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Squier Vintage Modified Precision V: who's got one?
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
I haven't found a good reason to change anything on my VM-P5 I think it's fine just as it is. As Chuck said above, put a nice set of strings on yours when it arrives and make sure you've got a good setup then enjoy your new bass.
TD
TD
A recent jam I did with my VMPV. Love this bass. Despite owning several other great basses its been my number one since I got it. I added a J pickup, but use the stock P soloed 90% of the time.
I just put TI's on mine, plays and sounds more like a $1,500 bass than a $300 bass.
Nice!! Very good vocalist . Everyone sounded great.
I have an Easter contata coming up next month and have been practicing for that performance. This morning I got out the Squier P 5 and really enjoyed playing it. It really is a fine bass. Of course, I am preaching to the choir but still, this bass is so very close to the Fender American Standard P 5 for so much less money. Watch for one if you don't already have one. You will not be disappointed.
Has anyone removed the neck finish on one of these? I am much more comfortable with bare necks (what I have on all my guitars), but wonder about the stability of what seems to me to be the pretty skinny maple neck on this particular bass. Thanks for any thoughts 
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Unless you stripped them yourself, then it's much more likely that your instruments have a thin-film finish, like the Tru-oil option on a G&L. People often mistake those finishes for bare wood.Has anyone removed the neck finish on one of these? I am much more comfortable with bare necks (what I have on all my guitars), but wonder about the stability of what seems to me to be the pretty skinny maple neck on this particular bass. Thanks for any thoughts
The neck on the VM Precision V is pretty chunky compared to an Ibanez SR. Still, I wouldn't want to leave one bare. The maple used in these basses is not as stiff or as hard as old-growth rock maple.
A number of people on this thread have cut the finish on the back of the neck back to about half the stock thickness. If you do this carefully, and use sanding blocks in the early stages, you can level the finish out without rubbing through to bare wood.
This will remove the almost imperceptible bumps and dips in the stock poly finish. The result is a neck that feels faster and less sticky, without leaving the wood unprotected.
Thanks for your reply sir!
You are correct (and sorry for my vague wording), yes I strip the necks on my guitars myself. On my acoustics I use Tru-Oil, which mandolin guys refer to as a "speed neck". On my electrics I have always left it bare; I guess it gets sealed with dirt from my hands
. This has never caused a problem for me, but it may be because these guitars don't leave Los Angeles, and the weather here is pretty mild.I suspected the maple in these Squiers was not super hard, so I will do as you suggest and just take the finish down to where it's close (and hopefully take some of the shine off of it).
My VMP5 is heavily modified. Some of the mods didn't do much to improve an already good instrument but sanding the finish off the neck was definitely a good move IMHO.
Put some slightly used TI flats on. Had some fender flats that were more bassy, less mid. TI's seem perfect for this bass. More clear and focused.
Same here. TI flats sound great on the Squier.
I take it to every gig to back up my Foderas and Valenti. Amazing for the $$$. Mine is 100% stock.
So I went to AutoZone and picked up the assorted sandpaper, and with my LMII radius block sanded down the back of the neck starting with the lowest up thru 1000. I stopped when I saw what looked like a little spot where the finish was gone. I did not go any further.
Oh my!
Oh my!
I almost forgot, I also replaced the wiring harness with a CTS 500k volume pot, a Stellartone Tonestyler, and a switchcraft output jack. Still has the stock pickup. I'm loving it!
I think the original stock pots are 500k. The ones in mine were stamped WD500. So, no change in tone. The Stellartone is nice and gives you more tonal options. Through the Compressore/Art Tube MP/Bajo Mos it sounds glorious. I probably have is strung with DR Low Riders, but it's possible that it still has the original strings it came with (second hand) still on there, as they were actually pretty decent.
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If it has 500’s, it was modified before you got it. 250K are stock.
Thanks @steve_rolfeca good to know. I've played it for awhile like it was and liked the tone. I don't think 500k linear volume pots do too much for tone, but as always I could be wrong. When I replaced it I thought about 250 or 500, but went with the 500. Even afterwards I was questioning it, but last night at rehearsal it sounded fine.
It's possible I may change it again to a 250k linear volume pot ... we'll see ...
So you thought it was dark with the 250k, and changed to the 500k? If so, I'll just leave it alone
Remember, I've just got the 500k volume pot, with the Stellartone Tonestyler replacing the tone pot, so my harness is probably different ... Thanks!
