Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Electric Bass

Black bound fingerboard. Black block position inlays. 2 Duncan Designed JB101 Pickups.

Overall User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

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"A Great Bass for Under 3 Bills !!"

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
There are no special features,it's a straight forward bass guitar.It would have been nice to include a gig bag as another reviewer suggested,but at under $300,I can afford to buy a "real" case for it. All materials & components are tight,solid & work flawlessly out of the box.I really like the maple neck & the body is very solid as well.It has the weight of a much more expensive instrument.Also I wish they had a 5 string version.

Quality:
This is a solid bass,the one I got was pretty much perfect,except one of the tuning keys is a little loose,but it doesn't cause it to go out of tune.Nice finish,very smooth,fret work is good,all knobs tight & smooth.The chrome parts are plated so after a few years of steady gigging they may start to look funky,but that's just a guess.(I plan to take it to most of my gigs,I always take 2 basses.)The binding on the neck is really nice so I wish the "block inlays" weren't just painted on,but hey for under 3 bills...and from the stage it looks like inlays.The quality control seems to be pretty good from the factory.Overall it's a very well made instrument for the money & would be a solid performer for any gigging musician.

Value:
For the money,you are not going to find a more solid or better sounding bass.I'd say after getting my hands on it,if I'd paid $400 or more for it I'd still be satisfied.

Desirability:
This is a solid bass,the one I got was pretty much perfect,except one of the tuning keys is a little loose,but it doesn't cause it to go out of tune.Nice finish,very smooth,fret work is good,all knobs tight & smooth.The chrome parts are plated so after a few years of steady gigging they may start to look funky,but that's just a guess.(I plan to take it to most of my gigs,I always take 2 basses.)The binding on the neck is really nice so I wish the "block inlays" weren't just painted on,but hey for under 3 bills...and from the stage it looks like inlays.The quality control seems to be pretty good from the factory.Overall it's a very well made instrument for the money & would be a solid performer for any gigging musician.

Sound:
The Duncan Design pick ups are pretty hot for just being passive.I am able to coax a wide variety of sounds out of this bass,from the familiar Jazz Bass growl to a Precision tone to an almost Rickenbacker-like tone with a lot of treble & punch.It's all just finding the right combination of p/u volumes & tone control,but it's a very clean sounding bass,even with factory strings.I've read several reviews where people have changed them & gotten a better sound.Slap it,finger it or pick it,it's all good.

Ease of Use:
It's a bass guitar,either you know how to play it or you don't.There is no manual,you have two pick up volume controls & a tone control. The reason I gave it a 9 is because like other reviewers,I found the string action to be a little high,but not unplayable.This may discourage a person if they are just learning on this bass,but it's something that can be adjusted.Do it yourself if you know what you doing or most guitar shops in my area will do a complete set-up for $30-$40.

Support:
No problems,but I figure it a division of Fender so I trust the support would be satisfactory.

Overall:
I'm by no means a guitar snob or someone who can afford high end guitars,but I always considered Squire a starter or entry level brand,this bass has changed my mind.I have 4 other basses that I paid $400-$950 for so this bass is a helluva a deal to me.I've been playing bass for over 30 yrs & I play in a local country/rock band that does about 75 to 80 gigs a year so I buy my guitars to play not just to collect dust.I mainly play a Dean 5 string fretless but always take another bass as a spare or to change my sound on certain songs.I have stared to pick this bass up on a few more songs just because it's fun to play. I don't regret buying this bass & would buy it again.A Fender re-issue isn't in my budget right now,but this one is.

6 of 6 people (100%) found this review helpful. Did you?

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"squier vintage modified j-bass (noun) - sexy."

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
Everything that is standard works great. Except I got my own pair of new strings and it made it sound 100x better.

Quality:
Seems to be made out of the correct materials. The Block Inlays make it look extremely professional.

Value:
A++++ for the money.

Desirability:
Oh it looks so sexy and the sound is amazing. For any type of bass playing.

Sound:
Its tone is emmense. And the slapping or fingering sounds great on it.

Ease of Use:
Its easy to play if you know how to play. If you dont. Its just like anything else..

Support:
Its Squire, So its basically a Fender. So you have the name to back this bass up. And to tell you the truth, I have never had to call Fender's Support Line. Its just too good of a bass to mess up.

Overall:
Amazing Bass!

5 of 5 people (100%) found this review helpful. Did you?

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"Worth Evey Penny"

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
Typical Squier complaints here, high action, needed a set up from the start..but those can be easily adjusted. My only real complaint is the frets are enormous, and becasue of the binding, cannot be easily swaped for smaller ones. I also had trouble with the G falling out of tune when I first got it, but it seems to have taken care of itself now.

Quality:
Overall very good, but there are a few small knots and dings on the body under the finish that can be seen.

Value:
Unfortuneately for me, I didn't buy it online at an awesome price of $280, I spent more like $350 in a store...still, well worth the money, though.

Desirability:
Except for the Squier logo on the head stock, it looks great and it's easy to use!

Sound:
This bass has a good sound. After doing a little research, I found that it sounds as punchy as it does due to it all maple construction, this is probably the reason it sustains well, has crisp harmonics and thumps on the lows too. I gave this bass a 9 because the Duncan Designed pickup were pretty staticy compared to other single coil guitars and basses I own or have owned, but they sounded good. But after swapping them out for a pair of Vitage Noiseless pickups, the bass sounds great. It has the typical Jazz versatility as far as different styles of music are concerned. I regularly gig with a rock/blue/jazz band and it does remarkably well.

Ease of Use:
It works like Jazz

Support:
I've never need it, but my experience with Fender is all good.

Overall:
I'll probably keep this bass for a long time, however before long I'll probably get an active bass with more frets, but I intend to keep this either as a backup or I'll convert it to a fretless. I replaced the $700 Aerodyne Jazz with this, it it is still mopping the floor with the Aerodyne...I guess the moral of this story is to not buy the Aerodyne..

3 of 4 people (75%) found this review helpful. Did you?

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"Probably the best bass you'll ever play with this price tag."

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
Would have been nice for squier to send some allen keys... never mind. Like I mentioned earlier, this bass comes with seymour-duncan designed pickups, and they really are excellent. The action might be a little high to some people's tastes; personally I find it perfectly workable.

Quality:
This bass is sturdily built. Intonation was slightly out, but that's easily fixed.

Value:
Scratch off the squier logo, and this bass would be worth at least the price tag of a mexican jazz bass. An absolutely superb price tab on a superb bass

Desirability:
Modelled around the old marcus miller jazz bass, and phwoarrr, it looks good. Chrome hardware makes this bass ooze appeal.

Sound:
The duncan designed pickups in this bass really show off the tone of the bass in a big way... and the tone of this bass is awesome! I'm running it through a hartke a100 combo (Highly recommended), and it really sounds immense. A little bit lacking in the low end compared with the high, but that's typical jazz bass.

Ease of Use:
Exactly the same as any jazz bass, tune and play...

Support:
Never had to deal with support.

Overall:
Probably the best squier instrument I have played, or will ever play. The price tag of this bass absolutely belies its extremely high quality. I would definitely buy this bass again if I had to, and would recommend it to anyone playing funk, jazz, blues or pretty much any other style! Absolutely worth it.

3 of 5 people (60%) found this review helpful. Did you?

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Squier Vintage Jazz Bass Customer Review

Overall:
* * * * * . . . . . 5 out of 10
Features:
* . . . . . . . . . 1 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
 
 
 
Feature:
the reason it's the "worst" is becasue it didn't come with a case of any kind. not even a cheap gig bag!

Quality:
my guitar both looks and plays great, for the price you can't beat it, i only wish it was made completly in the US.

Value:
Price was great i only wish fender itself, would have come out with it. However, it's still a really good instrument.

Desirability:
i love it. the natural finish was the main factor that got me to buy it.

Sound:
this bass is the best bass that squier has come out with yet! The pickups are top notch quality for the amount of money invested, and the tone of the bass fits all genres of music. if you play alot of pops, and hammer-ons this bass is definatly what your looking for.

Ease of Use:
this bass is sweet. the sound is excellent, like i said earlier it fits all kinds of music. The one piece maple neck is excellent, plays fast and looks great. For the little amount of money its just as good if not better than an ernie ball or rickenbacker.

Support:
i've never had to deal with Fender or squier myself, but i've have friends that have and they were satisfied with the results.

Overall:
FOREVER!!!

3 of 8 people (37.5%) found this review helpful. Did you?

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"Maybe I got the one built on Friday?"

Overall:
* . . . . . . . . . 1 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * . . 8 out of 10
Quality:
* . . . . . . . . . 1 out of 10
Value:
* . . . . . . . . . 1 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * . . . 7 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * . . . . . . . 3 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
 
 
 
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:
The guitar looks good in all the pictures online but when it's in your hands it cheesy. The blocks in the fretboard are blurry as if they are spray paint under the clearcoat. Also the cheap tuners have debris in the chrome... like a lot! And the tuner post where the strings wind on are cast metal that still has a mold seem in them. I read all the reviews on this bass and I can't lelieve this is the same bass eveyone raved about. Do these people work for Fender??

Quality:
The worst thing about this bass was the fret work, I could not believe it. My left hand is still sore from the frets. All the frets will iritate you skin but the last 10 frets going toward the body with cut your fingers.... I am not kidding... they are awful. Now in Fender's defense ( I love Fender by the way, own many) I went to a local Guitar Center and played all the squire basses and checked out the frets, they were all perfect. So, I don't know if I got a blem or a bass built on the Indonesian New Year, or their equivilant of St. Patty's day. I could go on about the neck pocket that you could put a credit card in or how the tuners kind of feel like they are going to snap off but it's hard to type with the Band-Aids on my left hand.

Value:
It's junk to me. I shouldn't have to file and dress frets on a new guitar.

Desirability:
I admit it looks great on your computer screen but play one at a local store first before you buy. I thought I could trust the Fender name but not in this case. If Fender is going to put their name on this thing than they should make sure it's not crap.

Sound:
To me this thing sounds muddy if you try to use the tone to take away the overly tinny tone. I don't know if it's the cheap strings or what but I wasn't going to cork out another 30.00 for better strings. The pots have noise when you turn them right out of the box.

Ease of Use:
Where do I start, I have been a musician for 37 years and played, built , and set up guitars for years. I bought this for a different studio sound for recording. I spent the first 3 hours adjusting the neck and pickups. I had to turn the truss rod about 4 times.... that's nuts! Out of the box it was about 2 full steps out of tune .... that means the neck bent that far during shipping or storage. The neck pickup I had to loosen all the way to get it to budge, it was pushed down into the pickguard.

Support:
I love Fender as I said before, I won't bother calling.... I am just sending it back.

Overall:
The thing I like the most is I learned a lesson about these reviews. The thing I like the least is it wasted my time.

1 of 6 people (16.67%) found this review helpful. Did you?

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