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Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ
Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass
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Playability
68
Sound
73
Build
64
Value
78
Score
68
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Playability
68
Sound
79
Build
74
Value
74
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
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Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ vs Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass Specs Comparison
Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass
General
Brand: Fender Squier Fender
Year: 2021 2018
Configuration: PJ S
Strings: 4 4
Made in: Indonesia United States
Series: Affinity Road Worn
Colors: White, Black, Blue, Gray White
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Poplar Ash
Bridge: 4-Saddle Standard Fender HiMass with Chrome-Plated Zinc Saddles
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Fender '70s Vintage-Style Stamped Open-Gear
Fretboard: Indian Laurel Maple
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Pearloid Dot Black Dot
Scale Size: 34" 34"
Shape: Bass C Shape Bass Thick C
Frets: 20 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 20 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 9.5"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 41.3mm (1.625'') 40.4mm (1.59'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Ceramic Single-Coil Jazz Bass (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Custom Vintage 59 Split Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Ceramic Split Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 0 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome

Reasons to Get
Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ over Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass

Release Year
2021 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
PJ vs S
Balances warmth (P-style) with clarity (J-style) for diverse bass tones.
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.59'' (40.4mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Poly vs Nitro
Resistant paint that ages well
Value Score
78 vs 74
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass over Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Pickups Brand
Fender vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Pickups
S vs PJ
For twangy sounds and simplicity
Nut Width
1.59'' (40.4mm) vs 1.625'' (41.3mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Nitro vs Poly
Thin finish that creates aging marks faster

Other Key Differences
Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ vs Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass

Body Wood
Poplar vs Ash
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Laurel vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ vs Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
4
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
4
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
34'' (863.6mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Retainer Bar
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ Prices

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SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor large hands .

Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

Both meet 4 out of our 6 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first bass to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Woods Used in the Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ

Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

Woods Used in the Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass

Ash wood pattern used for guitar building
Ash

Ash is a type of wood that Fender used almost exclusively in the 50s, and it's still used by many brands. It's a dense wood with a light color that works well for a transparent, natural finish because of its beautiful patterns. In terms of sound, it's known for emphasizing the mid and high frequencies, but with strong low end. Find out more about Ash.

Winner: Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ has an PJ configuration while the Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass has S pickups.

A PJ bass offers a versatile tonal range by combining the warm, punchy sound of a Precision-style (P-style) pickup with the brighter, more articulate tones of a Jazz-style (J-style) pickup. This makes it a great choice for those seeking tonal flexibility.

On the other hand, A single single-coil pickup is not a configuration commonly found in modern electric guitars because it lacks versatility. But if you only want a guitar that sounds very thin and twangy, this might be good enough.

Pickups Quality

The Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass pickups from a more specialized brand than the Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Blues and similar genres.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Preamp Circuit

A preamp in an electric bass functions as an electronic circuit that acts as an interface between the bass's pickups and the amplifier. Its main purpose is to amplify and customize the bass's initial signal before it reaches the amplifier, offering enhanced control over factors like tone, volume, and sound attributes. Preamps typically come equipped with tone adjustments, equalization options, and sometimes built-in effects, empowering bass players to fine-tune their sound to suit their personal preferences and the musical environment.

Both basses have a Passive preamp.

Passive: A bass with a passive preamp lacks an onboard electronic circuit for tone shaping and signal boosting. Instead, it relies solely on passive pickups and basic tone controls, typically consisting of volume and tone knobs. Passive preamps don't require an external power source like batteries, making them low-maintenance and dependable. While they offer a simpler and more straightforward tonal character, passive basses are appreciated for their warm and vintage sound, often favored in genres like classic rock, blues, and funk. They are an excellent choice for musicians who value the simplicity and timeless appeal of their instrument's tone without the need for active electronic components.

Winner: Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ
Pickups 70
Sustain 65
Versatility 77
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 73
Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 79

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ compares to the Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ is built in Indonesia while the Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass is made in United States.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass

Nut Material

If you want your bass to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have Synthetic Bone nuts. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ's are Vintage-Style while the Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass's are Fender '70s Vintage-Style Stamped Open-Gear

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a bass is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Active Preamp
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Active Preamp
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ
Quality of materials 56
Features 70
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 64
Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass
Quality of materials 66
Features 70
Quality Control 85
Build Quality 74

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a bass might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a bass feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ Nut Width
Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ Nut Width
Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass Nut Width
Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ has the wider nut with 41.3mm (1.625'') vs 40.4mm (1.59''). This is a 0.9mm (0.035'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ and Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 34".

This is a scale used for baritones and guitars with more than 6 strings. Since the scale is so long, the tension of the strings will be higher. This means that bending will require a lot more strength than with a shorter scale. However, it also allows you to use really low tunings without causing fret buzz and without needing to increase your string gauge too much.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ Neck Profile
Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ's neck profile
Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass Neck Profile
Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ and the Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most bass fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ and the Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass have the same fretboard radius of 9.5". This is the most common radius for Stratocaster guitars. It's considered curved when compared to most other models. This allows you to play chords very easily without muting strings accidentally and gives you more space between strings for fingerpicking. However, this curve also gives the guitar less allowance for lower action. If you bend too hard at the high frets, some of your notes might get muted because the curve will make the string fret out.

Fret Size

Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ and Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

Fender Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 68
Fender Mike Dirnt Road Worn Precision Bass
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 68