P Bass but you could always swap those out if you really notice a big difference.

Absolutely brilliant breakdown. Thanks. It comes down to how much loot you have available. If you're loaded, you might prefer the posh bass. If you're tight, the Squier works just fine.

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!

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.

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.

I have two US Fenders, a pj and a j, recently added a squire contemporary p, very nice! The only real difference is the quality of the finish and the quality of the components, tuners, knobs, etc. They all sound great! I’d have no problem recommending squires now.

I grew up playing Fenders and Rics (got my first Ric at 16yo) an I must say I always enjoyed the respect these old basses received from my peers and opponents. Even at 17 all my gear as top-of-the-line (not from wealthy family, but from hard work, savings, and a good dose of luck), and that made ME look professional. And that image was worth something, then and looking back now. BUT, through the years I've found many lessor known basses that play and sound excellent, and have used such basses with total confidence I was putting my best sonic foot forward! So I say, don't get too caught-up in the name brand battle - get lost in your playing and craft and always play on instruments that are comfortable, reliable, and present a sound you are proud of! If you last in the music game there's plenty of time to snag those legendary instruments along the way. And never be afraid to buy "used" gear if you know what you're doing or have a close friend to make sure your investment is sound!

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 👍

I wish we had a time machine to bring this guy back to the 50s. Today’s Squier may have been better than an American bass in the late 50s.

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 !

Lower cost instruments are getting better as the years pass. Manufacturers, regardless of where they are located, are really producing fine stuff. Liked your Apple example. Nice production.

Back in 1997 I bought my first “real” bass….in my mind it was a choice between two… an American Jazz, or an American Precision. I chose the Jazz. $795 US. About 1350 British pounds at the time. I’ve replaced one tuner, and had one LCP done in 24 years. It is my absolute favorite bass to play, and has a sound that I can not duplicate with any other bass that I own.

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.

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).

I've had two Mexican Fender Jazz basses and upgraded pick ups (Lindy Fralins) electronics and hardware on both and they were both great players after a full set up and fret dressing and still a lot cheaper than the USA models. I did play a pre CBS P-bass once though and that did feel and sound amazing.

I've had lots of basses including Fenders both US and others. The nicest bass I had was a Mexican Jazz Bass - loved everything about it and gigged it for years. Wish I still had it.

you´re absolutely right in everything! I´m from Argentina and here we all dream of having a Fender made in USA too, so I never thought of buying a Squier, I never even tested one! But recently I bought a 2001 PJ Indonesian Squier and it sounds amazing! I really don´t need a more expensive bass, certainly not for gigs and not even for recording where engineers do their magic and nobody can hear the difference if there is one.

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!

Thank you for going into such detail about the two ~ Appreciate your video and style of presenting the information ~

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.

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.

I completely agree with your assessment that the real value can only be known over time. I do think you under valued the case...a lot! I lost the case for my 76 p-bass in a hurricane a few years back. Its almost impossible to replace.

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.

One way to make a less expensive guitar (or ANY guitar, for that matter) play better is a good set up - neck relief, string height and intonation. For minimal $ investment, get some better pickups and strings, and it will sound really great.

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.

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....

i had the privilege of using a 63 Jazz Bass for some session work a year back or so. it was setup almost the exact same as my squier jazz. and to be quite honest, even if it was identical in setup and feel to my squier, i would probably still prefer my squier. only problem with them are the electronics, specifically the knobs, but those are swapped out faster than you can say bass.

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.

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.

I appreciate the thorough perspective and comparison, excellent video

Well done. Agree with your analysis. Have a Squire CV but I don't play it whole lot so I think I made the right choice saving some bucks but also getting sufficient quality for my personal usage

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.

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.

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

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).

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

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.

I have a 2019 Squire Affinity P-Bass and a 2003 Fender Jazz. With the affinity, the hardware is a little more basic, but solid. Even with the lack of setup/intonation/quality fix (sharp fret ends not filed, paint issues at back), the Affinity was a GREAT buy. But I got the Jazz used with Seymore Duncans for a great deal at $875. It needed a partial re-fret ($250), but nothing more. It has a few dings, but VG condition. It plays a little better the neck profile is just a tad different. In summary, its a good horse race between the two, but yes, with the hotter pickups and slight neck differences the Jazz is probably 10-15% better player than the Affinity. The Affinity is maybe a pound lighter, thinner body. But Dollar for dollar value...Affinity wins - No shame ever in playing out with it. Enjoyed your review.

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.

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.

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

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!

I skipped this 22 minute video, went straight to the comments, and found the answer in a minute. Thank you.

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.

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.

I really like your videos, I have started watching recently and you hit great points and present them in a nice manner. And do have the chops to back your claims.

An excellent video! Really well thought out! 🎸

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.

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

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...

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

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.

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!

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.

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

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

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.

I love your table that shows law of diminishing return. Great presentation!

I have that exact Fender Jazz ! Same sunburst finish. Mine is a 2008 and to me it is s thing of beauty...a work of art. Much more than you really need to spend to have an excellent bass. However after years of pawn shop specials I bought it as a gift to myself after surviving the "Widow Maker"..... Of course it plays beautifly and stay in excellent tune.

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.

Earlier this year I picked up a Yamaha TRBX605. This thing feels powerful. It's well-balanced, it's exquisitely crafted, every note, especially on the B string, feels like like I could be punching God, and it's got a versatility of tone like you wouldn't believe. Plus, the visible wood grain in the "natural" finish that I got it in is just stunning to look at. It was also $650.

I've never been caused to say this 'ever' before...GREAT video: its honest, well-considered, measured, unbiased, accurate, well paced, and thorough. Most of all it sticks to the point and never becomes long-winded or self-aggrandizing. The audio samples were well played, well recorded, short, appropriate, and effectively edited together. That being the case, give Rickenbacker the same treatment relative to...Fender.

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.

Resale value. The reality is that modern production Squiers and Epiphones that are international production versions of Fenders and Gibsons tend to be starter, back up and even disposable instruments. But people tend to buy Made In USA when they're for collections, professional use (not that there's anything against using cheaper instruments depending upon musician/band funds) or something that the player intends to keep as opposed to something they'll "upgrade" later budget permitting.

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

WELL DONE! Brilliant summation.

Hi there, great vid. @ 6.58 you play a riff, that is the sound I am looking for, I can't get anywhere close with my orange amp & ibinez sr600 or my fretless bass or rickenbacker copy. Do you use an effects box/pedal?

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

Warmoth recently did a video on graphite vs steel rods in a bass neck, and I was shocked at the tone difference! I am not a tone wood guy, but there was most certainly a difference with rod material.

i’d love to see a project of modding a Squire to make it better, eg what’s involved in changing the tuners, finishing the neck, pickup considerations - could one make the squire a forever instrument too?

Extremely well done and interesting.