Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Bass V Special 5 String

[Martin Kitcher]

I have one

Fender just released these around Sep-2013, and I bought one from Musicians Friend. $240 delivered, including a 10% coupon and CA sales tax. Great deal.

Fender also just released the VM Precision V - here's a TB thread about that one - http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/squier-vintage-modified-precision-v-whos-got-one-1011452/

My interest is in a 5 string PJ, with standard Fender sized pickups and room for a preamp - I want to mod upgrade/modify it. This bass fits the bill.

Attached is a pic of the front open control panel, and the j pickup, fyi. I also attached a pic of the back - showing the open battery and jack compartments (the jack compartment is pretty cool, leaves more space in the main control cavity for other stuff).

The stock j pickup is like the Fender MIM pickup - steel slug poles with ceramic bar magnets on the bottom. The stock p pickup does not have the ceramic bar magnets like MIM, but I don't think it's alnico.

I've finished the mods, replacing the j pickup with a Nordstrand split coil jazz, and the p with an Am Std P V. I also replaced the stock preamp with a Guitar Fuel SBK-AD 3 band pre, and I added an active passive push/pull switch on the vol pot. It all fits into the main control cavity.

First gig - Wed 25-Sep-2013: went great, live sound is killer, sounded just like it should. The stock strings are not good, have to change them right now, but otherwise - I think I've satisfied my GAS for a cheap, giggable 5 string PJ...!

After several more gigs - 14-Oct-2013: I like the bass, it's in the rotation! Neck/action/low b/balance all good; no neck dive at all for me. As one poster said, the SBK-AD preamp works fine, but may be the weakest link; I've had best success using the mid sweep set at lower frequencies for slap, and in general. It is MUCH more flexible than a passive only setup; I play lots of gigs w/a DI straight into the PA. But, the preamp is a topic for another thread.

One TBer asked to compare the stock p pickup w/the Am Std p pickup - I really can't, because I never gigged the stock pickup...

Great example last Sat night - outdoor gig, huge party, people dancing/crawling all over the stage, set up right next to a pool. This thing killed it, and I never worried about any of several things that could have destroyed the bass - it's a great cheap p/j 5er!

So - who's got one?

-I love it and I also have a black ss 4 string one.

 

[giocalypse]

Hows it going Guys. I got my 5'ver as a B-day Present Dec 2013. I wanted a cheap 5 string bass for practice and since I'm a big Fender Guy. I wanted to try this cheap $250 Bass as a start until I get a fender 5'ver. Its a good starter bass for 4 string player who are looking for a 5 string. But I'm not a big fan of Active Pick ups. So those

are gonna be swap out eventually. But first I am gonna change all that chrome for Black Hardware and put some Tusq Grah Tech parts on there. Here is the Before..

 

[giocalypse]

By The Way. Are any of you having a hard time intonating the B String? Its really difficult to get it right. I hate this Bridge..

 

[Atonalmodal]

I've been very happy with all of my Squiers

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Excuse my sloppy playing, but this is me checking one out at GC last summer.

 

[giocalypse]

I made my own 5 string Jag ... with t-bird pickups.

Hows it going Ric5. I always see you 5'ver Basses on Talkbass. I just hav a question for this jaguar 5 Bass. Is that a 4 string converted into a 5 string? And how does it sound with those Thunderbird pick ups?

 

[Ric5]

Yes ... it is a 4 string Jag body with a 4 string mighty mite neck, 2 4 string t-bird pickups, and 1 5 string stingray pickup.

 

[canuckshort]

Excuse my sloppy playing, but this is me checking one out at GC last summer.

Aaaaannnndddd....SOLD! Thanks for the demo. You don't see many like that, In fact you're lucky if the Fender guy ever uses the B for anything more than a thumb rest.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Aaaaannnndddd....SOLD! Thanks for the demo. You don't see many like that, In fact you're lucky if the Fender guy ever uses the B for anything more than a thumb rest.

Thanks, I try to make up for my lack of chops with usefulness!

 

[giocalypse]

Has anyone swap out the stock active pick ups yet? If so what did u replace them for. And your reason for replacing them.

 

[awilkie84]

By The Way. Are any of you having a hard time intonating the B String? Its really difficult to get it right. I hate this Bridge..

When I had mine (before returning it for misalgned pick-ups), I had to cut the spring on the B string a bit to intonate. It was bottoming out before.

 

[awilkie84]

Hows it going Guys. I got my 5'ver as a B-day Present Dec 2013. I wanted a cheap 5 string bass for practice and since I'm a big Fender Guy. I wanted to try this cheap $250 Bass as a start until I get a fender 5'ver. Its a good starter bass for 4 string player who are looking for a 5 string. But I'm not a big fan of Active Pick ups. So thoseView attachment 488566 are gonna be swap out eventually. But first I am gonna change all that chrome for Black Hardware and put some Tusq Grah Tech parts on there. Here is the Before..

Has anyone swap out the stock active pick ups yet? If so what did u replace them for. And your reason for replacing them.

The pick-ups are passive. The pre-amp has an active bass boost...the treble control is still passive.

 

[bwanabass]

By The Way. Are any of you having a hard time intonating the B String? Its really difficult to get it right. I hate this Bridge..

Yeah, I put RS 88s on mine the other night and found that no mater what I did at the bridge, the B string was sharp. Is this what you are experiencing as well?

 

[giocalypse]

The pick-ups are passive. The pre-amp has an active bass boost...the treble control is still passive.

Oh no way! That some good info. How did u find that out about the pickups being passive?

 

[awilkie84]

Oh no way! That some good info. How did u find that out about the pickups being passive?

I read the specs on Fender's site. That and active pick-ups outside of EMG are VERY rare.

 

[giocalypse]

Yeah, I put RS 88s on mine the other night and found that no mater what I did at the bridge, the B string was sharp. Is this what you are experiencing as well?

Yea it was too sharp for me. I rolled the saddle as far as I can, still I can never get properly B intonation. So I upgraded the bridge from evilBay (eBay). And now not only does it look good. Its a better design than Stock and has a Deeper Sustain to the bass..
Like rolling stones said "Paint it Black"

 

[giocalypse]

I read the specs on Fender's site. That and active pick-ups outside of EMG are VERY rare.

Thanks bro.I have been reaching about the stock pick ups everywhere. I even went through the specs on squier/fender website and didn't find no helpful info. I guess I wasn't paying attention.

Im just gonna remove the active preamp and wire it Passive.

 

[giocalypse]

Yeah, I put RS 88s on mine the other night and found that no mater what I did at the bridge, the B string was sharp. Is this what you are experiencing as well?

Those RS 88 are the Black Nylon Tapewound right? How do they sound on the bass?

 

[petrus61]

Excuse my sloppy playing, but this is me checking one out at GC last summer.

Man...that bass sounds great. I was all set to pick up another VMJ5 until I saw this. I couldn't tell from the vid, but is the neck and headstock front gloss or satin? Thanks.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Man...that bass sounds great. I was all set to pick up another VMJ5 until I saw this. I couldn't tell from the vid, but is the neck and headstock front gloss or satin? Thanks.

If I remember correctly, it is satin.