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Squier Vintage Modified Precision V: who's got one?

#661
steve_rolfeca said:
I have a chronic back condition, so I obsess about weight. I've noticed that the majority of VM P5's on Sweetwater seem to come in around 9-9.5lb, with the odd outlier down in the low 8's, or up over 10lb.

I finally pulled the trigger on one locally, that weighed 8lb 12oz. I dropped that to 8lb 6oz with a set of the licensed Hipshot Ultralites. That's under 8 1/2lb, and almost as light as my Dingwall.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty obsessive about weight myself due to my shoulder, so I understand.

I used to own 9-9.5 lbs. basses and they didn't give me any real issues. Then I bought a sub-9 lbs. Ibanez and my shoulder loved it. In my infinite wisdom, I bought a 10.5 lbs. Ray5 because I wanted the MM tone and figured what's another two pounds. Within a week I had bursitis flaring up in my shoulder. (Yes, I wear a big neoprene strap and yes, I lift iron weights several times a week for all you downers who say, "it's just two pounds, man up".)

That bass was the main reason I went back to 4-strings. I figured I couldn't have the Fender/MM tone in a 5 at sub 9 lbs. without shopping for an AmDlx or boutique. So back I went back to Fender 4's and now I have a pair of sub 9 lbs. Alder P & J bass that my shoulder loves. Unfortunately, I can use that 5-stringer and I stumbled on this thread.

I had a lead on a sub 9 lbs. CAR but I can't bring myself to buy a red bass. So I'm rolling the dice on the Olympic White one. I figured the odds are in my favor to be 9-9.5 lbs. If it comes in at 9-9.5 lbs. I'll probably keep it and see what happens. If it's 9.5-10 lbs. it'll probably go back, 10+ lbs, forget it. If it's sub 9 lbs. I'll be overjoyed at the weight.
 
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#662
I just finished Sunday service. My main bass has been a Cirrus four tuned DGCF, and delivers the modern Gospel tone in spades. Today I used my Precision, and this bass has a B string that delivers! It is loud, clear, and deep. It is not the least bit blurry. This bass is a steal for $299+tax!
 
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#663
My band's second album heads out for mixing tomorrow, and naturally I've been listening to the tracks quite a bit. On 5/8 of the actual songs on the record I used the P5 w/ Chromes - probably mostly for the novelty - but damn, am I glad I did! I now think I know what the appeal in P basses is. Even heavier, more distorted songs or passages thereof sound awesome, and, frankly, rather perverted with the sound of P w/ flats just cutting through. I love this thing.

Here's hoping I'm still audible on the end product...
 
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#664
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#666
Well, as I had stated in a previous post I was wanting a sherwood green precision (and more colors as well). I'd have preferred a rosewood fingerboard, but these only come in maple. I could have purchased a US model and painted it, but I don't have that kind of scratch at the moment and I'd hate to refinish one after spending that much anyways.

So the decision was made to buy one in a color that came with a tort guard, so that meant white or burst, in this case it was a blemished white one from eBay. I don't remember the price but it was cheap as hell new. I sanded it so that the clear was taken off and there was nothing shiny left. I have no idea if that was enough, but the paint seems to stick pretty well. I rolled a little tube of tape for the truss rod cavity and used filler on the screw holes ont he back of the headstock. I should have filled a groove on the headstock but forgot until after I started finishing, and decided "eh, F it" and just kept rolling. I dropped the pliers on it during final assembly so there's another ding on the headstock. It's meant to be a player so it bothered me for less than a second. A layer of sanding sealer lacquer in lieu of primer (body was white anyways) and I started in on the green. It took over a full can of Reranch sherwood green, and a full can of clear gloss. Wet sanded with fine sandpaper and polished.

The bridge and pickguard are original, as is the string tree. Fender lightweight tuners and a US Fender pickup from the TB classifieds, 250K CTS pots, .047 orange drop capacitor, and strap locks. I tested it will a headset but haven't put it though it's paces with an amp or a band, but everything works. Strings are an old set of DR Silver Stars; I don't like their coated strings ever since they "changed the formula" so once I use the last set or 2 of coated strings I have it'll probably get regular nickel wound strings. The tuners have one ring that has a built in string retainer that is not needed with the string tree, so I stuck it on the low B and turned it in a direction to keep it out of the way.

The decal I ordered from a guy in the UK years ago for a different project which is still in pieces.

YCqk3oZ.jpg


Edit: The knobs are chrome and the same, the reflection makes them look different. The original Squier neck plate is still there. I lined the cavity with foil tape and reattached the ground cable, so the bridge and cavity are both grounded.
 
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#669
I was wondering about two things. 1. Since the sound is somewhat thumpy, I was thinking about ordering a set of TI flats for it, for the special midrange they have. Anyone using this, and noticing any difference from stock?
2. Is anyone selling pickguard replacements, as I'd like one in black :)
 
#671
Bass4LifeRS said:
I was wondering about two things. 1. Since the sound is somewhat thumpy, I was thinking about ordering a set of TI flats for it, for the special midrange they have. Anyone using this, and noticing any difference from stock?
2. Is anyone selling pickguard replacements, as I'd like one in black :)
Click to expand...

I was just wondering today myself if TI flats would sound good on mine. I've used them before but only on a 4 string. No experience with the TI B string.
twneagle is a seller on eBay that does the pickguards you're after.
 
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#673
Bass4LifeRS said:
I was wondering about two things. 1. Since the sound is somewhat thumpy, I was thinking about ordering a set of TI flats for it, for the special midrange they have. Anyone using this, and noticing any difference from stock?
2. Is anyone selling pickguard replacements, as I'd like one in black :)
Click to expand...

I have TI flats installed in my P5.
The low tension and the unique voice in the strings does make it thumphy and it is mid range focus. The low tension does force you to pluck it lighty but the sound is to die for.
 
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#674
I am loving the feel of this bass, but I am tempted to order a more expensive P5 with more options. That said, this really plays well and sounds good. I am seriously considering having a hum canceling Jazz or Music Man style pickup installed at the bridge and calling it a day. I see that Nordstrand Music Man style pickups that fit 55/02s are $115. Installing of these and maybe stacked volume knobs might be the ticket for me.
 
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#675
Dr. Cheese said:
I am loving the feel of this bass, but I am tempted to order a more expensive P5 with more options. That said, this really plays well and sounds good. I am seriously considering having a hum canceling Jazz or Music Man style pickup installed at the bridge and calling it a day. I see that Nordstrand Music Man style pickups that fit 55/02s are $115. Installing of these and maybe stacked volume knobs might be the ticket for me.
Click to expand...

Adding a coil splitting switch for the humbucker would be great too.
 
#676
Dr. Cheese said:
...I am seriously considering having a hum canceling Jazz or Music Man style pickup installed at the bridge and calling it a day. I see that Nordstrand Music Man style pickups that fit 55/02s are $115. Installing of these and maybe stacked volume knobs might be the ticket for me.
Click to expand...
One thing to be aware of, is that the normal P-bass and Stingray pickup routs overlap each other slightly. If you're dropping a humbucker into a P-bass as an afterthought, it will have to be pushed a little closer to the bridge.

While you can get some interesting new tones that way, it won't quite nail the classic Stingray sound (assuming that's what you were after).

Another alternative to consider: a second P-bass pickup installed a little ahead of the 60's Jazz bridge position, makes for fantastic blended tones. That's what I had on the custom bass I played before my Dingwall, and it was a blast. Listen to Jerome Preston's BC Rich on this track:

 
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#677
steve_rolfeca said:
One thing to be aware of, is that the normal P-bass and Stingray pickup routs overlap each other slightly. If you're dropping a humbucker into a P-bass as an afterthought, it will have to be pushed a little closer to the bridge.

While you can get some interesting new tones that way, it won't quite nail the classic Stingray sound (assuming that's what you were after).

Another alternative to consider: a second P-bass pickup installed a little ahead of the 60's Jazz bridge position, makes for fantastic blended tones. That's what I had on the custom bass I played before my Dingwall, and it was a blast. Listen to Jerome Preston's BC Rich on this track:

Click to expand...


That is a seriously funky clip! I know it won't be THE Stingray tone, but close is cool. The clips I have heard of Sandberg and Carvin P/MM basses sound awfully good to me.
 
#678
I played one of these Squier Percision Fivers this weekend and I have to say, it was a really nice playing and sounding bass. The set up was good. The neck was awesome. Everything was great about this bass and it weighed no more than 8 lbs or so. Very light weight! For $299, it was a crazy good deal.
 

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