Squier Classic Vibe Precision '50s Bass Guitar  

This is a very basic guitar, you can read the features. I tend to like basic guitars.

The frets were a little sharp but the guitar was set up perfectly and the intonation was right on. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that the fret wire is very small and vintagey compared to my MIM P-bass, that may be something to cosider if you are used to modern guitars. It also has brass saddles and a high mass bridge, very nice!

This guitar sounds mellow compared to my MIM P-bass, the tone knob works all the way through the sweep. It's these types of things in a bass under 400 dollars that I can't get over.

I'm not a bass player I'm a guitar player who will play bass on my recordings and if in a jam where we have no bass player so I'm by no means a good or even competent bass player but this guitar makes me want to learn. I have always liked the look of the older p-bass with the tele neck but couldn't justify spending the money on an instrument I don't really play. Kudos to Squier for making this design and making it very well and making it for a reasonable price. I plan to buy more of the CV series guitars and the Vintage Modified guitars.

The basics...one single coil pick-up, one tone and one volume control. I love the butterscotch / maple neck...looks like my ash/ maple Tele's big brother!  The tone control provides a good range to dial in the tone to suit your taste. I am a blues / rock player , and this bass provides the tone I'm looking for.  The bass comes with both truss rod and saddle hex wrenches.

Overall, the quality is superb, price not withstanding. I made a slight adjustment to the truss rod, and that was it. The finish has no flaws, the neck joint is tight  and overall fit and finish is great.  There is a little roughness on a few of the fret ends and I needed to tighten the input jack nut.

A fine value.  I like to purchase products made in the USA whenever possible, but with quality and sound like this, the price point was hard to pass up.

At first blush, I am very happy with my purchase

This bass is close to perfect!  The only way to improve it would be to have it made in the USA and have Fender on the headstock.  I got mine as a condition 3 because I wanted a beater bass.  I usually buy expensive guitars, but I had a couple of bass amps and a Precision case from years ago kicking around, but no bass.  I'd given it up years ago for guitar.  This bass has a few dings in the body.  I am compulsively protective about my gear, so I don't have to worry about scratching this one (but I will anyway).  I spent a good deal of time setting it up, and noticed that the truss rod was a little balky, but once I got it dialed in, it plays like a dream.  The neck is like a baseball bat, with wide string spacing which is just what I like.  The fretwork is great.  The tuners are old school.   The pickup sounds good, I won't be replacing it now that I have found the right settings on my amp.  The wood grain is stunningly beautiful, and so is the color and tint on the neck (butterscotch blonde).  I started out playing an Airline, and have had Fender Precisions, Guilds, Dan Armstrongs, and Gibsons.  I favored my EB-3, but I think this one is my alltime favorite.  Go figure.  I guess it's the simplicity and the neck and the 50's look and the beauty...

I think this natural pine is devine. Light and articulated with a full sound. The neck is thick

with a nice long scale. The tuners turn without a squeak. The bolt on neck fits well in the pocket.

And the pick up does not overwhelm the amp with feedback or unusual hunning. The Bridge is screwed into the body with small screws. I put a drop of super glue in the holes to harden the pine and replaced the screws with some longer ones. They seem to carry the string vibrations into

the central core of the pine and disperse the bassiness through the cellulose structure with less

muteness  to the tonal spectrum.

The finish is clear, no runs or bubbles, and no scratches on the pick guard. There were no dark spots in the exterior grain. I saw no crack propigation in the pocket. It's a very classic 50's presentation. Sturdy simplicity and sound is it's function..

The bass is made by Chinese luthiers, in the Hunan Province. This seems to be a rather high serial number which reduces its collectability.  Allthough the pine is an abundant light and inexpensive wood, it still produces more interesting green notes,  The strings are ok, but it is built for 50's simplicity rather than modern shredding death metal seizure inducing noise. But death metal it does enjoy.

Pine is Devine with a 50's visual appeal. It looks great. I love to play one note for an hour straight, while watching Doctor Strange Love. If the earth was gooing to ignite into  a firey nuclear frying pan, then this is the bass to play as you watch the mushroom clouds blot out the sun.  It sounds like a cool  vintage nuclear winter. Slap a pin up sticker on it, rub some cigar ashes on the strings, and sleep with it in the nude one night, and you will be amazed when you wake up in the morning. It's not even hard on the fingers. And the neck is big, with decent string hight right and spacing right out of the box. The pick ups work, just add a Danelectro distortion, delay, and echo and you have an inexpensive rig. This bass is the last of the 1950's communist contenders, get it before  world peace and global nuclear war become obsolete.  Mine has a cavity routered for two candles and a flask of sterile holy water, just in case the neutral pine body begins to spontaniously bleed.

Very basic bass. One pickup, one volume, and one tone. The body is contoured so it's more comfortable to play than the original slab body, ( I own both). The neck is very similar to that thick, baseball bat original however slightly smaller and more graduated toward the nut than the original. Side by side with a 68 Tele Bass as far as sound it's not noticeably that different and slighty less warm but then the wood isn't 30 yrs old either. For a single coil I hear more hum from the 68 and see no need to change it..just my opinion.

The build quality in my opinion is excellent. I did a minor adjustment to the truss rod and the action and it plays like butter and buzz free. I like my action super super low and was amazed how well it played just out of the box and a minor adjustment to dial it in for me and WOW!!

Are you kidding? I played the $2500 Custom Shop, $1000 MIJ, and this is every bit as good for 1/3 the money. Sure it doesn't say "Fender' on the headstock but I remedied that on mine with a new decal from Ebay and some sanding and clear coat....then added the chrome covers as well as a white pickguard so I can go back and forth with white and black. Very cool!!

Overall if you are looking for that original vintage sound and look you can't go wrong. With a little work, i.e. decal and chrome covers you can have yourself a smokin' looking original bass and a fraction of the cost and I guarantee you'll be pleased and be able to buy your wife, girlfriend, or boyfriend something special for Xmas with all the money you saved!!