5 string Fender MIM or Squier Vintage Mod 5 ??

Lorenzop · #1 11-03-2012, 07:03 AM

Hi

What do you guys think? Which one should I get?

Id be particularly grateful if you can describe low B performance on both of them. Have heard that on the Squier the low B is a bit dull....

On the other hand I like that Squier Vintage Mod is a maple body and neck/fretboard. Whereas the Fender MIM is Alder body as far as I know

Thanks -if you have any good sound clips please do post em up too

Regards

martyonbass · #2 11-03-2012, 07:28 AM

make sure you play both first. 5 strings have different string spacing than four strings and there is no real standard. 15mm 16mm 17mm. Make sure your fingers don't feel over cramped. As far as the B string sound, I wouldn't expect any real difference.

Emibass · #3 11-03-2012, 07:38 AM

I think both are 18 mm if not mistaken

Lorenzop · #4 11-04-2012, 05:23 AM

Ok so does the b string sound good on both or not??

Lorenzop · #5 11-04-2012, 06:29 AM

Ok so Squier is Maple Body and Fender Mim is Alder.
Any comments???

Thanks

Emibass · #6 11-04-2012, 07:19 AM

IME the Squier vintage modified has a very good b string. Actually I was blown away how a cheap bass like this could have so good b string

lostrings · #7 11-04-2012, 07:42 AM

I have owned both and I feel they were pretty close. The B string was similar on both basses..I did'nt prefer one over the other. They both were very good. Both are 18mm string spacing. The one difference was the neck..I liked the Squier neck as I am more a maple board guy. One other thing that should be mentioned, the Squier is heavy..11lbs+. I ended up selling the Fender and I shot the Squier in Surf Green Nitro and I did alot of modding to the Squier.

Emibass · #8 11-04-2012, 07:51 AM

loststrings,

What a beauty!

Bobster · #9 11-04-2012, 09:47 AM

My Squier is about 10.5 lbs. It has a very solid feel and the construction seems pretty close to my Lakland DJ5, or my Ray35.

The pickups are good and I even like the stock bridge.

I would recommend a string retainer for the B string. I put a Hipshot 2 string retainer (B + E) and that tightened up my .125 S.I.T. Power Wound tapered B string.

The B isn't floppy, but with a smaller B like that one, the retainer helped.

Good luck with your decision!

Bob

stingray69 · #10 11-04-2012, 11:00 AM

The VM is a fantastic bass with solid construction - truly amazing quality for the meager asking price. I couldn't see myself purchasing a MIM at $700.00 dollars list when the VM-5 offer such aesthetic nice-ities as block inlays, and binding on the fretboard etc. A very sharp & classy looking instrument.

Also, if number of body pieces matter (I'm impartial, but to some it does), the MIM will most likely be anywhere from 5-7 pieces of Alder, whereas the VM-5 offers a 2-piece Maple body. Although as other have stated, the VM-5 will be a bit heavier than the MIM.

The Duncan Designed stock pickups sound very good, but even if one were to buy aftermarket pickups, they are probably still coming out well under the MIM pricing. Just food for thought...

I like mine a whole bunch:

petrus61 · #11 11-04-2012, 11:08 AM

I own the VM5. A great playing bass with as good a B string you can find on this style bass, IMO. The downside, as a poster described, is they are HEAVY. This is probably due to the maple body, which IMO also imparts a unique tonal characteristic to the bass. The bridge pup "burp" is still there and there is, if anything, alot more mid-range presence than an alder or ash bodied jazz, so it's a little harder to get that natural "scoop" that a traditional jazz is known for. I look at it as a different take on a jazz bass because of this. It can certainly use a pickup upgrade. That would make this bass near perfect, IMO. The MIM is going to sound more traditional...like a classic jazz bass with the addition of a low B.

**awilkie84** · #12 11-04-2012, 01:03 PM

I tried the VM5 and found the B to be too floppy.
I own a MIM Active Deluxe Jazz V, now. That B is nice & tight & the pre-amp is decent.
I'm going to mod it up with a Warmoth bound & blocked neck, and change the pickups to Laklands, I think.

Lorenzop · #13 11-05-2012, 03:20 AM

Ok Thanks for the advice!
Love the paintjob Lostrings!

Lorenzop · #14 11-05-2012, 03:25 AM

I was however under the impression that the MIM is a bit warmer and has more resonant low B than the VM5

Wallace320 · #15 11-05-2012, 03:44 AM

In my bass collection, "moveable" pieces can be:
Squier Classic Vibe '50s Precision
(in this case vs. a Squier active deluxe Jazz 5er);
Squier Vintage Modified Precision (Tele with DiMarzio ModelP)
(in this case vs. a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz 5er);
Ibanez RD900 Maple/Mahogany
(in this case vs. an Ibanez SR505 Fretless)

So I did my homeworks and extensively tried'em all out

It's not that on the Vintage Modified 5er B string sounds dull or whatever, it's just that same B string sounds way more focused on alder body/rosewood fingerboard on Standard V.

As someone elses's rightfully statin': Standard V Jazz bass has that "Fender Jazz bass sound", for whatever it may mean, while Squier Vintage Modified sounds slightly different...

If you can get it, possibly in a gorgeous 3TS finish (in Italy they seem to be nowhere) get it: a Fender Standard Jazz V it's worth your hard earned cash.

Cheers,
Wallace

**awilkie84** · #16 11-05-2012, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wallace320

It's not that on the Vintage Modified 5er B string sounds dull or whatever, it's just that same B string sounds way more focused on alder body/rosewood fingerboard on Standard V.

The B string is not the same on a VM5 as on a Standard 5.
The VM B is too thin (.125 on a 34" scale).
The Standard uses a .130. The focus doesn't have anything to do with the body/neck woods. It's the tension and pickup difference, in this case.

Lorenzop · #17 11-05-2012, 03:44 PM

Ok but would I be able to put the b .130 on the VM too right?? Would that help??

Bobster · #18 11-05-2012, 04:51 PM

Sure. No problem to run a .130 B string. May need to file the nut slightly, or maybe not.

NOTE: I just pulled the Duncan Designed Pickups out and put in a set of Lollars. Very noticeable difference on the quality of the B. So, as far as I'm concerned, that answer's that. I guess the Jazz bass the Lollar's in before isn't gonna be happy, cause these are stayin' here....

Bob

jtapp2556 · #19 04-15-2013, 09:24 AM

Anyone changed a bridge yet on the vm5?

DwaynieAD · #20 04-15-2013, 09:58 AM

I own a MIM jazz 5. plays beautifully, sounds wonderful, weighs in the neighborhood of 1400lbs (or 14.5lbs if you want an accurate weight). I have played a few VM5's really just trying to find something lighter. All the ones I've tried did have better weight than this tank does, and played beautifully, but didn't sound quite as good. granted I wasn't playing them on my rig so I'd take that with a grain of salt. def a high quality bass and very well may be worth saving the extra coin and getting the VM