New Classic Vibe Basses really that bad?

[Ralferator]

Funny, I just picked up my late 80's Guild Pilot from a refret, and the tech told me to keep an eye on the frets as, with the weather we're having up here, humidity and temp changes, the fretboard can "spit out" the frets. I've never heard of this before, only fret sprout, so maybe the bass didn't leave the factory that way...

i never thought about that. Maybe I should try to get an old instrument that settled down a bit because where I live it’s very humid

 

[Ralferator]

I had an SX P-Bass for a while. It was pretty good for the price, but it was not of the same quality or fit/finish that the Classic Vibe basses I have. I do still have an SX SJB-75 ('75 Jazz Bass) and it's a wonderful instrument considering what I paid for it in 2009.

I still have a Harley Benton Jazz Bass - one of the heavy ash ones at a friends place and it’s one of the best Jazz Basses i had. But very heavy. It’s crazy how good some cheap instruments are today

 

[Ralferator]

I have a 2009/2010 era Chinese-made Classic Vibe P-Bass in Fiesta Red (the Poor Man's Pino), and it is one of the lightest, most resonant, best-playing basses I own. It's better than many American-made Fender P's I've played, and certainly better than the Mexican-made ones I played recently.

I also have a 2018 Classic Vibe 60s Jazz Bass in Daphne Blue. Made in Indonesia. It's heavier than my CV P-Bass, but the fit and finish is fantastic, it's comfortable to play, and has been very stable in terms of the neck and setup. Stock pickups sound really good. Zero complaints with that bass. I do feel that maybe the fretwork was a little less refined, and it has jumbo frets instead of the smaller vintage frets on the P-Bass, but that's a minor criticism.

There are lemons everywhere for sure, but I feel like the Classic Vibe line is a better bet and better value than a Mexican-made Fender. I would buy a CV bass without hesitation. If it has problems that a proper setup can't fix, then return it. Simple.

So do the new Classic vibe P basses now also have Jumbo Frets? I liked those vintage frets

 

[JazznFunk]

So do the new Classic vibe P basses now also have Jumbo Frets? I liked those vintage frets

I didn't state that. The newer CV *Jazz* bass that I have has the jumbo frets. I would check the specs for the P-Basses to see if they have those, or smaller Vintage frets.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

i never thought about that. Maybe I should try to get an old instrument that settled down a bit because where I live it’s very humid

That is usually I don’t buy a new bass. Or it has been hanging on the wall at GC for a few months.

 

[jd56hawk]

First I've ever heard about the new CV basses being bad. Is this due to a few negative reviews or dozens? I just checked and didn't find anything.
Regardless, I've played quite a few Indonesian Squier basses, CV, CA and FA, all very nice save one that I can remember...pickup output seemed weak, and I own two Squier 40th-Anniversary Vintage basses. I didn't think they'd be as good as my Crafted In China CV Jazz, but I was wrong.
I've been playing the Jazz for the past few months now while the eleven other basses I own have been collecting dust.

 

[selowitch]

The Chinese-made Squiers are probably a good bet.

 

[Carl Hillman]

So, you've owned and played at least 16-17 P bass variants and none of them were good enough to make you want to hold onto one?

I'm thinking that you may never find what you're seeking.

 

[Ralferator]

I'd put a push/pull pot to go from parallel to series on the J that you already have. Then I'd play it in series mode for P gigs and start saving money for a better used P bass than a Classic Vibe. No, the J in series doesn't sound like a P but it will be thicker in the mids like P will and it might afford you a little breathing room to get a bass you will actually want. Money spent on a crappy instrument is wasted money.

It’s just that those Chinese Classic Vibe basses I played weren’t crappy at all. And since I can’t test in a shop but have to order, I could easily get a lemon if I order a Mexican Fender.

First I've ever heard about the new CV basses being bad. Is this due to a few negative reviews or dozens? I just checked and didn't find anything.
Regardless, I've played quite a few Indonesian Squier basses, CV, CA and FA, all very nice save one that I can remember...pickup output seemed weak, and I own two Squier 40th-Anniversary Vintage basses. I didn't think they'd be as good as my Crafted In China CV Jazz, but I was wrong.
I've been playing the Jazz for the past few months now while the eleven other basses I own have been collecting dust.

That’s good to hear. It was some people in some threads here saying that the Chinese ones where much better

 

[Ralferator]

So, you've owned and played at least 16-17 P bass variants and none of them were good enough to make you want to hold onto one?

I'm thinking that you may never find what you're seeking.

In fact I loved most of them but I financed my University time with buying and selling them so I needed to let go. I did only buy instruments that i was interested in so it was even harder to sell them again. There where like 3-4 that I really regret selling.

 

[blacktocomm]

I own both Chinese and Indonesian CV basses. I think the tuners might be just a touch nicer on the Chinese. Other than that, I notice very little difference between them. I don’t put much stock in the opinion that one is better than the other.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I read here in the forum that they are not that good anymore

Im likely someone who helped cause some of that confusion for you. The current, Indo CVs are not bad basses. In general, they are actually quite good and punch above their price point. They are a good and safe buy.

The Chinese CVs, however, were real sleepers that punched up into MIJ and MIA territory. Their only weakness, IME, were their electronics. My Chinese CV Telecaster (guitar) is just as nice as my MIA Strat and Les Paul in all regards but its switch. That will eventually need replacing.

 

[jd56hawk]

It’s just that those Chinese Classic Vibe basses I played weren’t crappy at all. And since I can’t test in a shop but have to order, I could easily get a lemon if I order a Mexican Fender.


That’s good to hear. It was some people in some threads here saying that the Chinese ones where much better

I bought an Inca Silver Classic Vibe when it first came out, but it was damaged in a fire, so I sold it.
Bought my current one two years ago...it sat in a mom-and-pop store since 2015...I don't know if they had in the attic and forgot about it or what!
Very simply, it's better than any MIM Fender I've ever played or owned, including the Vintera Jazz.
However, the Seafoam Green Squier Jazz is a joy to play...the satin-finish neck is smooth as silk, and it's hard to believe a $350 bass can deliver this type of quality. The minute I picked it up in the store I knew it was something special...felt like a rush. The feeling was confirmed when I plugged it in...sounded amazing even with the stock strings.
No way was I leaving the store without it.
Glad I bought it and the P bass, especially since the 40th-Anniversary basses have been discontinued.

 

[Les Fret]

I read here in the forum that they are not that good anymore

don’t believe everything you read!

 

[Steve Cooke]

I really wanted a CV Jazz with a P neck so I pieced one together using a new loaded body + new loaded neck. The neck needed a LOT of fret leveling but I did it and it wasnt bad. Loved the whole bass so much I decided to order another neck from someone else, but it needed work too. There are a few online sellers who seem to specialize in selling CV parts. Now I realize the reason they have all these loaded bodies and necks is because they are from dismantled defects, B + C stock basses.

In the end I ended up with 3 different CV basses [yes I have issues] and really like them all. Nice finishes. Great electronics. So-so tuners. All Indonesia.

There are lemons out there but I really like the end results of my adventures. Bottom line, I recommend buying one from a reputable local dealer and thoroughly [THOROUGHLY] inspecting it.

Here's 2 of the 3. CV50's P w/ CV70's P neck and CV70's Jazz w/ CV70's P neck

 

[B-Mac]

Hi everybody,

I am a P Bass lover and had a lot of P Basses in my lifetime in search for the perfect P Bass but sold them all because I moved to Brazil and switched to a Jazz Bass. Now I need a P Bass again!

I had Japanese Tokai Hard Punchers, two Greco P Basses (one of them I should never have sold), an Ibanez RB 650 PJ that i loved, two Squier JV, several Fender American Standards, one 62 Original (i think), two Mexican Road Worn (one was awesome), 1 Squier Matt Freeman, one chinese Classic Vibe 60s and one 70s and two SX P Basses.

You see I have some experience. I thought the Classic Vibe P Basses where quite nice and I loved the necks (my hands are rather small) I still think some others are better but I don’t have the possibility here in Brazil to hunt down an old Japanese P Bass that is in good condition. So I was thinking about getting a new Classic Vibe 60s P Bass.

Now I read the new Indonesian ones are not that good anymore and have Issues, the same I read about the Player Series and I can’t afford more at the moment.

Is it true that the actual Classic Vibes are nothing like the Chinese ones? If so are there any other recommendations that don’t cost much more?

I will have to order so I am even thinking about ordering two and keeping the better one. But if they aren’t that great anymore it might not be worth the stress and I could get an SX instead and mod it.

What do you guys think? Did anybody try new ones just recently? What are the issues- fretwork, feeling, materials or sound not that great anymore?

Though I do not own any Squier products, I had always read here on TB that it was the Affinity series that was lacking and not the CV or VM.

 

[Gervais Cote]

The Classic Vibe series from Squier are generally very good instruments for the price, sound wise and quality wise. Impossible to beat for the price IMO.
Nevertheless, I would also recommend buying from a supplier with a no charge return as you might be unlucky and receive a defect one.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

It's not the country of origin. It's Fender. Remember when they had an FSR for Guitar Center for a seafoam green Jazz? I bought one online, and it was my first experience of returning a product. It sounded great, it looked just fine, but the neck--it seemed to me--had been laden with some kinda thick poly finish. My left hand said "No!" I've just returned a new Squier Classic Vibe 5-string I bought online, because it had the same neck finish. Now: Just so we're clear, that's just me. I'm sure there are some out there who think it's great. I'm happy for you. Really!

 

[ThudThudThud]

The CiC CV 60s series (first runs - Blue P, Fiesta Red P, White Jazz) were exceptional basses for the price.
Perhaps, if anything, the Indonesians are simply just great for the price.

 

[thrashingbass]

Not sure if I could convince you or my words hold any meaning to you, but the probably out of print 40th Anniversary Squier Precision basses seem to be pretty good, of Indonesian provenance, and similarly specced to the CV series. Mine is an awesome bass that I will never part with! You can still buy them new in the remaining shops that haven't sold out of all of them. Of course, used is an option as well.