Tricked Out Squier Club Part 2

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by etechstan

Wow, I didn't know I had a number. I AM 179 and proud of it.

Show your pride by adding your number to your signature line!

[Gord_oh]

I am loving my VM 5, but I might end up painting it...
I think CAR would look awesome with the black PG and blocks and binding. I like the natural, but its kinda generic.

[seang15]

Hi Gord Oh, and everyone! My first post here.

Perhaps before I go further, please check out my video HERE:
Sean Geist Takes A Bass Solo | The Doug Largent Trio

I LOVE MY SQUIER VM FRETLESS! (Ah, that felt good

OK, it's not highly "Tricked out" or anything. But it's got it's little tricks in it:

I replaced the bridge p'up with a Kent Armstrong Vintage Jazz Bass pickup. I purchased it a baker's dozen years ago, and didn't install it into the Squier until ~2 years ago. So it actually "got vintage" waiting for it to be installed lol. I LOVE the pickup, and love the bass. Did I say that already?

In reality, and kudos to Squier: The original Alnico V pup that was already in there, had very similar sonic qualities to it as does the Armstrong. But there are subtle differences nonetheless.

I also had put on a Badass II bridge, but kind of hosed the saddle of the 'G' string. I could never properly intonate the string, and the others weren't much better. Noob mistakes on a BAII. I put the original bridge back on, and it's been fine since.

The Nut is a Graph Tech, and works great.

The bridge pup, which I never use (I am a Jaco nut, and follow his "bridge only" mantra), was always noisy, scratchy even...more so than what you would expect, even from single-coil pups. I wound up unwiring most of the innards, and re-soldering all the connections. I found the ground to the neck; while soldered, was never actually connected! As the factory never bothered stripping the shielding from the cable for the connection. I found this humorous, and was thrilled to find and correct the problem. So the neck is usable if and when I want it

So, like I said; Not really heavily tricked out, but it's got its tricks...and I play the chit out of this bass!

Thanks for reading! Hoping to get a number!

Sean

[etechstan]

New pickup, bridge and nut; sounds tricked out to me.

[seang15]

Originally Posted by etechstan

New pickup, bridge and nut; sounds tricked out to me.

Thanks for the reply!

[Gord_oh]

If someone that doesnt have a membership wants an easy way in:
FS FEELER: SQUIER VM J/CV P FRANKENBASS

[jbravo]

Updated pickguard picture. (plus my Matt Freeman)


Attachment 264667

[Wallace320]

Hi everybody.
I happened to own a few Squier (my Fenders apart) in these years. Everytime, every bass fell through proficient trade. But now I'm back with maybe the worst Squier I ever bought. I'm talking about the Vintage Modified '70s Jazz.
A beautifully finished, good looking and appealing instrument, but with such horrible "Duncan Designed" pickups and a weak of a maple neck and fingerboard.
I presently swapped a PrA (ProArm) 21 frets maple neck and Bartolini jazz singles pickups.
But I'm planning to put a Hipshot BT7 bass extender and Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound jazz singles pickups.

A few days for pics and definitive setup of the instrument...

Cheers,
Wallace

[seang15]

Goodness, no luck getting a number here Will go over the VM Club, see if I have better luck.

But will proudly display my number if obtained here, Gord Oh, thank you!

[Gord_oh]

Originally Posted by seang15

Goodness, no luck getting a number here Will go over the VM Club, see if I have better luck.

But will proudly display my number if obtained here, Gord Oh, thank you!

i normally wait for some more responses and do large updates. you'll get one, be patient.

[SurferJoe46]

Rots o' ruck getting one from the VM club. I gave up trying to keep them straight a long time ago.

Gord - ya wanna go over there and fix em for me?

[seang15]

Originally Posted by Gord_oh

i normally wait for some more responses and do large updates. you'll get one, be patient.

Thanks again! This will actually be my first number but yes, patience indeed a virtue!

[mrbell321]

You can tell me if it's tricked out or not. I don't have actual pics right now but I started with a cheapy Squier Bronco like this:

I've already put on some clover-leaf tuners. I have also cut out a custom pickguard MDF template in a more Mustang shape with P-bass pickups. Once I'm happy w/ the shape, I'll transfer it to plastic. I need to do a bit of cavity routing to get the pups to fit. I also started to install a string-through, 4-saddle bridge but that resulted in this(WARNING: It's not terrible, but maybe not for squeamish. I wouldn't have thought this was a big deal but it did make a friend queasy)
Snapfish: Share Photo:Registration
Yep, that's a big slice all the way thru my thumbnail. Be careful w/ extra sharp chisels, everyone!
I'll have to get back to finish the bridge when I can firmly grasp tools again.

Also, because I'm mostly playing for myself, I've built a small headphone amp circuit that will be installed in the cavity so i can just plug in headphones and jam. I'll post more pics when I make some progress

[mrbell321]

Forgot to mention the racing stripe so I can play faster :-)

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by mrbell321

... I also started to install a string-through, 4-saddle bridge but that resulted in this(WARNING: It's not terrible, but maybe not for squeamish. I wouldn't have thought this was a big deal but it did make a friend queasy)
Snapfish: Share Photo:Registration
Yep, that's a big slice all the way thru my thumbnail. Be careful w/ extra sharp chisels, everyone!
...

Ouch...I'm sorry that happened. Hope you heal soon!

[mrbell321]

Thanks. The doc said it was such a clean cut that stitches or anything would just make it worse. So they taped me up and sent me home. Who would have thought cheapy harbor freight chisels would actually be sharp?

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by mrbell321

Thanks. The doc said it was such a clean cut that stitches or anything would just make it worse. So they taped me up and sent me home. Who would have thought cheapy harbor freight chisels would actually be sharp?

That's cool! Many years ago, my daughter (then a toddler) fell and suffered a small cut near the top of her head. The doctor figured that the trauma of anesthesia and stitches would be worse than the injury, so he simply tied little knots in her hair to pull the cut shut.

[giorob815]

Here's my VMJ5. I'm doing a blackout, or as I like to call it, Black on Blonde, a la Bob Dylan. So far I've changed the control plate, pickguard screws, knobs, strap pins, upgraded to a Switchcraft jack, replaced the string tree w/ 2 round retainers, and painted the bevel of my pickguard. Bridge and tuners are on the to-do list when funds become available, as is the possibility of a black ashtray/pickup cover set.





Flame in the neck.


It's a great playing and sounding bass and will serve me well for many years to come. All it really needs is a fret dressing so I can get the action lower and I'll be sound as a pound.

[SurferJoe46]

^^ Put a Push-Pull series/parallel on it and enjoy.

[giorob815]

I did. I hated it. Made it sound way too much like a P-bass; and I don't care for P-basses.