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

#1,203
One of the best-sounding passive Jazz basses I've ever had, was a Squire VM Jazz fretless updated with a CV fretted P-bass neck, and a set of Dimarzio Area J's.

Noiseless pickups with a super-even response, very much at the vintage single-coil end of the tonal spectrum. Everyone who has tried that bass has gone gaga over the thing, including a couple of prominent local pros. I only got rid of it because I'm not into 4-bangers.

I just found out that the Area J's are finally available in a 5 string version, DP552 for a matched pair, DP550 for the neck, and DP551 for the bridge.

Anyone thinking VMPJ5?

I am definitely on the hunt for a DP551 to put in my Oly White VMP5, which has already been upgraded with an Am Std Precision V pickup...

If you know of anyone who has one for sale, let me know. They're hard to find in local stores...
 
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#1,204
steve_rolfeca said:
One of the best-sounding passive Jazz basses I've ever had, was a Squire VM Jazz fretless updated with a CV fretted P-bass neck, and a set of Dimarzio Area J's.

Noiseless pickups with a super-even response, very much at the vintage single-coil end of the tonal spectrum. Everyone who has tried that bass has gone gaga over the thing, including a couple of prominent local pros. I only got rid of it because I'm not into 4-bangers.

I just found out that the Area J's are finally available in a 5 string version, DP552 for a matched pair, DP550 for the neck, and DP551 for the bridge.

Anyone thinking VMPJ5?

I am definitely on the hunt for a DP551 to put in my Oly White VMP5, which has already been upgraded with an Am Std Precision V pickup...

If you know of anyone who has one for sale, let me know. They're hard to find in local stores...
Click to expand...

There's one for sale here:

Link Removed
 
#1,205
My birthday is next week and the wife asked me what I wanted for a present . I couldn't think of anything else so she's getting me an American Std. PrecisionV pickup and some CTS pots , a Switchcraft jack , orange drop cap and some Fender barrel knobs . I thought about copper foil shielding but the bass is already dead quiet so the shielding paint and the little strip of shielding on the guard are working fine . Should be a nice upgrade with the new pickup . I know it will be a small upgrade in sound but I really love the bass the way it is and plan on keeping it a long time . I'll post some pictures when I install this stuff , should be fun .
 
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#1,211
First off, keep in mind that my gold standard for a Fender P-bass tone, is the AVRI '62. That means that my taste runs to the vintage-wound, fairly bright end of the spectrum, with a full, slightly honky midrange. I hate Duncan Quarter-Pounders, and I don't use flat-wound strings.

With that in mind, I liked the stock pickup, but I found it a little dark and undefined. To be honest, the Am Std doesn't sound a whole lot different. It's maybe a little more even and extended at the top end, but the bass still sounds pretty much the same. That's why I'm interested in turning it into a PJ.

I don't know if my impressions are going to help you, because not everyone hears these basses the same way I do. In fact, a couple of posters have gone shopping for new pickups, not because they found the stocker too harsh, but because they thought it was too mellow.

The "mushy" thing that I refer to, could be caused by the soft basswood body and less rigid neck than US-built Precisions. Mine is at the light end of the spectrum, but I don't think that weight is the issue. I felt the same way about a red one that weighed close to 10lb.

Of course, the most likely explanation is that I've gotten too used to the super-articulate sound of my Dingwall, with its radical 37" B-string and two very open, hi-fi pickups.
 
#1,214
steve_rolfeca said:
First off, keep in mind that my gold standard for a Fender P-bass tone, is the AVRI '62. That means that my taste runs to the vintage-wound, fairly bright end of the spectrum, with a full, slightly honky midrange. I hate Duncan Quarter-Pounders, and I don't use flat-wound strings.
Click to expand...

Me too, more or less.
When I tried a CAR VMP5 in a store, I noticed it felt quite modern. Did not play it with an amp but I can say it had a modern vibe to me. With a J pickup on bridge position would be a very versatile bass.
 
#1,218
Dr. Cheese said:
Plunking down a Jazz pickup is a good idea. I guess the issue is what Jazz pickup would be a good match for the P pickup.
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Trial and error, mostly. The secret with a PJ is to find a good match. It's not so much about finding the best-sounding J pickup when it's solo'd, and simply dropping one in. Some Jazz pickups aren't hot enough, or just don't play well with the P.

I went with the Dimarzio DP551 because it's a split coil noise-cancelling pickup, it has a 4-wire harness so I can try the coils in series, I just found a used one to control costs, and I've liked the Area J in the past. But I still won't know whether it's a good match until I try it.

Sheldon Dingwall's experiments with PJ setups in his "conventional" basses (Super J and Super P) have indicated that a.) you should move the J pickup away from the bridge a little further than normal, and b.) a fairly bold medium-output humbucker seems to work best.
 
#1,219
steve_rolfeca said:
Trial and error, mostly. The secret with a PJ is to find a good match. It's not so much about finding the best-sounding J pickup when it's solo'd, and simply dropping one in. Some Jazz pickups aren't hot enough, or just don't play well with the P.

I went with the Dimarzio DP551 because it's a split coil noise-cancelling pickup, it has a 4-wire harness so I can try the coils in series, I just found a used one to control costs, and I've liked the Area J in the past. But I still won't know whether it's a good match until I try it.

Sheldon Dingwall's experiments with PJ setups in his "conventional" basses (Super J and Super P) have indicated that a.) you should move the J pickup away from the bridge a little further than normal, and b.) a fairly bold medium-output humbucker seems to work best.
Click to expand...

Those Nordstrand Fatstacks interest me. I wonder if they are too hot though.
 
#1,220
bassnyc1 said:
Maybe you can offer me some advice, Steve. I definitely want to replace the pickup on mine. The stock one is okay but a bit harsh and brittle. There aren't too many choices for a P5 that is 3 + 2. The Fender is a choice and Nordstrand makes one but it's pricy. Unless you go through with routing and creating a custom pick guard, are there any other choices?
Click to expand...
Are you sure that your setup is good, and you're using strings that you like?

Vintage P pickups are not dark and fat, the way many imagine them. For that thump P-bass tone, you need to roll the tone knob back, and/or fit flats and let them go dead.

I've tried a half-dozen Squier VMP5's to date, and they're all been slightly on the dark side compared to a typical vintage style P.

The Squier pickup is very much in the tonal ballpark as the Fender Am Std, which is supposedly the same or similar to the AVRI pickup, which is known to be on the bright side. The Nordy is just a hair smoother than the Fender, and a little rounder in the low end, but still has quite an open top end as well.

I don't know what else is out there that would be fatter, at least in a 3+2 P-Bass rout. You could try the Bartolini, maybe?

Other than that, I suspect that you're looking at a custom rout and pick guard. or an onboard preamp.
 

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