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New SQUIER VM series! (Part 2)

#241
dave_bass5 said:
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.
Click to expand...

I learned through many botched attempts with a VM Jag (I had many of the same issues you describe) to leave the stock pickups in Squier p/j config basses. They just don't seem to play well with swaps. I find better luck with my sound through pedals and amps. If I'm recording, I just bring my '75 P.
 
#242
Update/checkin: The VM p/j sunburst is my go-to now for all pay gigs (though i'd have no qualms taking it to my originals gigs, either). I have everything stock except for tuners. Neck dive was not a big deal, but with 4-hour gigs it was enough to be annoying. So I put some hipshot ultra lites, including a drop D xtender, the balance now is PERFECT. Highly recommend this swap. Liked this bass a whole lot before, love, love it now. Comfortable and versatile, plays great and looks sharp. The sound is everything I'd need. The only other change I might make is barrel style knobs, just not a dome fan, but I'm reluctant to mess with a good thing right now.
 
#243
jumblemind said:
Update/checkin: The VM p/j sunburst is my go-to now for all pay gigs (though i'd have no qualms taking it to my originals gigs, either). I have everything stock except for tuners. Neck dive was not a big deal, but with 4-hour gigs it was enough to be annoying. So I put some hipshot ultra lites, including a drop D xtender, the balance now is PERFECT. Highly recommend this swap. Liked this bass a whole lot before, love, love it now. Comfortable and versatile, plays great and looks sharp. The sound is everything I'd need. The only other change I might make is barrel style knobs, just not a dome fan, but I'm reluctant to mess with a good thing right now.
Click to expand...

I have the same bass but in CAR, and I was considering swapping in some Hipshot Ultralites, possibly with an extender too, so it's good to know it's a worthwhile addition!

Which model did you use? And how did they fit?
 
#244
jumblemind said:
I learned through many botched attempts with a VM Jag (I had many of the same issues you describe) to leave the stock pickups in Squier p/j config basses. They just don't seem to play well with swaps. I find better luck with my sound through pedals and amps. If I'm recording, I just bring my '75 P.
Click to expand...

I thought the stock pups were a perfect match but I really like the tone of the Fralin over the stock neck pup. I thought the Fralin might over power the bridge pup but they blend really well together.
The only issue I'm still having is the buzzing from the bridge pup whe it's used on its own. I never intended to do this but I really like the extra tones available by using just this pup.

I have a fender super 55 jazz pup on its way this week. I've not read to much about this pup but what I have read seems to indicate its a bit closer to what it's replacing, over the more usual split coil jazz pups.
 
#245
The HB6C for the regular tuners and whatever the corresponding xtender version is. Fortunately, unlike some other VMs the p/j has the same specs as MIM models (11/16 hole, I believe), so the Hipshot standards for those will fit. The sleeves fit the hole about perfectly, but there is some looseness in the posts...more evident in the xtender. Hasn't been an issue, though, they stay perfectly in tune. The clover leaf posts are a little shorter than the stock and standard tuners, but they turn just fine. You have to screw a new hole, obviously, so I recommend replacing them one at a time to keep the posts in the same parallel alignment.
 
#246
jumblemind said:
The HB6C for the regular tuners and whatever the corresponding xtender version is. Fortunately, unlike some other VMs the p/j has the same specs as MIM models (11/16 hole, I believe), so the Hipshot standards for those will fit. The sleeves fit the hole about perfectly, but there is some looseness in the posts...more evident in the xtender. Hasn't been an issue, though, they stay perfectly in tune. The clover leaf posts are a little shorter than the stock and standard tuners, but they turn just fine. You have to screw a new hole, obviously, so I recommend replacing them one at a time to keep the posts in the same parallel alignment.
Click to expand...

That's great, thanks for your help.
 
#247
dave_bass5 said:
I have a fender super 55 jazz pup on its way this week. I've not read to much about this pup but what I have read seems to indicate its a bit closer to what it's replacing, over the more usual split coil jazz pups.
Click to expand...

I'm very interested in the Super 55 bridge pup for a friend's P/J Aerodyne. It looks like a good choice.
 
#249
I discounted any of the stacked jazz pups, and although I would have gone with the model J if I could have got one (I can't find a bridge one over here in the UK) by all accounts the fender sounds a bit closer to a normal single coil.
I'm not after anything that sounds hotter or has a P type of tone, just something silent and traditional sounding.
I'll report back once it's in.
 
#251
The 1/2", which fits a 11/16 hole. Like I said, the sleeve fit the hole perfectly. It wasn't really an issue with the regular tuners, mostly just the xtender version. Again, the sleeve fit the hole, for whatever reason the post was narrower than the sleeve. May have to do with the design, as a lot of stuff has to be trimmed out or re-configured in making an ultralite version of the xtender mechanism.

And by "sleeve" I mean the nut piece that goes through the hole and connects to the post base. Since there's only one mounting screw on the back and no screw holding the post from the back, the design extends the usual "collar" all the way through the neck. It threads onto the post base to tighten down from the front side, with the little mounting screw on the back just there to keep it from twisting.
 
#253
Thought I'd drop in to report on my experience with Hipshot Ulralites on a 2013 VM Precision V. These are the Licensed version, purchased off fleaBay.

Pictures are here:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/sq...hos-got-one-1011452/index12.html#post15295876

Didn't have my callipers handy, so all measurement were eyeballed with a tape measure:

The string posts are slightly smaller: the stock ones are about a 1/16" over half an inch, Hipshot are spot-on a half-inch. Post size doesn't really matter, since you don't reuse the stock bushings. On the licensed Hipshots, the tuner body is externally threaded, and the bushing screws down over the outside of it.

The OD of the Hipshot bushings is considerably smaller than the holes in the headstock, by more than a 32nd of an inch. Since the body of the new tuner is so small, any misalignment will result in a small but unsightly gap on the back of the headstock. Rather than bodge it with card or Teflon tape, I cut shims from the body of a coke can. Two pieces (the length of each was the full diameter of the can), made for a gentle friction fit.

The location of the single locating screw falls well within the footprint of the stock tuners, so if you keep the OEM parts, you can swap the Hipshots out without leaving an unsightly mess.

The bass weighed in at 8lb 12oz stock, and 8lb 6oz with the Hipshots and shims, a decent weight reduction. Neck dive is noticeably reduced. There is no slop in the new tuners, and friction was very even right out of the box. As a result, tuning the bass goes quite a bit faster.

Interesting side benefit: to my ear, the stock P5 sounds a bit too fat and wooly to really nail the vintage vibe, almost as if the pickup is overwound. It also had a sharply-focused narrow dead spot at the C# on the G string. Installing lighter tuners made the dead spot less noticeable, spreading it across the C# and D. It also tightened and brightened the tone, adding some harmonic content that makes it sound a little more "vintage correct".

All in all, a good investment for $75 plus shipping and duty.
 
#254
Good news about the hipshots. I've got some on the Lakland neck I have lying around, I might measure them up and possibly use them. Saying that I have no issues with the CV neck I'm using so I'll probably leave with things alone for now.

I have just managed to get the Fender super 55 working in the bass. It's a hell of a lot quieter than the stock pup, although the character has changed a bit.
I think I posted earlier that I couldn't get the Fender 62RI pup working properly with the stock bridge pup, but the Fralin worked fine. Well I had a similar issue with the Super 55 and Fralin, I had to reverse the Fralin wires! reversing the super 55 wires wouldn't do it.
All sounds good though. They are a good match, and the bass is now dead quiet.
First gig with this set up on NYE and really looking forward to it.
 
#255
I have a 2007 Squier VM P bass and want to put a tort pickguard on it. Does it have a standard hole layout for the screws? Can I use a Fender pickguard or will I have to special order one? I don't have a fender to match it up to.
 
#258
As another option, the cheap Chinese replacement pickguards they have in stock should fit, just take your pg in and line it up to be sure. I bought a replacement black pg for my CV 60s P there, and it lined up perfectly...and the tort pg from my CV seems to line up perfectly on my VM p/j. So by the mathematical property of...
 
#260
Hey guys, I've been saving for a nice bass for sometime now (Dingwall). But I have recently had a crazy idea of purchasing a Squire VM Jazz 5 string in white and replacing a whole lot of stuff on it while saving some cash.

I need help deciding what I can change.

So far I've got.
- some sort of pickups. ( any suggestions )
- bridge (black)
- black control plate-
-Darkglass Preamp.
- Hipshot tuners.

Anything else? Go buck wild!
 

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