Guitar World Verdict
Squier has created a very stylish and well-judged addition to the Classic Vibe range here, providing some valuable player-focused enhancements to the standard '70s Jazz blueprint. With a suitably charismatic set of pickups to live up to the rest of the package, this is a giant-killer in waiting.
Pros
- +
The ever-brilliant Jazz Bass form factor, with useful player-focused additions.
- +
Superb aesthetics and vibe.
- +
Great playability.
Cons
- -
The pickups are a bit lifeless.
- -
The gloss-finished neck won't be to all tastes.
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What is it?
Like all the other world-changing instrument designs which built Fender's reputation, the Jazz Bass has needed very little evolution to stay relevant. Once the control layout was altered, a year or two into production, it was basically perfected; six decades later, it's still all the bass guitar that many players would ever need.
However, as with those other Fender icons, its design is also highly adaptable. Everyone knows the Jazz is great in its original form – but it also takes very well to modification, whether subtle or radical.
Fender hasn't been averse to this either. Alongside era-specific reissues, we've seen a steady stream of modernised Jazz variants in recent decades. But what about something that combines these seemingly incompatible approaches? And with a Squier logo on the headstock, signalling that all this can be had for a reasonable price?
That's what has landed with me here – a Classic Vibe ‘70s Jazz Bass, but enlivened by a two-band active preamp.
Specs
- Price: $524/£489/€529
- Made: Indonesia
- Type: Four-string active bass guitar
- Body: Poplar
- Neck: Maple, C-shape
- Fingerboard: Maple, pearloid block inlays
- Scale length: 34"/864mm
- Nut/width: Bone, 38.1mm
- Frets: 20, narrow/tall
- Hardware: Vintage-style tuners, HiMass bridge
- String spacing at bridge: 20mm
- Pickups: 2x Noiseless single-coils
- Controls: Master Volume, Pan, Tone, stacked Bass/Treble boost, active/passive mini-switch
- Weight: 8.4lb/3.8kg
- Options: Classic Vibe Active '70s Jazz Bass V five-string available in Ocean Turquoise or Sienna Sunburst, £509
- Finishes: Ocean Turquoise (as reviewed), Mocha
- Case: No
- Contact: Fender
Build quality
Build quality rating: ★★★★☆
It's a fabulous-looking bass, resplendent in a not strictly period-correct but very attractive Ocean Turquoise (a rare Fender custom colour that was out of use by the early ‘70s). Its maple fretboard, with white binding and pearloid block inlays, looks superb.
Quality seems tight as well, save for a slightly untidy bridge pickup rout. The use of a HiMass bridge nods to the common practice of retro-fitting a Badass or equivalent heavyweight bridge to a Jazz Bass.
The weight isn’t excessive either – not always a given with Jazz Basses. As with most current Squiers, a poplar body stands in for the more traditional alder or ash, which may contribute to this. The overall feel, though, is of a solid, high-quality instrument with the kind of ergonomics that Jazz loyalists will expect.
The electrics, however, differ to the established Classic Vibe ‘70s Jazz. Here, we’ve two Fender-designed Alnico Noiseless single-coils, paired with the aforementioned preamp.
The control layout – master volume, pickup pan, passive tone control – is augmented by a stacked pot for active treble and bass, and a mini-switch to turn the preamp on and off.
As such, the input jack has had to migrate to the side of the body instead of its usual place on the control plate.
Playability
Playability rating: ★★★★½
The Squier plays very well, with the comfortable neck dimensions and body ergonomics that typify the Jazz Bass
The Squier plays very well, with the comfortable neck dimensions and body ergonomics that typify the Jazz Bass. The HiMass bridge is usefully adjustable and presumably contributes to the pleasing unplugged ring of this example.
The only gripe one might have, as with the new Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster Bass I reviewed recently, is the gloss on the neck. Some players won't mind at all, some will be breaking out the wire wool immediately.
Sounds
Sounds rating: ★★★½
For testing, I engaged a suitable 70s-spec clean tone - an Acoustic 360 emulation with an 8x10 cab sim, compression and subtle chorus. Later, I switched to a Sansamp emulation for a grittier, overdriven sound.
It's just not a particularly inspiring or powerful sound, either clean or overdriven
Starting with the preamp switched off, this Jazz initially falls a little flat. The Noiseless pickups don't provide an especially punchy output by themselves, even with their heights adjusted, and the instrument seems to lack a little depth and fullness.
It's not bad, and does provide the usual suite of Jazz Bass voices one would expect, but it's just not a particularly inspiring or powerful sound, either clean or overdriven.
It's slightly disappointing that the bass seems to lean on the active circuit to make up for a shortfall in its passive tone, rather than as a tool to further extend its capabilities
Thankfully, the preamp brings out what was missing. A simple bass and/or treble boost circuit, it can be dialled in to provide all the punch and growl the signal needs.
With new strings, a treble boost didn't feel necessary so I left that dialled back, but got some enjoyable results with the bass boost in the range of 1/4 to 3/4 of the way up.
It's slightly disappointing that the bass seems to lean on the active circuit to make up for a shortfall in its passive tone, rather than as a tool to further extend its capabilities. However, the preamp itself does sound good, and certainly allows more tweaking than a standard passive Jazz Bass would.
Verdict
That preamp, and the upgraded bridge, are both features that add real value to the '70s Active Jazz Bass, without compromising the all-important vintage vibe – it somewhat evokes a cool old Jazz Bass that's picked up some useful mods over its years on the road.
A bass that looks and feels this good deserves a knockout tone to match
It'd benefit from some hotter, more characterful pickups to truly unlock the potential of that preamp though – a bass that looks and feels this good deserves a knockout tone to match.
Guitar World verdict: Squier has created a very stylish and well-judged addition to the Classic Vibe range here, providing some valuable player-focused enhancements to the standard '70s Jazz blueprint. With a suitably charismatic set of pickups to live up to the rest of the package, this is a giant-killer in waiting.
Test | Results | Score |
|---|---|---|
Build quality | Generally very good, although that bridge pickup rout is a bit untidy. | ★★★★☆ |
Playability | Very little to complain about, as long as you don't mind a gloss-finished neck. | ★★★★½ |
Sounds | The preamp is useful and intuitive, but the pickups let the side down by comparison. | ★★★½ |
Overall | Another credible option from Squier's impressive Classic Vibe range. | ★★★★☆ |
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Room 34 / Scott Anderson
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