I'd go with the latter, the Squier is great all by itself, let alone being great for the money....
Have you considered a fret job?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Squier Vintage Modified Jazz
- Thread starter boabski2k
- Start date
Have you considered a fret job?
I thought about it, but it doesn't really seem cost-efficent for a cheap bass. I would feel justified getting a $150 fret job on a $2000 bass, but not a $300 one I don't think.
Eventually it's something I'll be able to do myself; who knows, I may end up practicing on this one
I bought mine about a year ago.... I have nothing but great things to say about it. I chose a new Squier VMJ over a (used) Fender MIM Jazz. I gig mine often.
I did find that the quality was hit or miss. The one hanging on the wall in a big box music store was in terrible shape... the action was high, the knobs were loose, it buzzed like hell. But my local music store ordered one and it was in really great shape. The wood looks and sounds great. It has a typical jazz woody tone. Thin, fast, stable neck. After I ran a set up on it, the action is great. I put a Leo Quan bridge on it and I put some black knobs on as well... they are the only mods. I was going to switch out the pups... but the duncan designed ones sound just fine to me. I don't see a reason to change them. YMMV.
Side note: My wifes cousin is a professor of music at a major university in California, has been playing guitar for 40+ years, and writes instrument reviews for Guitar Player and a few other magazines. He played my VMJ and HE loved it. This is a guy who plays $10K Martin guitars often (and writes reviews on them). His comment was that "it was shocking how playable and great sounding it was for the price point". I think that is the most accurate assessment of the VM series basses.
Bottom line upfront: VM series is not MIA Fender or Lackland or Sadowsky. It is however a great Mid Level quality bass at an entry level price.
That's my .02
Bummer
I did find that the quality was hit or miss. The one hanging on the wall in a big box music store was in terrible shape... the action was high, the knobs were loose, it buzzed like hell. But my local music store ordered one and it was in really great shape. The wood looks and sounds great. It has a typical jazz woody tone. Thin, fast, stable neck. After I ran a set up on it, the action is great. I put a Leo Quan bridge on it and I put some black knobs on as well... they are the only mods. I was going to switch out the pups... but the duncan designed ones sound just fine to me. I don't see a reason to change them. YMMV.
Side note: My wifes cousin is a professor of music at a major university in California, has been playing guitar for 40+ years, and writes instrument reviews for Guitar Player and a few other magazines. He played my VMJ and HE loved it. This is a guy who plays $10K Martin guitars often (and writes reviews on them). His comment was that "it was shocking how playable and great sounding it was for the price point". I think that is the most accurate assessment of the VM series basses.
Bottom line upfront: VM series is not MIA Fender or Lackland or Sadowsky. It is however a great Mid Level quality bass at an entry level price.
That's my .02
Bummer
I bought a Squier VM as my first bass a couple years ago. I learned to play and read posts like this etc. I read the put downs about Squires and what not. I went and bought a Geddy Lee jazz as my second purchase once I learned to play and got to playing decent. I like the Geddy Lee, but as far as quality and playability the Squires right up there with the Geddy jazz. I did do some adjusting of the truss rod and action on the Squier to my liking and it plays awesome.That makes the Squier one hell of a deal for the money. I'd buy another one in a second. For $279 !! How can you beat it?
I actually bought my Squier VM Jazz for $189.99 (!!) used at GC (but it looks brand new) a couple weeks ago. I was astounded by the quality, feel and tone of this bass - and this used VM Jazz was obviously already set up. Plays like butter. I have no idea why the guy would want to trade this player in! But I couldn't put it down, and after playing it for 10 minutes or so I immediately bought it - still can't put it down.
I thought about it, but it doesn't really seem cost-efficent for a cheap bass. I would feel justified getting a $150 fret job on a $2000 bass, but not a $300 one I don't think.
Eventually it's something I'll be able to do myself; who knows, I may end up practicing on this one
I see your point, but then I would really be pissed if I had to get a fret job on a bass I that just paid 2 grand to bring home. I look at any sub 500 dollar bass as it may need a fret job, especially those I buy sight unseen....
It just goes to show you, to each their own.
I had to of them the first was awesome got it from a local drummer on craigslist about a month after it was released. it had a great neck, awesome sound and it was made of 2 perfectly matched pieces. It got stolen though about a week after I got it along with some other things.
The second was not as pretty it was 3 pieces and on one of the joints you could see the glue under the finsih if you looked really hard and there was a tiny knot in the wood on the headstock. But it sounded great and the electronics where nice even before I dropped the audere in it. I would recomend it to anyone I sold it cause I prefer 5 strings.
The second was not as pretty it was 3 pieces and on one of the joints you could see the glue under the finsih if you looked really hard and there was a tiny knot in the wood on the headstock. But it sounded great and the electronics where nice even before I dropped the audere in it. I would recomend it to anyone I sold it cause I prefer 5 strings.
i had and still have a VM 70s jazz bass(just a project bass now) it was a great bass at first after i modded it with bart pickups, BA II Bridge and Audere Preamp its sounded like a marcus miller bass!!! but like one guy said after awhile the neck would move drastically and the tension was way too tight for my playing.(i have i light touch.) then the neck started to shrink and the frets started poking out. nice bass but couldnt get into the neck tension. as fpr the Classic Vibe series, i love it!!! i just bought the 60s jazz bass with fender SCN noiseless pickups and dunlop straploks for $300!!! i put the BA II from my VM on it and the bass feels sooo good!!! it feels better than my Fender Highway One. everything on it is quality!!! the neck is the smoothest jazz bass neck ive ever played!!!! its also has a better countoured body while the VM feels like a wood slab. the VM 70s jazz basses are cool for the money but the CV 60s jazz bass beats it hands down!!!
Did the Badass II fit the existing screw holes, or did you need to drill out new holes?
I had heard that the screw spacing on the CV Hi-Mass bridge may not be standard.
i guess this thread is old but i will put my "25" cents here. hehehe
i have the vmj fretless. at first i thought the buzzing was weird, but that's cause I never played a fretless. then i started liking the buzz.
I did take to get a setup, cause there was some annoying buzzing from the A string.
I did change the bridge to a badass bridge II. It fit perfectly and didn't have to do any drilling. The tuning changed dramatically.
The pots are scratchy, and thanks to TB I learned this bass is not shielded. That's why it makes so much noise when the tone pot is a little bit bright.
The pups kind of suck. They are way too low, I cannot make this bass stand out tru a 4x10 and an SVT head (This rig is not mine by the way)
I just bought barts but I haven't installed them.
I changed the strings to hybryd slinkys and that was a huge change from whatever it came with.
i didn't understant what one of the TBers said about the neck being too green. What does that mean? The neck of this one is brown,
So basically this is a project bass. Bought for like $200, definitely room for improvement.
- badass bridge ii
- barts pups
- shielded electronics
- maybe a preamp
After all the mods, I will take it to a practice and see if it changed. It should!
i have the vmj fretless. at first i thought the buzzing was weird, but that's cause I never played a fretless. then i started liking the buzz.
I did take to get a setup, cause there was some annoying buzzing from the A string.
I did change the bridge to a badass bridge II. It fit perfectly and didn't have to do any drilling. The tuning changed dramatically.
The pots are scratchy, and thanks to TB I learned this bass is not shielded. That's why it makes so much noise when the tone pot is a little bit bright.
The pups kind of suck. They are way too low, I cannot make this bass stand out tru a 4x10 and an SVT head (This rig is not mine by the way)
I just bought barts but I haven't installed them.
I changed the strings to hybryd slinkys and that was a huge change from whatever it came with.
i didn't understant what one of the TBers said about the neck being too green. What does that mean? The neck of this one is brown,
So basically this is a project bass. Bought for like $200, definitely room for improvement.
- badass bridge ii
- barts pups
- shielded electronics
- maybe a preamp
After all the mods, I will take it to a practice and see if it changed. It should!
I'm sure you've heard this a million times, but now is the time for deals on used gear.
I'd go used MIM. I've seen them for as low as $225 on craigs.
Good luck.
S.
I'd go used MIM. I've seen them for as low as $225 on craigs.
Good luck.
S.
yea the BAII didnt quite line up dead on with two of the screw holes... but enough to not strip the holes or mess up the finish.....feels ten times better too!!!!
Update!!!!! Man i just finished a 4-day straight week of gigs!!!(from thursday to sunday) i used my Squier Classic Vibe bass with no backup.... every gig!!!! the first three days was R&B, funk and rock covers through my WT-550 and Aguilar GS212.....killin'!!!! got sooo many compliments on the sound of this thing!!!! sunday was a gospel qaurtet gig...i used my my GK MB2-500 head and a borrowd peavey 4x10 with my Aguilar Tone Hammer....pounded all night!!!! people still cant believe its a squier!!!! i love this bass!!!! if you havent played one, get to a guitar center or music store and try it out....best squier bass. EVER!!!!!!
