I am glad I got this bass as an old man because if I were young, the Squier name would have gotten to me. At my age, I have finally learned to trust my ears and hands instead of worrying about brand perception.
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Squier Contemporary Jazz V: No Love?
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
Every bass really needs to be judged on its own merits. My Squier CV 60’s Precision is the perfect Pbass for my needs. I never look at it and say I wish the Fender logo was larger and the Squier logo was not there.
It looks like a Fender, sounds like a Fender and is a well made in China Fender. The fact that isn’t made in the US saves me money and doesn’t bother me at all. I’ve seen it increase in value . It isn’t my main player but it’s a nice addition to my US Fenders.
Yours is the mature attitude. Unfortunately, I have not always been mature about those sorts of things, but I feel that I have gotten much better with age and experience. Sometimes, it pays to look at pros for perspective. I think about Rocco Palladino playing a Squier Jazz with Yussef Dayes, sounding like a million bucks.
Yours is the mature attitude. Unfortunately, I have not always been mature about those sorts of things, but I feel that I have gotten much better with age and experience. Sometimes, it pays to look at pros for perspective. I think about Rocco Palladino playing a Squier Jazz with Yussef Dayes, sounding like a million bucks.
You know it was Prince that shed light on this subject for me. That lower cost but well built Hohner telecaster copy that Prince played was a beast. Yes he switched out the pickups later on in his career and has copies of his copy made . But that showed me how great cheaper basses can be. If it feels good and gets those tones you desire .... that’s all that matters.
Same thing goes for Marcus Miller. He plays that Fender Jazz when he could be playing any boutique bass that he would desire .
Marcus Miller is also a great businessman. Instead of some boutique brand making a $5K signature model with his name on it, every signature bass he ever endorsed was affordable. MM then proceeds to play them on tours and workshops to let everyone know that he is still the G.O.A.T. when he plays them.
I did a measurement today. I measured my Carvin SB5000’s string spacing. It is 19mm at the bridge exactly. My Squier Contemporary Jazz V HH is more like 18mm or 17.9mm. I will do a comparison video between the two basses since their eq systems similar although are certainly built at different price points.
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I'm still continually surprised every time I play mine, at how well it's built and how good (and quiet) it sounds.
I still say this is the biggest sleeper of a five-string available now.
I still say this is the biggest sleeper of a five-string available now.
I would agree. Although it is not cheap for a Squier, it is still inexpensive for an active bass with such high quality electronics. Add a fifth string, and it hangs very easily with many $759-$1,500 basses. It really reminds of the Bass Mods Jazzes with soap bar pickups.
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I think that is the target market they were aiming for. Those that wanted that BassMods sound.
I picked up one of these recently, pretty impressed for £350.
Not too heavy, had some neck dive but I’ve installed lightweight hip shot tuners and that has sorted it.
Roasted neck looks and feels lovely, edges are properly rounded like my stingray. Frets are nice and shiny, can handle a low action well.
The gunmetal finish is flawless, it has a good sparkle to it.
I agree with what other have said about the preamp, it’s ok, pretty hot and punchy but not very versatile and lacking mids.
I have a John East Uni 03 sitting around that I will swap in when I have time, I just wonder if the active passive switch will go in the extra hole that will be left or whether I’ll have to plug the hole and drill a smaller one. I’m sure it will be fine.
Anyways they seem to have sorted the QC issues on these, this has a pretty premium feel to it.
Not too heavy, had some neck dive but I’ve installed lightweight hip shot tuners and that has sorted it.
Roasted neck looks and feels lovely, edges are properly rounded like my stingray. Frets are nice and shiny, can handle a low action well.
The gunmetal finish is flawless, it has a good sparkle to it.
I agree with what other have said about the preamp, it’s ok, pretty hot and punchy but not very versatile and lacking mids.
I have a John East Uni 03 sitting around that I will swap in when I have time, I just wonder if the active passive switch will go in the extra hole that will be left or whether I’ll have to plug the hole and drill a smaller one. I’m sure it will be fine.
Anyways they seem to have sorted the QC issues on these, this has a pretty premium feel to it.
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Wow! According to SN I've got your bass sister (or brother) 2 numbers younger
Mine is strung with Rotosound tapewounds. I like the look - sparkling gunmetal with black and roasted neck is gorgeous.
Neck and frets were well done and the same with setup, it was a little to high to my liking. After a month I have changed strings to tapes and made full setup. I had to cut wider slots in nut becouse of the gauge of TruBass 88 strings (65-135).
As to preamp... it works but there is something weird with it like phase problems, idk. I try to like it and find usable sounds but when I set up onboard preamp flat and switch on sadowsky preamp pedal all sounds better. Next problem with it is that pickups are active(!) and together with the preamp they drain batteries like crazy. The current in circuit is 12mA. It means about 40h work on standard alkaline battery. Preamp in my Sire P7 gets 2mA (~300h), in Sadowsky - 0.5mA (~800h) - discharge times are approximated, the change is nonlinear.
The high power consumption is the main reason I'm going to change the preamp at first and then pickups (maybe). According to other threads on that bass SQR pickups can work as passive and sound good passive or with other preamp.
The one I intended to try was a boat anchor, and I immediately put it back without playing 
10 lbs
Mine is 4.45 kg (9lb 13oz). Not bad. Sire P7, I mentioned, is 4.65kg (10lb 4oz) you feel its weight and seems much heavier then Squier.
Was it current poplar model or previous one made of ash?The one I intended to try was a boat anchor, and I immediately put it back without playing
Mine is 4.45 kg (9lb 13oz). Not bad. Sire P7, I mentioned, is 4.65kg (10lb 4oz) you feel its weight and seems much heavier then Squier.
I tried it some time a go so it could be the earlier model. Anything heavier than 9.5 lbs is too heavy for me and that was at least 10 lbs I'm guessing.
Yay bass siblingsWow! According to SN I've got your bass sister (or brother) 2 numbers younger
Mine is strung with Rotosound tapewounds. I like the look - sparkling gunmetal with black and roasted neck is gorgeous.
Neck and frets were well done and the same with setup, it was a little to high to my liking. After a month I have changed strings to tapes and made full setup. I had to cut wider slots in nut becouse of the gauge of TruBass 88 strings (65-135).
As to preamp... it works but there is something weird with it like phase problems, idk. I try to like it and find usable sounds but when I set up onboard preamp flat and switch on sadowsky preamp pedal all sounds better. Next problem with it is that pickups are active(!) and together with the preamp they drain batteries like crazy. The current in circuit is 12mA. It means about 40h work on standard alkaline battery. Preamp in my Sire P7 gets 2mA (~300h), in Sadowsky - 0.5mA (~800h) - discharge times are approximated, the change is nonlinear.
The high power consumption is the main reason I'm going to change the preamp at first and then pickups (maybe). According to other threads on that bass SQR pickups can work as passive and sound good passive or with other preamp.
View attachment 7094034
Very interesting information about the active pickups, hopefully I will have some success wiring them passive.
Otherwise I will buy some alternative pickups, do you happen to know what this size is called? Is the same as battling soapbars?
They are P2 size soapbars, I suppose.Yay bass siblings
Very interesting information about the active pickups, hopefully I will have some success wiring them passive.
Otherwise I will buy some alternative pickups, do you happen to know what this size is called? Is the same as battling soapbars?
https://bartolini.net/application/p2/
Read following TB threads:
Mods for a Squier Contemporary Active Jazz Bass
Squier Contemporary Active Jazz 5 preamp swap?
And some samples with changed pickups and/or preamp:
Love Theory- Squier Contemporary Jazz w/ Barts
In the Midst-Byron Cage (Squier Contemporary Jazz V w/ Bartolini (the same bass but look at the mods!)
Squier Contemporary Jazz Bass 5 with nordstrand fat stacks
Nordstrand Big Single Pickups + Squier Contemporary Active Jazz Bass HH - Sound Demo
