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Squier Vintage Modified jazz bass

April Ethereal

April Ethereal

Jul 23, 2010
193
2
#1
Hello everyone, I am happy to say I just purchased a Squier Vintage Modified jazz bass from best buy..lol Great buy minus the fact that they had to have one shipped from a store an hour away and the estimated in store pick up is October 29th to November 6th!?! A little long for something coming from a store so close? [like 1hr 10minutes]

Oh well, but my main reson for this thread is asking you guys about your opinions on the bass and if they are reliable. [ I have played 2 and loved them but that doesnt say anything about gigging endurance ] I also purchased a neck pick up cover because I love the way they look on a j bass.

Thanks so much, Jacob
 
#3
Got one myself - love it.

No problems with it at all. You can gig it until your fingers smoke and it'll come back for more.

Get rid of the Fender strings though I feel, as they can cripple my style and by extension, prolly yours too. I just may be a bad bass player though so take that statement as just my experience

The p'ups are great - lots of power and a nice blend is possible.

Intonate it or have it done and you'll be happy. That's a prophecy.

I hear that the body is a little soft - although I haven't experienced any of that at all - but then again my 10 year old P looks like new - so I can honestly say that unless I have to use mine in a bar fight - I don't foresee any troubles with dings and hard bumps.
 
#4
I;ve had mine for about 2 or 3 years no problems, just get a good setup and some Lowriders on it and it's good to go.
I was going to mod it but there really isn't a point I've played many a real fender Jazzs that sounded worse.
 
#5
Which one is it?

If it's the natural one with a maple fretboard, I really liked it! Smooth player for being a floor model. I tried it out at Best Buy as well and I've been gassing for it ever since. Classy looks, mean demeanor, and channels that 70's mojo! I might just order one for myself right now... ;)

I agree with TMBTC, just drive the distance and get it yourself!
 
#6
Almost a 1 month wait? I'd tell them to cancel unless they re giving you a REALLY good deal. Hell you can walk out of GC with one in your hands for about $290, and I think I just got a 15% or 20% 0ff coupon in the mail for purchases over $300.

BTW I own one and while I do like it. I'm not ecstatic about it, at least not as much as I used to be. Could be it's just me and I'm just looking for the right tone as I've been playing my other basses more lately. About the tone... I've found mine to be exceedingly bright almost to the point of being harsh and clanky especially when used with real bright strings like ProSteels. I've found that using Nickel rounds tames it a little and it's still plenty bright. I usually find myself boosting the lows, and cutting the highs on my amp, as well rolling off on the tone knob, and even after that the bass is still super bright. I guess I just wish that the bass had a little more of a rounded persona. All of the aforementioned said though if you want to do a lot of funk and slap this thing is a beast. If you want to some thump plan on having a P in your arsenal that you can switch to because while not saying that you can't, but I just have a difficult time trying to get something other than that zingy tone out of mine. That's my $0.02, so take it for what it's worth
 
#7
Andy_D said:
BTW I own one and while I do like it. I'm not ecstatic about it, at least not as much as I used to be. Could be it's just me and I'm just looking for the right tone as I've been playing my other basses more lately. About the tone... I've found mine to be exceedingly bright almost to the point of being harsh and clanky especially when used with real bright strings like ProSteels. I've found that using Nickel rounds tames it a little and it's still plenty bright. I usually find myself boosting the lows, and cutting the highs on my amp, as well rolling off on the tone knob, and even after that the bass is still super bright. I guess I just wish that the bass had a little more of a rounded persona. All of the aforementioned said though if you want to do a lot of funk and slap this thing is a beast. If you want to some thump plan on having a P in your arsenal that you can switch to because while not saying that you can't, but I just have a difficult time trying to get something other than that zingy tone out of mine. That's my $0.02, so take it for what it's worth
Click to expand...

That's what I said about it being glassy. Those Duncan Designs are pretty hot for a Jazz bass.

I got some Elixir Nanos on it and it really mellowed it out a lot. The p'ups can hear your heartbeat.

SS is a big mistake if you're looking for Motown. The 7250s aren't much better - and I thought I was gonna love them (for a while I did) but then I put the Nanos on and I never looked back.

I know this bass would love ROTO 77s, but I have that setup on a P-bass and I'll stay there for that purpose. The J should be more outstanding I feel for the style of music I play with it.

I like this VM-J through my MXR Bass DI+ box and I can boost the lows to basement-land and it sounds very good to me.
 
#8
You didn't spend a lot on the bass - they're not going to ship it special to your store for free. I think the one month 'wait' has more to do with 'next time someone goes over to that store' than anything else. Go get that bass and rock that bad chicken.
 
#10
I just ordered one off of Amazon. I haven't played in a few years and I couldn't get over the reviews I have read and the sound I heard.

Looks to be a good bass to get back into the instrument again.
 
#11
I've had LaBella nickel rounds as well as D'Addario Chromes flats on mine. I really like the way the Chromes sound on this bass. They still have some highs, but the "harshness" from the hot p'ups is tamed way down, and it gets that characteristic deep mellow Motown thump. The LaBellas were good also, but I'll be sticking w/ Chromes. The Squier VM Jazz is solid, especially for the dough. I play it more often than all my other basses combined.
 
#12
BassDaddy77 said:
I've had LaBella nickel rounds as well as D'Addario Chromes flats on mine. I really like the way the Chromes sound on this bass. They still have some highs, but the "harshness" from the hot p'ups is tamed way down, and it gets that characteristic deep mellow Motown thump. The LaBellas were good also, but I'll be sticking w/ Chromes. The Squier VM Jazz is solid, especially for the dough. I play it more often than all my other basses combined.
Click to expand...

Flats or the Elixer's as Surfer Joe suggested might be just the thing. I've got a set of Chromes on my SX P/J and it never used to sound "right" until I put them on there, now it sounds truly awesome. I like for my basses to have at least some versatility in tone and not be a one trick pony. You described "harshness", SJ described "glassy", I called it "zingy" so I think we are all describing the same characteristic of this bass. I guess that stepping down from S/S to Nickels was not enough of a move downward in the brightness department... at least for this bass. Next string change I might have to try some Chromes, just never really thought about putting flats on Jazz. I always thought P Bass = Flats, and J Bass = Rounds. I might have to change my thinking on this!
 
#13
Well thanks everyone! Your alls info really helps and makes me feel 100% confident with my purchase! About "Why I dont drive and pick it up?" Its because I dont drive lol Sorry perhaps I should have included that. But I would drive if I could ;] Thanks everyone, youre all really helpful, Jacob

PS. Do you all think I should have the pick up cover put on professionally?
 
#14
Robotsatemygma said:
Which one is it?

If it's the natural one with a maple fretboard, I really liked it! Smooth player for being a floor model. I tried it out at Best Buy as well and I've been gassing for it ever since. Classy looks, mean demeanor, and channels that 70's mojo! I might just order one for myself right now... ;)

I agree with TMBTC, just drive the distance and get it yourself!
Click to expand...

yes it is the natural one :]
 
#16
My main axe. I badassed mine, set the action real low, and run it through some overdrive and contour, and BOOM. Nice, rattley, punchy, prog rock tone at my fingertips for under 400 bucks. I'm looking to get a nice big marshall bass amp to run it through.
 
#17
I just tried lowering my pickups. Big improvement in tone. I guess with the hotness of the pickups you get a lot of over-modulation and the tone doesn't sound as harsh and distorted now. Strange because on my SX P/J I had to raise the pickups from the stock position to achieve a better tone. I discovered this when I disassembled the SX for shielding. I couldn't remember the exact setting so I experimented until I found a good height which was noticeably higher than stock. Tried the same thing yesterday on my VM J and better tone was achieved at a lower than stock setting.

Will still give some Chromes a try at next string change though as I still have a Rockbass with rounds to do slap on.
 
#18
April Ethereal said:
Well thanks everyone! Your alls info really helps and makes me feel 100% confident with my purchase! About "Why I dont drive and pick it up?" Its because I dont drive lol Sorry perhaps I should have included that. But I would drive if I could ;] Thanks everyone, youre all really helpful, Jacob

PS. Do you all think I should have the pick up cover put on professionally?
Click to expand...

Pick-up cover?

Nooo-oooo-oooo-oooo-ooo!

That's sacrilegious!
 
#20
If he (she?) wants a pickup cover, let him(her?) have one. As to your question, April, it's easy enough to do on your own , but if you don't have the tools and aren't confident in your ability to put it on properly, you could get a pro to do it, but that will cost you.
 

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