LeftyBassist.com

So....my wife said I can buy the Black Squier Jazz VM bass for my birthday if I want to. Here's the thing....I am only a bedroom player right now and have no need of it. I just couldn't think of anything else I really wanted for my birthday. I have my eyes open for the John Myung Overdrive pedal, but it is not out yet.

I was playing for my church or for others that needed a bass player for the last nine years usually using my Musicman Bongo 5 string up with Nickelwound or Stainless steel or my Martin Acoustic with TIs or Nylon. I'm lucky enough to play it though a Phil Jones Double 4 at home. If I am out I have a Berg cab and head (that's been collecting dust the last 2 years due to COVID). That gives me more than what I need. In fact, at times I have even thought about selling the Berg stuff since it is a bit of overkill (bigger plans that did not work out)

Every so often I feel the lure of a passive 4 string Fender style bass, but don't want to spend much money on it. Is a jazz distinct enough from a Bongo that this is worth it? Or the precision by Squier? Have I lost my mind for actually turning down a bass from my wife? We have other needs in our house that we could attend to as well...I don't know...I really don't know what to do with this. Am I missing something? Are these new squiers really good? I'll be able to try before I buy since the shop near me has one.

Go for it. A J is a very different sounding/feeling animal from a 5 string Bongo, and after 60 years they still haven't gone out of style. Gotta have a J in your arsenal. There is no shame in playing a Squier, especially when the quality and bang for the buck rivals some Fenders. I own a Classic Vibe 50's Tele and a Classic Vibe 60's P bass, and I like them better than many MIA Fenders I've played/owned. The Squier Classic Vibe basses are superb, and the latest J 70's model is killer with the black block inlays and black finish. And since they won't break the bank, they make an excellent mod platform too.

The Squier is a very good bass. I’ve got several American Fender basses, but I’d proudly play one. I’ve got 3 JBs and a Precision or I’d snag one.

DO IT! Hahaha

First, let me say that you are in the very unique and desirable position of having just a few basses and being completely satisfied! That doesn't happen very often! Enjoy it!

I am with Muck, and he knows much better than I, for sure.

I have owned both a Bongo and several Jazz basses, all 4-strings, and they are definitely different animals. The Jazz has a more "throaty" and aggressive sound all-around (I call it the "bullfrog tone"), but the Bongo has a nicer, fuller low-end. So, it's all what you are after. I ultimately sold the Bongo because I couldn't get the sound I wanted out of it. I realized I was trying to make it sound like a Jazz, when it just isn't, and it isn't supposed to be. This is mostly due to the pickups, I would say. I am just a single-coil guy.

I can tell you that the first time I picked up a VM Jazz, I wanted to hang my head in shame at how many thousands of dollars I had spent in basses, when I could have just gotten one of those from the beginning and had what I was looking for! (I would still want a Rick, of course!) It felt rock-solid, played great and sounded like a Jazz!

Before you get a VM Jazz, you may want to look at the new Classic Vibe Jazz. It has the bridge pickup position that is correct to the '75 Jazz. Although I doubt it makes much difference in tone, it's still a neat feature, to me.

Thank you. I count my blessings often. I feel the same about the amps. Sometimes I am tempted to scale down just to the PJB. The Bongo truly can do a lot, but I also realized it does not do jazz bass. It can fake a Stingray, but not a jazz. Thanks for your comment. It is very thoughtful.