Calling Squier JV experts

[bigthumb]

I need some opinions on this bass that I acquired earlier this year. It was an eBay purchase, not from a Basschatter I'd like to add.

Anyhow, at the time I was looking to get another US Pbass but this one popped up and it looked pretty good. First of all no obvious modifications and added pickups, secondly the superb condition and the price wasn't OTT like some others I had seen. I've never owned a JV but the ones I've had a go on really impressed so I thought lets go for it.

On playing the first thing I noticed was the shallow neck profile, very unlike the more chunky ones on my other Precisions. This I liked! Sound wise really growly, exactly what I wanted to hear coming out of the speaker. The only down side for me was It's slightly heaver than I was hoping for but it's by no means the heaviest and TBH wouldn't cause a problem. So on the whole I'm pretty happy with it. It needed setting up to my liking but I'd get around to that when I had the time.

So, this is when I noticed things. First there was no date penciled in the bottom of the neck. I wondered if over time it had rubbed off but there really is no evidence of anything there. Secondly the pickup doesn't have the raised 'A' magnet and thirdly the reverse winding tuners don't sit flush on the back of the headstock. I know why this is as I've retro fitted these types of tuners and it's been a right pain in the butt. Anyhow, I removed one of these tuners but there was no evidence of any other types been fitted. i.e no extra holes. 

Everything else seems fine. Threaded saddles, single ply plate cloth covered wiring etc. Sounds lovely and obviously very well put together.  

So really I need some opinions on this please. 

 

 

[Paul S]

I wouldn't dream of saying I was an expert but I have owned 2, still have one, the one I sold was the twin of this except with the Fender logo.  The neck sounds absolutely spot on - both mine were shallow C profile approx 19mm deep at the third fret, 42mm across the nut.  I can't comment on anything else - both mine had the raised A pole pieces.  Are the tuners from an old JV or new?

[bigthumb]

7 minutes ago, Paul S said:

I wouldn't dream of saying I was an expert but I have owned 2, still have one, the one I sold was the twin of this except with the Fender logo.  The neck sounds absolutely spot on - both mine were shallow C profile approx 19mm deep at the third fret, 42mm across the nut.  I can't comment on anything else - both mine had the raised A pole pieces.  Are the tuners from an old JV or new?

Thanks. The tuners were on the bass when I bought it although they don't look 40 years old. In fact the whole bass looks pretty new. Probably (I hope) spent most of its life in a case. 

[Paul S]

If the tuners bother you I can heartily recommend Gotoh Resolite reverse gearing.  A straight drop-in and go some way to reduce the weight as they really are very light. 

 

Speaking of weight, my tobaccoburst was 9lbs on the nose, my black one is 8lbs, so maybe they kept the better grain, but heavier, timber for the seethrough finishes?

[bigthumb]

33 minutes ago, Paul S said:

If the tuners bother you I can heartily recommend Gotoh Resolite reverse gearing.  A straight drop-in and go some way to reduce the weight as they really are very light. 

 

Speaking of weight, my tobaccoburst was 9lbs on the nose, my black one is 8lbs, so maybe they kept the better grain, but heavier, timber for the seethrough finishes?

The tuners don't bother me at all, it's just whether they are the original ones. Did your JVs tuners sit flush to the headstock? The weight of mine feels slightly heavier than 9lbs but not by much. It was lighter than my US ones though. Also, I remember playing on a white JV that was very light. 

[Paul S]

57 minutes ago, bigthumb said:

The tuners don't bother me at all, it's just whether they are the original ones. Did your JVs tuners sit flush to the headstock? The weight of mine feels slightly heavier than 9lbs but not by much. It was lighter than my US ones though. Also, I remember playing on a white JV that was very light. 

 

Yes, they did.

[Jono Bolton]

2 hours ago, bigthumb said:

The tuners don't bother me at all, it's just whether they are the original ones. Did your JVs tuners sit flush to the headstock? The weight of mine feels slightly heavier than 9lbs but not by much. It was lighter than my US ones though. Also, I remember playing on a white JV that was very light. 

The tuners on my JV Precision are the originals and they don't sit flush to the headstock. I don't recall ever seeing a date on the neck either, but I would need to check to be certain.

[bigthumb]

30 minutes ago, Jono Bolton said:

The tuners on my JV Precision are the originals and they don't sit flush to the headstock. I don't recall ever seeing a date on the neck either, but I would need to check to be certain.

 

Thanks for that info 👍

[Paddy515]

Just happen to have the neck off my JV1, 1982. Date in pencil, tuners flush fitting.

[KK Jale]

It looks straight, and the router hump ticks another box. I can't answer for the tuner fitting as mine has Resolites now.

 

I had a 57 JV P in the past that weighed at least 9.5lbs...
 

Just a small point - no recollection of them having dome-topped knobs.

Edited December 30, 2022 by KK Jale

[bartelby]

The tuners on my '83 JV are flush, and the neck is dated.

[Pea Turgh]

Bought mine from the first owner.  I have never noticed that my tuners aren’t flush!  They look like yours (OP).

I had raised pole pieces under the A string but they did my head in so I swapped them for Toneriders.  Also put a Kiogon loom in.  I can’t remember if the original wiring was cloth covered or not. Original plate, loom & pickups buried in a box somewhere.

Weight for mine is 3.9 kgs.

Edited December 31, 2022 by Pea Turgh
I got the weight wrong 🤡

[bartelby]

Wiring should be cloth covered.

[Jono Bolton]

1 hour ago, Paddy515 said:

Just happen to have the neck off my JV1, 1982. Date in pencil, tuners flush fitting.

Looks like there's a gap at the bottom on each of the tuners there

[bigthumb]

Why the tuners don't sit flush to the headstock is because of the way the peg is connected to the plate. I've fitted these types and to get them sitting flush I had to mark and drill out a small piece of the back of the headstock. 

My JV will have this type of tuner and there's obviously no provision made to get them to sit flat against the wood. It just don't look right to me but this is the only JV I've owned so I have no experience of them. 

[LukeFRC]

8 hours ago, bigthumb said:

thirdly the reverse winding tuners don't sit flush on the back of the headstock.

This is right - and vintage accurate too - the drill holes for the bits at the bottom of the tuners to fit into we’re added later in fender history 

[LukeFRC]

2 hours ago, KK Jale said:

Just a small point - no recollection of them having dome-topped knobs.

I *think* from memory some of the early ones had more dome topped knobs - one I sold to @Paul S did anyway.

I think it looks like a legit earlyish Sen bodied JV there - any stamps in the neck pocket or back of the neck?

 

raised A pickups … no idea. 
anyway slightly jealous

[KK Jale]

8 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

I *think* from memory some of the early ones had more dome topped knobs -

Ah, you're right, there's one on 21frets with dome knobs. http://www.21frets.com/squier_jv/jvprecisionbass.htm

[LukeFRC]

2 minutes ago, KK Jale said:

Ah, you're right, there's one on 21frets with dome knobs. http://www.21frets.com/squier_jv/jvprecisionbass.htm

My guess is Greco basses from the year before used more domed ones and they finished them up first before moving to square edge 

[bigthumb]

I'll remove the neck and see if there's any markings or stamps. I did take the neck off some time ago but I really can't remember if there was anything there as I was looking for the penciled date.

 

Thanks for all your comments BTW. 

[Jono Bolton]

1 hour ago, LukeFRC said:

My guess is Greco basses from the year before used more domed ones and they finished them up first before moving to square edge 

Looks like raised A pole-pieces on the sunburst one in that link too

[GuyR]

Not sure about the pickups and pencil date, but the tuners are 100% correct. Both of mine have the gap under, as do the original pre cbs basses they replicate.
Your bass has a low serial number for a Squier logo bass. Must be just after the change over. I have a JB with a serial number 300 higher than yours and a large fender logo.

No reason to believe your bass is other than original from the images.

[bartelby]

Oh, I was wrong about the tuners on mine. Now I’m back home and had a look, there is a slight gap:

[Jono Bolton]

6 hours ago, bartelby said:

Oh, I was wrong about the tuners on mine. Now I’m back home and had a look, there is a slight gap:

They're just like that. I have two sets of JV tuners; one on my JV, and one on my current build, and neither sit perfectly flat, even though both headstocks have the divots drilled out to accommodate the tuners

[Donnyboy]

Hi , I'm certainly not an expert but have had  a 1983  '57 Precision since new. Apart from the domed (?) knobs all seems to be pretty much the same . And , I have say yours does look fantastic 👍