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Squier VM jazz +more mods or Mim jazz?


Mikeg
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[quote name='Mikeg' post='1116648' date='Feb 5 2011, 04:01 PM']For my next bass i'm either going to buy a second hand Squier vintage modified jazz, and put in some bartolini's and a high mass bridge. Or a fender jazz standard
Any opinions?[/quote]
Depends how much you want to spend and what you want from the instrument.

There are differences in looks, finish, tone and feel and I would play both and ask yourself which you prefer and why.

And what's wrong with the original bridge and pick ups on the Squier?

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Seems to me that you want something different from the standard Fender/Squier sound, re the bridge/pickup mods quote. With this in mind, the Squier is the cheaper, but from what I`ve read, definately not inferior - in fact many state the MIM is the inferior. With that in mind, I`d go for the Squier, and shape it to your personal requirements.

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I'd personally go for a MIM Jazz. I tried a couple of MIM Precisions last year and they were very good, light and handled nicely so I'd imagine the Jazzes to be up there too. I didn't have an issue with the bridge and so far as I know, all proper single coil Jazz pickups will hum. The only simple way around it is to buy a couple of stacked/parallel humbuckers for it, or use both pickups full on together all the time :) . If you mod I would buy a second hand Affinity because the woodwork's pretty similar and there's no point in spending money on hardware you're not going to use anyway. That way you can spend more hard earned on pickups, bridge and electronics. Sorted

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[quote name='Mikeg' post='1116648' date='Feb 5 2011, 04:01 PM']For my next bass i'm either going to buy a second hand Squier vintage modified jazz, and put in some bartolini's and a high mass bridge. Or a fender jazz standard
Any opinions?[/quote]

If you want an hi-mass bridge, then you might as well get a Classic Vibe Jazz cause they all come with one on it and it is an excellent bridge so that would be at least one of your requirements sorted.

If you want Bartolini's you're going to have to spend on a preamp too, why don't you get some Wizards, Frailin or even Lollars instead. Seymour Duncans do some single coil sized humbuckers that you can wire both in series and parallel individually and eliminate the unpleasant hum familiar with Jazz Basses, they are also very decently priced compared to Lollars and Frailins.

here is a link to the SD's I was talking about [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/basslines/cutting-edge-1/stkj1_classic_f/"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bass...tkj1_classic_f/[/url]

I've had them on my Squier Jazz Moo Moo bass and they were the dog's blx

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It's a shame you might want to think about this...But the MIM will probably have better resale value. A modded bass is much more personal than a standard one, although if you keep the original parts you can just sell it on after you revert it to it's original state...Wish I hadn't lost the pups that came in my VMJ :)

That said, it IS more personal! I love my VMJ that I modded, I'm still in the process of modding it, just got the electronics to do now, then it's all sorted :lol: Unless I decide to get a neck that is :)

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[quote name='Dandelion' post='1117096' date='Feb 5 2011, 09:45 PM']I have a 2009 MIM jazz. It is not noisy at all.[/quote]


And I have a VMJ that's very noisy. I'm asking myself, what's the point of two pickups if I have to have them both full on all the time?

A fix for that would be the first mod for me, I think, whether on a VMJ or an MIM.

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[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1117147' date='Feb 5 2011, 10:29 PM']If you want an hi-mass bridge, then you might as well get a Classic Vibe Jazz cause they all come with one on it and it is an excellent bridge so that would be at least one of your requirements sorted.

If you want Bartolini's you're going to have to spend on a preamp too, why don't you get some Wizards, Frailin or even Lollars instead. Seymour Duncans do some single coil sized humbuckers that you can wire both in series and parallel individually and eliminate the unpleasant hum familiar with Jazz Basses, they are also very decently priced compared to Lollars and Frailins.

here is a link to the SD's I was talking about [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/basslines/cutting-edge-1/stkj1_classic_f/"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bass...tkj1_classic_f/[/url]

I've had them on my Squier Jazz Moo Moo bass and they were the dog's blx[/quote]

Thanks for this. I was going to post asking about jazz humbuckers. Sorted. :)

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[quote name='fatback' post='1117157' date='Feb 5 2011, 10:44 PM']Thanks for this. I was going to post asking about jazz humbuckers. Sorted. :)[/quote]


That's why we have this excellent forum, those of us who've been there and experienced the evils of trial and error can pass our findings about what works best to those who are attempting it for the first time.

Sorted!

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[quote name='redstriper' post='1117224' date='Feb 6 2011, 12:12 AM']It's interesting that some people find jazz pick ups noisy, while other people don't.

Why is that?[/quote]

I'd imagine it's down to:

1) The environment they're in, re: inductive mains hum. Houses differ from room to room, same applies to other locations.

2) Knowledge of that and how to ground a bass properly, therefore reducing the hum to such as level that it's effectively been removed. Some basses are already grounded well when they leave the factory.

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[quote name='Buzz' post='1117226' date='Feb 6 2011, 12:17 AM']I'd imagine it's down to:

1) The environment they're in, re: inductive mains hum. Houses differ from room to room, same applies to other locations.

2) Knowledge of that and how to ground a bass properly, therefore reducing the hum to such as level that it's effectively been removed. Some basses are already grounded well when they leave the factory.[/quote]

So you wouldn't know if the pick ups were noisy or not by trying basses in music shops, because they might be quiet in the shop and noisy somewhere else.

Tricky.

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[color="#000080"][font="Comic Sans MS"]The only time I get noise from any of my basses - even the SR500, is when I am too close to my PC tower. I get a sharp hum that is only there in the last foot distance from the tower.

I have a MiM Deluxe and a VM-Jazz and a VM-Jag and none of them are inherently noisy. Even my old Squier P is quiet - so I don't 'get' this point that they are noisy at all.

I also have a 1982 Fender Strat guitar and it IS noisy - if you have a pacemaker, it'll pick it up too.

And speaking of mods - I just broke a golden rule and added something to my VM-Jag::



Can anyone tell what it is? [/font][/color]

Since it's neither a J nor a P, I guess I can have this license.

Edited by Circle_of_Fifths
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[quote name='Mikeg' post='1116648' date='Feb 5 2011, 04:01 PM']For my next bass i'm either going to buy a second hand Squier vintage modified jazz, and put in some bartolini's and a high mass bridge. Or a fender jazz standard
Any opinions?[/quote]


ive owned both a VMJ and a MIM, and either bass as standard is fine

I suggested playing out before spending out on upgrades, upgrading is great, but I sometimes feel we talk ourselves into it being a must

Edited by lojo
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[quote name='lojo' post='1117438' date='Feb 6 2011, 11:38 AM']ive owned both a VMJ and a MIM, and either bass as standard is fine

I suggested playing out before spending out on upgrades, upgrading is great, but I sometimes feel we talk ourselves into it being a must[/quote]
I agree although I think modding guitars with new pickups, hardware etc. is a bit like modding cars with performance parts - the difference in the real world is pretty much zilch, but modifying is an end to itself in making the player (or driver) happier with what they've got, which hopefully makes them play better (although I don't know whether tuning a car up makes a better driver :) )

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[quote name='henry norton' post='1117538' date='Feb 6 2011, 12:17 PM']I agree although I think modding guitars with new pickups, hardware etc. is a bit like modding cars with performance parts - the difference in the real world is pretty much zilch, but modifying is an end to itself in making the player (or driver) happier with what they've got, which hopefully makes them play better (although I don't know whether tuning a car up makes a better driver :) )[/quote]

+1 except maybe for tuners. There doesn't seem to be much interest in them as mods, but trying to tune with cheapos in the middle of a gig isn't fun.

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The new Squiers are great, esp the CV range, if you find a nice MIM they're well worth it also.

As far as modding goes, the first thing to go were the old machines.
I swapped them out for a set of Wilko's as the stock ones were a tad loose (on my MIM), I also prefer the big back vintage style.

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