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Checking out a Squier VM Jazz Bass
- Thread starter DoFuzz
- Start date
Thx to everyone for their input much appreciated. I’ve begun the setup process and it looks like I might have to shim the neck to get the best angle and a low action - hey I’m still a guitar first and do my best on bass 
...
... frets or no frets that’s the question.
Cheers
...Cheers
Last edited:
I do realize some people have had positive experiences with the VM fretless Jazz basses
My experience has been less than good-at least in terms of the neck--but that's why I like to try out a bass in person before buying it--there are good & bad ones
The older ones that have the Duncan's in them--I like those better then the pickups in the MIM Fender fretless Jazzes, but I prefer everything else about the MIM
However I have been in stores & tried a Squier--whether a VM or CV, and a MIM Fender & a MIA Fender
On some occasions I like the MIA better, sometimes the MIA, & even sometimes the Squier feels & plays best.
But my experience with the VM fretless basses (Same issue with the fretless VM P-Basses.
I have played several of them in different stores, in different cities, in different provinces-with different climates, all throughout the year--so different seasons as well.
And without fail every one of them had a warped neck--same with an LTD fretless that also had the ebanol board.
I wonder if that is part of the issue.
I have also heard similar things online in other places.
Most of these stores are ones that set up basses (& guitars) & they don't have other basses with neck issues (Including the VM fretted J Basses.)
But they make them with wood boards now & I hear better things about them.
So if you found one without those issues--cool.
But it's like any bass--check it out--some companies have better Quality control than others--and most brands & models will have good examples & bad examples.
But as one who doesn't have a ton of cash for gear, I was really hoping I'd like the Squier fretless basses.
Oh well, the one I got was a more, but still a good price.
And overall--Enjoy!
My experience has been less than good-at least in terms of the neck--but that's why I like to try out a bass in person before buying it--there are good & bad ones
The older ones that have the Duncan's in them--I like those better then the pickups in the MIM Fender fretless Jazzes, but I prefer everything else about the MIM
However I have been in stores & tried a Squier--whether a VM or CV, and a MIM Fender & a MIA Fender
On some occasions I like the MIA better, sometimes the MIA, & even sometimes the Squier feels & plays best.
But my experience with the VM fretless basses (Same issue with the fretless VM P-Basses.
I have played several of them in different stores, in different cities, in different provinces-with different climates, all throughout the year--so different seasons as well.
And without fail every one of them had a warped neck--same with an LTD fretless that also had the ebanol board.
I wonder if that is part of the issue.
I have also heard similar things online in other places.
Most of these stores are ones that set up basses (& guitars) & they don't have other basses with neck issues (Including the VM fretted J Basses.)
But they make them with wood boards now & I hear better things about them.
So if you found one without those issues--cool.
But it's like any bass--check it out--some companies have better Quality control than others--and most brands & models will have good examples & bad examples.
But as one who doesn't have a ton of cash for gear, I was really hoping I'd like the Squier fretless basses.
Oh well, the one I got was a more, but still a good price.
And overall--Enjoy!
Zontar, that’s an interesting observation. I really doubt that it’s the ebanol as such - too many good builders use it - but I do wonder what else could be going on on the production line to cause this. For example, it could be that there’s a quality control step that is part of the neck fretting process that gets skipped for the fretlesses, and you are observing the result.
Perhaps--but the LTD had the same issue--although I suppose it is possible they were made at the same factory?
Although I have seen some sources say fretless necks tend to bow more easily than fretted ones.
I'll have to see if I can find any.
In any case, good to hear some people got good ones.
Hi,
out from lurk mode. Thanks for all comments and input. After some neck setup and minor tweaks it seems I got lucky and it's a quite nice fretless bass. The neck was quite convex but (so far) it's very stable and reacts well to minor tweaks now. It feels and sounds really good and after some demo recording it's got a surprisingly nice low-end and "mwaa".
Overall a it's winner especially after swapping strings from the silver Squier CV Jazz Bass to the fretless JB D'Addario 40 - 100. A "quirk" it shares with my main strat is that it sounds better tuned down to e-flat and the playing feel and control of vibrato and tone is easier with the lower tension.
Cheers
out from lurk mode. Thanks for all comments and input. After some neck setup and minor tweaks it seems I got lucky and it's a quite nice fretless bass. The neck was quite convex but (so far) it's very stable and reacts well to minor tweaks now. It feels and sounds really good and after some demo recording it's got a surprisingly nice low-end and "mwaa".
Overall a it's winner especially after swapping strings from the silver Squier CV Jazz Bass to the fretless JB D'Addario 40 - 100. A "quirk" it shares with my main strat is that it sounds better tuned down to e-flat and the playing feel and control of vibrato and tone is easier with the lower tension.
Cheers
