Bass newby question, what model Squire is this?

Ossyrocks

Hi chaps,

I’m considering entering the world of big bottom where everything stops at the G String….ooerr.

I need a cheap and cheerful Bass to see what it’s about. This one is really close to me and I could drive and pick it up in five minutes, but, in the words of Manuel, “I know nothing”.

Which model is it exactly, and what is it worth?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165192998093?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Any insights would be super and I will forever be grateful.

Rob

ICBM

Squier Affinity, earlier version.

It's the lowest-priced model they do, but a perfectly decent bass and worth more than the price it is just now. They don't seem to do a basic P in the Affinity series now (it's a PJ), but these were somewhere between £150 and £200 new I think, and should be worth about £100 used.

The jack nut is missing and will need replacing, but that's not a big job. Otherwise it looks in decent condition, I can't see any other alarm bells.

Whistler

I agree with ICBM's assessment and comments. Being local enough to collect is a bit of a bonus.

Ossyrocks

@ICBM @Whistler thanks for that, it’s exactly what I need to know. 45 minutes left, let’s see how it pans out. Cheers.

Whistler

--- comment deleted as it was not needed ---

Funkfingers

Ossyrocks said:

Any insights would be super

The seller is disabled. Save him a whole bunch of bother by collecting in person rather than insisting that he wrestles the bass into a cardboard box.

Ossyrocks

Won it for £102. I’ll try to arrange collection tomorrow. Cheers chaps!

Reggaebass

That’s in great condition, well worth what you paid, well done 

Ossyrocks

Bless this chap, he insisted he deliver it as I'm local. He's just dropped it off and it's in excellent condition. It also came in a Fender padded gig bag and included a leather strap, multiple plectrums including Dunlop nylons and tortex, and a new unopened set of EB guitar strings 10-46 ! What they were doing in there I don't know.

Very happy.

PhilKing

Great purchase, I am a big fan of Precisions.  Once you get used to it and the sound, you might want to upgrade the pickup (though as I have never played this type of Squier I don't know the sound).   My 65 Precision has a Bare Knuckle 62 that Tim made for me years ago, and has the real growl that you hear from a good precision.  I know that is way more than you will want to spend, but the 62 era pickups are my favourite sound (probably affected because I used to have a 62 that was amazing, but sold it when I was too young to realize what I had). 

Ossyrocks

PhilKing said:

Great purchase, I am a big fan of Precisions.  Once you get used to it and the sound, you might want to upgrade the pickup (though as I have never played this type of Squier I don't know the sound).   My 65 Precision has a Bare Knuckle 62 that Tim made for me years ago, and has the real growl that you hear from a good precision.  I know that is way more than you will want to spend, but the 62 era pickups are my favourite sound (probably affected because I used to have a 62 that was amazing, but sold it when I was too young to realize what I had). I will certainly consider a pickup upgrade.

Ossyrocks

PhilKing said:

Great purchase, I am a big fan of Precisions.  Once you get used to it and the sound, you might want to upgrade the pickup (though as I have never played this type of Squier I don't know the sound).   My 65 Precision has a Bare Knuckle 62 that Tim made for me years ago, and has the real growl that you hear from a good precision.  I know that is way more than you will want to spend, but the 62 era pickups are my favourite sound (probably affected because I used to have a 62 that was amazing, but sold it when I was too young to realize what I had). 

I will certainly consider a pickup upgrade. I have two friends who both have early 60's Precisions, and I have done gigs with them using these basses. It is absolutely one of my favourite tones. I also was at a very small gig with Pino Palladino on bass a few years ago, that's the sound I hear in my head and will strive to achieve. I know, aiming high there.

Funkfingers

Ossyrocks said: 

I will certainly consider a pickup upgrade.

The Alnico 5, 11k Ohms formula usually delivers the goods.

The slim Affinity body might benefit from a pickup with extra midrange and, possibly, low end. e.g. DiMarzio Model P or the (discontinued?) Will Power Middle.

ICBM

Ossyrocks said:

Bless this chap, he insisted he deliver it as I'm local. He's just dropped it off and it's in excellent condition. It also came in a Fender padded gig bag and included a leather strap, multiple plectrums including Dunlop nylons and tortex, and a new unopened set of EB guitar strings 10-46 ! What they were doing in there I don't know.

Very happy.

That's a very good deal. The extras are probably worth half what you paid.

If you don't have a spare jack nut and need to replace the whole thing, I would recommend a Switchcraft jack - that will make it effectively a properly giggable instrument, it's the only real weak point on them - the pots are functional and (relatively) better quality. And possibly increase the size and length of the strap button screws, the originals can pull out of the wood. Other than that, I never really see any problems with these, and they get used in schools!

Ossyrocks

ICBM said:

Ossyrocks said:

Bless this chap, he insisted he deliver it as I'm local. He's just dropped it off and it's in excellent condition. It also came in a Fender padded gig bag and included a leather strap, multiple plectrums including Dunlop nylons and tortex, and a new unopened set of EB guitar strings 10-46 ! What they were doing in there I don't know.

Very happy.

That's a very good deal. The extras are probably worth half what you paid.

If you don't have a spare jack nut and need to replace the whole thing, I would recommend a Switchcraft jack - that will make it effectively a properly giggable instrument, it's the only real weak point on them - the pots are functional and (relatively) better quality. And possibly increase the size and length of the strap button screws, the originals can pull out of the wood. Other than that, I never really see any problems with these, and they get used in schools!

Thanks for the advice John. I probably have a nut for the jack socket, so I’ll fit that if I can find it. But, I think I’ll be tinkering with it anyway. Better pots and wiring is pretty easy, and I may already have some CTS pots. First up though is a setup, the action is pretty high! 

Funkfingers

Ossyrocks said:

First up though is a setup, the action is pretty high! 

Is that the bridge saddle height, per se, the neck relief or the nut slots?

The tension load of heavy gauge strings might be more than the neck can comfortably withstand. Consider changing to .035 or .040 to .095. 

Ossyrocks

Funkfingers said:

Ossyrocks said:

First up though is a setup, the action is pretty high! 

Is that the bridge saddle height, per se, the neck relief or the nut slots?

The tension load of heavy gauge strings might be more than the neck can comfortably withstand. Consider changing to .035 or .040 to .095. 

A combination of a little too much neck relief and high bridge saddles I think. The nut looks ok.

I know nothing about bass strings! Is .035 to .095 considered light?

ICBM

35-90 or 35-95 is very light. Standard gauge for bass is probably 40-100 which is ‘light’, and 45-105 would be ‘medium’. (Much like acoustic guitar, where ‘light gauge’ 12s are now the standard.)

Any P-Bass neck that isn’t actually faulty will take 45-105 with no problem, although it may well need a truss rod adjustment if it hasn’t been set up for a while. If you’re coming to it from guitar I would probably choose 40-100 initially.

stickyfiddle

Nice. A P bass is basically the only thing that's even simpler than a Telecaster, and happens to be "the standard" bass sound that's been used by basically everyone ever, and you can't go wrong at that price.

Put flats on it