60's classic vibe or 70's style jazz neck

[Nykki Madd]

I'm in the market for a neck for my squier jazz bass.Its a vintage modified.I love this bassSquier has come a long way.i'm looking to update the neck and i'm going to buy a neck off ebay brand new.I just don't know if I should go with a classic 60's vibe or the 70s style with block inlays.ALl I know is that I want the thinner neck.can someone tell me a little about both??

 

[Hopkins]

I'm in the market for a neck for my squier jazz bass.Its a vintage modified.I love this bassSquier has come a long way.i'm looking to update the neck and i'm going to buy a neck off ebay brand new.I just don't know if I should go with a classic 60's vibe or the 70s style with block inlays.ALl I know is that I want the thinner neck.can someone tell me a little about both??

What do you not like about the neck that is on it now?

 

[steamthief]

On the Fender MIM Classic series, the 60's neck is thinner than the 70's, which is chunkier front to back.

 

[Ralph Notoro]

I just love a maple FB with pearl inlays.

 

[Nykki Madd]

the neck on it now...I don't wanna get into that..LONG story

 

[hotbass57]

I have a classic vibe jazz neck on my squier VM fretless body. It fit like a glove and that neck feels and plays so well.

 

[tjh]

... the Classic Series 60's Jazz neck is thicker front to back than any VM Jazz neck, and the Classic Series 70's is even slightly thicker ...

.. if you want a 'blocked' neck that would fit that well and be comparable in profile to what you have, there is a Squier VM Jaguar that comes with blocks, but the headstock is painted black ...

 

[Ralph Notoro]

I'm not sure what year it was but there were some 70's J's that were pretty chunky, but many years were along the same style as the slim 60's.

The CV and the Squier 70's and the 77 aren't that different. They're all pretty nice.

The Squier with the black binding and blocks on a maple fingerboard is pretty much the same bass as the Geddy Lee, which costs 3 times as much.

 

[Esoge]

The Squier with the black binding and blocks on a maple fingerboard is pretty much the same bass as the Geddy Lee, which costs 3 times as much.

Yeah only minus the wood, pickups, electronics, bridge, neck thickness and profile.

But if you consider looks integral to your tone then sure.

 

[Ralph Notoro]

Yeah only minus the wood, pickups, electronics, bridge, neck thickness and profile.

But if you consider looks integral to your tone then sure.

Nope, that's wrong. The neck profile is virtually the same. Both have maple necks. Both have the body with the cavity exposed. The Geddy is alder and the Squier is soft maple which are similar. The sound is similar. There isn;t much difference is the MIM pups and the Squier. Sure you can argue this and that, but I'm saying they're pretty darn close and the price differecne is huge. And yes, maybe people buy the Geddy for the way it looks. Otherwise, they can just buy a Mexi special.

 

[Esoge]

The Geddy Lee is the only thing that sounds like the Geddy Lee. Mine is CIJ, but I don't care where it's made. The BA II Bridge is a big part of the sound as is the fact that there is no exposed cavity it's solid wood routed only for the pickups which are in the spacing of I believe an early 70s jazz bass (not sure exactly what year they claim it to be). The closest thing would be some of the AVRI Fenders but they are a whole other beast entirely.

We'll have to agree to disagree I guess, but being the proud owner of a GL I can tell you I bought it several years ago because it had a unique sound and neck and everything. I bought it very much because it wasn't your typical modern Fender or RI Fender.

There are more versatile basses to choose from, but for my tastes the GL is it's own thing and sometimes it is the only bass that can get me it's sound (when it fits the bill).

And this is coming from someone who typically steers clear of signature models because I don't like to copy someone else's sound or tone. I was the manager of a music store at the time and played every bass in that place and when I chose my Fender I played everything from American to Indonesian to Chinese and everything in between. I've played and owned several great Squiers and plenty of POS American Fenders so I truly don't get caught up in that hype. I don't know what your experience with the GL is but IME if you spent any appreciable time with a quality GL you wouldn't be making incorrect blanket statements comparing it with a very different Squier. Neck, tone, bridge, wood, (not sure about the tuners on the Squier as well) are all different. It is alike in looks only.

I own one, I've played the other. There's no comparison.

 

[tjh]

Nope, that's wrong. The neck profile is virtually the same. Both have maple necks. Both have the body with the cavity exposed. The Geddy is alder and the Squier is soft maple which are similar. The sound is similar. There isn;t much difference is the MIM pups and the Squier. Sure you can argue this and that, but I'm saying they're pretty darn close and the price differecne is huge. And yes, maybe people buy the Geddy for the way it looks. Otherwise, they can just buy a Mexi special.

... I am afraid that Esoge certainly has a more realistic take on this comparison ... the only caveat, is that the current MIM version of the bass has no channel routing, but it does have the CNC hole in the lower bout, like the other 'non channel routed' MIM bodies ...

... the neck profile of the GL is definitely thinner at the nut than the VM Jazz profile ... the GL was uncomfortable for me, the VM Jazz profile is virtually same as MIM Standards/early Hwy 1's, and my profile of choice ...

... alder shares a similarity to soft maple as they are both woods ... alder is going to be the preferred choice in most cases, and on the resale market, the GL body will bring 2-3x what the Squier VM will ...

... the sound is similar, in the fact that they are both basses, but especially with the switch to the Fender Design pups that the VM are now using, the 58358/9 vintage pups that are currently used in the GL (along with the Classic Series 60's Jazz, 70's Jazz, Highway 1 and One, and American Special) are generally going to be much preferred over the Squier offering .. I did think that the original DD pups in original VM's were a bit better than current offering ...

... regarding the price difference, the vintage stamped machine heads will also bring 2-3 times what the Squier machines will on the parts market, what was the BAII (now Fender HM) bridge will bring 3-4+ times the simple bent plate bridge, the loaded control plate with full size pots and solid shafts will also bring 2x+ what the mini pot, splined shaft pots on the Squier will, etc, etc ...

... bottom line, sure they make look the same, but you arent paying 2-3 x more as your earlier statement implies for no reason ... it is component value ... virtually all components on a GL will carry a solid 2-3x+ value over the Squier VM ... remember, you are also getting 70's pup spacing (if that is important to you) which is not offered at all in the Squire line ... buy what you like, can afford, and are willing to settle for ... just be realistic in your evaluation of product and component value comparisons ... JMHO respectfully submitted