Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass - Overview and Best Prices

Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass Review
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  • 3 Prices - New from $399.99 >
  • From Fender Squier's 2022 Classic Vibe series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 4 strings
  • 34"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar body
  • Maple neck
  • Indian Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 4-Saddle Vintage-Style with Threaded Steel Saddles bridge
  • Bass C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 20 Narrow Tall frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 8.375lbs (3.8kgs) and 9.125lbs (4.1kgs)
  • Side-By-Side Comparison
Show Specs
Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass Specifications
Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass
General
Brand: Fender Squier
Year: 2022
Configuration: SS
Strings: 4
Made in: Indonesia
Series: Classic Vibe
Colors: Sunburst, Black, Blue
Left-Handed Version: No
Body
Type: Solid Body
Body Material: Poplar
Bridge: 4-Saddle Vintage-Style with Threaded Steel Saddles
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style
Fretboard: Indian Laurel
Neck Material: Maple
Decoration: White Pearloid Dot
Scale Size: 34"
Shape: Bass C Shape
Frets: 20 Narrow Tall
Fretboard Radius: 9.5"
Nut: Bone
Nut Width: 38.1mm (1.5'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 0
Knobs: Dome
Volume Controls: 2
Tone Controls: 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No
Hardware Color: Chrome

Our Scores and Tone Evaluation

Playability 72
Sound 76
Build quality 64
Value for money 81
Overall Score 71
Tone Evaluation
  • Heavy Metal
  • Hard Rock
  • Jazz
  • Blues
  • Funk
  • Country
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass
  • 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

Price Overview

Its average competitor's price is $550, which means that the Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass is around 24% cheaper than the competition. This takes into account all instruments of the same category in our database with 4 strings and Fixed bridge that are made in Indonesia.

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User Reviews & Feedback

Not all instruments are created equally. That's why it's important to have different opinions. Here's what our users who have played this instrument say. If you've played it before, help others by voting below!

Weight

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Tuning stability

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Neck access to high frets

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Neck profile shape

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Fret edges

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the neck profile, scale size, fretboard radius, and nut width, we can conclude that the Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass's construction is balanced for most hand sizes.

Nevertheless, this comes down in the end to personal preference. Make sure you test this bass—or another one with similar characteristics—before buying.

Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass meets 4 out of our 6 criteria items for beginner friendliness, which means that it's a good bass to start with as a complete beginner. 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 to get used to.

New Player Friendliness

Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

Videos

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Fixing Squier's Mistake! | Classic Vibe 60s Jazz Bass [Review/Demo]
Squier Late 60's Classic Vibe Jazz Bass - Labor Day Parts Bin Special! - LowEndLobster Review
Jazz Bass Shootout #6 - Squier Classic Vibe 60's Vs. 70's - EMPIRE MUSIC
Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass - What Does it Sound Like?

How Lightweight is it?

We found that the Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass weighs between 8.375lbs (3.8kgs) and 9.125lbs (4.1kgs). This was recorded from some online retailers that publish the weight of the instruments they sell.

Playability

Scale Length

Scale length is the distance the strings will span between the bridge and the nut. It can tell you a lot about the overall playability and tone of the instrument. A longer scale length means longer distance between frets, brighter tone and more string tension—which means lower action, but more difficult bending of the strings.

Here's the Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass's 34" scale length compared to other common sizes:

Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass Scale Length Comparison
Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass's scale length (at the top) compared to other popular sizes

This is considered a long scale bass, and it's the most popular choice for several reasons. Even though it might be more difficult to play than short scale basses due to their increased string tension, their punchier low-end results in a clear and defined bass tone that can cut through in a mix, making them well-suited for genres like rock, metal, and funk.

Neck Profile

Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass Neck Profile
Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass's neck profile

The neck profile tells you the thickness (neck depth) and shape in cross section. Every difference will completely change the feeling and comfortability of the neck. This is a highly subjective thing, but most players indeed prefer certain types of necks (like Cs and Ds) because they feel nice in most hands.

It has a C type neck. C-shaped necks like this have been the most popular for the last years. The reason is that they feel good in most hands. It's generally a thin neck that doesn't get in your way when playing fast, but that also has enough mass to give your hands a comfortable grip for chords if they aren't too big.

Thin necks like this make it easier to move your hand across the neck and it helps when playing fast solos, especially if you like to leave your thumb free while playing high on the fretboard. However, thinner necks are also weaker and will need adjustment more often than a thicker neck.

Fretboard Radius

When it comes to fingerboard radius, personal preference will dictate which one is better for you. However, most people seem to agree that a more curved (lower) radius will make it easier to play chords while a less curved (higher) radius is better for soloing and bending.

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass has a 9.5" fingerboard radius.

Here's an image comparing this fretboard radius to other popular choices:

Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass Fretboard Radius Comparison with Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul
Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass's fretboard radius compared to others

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.

Compound radius fingerboards give the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, the Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass has the same radius across the board.

Playability compared to main competitors

34'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.5'' Nut Width
9.5'' Fretboard Radius
34'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.496'' Nut Width
16'' Fretboard Radius
34'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.535'' Nut Width
14'' Fretboard Radius
34'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.535'' Nut Width
14'' Fretboard Radius
34'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.496'' Nut Width
16'' Fretboard Radius

Nut Width

Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass Nut Width
Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass Nut Width

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass has a nut width of 38.1mm (1.5''). This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 4-string bass. This is what most players find as a balanced width for both playing chords and single notes across different strings. If you have an "average" hand size, or you're not sure what nut width you'd like, this is a safe bet.

Frets

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass has 20 frets. Even though 24 frets has become really popular, there's still a good reason to get fewer frets; the pickup at the neck position will be further away from the bridge. This makes the neck pickup achieve a warmer tone. You might want this if you're playing Jazz or similar genres.

However, if you don't care about the warmer neck pickup, more frets will always be better. It's always nice to have the option to play higher notes if you want to.

It comes with nickel silver frets, so they won't last as long as stainless steel frets. If you use your instrument a lot, you might need to replace the frets after a few years. But this is unlikely as most people change instruments before this happens.

Fret Size

Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass Fret Size Comparison
Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass's fret size (in orange) compared to other popular sizes

Finally, let's talk about fret size. Some people prefer tall frets because it's easier to press the strings and perform bends since there's less friction against the fretboard. On the other hand, some people like shorter frets because they like to touch the fretboard when playing, or because they got heavy hands and tend to press too much on the string and alter the of the note pitch accidently.

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass's frets are Narrow Tall size. These are similar to Jumbos, but they might be slightly shorter (or taller, depending on the maker), and they tend to have a narrower crown width. You'll be able to press the strings easily, but if you're not used to them, you might get the notes out of pitch if you press down too hard on the strings since their height won't let you feel the fretboard.

Playability Score

Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72

Tone

Wood will have little influence in the final tone of an electric guitar or bass. Instead, the hardware, especially the pickups, will be the most important thing to look at. Bur first, let's see the quality of the wood.

Wood

Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar Body
Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple Neck
Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel Fretboard

Poplar Body: It's similar to Alder in terms of tone as it has a fat low-end with strong mids, but it's a lot cheaper and softer. It's a bit heavier so it's mostly used for tops.

Maple Neck: This is one of the most popular types of wood used in all kinds of guitars. It's heavy, strong and compact, which makes it great for necks. However, it's also used for fretboards, bodies and tops due to its light color, resistance and beautiful patterns. When it comes to tone, it highlights the mid and high frequencies.

Laurel Fretboard: 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.

Pickups

Unfortunately, it doesn't come with pickups from one of the top brands. This doesn't mean you will get bad pickups, but you might want to consider a pickup upgrade after some time.

These are passive pickups, so you can expect a rounder sound and a moderade level of output.

Preamp

The preamp is an electronic circuit that serves as an intermediary between the bass's pickups and the amplifier. Its primary function is to boost and shape the bass's raw signal before it reaches the amplifier. This allows for greater control over the bass's tone, volume, and other sound characteristics. Preamps often include tone controls, equalization settings, and sometimes even onboard effects, enabling bassists to tailor their sound to their preferences and the musical context.

This bass has a Passive preamp. 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.

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass's configuration is SS. This is the classic Telecaster configuration and it's used mainly for playing clean or with low-gain distortion. It doesn't give you as much versatility as a Strat SSS configuration, but you might like the cleaner look of a guitar body with fewer pickups.

More with the same pickups

20 Frets
Fixed Bridge
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil Bridge Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil Neck Pickup
20 Frets
Fixed Bridge
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil Bridge Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Split Single-Coil Neck Pickup
21 Frets
Tremolo Bridge
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil Bridge Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil Neck Pickup
20 Frets
Fixed Bridge
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil Bridge Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil Neck Pickup
20 Frets
Fixed Bridge
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil Bridge Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil Neck Pickup

Versatility

Unfortunately, it doesn't come with more options for coil split or coil tapping. This makes it less versatile than some competitors.

What music genre is it good for?

As a 4 strings, Solid Body bass with SS configuration and Passive pickups, we'd recommend it for genres like Country or similar. However, you can use almost any bass for any genre. This is just the typical type of music for this particular one.

Sound Score

Pickups 70
Sustain 75
Versatility 77
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 76

Build Quality

Country of Origin

Knowing where the instrument is produced is a good way to know how well it's built. Some manufacturing countries are known for having higher quality standards. For example, most expensive instruments are made in the US or Japan, but there are some exceptionally great countries—like South Korea—that are building a good reputation.

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass is made in Indonesia. Many people prefer the quality of an Indonesian guitar over a Chinese. Respectable brands like Epiphone, Ibanez and Schecter are building in this country because of the great quality and lower price. Some people like to compare them to the ones built in Japan during the 80s, when Japanese guitar makers made a name for themselves.

Bridge

4-Saddle Vintage-Style with Threaded Steel Saddles: The advantage of fixed bridges is that they don't require any kind of set-up. This makes it extremely easy when changing strings because you don't need to adjust anything besides tuning the guitar. Also, the fact that the bridge is directly attached to the body will help to increase sustain. The disadvantage is the lack of versatility since you can't create the same vibrato effects as with tremolo bridges.

Nut Material

Another important thing to analyze is the nut material, as it's one of the most important aspects that can affect the sound and playability of your bass. A well-cut nut will make sure it stays in tune and will make it more comfortable to play.

In this case, the Fender Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz Bass has a Bone nut. This material is one of the highest quality you can get. It provides excellent sustain and tune stability if cut well. The only disadvantage is that it's an organic material, so it's not consistent. Two different bone nuts, even if made from the same bone, will probably sound slightly different. However, bear in mind that this is only relevant when playing open strings.

Neck Joint

The neck joint is the part where the neck of the bass meets the body. There are three main techniques to attach both parts together: Set-In, Bolt-On and Neck-Through. The latter two provide different advantages, although neck-throughs are the most expensive.

This bass has a Bolt-On neck joint. Even though this type of neck was looked down upon for a long time, nowadays bolt-on necks are well built and provide just as much sustain as any other join method. First of all, it's cheap to make because it consists of simply 4 bolts that attach the neck to the body. And you can travel with the guitar more easily, swap out the neck if you damage it, or upgrade to a more comfortable neck later on.

Build Quality Score

Quality of materials 56
Features 70
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 64