Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

P bass pickup advice: '95 Korean Squier v Classic Vibe '60s


lownote
 Share

Recommended Posts

Just scored a 20 year old Korean Squier from Lozz on here. I also have the wiring loom and pup for a 60s Squier Classic Vibe P Bass from another project which fell through.

Does anyone know if there would be a significant improvement swapping the CV pup into the Korean Squier? I don't want to mess about with soldering iron and screwdriver unless it's justified.

Many thanks

Edited by lownote12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='DarkHeart' timestamp='1441526765' post='2859423']
The CV pup is supposed to be (apparently) a tonerider pup but the best thing to do would be try them both and use the one you prefer the sound of.
[/quote]

So is a tonerider a good thing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='lownote12' timestamp='1441550281' post='2859710']
So is a tonerider a good thing?
[/quote]

I took a chance on one of their Jazz pickups for a [url="https://thecrowfrombelow.wordpress.com/2013/10/31/the-birth-of-aradia-part-vii-finale-and-demo/"]Frankenbass project[/url] and I have to say I've been very pleased with it. Didn't realise Squier were putting them in the CV basses!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='DarkHeart' timestamp='1441526765' post='2859423']
The CV pup [b]is supposed to be (apparently) a tonerider pup [/b]but the best thing to do would be try them both and use the one you prefer the sound of.
[/quote]

how do you know that?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1441756178' post='2861584']


how do you know that?
[/quote]
I don't think anyone knows for sure that this is the case, but plenty of chat about it online. Take this page (relating to guitar pickups) for example:
https://tidywords.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/tonerider-pickups-vs-squier-classic-vibe-pickups/

It states:
They are made in the same factory
They are made by the same OEM producer
They look the same
They sound the same
They have the same product numbers
The measured output is the same.

In any case, I have a Tonerider in my Mexican P bass and it sounds excellent, far better than the stock pickup. Quite a vintage tone, strong low-mids and not too bright. (I found the stock Mex pickup very harsh sounding).

George



Link to comment
Share on other sites

I ordered a Classic Vibe P-Bass pickup from one of the American sellers on Ebay, thinking I'd be getting it for cheaper than a Tonerider. It was just under 18 pounds plus 5 or 6 quid delivery. Unfortunately I didn't realise the customs limit had dropped to 15 pounds so I had to pay 11 or 12 quid (VAT and handling fee) to get it off the Royal Mail. I then had to buy another set of pickup covers for almost 4 quid as it came with the small Fender ears rather than the wide ones that my Indian Encore used. About 40 quid all in!

I'm quite pleased with the sound of it though. I had swapped the pots to 250k ones and the tone cap to 0.1uF and this pickup completed the job. The alnico does seem to sweeten the sound, it's less harsh than the (fairly reasonable) ceramic that was in there. I have to say though, I think changing strings makes a more obvious difference.

Edited by rockmanrock
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='geoham' timestamp='1442735596' post='2869012']
I don't think anyone knows for sure that this is the case, but plenty of chat about it online. Take this page (relating to guitar pickups) for example:
[url="https://tidywords.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/tonerider-pickups-vs-squier-classic-vibe-pickups/"]https://tidywords.wo...c-vibe-pickups/[/url]

It states:
They are made in the same factory
They are made by the same OEM producer
They look the same
They sound the same
They have the same product numbers
The measured output is the same.

In any case, I have a Tonerider in my Mexican P bass and it sounds excellent, far better than the stock pickup. Quite a vintage tone, strong low-mids and not too bright. (I found the stock Mex pickup very harsh sounding).

George
[/quote]

Interesting read, thanks!
It still doesn't answer all the questions, too many vague details... so to me it looks like it could be, but I would not bet money on it. It would not make sense to use "the same pickups" yet use different cabling on them...
I have had a couple of Tonerider humbuckers on a guitar a while ago and they were pretty sweet.
My CV60 P pickup does not have a code name corresponding to a Tonerider pickup, and it does not look the same because of the cables... and I really can't think why they could not state the pickups use... Fender has used DiMarzio and the pickups were clearly labelled, several brands use Wilkinson and they're clearly labelled: it makes sense, it is generally a positive attribute to point out.

It looks to me like some might actually be Toneriders, like the strat set labelled TRS3... but it's not clear to me at all that Tonerider got a contract for the whole range.

Having said that... the CV Squier pickups are not bad at all, in any of their instruments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1442781348' post='2869482']


Interesting read, thanks!
It still doesn't answer all the questions, too many vague details... so to me it looks like it could be, but I would not bet money on it. It would not make sense to use "the same pickups" yet use different cabling on them...
I have had a couple of Tonerider humbuckers on a guitar a while ago and they were pretty sweet.
My CV60 P pickup does not have a code name corresponding to a Tonerider pickup, and it does not look the same because of the cables... and I really can't think why they could not state the pickups use... Fender has used DiMarzio and the pickups were clearly labelled, several brands use Wilkinson and they're clearly labelled: it makes sense, it is generally a positive attribute to point out.

It looks to me like some might actually be Toneriders, like the strat set labelled TRS3... but it's not clear to me at all that Tonerider got a contract for the whole range.

Having said that... the CV Squier pickups are not bad at all, in any of their instruments.
[/quote]

I don't think they are Tonerider pickups as such in the Squier CV series, I think the suggestion is that they are made by OEM manufacturer to the same spec- similar to the way that both Harley Benton and Beta Aivin pedals are pretty much identical and made by the same factory.

Regarding the cable difference, I read about this elsewhere and apparently the Squier pickups all have standard plastic covered cables, and the Toneriders have cloth covered cables - probably to sell the 'vintage' angle.

In any case, both pickups sound great for not much cash.

George

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...