Josh Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 (edited) I've been following the recent threads about the new Squier VM models, the inclusion of an olympic white and maple 5 string jazz really peaked my interest and I thought it would make a great back up to my Fender/Squier and Warwick, and I have missed having a 5 string lately. So low and behold I potter in to PMT in Bristol this past friday and they have one sat hidden in the corner for a fair £300, after a couple of days of mulling it over and looking at possible payment options I finally bit the bullet and bought it earlier today: After having a quick tinker when I got it home my first impression is that it is a fantastic 5 string for the price, both in looks and playability, and this is with the stock strings on which I will be changing in the next half hour for a set of D'Addario nickels. The bass is crying out for some vintage style knobs and a tort scratch plate(Is it the BassDoctor who is our resident scratch plate master?) and a better bridge but for right now it was definitely a justified impulse purchase Edited August 12, 2013 by Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myke Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Yes he is Looks lovely, I'm a fan of white basses! Not really a fan of that shop though.. They never seem to keen for me to try out the basses in there. But James (one of the staff) is an awesome block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 [quote name='Myke' timestamp='1376328061' post='2172216'] Yes he is Looks lovely, I'm a fan of white basses! Not really a fan of that shop though.. They never seem to keen for me to try out the basses in there. But James (one of the staff) is an awesome block. [/quote] PMT Bristol is very hit and miss, I'm fortunate enough to have a drummer who is practically buying from them ever other day and so by proxy I've gotten to know some of the staff. T.J is one of the good guys to look out for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 The 4 string of this has got a tort pg...and looks bloody lovely. Great looking bass the 5, especially for the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1376334101' post='2172387'] The 4 string of this has got a tort pg...and looks bloody lovely. Great looking bass the 5, especially for the money. [/quote] I think you're confusing this with the CV '60s jazz which is white with a tort pick guard. The 4 string version of the 70s VM jazz bass is white and comes with a black pick guard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 [quote name='skej21' timestamp='1376337438' post='2172490'] I think you're confusing this with the CV '60s jazz which is white with a tort pick guard. The 4 string version of the 70s VM jazz bass is white and comes with a black pick guard. [/quote] I was confusing it with the VM Jazz with the rosewood neck. That has the tort pg. [url="http://www.fender.com/en-GB/basses/jazz-bass/vintage-modified-jazz-bass-rosewood-fingerboard-olympic-white/"]http://www.fender.com/en-GB/basses/jazz-bass/vintage-modified-jazz-bass-rosewood-fingerboard-olympic-white/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Looks good Although blocks on a Jazz are just wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1376341910' post='2172602'] I was confusing it with the VM Jazz with the rosewood neck. That has the tort pg. [url="http://www.fender.com/en-GB/basses/jazz-bass/vintage-modified-jazz-bass-rosewood-fingerboard-olympic-white/"]http://www.fender.com/en-GB/basses/jazz-bass/vintage-modified-jazz-bass-rosewood-fingerboard-olympic-white/[/url] [/quote] Ah! Squier have such a good offering these days. It must be great being a beginner and having so many good quality instruments to choose from. Between the extended Squier range and the sub £300 Ibanez models, you can get pretty much any kind of bass you want! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leroybasslines Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 Nice bass! I've been thinking about precisions recently, and I quite fancy a Squier to sate my appetite without breaking the bank... [quote name='Josh' timestamp='1376328538' post='2172225'] PMT Bristol is very hit and miss, I'm fortunate enough to have a drummer who is practically buying from them ever other day and so by proxy I've gotten to know some of the staff. T.J is one of the good guys to look out for. [/quote] I once tried a Stingray in PMT Bristol. It was set up so badly it was unplayable - the action was so low all you got between frets 7 to 11 or so was buzz with no note at all. When I asked the guy doing the bass stuff he said he'd personally set it up that way because 'that's how the good players like it'! Oh dear. Needless to say, I didn't give PMT my money that day! Not sure who does the bass stuff there now, but I hope it isn't him! They definitely suffer from some poor staff in there. You know when you've asked to try a bass, they plug it in and hammer out some terrible slap bass and hand you the instrument with a 'beat that, loser' air. No need! Having said that, I've spoken to many knowledgeable guys in there that go out of their way to help. I guess these problems are the downside of a big shop with a comparatively high turnover of staff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 (edited) [quote name='leroybasslines' timestamp='1376380742' post='2172935'] I once tried a Stingray in PMT Bristol. It was set up so badly it was unplayable - the action was so low all you got between frets 7 to 11 or so was buzz with no note at all. When I asked the guy doing the bass stuff he said he'd personally set it up that way because 'that's how the good players like it'! Oh dear. Needless to say, I didn't give PMT my money that day! Not sure who does the bass stuff there now, but I hope it isn't him! They definitely suffer from some poor staff in there. You know when you've asked to try a bass, they plug it in and hammer out some terrible slap bass and hand you the instrument with a 'beat that, loser' air. No need! Having said that, I've spoken to many knowledgeable guys in there that go out of their way to help. I guess these problems are the downside of a big shop with a comparatively high turnover of staff... [/quote] Well that certainly makes a change from at least 85% of the basses having terrible and unplayable actions, even this one had been taken straight out of the box and put straight out. It's worse when they've plugged you into an amp (Which will most likely be an Orange because they always try and flog you one) they stand there and fiddle with the controls on the amp whilst you're trying to play a really badly set up bass, so it sounds doubly horrendous. Whilst waiting for the member staff who was serving me to let me know my payment plan had been accepted, I was stood staring at the same basses that have been on that wall for well over year for some, there was a young boy who was shopping for his first bass with his mum (Who actually knew a fair bit of muso terminology) and the guy who was serving had very little clue about what he was trying to sell to the lad. I would've offered straight away to lower the action and straighten the neck of any bass he liked the look of, not just grabbing the nearest bass that was closest to the budget. They don't have anyone in charge of the bass department because apparently they can't afford it and I guess compared to the guitar departments, drums, keyboards and studio equipment departments that the bass department isn't really as important. Edited August 13, 2013 by Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 Nice bass, what are the pickups like? The VM pickups are allegedly a bit polite apparently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 (edited) [quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1376392083' post='2173146'] Nice bass, what are the pickups like? The VM pickups are allegedly a bit polite apparently. [/quote] I'm actually quite surprised with the pick ups, I'm not sure wether they're the same as the pick ups in the CV jazz or if they're Duncan Designed as they have no insignia, but regardless they actually have a very hot output and they sound just as good as the set of Wizard 64's in my Squier/Fender jazz. Edited August 13, 2013 by Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 [quote name='Josh' timestamp='1376392346' post='2173152'] I'm actually quite surprised with the pick ups, I'm not sure wether they're the same as the pick ups in the CV jazz or if they're Duncan Designed as they have no insignia, but regardless they actually have a very hot output and they sound just as good as the set of Wizard 64's in my Squier/Fender jazz. [/quote] My advice would be to hold fire before you make any changes. I bought a 4-string VMJ a couple of years back, intending to make a few mods. After trying it out a few times I decided to leave it just as it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 (edited) [quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1376400284' post='2173342'] My advice would be to hold fire before you make any changes. I bought a 4-string VMJ a couple of years back, intending to make a few mods. After trying it out a few times I decided to leave it just as it was. [/quote] I'm quite happy with how it sounds so I think I'll leave the pick ups alone, but I've already got some vintage style knobs on the way and I've just had a quote from TheBassDoc on a tort scratch plate I just need to find a good bridge. Edited August 13, 2013 by Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leroybasslines Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 [quote name='Josh' timestamp='1376391634' post='2173134'] They don't have anyone in charge of the bass department because apparently they can't afford it and I guess compared to the guitar departments, drums, keyboards and studio equipment departments that the bass department isn't really as important. [/quote] And we have to skulk about in the room out the back! I guess that's what we deserve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 [quote name='Josh' timestamp='1376400920' post='2173347'] I'm quite happy with how it sounds so I think I'll leave the pick ups alone, but I've already got some vintage style knobs on the way and I've just had a quote from TheBassDoc on a tort scratch plate I just need to find a good bridge. [/quote] Yeah, the knobs and tort scratch plate will make a nice bass even smarter. I'm genuinely interested to know why you don't think the bridge is good. It may be different on the 5-string but I've found the 4 string bridge perfectly adequate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 [quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1376404233' post='2173436'] I'm genuinely interested to know why you don't think the bridge is good. It may be different on the 5-string but I've found the 4 string bridge perfectly adequate. [/quote] I think having a more solid and robust bridge with better adjustability really helps me be able to set the bass up with the perfect action for me, as well as increasing the sustain. I agree the bridges are perfectly adequate, especially on the CV models. I changed the high-mass bridge on my CV jazz to a Schaller roller bridge and it gave me far greater adjustability than the standard one. The saddles on the Schaller are able to go lower than that of a standard bridge and as such I was able to get the right action with ease. That's just me though, I know someone would have it the way the bass is now and not change anything. That's the best thing about the VM's and CV's, they are great off the shelf basses but are also fantastic basses to modify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybertect Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 (edited) That is a quite a looker; I've had my eye on the fretless Jazz and Precision (and the Bass VI has certainly piqued my interest) [quote name='Josh' timestamp='1376392346' post='2173152'] I'm actually quite surprised with the pick ups, I'm not sure wether they're the same as the pick ups in the CV jazz or if they're Duncan Designed as they have no insignia, but regardless they actually have a very hot output and they sound just as good as the set of Wizard 64's in my Squier/Fender jazz. [/quote] If it's the same as the 2013 VM fretless Jazz, they've dropped the Duncan-Designed pickups that were on the 2012 model and introduced some new Fender designed ones. Edited August 13, 2013 by cybertect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 [quote name='cybertect' timestamp='1376408556' post='2173527'] That is a quite a looker; I've had my eye on the fretless Jazz and Precision (and the Bass VI has certainly piqued my interest) If it's the same as the 2013 VM fretless Jazz, they've dropped the Duncan-Designed pickups that were on the 2012 model and introduced some new Fender designed ones. [/quote] Well taking the DD logo off has certainly made them look less cheap, as well as having the neck glossed as opposed to the unfinished necks on the normal VMJ's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Looks really nice, I'm not such a fan of the natural finish that most of them out there but once I realised they did a white one this model grabbed my attention, changing the knobs and scratchplate would be my first move to. Could you tell how much yours weighs please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 23, 2013 Author Share Posted August 23, 2013 It's a bit weighty, I'd say its between 9-10lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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