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Squier Classic Vibe/Fender Player Series..?
- Thread starter rustikphil
- Start date
My 2021 MIM Player Precision is impeccably well built. Everything in perfect alignment. No fret issues. Nice low action. Tuners work perfectly well. Intonation perfect. Everything working perfectly from the factory. No issues whatsoever. I cannot recommend them enough.
Both options are great for different reasons.
I prefer the Squier CV basses over the player series.
I like the vintage tint gloss neck, and medium frets.
You cannot go wrong with the player series either. The body colours are great, and the necks are really playable.
I prefer the Squier CV basses over the player series.
I like the vintage tint gloss neck, and medium frets.
You cannot go wrong with the player series either. The body colours are great, and the necks are really playable.
My current (as in 2020 and 2021) Squiers (Affinity, Paranormal, and CV) are without question better built instruments than any Player Series or MIM Standard Series Fender I have ever owned or picked up. The fretwork is very close to as good as it gets, the likes of which you sometimes don't see on $2,000 instruments. The quality for the money from Squier these days is just stupidly great. I have to go up to my Vintera '70s Jazz Bass and my Chrissie Hynde Tele to find an MIM Fender that is clearly better built than any of the Squiers that I mentioned.
FWIW, these are the Squiers I have picked up brand new in the past few years, all of which have blown my mind:
1. Bronco Bass (CME exclusive color) - $200
2. Paranormal Cabronita Telecaster - $400
3. Jaguar Bass H (medium scale with Music Man Stingray sized pickup) - $250
4. Paranormal Jazz Bass (black with gold metal guard) - $420
5. Bass VI - $430
6. Esquire Custom - $400
That's an insane amount of value for $2,100. After string changes, nut massaging, and setups, I would gig with any of them, interchangeably with any single instrument I own at that price point (which also needed strings, setup, and nut modifications, FWIW).
I will be picking up the Paranormal Cabronita Baritone, and another Paranormal Cabronita Tele (the burst one with gold guard) before too long.
These instruments are going to be sought after some day. I certainly see them holding their value for the time being, and appreciating significantly some day...and in the meantime, you can play and enjoy them for cheap.
FWIW, these are the Squiers I have picked up brand new in the past few years, all of which have blown my mind:
1. Bronco Bass (CME exclusive color) - $200
2. Paranormal Cabronita Telecaster - $400
3. Jaguar Bass H (medium scale with Music Man Stingray sized pickup) - $250
4. Paranormal Jazz Bass (black with gold metal guard) - $420
5. Bass VI - $430
6. Esquire Custom - $400
That's an insane amount of value for $2,100. After string changes, nut massaging, and setups, I would gig with any of them, interchangeably with any single instrument I own at that price point (which also needed strings, setup, and nut modifications, FWIW).
I will be picking up the Paranormal Cabronita Baritone, and another Paranormal Cabronita Tele (the burst one with gold guard) before too long.
These instruments are going to be sought after some day. I certainly see them holding their value for the time being, and appreciating significantly some day...and in the meantime, you can play and enjoy them for cheap.
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I’m going to echo most here and say that the China-Made CV basses seem to be the Beat Squier’s ever made. A couple of Famous/Pro bassists use them:
this one is de-fretted
However, my only Squier experience is with the Affinity Jazz V (of several different years) and the Vintage Modified series (circa 2014-2016)
The Affinity’s Jazz V’s with the inline 5 headstock were OK basses, but the fret material was horrible - after 6 months, the frets would look worse than my 25 year old G&L frets. That, and the neck wood was too soft - weren’t dried enough before shaped into necks - much like MIM necks. I have seen a bunch that went bananas after a couple of years of string tension applied.
Now the VM models are more or less the same as current Indonesian-made CV’s from the same factory. However, the VM tuning machines were the same as the MIM tuning machines - can be retrofitted with Hipshot HB7’s. The new CV’s have junkier tuning machines.
I bought a 2014 VM Jazz V brand new - was in the store for less than a week when I bought it. I thought it was amazing for $350…and it was….until last week.
I noticed it had a bit too much relief for my liking and went to tighten the truss rod and it wouldn’t turn. I figured it must be maxed out so I installed a spacer under the truss rod nut (a common fix), but still it would not budge beyond that point. Something isn’t right with it, it’s all bound up. When I loosen the rod nut and take the strings off, it’s bowed like a banana.
I’ll either clamp it to a table to bend it back or cut it up to take the rod out (and destroy it)…we’ll see.
But, I do have a 2016 VM neck that is pretty awesome, straight as an arrow, and barely moves with the seasons. I guess it’s hit or miss.
But either way, I’m done buying Squier stuff. I want to buy stuff once…
this one is de-fretted
However, my only Squier experience is with the Affinity Jazz V (of several different years) and the Vintage Modified series (circa 2014-2016)
The Affinity’s Jazz V’s with the inline 5 headstock were OK basses, but the fret material was horrible - after 6 months, the frets would look worse than my 25 year old G&L frets. That, and the neck wood was too soft - weren’t dried enough before shaped into necks - much like MIM necks. I have seen a bunch that went bananas after a couple of years of string tension applied.
Now the VM models are more or less the same as current Indonesian-made CV’s from the same factory. However, the VM tuning machines were the same as the MIM tuning machines - can be retrofitted with Hipshot HB7’s. The new CV’s have junkier tuning machines.
I bought a 2014 VM Jazz V brand new - was in the store for less than a week when I bought it. I thought it was amazing for $350…and it was….until last week.
I noticed it had a bit too much relief for my liking and went to tighten the truss rod and it wouldn’t turn. I figured it must be maxed out so I installed a spacer under the truss rod nut (a common fix), but still it would not budge beyond that point. Something isn’t right with it, it’s all bound up. When I loosen the rod nut and take the strings off, it’s bowed like a banana.
I’ll either clamp it to a table to bend it back or cut it up to take the rod out (and destroy it)…we’ll see.
But, I do have a 2016 VM neck that is pretty awesome, straight as an arrow, and barely moves with the seasons. I guess it’s hit or miss.
But either way, I’m done buying Squier stuff. I want to buy stuff once…
Historically, I really liked the CV and VM from about 5-10 years ago. I felt they were better quality and pretty equal to the MIM Standards of the same era. I have a few Squiers: '14 VM Bass VI, '11 CV 51 P neck on a '11 MII Dirnt body, and a '21 CV 70s J V. I used to have a '10 VM 72 Tele Bass, too. The newest J bass is nice, but the older basses are just a touch better in terms of overall quality.
I find, off the rack, the new MIM Players series basses to not need as much extra set up/fine tuning/parts swaps relative to the new CV Squiers. The new crop of CV seem not quite as well done as the older ones. Both the CV and Players do require some attention to the nut slots, perhaps some fret leveling and a detailed set up to your preferences. The CV are a tremendous value for those that can do their own work on them to get them up and running at a pro level. If you can't do next level set up and parts swapping on a bass, the Players are a great choice.
I find the jacks & switches on the current CVs to be usable, but should be swapped out sooner than later. The hardware and pots are also OK, but could use an upgrade if your preferences dictate. The bridges seem to have saddle screws that like to back out and just seem to be somewhat inexpensive steel. The pickups are decent and perfectly usable, I have no issues with them, but we live in an era of choice, and many choose to change out pickups.
This is not so much the case with the MIM. The hardware and pickups are all good enough to keep. The only real reason to change out anything is just because you want to, not that you necessarily need to.
I find, off the rack, the new MIM Players series basses to not need as much extra set up/fine tuning/parts swaps relative to the new CV Squiers. The new crop of CV seem not quite as well done as the older ones. Both the CV and Players do require some attention to the nut slots, perhaps some fret leveling and a detailed set up to your preferences. The CV are a tremendous value for those that can do their own work on them to get them up and running at a pro level. If you can't do next level set up and parts swapping on a bass, the Players are a great choice.
I find the jacks & switches on the current CVs to be usable, but should be swapped out sooner than later. The hardware and pots are also OK, but could use an upgrade if your preferences dictate. The bridges seem to have saddle screws that like to back out and just seem to be somewhat inexpensive steel. The pickups are decent and perfectly usable, I have no issues with them, but we live in an era of choice, and many choose to change out pickups.
This is not so much the case with the MIM. The hardware and pickups are all good enough to keep. The only real reason to change out anything is just because you want to, not that you necessarily need to.
That's right at least half of the price is for the fender decal.
The new CV squires are not what they used to be but still good.
Actually it's the affinity series that improved imo.
The new CV squires are not what they used to be but still good.
Actually it's the affinity series that improved imo.
This is what I forgot to add in my long-winded [complainant] blurb above….
That the New 2021 Affinity basses are coming from the Indonesian factory and share much of the CV build and hardware. I actually look forward to trying one out. I really like the Affinity Jazz V makeover.
Squier Affinity Series Jazz Bass V 3-color Sunburst with Laurel Fingerboard
Squier Affinity Series Jazz Bass V Olympic White with Maple Fingerboard
One thing I noticed is that when the photos of these were first released back in April 2021 or so, they had 70s pickup spacing, just like the current CV. But it looks like for consumer release, they have 60s spacing.
Fender MIM for me out of those two, I've seen to many Indonesian Squiers with warped necks, and Chinese Squiers are not available anymore. Looks like Fender realized their mistake with "too good for the money" Chinese Squiers and promptly fixed it.
And although you can find a great Squier bass, don't forget they are cheaper by design - lesser quality woods, parts, electronics, etc.
And although you can find a great Squier bass, don't forget they are cheaper by design - lesser quality woods, parts, electronics, etc.
I'm writing this as I just returned my Squire Classic Vibe Precision bass back to Guitar Center today. Maybe I just got some lemon Squire basses but out of the bunch I played and tested, all of them had some issues which I guess you could overlook for the cost of the bass.
The first bass I have from Squire is from China and the neck is unfinished while the body is finished, not sure if this was intended but it's the most unusual combination I've seen. Sharp frets, noisy pots, it was $350 new back in 2013 so I kept it. I just recently picked up the CV Precision limited edition, Sonic Blue which I wanted to love but the body was routed incorrectly, leaving imperfections in the body. I checked the other ones in the store and they all had similar issues.
The first bass I have from Squire is from China and the neck is unfinished while the body is finished, not sure if this was intended but it's the most unusual combination I've seen. Sharp frets, noisy pots, it was $350 new back in 2013 so I kept it. I just recently picked up the CV Precision limited edition, Sonic Blue which I wanted to love but the body was routed incorrectly, leaving imperfections in the body. I checked the other ones in the store and they all had similar issues.
The original run of CV instruments ( including the Matt Freeman and J Johnson signature basses) are excellent basses. I’ve owned 7 and all were great stock with no issues . They now sell for 2 -3 times what they did new and used originally. The last one I bought before they sky rocket in price was my Fiesta Red ( Pino ) $230. Almost cost that much to just to ship now. This is my choice over US, Mexican , Japanese , or any other PBass. No need to spend more.
If I wanted a Jazz bass with 60’s pickup placement , the only Mexican bass I’d go with over the China CV would be a Flea Roadworn .
If I wanted a Jazz bass with 60’s pickup placement , the only Mexican bass I’d go with over the China CV would be a Flea Roadworn .
LoveThatBass
Supporting Member
I have had an Original run Squier Classic Vibe P and now a Fender Player Series P. While the Classic Vibe P was the best Squier Bass I have ever owned and better than some MIM Fender's It does not smoke my 2018 Fender Player P. The neck on the Player is more stable, is the best feeling P neck I have played Including American's.
LoveThatBass
Supporting Member
I agree the Vintage tint gloss neck is nice looking but I prefer the satin neck of the Player P I have as far as feel goes. Hand glides effortlessly up and down the neck
LoveThatBass
Supporting Member
I see you put a heavier bridge on it. I prefer heavier bridges for better sustain and tone.
I also own 2 player P but both sold. For their price tag, the stock pup tone , playing feel , sharp angle fretboard edge couldn't get close to my fiesta red CV p bass.
And ally CV bass has rock steady neck.
Believe it or not, my current bachuss jazz bass has solid steady neck too, roasted maple neck and she play as great as than current player J.
Amazing how some bassists are still unaware of Bacchus.
Pretty sure Fender won't make you a Jazz bass like this!
