NBD: 70’s Classic Vibe

[urkel3000]

I like the gzr pickup, it sounds modern enough, and vintage enough, and doesn't have that hot wet fart sound you get from higher output pickups (model p)

 

[DJ Bebop]

I disagree. Pickup changes (along with tone pot changes) can make a HUGE difference. I recently had the pickups changed in my Squier VM jazz bass from the original Duncan Designed ones, to the Fender ultra noiseless ones. The bass sounds completely different than it did before. I actually liked the original ones much more than the Fenders, but I absolutely hate single coil hum…so I just used a parametric eq to find which frequencies to boost and which ones to cut to get the tone where I like it.

They can make a difference as I said later. The difference comes from knowing where you sound is now and what direction you want to go to from there

It seems you had a direction you wanted to go, no more hum. As you said the original pickups sounded good. You wanted something hum-canceling.

I have swapped pickups myself at times and found it achieved the goal I had in mind. Usually it was going 180 from what I had. The times I went sideways I didn't find a lot of difference but I was too lazy to switch back and left it

 

[oldcatfish]

They can make a difference as I said later. The difference comes from knowing where you sound is now and what direction you want to go to from there

It seems you had a direction you wanted to go, no more hum. As you said the original pickups sounded good. You wanted something hum-canceling.

I have swapped pickups myself at times and found it achieved the goal I had in mind. Usually it was going 180 from what I had. The times I went sideways I didn't find a lot of difference but I was too lazy to switch back and left it

I was talking to a luthier that builds electric guitars, and he said something to me that I didn’t initially believe…but now I think that he was correct. He said that some models of electric guitar pickups have a very baked in tone, just like some effects pedals and amps do. But other pickups (which are what he preferred) are more transparent…so different players will sound much different from each other than they would when playing instruments with the first kind. I think that this is probably true with bass pickups too.

 

[Yahboy]

I picked this up locally. Got a really good deal on it with a HSC. Needs a set up but feels really good. Can some of you recommend some harness and pick up upgrades that would work well for this bass?

Great score !!! China made classic vibe bass always the best of Squier !

Stick pickups has nice tone and nothing with the hardware, except mini pot.

Since the bridge cover look slightly square and huge,, I believe there are 20mm string spacing brass himas bridge under that hood. That full brass himas bridge are one of the factors to make the bass tone solid and tight, especially E string voice . Except if you prefer vintage thread saddle bend bridge like me, otherwise just keep it stock.

Your bass neck profile are slightly thicker than current day Indonesia CV70p too. Feel just great on left hand to me.

 

[telejojo5]

I have one just like it and plays and sounds very good.I've decided that if I have to put pickups and pots and whatever in I am not buying it.

 

[Ostie]

The CVS are great for the $$. I picked mine up used for two hunnert. I don’t agree with those that say the quality is better than MIM, but it’s pretty darn good.

 

[C Stone]

The CVS are great for the $$. I picked mine up used for two hunnert. I don't agree with those that say the quality is better than MIM, but it's pretty darn good.

I haven't seen many (if any) stating the Indonesian (ISS) runs are better than MIM, most are referring to the Grand Reward earlier runs of Classic Vibe with himass bridge and brass saddles. The OP's looks like an early 70's Grand Reward P "Crafted In China" vs. later Indo versions with the standard bridge.

 

[Yahboy]

I haven't seen many (if any) stating the Indonesian (ISS) runs are better than MIM, most are referring to the Grand Reward earlier runs of Classic Vibe with himass bridge and brass saddles. The OP's looks like an early 70's Grand Reward P "Crafted In China" vs. later Indo versions with the standard bridge.

The CIC CV70P has different head stock " Precision bass " decal compare to Indo Cv70P. Meanwhile the SeaFoam green also look slightly greeny on CIC CV70P too.

There are 2 different batch of CIC CV70P , the early batch has Brass saddle and full brass himass bridge along with bulky bridge cover ; final batch has normal 19mm string spcacing bend bridge before discontinue.

 

[Yahboy]

I disagree. Pickup changes (along with tone pot changes) can make a HUGE difference. I recently had the pickups changed in my Squier VM jazz bass from the original Duncan Designed ones, to the Fender ultra noiseless ones. The bass sounds completely different than it did before. I actually liked the original ones much more than the Fenders, but I absolutely hate single coil hum…so I just used a parametric eq to find which frequencies to boost and which ones to cut to get the tone where I like it.

Duncan design sound dry and lifeless on early batch VM 70J/77J to my ear , but after that, the Fender design alnico V sound are nice improve for jazz bass tone.

But when CV line move to Indonesia, FMIC still mention CV60J and 70J has Fender Design alnico V pickup, but the tone are more close to my previous indo VM std J than VM70J/77J. VM std J sound lack juice !

 

[Yahboy]

In my personal experience, newer Squiers sound and play fine, but the QC is not great. I bought two Classic Vibes back to back (a 40th Anniversary P and a 50's Strat) and both had bad soldering - the Strat's input wire came off almost immediately, and the P's tone knob wasn't wired at all. Both were fixed and play fine now but those kind of issues from new instruments are discouraging, especially if the buyer doesn't know how to or care to solder. If I ever bought a Squier again, I'd give it more than a once over to make sure everything was kosher.

Current day indo CV , can't get close to CIC CV , especailly factory fret work and levelling quality.

I been own 5 unit of Indo Suiqer Cv50P and 1 indo FSR CV70P , all of them can't meet the quality of CIC CV50P, Cv60P ,CV60J , Cv70P and my current keeper Matt freeman P !

 

[C Stone]

…There are 2 different batch of CIC CV70P , the early batch has Brass saddle and full brass himass bridge along with bulky bridge cover ; final batch has normal 19mm string spcacing bend bridge before discontinue.

That's right, the OP's bass looks like it has the bulky larger bridge cover and I'd bet there are a couple of holes under that pick-guard where the original tugbar was installed.

 

[Old Fart]

Surely you mean 0.047uF? That's the standard value for most bass tone pot caps. I agree 100% about the 500K pots and the shielding though.

Yes I meant 0.047 uF and stop calling me Shirley.

 

[Yahboy]

No issue with my 60's CV P's pickups or my 70's Jazz pickups but my 70's P seems thin and less "hot", so you can try to raise your pickups, I did and it sounded fuller but I am heavy handed so it didn't work for me, if you have a lighter normal touch (less aggressive)
it might be worth trying. I would suggest the Tonerider TRP1 pickups they are wound a bit hotter than vintage P-Bass pickups and won't break the bank. Congrats on your new bass!
Amazon.com

You are right ! Tonerider supply pickups for CIC CV line in past.

 

[DWA2469]

That's right, the OP's bass looks like it has the bulky larger bridge cover and I'd bet there are a couple of holes under that pick-guard where the original tugbar was installed.

It was made in China and the serial number says it was made in 2018. However it does not have a high mass bridge it is the bent style.

 

[C Stone]

So the barrels aren't the larger brass then?
@Yahboy mentioned above there were two models some with hi-mass and some with standard bent plate. Being a 2018 makes sense (last year). How is it playing for you?

 

[DWA2469]

So the barrels aren't the larger brass then?
@Yahboy mentioned above there were two models some with hi-mass and some with standard bent plate. Being a 2018 makes sense (last year). How is it playing for you?

After a good setup and upgrades it plays amazing!