New from the Squier stable, this fretless jazz bass is effectively a copy of the Jaco model and while it’s a budget model from the Fender stable, it plays like a dream. I was initially put off by the Ebonol composite fingerboard with its ivoroid “cast-in” fret markers, but after playing it for a while the smoothness of the surface can be appreciated and the comfortable fingertip feel. The neck is a jazz-designed standard – slim, nicely shaped and very well set up, while both the bridge and the machine heads are standard Fender style and are typically well engineered.

Non-active, it comes with two Duncan-designed single pole pick ups, two volume knobs and a tone control that is a treble cut rather than a base boost. The pick ups are well balanced, but the clean sound is a little on the boxy side. The best setting I achieved without any EQ-ing was to have both pick ups on full, with no filtering. Bring the EQ into play, and cut the treble to produce less “box” and more bass. If you are looking for a back-up bass, then this fretless might be just right. Go to www.squierguitars.com