Squier Jazz Bass : CV or VM+pickups?

[CaptainTuna]

Hello guys,

I've been reading lots of CV vs VM posts on talkbass recently. What most threads don't consider though, is the fact that the VM goes for around 300€ here in Italy while the CV goes for 400€. With the 100€ I save by buying a VM, I could mod it with new pots and some new pickups (since I've heard the duncan designed ones are not that cool). I am considering Fender Original jazz pickups.

I've also read that many people really like the VM neck over the CV, but like the CV for everything else.

So, what would you do? CV or VM with fender original pickups?

 

[jd56hawk]

What's the difference in the necks? I haven't played a CV but I've tried two VMs...the older one with the Duncan pickups and the non-gloss neck and the newer one with the Fender pickups and the gloss neck...too sticky.

 

[CaptainTuna]

No idea to be sincere. It's just what I've gathered by reading tons and tons of comparison threads here on TB about those two basses. I've only played a Matt Freeman P myself.

I'm going to a music shop later in the day to try them out myself. Won't be able to try the VM with modded pickups of course, so I'm hoping to get some info from people who have modded one.

 

[tomersg]

IMHO the finish and the styling is the main difference between the CV and VM series. i like the 70's natural body, satin neck and with maple fingerbord with black bound and blocks more. what do you prefer?
there are some more defferences but they are less significant. especialy after there both came with squire pickups and without the DD pickups.

 

[CaptainTuna]

Aestethically speaking, I do prefer VMs indeed. I wasn't aware of the fact they dropped DD pickups though!

 

[Malak the Mad]

I voted "CV", but then, I don't have a problem with a glossy neck like others do. Chalk that one up to "personal preference". But when I look back upon the two CV's I've owned and compare them to the dozen or so VM's I've sampled, the CV's win by a landslide. Put another way, the two CV's were "quite good" and "freakin' amazing". Only a couple of the VM's that have crossed my path came anywhere close. And I'm talking about sound and feel.

Do bear in mind, these are just my personal experiences. But to that effect, I'm hoping to recapture a little bit of that magic when I install a pair of CV pickups in an older Squier Standard Jazz.