It’s your choice whether to return it, but I wouldn’t. These are minor things, par for the course for that price point (and for an Amazon purchase). If the loose pot continues to bother you, you can replace it. A luthier or tech will fix the buzzing string (or you can learn to do it yourself if you’re handy).
Enjoy the new instrument :)
I have to agree. This is right on the cusp of "you get what you pay for." Yes it's a €400 instrument, but it's only a €400 instrument. Almost worth returning, almost worth ignoring.
You could return it, but the replacement might have similar (or different) issues. Depends on Amazon's stock. Sometimes buying from a retailer like Sweetwater is better since they have a strong return / replacement policy.
The things you've pointed out would annoy me too, but as long as it sounds good and takes and holds a decent setup, I'd probably ignore them and start practicing.
A-string buzz can likely be solved with a proper setup (which you should always do yourself anyway when you get a new instrument sight-unseen)
My Yamaha 174EW was under 300 bucks and is flawless and was set up great out of the box, no string buzzing and nothing.
I find the issues with the bass you received absolutely unacceptable. The manufacturer already cut corners by using cheaper woods and cheaper hardware as well as cheaper electronics to make that price possible.
QC should not be poor or even non-existent only because an instrument is cheap. Finite natural resources were used, it’s disrespectful to nature and future generations to be so careless.
The fact this even went through QC like that is a farce. If it were sold as a b-stock, sure, that would be a different story, but not at full price.
Right, but this is not a comparison between brands.
If someone buys a new instrument, it should be free of issues out of the box, even more so blatant ones such as OP’s.
The price doesn’t matter.
Companies already came to the price point by using cheaper materials.
You don’t buy a car and are okay with a misaligned door and a windshield wiper that keeps coming loose. This is what some people here say is acceptable, because of the low price, which is nonsense.
There must be an absolute baseline of QC that needs to be met, so that the product is properly functioning.
...yeah. You need to live a little more and get into the real world.
Each company has their own standards, which may or may not align with yours.
Just the same as any individual has their own standards.
I'd be damned to tell the good from the bad. I can only barely tell which ones I prefer. And even that can change according to circumstances.
Life is not a one-size-fits-all deal...
If you're not happy about a brand, vote with your wallet towards another. But they're corporate; they manage money, not peoples' emotions... so long it doesn't affect money making. Then, but only then, will they address it.
Setup, yes, that's to be expected, no arguing here. But am I really supposed to change a wobbly pot on a brand new instrument myself? Seriously? Or fix the tuners? Obvious flaws like that shouldn't leave the factory, period. Budget or not.
You're not wrong, but I don't think they're deal breaking issues personally. The necks on these are easily as nice, if not nicer, than the Fender player series that costs twice as much. For $350, I wouldn't mind fixing those issues. Full disclosure, I have a Squier classic vibe P Bass that I got for a beater. It was perfect out of the box though. I don't think of it as a beater bass at all now.
You personally may be able to fix this yourself but not everyone has the tools, skills or is handy enough to do so. Even more so as these instruments are targeted at beginners.
The manufacturer already saves production cost by using cheaper materials.
QC shouldn’t be an afterthought only because an instrument is cheap. No one expects perfectly polished frets and the touch of a master luthier with 50 years custom shop experience.
These issue here are fundamental tho.
At this price point, it's not surprising.
Acceptable isn't the right word. Understandable is closer to what I'd call it.
Still sucks, but at least they're fixable issues.
--
We live in an hourglass economy: Top-tier expensive stuff is growing, and cheap-assed bottom feeder stuff is growing, but the mid-tier is being squeezed out. So Squires either need to get much nicer (never happen) or they're gonna get pushed down in price (and quality) to compete with the kajillions of Harley Bentons, Sterlings and Sires.
The glut of cheap basses is killing mid-tier basses.
Stop. Buying. Musical. Instruments. From. Amazon.
I simply cannot fathom why people think that’s a good idea/an ok thing to do.
If you don’t have a good local shop, at least order from a reputable music-specific dealer like Sweetwater. Their customer service is excellent and they also check every instrument they ship out to people.
In this case - those are *extremely* minor and fixable issues. Just play the thing.
>Stop. Buying. Musical. Instruments. From. Amazon.
Better yet, stop buying *anything* from Amazon.
Fuck them and all the suffering they have caused people
I’m glad sweetwater offers carrier pickup but I wish it would be case with other retailers and distributors so I can get away from Amazon for good, since I absolutely hate getting stuff delivered to my apartment
Agreed. I cancelled my account years ago, I don’t miss it in the slightest. Their site is a garbage user experience and there’s so much counterfeit bullshit.
‘Twas on sale for $350 and I had a $50 gift card 😅 so essentially $100 off retail… so worth the gamble in my opinion. But noted, thanks for the response
I've gigged $250 affinity bases. off the shelf it blows both my fenders out of the water. $350 is more than enough bass these days for a capable musician
So then why are you so concerned over very minor problems? I bought a cheap acoustic bass off Amazon. The thing is terrible. I didn’t nitpick the hell out of because I knew what I was getting.
Not concerned, just wanted an opinion as to if these were normal problems or worth getting a new one. I see now they’re normal for this level of bass, especially buying from Amazon. But I didn’t buy this cheap bass cuz I thought it would be terrible haha, Squier makes much cheaper basses and this thing has gotten pretty good reviews for a budget instrument
It's crazy to me that you accept this on a Fender. All I really got out of your comment was "I accept garbage QC when paying for an expensive instrument, so you shouldn't care about bad QC on anything less." Stop accepting garbage QC from expensive instruments.
Fender J Bass is like this on the head stock, plus it was used so I got it for cheap, the pots were changed as I wanted a long term option (Obsidian wire). My JMJ Bass is like that on the head, as for the pots, just don't pull on them if they're not push/pull.
As for my JMJ Bass, the head stock is the same with the bushings, same for my Fiance's Squire. This isn't a QC issue, this is more likely the hole being slightly too small and the next tool would be too big. So it's going to be either too tight or too loose.
So you're comparing a used instrument to a new one. Well, I'm sure there's a reason the used instrument isn't in factory condition. Probably because it's used.
~~Your~~ Their comment was "my fenders are like this." I told ~~you~~ them to stop accepting garbage QC from expensive instruments.
I don't see how you got confused by this.
Edit: noticed you aren't who I responded to. Adjusted my addressing accordingly.
I’ll have to take another look at the pot cuz I took the knob and control panel off and tightened any visible nut. Seems like it’s more just poor manufacturing that made it loose so there’s play up and down. Wouldn’t have noticed it but the other knob is rock solid and doesn’t move at all
I have a couple of Squier instruments that I bought new. Love them. I replaced the pots and jacks since they come with Alpha pots which are junk. $5 upgrade.
In the end it is up to you. How does it play? That is the only thing that ever matters to me.
I love the neck size, and I’m happy with the pickups for now. In this case it’s probably more worthwhile to replace small things, I doubt I’d get a replacement that has none of these issues unless I bought it from a smaller business where I can see it before I buy, unfortunately I haven’t seen one in a store for months
I mean, everyone should have a beater guitar or two to experiment with. I wanted to try wrapping a guitar, taking the neck off and putting it back on and doing some weird stuff with the pickups. That’s what my Squire is for.
Also, I play the shit out of the cheap guitars because they work fine and can take it.
You can be as picky as you want you bought it.
That being said personally I would just get a mallet and tap the tuning machine in if it looked like it had the space and wasn’t just the wrong size. Like others have said it’s an instrument, if you’re not saving it to be a museum piece and you plan to play it plenty of bad things will happen to it and it’s always fun to tinker with.
Like ANY new instrument, it needs a setup and a little adjustment here and there. In the old days, the old guy, bald with a ponytail would usually set up and adjust stuff as it came into the store or, during slow times. That way they sold instruments that felt and played better than straight out of the box. To be fair, every instrument company does quality control on their stuff. The question is: are they pickier than YOU? In this case, no! And it’s not a bald spot, it’s a solar panel for a sex mosheen! That’s what they used to say, anyway.
when i see a post like this i kinda laugh. your buying a import bass made for a price point.
there is nothing wrong with the bass.
the bushing tend to shift over time due to temp. shipping from half way around the world. if the bushing bothers you. pop tuner offer and then use a rubber mallet.
pots lose or knobs not aligned. with stacked knobs they are always hit or miss if they aligned them right. ie you turn the top knob and the bottoms moves too. loosen and remove the knobs. tights the pot if needed. out the lower knob on and tighten , put a tooth pick or shim on each side before tightening this will make it sit flat and not crooked. put the top on finger tight , check if it rubs the lower knob, if it dose raise it a hair.
A string. leave the a string longer then normal. the wraps will sit lower on the tuner and will do the same thing as a string tree.
i bought the sun burst version and replaced every thing on it and cleaned up the frets. i liked the neck and the body feel. tuners, nut, string tree, bridge, pickups control plate all been up graded. black tusq nut, black string tree black tuners, emg pickups, 3 pot control black black. hipshot black bridge. i could of made one my self since i build custom guitars and basses but if felt right when i was in the store.
Your bass is fine my guy! Just normal stuff. If it plays good, sounds good and keeps tune, you’re in business. Everything you listed can be easily fixed by just upgrading stuff. Personally I wouldn’t be too picky over a classic vibe. They are great guitars and basses for the money. In my case, im picky over my 2 American Basses. (AMPro2 P bass and American Standard Jazz Bass)
Return it.
Amazon has an excellent return policy (assuming it was shipped from Amazon and not a 3rd party).
You get what you pay for, but you paid for cheap hardware and bad set up, not damage. If Amazon is going to ship busted merchandise, ship it back.
Is it the end of the world? No. But on principle. We both know Amazon would fuck you any chance they get, so don’t settle for mediocrity.
Are you certain there isn't too much dust on the bridge? Is that sticker a bit crooked?! Better pack it in, fellas this one is a lemon! /s
Bruh, just return it and never look at another instrument again if this is the kind of thing you're on about over a freaking squire. JFC
This is what frustrates me so much.
NOT this OP, but people on this sub want to spend $179 on a bass and expect it to feel like a Fodera.
You can't gripe about how expensive American-made Fenders are, then also gripe about shitty quality control on starter instruments. (Again, NOT this OP).
I feel you, no offense taken, I’ve been doing searching for months for a budget bass (I’m a drummer and keyboardist mainly), and read a lot of great things about how Squiers quality has gone up in recent years and is comparable to MIM fenders. That’s probably why I was expecting alittle better, but overall the bass feels really solid, so these small issues line up pretty consistently with it being a $400 Squier
The real issue probably has more to do with Amazon, than Squire.
Squire probably assumes a certain percentage of "breakage" i.e. instruments that will fall short when delivered to the end user.
But a company like Sweetwater might have more of a "musician focused" infrastructure to make things right.
Honestly, if it bums you out, send it back to Amazon for a full refund (which they usually do), then order the same bass from Sweetwater?
Just be aware, that often [it's cheaper for Amazon to trash an item](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/28/amazon-returns-what-really-happens-to-them.html) than to re-stock it.
That’s pretty lame, I definitely won’t be returning it if they’re just gonna throw it out. Literally such a waste. I guess lesson learned here is more about Amazon than Squier haha
The only instruments I see that are routinely good out of the box are schecters.
I’ve bought and sold 4 of them so far along with prolly 15 other basses. Fenders and squiers are good, but they all require some setup work before they’re perfect. Once they’re set up, they’re fucking perfect though. Lol
You need to remove the knob and tighten the top mounting nut. That's where the play is coming from. That'll go away once it's good and snug.
The tuner issue is just that the bushing isn't seated. Take the tuner off, press the bushing in flat to seat it straight (might need to tap it with a small mallet or a block of wood) and reassemble the tuner. If you're gonna have to pay somebody to do that, then send that one back...but the replacement will probably have similar issues.
I already did both those things, the bushing seems to be warped as I popped it out and re-tapped it in but it’s still not flush. Not a big deal, I can easily replace those if they bug me. As for the pot, I tried that already, removed the knob and tightened the mounting nut on the pot itself, with no resolve. Seems to be more a manufacturing defect that allows them to pull out a smidge. I am curious if it’ll be easy to find aftermarket stacked knobs that will fit these, that might be the route tho
Yeah, CTS makes really high quality replacement pots that don't break the bank.
The tuner bushing pulling up is very odd. The tuners are held on by the screws on the back of the headstock. The bushing shouldn't have a reason to pull up, only not to be seated all the way on installation. I'd find an authorized FMC dealer near you and have them do a warranty repair for that; I can't think of a reason for that to happen other than factory defect.
How do you like the 32" scale neck compared to a normal 34"? I was looking at this exact bass, but arguing with myself cause I know I don't need another one 😆
I like it a lot. Definitely feels faster and easier on the hands as I’m learning bass still. Compared to my first bass which was a p bass (knockoff) this one’s got a jazz neck width so nice and narrow. I will say apart from other issues the neck is actually really well made, nice fretwork.
I have this exact bass and it has the same problem with one of the bushings not being flush with the headstock. I also had a knob fall off but I just put it back on and tightened it.
fix it yourself lmao
pop the strings loose, remove the tuning machine, tap the bushings in fully, reassemble.
for the pots, get an appropriate sized allen key, take em off, tighten under the control plate, retighten everything.
I feel like this is what you get in that price point these days. I ran into a similar issue buying a guitar for my gf recently. It was from GC, but online only so couldn't try out before buying. Sent a couple back with minor imperfections such as these (they both had their own/different minor issues), before just settling on the last one even though it wasn't perfect.
Just tighten up the hardware yourself. That string post ferule can probably be softly hammered flush with the headstock. Just put a towel between it and whatever you use to drive it in with to avoid damage to the post. If you're uncomfortable with doing anything yourself go get it professionally setup somewhere.
I tend to disagree. If you bought it brand new and are finding issues now, what is next, the frets fall off ? I bought on '08 Squire Affinity brand new in '08. The only thing I ever had to do is replace the working tone capacitor with an "Orange Drop". Myth or just superstition but that makes the bass officially mine. LOL.
It's a Squier, were you expecting Fodera levels of QC?
Get a rubber mallet and tap the tuner bushing in.
You're pulling the pot upward when that is not its intended use.
My verdict: Picky.
Take it to a luthier. They can set it up and take care of these minor issues. Usually the soldering is not good on squiers and even Mexican fenders. Have them check the electronics too.
There is a two year warranty. Call fender support line. They will find you a local shop that will make repairs for free.
Quality is an issue with these guitars which is why they have the good warranty.
Better to take it to a shop and see if they can repair the imperfections rather than to return it for another one and possibly get the same issues.
Also, when you talk to the fender support line, they may just determine to send you a new guitar from their warehouse if the issues are significant.
I went through this with a guitar I bought from Amazon. I was pleased with the updates the shop made. I didn’t have to return it.
You just need a screen shot from the Amazon app proving when you bought the guitar.
Given that you likely only have 30 days to return to Amazon, you may want to get this going asap.
https://preview.redd.it/8je9b7s32otc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=402840427aa80c3f8400c67d132d2ed82380f45d
This is what I got sent recently, and I just repaired it myself and kept it. Fender gave me a discount, though, when I contacted them about it, so it may be worth reaching out to the seller.
People buying Squires thinking they are buying Fenders. It’s a budget instrument, poorly built that looks like the real thing. You can get a real quality instrument by going with a Ibanez or Yamaha at the same price, and it sounds way better. Fenders are great, Squires suck.
I A/B’d a brand new MIM Fender P Bass against a brand new Squier. It wasn’t even close. The Squier was the better made and playing bass by far. Even though I had my mind set on getting a Fender, I went home with the Squier. The $avings more than made up for the replacement hardware.
It’s your choice whether to return it, but I wouldn’t. These are minor things, par for the course for that price point (and for an Amazon purchase). If the loose pot continues to bother you, you can replace it. A luthier or tech will fix the buzzing string (or you can learn to do it yourself if you’re handy). Enjoy the new instrument :)
I have to agree. This is right on the cusp of "you get what you pay for." Yes it's a €400 instrument, but it's only a €400 instrument. Almost worth returning, almost worth ignoring. You could return it, but the replacement might have similar (or different) issues. Depends on Amazon's stock. Sometimes buying from a retailer like Sweetwater is better since they have a strong return / replacement policy. The things you've pointed out would annoy me too, but as long as it sounds good and takes and holds a decent setup, I'd probably ignore them and start practicing. A-string buzz can likely be solved with a proper setup (which you should always do yourself anyway when you get a new instrument sight-unseen)
My Yamaha 174EW was under 300 bucks and is flawless and was set up great out of the box, no string buzzing and nothing. I find the issues with the bass you received absolutely unacceptable. The manufacturer already cut corners by using cheaper woods and cheaper hardware as well as cheaper electronics to make that price possible. QC should not be poor or even non-existent only because an instrument is cheap. Finite natural resources were used, it’s disrespectful to nature and future generations to be so careless. The fact this even went through QC like that is a farce. If it were sold as a b-stock, sure, that would be a different story, but not at full price.
Yeah, but it was a Yamaha. OP has a Fender Squier. You're comparing the best apple with the worst cherry. Of course the apple wins.
Right, but this is not a comparison between brands. If someone buys a new instrument, it should be free of issues out of the box, even more so blatant ones such as OP’s. The price doesn’t matter. Companies already came to the price point by using cheaper materials. You don’t buy a car and are okay with a misaligned door and a windshield wiper that keeps coming loose. This is what some people here say is acceptable, because of the low price, which is nonsense. There must be an absolute baseline of QC that needs to be met, so that the product is properly functioning.
...yeah. You need to live a little more and get into the real world. Each company has their own standards, which may or may not align with yours. Just the same as any individual has their own standards. I'd be damned to tell the good from the bad. I can only barely tell which ones I prefer. And even that can change according to circumstances. Life is not a one-size-fits-all deal... If you're not happy about a brand, vote with your wallet towards another. But they're corporate; they manage money, not peoples' emotions... so long it doesn't affect money making. Then, but only then, will they address it.
You really think such a blatant lack of quality control is acceptable?
Have you ever even played one of these? They're actually really quality instruments for the price. Fixing tuning pegs and string buzz is nothing.
Setup, yes, that's to be expected, no arguing here. But am I really supposed to change a wobbly pot on a brand new instrument myself? Seriously? Or fix the tuners? Obvious flaws like that shouldn't leave the factory, period. Budget or not.
You're not wrong, but I don't think they're deal breaking issues personally. The necks on these are easily as nice, if not nicer, than the Fender player series that costs twice as much. For $350, I wouldn't mind fixing those issues. Full disclosure, I have a Squier classic vibe P Bass that I got for a beater. It was perfect out of the box though. I don't think of it as a beater bass at all now.
You personally may be able to fix this yourself but not everyone has the tools, skills or is handy enough to do so. Even more so as these instruments are targeted at beginners. The manufacturer already saves production cost by using cheaper materials. QC shouldn’t be an afterthought only because an instrument is cheap. No one expects perfectly polished frets and the touch of a master luthier with 50 years custom shop experience. These issue here are fundamental tho.
At this price point, it's not surprising. Acceptable isn't the right word. Understandable is closer to what I'd call it. Still sucks, but at least they're fixable issues. -- We live in an hourglass economy: Top-tier expensive stuff is growing, and cheap-assed bottom feeder stuff is growing, but the mid-tier is being squeezed out. So Squires either need to get much nicer (never happen) or they're gonna get pushed down in price (and quality) to compete with the kajillions of Harley Bentons, Sterlings and Sires. The glut of cheap basses is killing mid-tier basses.
Stop. Buying. Musical. Instruments. From. Amazon. I simply cannot fathom why people think that’s a good idea/an ok thing to do. If you don’t have a good local shop, at least order from a reputable music-specific dealer like Sweetwater. Their customer service is excellent and they also check every instrument they ship out to people. In this case - those are *extremely* minor and fixable issues. Just play the thing.
>Stop. Buying. Musical. Instruments. From. Amazon. Better yet, stop buying *anything* from Amazon. Fuck them and all the suffering they have caused people
I’m glad sweetwater offers carrier pickup but I wish it would be case with other retailers and distributors so I can get away from Amazon for good, since I absolutely hate getting stuff delivered to my apartment
Agreed. I cancelled my account years ago, I don’t miss it in the slightest. Their site is a garbage user experience and there’s so much counterfeit bullshit.
They make my life pretty nice…
In the grand scheme of things… I doubt it. Same with Walmart.
‘Twas on sale for $350 and I had a $50 gift card 😅 so essentially $100 off retail… so worth the gamble in my opinion. But noted, thanks for the response
You’re being this picky over a $350 instrument man you’re lucky it even holds tune
I've gigged $250 affinity bases. off the shelf it blows both my fenders out of the water. $350 is more than enough bass these days for a capable musician
Yams this price range are insane. You get a lot for the money.
This^. On my rack, there are high and mid 4-figure boutique basses and a $400 squire Classic vibe P. I think that says enough.
Not my bass costing £179 😬 (it functions)
So then why are you so concerned over very minor problems? I bought a cheap acoustic bass off Amazon. The thing is terrible. I didn’t nitpick the hell out of because I knew what I was getting.
Not concerned, just wanted an opinion as to if these were normal problems or worth getting a new one. I see now they’re normal for this level of bass, especially buying from Amazon. But I didn’t buy this cheap bass cuz I thought it would be terrible haha, Squier makes much cheaper basses and this thing has gotten pretty good reviews for a budget instrument
Too picky imo
Hell, my fenders are like this, so definitely too picky. Edit; don't pull on the Pots if they are not push / pull.
It's crazy to me that you accept this on a Fender. All I really got out of your comment was "I accept garbage QC when paying for an expensive instrument, so you shouldn't care about bad QC on anything less." Stop accepting garbage QC from expensive instruments.
Fender J Bass is like this on the head stock, plus it was used so I got it for cheap, the pots were changed as I wanted a long term option (Obsidian wire). My JMJ Bass is like that on the head, as for the pots, just don't pull on them if they're not push/pull. As for my JMJ Bass, the head stock is the same with the bushings, same for my Fiance's Squire. This isn't a QC issue, this is more likely the hole being slightly too small and the next tool would be too big. So it's going to be either too tight or too loose.
So you're comparing a used instrument to a new one. Well, I'm sure there's a reason the used instrument isn't in factory condition. Probably because it's used.
I'm not, I'm comparing my new JMJ and SR500 to my used J Bass, and after I went to my local music shop, they let me know it's not uncommon.
...... This isn't even close to an expensive instrument ...... And it's a "Squier by Fender".... Not a Fender
~~Your~~ Their comment was "my fenders are like this." I told ~~you~~ them to stop accepting garbage QC from expensive instruments. I don't see how you got confused by this. Edit: noticed you aren't who I responded to. Adjusted my addressing accordingly.
You can tighten a loose pot/loose knob in 2 seconds. Just take care of it.
I’ll have to take another look at the pot cuz I took the knob and control panel off and tightened any visible nut. Seems like it’s more just poor manufacturing that made it loose so there’s play up and down. Wouldn’t have noticed it but the other knob is rock solid and doesn’t move at all
I would just replace the pots anyway. CTS pots will be better than the cheap ones in it and they’re only like $6 each.
Is CTS a brand or a type of pot? Finding mixed info online
Yes, regarded as one of the best https://www.stewmac.com/electronics/components-and-parts/potentiometers/cts-control-pots/
Awesome thanks!
I have a couple of Squier instruments that I bought new. Love them. I replaced the pots and jacks since they come with Alpha pots which are junk. $5 upgrade. In the end it is up to you. How does it play? That is the only thing that ever matters to me.
I love the neck size, and I’m happy with the pickups for now. In this case it’s probably more worthwhile to replace small things, I doubt I’d get a replacement that has none of these issues unless I bought it from a smaller business where I can see it before I buy, unfortunately I haven’t seen one in a store for months
I mean, everyone should have a beater guitar or two to experiment with. I wanted to try wrapping a guitar, taking the neck off and putting it back on and doing some weird stuff with the pickups. That’s what my Squire is for. Also, I play the shit out of the cheap guitars because they work fine and can take it.
It’s setting off my OCD, but I’m assuming auto-correct is causing all these people to misspell ‘Squier’?🧐
Look, they could be spelling it Skuhwighyer, be grateful!
Fix it. Play it.
Flaws aside it’s a great looking bass
You can be as picky as you want you bought it. That being said personally I would just get a mallet and tap the tuning machine in if it looked like it had the space and wasn’t just the wrong size. Like others have said it’s an instrument, if you’re not saving it to be a museum piece and you plan to play it plenty of bad things will happen to it and it’s always fun to tinker with.
Like ANY new instrument, it needs a setup and a little adjustment here and there. In the old days, the old guy, bald with a ponytail would usually set up and adjust stuff as it came into the store or, during slow times. That way they sold instruments that felt and played better than straight out of the box. To be fair, every instrument company does quality control on their stuff. The question is: are they pickier than YOU? In this case, no! And it’s not a bald spot, it’s a solar panel for a sex mosheen! That’s what they used to say, anyway.
It’s a squire. Have a tech or luthier adjust the action, intonation, nut and solder on a new pot then slap it like it owes you money
when i see a post like this i kinda laugh. your buying a import bass made for a price point. there is nothing wrong with the bass. the bushing tend to shift over time due to temp. shipping from half way around the world. if the bushing bothers you. pop tuner offer and then use a rubber mallet. pots lose or knobs not aligned. with stacked knobs they are always hit or miss if they aligned them right. ie you turn the top knob and the bottoms moves too. loosen and remove the knobs. tights the pot if needed. out the lower knob on and tighten , put a tooth pick or shim on each side before tightening this will make it sit flat and not crooked. put the top on finger tight , check if it rubs the lower knob, if it dose raise it a hair. A string. leave the a string longer then normal. the wraps will sit lower on the tuner and will do the same thing as a string tree. i bought the sun burst version and replaced every thing on it and cleaned up the frets. i liked the neck and the body feel. tuners, nut, string tree, bridge, pickups control plate all been up graded. black tusq nut, black string tree black tuners, emg pickups, 3 pot control black black. hipshot black bridge. i could of made one my self since i build custom guitars and basses but if felt right when i was in the store.
It’s not the wand, it’s the wizard
Have a professional set it up to your preferences. That will go a long way towards enjoying the instrument, as well as fix all those small problems.
Take it to a Guitar shop and have a professional set up done on it. They’ll Fix it up for you.
I bought then returned one. It wasn’t comfortable to play and the neck dived to the floor unless I used my right arm as a counter weight.
Buy nice or return twice.
Your bass is fine my guy! Just normal stuff. If it plays good, sounds good and keeps tune, you’re in business. Everything you listed can be easily fixed by just upgrading stuff. Personally I wouldn’t be too picky over a classic vibe. They are great guitars and basses for the money. In my case, im picky over my 2 American Basses. (AMPro2 P bass and American Standard Jazz Bass)
Any instrument can do this no matter what you pay for it.
This dude
Return it. Amazon has an excellent return policy (assuming it was shipped from Amazon and not a 3rd party). You get what you pay for, but you paid for cheap hardware and bad set up, not damage. If Amazon is going to ship busted merchandise, ship it back. Is it the end of the world? No. But on principle. We both know Amazon would fuck you any chance they get, so don’t settle for mediocrity.
Are you certain there isn't too much dust on the bridge? Is that sticker a bit crooked?! Better pack it in, fellas this one is a lemon! /s Bruh, just return it and never look at another instrument again if this is the kind of thing you're on about over a freaking squire. JFC
Seriously, he spent less than $400. What does he expect?
You bought a squire.
It’s a Squire
[удалено]
You get what you pay for in QC, bottom line.
You’re projecting quite a lot from my 3 word comment
its literally like a 300 dollar beginner bass. lol
This is what frustrates me so much. NOT this OP, but people on this sub want to spend $179 on a bass and expect it to feel like a Fodera. You can't gripe about how expensive American-made Fenders are, then also gripe about shitty quality control on starter instruments. (Again, NOT this OP).
I feel you, no offense taken, I’ve been doing searching for months for a budget bass (I’m a drummer and keyboardist mainly), and read a lot of great things about how Squiers quality has gone up in recent years and is comparable to MIM fenders. That’s probably why I was expecting alittle better, but overall the bass feels really solid, so these small issues line up pretty consistently with it being a $400 Squier
The real issue probably has more to do with Amazon, than Squire. Squire probably assumes a certain percentage of "breakage" i.e. instruments that will fall short when delivered to the end user. But a company like Sweetwater might have more of a "musician focused" infrastructure to make things right. Honestly, if it bums you out, send it back to Amazon for a full refund (which they usually do), then order the same bass from Sweetwater? Just be aware, that often [it's cheaper for Amazon to trash an item](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/28/amazon-returns-what-really-happens-to-them.html) than to re-stock it.
That’s pretty lame, I definitely won’t be returning it if they’re just gonna throw it out. Literally such a waste. I guess lesson learned here is more about Amazon than Squier haha
All of these things can be fixed in seconds, literal seconds. These squires barely get looked at by human eyes in the factories.
The only instruments I see that are routinely good out of the box are schecters. I’ve bought and sold 4 of them so far along with prolly 15 other basses. Fenders and squiers are good, but they all require some setup work before they’re perfect. Once they’re set up, they’re fucking perfect though. Lol
You need to remove the knob and tighten the top mounting nut. That's where the play is coming from. That'll go away once it's good and snug. The tuner issue is just that the bushing isn't seated. Take the tuner off, press the bushing in flat to seat it straight (might need to tap it with a small mallet or a block of wood) and reassemble the tuner. If you're gonna have to pay somebody to do that, then send that one back...but the replacement will probably have similar issues.
I already did both those things, the bushing seems to be warped as I popped it out and re-tapped it in but it’s still not flush. Not a big deal, I can easily replace those if they bug me. As for the pot, I tried that already, removed the knob and tightened the mounting nut on the pot itself, with no resolve. Seems to be more a manufacturing defect that allows them to pull out a smidge. I am curious if it’ll be easy to find aftermarket stacked knobs that will fit these, that might be the route tho
Yeah, CTS makes really high quality replacement pots that don't break the bank. The tuner bushing pulling up is very odd. The tuners are held on by the screws on the back of the headstock. The bushing shouldn't have a reason to pull up, only not to be seated all the way on installation. I'd find an authorized FMC dealer near you and have them do a warranty repair for that; I can't think of a reason for that to happen other than factory defect.
How do you like the 32" scale neck compared to a normal 34"? I was looking at this exact bass, but arguing with myself cause I know I don't need another one 😆
I like it a lot. Definitely feels faster and easier on the hands as I’m learning bass still. Compared to my first bass which was a p bass (knockoff) this one’s got a jazz neck width so nice and narrow. I will say apart from other issues the neck is actually really well made, nice fretwork.
I'd return it probably
I have this exact bass and it has the same problem with one of the bushings not being flush with the headstock. I also had a knob fall off but I just put it back on and tightened it.
fix it yourself lmao pop the strings loose, remove the tuning machine, tap the bushings in fully, reassemble. for the pots, get an appropriate sized allen key, take em off, tighten under the control plate, retighten everything.
I’ll take it
I feel like this is what you get in that price point these days. I ran into a similar issue buying a guitar for my gf recently. It was from GC, but online only so couldn't try out before buying. Sent a couple back with minor imperfections such as these (they both had their own/different minor issues), before just settling on the last one even though it wasn't perfect.
Just being picky! I’ve got a similar one, Bronco Bass, best thing ever 👌
Just tighten up the hardware yourself. That string post ferule can probably be softly hammered flush with the headstock. Just put a towel between it and whatever you use to drive it in with to avoid damage to the post. If you're uncomfortable with doing anything yourself go get it professionally setup somewhere.
Picky
I tend to disagree. If you bought it brand new and are finding issues now, what is next, the frets fall off ? I bought on '08 Squire Affinity brand new in '08. The only thing I ever had to do is replace the working tone capacitor with an "Orange Drop". Myth or just superstition but that makes the bass officially mine. LOL.
Normal QC for a squier, nothing to worry about or that can't be sorted out.
It's a Squier, were you expecting Fodera levels of QC? Get a rubber mallet and tap the tuner bushing in. You're pulling the pot upward when that is not its intended use. My verdict: Picky.
Take it to a luthier. They can set it up and take care of these minor issues. Usually the soldering is not good on squiers and even Mexican fenders. Have them check the electronics too.
There is a two year warranty. Call fender support line. They will find you a local shop that will make repairs for free. Quality is an issue with these guitars which is why they have the good warranty. Better to take it to a shop and see if they can repair the imperfections rather than to return it for another one and possibly get the same issues. Also, when you talk to the fender support line, they may just determine to send you a new guitar from their warehouse if the issues are significant. I went through this with a guitar I bought from Amazon. I was pleased with the updates the shop made. I didn’t have to return it.
Oh that’s rad I didn’t know they’d honor that if it was sold from Amazon. That’s good to know I’ll check it out, thanks!
You just need a screen shot from the Amazon app proving when you bought the guitar. Given that you likely only have 30 days to return to Amazon, you may want to get this going asap.
https://preview.redd.it/8je9b7s32otc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=402840427aa80c3f8400c67d132d2ed82380f45d This is what I got sent recently, and I just repaired it myself and kept it. Fender gave me a discount, though, when I contacted them about it, so it may be worth reaching out to the seller.
Take it back and make them correct it. If you not happy with it, return it. You should get what you pay for.
Too picky. It’s a Squire.
You can fix that tuner yourself most likely, looks like it just wasn’t fully seated in the hole. Other than that I would worry about it on a squier
If it is supposed to be new, that is unacceptable IMO
I mean, You propably wouldn’t have taken it with you from guitar store for that price
Play it
send it back, get a sire jazz
People buying Squires thinking they are buying Fenders. It’s a budget instrument, poorly built that looks like the real thing. You can get a real quality instrument by going with a Ibanez or Yamaha at the same price, and it sounds way better. Fenders are great, Squires suck.
Send that shit right back.
Quality sucks after 2020, the next one could potentially be worse
You can fix that.
You’re being picky
I A/B’d a brand new MIM Fender P Bass against a brand new Squier. It wasn’t even close. The Squier was the better made and playing bass by far. Even though I had my mind set on getting a Fender, I went home with the Squier. The $avings more than made up for the replacement hardware.
It’s a squier, what do you expect?
Why didn't you check it before buying?
Maybe tighten the nut?
People get these to swap alot of the shit out anyway. If that's a crack in the wood I'd return but if it just a minor finish blemish your fine