NBD: Squier Vintage Modified Telecaster Bass Special.

[Matthew Barrack]

So I was walking into the music store on Saturday. For some celebration all the basses were moved to the guitar room and the guitars moved to the bass room. They also took out the new basses from the back room, and there it was. I'm not even 100% sure that this is it's name, but here it was. Today, I took my Squier Affinity Series P/J bass to the shop and traded it. Sounds a lot nicer on my Ampeg than the P-bass. (To me, the P sounds better on a Fender amp) Awesome bass. Well, here she is.

 

[Matthew Barrack]

If it isn't what I think it is, please tell me what it is. The headstock just says Squier by fender.

 

[reddog]

Nice. Medium scale.

 

[Matthew Barrack]

Didn't even notice. Cool!

 

[grrg63]

I bought one when they were first made a few years ago and still love it. It sold me on medium scales and Fender humbuckers so much that I put them together in this fretless.

 

[BassHappy]

A couple of comments on stuff you may not have noticed. Not only is it 32" medium scale, but it also has the frets mounted directly into the neck, old school style. No fingerboard.

Although the official Fender/Squier literature swears that the body is basswood it's a misnomer, at least it was on mine. Check the first feature below:

If yours is like mine - you may notice the body is way too hefty to be basswood. This is the one that I bought - it's the single coil model:

I sent it out to Pat Wilkins for a little makeover and after he stripped the body, he discovered that it is European alder, a species he uses a lot and likes very much:

Why they would call it basswood when it isn't is beyond me - but these basses come from the factory in Indonesia.

And after Pat worked his magic:

Since then, I have removed the ETS piezo bridge and tailpiece for another project, made it string through with a new bridge and added a diamond plate cavity cover.

Got a new camera on the way, will post a couple of new photos soon.

Mine is 8.8lbs, not the heaviest bass I own, but not what I would call light either.

 

[claudel]

The called it basswood because it's a bass, no?

Been looking for one of these...

 

[Blaargh]

The called it basswood because it's a bass, no?

Been looking for one of these...

Basswood is a type of Lime.

I've always been intrigued by these, Fender put out a few basses a little while back with the Wide Range humbuckers that all rocked (MP Tele, PS Mustangs, this), I really need to hunt one of them down. Unfortunately I really want that Mustang and the last one I saw for sale was £800 on eBay.

 

[1stnamebassist]

I had two of those. One of the nicest sounding and playing basses I have heard. I sent the first one back because I couldn't deal with the weight. They sent me another one that weighed the same. That went back also. Just a bit too heavy for my liking but everything else was great on this bass, including the medium scale neck that played like a dream!

 

[Matthew Barrack]

I had two of those. One of the nicest sounding and playing basses I have heard. I sent the first one back because I couldn't deal with the weight. They sent me another one that weighed the same. That went back also. Just a bit too heavy for my liking but everything else was great on this bass, including the medium scale neck that played like a dream!

agreed!

 

[Keis]

A couple of comments on stuff you may not have noticed. Not only is it 32" medium scale, but it also has the frets mounted directly into the neck, old school style. No fingerboard.

View attachment 892540

Although the official Fender/Squier literature swears that the body is basswood it's a misnomer, at least it was on mine. Check the first feature below:

View attachment 893568

If yours is like mine - you may notice the body is way too hefty to be basswood. This is the one that I bought - it's the single coil model:

View attachment 892529

I sent it out to Pat Wilkins for a little makeover and after he stripped the body, he discovered that it is European alder, a species he uses a lot and likes very much:

View attachment 892531 View attachment 892533

Why they would call it basswood when it isn't is beyond me - but these basses come from the factory in Indonesia.

And after Pat worked his magic:

View attachment 892534

Since then, I have removed the ETS piezo bridge and tailpiece for another project, made it string through with a new bridge and added a diamond plate cavity cover.

View attachment 892537

Got a new camera on the way, will post a couple of new photos soon.

Mine is 8.8lbs, not the heaviest bass I own, but not what I would call light either.

Hi!
In own one of these with the 2 PU’s but to me it doesn’t sound quite as I want ‍
Yours was fitted with a new bridge and tuners, some mods on the pots also?
Tips on the neck?
I guess it would be possible to shave some of the back of the body to get the weight lower?
Tnx in advance!

 

[BassHappy]

Hi!
In own one of these with the 2 PU’s but to me it doesn’t sound quite as I want ‍
Yours was fitted with a new bridge and tuners, some mods on the pots also?
Tips on the neck?
I guess it would be possible to shave some of the back of the body to get the weight lower?
Tnx in advance!

Hello Keis

Not sure what did what, but I kept the original electronics and it sounds good.

There is more about the bass here:

Fender Vintage Modified Telecaster

As far as the weight goes, it is just under 9 lbs.

 

[Keis]

I think I’ll give it a go and strip it

I’d like to get some weight of, maybe I can shave some of the back an shave some of the sides, I don’t know but it is too heavy for me ‍

 

[Old Blastard]

Have the wide range pickups in my Starcaster and they are awesome.

 

[Keis]

The wide range pup’s? I have a Mudbucker and a jazzbass pup… ?