Squier vintage modified club, part 2

[Danomo]

Got a VM Jag special last week in a package deal with an amp I wanted for my daughter ($180 for both). It was in desperate need of a setup (the A string could not be tuned properly). I was going to flip it, but it plays SO nice now, I'm having second thoughts (the neck is almost exactly a satin version of my JP-90 neck). The only downside to it is the pups/built-in preamp, they are meh.

Fender JP-90
Epi Bass Club #169 JC sig

 

[dabbler]

I recently got a VM Jaguar special myself!

It won't be one of my main players, but I LOVE mine!

 

[wild4oldcars]

This... Can I ask which tuners you've used?

General question: any ideas to reduce the trebly bit of the sounds. Have one; love it a lot; just sometimes the trebly/sizzly sound gets to me.

I've dropped in a EMG J5 set and that helped a lot, but it's still there.

Any ideas are welcome.

perhaps just have a small capacitor in the circuit at all times? like a .05 microfarad or less, just to take off some "sizzle"?

 

[Deleted member 261632]

I'll be doing some running around this weekend. Let's see if I can "score" one of these orange drop caps. Thx for the suggestion.

 

[96tbird]

There's already a cap on your tone pot. Roll tone back, favor the neck pickup and maybe lower your pickups a bit. No soldering required.

 

[davenumber2]

Just joined the club with an amber P bass.

 

[Bogster]

This... Can I ask which tuners you've used?

General question: any ideas to reduce the trebly bit of the sounds. Have one; love it a lot; just sometimes the trebly/sizzly sound gets to me.

I've dropped in a EMG J5 set and that helped a lot, but it's still there.

Any ideas are welcome.

Those are Hipshot HB7's and they were a drop in replacement. No drilling required. Sorry for the late reply!

 

[Deleted member 261632]

No issues, mate! Nice job!

 

[bass71]

Great thread and I just can't resist bigging up my new VM P/J especially seeing as it records better than my vintage P.
Chk out the Mp3 for grind heaven!

 

[davenumber2]

Great thread and I just can't resist bigging up my new VM P/J especially seeing as it records better than my vintage P.
I'm amazed that a ..."Squire.... can have such a lovely grindy tone when recorded direct.

She's a beauty!

 

[dewbass4]

Great thread and I just can't resist bigging up my new VM P/J especially seeing as it records better than my vintage P.
I'm amazed that a ..."Squire.... can have such a lovely grindy tone when recorded direct.

Great tone and playing!
IMHO your new VM P/J sounds considerably better than my '03 Squier Precision Special (P/J) equipped with Duncan SPB1 and STKJ1B. And to think I've been perfectly happy with its tone for years. I feel a G.A.S. attack starting.
What pickup(s) were you using on the recording?

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

My VMJ5 arrived yesterday. I do notice that it misses midrange punch and the lows aren't as articulate as I'd like (spoiled by the Sadowsky pickups, no doubt). I am thinking about changing the pickups to something different, perhaps a set of Nordstrand or Bartolini jazz pups. I guess I should get my calipers out to measure the size...
Also pondering a Nordy big singles pair or one jazz or big single with a Nordy MM at the bridge with a split tap and front/both/back switch for more power and 60s vs 70s bridge position options.
Thoughts anyone?

I wouldn't change the pups. They are really good. I found my V I got a few weeks ago to be a bit bright. I talked to a luthier who said the pups are excellent, but the pots are not good. He said they are 500 ohm and you will get a better sound by switching them out for 250s. I plan to do this, but I haven't had the time yet and I am thinking about swapping caps as well. I expect they will also be sub standard. I plan to put in what is on an American Jazz. My American Jazz sounds really sweet.

 

[Deleted member 261632]

I swapped the pups, electronics and bridge. I'm almost there. I missed the low-mid punch as well and to be honest, I never could tell the difference a bridge could/would make until I swapped the stock bridge to a Schaller copy to a real Schaller 3D bridge.

 

[bass71]

Great tone and playing!
IMHO your new VM P/J sounds considerably better than my '03 Squier Precision Special (P/J) equipped with Duncan SPB1 and STKJ1B. And to think I've been perfectly happy with its tone for years. I feel a G.A.S. attack starting.
What pickup(s) were you using on the recording?

Thanks dewbass. I don't actually have the dots for what is a fantastic bass players tune, but it's near enough bar a few drop notes..but that direct tone from what is a pretty cheap bass is very nice..I think these Squires are something special.

Recording done with factory strings, and with the stock pickups, nothing changed, and I've no idea what Squire are fitting maybe somebody can tell us, I would love to know. The only thing I have changed is the bridge for a vintage Fender one cause the string spacing is to narrow on the HM bridge for my liking.

 

[JIO]

I swapped the pups, electronics and bridge. I'm almost there. I missed the low-mid punch as well and to be honest, I never could tell the difference a bridge could/would make until I swapped the stock bridge to a Schaller copy to a real Schaller 3D bridge.

love the 3D bridge - (on my '93 A/S J)

 

[eldoryder]

Here's my latest "Squier VM Family Portrait". I edited out the CV Precision Bass 50s, since this IS a "Squier VM" club.

They all have some modifications. They all have flatwound strings installed. The Telecaster has GHS Precision flats, the P and J have Fender 9050C flats, and the Mikey Way has La Bella DT flats (760F-MUS) made for Mustangs. I have upgraded a couple pickups, and the electronics. I went with the full ashtrays on the 70s Jazz, because I used to own a '75 AVRI, and I wanted to duplicate the look with my VM. I also have replaced the tone knobs with Variometers on most of these, and will do so on the rest.

The Telecaster is a longer term project. I am going to strip the Poly off, and depending on the grain and number of planks used on the body, I will either reshoot with a vintage clear, or have repainted a true "Butterscotch Beige". I am also considering changing the bridge on it over to a true "Telecaster" looking style that has a diagonally-mounted single coil pickup located within the bridge. Landing Guitars makes one like this.

For less than the cost of ONE Fender AVRI '75 Jazz, I have a complete pallette of Fender designs to play. How can you beat that? I'm lovin' it.

 

[Adam Gordon]

They are very good basses. As for now I own one of them - Fretless VM and it's decent. The only thing needs to be done are pickups. You change them and you've got a great bass guitar.

 

[Zapp]

since you have all those flats, could you briefly describe how they differ? which has the more full range, less-tradional "flat" tone? which is the higher tension, per gauge?
I'm tempted to give a set a try after using 'compression wound" for the last couple of years.
I have two of these, so thinking of stringing the blonde flat and detuned one whole step, and playing the compression-wounds there was just a little flabby.
the other VMJ is strung with some heavy-hitters with big gain but limited color/sparkle

They all have some modifications. They all have flatwound strings installed. The Telecaster has GHS Precision flats, the P and J have Fender 9050C flats, and the Mikey Way has La Bella DT flats (760F-MUS) made for Mustangs. I have upgraded a couple pickups, and the electronics. I went with the full ashtrays on the 70s Jazz, because I used to own a '75 AVRI, and I wanted to duplicate the look with my VM. I also have replaced the tone knobs with Variometers on most of these, and will do so on the rest.

The Telecaster is a longer term project. I am going to strip the Poly off, and depending on the grain and number of planks used on the body, I will either reshoot with a vintage clear, or have repainted a true "Butterscotch Beige". I am also considering changing the bridge on it over to a true "Telecaster" looking style that has a diagonally-mounted single coil pickup located within the bridge. Landing Guitars makes one like this.

For less than the cost of ONE Fender AVRI '75 Jazz, I have a complete pallette of Fender designs to play. How can you beat that? I'm lovin' it.

 

[eldoryder]

I am no string expert, nor am I experienced enough to be able to give a professional "critique" of these strings. So take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt! I first tried out Fender 9050C flats on a Jazz bass a couple of years ago. I had been fairly depressed at my newby fingering technique with roundwounds, as I managed to hear EVERY movement as I moved from note to note. I almost gave up playing.

The revelation with flatwounds for me was the greatly diminished finger noise. Also, they felt fantastic. My fingers seemed to glide along them, compared to the rougher round wounds which felt like railroad tracks by comparison. The Fender 9050s especially impressed me with the fact that they still had some high end "zing". I had expected a dull and damped tone, from the way some people had written about the flats. I don't feel that I am missing any "full range" with these strings.

I still prefer the Fender 9050 flats in almost any application that calls for a full 34" scale. They are my default strings. Their durability, cost, tone and feel are just right for ME. I used the La Bella DT Flats because they were made for the Mustang bass specifically, with its string-thru-body short scale. They seem to sound a little warmer than the Fenders. The GHS seem to fall somewhere in between the La Bellas and the Fenders in tone. They are good strings, and one of the few that are made specifically for 32" scale basses.

Almost anyone else here could probably give a more scientific or coherent review of strings. I have no way to respond to the "tension" request. Hope this helps!

 

[marko138]

I am no string expert, nor am I experienced enough to be able to give a professional "critique" of these strings. So take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt! I first tried out Fender 9050C flats on a Jazz bass a couple of years ago. I had been fairly depressed at my newby fingering technique with roundwounds, as I managed to hear EVERY movement as I moved from note to note. I almost gave up playing.

The revelation with flatwounds for me was the greatly diminished finger noise. Also, they felt fantastic. My fingers seemed to glide along them, compared to the rougher round wounds which felt like railroad tracks by comparison. The Fender 9050s especially impressed me with the fact that they still had some high end "zing". I had expected a dull and damped tone, from the way some people had written about the flats. I don't feel that I am missing any "full range" with these strings.

I still prefer the Fender 9050 flats in almost any application that calls for a full 34" scale. They are my default strings. Their durability, cost, tone and feel are just right for ME. I used the La Bella DT Flats because they were made for the Mustang bass specifically, with its string-thru-body short scale. They seem to sound a little warmer than the Fenders. The GHS seem to fall somewhere in between the La Bellas and the Fenders in tone. They are good strings, and one of the few that are made specifically for 32" scale basses.

Almost anyone else here could probably give a more scientific or coherent review of strings. I have no way to respond to the "tension" request. Hope this helps!

I like Fender flats for the same reason, they seem to have a bit more zing to them than most flats. I've got them on my P bass.