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

#682
I switched my order at GC from a SB one to the lone white one left in distribution since the SB one was backordered and missed its expected arrive date into the warehouse. I was thinking the chances of a SB being lighter than white was higher from the posts I've read.
Its not featherweight but 9lb 4oz aint too shabby.
I see the CAR one listed at Sweetwater is 10+. They must have casted this last run out of cement.
 
#683
Relsom said:
I switched my order at GC from a SB one to the lone white one left in distribution since the SB one was backordered and missed its expected arrive date into the warehouse. I was thinking the chances of a SB being lighter than white was higher from the posts I've read.
Its not featherweight but 9lb 4oz aint too shabby.
I see the CAR one listed at Sweetwater is 10+. They must have casted this last run out of cement.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same when I was shopping for one, then I spoke to a shop who had the CAR and would weigh it for me - 9.3lbs he said so I went for it.
Upon arrival I weighed it myself - 9.8lbs. I was a bit bummed as I have back problems so weight is a major factor for me. I did consider returning it but the bass was so straight, lovely to play and the fit and finish was so impressive that I decided to keep it, just in case a replacement wasn't as good, and make this one lighter myself.
So far I have installed Lic. Hipshot Ultralites, aluminium knobs and drilled out under the pickguard with a brad point drill bit. Got it down to 8.12lbs so far but it still gave me aggro when playing standing up (my issues, not the basses I might add).
My bass is currently with my Luthier pal who is going to rout out the wood further under the pickguard, making sure not to structurally compromise it and make a neater job of it than I did ;). He's also got an aluminium Hipshot A style bridge I gave him to install too. Hopefully this will get the weight down noticeably further.
I also should add that although I was very happy with the pickups/electronics that came stock, I have installed a Fender Am Standard P5 pup and a full CTS/Sprague/switchcraft wiring harness just because they came up used and for dirt cheap in the classifieds on Basschat :)
They helped to make an already very good bass sound great!
I'll post some pics up on here and the final weight of my bass when I get it back for those who might be interested...
 
#685
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).
Click to expand...

If you smack them together it is only a fraction away from the original position and sounds the same, more or less :)
2011-06-15231918.jpg
 
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#686
Has anyone ever tried both the VM Jazz V and the Precision V ? I have had my hands on the Jazz and I was quite keen on it but I already have a 4 string Jazz so for variation sake I would like to add a Precision. I managed to try out a 4 string MIM precision but I wasn't sold on the neck of it. It seems as though the Squiers use a bit of a different neck so I would like to hear some experience with it! :)
 
#687
Stripes said:
Has anyone ever tried both the VM Jazz V and the Precision V ? I have had my hands on the Jazz and I was quite keen on it but I already have a 4 string Jazz so for variation sake I would like to add a Precision. I managed to try out a 4 string MIM precision but I wasn't sold on the neck of it. It seems as though the Squiers use a bit of a different neck so I would like to hear some experience with it! :)
Click to expand...
The neck on the Jazz is thinner front-to-back, and the fingerboard edges aren't rolled off as agressively. The Precision is a little deeper, and has a bit of a soft-V profile that makes the shoulders feel less prominent.

In my hands, the result is that the jazz neck doesn't feel as comfortable, and gives the sensation of being wide and clunky.

The Jazz is also a pig weight-wise, which is significant if you're a weight weenie like me...
 
#689
steve_rolfeca said:
The neck on the Jazz is thinner front-to-back, and the fingerboard edges aren't rolled off as agressively. The Precision is a little deeper, and has a bit of a soft-V profile that makes the shoulders feel less prominent.

In my hands, the result is that the jazz neck doesn't feel as comfortable, and gives the sensation of being wide and clunky.

The Jazz is also a pig weight-wise, which is significant if you're a weight weenie like me...
Click to expand...

So you're saying that between the two the jazz is the clunky one ? I can get into it being thinner and less rolled off but wouldn't describe it as clunky. Maybe after trying the two side to side I would see the point. I would have thought it to be the other way round , just have to find a way to get my hands on one of them. Thanks for the input! :)
 
#690
Stripes said:
So you're saying that between the two the jazz is the clunky one ? I would have thought it to be the other way round , just have to find a way to get my hands on one of them. Thanks for the input! :)
Click to expand...
Exactly. Fender and Squier Jazz V's are a funny bunch, in that they defy the normal tradition of Jazz basses having a skinny neck.

The Squier Active Jazz V is the widest 5 string I've ever run into. They're way up into classical guitar territory, around 2" at the nut.
 
#691
I'm quite comfy with passive basses at the moment (even though I don't rule out a Stingray in the future) so the active Jazz wasn't going to be on my radar but I get the point Funny bunch indeed , but with the same wide at the nut between the two of them I reckon I should enjoy the Precision V. Off to find a shop that stocks them then.
 
#694
And you're American's , I'm Dutch and we're smaller then most states are so I'm at an disadvantage on that one as well. Can hardly find a shop that stocks one of them but I could order one and a Jazz and return one of them but that seems like a hassle that just isn't going to be worth it.
 
#695
I find myself having to really rethink how I eq now that I am playing a P5 a lot. After years of Marcus Miller, Fed Hammond, Andrew Gouche levels of high end, it is a real turn around to understand treble is best in smaller doses with a Precision. I think the pickup is pretty hot on this bass too because this P5 works better going through the active input on my amp.
 
#696
Dr. Cheese said:
I find myself having to really rethink how I eq now that I am playing a P5 a lot.

...I think the pickup is pretty hot on this bass too because this P5 works better going through the active input on my amp.
Click to expand...
Yup. P-basses are all about those complex, hollow mids. It takes a different EQ strategy to get the best out of them, which one of the reasons that they're sometimes overlooked.

The stock Squier pickup does seem to be a little overwound, louder and fatter than vintage winds.

It sounded a bit congested to me, which is why I dropped an Am Std pickup into mine. Ironically, the difference wasn't that big.

While the extra air up top suits me, guys who enjoy flats might find the Fender 5-string pickup a little too bright and clanky.
 
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#698
Dr. Cheese said:
I finally weighed my P5 last night. It is 9 lbs. 6 oz. That is way better than the VM Jazz Deluxe V I had a while back. For reference, my Cirrus is 7 lbs. 9 oz.
Click to expand...
That's towards the heavy end for a VMP5. Mine was 8lb 12oz out of the box.

FYI, for $75 on eBay, you can get a set of the offshore, licensed Hipshot Ultralights. You'll need to make some post hole shims out of a soda can, but the Ultralights knock 6 ounces off the bass, and improve the balance.

If you decide to do the mod, it helps the cosmetics if you cover the old screw holes with a carpenter's wax stick, or go whole hog and use wood filler and a little clear nail polish.

While you've got the tuners off, it only adds about half an hour to the job to remove the neck and carefully level out and thin the finish on the back of the neck. It's best to start with the paper wrapped around a block, to knock down all the high spots. The gloss OEM finish is very thick, so if you go slow and gently, you can remove quite a lot without rubbing through to bare wood. Depending on how matte you want it, you can quit after going from 320 to 400, or keep going right out to 4000 grit, for a semi-gloss look.

Everyone I've done this for, has commented on the improved feel of the neck after levelling. On mine, the change in the resonant characteristics (tuners and sanding combined) also served to reduce a slight dead spot on the G-string, and open up the tone.

If you decide to sand/polish out the divots on the back of the headstock, be careful not to sand the serial number off- it's up on top of the finish.

Changing the tuners and smoothing the neck is cheaper than a pickup swap, and it makes a bigger improvement, IMO/IME.
 
#699
steve_rolfeca said:
That's towards the heavy end for a VMP5. Mine was 8lb 12oz out of the box.

FYI, for $75 on eBay, you can get a set of the offshore, licensed Hipshot Ultralights. You'll need to make some post hole shims out of a soda can, but the Ultralights knock 6 ounces off the bass, and improve the balance.

If you decide to do the mod, it helps the cosmetics if you cover the old screw holes with a carpenter's wax stick, or go whole hog and use wood filler and a little clear nail polish.

While you've got the tuners off, it only adds about half an hour to the job to remove the neck and carefully level out and thin the finish on the back of the neck. It's best to start with the paper wrapped around a block, to knock down all the high spots. The gloss OEM finish is very thick, so if you go slow and gently, you can remove quite a lot without rubbing through to bare wood. Depending on how matte you want it, you can quit after going from 320 to 400, or keep going right out to 4000 grit, for a semi-gloss look.

Everyone I've done this for, has commented on the improved feel of the neck after levelling. On mine, the change in the resonant characteristics (tuners and sanding combined) also served to reduce a slight dead spot on the G-string, and open up the tone.

If you decide to sand/polish out the divots on the back of the headstock, be careful not to sand the serial number off- it's up on top of the finish.

Changing the tuners and smoothing the neck is cheaper than a pickup swap, and it makes a bigger improvement, IMO/IME.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I may do that.
 
#700
Anyone have any suggestions for a modern sounding replacement pickup? My 4 banger has the vintage vibe so I'm hoping the vmp5 could be my modern very full spectrum sounding bass. Passive would be my preference but I know active opens up more options.
 

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