I love Squire, but...

[Din Of Win]

These days, there really isn't a 'brand' that's impressing me more than Squire. Since their CV and VM lines came into play, they've kinda trounced the market for high-quality/low-price instruments.

But... it's not the first time.


In the 90's, the Vista Series (CIJ, with a few Chinese) was, in my opinion, as good, if not better than the VM/CV (mostly made in China, IIRC) lines. I got to play another Vista Musicmaster Bass this past weekend, and on the guitar side of things, i recently played a Supersonic, Venus and Cyclone, also from the Vista series.


Now, my rhetoricaly posting to TB questions:

-Have you PLAYED any Vista Series instruments?
-How would you compair them to the VM/CV lines?
-I think that the Vista offerings, though less in number, were also more interesting than the VM/CV's re-hashing of the old standbys (aside from the Jag and Tele bass and Duo-Sonic guitar). Which do you think is a more interesting line-up?
-Why do you think the Vista offerings failed?
-Why are the VM/CV series-es succeeding?
-Why is there more from the VM line than the CV (IMHO, the CV line is better than the VM line)?
-Can we blame all the recent success on the internet?



I'm not trying to 'start anything'. I love Squire, down to the Affinity lines. It's just odd to me that you hear SO much about VM/CV stuff, and no one knows or cares about the Vista stuff.


/Discuss


Vista Series lineup:

 

[conqr]

You don't love Squier, if you did you'd spell it right

 

[OnlyJerry]

Please read the headstock decal. It's Squier.

 

[Din Of Win]

dammit... auto-correct at work.

 

[negativeions24]

Don't forget the Squier ProTone series! They're excellent instruments as well!

 

[tangentmusic]

At first I thought you were gunna say something negative about Chris Squire.
I'm glad that wasnt the case.

 

[Din Of Win]

Don't forget the Squier ProTone series! They're excellent instruments as well!

True! One of my favorite 5 strings is the Pro-Tone P Bass V.

 

[Din Of Win]

At first I thought you were gunna say something negative about Chris Squire.
I'm glad that wasnt the case.

Yeah, thanks for that roundabout way of noting my spelling mistake.

 

[negativeions24]

True! One of my favorite 5 strings is the Pro-Tone P Bass V.

I love mine!

 

[rockscott]

I purchased a squier jaguar sunday. I cant beleive the quality of this bass for short money, im amazed, truly!

 

[Muddslide]

Vistas were great instruments. The ProTone series were also killer.

The early 80s MIJ Squiers were, IMO, considerably better than the Fender stuff being churned out at the same time.

The CVs and VMs have overall impressed me a good deal.

My motto is: "Squier. 75% of a Fender for 25% of the price."

(Of course that's leaving aside the MIM Fenders and a couple of other models.)

 

[Muddslide]

PS-- Heck, I've played some Squier Affinity models that surprised me with their quality though I've also played some Affinitys and Standard Squiers that weren't so hot.

 

[Etchbass]

I'm not familiar with the Vista series, I'm about to go look them up.

What I DO know, is that from around 2002 until very recently, I would go to a music store, look at Squiers, and there would be sharp frets, glue coming out of the nut, loose screws, backbowed necks, etc.

Now when I go to the store and pick up a CV Squire, it feels and plays nicer than the majority of MIA Fenders in the store.

I don't know what they changed in the factory, but the quality has really gone up. I'm think CV/VM is successful because of 1: The Quality, 2: The Price, 3: People like us on this INTERNET that talk about them everyday. 4: With the CV series, they are sticking to CLASSIC models (stuff they know works).

 

[kevinmoore73]

I picked up a CV 60s Jazz last week and I think it's an amazing $300 bass. I think it's so good that I don't plan on changing a thing about it.

 

[Scabz]

i have a supersonic cij and i would say without doubt its better made then my mim tele.

 

[bassfunk329]

I got a vista mm its reall good. Its has its mojo and all but build its very sturdy. Its a killer bass.

 

[Shmandy]

I don't know what they changed in the factory, but the quality has really gone up. I'm think CV/VM is successful because of 1: The Quality, 2: The Price, 3: People like us on this INTERNET that talk about them everyday. 4: With the CV series, they are sticking to CLASSIC models (stuff they know works).

Add to that "classic" sentiment the sexy looks of the basses. Killer paint jobs.

 

[pbass888]

I have owned a few squier jazzes and played, vista series. I would rate them in the following order
1. c/v jazz
2. vm jazz
3. vista jazz
4. squier std jazz

Based on ownership. I have a cv jazz with ultra jazz pups had for 200 used here on TB and it kills.

 

[Aussie Player]

PS-- Heck, I've played some Squier Affinity models that surprised me with their quality though I've also played some Affinitys and Standard Squiers that weren't so hot.

I played a Squire Affinity Jazz 5 today it is really surprised me. It had the best neck, set up and tone of all the 5 stringers in the GC store up to and including an Ibanez at $850.

The growl was very "Warwick" in strength. It really impressed me and for $199.

 

[selowitch]

Some Squiers are superior to Fenders costing much more. The CV/VM basses cost around $300 and compare favorably to the MIM Standard Fenders costing $550.00. The CV Squiers are, IMO, nearly perfect dead stock with no mods.