Squier Classic Vibe 50's Precision Bass - NBD/Review. Astounding.

[kodiakblair]

3 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

I presume it fitted in the bass ok and had sufficient clearance under the strings?

Dropped in no problem but that was my pine slab body , pickup rout maybe shallower in a CV.

 

I'll post the overall pickup height later today , well passed this laddie's bedtime 😀

 

 

[krispn]

One of the best p bass tones I’ve heard live was a 50’s style p - it just sounded huge!

@funkle I’m on night shift again next week so I could drop the jazz round which has the Nordstrand 51 split j if you wanna hear how the solo neck pick up sounds but I do think some of the massive 50’s sound comes from the ‘huge’ necks. 

Edited October 16, 2021 by krispn
Spellings

[funkle]

3 hours ago, krispn said:

One of the best p bass tones I’ve heard live was a 50’s style p - it just sounded huge!

@funkle I’m on night shift again next week so I could drop the jazz round which has the Nordstrand 51 split j if you wanna hear how the solo neck pick up sounds but I do think some of the massive 50’s sound comes from the ‘huge’ necks. 

 

Thanks Gav, I'm still recovering from the 'Rona, best avoid me for now!! My freedom date is October 20th...

 

You are kind as usual. It's ok though, I don't think I need to borrow your bass.

 

After listening to various 51 split P pickup videos online that I could find, I might be asking the impossible. If it was possible to make a humbucker sound like a single coil, it would have already been done convincingly. Same problem as already exists for Jazz Bass pickups, really.  

 

I'm not convinced at all by the Fralin '51 split P videos I have heard, and they are meant to be 'very close'. 

 

Can't find videos anywhere of the Duncan overwound 'Stinger'. The custom Bloodstone stacked pickup looks like a beast, but unless @kodiakblair says any of the splits he has used fits the bill of sounding 'just like' a single, I'll probably just go back to the stock pickup and see if shielding helps. 

 

Interesting journey, this one. 

 

 

[JohnDaBass]

45 minutes ago, funkle said:

I'm not convinced at all by the Fralin '51 split P videos I have heard, and they are meant to be 'very close'. 

I have used the Fralin '51 split P and IMHO it is very close to the original single coil P sound. They are permanently wired in parallel to maintain the authenticity. Mine was 5% over wound to provide some extra gain but Lindy offers 5% to 10% over & under wound to suit your specific needs. All the Fralin '51 split P pups have the raised 'A string' pole piece just as Leo's original. For more flexibility and tonal options, I agree with @kodiakblair that the Jess Lourerio '51 Split P is a good candidate. I have used one with a series/parallel switch offering really good tonal palette. 

[kodiakblair]

1 hour ago, funkle said:

but unless @kodiakblair says any of the splits he has used fits the bill of sounding 'just like' a single, I'll probably just go back to the stock pickup and see if shielding helps. 

No can do I'm afraid , you definitely lose something with split singles IMO.

 

Been a bit difficult here to make comparisons as only the Fender wears roundwounds. Two with tapes have standard singles . Common ground would be the three with TI flats , snag there is the standard single is a ceramic Peavey .

 

Much as I'd like to claim my massively over wound Bloodstone custom is the best , in truth it's Jess Loureiro's 51 split. Could be the age of the strings or the pickup height , might just be the arrangement of the scatter wind . Whatever it is , the Loureiro sounds fantastic. Still sounds a bit polite compared to the Fender mind but fantastic all the same 😀

 

@Bassfinger

 

The Bloodstone at 28mm is 9mm taller than a standard single coil.

[funkle]

Thanks @kodiakblair, you are a mine of information as usual. 
 

I thought I might be asking too much of what a split coil could offer. 
 

I reinstalled the single coil just now and everything I loved came back. All the spank and grit and attitude. Perfect.
 

I’ll try going OTT with the shielding. 

 

My inner modder is saying ‘why not eventually add another single coil, reverse wound and reverse polarity with the first?’. (Hush, inner modding demon, hush….)
 

 

[jezzaboy]

These topics are too tempting.

 

I had one of these earlier this year and moved it on as it wasn`t getting used. After reading this topic again, I spotted a s/hand one in Richtone Music for £270 with a case. Got it bought and it arrived looking almost as new. 

 

There is a lot of space between the bridge and pickup and I have a MFD humbucker kicking about so a trip to Strung out guitars may be in order. But going into the studio on Monday night and will hear how it sounds with the band before modifying the bass.

Edited October 19, 2021 by jezzaboy

[machinehead]

1 hour ago, jezzaboy said:

These topics are too tempting.

 

I had one of these earlier this year and moved it on as it wasn`t getting used. After reading this topic again, I spotted a s/hand one in Richtone Music for £270 with a case. Got it bought and it arrived looking almost as new. Stuck on a set of flats and better tuners I had kicking around and it`s very nice.

 

There is a lot of space between the bridge and pickup and I have a MFD humbucker kicking about so a trip to Strung out guitars may be in order. But going into the studio on Monday night and will hear how it sounds with the band before modifying the bass.

This is a video of my son's band in New Zealand.  I gave him my modified MIJ 51 reissue about 6 years ago as a birthday present because he always liked it.  You can see it in the video.

 

It has a pair of Seymour Duncan 51 humbuckers fitted with switching between either PU or both together. It worked really well with a huge variety of sounds.  It also has a BadAss 3 bridge. If it's what you fancy, I'd say go for it.

 

Lost by Burn The Bridges in Auckland New Zealand - YouTube (I can't post the link to youtube for some reason?  Search "Burn the Bridges")

 

Frank.

[Munurmunuh]

28 minutes ago, machinehead said:

(I can't post the link to youtube for some reason)

 

 

[bloke_zero]

17 hours ago, funkle said:

I’ll try going OTT with the shielding. 

I think this is the answer - I’ve had some really good results with copper tape with the conductive glue and just soldering a wire to ground. As long as you use the right grounding strategy your golden - 

this is a good guide in case your not sure!

 

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2018/11/12/understanding-guitar-grounding/

[Bassfinger]

As it happens Ive been a bit busy with mine too...

Edited November 10, 2021 by Bassfinger

[Walliebal]

That pickguard is beautiful @Bassfinger!

I bought the CV 50's Sunburst a few months ago with the idea to mod it. Lovely neck with good fretwork (no sharp ends). Saw the white bonde one in a shop and did not really like the color. So I ordered the sunburst.

I have changed the bridge for an Allparts Omega one, the pickup for a Seymour Duncan SPB1 and the strings are flat Fenders. My bass is rather heavy. Heavier than my Player P. I will upgrade the tuners too in the future.  I have to say I needed some time to get into this bass. I love how it looks. I love the T-style headstock. But playing mostly roundwounds, I had to used to flats a little. It feels so different. 

Soundwise this bass is awesome. Deep, warm. I play exclusively with a pick on this bass. Can't get a good way to place my thumb for fingerstyle.

I took the horrible cheap white pickguard off and ordered a black pearl one on Ebay. Hopefully it will fit.

All in all a great bass with a distinct, beautiful sound.

[Bassfinger]

The pickup is beautiful too!

[Walliebal]

5 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

The pickup is beautiful too!

Which pickup is it? Or is it just a white cover for the original?

[Bassfinger]

Its the Retrovibe Route '51 in 9.2k flavour. I chose the cream bobbin for a classic period, albeit Fender incorrect, look.  Very reasonably priced, adds a little more punch over the original pickup while maintaining that single coil clarity. 

 

I did consider a humbucker, but didn't want stray too far from the original sound (plus Im not afflicted by any hum on mine). The Retrovibe stays fairly true to the original tone, beefing it up a bit without changing the essential character of the sound.

[Walliebal]

I repleaced the original pickup for the Seymour Duncan SCPB-1 which has a vintage sound. I like it very much.

I was also looking for a tuner replacement, but the only tuners that appear to have the same dimensions (the placement of the screw-holes) are from WD music (WD Music wd9l). They have an UK website that delivers to the Europe mainland.

Maybe I will order them someday.

[Bassfinger]

I really like the standard tuners. A lovely feel to them, very stable, and because they're nickel theyll age pleasantly.

Edited March 3, 2022 by Bassfinger

[Walliebal]

They are a bit stiff on mine. Maybe a little grease will help, or loosening of the screw on the back of the tuners.

[PaulThePlug]

^Dab of vaseline on the worm n cog and give em a twist...

On the cheapies i had i gave em a dab of Coppa Slip that is a little abbrasive, and a good few turns to remove any casting flashing and smooth out any edges in the platting.

Then a clean with Carb Cleaner and dab of vaseline... loads smoother....

Edited March 7, 2022 by PaulThePlug