Fender Squier Jazz Bass

The Fender Squire Jazz bass I own I gather was the first in the UK. It has a serial number of 000027 on it I would never sell it. It is in three tone sunburst with a rosewood neck, reverse machine heads and plays like a dream. there is no fret buzz even with such a low action

This bass does the Jaco sound with the bridge pick up and has a really fat sound with just the neck pick up, great for slap. I play through a Trace elliott now, but used to blast it through a marshall Jubilee 600 watt head with2x15 cab

this bass was bought off a perfectionist who looked after it immaculately. There are no flaws in it.

If you can pick one of these up I would reccomend. The only bass that surpassed this bass (after owning a musicman stringray, a Gibson eb bass, and a Warwick bass) was a 1972 American Jazz bass i owned.
this is a truly killer bass. the modern ones dont cut the mustard.

never needed them

i paid peanuts for this 20 years ago!!

have been told its worth a ??1000 now

It is Squier jazz bass Standard, wine red.
Bought it new in 2007, but last numbers of serial is 98. Made in Indonesia, agathis boody. But this wood is very soft so all of 10 pickguard screws were striped out. Easily repaired with toothpicks.

Got it with no accesories but that is local store problem.

I change factory string with Fender 7250s. On stick says it's 7250s already on, but you see difference imidiately. Sound is good but pickups are very low budget no-name.
I will replace the pickups with Duncan Vintage.

BE CAREFUL: the pickups are both the same NECK dimensions. Fenders have bridge pickup 3mm longer.

Set up was fine, but I prefer do it my self.
Like I said before, all pickguard screws were striped out and you must be very careful with other screws (tuners)-easy to damage.

Where the neck join the body I found little piece of sandpaper. It must be kind of a joke, because I read about sandpaper in Squiers before.
Maybe they are only get rid of the garbage on that way?

Have it less than a year. It' very light, hardware seems to OK. Strap buttons are solid.

One year warranty, but I repaired everything by my self.

I choose this copy because of Fender name on it (but heard that the name is only thing it has from Fender) and because it's beautiful.

If you want to own a decent Fender copy you must buy new strings and pickups (imidiately). The price of all together (guitar, strings, pickups) is than over 300 Eur.

Like the original Fender and I live a decent mid-range life but I will not buy Fender bass for 700 eur.

Squier Standard Jazz Bass in Candy Apple Red finish, rosewood fretboard. Made in Indonesia, 2006 I guess.
Features all the "normal" things you would find in a Jazz Bass: two pickups, 3-ply pickguard, 3 knobs (1 tone and 2 volume), open tuners.
Body and neck shape are almost exactly the same as the Fender Jazz Bass, however this one is more 70's style as you will see in the chromed knobs and the headstock.

Being a "Standard" (next step above the cheaper, very entry-level Affinity series), I didn't expect anything spectacular. The stock pickups look and sound too "normal". The sound is somehow low but of course a good amplifier or a processing software would improve it a lot. They don't sound bad at all, but of course if compared with any Fender, you will notice the difference.
Anyway, unless you only want it to play and practice at home, the next step is to replace them with better pickups (I will put some Fenders there).

Set-up was not good and the guy at the store adjusted it for better action. I've been playing it for 6 months now but suddenly I noticed that the neck was bent and the strings had gone "high" (it is summertime here so at first I will blame the heat and take it to the shop for maintenance).
So at least at the beginning it was very easy to play; the neck is very comfortable as with the Fender Jazz and while the fretboard is not perfectly manufactured, it is smooth and I did not notice any problem with frets or dead notes. The nut is a cheap piece of plastic and I will replace it, too.

To me, Squiers are basically TOOLS to learn, practice and start playing around. This Standard Jazz Bass is very solid and well balanced on a strap. The finish is very good and personally I like the candy apple red colour a lot, much more than the Fender chrome red.
The strap buttons are solid and with the proper adjustment you can depend on it. However, replacing the stock pickups and improving accesories is highly recommendable.

I've been playing bass for less than a year, however it is more natural to me than guitar playing, probably because I am a drummer.
First I was planning to buy a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass but they did not have it, so it was the only Squier at the store. Anyway, I bought it and definitely do not regret this. I've been trying to sell it but in the end I always forget about this. I will upgrade it and keep it instead.

Standard jazzbass configuration, passive, made in Korea, Serialnumber CN 6090475. Nice purple/blue colour! Overall not bad, okay. I purchased the bass in 1998

Sounds great, crystal clear. Sound when picking or fingerstyle play is good defined. Not a very good sound when slapping. But this can be my technique and/or adjustment of the neck/pickups.

Set up was okay. I screwed it up myself after buying it, but the musicstore adjusted it back.

The bass withstand heavy duty. Only thing I had to do is changing strings now and then, refit one volume know and refit the input jack. I can use this on a gig without backup. So solid, you can kill a polarbear with it.

No repairs necesarry yet. Store where I purchased it was very helpfull.

I play about 14 years. I love the bass for it's sound and looks. I have to get it adjusted though. There's one thing I dislike: the weight.... After an hour of playing, my back feels soar like having a hernia. If it would be stolen, I don't know about replacement.... I think it will be again a jazz bass, for it's sound. I also own a so called legend bass. A very cheap bass I bought in 1992. Has one feature better then the Squier: light weighted!! But for the squier: no regrets at all that I purchased it.

Korean Jazz Bass. Owned for about nine years. Has served me well.
Standard features. Pickups are ok. Tuners stay in tune. Tone control doesn't do much. Neck feels fantastic, very playable. Has silver squire decal.

I've gigged it and used it for recording. As with other cheaper instruments it makes you work harder to acheive the sound you're after. You have to put the hours in, but the right sound is there if you learn where to look.
For the money I think it holds it's own. Until I played higher end (& much more expensive) basses I was always happy with the way it sounded.

This Bass is very playable, though I don't think anyone should use this review as a basis for purchasing one without playing it first. I beleive there are some pretty awful squires out there. I just struck lucky with the neck I think. No two trees are the same and all that.
The black body finish has been treated to a myriad of inspired (and not so inspired) creative whims, the most damaging of which was dripping molten solder on it an industrial effect. It is now very rough indeed, and possible unsellable! But I like it's battlescars.

I drop my guitars frequently (I have never quite got the hang of standing guitars up against things without them falling over. Come to think, this bass' asymmetrical body shape does work against you here so it's not all my fault!).
My bass has withstood 9 years of abuse at my heavy hands and is still holding up well. The electrics are due a change though. The volume/ tone pots have come a bit loose and have always crackled.
The tuners are good - some of the 'flower shaped' tuners can come loose at the joint and start to rattle. These are still solid.

Purchased second hand

I don't think I could ever part with my Jazz Bass. I learned to play on it. It has influenced my playing style. I played my first gig with it. I've drunkenly fallen off a stage through a fire exit with it. I've even impressed the odd girl playing it ;)
Writing this review has been a bit of a revelation for me and brought back some fond memories. However, I think my attachment extends beyond sentiment.
For me this bass represents all that a good first instrument should be - playable, reliable, abusable, credible & affordable.
I could never buy another. I'm too old and would pick out the flaws. But young love is blind...

Squire Standard 4 string Jazz bass. Everthing on it works great except the strings, upgrade to Ernie Ball Slinkys. I might get a Badass Bridge in the future, but the standard bridge is fine. The antique burst is incredibly nice with a "coffee grind" pickguard. nothing come with it though, as far as cables or gig bags.

I play metal, and this bass rocks! I love the sound. I use a Peavy Max 115 on vintage and it sounds like a genuine fender.

The bass was set up pretty good, i would get the strings adjusted a little closer to the frets, but thats a preference. The finish and body is great looking, and the action is great too.

I play gigs with it and it's been fine to me. It is built like a fender.

havn't dealt with then because, its perfect for me.

I personally like the overall feel better than a fender, some may think im crazy but i love this bass. I started a few years ago with an epiphone eb-0 and i recommend to never get that bass unless you have short arms. I would say this and the olp musicman mm2 bass, are the best starter bass that you can get. I love this bass, i will still have it when im old and gray.

It's a Squier Jazz bass.

It sounds good as soon as you put on good strings. The pups aren't so great, but they work just fine. for the money, the sound is great.

This is where they save you money. Here goes: The truss rod was way too loose, the frets were poorly dressed, the intonation was wrong, the pups were too low, the jack was loose. The good news is that I know how to work on basses. The neck wouldn't go very straight, but I got it close enough, and I'm gonna rip off the frets in time, so I don't really care about them.

Now that I have set it up, it feels great, plenty sturdy. I glued in some Schaller strap locks, so they'll never come off. The pickguard warped, though, that's the only thing that I'm concerned about.

I like high end gear, but I also like to tinker with crap. That's why I bought this bass from a buddy of mine. It was way better than I expected. I'll gig with it if I ever need a 4 string. even at the new price of about 230 bucks, I'd be happy with the way this bass exceeded my expectations.

Bought new just a month ago (2006 Indonesian Standard) from Twelfth Fret in Toronto - Walnut Satin finish on an Agathis bodywood. I'd had my eye on this for a year now but the only store model had been sold as I went in to buy it! S/S pickups, (smoky?) black pickguard, 2 vol/1 tone, 4-saddle bent metal plate bridge, came fresh out the box with that new bass smell. The store threw in a gig bag, but I forgot the allen key and other goodies at the store (along with any remaining dignity)! Maybe they kept them.. Anyway, everything one would expect to get from a catalog-ordered instrument from Squier. My only beef would be the less-than-stellar intonation job out of the box.. yeesh - more on this later.

My style is just developing (spread across rock, latin, blues, funk, jazz), hence the cheaper bass. I've played $2500 basses that most naturally sound 'better', but keep in mind that 'better' is in the eye of the purchaser mainly :)

I've read here helpful reviews about the stock pickups and yes they sound nothing like Bartolini or Dimarzio, but then the price wouldn't be affordable for the likes of me. To me, they sound perfectly usable - tighter sound than a P, low end a bit loose but not unrecognizable, definitely keep your nails short with fingerstyle playing as the sound will annoy you! Surprisingly not 'brittle' sounding like the previous model I had played in-store. It is lighter than most Fender basses I've hefted so they must use brighter pickups to compensate for the darker body sound. I guess build quality is still a variable in the Squier Standards, albeit with less extremes.

Apologies for repetition: if you want a variety of sounds from this bass, you will get noise! Please expect this and consider it when looking at the stock pickups. Replacements are not that expensive and I am definitely going to throw in some Ultra Jazz's as I need the reduced noise floor for recording, and the variety of tones will be usable without the hiss. My rig is non-existant as I cannot afford a blingin' bass head with cab to knock down buildings with. My small home studio allows for a TubePre preamp into either my M-Audio 2496 card for recording, or alternately into my Hot Rod Deluxe for practicing (sounds nice through the tube amp - DI is always a bit sterile for my tastes).

With both pickups full on, you will get a nice growly tone that should do fine for stage, but in the studio you will probably want more versatility in sound at the cost of noise. Replacement pickups are everywhere and the static sound you get from rubbing the pickguard can be cured with a little shielding. Squier starts you off, ball's in your court to take the product somewhere special!

Action! A little low - I guess Squier wants you to feel like anything is possible by lowering the strings enough for you to widdle away your Jaco solos effortlessly. The E string buzzed ridiculous past the fifth fret upwards and in general, the strings had little rattlings scattered across the fretboard. Pickups were set so the bridge pickup was closer to the strings, I assume to get a louder, solo sound. The intonation was set so the bridge saddles were staggered evenly like a staircase, but this seemed more for looks as I cried at the first notes to come out of my bass. The strings wouldn't tune properly, headphone analysis revealed a bog monster howling away instead of my new bass. I sat down in front of my compy, looked up some intonation and action sites, and within minutes (with the aid of a universal allen key set), had achieved a state of order. There are no dead spots on the neck, no string rattles, the only thing that won't go away is a faint buzzing on the bridge somewheres.. the tuning pegs are actually doing their job! Live, no-one will notice you only paid Squier prices.

Again, one tiny fault. In the finish, small bubbles can be felt in a couple places around the body, but thankfully they are in hard to spot places so I can still show this puppy off to fellow dirt-poor musicians. You may not be so lucky if you order the bass blind from the catalog!

I can't say much here as I haven't gigged with it yet. I can only give educated guesses. So here goes! A friend of mine has a Squier P-Bass that has lost its Vol and Tone dials within weeks of purchase (new) and I have heard all sorts of tales of strap buttons losing their threading in the wood and coming off. If you're gonna drive your bass hard and treat it like a butcher tenderizes meat, get more reliable strap thingies. Otherwise, the stock ones should last you long enough to spend that money on candies for smiling babies.

Hope I don't have to deal with them ever! I left the papers and such at the store so I have no idea how long the warranty is.

I am mainly a guitarist who has come upon the need for bass to stop putting off recording projects for myself and clients simply cuz my friends with basses are unreachable that weekend. I own a Fender MIM Tele (sounds quite nice!), an almost two decades old Squier Strat that I practiced wiring and shielding on, and an Ibanez Performance acoustic that is soon to hit the curb. What a selection!

Before reasoning myself into buying this bass, I had considered Ernie Ball Musicman, Godin Highway basses, and at one point almost settled for a Yamaha! *shudder* I didn't have too much cash to spend, but knew that I would only get some reliability and quality by shelling out near my maximum ($350-400). This bass was just the perfect fit for my situation. I even think about the sound of Musicman, and while cool and very distinctive, I prefer something a little more conventional. Also, I have it in mind to upgrade the bass as time passes - new bridge, pickups (preferably noise-reducing/cancelling) and possibly a new pickguard (although this is purely cosmetic). To be frank, I also settled for the Squier Standard as some more expensive Fender basses didn't come in quite the colours I wanted.

If this were stolen, I would curse my bad luck. It seems to be a very usable bass with that nice growly Jazz Bass tone at a price most starving artists can afford. I have no backup and I will protect this instrument with my life.

It may seem weird that I give a higher rating overall than the sum of the sections, but I have to say despite the faults from factory, most were correctable and made me get to know my instrument better. With any luck, a Badass bridge with Ultra Jazz p/u's and I'll be on easy street. Hope you found this novel a good read!

Indonesia 2001. Antique sunburst. Standard Jazz Bass body. Passive electronics. I Had to change the potentiometers, because they were not the best quality, it gave humming, but now I changed them the sound is still impressive low-end and very tight high pitches. My style of playing is more funk and rock, it suits those very well!

Stage bass for sure!!!

Read the upper frame...

Finish is very good no problems with anything whatsoever.

Solid standard bass. I have used it on gigs without backups.

1 year

I highly recommend this Bass for every rock-funk-a-holic!

Made in Indonesia ,year 2001.
Features :classic jazz bass configuration.
Body:agathis
neck:maple with rosewood fingerboard.

I use this bass for a rock & roll and blues coverband.I run it through an Ampeg B248 combo and it generates an impressive low end.It would suit also reggea and funk ,very versatile.I use no effects.
The sound is classic jazz bass but the pickups sound too harsh in my opinion so I changed the neck pick-up for an artec jazz style pick-up and the sound improved to a mellow jazz sound.The stock pick ups are not bad but sound too agressive for my taste.Attention this does not mean that the stock pick-ups are crap.

I bought this bass second hand and the set up was horrible.The guy who I bought it from said he didn't play it for 3 years and I believed him ,the bass was practically brand new.Even the plastic was still on the pick-guard and he didn't touch the bass the moment it left the shop.
So I did the set up my self as with every bass that comes in my hands.
Finish is very good ,one tuning peg rattled but I fixed it in 5 minutes.
I changed the bridge for a 90 ties american standard bridge wich adds more sustain.Good wood and neck that competes with the quality of a mexican Fender.

This bass is well built regarding the wood and routing.If you consider the hardware ,it is not bad but I suggest to replace the hardware, at least the bridge,the tuners are OK.The electronics are good except for the pick-ups-character(too new sounding).Truss rod is stable.
I would use it on a gig but I always carry a back up.

Warranty:not available if you bought second hand.

I play 20 years now and I currently own a Aria SB , Vantage vs600b,Washburn precision clone,Aria cardinal bass, fenix jazz bass .I've owned and played Lag The beast,Fender precision 73,Fender jazz USA,Peavy dyna bass ,Ibanez roadstar.My main amp Is an Ampeg B248 and I play also vintage Simms & Watts Bass amp. I bought this bass for modding.I figured the quality of the wood was good and I needed a jazz bass and I was not willing to pay an arm and a leg for an american or a japanese fender.
So for the price I've payed , this is a bargain.
I'm now looking for a squier precision special I would like to buy.
I recommend the Squier standard Jazz bass because it has decent hard-ware and pick-ups and it is well built and cheap.The overall quality is decent.I've seen much worse than this.

-Made in: unknown - might be Indonesia?
-20 frets
-2 volume, 1 master tone knobs
-S/S passive pickup configuration
-Jazz bass body
-Standard bridge
-Standard tuners

This thing is great. I am a guitarist (12+ years) that wanted to start dabbling in bass and wanted a inexpensive but quality bass. I got it :) I am running through a Pod XTLive (guitar version) and it sounds great. Only had it a short time but so far it can be really customized to different musical styles. I really like this bass!

Right out of the box it tuned up within seconds and is perfect. The intonation was spot on, right away! Always a nice thing to have. No flaws yet from what I see. No scratches, dings, etc. :) This is always a worry with ordering online, but I am very impressed with the one I got!

It feels like it will really stay together and take a pounding. Reading through other reviews, it seems to be the consensus. The truss rod may need a very small turn, but that's really it :)

So far had not had to call Fender/Squier for anything

This bass is exactly what I was looking for. Sturdy, well-built, nice action, great electronics. Really I have no complaints at all about this bass! If it was stolen, I would rain down the vengeance reserved only for the worst kind of people. And yes, I would buy it again :)

Unknown year and place of manufacture. 4 strings. 20 frets. Active (1st generation classic) EMG J-bass pickups, stock bridge and tuners, maple neck, rosewood fretboard. Custom Satin Lavender finish. D'Addario XL-160 strings (for those killer piano-like harmonics). 2 volume knobs, 1 Tone knob.

This bass can put out any sound you want. I have played it through a Peavey TKO-65, reloaded with a Scorpion plus speaker since day one. My rig uses this amp to feed a 100 watt Traynor head that feeds into a Peavey 215 cab (also reloaded with Scorpions). A DOD D-I box sends my pre-amp out signal to the board. ALl my effects are Boss/Roland products. The bass will sing it's classic sound all the way through this mess without hesitation. It sounds as good with the EMG pickups as a Jazz Bass that costs 3 or 4 times more. I have used it to great effect in both live and studio situations and have never been let down. I've even used an E-Bow on this bass.

I usually play more like a guitarist (using a pick) than a bassist so the action was a little high for my taste when I bought it, but after a few string changes and a free set-up by Jack Schwartz (a free string change and set-up clinic was held by a local retailer, and Fender's Custom Shop sent out the big guns for the event! Wow!), I learned how to get a killer low action that still left room for some close to the neck finger style playing. After hundreds of gigs the original finish is long gone, as I have repainted it about 4 times to suit my own taste. Right now, it's a satin finish lavender, with stickers that say "Glow In The Dark" over the Squire logo and 12th fret marker, and has no pickguard. Eventually I'll just go buy a new Blue Agave finished bass. But will it hold up as good as this one? Time will tell...

I've played this bass as my primary instrument for over 15 years now. I hope if I ever have to replace it, that the next one will last this long, and give as much in return.

This bass was set-up by Jack Schwartz at a free seminar many years ago. He was incredibly helpful, since he asked everyone what style they played, and set up each guitar to order. He also didn't mind me being on the front row watching everything he did and asking a thousand questions. Other than that, I've had little contact with and zero problems with Fender.

I've been playing for almost 20 years. I've owned a G&L (great guitar, but not a Jazz Bass), a piece of crap Kramer, an American Standard Jazz fretless, and a homemade fretless with a Ric style flat neck and P-Bass body. This is the only bass to make the cut! I've recorded 2 albums with it and played tons of gigs with no backup, and she still sings like the day I bought it. The best budget-minded gear investment I've ever made. The only thing missing is a Hipshot D-Tuner, Infinite guitar sustainer, MIDI hex pickup and a whammy-bar! :)

As near as I can figure, this was made in '83-'84. It has an SQ serial #, and says Made In Japan on the headstock. It's black w/ a aged white pickguard and a nicely yellowed maple neck, which has a rosewood fingerboard, a smaller headstock, and no skunk stripe on the back.
20 frets, still in good shape. This is a sweet neck.
Body weight and tone seems like alder.

It was pretty gunked-up when I got it, but it cleaned up really well.
Plenty of nicks, scuffs, and scars, but it still looks great from about 5 feet away.
It's a Jazz bass, and is exactly what you'd expect.

This thing has tone to die for, buttery smooth to insistent growl. Punchy, deep, and loud. These pickups are really hot. I think they are the originals, and they sound just terrific.
Every bit the equal of any current standard Jazz bass, and right on par with several '60's and '70's Fenders I have played.
Just awesome. If you know that Jazz-bass sound, this bass nails it.
I have been running it straight, no effects, and it has everything a good Jazz bass should.
I am playing with a 3 piece rock band at the moment, but could easily see/hear playing this bass in a wide variety of settings.

Mostly N/A, as I got the bass used. However, the mfg. quality and materials seem first-rate, the pick-ups are well-voiced and sound like a Jazz bass. All parts are typical Fender design and build quality, and show some pitting/tarnishing, as you'd expect on a 20+ year old bass. The neck wood has a nice straight grain and a really comfy shape. The rosewood fingerboard is really dark, with a deep, rich, fluid grain.

It feels like a tank. Much heavier than my 1985 5 string Ibanez. I don't imagine it'll fall apart any time soon. I would not hesitate to play it live or in studio.

Fender has generally been good on other issues I have addresed to them. The warranty on this is long-dead, but it's all still fixable if need be.

I have been playing bass for over 10 years.
I own a five string fretted Ibanez Roadstar II and a 5 string fretless Ibanez Roadstar II, both from the mid-80's.
My main rig is a SWR Grand Prix preamp with a Peavey DPC750 power amp, through an Avatar SB112. I also have an Acoustic 370 head that runs through an EV 1x15 cab, and a Behringer head I use for rehearsals. I play rock, funk, and other.

This is the Jazz bass I have always wanted but couldn't afford, lots of vintage mojo and tone. I would look for another JV or SQ series Squire if something happened to this one.

I have a Japanese made Squire Jazz Bass, made in 1982 and is a replica of the 1962 Fender Jazz. It has all the standard features of a J.B., nothing fancy, just down to earth and fairly basic. But the sound is phenomenal, very gritty at one end of the scale and lovely and smooth at the other. It sounds very true to old Fender J.B.s.
When I bought it, it had been used at a music school in Bangkok and hadn't really been looked after, it has a few nasty chips out of the finish on the top and bottom edges, but otherwise, looks beautiful - three tone sunburst, very glossy and smooth with a slight fading due to its age. It has an ultra thin neck, which seems very stable - no warping or need to make any adjustments so far. I prefer a very low action as I play a lot of soloes in my musical project and I get no fret buzz at all, it is basically touch sensitive and very smooth.
As I bought it second hand, it came without any tools or even a gig bag, but I have enough stuff from my other basses and I bought a decent fight bag from Fender.

This bass has a phenomenal sound. It captures what I understand to be the classic J.B. tones of sixties models. It has a lot of variation between the pickups and also when combined, a smooth transition in volume and the tone control really works well.
I play a lot of melodic soloes with my musical project which can be described as New Age Jazz and Funk and it handles everything I expect of it. I can get a crisp, gutteral tone for the funk parts of my music and also a rich, bassy tone whenever it is required. I also have a sideline heavy rock band and it really cuts through with that. With the treble pick up on full and finger plucking near the bridge it has a very Jaco-type sound, while with the tone control turned up, it gives a nice Marcus Miller effect. I don't exactly play their styles of music, but I suppose if you did, it would be possible to emulate their impressive tones. Played with the treble turned to a quarter and the bass on full, it gives me enough punch to cut through very effectively. I also imagine it would work well in a reggae type band as it has a very full deep sound with the bass pick up on full, treble and tone control turned down. In this setting, the tone is not at all muddy, rich and thick with just a hint of bite, depending on how it is played.
I haven't used it live as I am concentrating on recording at the moment, but I would have no hesitation playing it on stage. I imagine it would get a lot of complements for the sound and appearance. It is very good with recording though and overall, I am very pleased with it.

As I bought this bass only recently, I cannot comment on the factory set up. Someone had messed around with it and I had to do a set up myself. The action is very low and it plays very well, I certainly do not have to apply much pressure to the strings. Despite the low action, I get absolutely no fret buzz, due to the completely straight neck. The finish, although a bit chipped in places is very nice, but the machine heads are a bit tarnished given that it is over 20 years old.

Overall, this is a very good bass, seems solid enough and I imagine that it would work very well on stage. I use it a lot at home and treat it like my baby, so it is well looked after. When I bought it, it had a couple of very nasty chips in the finish on the top and bottom edges, but fortunately, these are out of view. Other than those, the finish is great, a beautiful, slightly faded three-tone sunburst. Strap buttons are standard and when I get out and use it live, I will consider replacing them with locks. As far as the truss rod and neck are concerned, I have had no problems so far with them and haven't had to make any adjustments. I would not consider using it without a back-up, it is always good to have a spare in case of broken strings or if different sounds are required. I use a newish Fender Jazz Bass, 2003 and an early nineties fretless active Jazz, both MIA, which have different tones to this Squier, so when I do play with my main project, I will have these with me as well. Although I have three J.B.s they all have individual character. I bought them after trying them out and I was satisfied that they give me the range of sound that I prefer.

I have never dealt with either Squier or Fender so I cannot comment on this. There is a Fender dealer here in Bangkok and I have heard a few dodgy things about them, but otherwise no comment.

I have been playing for almost 30 years and have owned many different basses, styles ranging from punk, heavy rock, jazz and blues. Currently, I own three J.B.s and one Cort bass, which I play through a Fender Champ at home. In my years of bass playing, I have owned Ibanez, Aria and other Fenders and this is easily one of my all time favourites. I record with some chorus and flange effects, but add other sounds after, as required. If it were stolen, I would be very upset, but would immediatly search everywhere for another Squire of this age and origin. I wouldn't bother with a new Squier as I reckon that they are in a completely different quality bracket. I compared it with several other basses and to my mind, for what I paid for it, I got a fantastic deal. It is a great bass overall, the neck is absolutely wonderful as is the sound and feel.
I guess I would prefer to have a Fender logo on the headstock, being a bit of a snob for such details, but in my opinion it is as good if not better than any older Jazz Basses I have tried or owned.
As with other reviewers of this particular model, I am totally in love with it and would never consider selling it. If you ever see one of the JV Japanese Squiers from the early to mid eighties, I would strongly recommend snapping it up straight away. I have only seen one other JV model here in Bangkok and that was a shop display and not for sale unfortunately.

Mexican four-string Squier Jazz, bought new in 1998. This is a pretty standard bass, not a lot of special features, however I added a thumbrest and a Hipshot D-tuner. Two stock single-coil pickups, Alder body wih sunburst finish, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, 20 frets, stock bridge, etc, you know the drill. Nothing special, but everything you need to play bass is here.

The sound out of this thing is amazing for a $400 Squier bass! Who would've thought? I've been playing for 8 years, this was my first bass, and now I'm playing professionally in a lot of rock, jazz combo, big band, funk, and fusion groups - this bass sounds great in all of them. I get some people saying "Dude, why are you only playing a Squier? Get a Fender!!" while others say "Man, that is the nicest sounding Squier I've ever heard."
It sounds exactly how a jazz bass should. Fat, trebly bridge, warm, bassy neck. And everything in between. Although, there's the noise. That's probably the only drawback. Unfortunately, it's not just the hum that comes from soloing one of the pickups, but even with both pickups full-on, there's still lots of hum. Which is a pain to say the least, because it tends to peeve off a lot of soundguys and myself. I've played through a variety of amps, including Peavey, Hartke, Eden, and Kustom, and this bass hums through all of them.

I honestly don't remember what the action was like when I bought the bass, I was 13 years old. I don't even think I knew what action was. But nowadays I play with a medium setup. As a budding bassist, I've been through all of the stages - extra high action for digging in and playing great rock, and extra low for lots of slap fun. And this bass let me do all of it. Frets are nicely dressed, bridge is ok, pickups are adjustable, everything is basically fine. However, after a few years or so of playing, I noticed a small crack in the headstock just under where the E-string tuner is. It's coming from the tuner, that's for sure, and for a while it was getting bigger, but now I think it's stopped cracking. I take good care of this bass, so it was probably a manufacturing defect. I eventually replaced that said tuner with a Hipshot D-Tuner, and there are no problems.
The finish on this thing is beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. I lucked in with a really nice grain underneath the sunburst finish. The pickguard is weird though; for a year or two in the 90's they made Squier basses with a 100% plastic pickguard - no chrome control plate. This is very unique, because even Jazz copies have that control plate.

This bass is solid. Aside from the aforementioned headstock crack, it's never let me down. I take as good care of it as I can, but it's been knocked from its stand onto the stage a couple of dozen times; it's been dropped while in its gig bag; it's been dropped almmost directly to the floor; and its been sat on. It hasn't even gone out of tune. The thick finish that's on it seems unbreakable as well.
Hardware is ok, I mean, it's stock hardware. If you luck into a good-sounding Squier like this, and plan on keeping it, get some better tuners (maybe Gotoh or something lightweight) and maybe a better bridge. Straplocks would help also.
"Would you use it on a gig without a backup?"
I always have. Never let me down.

This was my first bass, I've been playing professionally on it for years. The only drawbacks are the pickups, which can be excessively noisy. Get some noiseless pickups for it if you want, but that's about it. This is a very solid, well-contructed instrument.
I think I'm finally going to upgrade after all these years, to a Mexican deluxe Active Jazz, with Noiseless pickups and an active preamp.

I think this is made in China with the standard Jazz features. This one I have is a bit special, as it is one of the only one's I've seen in Candy Apple Red here!

This thing looks lovely!

I do the slap, jazz, pop thing, so I find this suitable and very punchy. I did try amerian made, mexico made, and also indonesian made. The thing is to play the big brother, then test several out until you find the "one". Pickups must be full open for it to sing, else you get noise among other sounds.

Factory setup is ok, action was a little on the high side. Pickups adjusted ok.
I do belive I have a case where just one fret is higher than the others, creating buzzing near that location. Will take it for a file down, and all will be good!

I think this will go just great live.
There was no case with this.
Finish is good, stap buttons are solid.
I can depend on this, and would not need a backup.

I have not needed to go back on this.

I've been playing for over 15 years with a Yamaha BBG5A, MusicMan Stingray, and this along with a Ibanez Soundwave 65. Mostly studio type work with my MIDI setup. If it were stolen, I would get another. Love: Tone and feel, Hate: one fret higher than the rest (QC). Compared to my other basses, it's good and has it's place....i'm loving it!
Maybe could use active setup (thinking of sadowski setup to mimic the marcus miller jazz).

Note: I accidentally posted this review with the Mexican Standard Jazz basses. I have copied the material into the appropriate category.

2004/2005 Standard Jazz Bass, agathis/alder wood body (looks liek a three piece body and I'm thinking alder is used in the center, agathis on left and right, but I am not sure), rosewood fingerboard, one-piece maple neck, 20 frets, neck and bridge jazz pickups, two volume / one tone control (with nice Jaco style metal knurled knobs), antique sunburst, tortise shell pickguard, clover-leaf tuners. Looks like a 62 Fender Jazz Bass

For the $200 I paid, it is incredible; even if I paid more, it is incredible. All I wanted was something that would give me the solo bridge jazz sound, and I got it with this bass. I recently tried a American Standard ($939 at Guitar Center) and a Geddy Lee Jazz ($599 at Guitar Center) and this one is so close to those that I just could not see spending more money (Yesm the American did sound better than both of the others, but not $739 worth of better). If I replace the pick-up with an American Standard or 60s reissue, I could have the best of both worlds. But here is what really sold me -- the sound played accoustically (no amp)--this bass resonates better than the American or Japanese Fenders I tired, at least to my subjective ears. Even the volume and tone controls are much better than the usually on/off pots you get with the Made in Mexico standards (which are, in my opinion, the worst of the Fender instruments). Yes, the sound is all there.

Just got it, but the finish is beautiful, although I wish they had a three-color sunburst in stock, as I like that better than the reddish/black antique burst. The action, which was set up by the pros at Elderly instruments before it went out on display, was pretty good, so I can't say what it was like out of the box. I tweaked the neck a bit and lowered the saddles and while I have a litle rattle, it does not show up when amplified and plays extremely great. Even can get a good slap sound out of it. The best news was that the frets seemed to be really well filed on the edges of the fingerboard, something I never see at this price point. Frets seem level, as well. The only problem is the finish is flaking away or was just not applied by the bridge pickup (small amount missing, no bid deal) and I am surprised that the neck pickup route is a big rectangle, not form-fitted to the pickup as with the bridge. I realize it is not exposed, but if you want to pull the pickguard off and play it like Jaco, it'll look a little weird. Overall, very happy with this -- even the tuners seem good, better than the ones on the Made in Mexico Jazz I used to own.

Seems really tough, but I cannot say on this as I have only had it a few days. From the solid feel I get, however, I assume it is excellent in this regard.

Have not had to deal with this, but buying through Elderly instruments in Lansing, MI is always a pleasure. These guys stand behind their products and I have no worries whatever with their warranty service.

Up until a few days ago, I never even considfered a Squire. I just would not be seen in public with that name on my bass. Now I have totally changed my mind. Now I'm thinking why pay for a Fender when you can get this quality with their supposedly lower end line -- this kind of fit and finish on a $200 bass -- unheard of. I bought this with the idea of getting the neck epoxy coated and switching out the bridge pickup, but I like it so much I may leave this one as it is and get another to fiddle with that way. At these prices, I could have a fretted and fretless Jazz bass for $400 plus the cost of the epoxy job. I have owned a couple of MIM Jazz basses and I have to say I have always been disappointed with them. They feel heavier than American and Japanese versions, and their boards just never feel right. I can always tell the difference. But here's the thing with the Squire -- I think it mimicks the real Jazz basses much better than the Mexcian versions, and I think the electronics are way better than the Mexican counterparts. In short, I am sold on these basses, and for those who think the only good Squires came out of Japan in the 80s, take a look at the ones they are making today. Great product, great price, great look, and great sound.

SQUIRE STANDARD JAZZ BASS. 2 JAZZ PICK UPS. VOLUME, VOLUME, TONE . MINE IS A 2003. BODY IM NOT SURE BUT NECK IS MAPLE WITH A VERY NICE ROSEWOOD BOARD. LOOKS ALMOST LIKE EBONY(I KNOW ITS NOT). PRETTY STRAIGHT AHEAD JAZZ BASS.

STOCK THE SOUND IS GOOD BUT ALOT OF THE COST CUTTING ON THESE IS IN THE PICKUPS. I REPLACED MINE WITH A SET OF VINTAGE DIMARZZIO ULTRA JAZZ PICK UPS. NOW IT SOUNDS AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER THEN MY AMERICAN JAZZ BASS. I PLAY THROUGH A VINTAGE YAMAHA B100 AND AN SWR 410 CAB. SOUNDS AWESOME.THE STOCK PICK UPS WERENT NOISY OR ANYTHING. JUST LACKED OUTPUT. JUST A NOTE TO ANYONE PLANNING ON REPLACING THERE PICKUPS. THESE ARE ROUTED FOR TWO NECK PICK UPS. THE NECK PICK UP IS STANDARD SIZE BUT THE BRIDGE PICK UP IS THE SAME SIZE . SO WHEN YOU GET PICK UPS YOU ACTUALLY NEED TWO NECK PICKUPS. EVEN THEN YOU GOT TO HIT THE MOUNTING HOLE OUTLINES WITH A DREMMEL.

MINE WAS SET UP VERY WELL. I LIKE MY ACTION JUST A TOUCH HIGH AND ACTUALLY HAD TO RAISE IT A BIT. PICKUPS WERE A LITTLE LOW. NO FLAWS TO SPEAK OF. VERY NICE OVERALL.

I USE MINE FOR ALL MY PRACTICING AND GIGGING AND IT HAS NEVER LET ME DOWN. HARDWARE IS OK BUILT TO A BUDGET I REPLACED THE BRIDGE WITH AN OLDER ESP BRIDGE. A VERY GOOD ALTERNATIVE TO A BAD ASS BRIDGE. GOT MINE ON EBAY FOR 5.00 SEEMS VERY WELL BUILT. I NEVER GIG WITHOUT A BACKUP.

I OWN ABOUT 15 GUITARS AND BASSES HALF BEING FENDER AND KNOCK ON WOOD IVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH A SINGLE ONE. SO I CANT SAY.

I RATE IT A 9. FOR THE MONEY YOU JUST CANNOT GO WRONG. IVE GOT MANY OTHER BASSES, SOME COSTING SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THIS GETS PLAYED THE MOST. I JUST LOVE THE FEEL OF THE NECK. ID DEFINETLY REPLACE IT IF IT WERE STOLEN.

It was made in indonesia 2004, standard Jazz bass 2 volume master tone, medium jumo frets, passive pickups, alder/agathis body. Whats to say its standard stuff!

I play everything from 50's to 90's and just about every style blues, easy rock, heavy metal/death metal, punk etc...etc.. I got the bass just because of the versitility, you can get alot more tones out of two pickups. Its has a nice bright sound to it, my jazz bass has no noise even cranked (I got a good one).

CRAP to say the least, the action was to high for my liking, it needed to be set up, truss rod ajustment, and intontion was off ALOT.

the pickups were not adjusted properly (they were too low)

the tuning pegs are horrible, after a few uses they started to make grinding noises, so I just hit them with some white lithium grease and that solved the problem.

overall construction is good, nice wood, no finish flaws, I opened it up and electrical looked good (not sloppy).

yes it will stand up to live plying. hardware though you will probably have to replace some time in the future, the finish is good and looks like it will stand up, Ive dropped it a couple times, hit it going through a door way, hit the headstock HARD on a table by accident, but the paint hasn't chipped or anything. strap buttons are good, really solid.

Never had to contact them.

Overall I think its a great bass, good for almost any style of music, sounds great. My previous bass (still have it) is a 1960's Burns Vibra I would go so far as to saying the squier is better, but it is newer. I ve been playing long enough now, and I just needed a bass bascially a back up and instead of a back up I got a pretty decent bass for the money. this squier Jazz is mnore of a beginner bass, and I would strongly suggest that you go through everyone in the store becasue they have varying quality, I on the other hand got a pretty good.If it were lost or stolen I would not buy it again I would get something better like a real Fender not MIM (because those are garbage too).

2004 Indonesian made Squier Jazzbass. 20 frets 4 string. Standard Jazzbass passive pickups and control layout. Nice bodywood (satined ina walnut colour), could be alder, maple neck and rosewood fretboard.Everything is fine, except for the pots which I'll tell about later.

It sounds like a Jazzbass (compared it to several Fender JB's in the shop). I also tried the cheaper Affinity series, but this sounds quite a bit better. The pots on mine work but have a very limited range, it doesnt go on/off though, but the range where the pot actually works is like I said limited. I tried 5 of them and chose this one because the neck was definitly the best of the bunch. Pots are easily replaced, a neck is not ;-) Truth to be told, my example was the only one where the pots didnt work all that nice.

Out of the box the setup was horrid. The action was way too high and it had an enourmous amount of relief. I straightened out the neck using the supplied allen key, dropped the action (allen key supplied) and it is great now. I do prefer a low action (Im a guitarist, not a bassplayer) and it's very low now without rattling (too much ;-))
The pots are not the best, they work but have a limited working range so Im going to replace them. Other than that the hardware is great. It does stay in tune, so the pegs work.

Very solid built. Hardware is plain and simple like any Jazzbass, and it will stand the test of time.I set the neck once to take out the silly amount of relief the factory dialed in and havent touched it since. Would I do a gig with out without a backup, yeah sure, it is solid.

Dont know, I bought it at a musicshop in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and they have good service. Like said before, I had them open 5 boxes to choose mine :-)

I have been playing for years, mostly guitar. I needed a bass for recording. I use a '95 japanese Fender 60s Strat, a custombuilt Pierre Fillet Telecaster, a '04 Ibanez RG1570 and this Jazzbass.
I own quite a bit of amplification and recording equipment, too much to list. I record both ways, direct (DI or through a Behringer V-amp) and miked up cab.

If it was stolen or lost it would get replaced. It is a comfortable bass to play and it is very affordable.

I really like this Jazzbass. It looks extremely nice in a walnut finish and it plays sweetly after adjusting the neckrelief and action. I am not too bothered with the limited range pots but I will replace them, I mostly do recordings with it, so I have time to fiddle. If it was a stage bass, the pots would have beenb replaced already.

When buying I tried quite a few "budget" range basses and it came to choose between this one and an OLP Musicman. The last one played like a dream but the single bridge pickup doesnt suit my playing style. I am a guitarist and I do depend on using plectra a lot. The OLP sounded way too harsh for that. On top of that the Jazzbass is cheaper than the OLP, lucky me. Would I have been a finger-player I might have picked the OLP though. Very solid built, like this one, and the setup was great whereas on this JB I had to fix it.

But then again, what do you expect. Factories dont know what kind of setup people like :-) And any good musicstore will set it up to your liking. I do feel that Squier scares customers away be doing those silly hich action and big relief setups though. All 5 of the JB's I had them take out of the box had similar setups.

2004 squier jazz made in korea 20 frets standered jazz controls 2 volume (neck&bridge)and a tone passive stock squier jazz pickups standered fender tuners

i play punk slow acustic type songs metal and a little ska it puts out what i would expect bright punchy with pick a little twangy but alright

from factory the actions comfertable a little high but i got used to it in about in hour the pickups arnt lined up with the strings properly but dosnt affect the sound to much veary good finish no flaws or anything of that sort

the bass handles and feels veary well while playing live and in the practice space the hardware seems to be sterty enough to last a good number of years before needing replacment the strap buttons are solid but i got staplocks just in case its a dependable bass but i would still bring a back up on stage after all its still a squier

n/a

ive been playing about 8 years i own no other basses do to money troubles if i went back id probly save up the extra $200 to get a fender jazz

All Standard features. Made in Korea.

This has the most average sound in the world, it does it's job, but is nothing special in my opinion, still, having owned a P-Bass special its sound is superior, yet it obviously gets beaten by the Fender model.

THe paint was very poor, i have had it for just over a month and it already has 2 large scrathes on the back, as well as one or two imperfections in the wood.

apart from the paint problems and slight imperfections in the body, the hardware is solid and im comfortable using it live.

never had to deal with them.

Overall, its not an amazing guitar, but it does what it says on the tin, it was cheap but more than out does its dues. Despite its flaws, and tbh if i cared enough about them i would buy a new one ( :) ), its a good solid guitar and suits my basic needs perfectly.

2003 indonesian made Squier Jazz Bass Standard Series
20 Freets
Solid Alder, not poplar
standard V/V/T config
Maple Neck Rosewood Fretboard
Vintage style Tuners
Came with two allen keys(Trus rod, saddles)

Not a ten, as it is a standard jazz bass, but what more do you want?

Lound enough to play unplugged(surpisingly) sounds goud pluged in. Has the classic j sound, yet a bit noisy when only one pickup on. better than a standard p bass. you can make it sound low or high when you want. nice but no wear near the sound of a american fender

Good set up but some buzzez, a twist of the supplied allen key took care of that(shock!) cant expect the factory to know what i like now can i?
Lovely slim j bass neck, beautiful sunbust finish(20 dolars more expensive)
there was a small indent in the freetboard like sometihng bumped it. it's hard to see and has no effect on playability.
looks like a million bucks!
frets nice and polished, nut good,

amazingly it was in tune right out of the box!

looks prety dourable, though i expect the paint wont last my wear and tear. strap buttons are solid, but i will get strap locks.
though it is a squier i think it will hold up. havnet had to adjust the trus rod, but as winter sets in i will have to. id have to use it in a gig with out a back up as i have no other bass! but you know even bass strings can break, or maby it will die suddenly as i walk onto the stage. you never know! OVer all it's good, but again it's no american fender deluxe

never tried to deal with them, but i hear they can be reasonable in help.

If it were lost or stolen i would upgrade to a MIM Jazz
IF your considering a bass buy this over a the p or p special as this sounds better. if your experienced buy sometihng of higher quality

Squier 2003 Sunburst Jazz Bass. Don't really know where it was made, never looked it up, maybe Japan, Korea? Standard number of frets. Two volume, one for each pickup, and one tone. standard j-bass config. Standard Squier pickups. Passive. Not sure on the woods. Rosewood fingerboard. The body style is a Jazz bass, obviously. The Bridge style is string-through-bridge. No included accessories. Did buy a gig bag for it. doesn't fit too well although.

Music style is everything from Jazz to Nirvana, basically everything but country. I'm using a little drive practice amp until i upgrade and have some money. It's noisy, even acoustically. I usually change my settings and tunings all the time. Maybe the neck pickups off, tone all the way up for a punchy sound. The dislikes i have is that the pickup, where i usually rest my thumb, has a tendancy to like have a small sliver of plastic on the edge stick out.

The action was already set up by the store, and was low and good. The pickups were set at an odd angle, only on the bridge pickup though. All else, nice. Every part on it was ship shape and i made sure it was before i bought it.

This bass will withstand live playing, i hit a wall with the headstock and took the paint off of the wall and nothing off of the bass, no marks, anything. So it probably will. The hardware will last, but I'm thinking of replacing it with some J-bass reissue pickups sometime anyway. The strap buttons are pretty solid, but my favorite strap has a tendancy to come off of the basses i use anyway, so i can't really judge. I can depend on it, but haven't had anything adjusted just yet. I would use it on a gig without a backup, since this is my only bass at the moment :)

Haven't dealt with them, but with the plethora of information i've found on fender sanctioned websites i'm sure they'll be helpful.

i've been playing for one year, starting with a karera bass which i still love for its weight and far-out metallic sound. If it was stolen, watch out. I'll paralyze a person for this back, since it was my first 'real' bass. I'll smack em with my other bass. It has a sharp neck. the edges are quite odd, so i'll probably replace it soon.

My Jazz is a 1982 JV series Squier (62 re-issue).

I played Fender Precisions for 17 years, and also owned a Japanese Fender Jazz for a few years. I found my bass in a local free ad's paper for #85! as soon as I saw the JV serial numberI knew I was onto a good one, so didn't haggle!

It was as it had left the factory, white with a tortie scratchplate, and rosewood fingerboard, but had very little output. I took it to bits and discovered it had been rewired incorrectly. After rewiring it, I took it to a gig, loved the sound and have used it as my main bass since.

Being a 1962 re-issue and two volume pots and one tone. the bass has reverse tuners, threaded bridge rollers.

For most styles of music it has THE sound, bright, punchy with plenty lows. Sounds great in the studio or live. For live work I use a Trace Elliot 300 watt 1x15 combo with a custom made 1x15 extension cabinet. I can get pretty much any sound I want with this set up, but for rock gigs, I still use a Precision for that wall of sound bass without the Jazzes subtlties.

10 out of 10

As mentioned, the electrics neede done, but other than that, new strings, and bang one great Jazz bass!

These basses were great when new, and only improve with age.

No problems, easily don a couple of hundred gigs since I got it and can't fault it.

Not applicable

As you may have guessed, I love this bass to bits. Since buying it I sold my Fender Precision 57 re-issue, It just wasn't getting used anymore. I've played Fenders of all vintages both J and P type, and this is up with the best of them. A vintage quality bass at a bargain price.
Not long after buying it , I tried it back to back with a brand new USA Jazz, costing around #1100, and the Squier was a far better bass on all counts, I'm very much a Fender man, but the new stuff ain't a patch on the old. Why spend all that money on a new bass when you could get an early 70's (four bolt, don't like the 3 bolt one's myself) bass for the same money?

Would I buy another? what do you think!

One word of caution on this note though, JV series Squiers are becoming harder to track down, I know of a few late 50's early 60's Fenders that are actually JV's re-badged. Be aware, check out Ed Romans site for info on this. It does happen, and shows how good these instruments are.

If you find one at the right price GO FOR IT!

ca. 2001-02 squier jazz bass sunburst finish. identical setup to fender jazz. satin finish neck. body supposedly adler... came w/ aftermarket hardshell case (nicer than bass. slightly lighter than u.s. version. orignal neck/bridge setup lousy but easily improved.

The jazz bass is supposed to be less bombastic than the "p" and will disappoint rap metal fans; but it can be a very rich sounding so long as you can give up some of the throb of a p bass. I like it but it's an aquired taste.

Playing it through a crate 100w amp w/ 15in and horn and 2 12 outboard cab w/ rackmount eq/comp/dly

a first rate second rate bass. hardware and frets fine, pu's are not going to rattle the foundation but it has nice definition and a useable palette of tones.

light body (good) satin finish neck (bad) but no worse than the new us stuff. on its own merits, its fine, for the money its great

built like a brick. no, really. bridge is "vintage style" (read:junk)
but other than that all is well. spend some of the cash you saved on decent strings.

If you call Fender, tell them this is your 15th insturment purchase this year or they will laugh and hang up. If you can convince them you're rich they can be swell.

for the money, amazing.

Stock Squier Jazz, Black
Nothing new here.

Pretty normal features.

I play many genre's and with many groups. I've played it through a SWR Workingman 15" and a Behringer 12". While it doesn't sound half as good as a real Fender Jazz, for a bass the sound is acceptable. It has a very flat sound, kindof like sending it first through a cheap microphone.

Finish is great, the action had to be adjusted (naturally) from the factory (and those terrible factory strings replaced). Some sloppy work on the neck (two or three little bits of glue and a few frets not completely sanded down). The pickups were adjusted well.

I've played two of these: a late 80's and an almost new 2002. They seem to last alright. The finish is very nice. The tuners are of questionable quality.. but the instrument stays in tune very well.

Never dealt with Fender/Squier.

I bought this guitar after playing the School's model. I am not a bassist, but i needed something that would be cheap and get the job done. I use both squiers in a pit orchestra for a musical. Through the SWR Workingman 15" it does an admirable job keeping up with the other 20 or so musicians. The older (late 80's model) is a little nicer than the new one. The neck seems of better quality and it certainly sounds better. I'd never gig with this where it could be seen though.. a squier just isn't cool.

1997 or so, made in Korea.
2 jb pick ups. Passive electronics. The regular JB configuration.

I play funk, nu metal. The sound is bad. Lows are just not there, highs are not clear at all. The mids are bad and you can't control them. It sounds as bad as korean lousy bass can sound. Very noisy, especially if you turn one of the pick ups off. Somewhere about 10 fret it's sound reminds the real JB, but thats it. Slap sounds bad. I mean if you want all the flyes to dye in your room, then slap it, but this is the only reason to do it. Be carefull, don't slap it while humans around!

Frets are terrible. G-string always being caught by a fret.
While I got it, the action was terrible, it deffinetly needed a setup.

Live playing? Not an option. It sounds too bad even if you plug it into a million dollar equipment.
The buttons are OK, they turn. Finish will last I think. I don't think I'll stay around to see it.
Would I depend on this guitar? Sure, if I'll get into a fight, using this bass will be even better then using "the force". Too bad Luke didn't have one...

Never had to deal with them. Lets give them 10 for that.

I played it for 3 years. Don't buy it. There are better korean/chineese basses. If it gets stolen, then your thief didn't read this review. Stick it to your guitar, and it's safe!
Now I'm a proud owner of Warwick Streamer Std. I know now what good bass is. And also I know now how bad Squier JB is. Overall - its a piece of crap. Even those little words "by fender" cant't make it sound alright.

i just got a japanese made squier J-bass from a junk shop in japan for 25 quid and it has been dated to 1984 serial number starts with an E. basically it is a fender J-bass so same layout etc

im a reggae/ska man and you need a J-bass for this stuff, i have had a few fenders mainly around the same age as this and to be honest this guitar wipes the floor with them. pre CBS fenders were great but ide rather buy a car for the same money, as for newer fenders i wouldnt spit on them. this sounds amazing.

dont think anyone has touched this axe for years but it has been kept in a case and is in beautiful condition, lucky me, what a find. everything is shiney and new looking, i took the scratchplate off cos i like the look without it. poser i know. plays like a dream

it is 18 years old and looks better than i do so it must be good for another 18

never use it

i been playing 25 years with many faces and i have too many guitars to list here mainly japanese classics ex- tokai les paul reborn goldtop - yamaha SG1 - gibson LP recording 1971 - etc. and this will be my favorite bass i can tell already, i have a fernandes X-Japan bass and also 2 greco P-basses. it wont get stolen cos i look after my gear but if it did the gun will come out and he/she will have to die, simple. if you are looking at any new guitar remember this old saying... they dont make them like they used to. it is so true. if you find a 1980's squier jump on it, new fenders suck, even the yank ones trust me i have had them and sold them within 6 months, even the new mex/korean squiers are crap and cheeply made, there just isnt the wood around these days.anything before 1985 or around is usually worth trying out, another good japanese J-bass is the Tokai, make sure it is an oldie you will not be sorry you brought it. cheers for reading and enjoy playing music we are all musicians and in the days of old musicians shared court with kings but not any more, most of us share the dole lines with wineoes...bye bye

Squier Jazz bass 2001-2002, crafter in indonesia, fretted. 2 tone one volume, 2 jazz pickups, passive electronics, probably poplar finish is black.

The jazz suits the music I play (70's punk, classic rock and little reggae and other styles). I play it through a yorkville 200wtt and sometimes a zoom506I, the sound can be bright and clear or dark are warm depending on pickup used, the bridge has a nice punch to it whilst the neck gives a warm soft tone. I havent recorded anything except demos with this bass but it'd be a gigging bass. The sound is overall quite good and versatile but the pickups are quite quiet so I have to push amp a little.

The bass is quite well setup, the action is nice and fast and the finish is nice. I dont have any complaints on the setup. It's an inexpensive bass so I was quite pleased with the setup. I was happily suprised with the 3ply pickguard, my other squier had a cheaper factory one put in that promptly cracked.

This is a good solid bass, it stays in tune and the finish looks like it could last, I would feel fine taking this bass without a backup, I've had no problems on any need of minor setup since I bought it a few months ago.

I dealt with squier once about a replacement pickguard on my pbass (hard to come by around here) and it took several months for them to get back to me and they sent a faulty pickguard which had to have new holes drilled.

I've been playing for about 3 years, I own a squier pbass (defretted), a yorkville 200watt bass amp, a cheap 60's guitar, a bp-15 amp, zoom506I and dod deathmetal effects. I quite like this bass but I'd probably save for a mex fender jazz or precision or look into used, I like the versatile sound and comfortable slim neck and fast action but I dislike the low output pickups and squier decal. I chose this bass over a squier pbass special and a nice yamaha due to the feel of the neck, the yamaha was quite higher quality but discount but the neck was awkward. I wish the jazz had better pickups, but thats the only real complaint it's quite a nice bass good for begginers, occasional bass players or anyone who wants a cheap gigging bass.

2002 Korean Squire standard Series

Finish Shoreline Gold.

All Standard, apart from addition in next few weeks of Fender white
tortoise shell pick guard.

Having Played a friends 1979 Jazz in a punk band, and wanted the same sound for less money !! and for me The squire does this !!

Set-up was spot on, as it had already been set up in the shop for demos, finish very good for a guitar this price, shoreline gold looks very cool.

I have only had this 6 months, but if anything like an infinity series squire tele I have it will be pretty reliable.

thankfully not needed yet, so Don't Know.

For a starter bass that looks the business, I cannot recommend another, Just don't go mad buying shoreline golds one's, as I do want a little bit of exclusivity !!

I own a 1985 Japanese Squier Jazz Bass Standard finished in black. Except for the larger-gauge frets this bass has the same specifications as the fabled Japanese vintage series. Namely: Three-piece basswood body, maple neck, rosewood f/board and vintage-type pickups, controls and hardware.

The sound is typical of a good Jazz Bass, meaning tightly focused with a nice vocal midrange. I play a variety of different musical styles and the Squier has never failed to deliver. One point of criticism would point to the pickups, though. As they are lower in output than their American counterparts, they need a little more preamp gain, which makes the bass somewhat more susceptible to noise intake (buzz).

I've used this bass live and in the studio over the last 17 years. It is not my only bass, but it still is the one I consider using first.

Many people are still slagiing off Far-Eastern instruments as sub-standard. My Squier was perfectly set up when I got it.

My Squier Jazz has stood up extremely well to 17 years of regular use and has aged gracefully. I only ever had to change the output jack a few years ago, at which time I also had to re-solder one wire that had become loose.

My Squier is my favourite bass (head-to-head with my Rickenbacker 4003). If I ever lost it I'd be devastated - we've gron up together! Both the feel and the sound of it are what I would consider a bass should be.

2001 Korean made Squire jazz bass.
Polar body, maple neck, Rosewood fingerboard.
2 tone and 1 volume knobs, If you are going to buy this bass
then get the real Fender bass knobs. the metal ones come loose.
Cool 3 tone sunburst, The tuners are great!

This bass is great for all music styles from heavy metal to country music. I like to play mostly Old rock Buddy holly, Beatles, ect...
I would trust this bass on stage.
It suits all of those music types. I am currently useing my dads old
Fender GUITAR tube amp. HE HE HE I dont turn it up real loud for fear of blowing the speakers. I am saving up for a small fender Bass amp.

Well when I bought it it was already in tune. Has great action,
and I love the pickups on it bass! It had a flawless finishwhen i bought it. Tuning pegs are all tight. Like I said before the knobs can come loose. The nut was well filed.

The strap buttons are solid!!!
You can depend on this bass,
I would gig without a backup.

I have never dealt with the company so I cant rate that.
By the time I had saves enough money from lawn mowing
the warrenty was long expired.

I have been playing for about a year.
If someone stole this bass I'd buy a new one.

Doesn't quite say when it was made but i know it comes from korea.
Black Body with a White Pick-Guard.
Original HEAVY Pick-ups!

Sometimes when i'm jammin at home, the bass sometimes sounds a little like Jaco, Bass low, Treble mid-range, Tone mid-range.
When I slap I get an amazing sound, i'm using Fender Roundwound Strings, 45 65.....

Well I brought this bass from mate for....YES #35!
It took #20 to fix.. The Frets and the fret board needed a good cleaning.
The Pick-ups weren't connected to jack properly.

I pushed in the pick-ups a little and changed the action was getting fret buzz around the 18-20 on the D and A String.

It's going pretty well so far... It's only been 2 months and nothing has gone wrong so far 'touch wood'..

I love the sound on this bass, way better than my samick 5-string.
Only thing i didn't quite like was the fret buzz. And you can't really get a smooth change of volume from the pick-ups.

Japanese, c. 1982-84. Standard Jazz Bass features, bright red body (I think it was officially "salmon pink", but any salmon this colour would be a very ill salmon indeed).

I mainly use it in the studio for rock and pop playing, and live in pubs and clubs with a pop covers band. Recorded through a DI box it gives a full and warm sound, and live through a Yamaha combo amp it's deep enough to underpin the band, but sometimes I find myself struggling with the controls to get it to cut through enough. Recording with computer monitors about is tricky as this produces a lot of buzz close up due to the nature of the pick ups.

As far as I remember I played it "out of the box" for several years, so the factory set-up must have been reasonable.

It's been gigged regularly for about 17 years as my main bass, and apart from a problem about 5 years ago with the electrical contacts on the jack socket (solved in 10 minutes) it's not been any trouble. It had a good service last Summer to correct a minor tuning problem which was developing on the bottom E string, but it was simple enough to fix. It's taken a few chips and knocks from on-stage clumsiness, but is solid enough to take them.

I've been playing for 20 years plus, and use this bass and a Yamaha BB1100 fretless. I've recently bought a Yamaha TRB5 5-string for recording. This Squier Jazz is as good as any of the several US Fender Jazz Basses I've tried over the years. Many people say that the quality of the later Squier guitars has diminished, but judging by this particular instrument I can thoroughly recommend the early-80s Japanese-produced range. It's a good, honest, non-flashy workmanlike instrument, and if stolen I would certainly look for another one like it.

On the surface this squire jazz bass appears to be the same as a jazz bass. It has the same features with one drawback ... quality ... there is a reason these basses cost less ... they lack quality ... they skimp on the quality of parts used.

There is a real problem with a lack of sustain. The note played dies out way too soon. I heard that they use plywood instead of solid alder or basswood. Also the bridge is small and cheap.

The action is pretty good and the finish is OK. Nice slim neck. Paint job looks fine.

It seems reliable. I would be embarrassed to show up to a gig with a squire. I would use a kramer or an essex, or an Ibanez first or a fender standard jazz bass instead.

N/A never dealt with them

Don't buy squire. They look like the real thing but they are not. Spend a few dollars more and get a REAL fender. Or buy some other brand.

This is a 1993 Mexican made Squier Jazz Bass with 20 frets, 4 strings. 2 volume, 1 tone, 2 single-coil pickups.

I'm a guitarist with a hobby studio in my bedroom. I needed a bass and I wanted a cheap one that was playable and sounded passable. This bass seemed to meet those requirements. It sounds fine although you can't get that many different tones out of it. The single-coil pickups are noisy (even when I turn off the computer monitor), especially if I'm aiming for a brighter sound with more treble.

The action was pretty good already but I lowered it to make it more playable. Fit and finish was fine.

Here's the rub. This bass has a cheap, bolt-on neck which began warping within a year after I bought it. It's bowing (a lot) from the tension of the strings. I never take the bass anywhere or mistreat it in any way. The bass is presently not very playable because the neck is so bent.

I never contacted Fender about the problem because by the time I noticed it, any warranty I might have had had long expired.

My overall rating is low because of the problem with the neck. Although the bolt-on neck is replaceable, a new one will cost nearly as much as I paid for the guitar.

Korea, made maybe 200-2001, 20 frets, 4 strings, individual volume control for the 2 microphones, and a tone, passive electronics, really good tuners

i play neo punk and alternative, really good sound in all aspects of what i waslooking for

the action was high, so i simply lower it, no flags

it seems it will last

no need to

i think what i was looking for

yeah i like the 2 volume knobs, compared to the 1 on the p-bass. passive pickups. hmm. cant think of anything else, but theres no bad features either.

well i plays punk, and it does pretty good! better than a p-bass. kind of crappy sound when i play way up high on the frets on the a string but thats probably just mine.

yeah, the saddle came loose after a couple of months, but thats pretty much it.

its quite dependable, a couple chips in it, but thats my stupid friends fault. i wouldnt use a backup.

well, i think its a LOT better than most p-basses, both squier and fender alike. its not really quality-made, but oh well. Awesome for beginners, but theres SO much better out there. i'd recommend a fender jazz to anyone, but if ya dont got the dough, then this will do almost as fine.

standard jazz bass, korean made

i didnt like the sound so i changed the pickups with dimarzio dp123 j-series pickups, now it sounds very good

action was high so i lowered it

durable and reliable cause it fell many times because of its non symmetricak shape and its still working

havent dealt with them

should come with better pickups

20 frets, 4 strings, don't know when it was made, 2 volume, 1 tone, s/s pickups, passive

This bass gives me all of the sound I want. I have no complaints.

As far as I can tell the bass was made perfectly. There are a couple of minor flaws that I have created over the years.

Never had any problem.

Never had to deal with the company. Never had a problem with this bass.

I bought this bass 6 years ago and have not regretted it since. It is an excellent deal.

This bass has 20 frets. it also has a bolt-on neck. the fretboard is maple. It features two single coil pickups. Passive electronics. It comes with a gig bag with the squier logo. It mimicks the Fender Jazz bass, but lower quality and cheaper. it has two volume knobs, and a tone knob.

It has okay sound. It is best suited for regular old rock. When you turn the tone knob up, it gives a treble boost, and a hum. this bass would not be good at all for a studio, but is alright for live performances, or rpacticing.

This bass looks great. After a year of having it, I had to have the neck re-alligned, but other than that, there were no major problems. The wood is high quality, as can be expected from a fender division

This bass is okay for live performances, although after about an hour, the bottom strap button will probably loose, and maybe cause the strap to fall off. The neck needed to be adjusted once every few months. The hardware seems pretty durable, and the tuning knobs are solid. I would only use this on a gig as a backup because of the strap button problem. It would be embarassing to have the bass fall in the middle of a song.

I haven't had to deal with them.

This bass is not my favorite bass. I prefer a bass with a better sound quality, and more versatility. I would not buy this bass, unless it was the only one available in your price range. All in all, it works well enough for the beginner, who doesn't have a whole lot of money to spend, or isn't real picky about sound quality.

Squire Jazz Bass. 1998. Made in Korea. 20 fret. Two volume, one tone. Two standard jazz bass pickups passive electronics. great thin jazz neck. I had to give it a lower score here, because it's really basic, but it's all i really need.

I play rock/metal, and works great. Really dark heavy sound. Works just as well for finger style and slap. I play it through a Peavy TKO 115, which kind of muddy, so i crank the tone. I'm hoping to get a Hartke or SWR amp, though. I havn't found too many bad sounds.

Havn't changed the factory settings at all. Action's a tad high, but i guess i like it.

Never used a back up (or another bass for that matter) The hardware is solid, and the body is indestructable.

never delt with fender. i've heard there a nightmare, though.

I love this bass, if it was stolen i would most definatly buy a new one. (maybe a american standard). I play it through an Ibanez auto wah sometimes, which is not really a metal sound, but it's cool. The tone control really makes it stand out. It's just fun to play, too.

1997 Mexican made Jazz Bass. 20 Frets on a Rosewood Fretboard. 2 volumes, 1 tone. Pretty basic stuff...... Poplar body wood, maple neck. I've got a sunburst finish on mine....absolutely gorgeous. 34'' scale. It's a freaking Jazz Bass....you can't launch spacecraft with it or anything, but you can play it...gee, it IS a musical instrument! As far as features, this bass isn't chock full of anything in excess....aside from sounding pretty damn good for the price, feeling better then most basses I've played (and I mean most...I can't believe how uncomfortable other basses feel compared to this), and looking absolutely stunning (this baby just glows with glossy sunburst goodness....I love it!)....there is really nothing to scream about...just the usual time-tested Jazz Bass features. I give an 8 because if it ain't broke....don't fix it...and they haven't, thank God. I've seen some ugly ass Jazz wanna-bees that are supposedly innovative when they are just a waste of tree. Thumbs up for not fucking with success.

Now for the reason why you'd buy a Jazz....the sound....yup, it looks like a Jazz Bass, but guess what, it also sounds like one too....is that good? is that bad?? it's your call....I happen to love the growl of a Jazz though. The pickups aren't as good as the pickups on an American Standard Jazz, but they are damn good for the mula. No complaints when played clean.....could be higher output, but nothing I'd really change. I play through a Big Muff as well: sounds pretty damn good with a Muff too.....nice job Squier.

The finish is flawless and durable as all hell. I don't remember how it was set-up, but right now I've got the action a bit low......it's easy to adjust...overall, it's beautiful.....thumbs way up again for the durable paint job...I wish cars had paint this tough!

I haven't played it in a gig...but for as many times as I've hit this thing accidentally, it holds up extremely well....the paint refuses to scratch (except for below the bridge, but that's my fault...). It has yet to let me down...I've got this thing for life! This thing is made by Fender, so it's as solid as a tank and sounds pretty good for the green....thumbs way up.

Never dealt with Fender before, but I'd imagine that I would never have to (for Christ's sake, this thing is indestructible...I've hit the neck a million times and nothing happens to it!) Purdy web site though..(www.fender.com).....10 for the site

This is a beautiful bass....it may not be a gig-ready bass right out of the box (you might want to replace the pickups), but it gives you more then you pay for...it's a tank that will probably out last me.....I urge everyone to at least try one (a Mexican one...I'm not sure how the Korean and Chinese ones are). I'd buy it again if I had to....I do wish it came with a nice naked model though...but hey, I can't ask for everything can I? If someone even had the thought of stealing this baby from me crossing their minds, I'd shoot to kill and piss on the body, later burning the ashes....THIS BABY IS MINE FOR LIFE!

1998 Mexican made. 20 frets. Alder body/ maple neck w/ rosewood fretboard (i'm not sure if it has a laminate top but the wood grain thru the sunburst finish is very nice as well as the actual sunburst color.) s/s pickup config ; 2 volume controls / one tone. Standard metal jazz bridge, not body thru like the american standards. 3 ply pick guard

For 400$ (Can.) I was shocked at how nice this bass sounded. I have an Ibanez Ergodyne that I like quite a bit but I cannot get the range of sounds that the Jazz Squier gives me. The pickups are bright and solid. I can get a very bright, some may find the high end bright maybe a bit tinnie, or deep growl from the bazz and that's from my Yamaha 40 practice amp, without compression.

The Squier Bazz is flawless. There is nothing wrong with the unit. I'm still surprised. Well see how the tuning pegs hold up when I spank her live. but for now..

Haven't had the chance to play it live yet I'll go on a limb and say that I expect the Bazz to hold up very well although I think the finish will wear thin faster than an am. std. bazz. No big deal to me. Ok. If I was big time bass guy this may not be my main but for a small band occasional live performing player this bass should do just fine.

No info.

I wish the body was heavier. I like a heavy bass... Apart from that this things a dream at the price. Great sound. I'm loving just piddling with it.
If your looking for a first bass the Squier Jazz is a great bet. I would rec. it over the P-Bass 'cause you have more tone and sounds to play with.
Remember I'm basing this review on the fact that this bass is what it is and not a $2000 alembic or something.

Squier Jazz Bass With a poplar body I think. Maple neck w/ rosewood fingerboard. Passive J pickups with individual volume for each pickup and a master tone. 34" inch scale thin neck. Off White finish, Made in Korea. I think mid to late 80's.

Passive pickups mean a thin midrangey mix of tones. Not at all bad though. If you use an expensive rig (ie: Hartke,SWR,David Eden)it has a fairly warm familiar tone. but this bass shines when you use an inexpensive basic combo amp. The kind of amp most people who would buy this bass might own. the midrange stands out effectively and could be heard well in a jam situation. Not a killer tone by any means but a respectable one. No complaints.

the action is nothing to write home about. Although it can be hassled into a somewhat comfotable feel. good appearance overall even though this bass is a few years old. it has stood up well even with extensive playing it has suffered only minimal fretware. the fit and finish is pure Fender. not fancy but functional. A good stable old plank o' wood and in an emergency would burn for a good two hours ;) Again no complaints.

A good gigger and a reliable practice bass. I would have no problem taking it around the corner or around the country. Basic pot metal hardware is as good as anything else in it's price range. solid enough to be used without a backup if it's not neglected and in top repair. As good a cheapo as you will find. Above average.

No support No repairs No complaints.

Eventhough my number one bass is my 5 string G&L. And this puppy will probably never see the light of day again. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to a beginner as a good starter that will be around long after it's owner upgrades. A perfect blend of value and function Hey, it's a Fender!