I think I would replace the neck with an unlined ebnoal neck anyways.
I agree the Indian Laurel is an ugly looking wood. I really don't understand why they didn't go with walnut
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Squier Classic Vibe 2019
- Thread starter LkS
- Start date
I agree the Indian Laurel is an ugly looking wood. I really don't understand why they didn't go with walnut
After some thoughts and time... that new Squier CV basses line is a bit disappointing, apart the 70s model with maple body and neck choices that will provide solid instruments, hopefully. The Indian Laurel doesn't give that "classic vibe" for the 60s model... even the fretless has Indian Laurel now... come on. That's not a serious choice. The VM fretless is a go to choice, even with the Agathis body.
Also, the choice of narrow tall frets... I'm not sure yet. The vintage fret on the previous CVs were just amazing. Even though you can't expect them to last long haha
Even expensive models have... wait... is that really rosewood ???
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Also, the choice of narrow tall frets... I'm not sure yet. The vintage fret on the previous CVs were just amazing. Even though you can't expect them to last long haha
Even expensive models have... wait... is that really rosewood ???
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... or the Wilkinson open-gear full-sized tuners. Those would work great too (and a little cheaper for the same quality)
Frankly, I think Fender is kinda punting their CV series by opting for possibly the cheapest tuning machines you can find. Those look exactly like the el-cheapo Chinese tuning machines one can buy for 10 USD on ebay. The ones they have on the VMs and the MiMs are way better (and look better)
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Personally, I think Indian Laurel isn't too bad looking as is. I certainly don't think it's an ugly wood. Sure, it seems very grey compared to rosewood (and maybe one of the reasons people find it's yucky-looking), but I would argue that Fender probably could commission Cort to treat the wood with a little mahogany tint to make it look warmer somewhere down the line.
It's truly ugly when you have 4 colour sensors in each eyes, I promise
This is a very odd statement, mostly because it makes a faulty assumption that I'm visually impaired in some way, or that I don't have 'taste'.
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I swapped the neck on my affinity, it just didnt click with me. I have a peavey neck on it, I think its even thinner than a jazz neck. I also tried a player p and j side by side, and i much preferred the j. Just seems to fit me better. In all honesty, I have a p bass, it would be more practical to just get a jazz bass. I have been wanting to try some dimarzio model js. So many basses, so little time.... all the Js in this CV line look pretty great to me!
Oh no, no, that wasn't what was on my mind. Just that same people see more colours, and contrast, and maybe Indian Laurel appears close to Rosewood to some eyes, but not for others, myself included. I'm not stating that you don't have taste
Indian Laurel looks like dried up, neglected rosewood in the pictures I've seen. I'm wondering what it would looks like with a bit of burnishing and a tinted finishing oil applied to it. BLO and Danish Oil is can add depth to fairly plain, marginal-looking rosewood.
Looking at Indian Laurel furniture online, it can be 'warmed up' with a finish, and you get some pretty vivid figuring from it.
I'm wondering if Fender are intentionally using different woods on different lines?
US-built Fenders get Rosewood.
Mexican Fenders get Pau Ferro.
Squiers get Indian Laurel.
Looking at Indian Laurel furniture online, it can be 'warmed up' with a finish, and you get some pretty vivid figuring from it.
I'm wondering if Fender are intentionally using different woods on different lines?
US-built Fenders get Rosewood.
Mexican Fenders get Pau Ferro.
Squiers get Indian Laurel.
I like that they continued the line, but it really looks like they rebranded the Vintage Modified line calling it “Classic Vibe” move production from China to indonnesian and swapped rosewood for Indian laurel. Still a compelling lineup of basses at a reasonable price point, but not CV level.
I don’t think anyone can really make a judgement on the quality of these until we’ve got some reports from in the wild. Moving production to Indonesia really doesn’t indicate much; Cortek have demonstrated for years that they are more than able to build to an exact price point, whatever it happens to be set at.
I’m the very happy owner of an Indonesian VM P-bass which is put together better than my old Fender, so I’m pretty confident that these will be good. Glad to see that they’re using alnico pickups and I really like the detail of using period-correct decals - seeing ‘Jazz Bass’ in the early ‘70s style just does it for me
They surely could have found an example with nicer grain for that ‘burst P though.
Regarding Indian Laurel - I think it looks nice in the photos, but if you want to darken it up, just hit it with a few very light coats of boiled linseed oil, it’ll do wonders.
I’m the very happy owner of an Indonesian VM P-bass which is put together better than my old Fender, so I’m pretty confident that these will be good. Glad to see that they’re using alnico pickups and I really like the detail of using period-correct decals - seeing ‘Jazz Bass’ in the early ‘70s style just does it for me
They surely could have found an example with nicer grain for that ‘burst P though. Regarding Indian Laurel - I think it looks nice in the photos, but if you want to darken it up, just hit it with a few very light coats of boiled linseed oil, it’ll do wonders.
Yes, which brings up the question...Why didn't Fender address the issue themselves?
Seriously, if I was in charge of things and someone showed me a bass or guitar with this fretboard, I'd show him the door.
Ok, fair enough. "Pas de trouble", as we say over here.
For the record, I don't think Indian laurel looks close enough per se to rosewood of any kind - the grain pattern certainly doesn't have the same appeal as rosewood - but... it looks ok for a fretboard. I'd be more interested in how it contributes to the feel of the instrument and how it shapes the sound in some small way.
I've yet to come across an instrument with blackwood, for example. The pictures I have seen seem encouraging, but again, no idea in practical application how blackwood really is like.
Tout va bien, alors.
Indian Laurel shares a lot of specificities with rosewood, so sonically speaking, it should be really close. It's truly just a matter of looks I believe
I think the period-correct variation on the decals is a nice touch, as is the redesign of the Squier logo.I’m the very happy owner of an Indonesian VM P-bass which is put together better than my old Fender, so I’m pretty confident that these will be good. Glad to see that they’re using alnico pickups and I really like the detail of using period-correct decals - seeing ‘Jazz Bass’ in the early ‘70s style just does it for me
It's funny in a way, one some lines throughout its history as a brand of instruments, the Squier logo started to look like it was traced from a fax of a photocopy.
Good point. I work as a cartographer (some of the time) and we have to check our maps are still easily interpreted. Males especially are more prone to various forms of colour blindness.
What issues? Unless Indian Laurel necks are prone to twisting, or the frets are prone to popping out, then the bean counters at Fender won't see an issue.
