Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
New SQUIER VM series! (Part 2)
- Thread starter smperry
- Start date
I finally got around to swapping the P pickup out of my PJ
It wasn't that I didn't like it, I did, it's more that it wasn't quite the tone I'm useing these days.
First I put a Fender 62Ri Original in. This was just laying around and I didn't want to work on two basses so was going to leave the Fralin in my CV.
A very strange thing happened with the fender. First off it sounded great. Lots of volume and equal to the bridge pup. When I had both on the sound was very low and holler sounding. Now I know this meant one was out of phase, so I swapped the wires over on the P, and the tone and volume was much better with both pups on, but now the p pup was softer and with less punch on its own. I've not encountered this happening before.
I decided to give the Fralin a go after all and it went well. It's a bit fuller sounding, and seems a better match to the bridge pup.
I put the fender pup in my CV and it's working fine. I even swapped the wire over to see if that made a difference and it didn't. Very strange.
So, that's one pup down, one to go. I've decided to go for a Fender Super 55 jazz pup. I've not read much about these but what I have read is positive. I really like the stock jazz pup, but it's buzzing quite a bit, and we tend to play some pretty crappy dives where the electrics aren't the cleanest, and so I expect a lot of buzzing at some of them.
It wasn't that I didn't like it, I did, it's more that it wasn't quite the tone I'm useing these days.
First I put a Fender 62Ri Original in. This was just laying around and I didn't want to work on two basses so was going to leave the Fralin in my CV.
A very strange thing happened with the fender. First off it sounded great. Lots of volume and equal to the bridge pup. When I had both on the sound was very low and holler sounding. Now I know this meant one was out of phase, so I swapped the wires over on the P, and the tone and volume was much better with both pups on, but now the p pup was softer and with less punch on its own. I've not encountered this happening before.
I decided to give the Fralin a go after all and it went well. It's a bit fuller sounding, and seems a better match to the bridge pup.
I put the fender pup in my CV and it's working fine. I even swapped the wire over to see if that made a difference and it didn't. Very strange.
So, that's one pup down, one to go. I've decided to go for a Fender Super 55 jazz pup. I've not read much about these but what I have read is positive. I really like the stock jazz pup, but it's buzzing quite a bit, and we tend to play some pretty crappy dives where the electrics aren't the cleanest, and so I expect a lot of buzzing at some of them.
I tried the CAR PJ and the CAR P5 at my local music store yesterday.
Myself and the sales guy we were both impressed by the build and the sound that came out of both basses.
I tried both basses in a Markbass CMP combo with the controls set flat.
In a small nutshelf
CAR PJ:
No fret issues, decent out of box set up. Light and comfortable. Neck had a nice tint.
The only flaw i saw was the J pick up needed to be raised a hair to compensate the E and A string output.
Excellent PJ sound as both pickups compliement each other well for the classic PJ sound in hardrock (and maybe metal)
CAR P5:
excellent out of box setup. Only the split pick up needed to be raised so the B string didnt sound weak.
Neck was wide and comfy (i do like the tint on their necks)
Sounded like a P bass to me
it was very light as well (almost as light as the CAR PJ)
In a nutshell if you dont want to break the bank, you got two excellent choices here.
Myself and the sales guy we were both impressed by the build and the sound that came out of both basses.
I tried both basses in a Markbass CMP combo with the controls set flat.
In a small nutshelf
CAR PJ:
No fret issues, decent out of box set up. Light and comfortable. Neck had a nice tint.
The only flaw i saw was the J pick up needed to be raised a hair to compensate the E and A string output.
Excellent PJ sound as both pickups compliement each other well for the classic PJ sound in hardrock (and maybe metal)
CAR P5:
excellent out of box setup. Only the split pick up needed to be raised so the B string didnt sound weak.
Neck was wide and comfy (i do like the tint on their necks)
Sounded like a P bass to me
it was very light as well (almost as light as the CAR PJ)In a nutshell if you dont want to break the bank, you got two excellent choices here.
I finally had the chance to play a VM Jag 5. It was at a GC so it had the usual horrible setup. First thing this baby is LIGHT! I would say at the most 9 pounds which out of the gate is a big plus for me. The neck is VERY smooth and not at all glossy like I had expected. Nice and fast. They controls seem to work ok, but not alot of tonal variance. The bass boost works great and really warms up the tone. I didn't have a chance to strap it on, but this is on my short list of basses to buys in the near future.
Guitar Center Employee Guide: Take 5-string basses from box to showroom
1. Slice open box with oversized knife.
2. Violently jiggle out inner box until it falls on floor.
3. Slice open inner box upright.
4. Let bass drop from box, and retrieve lightly damaged bass from ground.
5. Tune standard strings three semisteps too high, not only putting unnecessary strain on the strings, neck and truss, but proving you know nothing about the instrument you are handling.
6. Place bass on hanger at top of room out of consumers reach.
7. Sandwich in "new" tag on instrument between strings.
You're now a bass guitar hero... center.
Wish I was making this up - comes from witnessing things over the years at different stores.
Still looking forward to the P5.... From somewhere else. GASing pretty bad for it actually, but it will be a nice birthday gift to me using gift cards I'm asking people for.
8. When customers are heading towards you to retrieve said 5 string from the upper-most wall, run away.
Got mine from Sweetwater. Needed a setup but it is one of my favorite five strings. I have modded pretty much every bass I've ever owned and my P5 will get over sized strap button but that's it. It sounded better than my 2011 MIA P Bass until I upgraded the pickup on that. Don't tell anyone over in the P bass club though.
I don't primarily play a five string, just like to have one on hand. So it doesn't see as much action as my four strings. Every time I pick it up though it makes me very, very happy.
They could take my P5, add a Fender logo and sell it for $800 all day long and people would love it.
That's part of a different training book altogether.
Guitar Center Employee Guide: Dealing with the consumer
2nd time in the past 20 posts someone said that. Really looking forward to the Squier P5.
Just got my Cabronita P from Sweetwater today. I'm really liking how the body is more slabbish like a Tele compared to a normal P. I also like the thick neck shape on it. This is my first bass in years, both that I had before were Peaveys with the narrow J Bass style neck; I like this fat P neck way better in the short time I've had to play it at work.
I'm really excited to be back to playing bass full time after going back to guitar for a while. Now to just get a proper amp...
I'm really excited to be back to playing bass full time after going back to guitar for a while. Now to just get a proper amp...
Just got my Cabronita P from Sweetwater today. I'm really liking how the body is more slabbish like a Tele compared to a normal P. I also like the thick neck shape on it. This is my first bass in years, both that I had before were Peaveys with the narrow J Bass style neck; I like this fat P neck way better in the short time I've had to play it at work.
I'm really excited to be back to playing bass full time after going back to guitar for a while. Now to just get a proper amp...
Waiting ur review ~~~~ thks
Just got my Cabronita P from Sweetwater today. I'm really liking how the body is more slabbish like a Tele compared to a normal P. I also like the thick neck shape on it. This is my first bass in years, both that I had before were Peaveys with the narrow J Bass style neck; I like this fat P neck way better in the short time I've had to play it at work.
I'm really excited to be back to playing bass full time after going back to guitar for a while. Now to just get a proper amp...
Wow, that's gorgeous! What's the nut width?
I'm pretty sure they're standard P width, 1.625"
How are the fingerboard edges? I have seen VM basses with almost rolled edges, but that may be a bit optimistic at that price point! Looks to be a one piece, frets pressed directly onto the neck?
I'm really getting tempted to pick one of these up.
1.625" according to the website. I returned mine because of a dead spot I didn't want to live with, but the frets were excellent if I recall correctly.
Well, it looks like the Candy Apple Red P5 is on back order from a lot of people. Sweetwater has no stock of ANY P5. I'm amazed, these must be some really fantastic basses if they're getting sold out like this.
Both of the CAR p5's I tried locally had a dead spot in the usual place (C/C# on the G string), and needed minor pickup adjustments.
But a lot of people seem unfazed by the typical Fender dead spot unless it's a really bad one, and in every other way, they seemed like good examples of a passive 5-string P.
Weight was well under ten pounds, and tone and playability were excellent. Amazing value.
But a lot of people seem unfazed by the typical Fender dead spot unless it's a really bad one, and in every other way, they seemed like good examples of a passive 5-string P.
Weight was well under ten pounds, and tone and playability were excellent. Amazing value.
