Maybe it's been mentioned, but has anyone ever measured the pickups resistance on a meter? I have a cheapo meter I may hook up tonight to get a reading.
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 Precision V: who's got one?
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
Apparently, they are special order, and only manufactured on demand.@steve_rolfeca Did you ever get those balanced Chromes in? I was curious on your thoughts.
I ordered shortly before Christmas, which didn't help. Anyway, I just got the shipping confirmation from Bass Strings Online today. Should have them in about a week!
Balanced tension Chromes (40-132) have cleared Customs, and are enroute to my house from BC!
Here's a little string tension chart for the D'Addario's I've considered for this bass:
Out of these strings, I've only tried the various XL nickel rounds. My favourite set to date, was the BT .40's.
As you can see from the chart, the .50 BT's aren't really balanced, as there isn't a suitably stout long scale B string in the D'Addario catalog at the moment. Regardless, the VMP5 didn't seem to like 240+ lb tension of that set- they made the bass feel and sound kind of dead.
The EXL170's sounded OK but didn't feel great, which is probably explained by the huge difference between the nearly 50lb D string and the floppy, 32lb low B...
I have also tried DR Dragon Skins, which sounded great on my last 4-string Jazz, but had an underwhelming B string on the P5.
Here's a little string tension chart for the D'Addario's I've considered for this bass:
Out of these strings, I've only tried the various XL nickel rounds. My favourite set to date, was the BT .40's.
As you can see from the chart, the .50 BT's aren't really balanced, as there isn't a suitably stout long scale B string in the D'Addario catalog at the moment. Regardless, the VMP5 didn't seem to like 240+ lb tension of that set- they made the bass feel and sound kind of dead.
The EXL170's sounded OK but didn't feel great, which is probably explained by the huge difference between the nearly 50lb D string and the floppy, 32lb low B...
I have also tried DR Dragon Skins, which sounded great on my last 4-string Jazz, but had an underwhelming B string on the P5.
Last edited:
I play tuned 1/2 step down 145 - 50 DR DDT feels and sounds great balanced and lively.but I like taught strings.
Last edited:
Balanced tension Chromes (40-132) have cleared Customs, and are enroute to my house from BC!
Here's a little string tension chart for the D'Addario's I've considered for this bass:
Out of these strings, I've only tried the various XL nickel rounds. My favourite set to date, was the BT .40's.
As you can see from the chart, the .50 BT's aren't really balanced, as there isn't a suitably stout long scale B string in the D'Addario catalog at the moment. Regardless, the VMP5 didn't seem to like 240+ lb tension of that set- they made the bass feel and sound kind of dead.
The EXL170's sounded OK but didn't feel great, which is probably explained by the huge difference between the nearly 50lb D string and the floppy, 32lb low B...
I have also tried DR Dragon Skins, which sounded great on my last 4-string Jazz, but had an underwhelming B string on the P5.
Maybe I am missing something, but I assume the B string in the Nickel BT40s and the Nickel XL.45 is the same string - yet the tension value is different? Am I misinterpreting?
That's what happens when bass players mess around with spreadsheets!
The correct value is 34.5 lb, so the tension imbalance on the EXL170-5's is "only" about 14 pounds, instead of 16...
BTW, these showed up this afternoon, a day early:
Thanks for that! Makes the EXL170s a good option for me. The B and the E string almost identical tensions, and I don't mind a bit if extra tension in the thinner strings.
Thanks for posting this info.
Hmmm.
Setup was pretty easy- tighten the truss rod about 3 or 4 flats, lower the action slightly, tweak the pickup height a little, and make minor intonation adjustments.
The BT Chromes definitely feel slinkier than than the regular ECB81-5 set (45-132). At 182 pounds total tension instead of 209, that's not surprising.
The B string is in much better balance with the rest of the strings, and they sound more even across the fingerboard.
Otherwise, typical Chromes: Very slick, and minimal fret noise. Somewhat bright for flats, but at first, the upper harmonics sound hollow and a little out of tune with the fundamental.
To be honest, I was ready to take them off after 15 minutes- I really missed the longer sustain and singing treble of the 40-130 nickel rounds, and also the growl on the lower strings.
Still, after a couple of hours of play, they're growing on me.
I've always found that Chromes need a few days (or weeks) to settle in, so I'll leave them on and play them in for a while.
Setup was pretty easy- tighten the truss rod about 3 or 4 flats, lower the action slightly, tweak the pickup height a little, and make minor intonation adjustments.
The BT Chromes definitely feel slinkier than than the regular ECB81-5 set (45-132). At 182 pounds total tension instead of 209, that's not surprising.
The B string is in much better balance with the rest of the strings, and they sound more even across the fingerboard.
Otherwise, typical Chromes: Very slick, and minimal fret noise. Somewhat bright for flats, but at first, the upper harmonics sound hollow and a little out of tune with the fundamental.
To be honest, I was ready to take them off after 15 minutes- I really missed the longer sustain and singing treble of the 40-130 nickel rounds, and also the growl on the lower strings.
Still, after a couple of hours of play, they're growing on me.
I've always found that Chromes need a few days (or weeks) to settle in, so I'll leave them on and play them in for a while.
Last edited:
This has been my experience with pretty much every set of flats I've ever tried which includes, Chromes, Fender 9050's, LaBella DTF's, DR Legends and Dunlops as well as TI's.
I always come running back to my nickel rounds....
You too?
Seems like I still feel the need to revisit them every 10 years or so, though. Last time, it was TI Jazz flats.
One thing is different this time: I've got such a detailed, growly and aggressive sound from the Dingwall at the moment, that it seems natural to go for a darker, more acoustic vibe on the P-bass.
We'll see how it goes- even an old dog can learn new tricks...
Yea. I've been trying a old set of Sadowsky's on mine and it wasn't BAD per se, just not awesome. I through some DR Lo-Riders on just check to see if I could find something I wasn't finding with the flats. BOOM!! There was the thunder on all 5 strings. Great balance string to string tone-wise and the B felt great.
Maybe nickels will be the magic bullet for a while for me. I was honestly hoping to be one of those "P-bass with flats" guys but I don't think I've found the right strings yet for this bass.
Maybe nickels will be the magic bullet for a while for me. I was honestly hoping to be one of those "P-bass with flats" guys but I don't think I've found the right strings yet for this bass.
My P5 finally got its first gig tonight. We played a ski resort with a good medium size stage so I had a chance to bust out the full GK stack and go through FOH. All I can say is wow. I brought it as a backup and didn't plan on using it until maybe the end of the night, but I had a chance to sneak it in during a raffle drawing between sets and I'm glad I did. While this thing doesn't exactly sound amazing at bedroom levels (a bit better through my headphone amp), it really shined with proper sound support. I wound up using it through the entire second set and only put it down to make sure my fingers wouldn't mess up any parts (it's been a couple years since I played a 5 regularly) for some songs on the final set. My American Std was shooting me jealous stares all night! Also got several compliments from some young fans on it's looks. Nice!
Glad to hear that it worked out well for you on the gig.
That is always the acid test, after all.
With all the "good, better, best" talk on TB, it can be easy to forget a simple truth that visual artists all understand- just as there is no single paintbrush that works best for every part of most paintings, finding the right bass for a particular gig (or even a particular song) is a unique and personal decision.
That is always the acid test, after all.
With all the "good, better, best" talk on TB, it can be easy to forget a simple truth that visual artists all understand- just as there is no single paintbrush that works best for every part of most paintings, finding the right bass for a particular gig (or even a particular song) is a unique and personal decision.
Last edited:
Last night, I was surprised to discover that I have made peace with my new flats.
Playing into my modded Rumble 100 practice amp earlier in the day, I discovered that the top four strings had finally settled down. This was partly a process of adaptation, I'm sure.
The Chromes like to be hit a little harder than nickel rounds, and as I found the right way to adjust my attack, so they started to sound more rich and resonant.
Also, I've been tweaking my setup over the last few days. Stiffer strings go hand in hand with a lower action and less neck relief. Some of the final adjustments were only a matter of a few thou, but as I got there, everything seemed to come together.
The final revelation came after dinner, when my wife asked me to pipe down while she watched TV. Instead of relocating to my basement office/studio, I just plugged my IEMs into the headphone jack on my practice amp.
My only remaining frustration at this point was that notes below the low E sounded hollow, and the overall tone sounded like it was under a blanket.
Through the IEMs, it was a whole different world.
Boom! There was the missing fundamental on the B string, along with all the treble that wasn't making it through the cheap tweeterless 112 combo...
I spent the next hour enthusiastly spanking the heck out of the Squier. Motown, funk and blues lines sound really great with this combo- very punchy and focused.
I can't wait to try it through my regular gig rig- compressor into Sansamp into Radial DI, FOH w/big subs and Sennheiser/Shure wireless IEMs.
Playing into my modded Rumble 100 practice amp earlier in the day, I discovered that the top four strings had finally settled down. This was partly a process of adaptation, I'm sure.
The Chromes like to be hit a little harder than nickel rounds, and as I found the right way to adjust my attack, so they started to sound more rich and resonant.
Also, I've been tweaking my setup over the last few days. Stiffer strings go hand in hand with a lower action and less neck relief. Some of the final adjustments were only a matter of a few thou, but as I got there, everything seemed to come together.
The final revelation came after dinner, when my wife asked me to pipe down while she watched TV. Instead of relocating to my basement office/studio, I just plugged my IEMs into the headphone jack on my practice amp.
My only remaining frustration at this point was that notes below the low E sounded hollow, and the overall tone sounded like it was under a blanket.
Through the IEMs, it was a whole different world.
Boom! There was the missing fundamental on the B string, along with all the treble that wasn't making it through the cheap tweeterless 112 combo...
I spent the next hour enthusiastly spanking the heck out of the Squier. Motown, funk and blues lines sound really great with this combo- very punchy and focused.
I can't wait to try it through my regular gig rig- compressor into Sansamp into Radial DI, FOH w/big subs and Sennheiser/Shure wireless IEMs.
Very tempted to order a set of either GHS (best flat low B in the biz, IMO) or Labellas for mine, but I'm surprisingly pleased with the 45-65-80-100-130 Daddario XL nickels so much, I may just make them permanent. I say "surprised" because I'm generally not a fan of Daddarios offerings for the most part, but they seem to compliment this bass nicely. I'm mainly a flats guy though, so all that said, the temptation may be too hard to resist.
One very cool thing I realized today as I was just plucking around, still kind of stewing in that feeling you get when you know the bass you just got is a keeper, is that the fingerboard edges are rolled. You can sorta make out the bevel here:
I already spoke about how this particular bass was one of the better examples of the VM line I've personally come across in any regard (weight, fit, finish, tone) and the rolled edges are just more icing on the cake. I hate to sound like another "value bass" apologist, but to have that level of workmanship at this price is mind blowing (well, not really, but still!). I've purchased maybe a half dozen basses (all now gone) in the last few years, and I can't remember the last time I spent the night walking around the house with one slung over my shoulder, just playing along and taking it with me wherever I went...I feel like it's my first bass again. I'm glad my instinct and this thread led me to giving it another chance.
First rehearsal with the Chromes last night.
I'm running the action a couple of clicks lower than I did with nickel rounds. Combine that with the slick feel of the Chromes, and playing was almost effortless.
This band is a lot like doing a covers gig. In no time at all, we can build from a slow ballad to the whole crowd up on their feet and waving their arms.
With nickel rounds on my passive 2-pickup Dingwall, I rarely have to touch anything else during a set. Provided I can play the parts, I can go from the Beatles to prog rock with just my fingers and the onboard controls.
With Chromes on the P-bass, the slow sections were a breeze. Very full and warm, no fret or string noise, and no compression needed. I left the tone control dimed all night, and was able to open up the treble on my Fly Rig quite a bit as well. No unwanted harshness, just a nice "point" on the initial attack.
Getting pissed-off, grindy tones for the up-tempo songs was more of a challenge, though. I ended up having to step on my Fly Rig a bit, and even used a pick at one point.
I don't think the pick will be making regular appearances, but I definitely need to experiment with the gain to get the aggression levels I'm used to with the Dingwall. The ABZ goes much further into active Jazz Bass territory than you can go using a P-bass with flats, which is pretty much what I expect.
Still, a pissed-off P-bass through a Sansamp is a pretty classic sound. It sits in the mix differently to the Dingwall, and serves as a nice contrast.
As a result, I think that the Squier may be seeing a lot more gig time in the future...
I'm running the action a couple of clicks lower than I did with nickel rounds. Combine that with the slick feel of the Chromes, and playing was almost effortless.
This band is a lot like doing a covers gig. In no time at all, we can build from a slow ballad to the whole crowd up on their feet and waving their arms.
With nickel rounds on my passive 2-pickup Dingwall, I rarely have to touch anything else during a set. Provided I can play the parts, I can go from the Beatles to prog rock with just my fingers and the onboard controls.
With Chromes on the P-bass, the slow sections were a breeze. Very full and warm, no fret or string noise, and no compression needed. I left the tone control dimed all night, and was able to open up the treble on my Fly Rig quite a bit as well. No unwanted harshness, just a nice "point" on the initial attack.
Getting pissed-off, grindy tones for the up-tempo songs was more of a challenge, though. I ended up having to step on my Fly Rig a bit, and even used a pick at one point.
I don't think the pick will be making regular appearances, but I definitely need to experiment with the gain to get the aggression levels I'm used to with the Dingwall. The ABZ goes much further into active Jazz Bass territory than you can go using a P-bass with flats, which is pretty much what I expect.
Still, a pissed-off P-bass through a Sansamp is a pretty classic sound. It sits in the mix differently to the Dingwall, and serves as a nice contrast.
As a result, I think that the Squier may be seeing a lot more gig time in the future...
How's the intonation on your Squier? I had a brand new 2013, really liked the value, craftsmanship, low action and tone but the intonation drove me crazy! I spent hours trying and trying to get the intonation setup correct and couldn't get the intonation set. Sadly I finally sold it. I've NEVER had a bass that I couldn't set the intonation before and since then. I just bought a Squier Matt Freeman sig Pbass, I know not a 5r, but man does it sound awesome. This is my second MF Pbass. I used to use GHS Precision SS Flats exclusively for several years but recently in the last year tried Fender SS Flats and absolutely love them. More relaxed feel to them and just amazing balanced tone to them. Sorry, I didn't intend to hi-jack the thread...just wanted to know if anyone else had intonation issues.
I've set up a lot of Squier VM's and CV's in the last couple of years. They all needed to be re-intonated after I changed the strings, but that's to be expected. They were good out of the box, perfect when I was finished, and they've all held their intonation well.
The necks are made on CAD/CAM equipment, same as everything else that comes out of Indonesia these days, so the nut slot and fret placement is going to be identical on every neck they churn out.
Still, that doesn't mean that there can't be some bad ones out there.
Need to know more about the intonation problem you experienced: When you fretted a note at the 12th fret, which way was it out? Sharp or flat?
Was it only certain strings, or all of them?
What do you use as a pitch reference when you're setting the intonation?
Last edited:
Crazy story, but true, I dumped my Matt Freeman for the same reason. It refused to intonate and had a bad time staying in tune. The tuners seemed to be fine mechanically and adjustments didn't seem to help. I think, and it's just a theory, that they churn out so many of these things, that some very green wood makes its way into certain production runs and the necks never really settle. The wood is still doing what it wants to do and is in a state of flux that leaves it more prone to movement. I also don't think it's limited to certain price points or brands, but is just an unfortunate side effect of mass production. Luck of the draw. Somewhat unrelated, but if I set the relief on a new bass and I find it slowly starting to creep up while simultaneously being in a relatively neutral environment climate wise, it goes back. In my experience, well made necks tend to stay put once the truss is set and rarely need adjusting, save for very minor seasonal tweaks, if that. Necks that move tend to keep moving, and I don't need that sadness in my life. All IMO, IME, YMMV, etc.
My only problem intonating the P5 - with Chromes - is that the B-string saddle sits so far back that the extra windings at the end of the string sit on top of the saddle. It still sounds good, but I don't think it's optimal and I'm thinking of getting a Fender Hi Mass bridge just for that. Looks like with those the ball ends get anchored further back.
E: I'm thinking about the Fender bridge specifically because I'm hoping they are a drop-in replacement and appear to be priced rather attractively.
E: I'm thinking about the Fender bridge specifically because I'm hoping they are a drop-in replacement and appear to be priced rather attractively.
