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Squire VM Jazz > MIA Jazz

afireinside

afireinside

Jan 3, 2008
547
172
Michigan
#1
Well GAS got the best of me today. I had bought a used 2008 Vintage Mod Jazz used from GC a few weeks ago for $180.00 loved it, after setup she played great but today I fell for the MIA is best theory. SOOOOOO I had to go run out to the center tonight to get a MIA Jazz, they had a 2008 black with maple neck on clearence for 999.00 w fender case. Brought it home lowered the action (very high from factory) raise the pups (very low) set it up to fender specs per website (like my VM) And it sounds no where near as good as my VM SQUIRE with the Duncan Design pups....... I went back and forth for hours same amp, cord ect. It sounds alot like my HW1 P. Very clear, not growly like the VM, not as Hot as the VM. So shes on her way back tomorrow and Im keeping the VM!!! save a grand
 
#5
I'm sorry to hear about your experience with the MIA. I have played a bunch of Fenders over the years... I like them. Generally I consider the MIA Fender head and shoulders above the Squier VM. That being said my main bass is a Squier VM Jazz. I love this bass. I put a badass II on it and tweaked a few other things and she sounds awesome.

Good luck to you.
 
#6
A lot of it comes down to the particular chunk of wood. That's why I think that when shopping for a Fender bass, it's a good idea to blindfold yourself (so you can't see what model they are and the country of origin) and play lots of them.
In this case, you're also dealing with ash (the VM) vs. alder (the black MIA)?
 
#7
Great story, thanks for sharing!

Although, I could think of a few ways to drop a G in Guitar Center. A nice amp, a few pedals, maybe another Squier. I don't know, there's so much to choose, but I could justify at least spending half of the money on the refund.:D
 
#9
Just from experience( 2 of my close friends own them), the last few VM jazz that I got a chance to play was not very goog at all. It was very heavy as compared to the other jazz basses that i played, and the playability was horrible. Sure they could have used better setups, but there was little that could have been done about the brigde/pickups/neck allignment. That being said the sound was better than I expected but nowhere near that of a MIA jazz bass. I think that the problem was that you needed to change the strings because they were probably dead.

I am happy that you found the bass for you and saved a crap load of money in the process!:bassist::bassist::bassist:
 
#12
I had a new/used VM jazz i got a steal on at GC last year. Being a past jazz player and now a P guy i wanted to ad it to my stable. Try as i would i never loved that bass. It was Ok...great for the $..heavy as hell :hmm:
I didnt dig the live sound so much so i sold it. I used to gig a 100% stock MIM Jazz that ruled and the VM jazz never had the sound that MIM had. I wish i wouldnt of traded her (MIM)...oh well.
 
#14
Strange,

I've played a few VM jazzes vs MIA's last week and the MIA's all were miles ahead of the VM. They were not comparable. I liked both in their price range, but the VM was cheaper all the way. It was waaay heavier than all the MIA's. The MIA's felt, played and sounded a lot better than the VM's.

Both basses are awesome for the money, but the MIA costs a lot more and IMO is way better. It would be a shame if it wasn't. I would change the string and maybe get it set up by a pro. If the VM is still better than you have a bad MIA and you better get it back.
 
#15
dougjwray said:
A lot of it comes down to the particular chunk of wood. That's why I think that when shopping for a Fender bass, it's a good idea to blindfold yourself (so you can't see what model they are and the country of origin) and play lots of them.
In this case, you're also dealing with ash (the VM) vs. alder (the black MIA)?
Click to expand...

The vm's have a maple body.

I agree that it comes down to the chunk of wood, but the chuncks of wood for the 08 MIA's are IME of waaaay better quality than the Japanese, Mexican en especially squiers.

Allthough you can get lucky with the MIJ MIM and Squiers, in general the wood of the new MIA's is way more hard, resonant and light. The high quality wood gets used for the expensive guitars, which is pure logic to me.
 
#17
I've owned 2 Squiers (still have one), and 2 MIA Fenders (1-p, 1-J) and the Squiers could not touch the MIA's in terms of quality, playability, or live sound. One can just take a look at the neck work (frets, finish, etc.) and see the huge difference. But hey - if you find a Squier that you love better, more power to you. Play what you like.
 
#19
sevenyearsdown said:
I've owned 2 Squiers (still have one), and 2 MIA Fenders (1-p, 1-J) and the Squiers could not touch the MIA's in terms of quality, playability, or live sound. One can just take a look at the neck work (frets, finish, etc.) and see the huge difference. But hey - if you find a Squier that you love better, more power to you. Play what you like.
Click to expand...

This is what matters most. Play what speaks to you and be happy that it didn't take an instrument that cost 4x as much to make you satisfied.
 
#20
I will say Fender has improved the squire line 100% and the VM series are really nice for the buck. I have never even seen a MIM as good as a MIA so i cant see a VM beating an american myself but 'hey who am I to judge":)

I am a MIM nut i love them to mod and think for the money a good MIM can be just about as nice and sound as good as a MIA. That I do know and have proof.

A local dealer told me a few years back that a Fender rep had said that Squier would move up to replace the MIM line then the MIM line would move up and replace the MIA line with the MIA becoming more expensive with new items on them bridges,models etc. Looks like he was right.
 

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