I think I stop believing in expensive basses!

[jamzilla]

No, he'd be a zombie.

The Walking bass line Dead?

 

[spade2you]

No, he'd be a zombie.

Walking Dead SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[capnsandwich]

If Jaco was still here he'd play a Rickenbacker just to shut us all up!

 

[nickbass79]

AHA! If you're doing it right, you're only a conduit of a higher source.......

...and a boutique bass is more conducive to receiving that signal.

 

[jamzilla]

...and a boutique bass is more conducive to receiving that signal.

Like gold plated RCA cables!

 

[MVPBASS]

If Jaco was still here he'd play a Rickenbacker just to shut us all up!

An SX

 

[jamzilla]

If Jaco was still here he'd play a Rickenbacker just to shut us all up!

and still wouldn't be able to get gigs.

 

[dvh]

People have made comments about going through "Guitar Centers inventory trying to find the one", trying out every one until finding a Squier that played great, or as mikebass said a Fender that was the best playing Jazz style out of all that he had ever played. I would rather just pick up an instrument that is consistantly good from a boutique builder than search through a mountain of clunkers looking for "the one"

But there are also those who order a boutique, wait with great anticipation for six months or more, only to discover they're disappointed in the end.

What matters most is good music as a result of confidence and chops. Some players attain those from off the shelf brands and others from a boutique.

Neither one is right or wrong. Just play, dammit.....

 

[hdracer]

He probably opened some doors with his father's fame, which paid for that Fodera.

My God. I can not believe the CHEAP people around here. Don't you work or have jobs?
You don't think that just maybe he came up with the money to buy that himself?

You all act like a Fodera costs 100k+
You can not get a decent motorcycle or boat for what one costs.
Even as a hobbyist it isn't that much. I have friends that spend more every summer fishing.
A cool set of wheels and tires for your car or truck cost as much.
I don't get it.

No, I do not own a boutique bass. If I wanted one I would. I have Harleys instead. Yes some would say it is crazy to spend 50k+ on a motorcycle when you live in Minnesota but when we get a nice summer day it is worth it.

 

[jamzilla]

My God. I can not believe the CHEAP people around here. Don't you work or have jobs?
You don't think that just maybe he came up with the money to buy that himself?

You all act like a Fodera costs 100k+
You can not get a decent motorcycle or boat for what one costs.
Even as a hobbyist it isn't that much. I have friends that spend more every summer fishing.
A cool set of wheels and tires for your car or truck cost as much.
I don't get it.

No, I do not own a boutique bass. If I wanted one I would. I have Harleys instead. Yes some would say it is crazy to spend 50k+ on a motorcycle when you live in Minnesota but when we get a nice summer day it is worth it.

You clearly spent more time typing this post than reading the context of the previous posts.

 

[David Jayne]

Yes some would say it is crazy to spend 50k+ on a HARLEY .....

: D







I keed.

 

[MVPBASS]

If you go over to the Squier Vintage Modified Club they are actually complaining that their Squiers don't sound as good as boutique basses.
Oh the irony Lol

My VMJ5 arrived yesterday. I do notice that it misses midrange punch and the lows aren't as articulate as I'd like (spoiled by the Sadowsky pickups, no doubt). I am thinking about changing the pickups to something different, perhaps a set of Nordstrand or Bartolini jazz pups. I guess I should get my calipers out to measure the size...
Also pondering a Nordy big singles pair or one jazz or big single with a Nordy MM at the bridge with a split tap and front/both/back switch for more power and 60s vs 70s bridge position options.
Thoughts anyone?

Lololololol

 

[MVPBASS]

Hi! i got the SQ J-Bass recently but im not at all satisfied with the sound..Its quite trebly and even though i go full bass on any amp i own, it still lacks the kick of a "normal" bass at least for my standards..Anyone have any suggestions for modifications i could do ? like new pickups and stuff ? im quite new at mods and i could really use some help.Thanks!

Lol

 

[MVPBASS]

So after fooling around with this Squier Vintage Modified Jazz V for a while I've finished forming an opinion on it. I think it's a great modding platform for what you get for the money.
Granted this one will need some fret work done but I am handy enough I can do it myself. The frets will need leveling and the fret edges will need dressed as well, lots of sharp edges. Nothing you'll cut yourself with, mind you, but it just feels a little rough. I'm surprised that the neck has actual inlays and binging and not just painted on lines. Granted there are a couple imperfections in the work but it's very minor cosmetic stuff that you have to know what you're looking for and be looking closely to find. The nut work is acceptable, nothing fancy but functional and still fairly clean. The B string feels a little floppy but not terrible... not as bad as some other Squiers I've played. A string change and a retainer tree will help with that. The G string has less break than the rest of the strings, nothing that makes a huge difference but it is noticeable to me.
Tuners are a little better than most tuners I've come to expect from Squier, they turn smoothly and don't feel cheap. They aren't as nice as some of the ones Fender offers (the ones on the Geddy Lee for example are pretty great) but for price they're better than expected.
The frets, strings, and tuners all show spots of a little corrosion, I was disappointed in that. The strings will be replaced and the frets will be clean after I level and crown them, the tuners won't be so noticeable unless you look closely.
The finish on the neck is a matte finish and is fairly smooth, I do wish they had taken more time to sand it a little more but it's acceptable for the moment. I prefer a Nitro finish on necks but this will do for $300, lol. The finish on the body is the standard Squier/Fender Poly. It has shielding paint under the control plate and inside the pickup routes as well as the routing channel to the neck pickup. Don't plan on ditching the pickguard because it's hiding a wiring channel. The pots in the control plate are ok, they're the cheap dime sized ones. They work. Sometimes they're a little scratchy but it's not often and I hardly ever change the settings on the bass anyway. The stock bridge is... well, a stock bridge. It works, does an ok job... I don't care for the "poke the string through the hole" bridges. I would prefer a Hipshot A style or something similar to make string changes less tedious... but like I said, it hold the strings on there and the parts all work like they're supposed to.
The pickups are ok. They sound better than I expected, not fantastic mind you, but the sensitivity of the pickups got to me. I felt I had to play quite a bit harder to get sound out of them.
Here's a sample of my absent minded playing with the stock setup.



After some consideration I decided I would change the pickups first to Nordstrand NJ5F single coil pickups. They're a lot more sensitive than the stock and I felt had a little cleaner tone with the stock strings, I felt it tightened up the bottom end. Play too hard though and you'll get a distorted sound from them, this may or may not be a bonus for you.
Here's a sample with the stock strings.



I changed the Strings to Ernie Ball Slinky Cobalt 130-45s and the floppy B is now gone entirely, it's very quick and responsive and feels as tight as all the others now. The strings are more sensitive than the stocks ones making it so I barely have to do anything to get them to sing. They have a full round and punchy tone to them. These will be the strings I keep on this bass... until I can be convinced otherwise anyway, lol.
Here's a sample of the Cobalts on the Nordys:



That's it for now... I'll update as I change more things out on the bass... It's no Sadowsky but for right now though I'm satisfied (enough) with the current sound. I'll be addressing the frets next. I hope you guys find this useful.

Therese are people who are members of the club and like Squiers doing the complaining. Now go to Club Fbass, Sadowsky or Fodera Club and see if the people are b*tching or beaming.

 

[nickbass79]

Like gold plated RCA cables!

And the foil hat I wear helps even more...I can't afford gold foil or I would use that instead

 

[lucas vigor]

These type of comments come from those that don't see the big picture. It is all the little nuances that when put together make the difference between good and great. That bedroom Sadowsky sound may not be distinguishable as a Sadowsky, in the context of a mix, but it adds to the mix sounding that much better. It's really not a difficult concept to understand.

Granted, a high end bass will not make a bad player sound good, but that's not what we are talking about here.

Facts are facts, look at the best players in the these world, look at the best bands in the world. They can literally choose whatever instruments they want to play. What are they playing? Notice I didn't name any brands here. But just look at what they are playing. I am sure as these people go out on tour or are in the studio, the conversation isn't "well just hand me any old instrument. It doesn't matter what I play, no one will notice anyway". That speaks volumes and discredits everyone that says tone and instrument selection doesn't matter.

Totally. Why is this so hard for people to understand?

 

[lucas vigor]

Yes, but you rarely see them playing $100 pieces of plywood, that is my point.

And mine too.

 

[jamzilla]

Totally. Why is this so hard for people to understand?

Why do people with $5,000 dollar basses feel like they have to justify their decision to people that don't get it?


That's the crazy part.

 

[lucas vigor]

I'd be very interested in hearing more about the Yin Yang. Was it properly set up? Did it have fresh batteries in it? Fresh strings? What sucked...more specifically? I totally get that our stuff may not be for everyone, but "totally sucked?" Do tell! Also, we'd be more than happy to host you at our shop to let you play through several Yin Yangs (I own three). If, after that, you still feel that they suck...cool, I am never going to argue with a person's opinion.

However, to pull an example from your own screen name here...if you had a '61 Petrus that was stored in my garage for 30 years it would probably suck. On the other hand, one that is ex-domaine and has been perfectly stored...likely to be a seriously sublime wine. Is it Chateau Petrus that's at fault for the first bottle?

I have had any number experiences of being out "in the field" when someone puts one of our instruments into my hands and says "What do you think?" Unfortunately sometimes the instruments have dead strings on them, dead batteries, improper amounts of neck relief, have not been intonated, etc. Sometimes in the condition that they are handed to me they do "suck." That said, after a new set of strings, batteries and a proper set up I have personally never experienced a Yin Yang that "sucked" and I have played over 20 of them over the years -- not counting the Yin Yang Standard which I have played an additional roughly 80 of...

Regards,

J

i find it ridiculous that you have to defend one of the greatest bass instruments on the planet. Yin and Yang "totally sucks"?

It's just not possible.

I like the suggestion a few 100 posts back, that you need to submit credentials to be a part of this forum. No true bassist would ever say a Fodera sucked.

 

[nickbass79]

Again...

Gosh dern 1 pursentur base playrs, playn them fancy smancy bases!

JK...like what you like. I will do the same.