This was the first bass I bought when I started playing a few years ago. I paid an extra $25 and got the sunburst model, just because the other colors didn't look too good. I can say that it is a strong first bass for players who want the feel of a Fender without the price tag.

This model features a J- and split coil P- style pickup for a "best of both" kind of sound. The pickups each have separate volume controls. I prefer the J- pickup because of the punchier sound. When I want a lower, duller tone, I turn the Precision pickup up. In this manner, this bass can be used to play a variety of styles of music.

The construction of this bass is relatively solid. It is built better than the standard Squier P-bass. The body is basswood, which is much heavier and more durable than the plywood material the standard version is made of. The neck is a little thinner, as in a Jazz bass and makes for faster playing. The only problem I think is that the actions are a little too high and when I'm trying to play with speed, there are a lot of clicking noises from the strings hitting the fretboard. For this reason, I prefer Ibanez basses that have lower actions.

This bass is very playable and a good learning bass for the beginner. I would definitely recommend it over the other Squier models because this one, unlike the others, will not need to be replaced for a while. I haven't done any gigs with this one, so I can't tell you how it plays under those circumstances. Overall, though, if you want to learn to play electric bass and you're short of cash, give this one a try.


Recommended: Yes