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King Loudness « Short scale »
Published on 12/13/11 at 01:19The Squier Bronco bass is made by the company as an homage to the old short scale (30") Fender Music Master basses made in the 70s. This one is a cheaper import version that is great for kids who are starting, or people with smaller hands, or even if someone just wants a great small bass to noodle around with. It features an agathis body, maple neck and fretboard with 19 frets, standard sealed tuners and regular bridge. There is a pickguard with one solitary single coil pickup placed there along with a volume control and a tone control.
UTILIZATION
This bass is pretty light and easy to play, so I would say it is ergonomic. It's great for smaller players who need something that won't intimidate them (basses with their longer scale can do that). The shape is easy to get around and it feels comfortable as well, which is definitely a plus. The cutaways don't allow for GREAT upper fret access, but it's certainly not the worst in the world, probably average I would say. Getting a good sound out of this bass is pretty easy since it has only the one pickup... you really are relying on the amp for anything other than the one tone that this bass can offer.
SOUNDS
This bass has a decent sound for being what it is. The single coil pickups is rather low in output, but it's definitely punchy and has a certain tone to it that is great for lo-fi textures. It's not the thickest sounding bass in the world, but like the original Fender short scale basses, it's got a nice thin and wiry sort of tone that cuts through a mix well. It is kind of akin to a guitar in that respect... it more or less sits in more of a midrange frequency rather than the strong low end of a typical longer scale bass. I would like to hear one of this basses someday with humbuckers or something hotter, just to see how that would change the tone.
OVERALL OPINION
All in all I think the Squier Bronco Bass is a great little tool for the budding bassist, or someone who just needs a smaller instrument. It's easy enough to play, feels great, and has a cool sound due to the short scale and single coil pickup. They run about $150 new which is a fair enough price, though they can be had for less if you buy used. For those in the market for a simple bass that has the shorter scale, the Bronco Bass by Squier is an excellent option!
UTILIZATION
This bass is pretty light and easy to play, so I would say it is ergonomic. It's great for smaller players who need something that won't intimidate them (basses with their longer scale can do that). The shape is easy to get around and it feels comfortable as well, which is definitely a plus. The cutaways don't allow for GREAT upper fret access, but it's certainly not the worst in the world, probably average I would say. Getting a good sound out of this bass is pretty easy since it has only the one pickup... you really are relying on the amp for anything other than the one tone that this bass can offer.
SOUNDS
This bass has a decent sound for being what it is. The single coil pickups is rather low in output, but it's definitely punchy and has a certain tone to it that is great for lo-fi textures. It's not the thickest sounding bass in the world, but like the original Fender short scale basses, it's got a nice thin and wiry sort of tone that cuts through a mix well. It is kind of akin to a guitar in that respect... it more or less sits in more of a midrange frequency rather than the strong low end of a typical longer scale bass. I would like to hear one of this basses someday with humbuckers or something hotter, just to see how that would change the tone.
OVERALL OPINION
All in all I think the Squier Bronco Bass is a great little tool for the budding bassist, or someone who just needs a smaller instrument. It's easy enough to play, feels great, and has a cool sound due to the short scale and single coil pickup. They run about $150 new which is a fair enough price, though they can be had for less if you buy used. For those in the market for a simple bass that has the shorter scale, the Bronco Bass by Squier is an excellent option!