Squier Vintage Modified FL Jazz Reviews 
4 / 5 based on 2 reviewsThis is Squier's factory 'hot rodded' lined fretless jazz bass. I am going to go right out and say it. It is the best fretless under $500. It only comes in sunburst and with a dark ebanal fingerboard. It comes with chrome knobs and no pickguard to replicate the iconic bass of Mr. Jaco Pastorius.
This was a total impulse buy. I saw it at Guitar Center for $299 and picked it up and couldn't put it down. The Duncan Designed pickups sound nice. I'd say they fit between a Standard and an American series pickups.
The neck plays great up and down. It is lightweight and the body resonates well.
It isn't too versatile, but it gets the Jaco growl as well as an even sound and well that's all you need.
Also the stock strings stink I like a set of D'addario Chromes myself.
Squier actually made a cool bass for cheap. It isn't the greatest of material, but it is solid. It holds tune and sounds good acoustically as well as plugged in. Try to play a few as Squier's quality control isn't always on par.
If you are looking to dabble with the fretless, this is a great instrument. If you hate it you are not out an arm and a leg, if you like it, the bass is a good enough quality that you can gig and jam with it.
Billy rated this unit
on
2010-11-08.
These are reviewed everywhere, prolly cuz they are so affordable, and they all look alike, tobacco burst with no pickguard. I don't own it, but have often messed with them in the shop, and like most of the reviewers I've read, it's an impressive bass, especially at the price, but even ignoring price it's quite an ax.
I haven't [yet] bought one. They usually go for just under $300 US.
I repeat that there are plenty of favorable reviews, but a coupla good things don't seem to get mentioned:
The PUs are 'noiseless' J's, and do have quite good noise rejection. That gets an occasional mention.
Something I noticed last night, when I grabbed one off the shop wall to test an amp, is that the dual volume controls work better than on any passive bass I can recall. The useful control range is NOT all crowded into the last 10th of the dial ! The whole sweep of the dial is useful !
They offer a great progressive effect from 'off' all around the full sweep to wide open. I think I finally noticed this cuz now I was testing an amp. All the previous times I was testing the bass itself, and knowing it to be passive, I'd just run it wide open.
I join the multitude in saying that at the price, or even twice the price, there is nothing to dislike here [unless you just dislike ALL J-basses in general]. OK, the tuners are adequate, sort of. Replace them with the best avaialble, and it's still a really low-cost killer ax.
See other reviews. I just wanted to tell about its superior volume control pots, a regretably rare thing in the marketplace, at all price levels !
Great knobs !
I rate it a '3', but thaz NOT price-adjusted. A good honest '3' for this price, with no glaring flaws ? A great find.
Tone is subjective, so rather than refer you to other reviews, I'll say here that I'm rather old school, and I like it. And I know the difference between 'old school' and just plain 'dull thud'. This is good.
Golem rated this unit
on
2010-02-05.
