FenderSquier Debut Series Precision Bass Guitar, Beginner Guitar, with 2-Year Warranty, Includes Free Lessons, Black with Matte Finish

After purchasing the Squier Debut Stratocaster for my son, I decided to roll the dice on the Squier Debut P-Bass to see if I got as lucky.Out of the box I expected sharp/overhanging frets and issues with the action. I expected janky tuning keys. To my delight the frets were perfect. Just like with the Strat. And that same matte finish on the relatively thin neck (which I love) and the black matte body make for a great playing experience. Upon my first bit of play time with the bass the action, actually, doesn't seem too bad. And those tuning keys seem just right to me, in my limited time (so far) with this bass.I can't say anything definitive, at this point, regarding the action, tuning retention, or tuning accuracy but I'm going to put this bass through setup and, if there's any glaring issues, I'll revisit this review. If 2 months have gone by and you don't see an edit, it's because I didn't find any issues and my review stands at 5 stars.This bass reminds me of my first bass guitar, an Epiphone Accu-Bass (which was just a Fender P-Bass clone). This Squier weighs noticeably less. Functionally, it's no different than a Fender Precision, though you may want to upgrade the pickups and pots at some point in the future (if it's necessary is debatable, unless you're a professional, in which case why are you buying a budget line bass guitar?) The neck profile is just right for my shorter fingers, and I feel like it would be a perfect bass for someone new to the craft.The price point? I can't see how this can be beat.My only advice would be to avoid the bundles you might see on offer with this bass. They are easy to fall for but, in my opinion, not worth the extra money. I know because, in my own excitement, I opted for a bundle which (supposedly) includes an Amp, Gig bag, strap, guitar cord, yada, yada, yada.I got a gig bag (Fender branded, so that's neat) for an electric guitar. The bass will not fit. Fortunately, my son is in need of a decent gig bag for the previously mentioned Strat so that's cool, I guess.The 'amp' is about the size of a bedside alarm clock. And it sounds like a bedside alarm clock too. It does have a headphone jack, which is how I will likely use it, but headphone 'amps' are all over amazon (plug them into your bass, plug headphones into them or Bluetooth) and they are relatively inexpensive.The strap just never showed upThe guitar cord, a Fender branded cord, was the only truly useful item, for me, that bundle.I really feel like you can just source better items on your own and I wish I had done that myself.

I have played expensive basses, cheap basses and everything in-between in my 8 years of playing bass on stage at my church. This bass sounds great out of the box, and it is an amazing mod platform. I will say, the space in the body for the pickups have different places than other fender basses so if your pick guard gets damaged you would be limited to this specific models pick guard. If you decide you want to change the neck, keep the screws because the bass is thinner than any other fender/squire bass. However, the thinness of the bass didn't give it neck dive, instead it made it much more comfortable to play. I was just looking for a bass body that I liked so I could use it as a mod platform but instead I found my new favorite bass. The body looks great, the action is pristine, I haven't tuned the thing in weeks and it is only about one cent off of standard EADG, I had to fix the intonation a bit but that is easy, and I haven't had to do it again. I'm still gonna mod it though😂

This review by my hubby, who plays bass.Summary: This is an amazing bass and a fantastic value. It has worth to the new bassist and the veteran alike. I’m thrilled with it.For the new bassist: This is an outstanding bass for a person wanting to explore the instrument. The price is amazingly low and the quality high. It is a very sturdy instrument, well made and very playable. The single pickup Precision Bass (P Bass) design is a classic...simple and easy to understand. The neck is very comfortable and the sound is true.I’d only suggest two things for the new bassist. First, when it arrives you may want to have a “set up”. If that term is new to you, don’t worry. It merely means making small mechanical adjustments (using Allen wrenches, included with the bass) which make it more playable. You can search and find out to do a bass setup. Better, have a bass player show you how to do it. It will make your playing more enjoyable.Second, consider buying a new set of strings. The strings felt cheap and “gritty” to me... a decent set of bass strings will run you about $30 and will be worth it.This is a marvelous intro bass. And it’s way more in addition to this.For the experienced bassist: I’ve been playing a while but wanted a P Bass platform to get the PB sound I was looking for. I was startled to see these released via Amazon in May 2024. I was very skeptical at this price point, yet owning two MIM Fender Jazz Basses, I was intrigued. Plus, I really wanted a P Bass body but a J Bass neck...which is exactly what the Debut Series has.A couple of bass buddies whom I respect each bought one and raved about it out of the box. For $130, that was enough for me, so I ordered one.And I’m thrilled.I’ve played it nearly 20 hours now and have played in public as part of our church’s worship team. It is super comfortable to play, clearly the equal of either of my $800 JB’s. And the sound! A genuine P Bass! Listening to it on a full sound system, I was astounded to get that sound from a $130 bass. Not a single one of my bandmates suspected my bass was this inexpensive. Instead, they commented on how good it sounded in our mix. Further, several knowledgeable musicians who heard it commented on its clarity and how it added to our overall sound.Details.... I did several things but not much to modify this bass out of the box. First, I got rid of the stock strings...they felt really cheap. I replaced them with a set of Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats. Man, did that work. Flats on a P Bass is a classic set up and there is a reason it is so well regarded over the decades.Second, I heard some 60Hz hum when I first got it, so I opened up the cavity and did a full shielding with copper tape, all soldered to ground. Hum fully eliminated. Silent when unplucked, even with volume and tone knobs turned wide open.I have not messed with any other hardware. The pickups work just fine for me. The tuners are fine...smooth and hold the strings in tune, rock solid. I had zero fret issues. . I did a full set up when I got it. The neck was flat, so I had to loosen the truss rod a little over one full turn to get to my preferred 0.3mm relief. The saddles were very close to true...I only tweaked them about a quarter turn each. Great action, zero fret buzz. Intonation was spot on out of the box, I didn’t touch that.So, I got my desired P Bass-J Neck for $120 plus a new set of strings. I’ve played it for hours and it balances perfectly and the neck is a joy to play. I’m thrilled and amazed.