NBD Squier Classic Vibe Jaguar Bass Medium Scale

[covermego]

Howdy, I've had this bass for a couple of weeks now. I didn't want to wait for the Gloss Black model to arrive because I just had to know the question that has been haunting some of you TB'ers..... Is this bass REALLY a 32" scale? Well, yes, it is. I pored through pics of these and a lot of the pictures looked more like the older Vintage Modified pics, with the bridge and jazz pickup in different placement locations. Kinda confusing. Some websites claimed 32" whilst others didn't even post the scale....it's almost as if THEY didn't know, either. Anyway, it is, in fact, a 32" scale. Now, for a few interesting tidbits, just because I could .....
The neck pocket is the same width and depth as a full 34" scale. Going a bit further, I removed this neck, lined up a 1998 Squier Made-In-Mexico Precision neck...... and it bolted right on (the pics of the neck with the round marker inlays, not the block inlay),with zero gap between the pocket and heel. The 30" scale Squier Jag SS
basses have a lot narrower neck heel (more like 2-3/8" compared to this at 2-1/2"). This very well may be a good candidate for a medium-scale 5 string conversion. How 'bout it, @Ric5 ?? There seems to be a good deal of real estate on both sides of the E and G strings......
The medium neck nut is located approx 1-3/8" shorter than the 34" full scale nut placement. On the other end, the bridge has been scooted toward the pickups about 5/8". Golly, that equates to 2" right on the money.
I do not own a full scale Jag bass to compare body size to, but this one certainly looks to be close. My SS Jag bass bodies are a bit smaller. Hard to tell in the pic, but from the rear strap button to front of the neck pocket, there is about 1-1/8" difference.
OK, as far as playing this bass..... Plays great, decent intonation/setup out of the box (I tweaked it a bit, but not a lot), the Alnico P and J pickups are nice and sweet. Wasn't used to the dual concentric pots, but after gigging it twice, 'twas no biggie. All around comfortable and great sounding bass, with slightly less reach for this old man.
Mine weighs in at 8LB, 13.4oz. For me, a bit heavy..... but that's my personal problem, right?
I hope some of this info is useful to someone out there. Figured I'd share it with my brothers and sisters here on TB.
-Lenny D-G.

 

[40Hz]

Sweet! I’ve had my eye on that model.

 

[Doctor Morbius]

Thanks for posting. The body definitely looks bigger than the candy apple red one.

 

[covermego]

Sweet! I’ve had my eye on that model.

I'm glad I decided to purchase it. It truly is a great player, out of the box. And my comment about converting it to a 5er may just happen, because I always do that weird kind of stuff. I think the 32" will still do a low B some justice.

 

[RedHotFuzz]

Medium scale??? Say no more, I MUST HAVE ONE!!!

Wish they offered it in some cool colors though. Jaguar deserves some pizazz.

 

[Reviz]

I was wondering about buying a medium scale bass and after a quite deep research I ended up considering the purchase of this bass.
I found a nice review on youtube about this model but I have some precise questions for who own or have tried one on this forum:
- how is the balance? Does it suffer of neck diving issues?
- how low can be the action adjusted? how is the fretwork? how low can the bridge adjusted? (in many fender basses you have to put a shim under the neck to obtain a very low action)
- since it is a low end bass, what seem to be the critical points? (tuners, fretwork....)
- how are the frets? (i mean the dimensions, the fender website says "narrow tall")
- (less relevant) can the pickguard be removed or the electric cables are "exposed"?
Thank you to everyone will answer!
Cheers!

 

[ShimSpacer]

i have the black model.
i saw Dave, i think? on you tube setting up a cv 70's Pecision, and he got the action low and the frets were level from the factory.
my frets aren't beautiful - the flat spots are a little rough & show as if they weren't crowned much at all after levelling but they must be functional as i got the action pretty slammed.
That could just be mine tho, i got it from a guy online who said he never really played it.
it can't be very old at any rate.
I'd like to try heavier strings.
I have a VM special too that i five strung -
i THINK it's the same body, tho different wood, golly i gotta check but the pickguards are identical. i set the CV's right on top of the VMS'.
it gets a neat fretless-ish sound when you roll the knobs off a bit.
Mine is way noticeably lighter than the VM Special, still dives a bit, i guess
+ no, if you take off the pickguard there's an open rout from the P pickup all the way to the jazz control plate
ah i did shim the neck, too, but at the end I'm not sure it was necessary. i'd call the frets 'not large..'
it's got some, well.. the control knobs seem a little cheesy, and it's not super high output, but the rest is all right - it sounds kinda nice & mellow, i think it looks really good (other than the control knobs & they look fine if you dont look too close) and the neck is plenty comfortable, cheap bass or not
IME

 

[ShimSpacer]

Ps, did not intend to hijack the thread & now it's too late to edit
Covermego -
glad u got it & in 'burst even better.

 

[ShimSpacer]

follow up -
i installed 50-105 Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats -
i unslammed the action a little & it's most enjoyable and clean
EDIT -
the control knobs have grown on me - they're fine, well made - apololgies, either my eyes or my eyes & mood were bad.
(and i forgot - shimming was 'cause i put on an allparts hi mass. the height was essentially the same as factory, there was no need, i just couldn't leave well enough alone)
under the hood the wiring is clean, it's all pretty well done. i shield taped it tho.
most i'm surprised at how, dunno.. 'colorful' it sounds. maybe a little thin but not in a bad way

 

[covermego]

I was wondering about buying a medium scale bass and after a quite deep research I ended up considering the purchase of this bass.
I found a nice review on youtube about this model but I have some precise questions for who own or have tried one on this forum:
- how is the balance? Does it suffer of neck diving issues?
- how low can be the action adjusted? how is the fretwork? how low can the bridge adjusted? (in many fender basses you have to put a shim under the neck to obtain a very low action)
- since it is a low end bass, what seem to be the critical points? (tuners, fretwork....)
- how are the frets? (i mean the dimensions, the fender website says "narrow tall")
- (less relevant) can the pickguard be removed or the electric cables are "exposed"?
Thank you to everyone will answer!
Cheers!

Hi, sorry for the delay!!
1. Balance is very good - to me it's better than a 34" scale, since the body seems to be the same size.
2. I adjusted the action pretty low, as that's what I'm accustomed to. There was no shim on this bass.
3. I see no real critical points. Everything on this bass is great quality.
4. I think the frets are 6105's, but not sure.
5. I believe the routs are exposed without a pickguard.

 

[ShimSpacer]

Agreed - i think they're making us some pretty nice basses. They sure look good.

Question, tho:
Covermego, what do you think of the tone?
I've never played anything old, with alnicos.
Maybe an old Hondo Fame, and i kept the pickups in that, maybe a few others.. but
i've replaced pickups and potZ in just about everything else - kinda mad scientist.
i was usually lucky and could build to the sound i was looking for.
but, I don't know - i really like the way this sounds + its easy to get a few different tones.
thats my experience, anyway
OK
blurry pic, pickguard off
the wood is Nato?
looks like a cousin of Mahogany

 

[ShimSpacer]

PS -
here it is next to the VM Special i made into a 5 string
A lot of thanks to Ric 5's info -
1) you replace the bridge - i think mine's a Schaller but it might be fake, either way it's adjustable for string spacing.
i installed it an 1/8" too close the first time, maybe because i had the low string tuned to C. couldn't quite get it to intonate. moved it back.. Crooked!!! long story but it intonates fine. maybe I'll fix it someday
2) replace the nut, or epoxy over the old slots and recut it in place - i did the latter. dunno
3) drill the headstock CAREFULLY for the 5th tuner. you'll need a new string tree, maybe.
now it's strung/tuned E-C
That's a P neck on mine, the CVJag's nut is just a skosh narrower? i gotta check but the full scale Jags use a Jazz neck, of course, 1.5" nut as opposed to the P 1-5/8" but that's ok, still plenty of room.
Good Luck!

 

[ShimSpacer]

ah, i reread first post.
agreed on the nice & sweet

 

[covermego]

View attachment 3836044
PS -
here it is next to the VM Special i made into a 5 string
A lot of thanks to Ric 5's info -
1) you replace the bridge - i think mine's a Schaller but it might be fake, either way it's adjustable for string spacing.
i installed it an 1/8" too close the first time, maybe because i had the low string tuned to C. couldn't quite get it to intonate. moved it back.. Crooked!!! long story but it intonates fine. maybe I'll fix it someday
2) replace the nut, or epoxy over the old slots and recut it in place - i did the latter. dunno
3) drill the headstock CAREFULLY for the 5th tuner. you'll need a new string tree, maybe.
now it's strung/tuned E-C
That's a P neck on mine, the CVJag's nut is just a skosh narrower? i gotta check but the full scale Jags use a Jazz neck, of course, 1.5" nut as opposed to the P 1-5/8" but that's ok, still plenty of room.
Good Luck!

Now that is awesome. I like the fact you chose to go with black hardware on that. Also, thanks for opening up your CV for us.
As much as I wanted to make a 5 string out of it, I decided I personally would probably be happier with a 34" scale to dissect and experiment with. I'll definitely start with something lower cost, though. I have tons and tons of hardware (even a Bartolini P and J pickup, begging to be put to good use), so I'm pretty much good to go on that.
As for the stock pickups and tone, I was very happy with the different sounds I could get. I love the alnico P pickup sound...... at least the ones I've played. I almost always prefer steel round wounds, too.
I'm sure I'll be creating a 5er in the future, but for now I'm right back down to 30" scale basses. I have created 3 basses, while sheltering-in-place. Sold all of them (that was the plan). See pics. 'Twas fun.
And finally, my confession: I sold my CV Jaguar Bass. My bandmates always ask, "How long you plan on keeping that one?". They're to the point that I'll come in with a new or different bass and they don't say anything....... LOL!!

 

[DJWhitJr]

I know this is an older post but it sounds like they moved to bridge up to equate to a 32" scale? I wonder if the neck length is the same as the Ibanez Mezzo or if it's longer? My Ibanez Mezzo is 23" from the nut to the last fret.

 

[covermego]

I know this is an older post but it sounds like they moved to bridge up to equate to a 32" scale? I wonder if the neck length is the same as the Ibanez Mezzo or if it's longer? My Ibanez Mezzo is 23" from the nut to the last fret.

Yes, I'm pretty sure that's what they did. As for the neck length, not sure now, since I sold the bass. While a nice bass, it wasn't for me. I have yet to check out the Mezzo. The Mezzo 5 string interests me. I just wish it came with a neck wood other than maple. Just my preferences, lol.

 

[lug]

I have the other 32" scale Jaguar they made.

 

[covermego]

I have the other 32" scale Jaguar they made.

Aaahhh, wasn't that one of the Pawn Shop reverse Jags? Did you convert it to a lefty? Wait..... how can you convert a right-handed reverse Jag to a lefty? Isn't it essentially a lefty already? Wait a minute....I'm just too confused..........lol.

 

[lug]

Aaahhh, wasn't that one of the Pawn Shop reverse Jags? Did you convert it to a lefty? Wait..... how can you convert a right-handed reverse Jag to a lefty? Isn't it essentially a lefty already? Wait a minute....I'm just too confused..........lol.

I learned to play on right handed basses so upside down stringing is "right" for me. The Pawnshop Jag is the perfect bass for me, I just added 1 strap button and am good to go!

 

[covermego]

I learned to play on right handed basses so upside down stringing is "right" for me. The Pawnshop Jag is the perfect bass for me, I just added 1 strap button and am good to go!

Aaaahhh, nice!! I know a few folks that play bass and guitar thataway. Funny.... I am a lefty, but I kinda struggled through learning to play right-handed, since all my friends said "that's the way your supposta hold 'em". What did I know? Anyway, my oldest son is a lefty (much more than me) so when he decided he wanted to play my old Yamaha BB800 and asked me to string it lefty for him, guess what? I said, "No, 'cause I'm the dad".
So.....he learned how to play it right handed (sounds like this coulda been a Harry Chapin song). Lol.