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VM TELECASTER SPECIAL First impressions

travhop42

travhop42

Dec 21, 2010
94
24
Texas
#1
I just bought a new Squier VM Telcaster Bass Special in blonde.
299 at Guitar Center online

I have owned about 15 basses in my lifetime. Playing off and on since late 70's.

This is my first impressions and I will update this later and add some pics if anybody wants to see it.

I love the look of this bass and was intrigued with the pickups and how it would sound. It arrived needing the truss rod tightened and the bridge pickup looked like someone went on break in the middle of installation. After a few minor adjustment tweaks it was ready to go. There are also sections on the body that the darker wood is bleeding thru. I kind of like this flaw?

The sound:
I took it to practice and I turned the mids on my amp all the way down, bass and treble all the way up. Sounded fat and creamy sort of like a Gibson SG ( I owned one for a short time). The only setting I liked it on was the 2 pickup selection. Neck pickup too muddy by itself. If it didn't have the single coil bridge pickup this bass would be going back. It brings the tone alive combined with the neck pickup. The sound really cut thru the mix as good as any bass I have ever played.

Playability and balance:
This dude is heavy. Probably 10-11 pounds. Balance though is excellent. No lean or neck dive at all. This is the first time I have played a maple fretboard in 30 years and I really liked it. Neck felt very easy to play and did not feel like a short scale bass. Body shape works on this bass.

Thanks if anybody has questions or comments please post.
 
#4
It doesn't feel like a short scale bass because it isn't one. It's medium scale. ;)

I noticed on some web sites that it's listed at 10.25 pounds. Yikes!

I went to GC and Sam Ash to try to play one but no luck. There wasn't one in sight. And my local Sam Ash is "Squier Central" They have more Squiers than the Squier web site!

From the one video I saw of it (by Fender) it sounds like a very versatile bass. I'd still like to actually get to play one though.
 
#5
travhop42 said:
This is the first time I have played a maple fretboard in 30 years and I really liked it. Neck felt very easy to play and did not feel like a short scale bass. Body shape works on this bass.

Thanks if anybody has questions or comments please post.
Click to expand...

Another slight corrrection.

It has no fretboard, the frets are pressed directly into the maple neck.

I personally, would want to check out the bass through my amp flat first, and kind of dial it in from there - rather than pulling out all the mids as a matter of course.

But that is just me. To each his own!

Best,

BassHappy
 
#7
TrevorOfDoom said:
i'd be VERY surprised if this beast had a 1-piece neck.
just about everything short of the MIA's have 2 piece necks, neck and fingerboard, even if the FB is maple like the neck.
Click to expand...

Surprises can be fun!

I have two, one Squire VM Tele bass and the Squire VM Tele Bass neck I got off Ebay.

The babies are boardless....

What fun they are!

Best,

BassHappy
 
#10
Howdy

Well, I bought the single pickup model as below, this is my bass before the mods which are in progress:

Tele-1.jpg



I also bought the neck of another one exactly like this one, I think it is the "standard"model?

We are both talking about the same bass, right? The Vintage Modified Telecaster bass, which is medium scale?

Maybe the two pickup model has a fret board and that is where the confusion lies. Not really sure, but here is one of the two necks:

Teleneck.jpg


You can see there is no fingerboard. Maybe it comes both ways depending on the model or something.

Best,

BassHappy
www.innertainment.net

BassHappy
 
#11
In 60s Fender catalogs would say "maple neck" and it would be not a separate 'board. I don't know when they changed... That big Mudbucker on the VM Telecaster Special can be easily modified by separating two of the four wires and connecting them along with the other two wires at the pot (or switch- see other post in Pickups section). This will make it two single coils in parallel for a Precision -like tone.
 
#14
You might want to re-EQ your setting. Scooping out all the mids and jacking the other two just make it un natural. Try adding some mids and taking the treble out and the bridge will have some more oomph. The neck is more than usable...love the sound if it. Play with the settings. I played one here at a shop and loved both pickups, I had to have them adjust the bridge pickup so it an equal output(it was too low). I'm thinking of getting one in black.
 
#15
travhop42 said:
It arrived needing the truss rod tightened and the bridge pickup looked like someone went on break in the middle of installation. After a few minor adjustment tweaks it was ready to go.
Click to expand...

If I ever pull the trigger on one of these, it will come from either Mom&Pop up the street or Sweetwater. I've never heard of a poorly setup bass coming from Sweetwater.

Too bad about the hefty weight. Maybe they make sure to use heavier bodies to assist in correcting neck dive.
 
#17
Immigrant said:
If I ever pull the trigger on one of these, it will come from either Mom&Pop up the street or Sweetwater. I've never heard of a poorly setup bass coming from Sweetwater.

Too bad about the hefty weight. Maybe they make sure to use heavier bodies to assist in correcting neck dive.
Click to expand...

+1!
I ALWAYS buy my innertube-puchased axes from Sweetwater!
(Thanks Alan F.!)
The setups are always PERFECT!
'Just got a Squier J. Mascis Sig Jazzmaster last week. Awesome guitar!


By the way, LOVE my (modded) VM Tele Special!
attachment.jpg
 
#19
UPDATE:

I have decided to return this bass. I really liked it and if I was a millionaire I would keep it. I found a used Mike Dirnt Fender P bass at GC for the same price. I just thought it was a better deal. Now before everybody starts ragging me it was not because it was a "Mike Dirnt" and I know about some of the flaws (heavy, hard to adjust neck. lack of tone control etc..)but I think it sounds great and yes it is heavy but not much more than the VM Telecaster.
 

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