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Post subject: Squier VM Precision TB - a review.
Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 2:19 pm
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Location: Calstock, Cornwall, UK
First off, looking at the Squier specs for this shows that the proof reader for their web site has no clue about the product - it's a mix of specs from this model and the Dirnt sig, which is now transferred to Squier production. Link to spec sheet

I'll start with the neck. It's a thoroughly modern C shape, and is one piece (fretted maple neck). Those who recoil from the original Telecaster Bass' C width will be pleased to note that the nut width is 1.6" / 40.5mm, slightly less than a standard B width. The nut itself is a cheap-looking plastic affair which appears to have had the slots melted into it with a set of hot heavy-gauge strings! However, it does the job. The finish is a very smooth and thin satin, and is very comfortable and fast under the hand. The truss rod is adjusted at the nut end; this is no Vintage RI after all. No bullet, and no 3-bolt tilt.

Body: Basswood, with ash veneers top and back. Many comments on how good it looks, and I agree. The veneers (on mine, at least) appear to be pretty well bookmatched. The body is the same as the Dirnt in that it's a sharp-edged slab, but has a forearm contour. Either way doesn't really worry me personally, as my main squeeze is the '51RI, but it might be a selling point for some.

Hardware: Much as you'd expect from a Squier. As I'm intending to use this quite a lot, most of it will be upgraded at some point. The bridge is a (to me) rather poor copy of the original two-saddler. It has large brass saddles, considerably beefier all round than the original steels. As they are also longer, there's no room for a bit of sideways movement to help with intonation tweaks. Otherwise, it's a solid job. Tuners are functional. String tree is horrid! I've changed the entirely OK strap buttons for Schaller straplocks already.

Electronics: The pickup looks to be a fairly accurate repro of the original Telebass humbucker. The polepiece heads seem to me to be different, but I've never seen an original in the flesh, so I can't be sure. It sounds pretty good to me, and I can dial in enough twang on my amp to keep it from being unrelenting mud. It can certainly do mud if you want it to, however! One thing I noticed - the position of this pickup is on a nodal point, the same distance from the bridge as the fifth fret is from the nut. This makes tuning with harmonics when plugged in a little difficult, as the note is faint. Unplugged, of course, it's fine. Controls are cheap far eastern, and feel stiff and stodgy. They're loosening up a bit, but at the first sign of problems, I'll rewire the bass with CTS pots and decent wire. The jack is a generic football-plate edge mount, probably easier to mess with than the standard Telecaster-type cup.

In use: Nothing you wouldn't expect, given the inspiration. Weight, about 8.6lbs, quite nice. I like it!
EDIT: the pix ought to be the same size...no clue why they're not...

Now, here's some pics.

Front
Image
Back
Image
Headstock
Image
Rear of headstock
Image

This is a further comment I wrote a few days later:-

Further to this, I've played the bass through some different amps/combos. The results were illuminating.
My Markbass, I can get anything I want. A Trace Elliot 715 combo, the same, with a little less treble available due to the 15" driver, but still fine. A Marshall VBA400 head through a 1x15" Hartke Transporter cab yielded unrelenting mud. The VBA is Marshall's take on a classic AVT, with more ooomph.
So, depending on what gear you've got, it may well live up to the original's rep for mud, but with something more modern, it can certainly be made to be more versatile.
Cheers, Dennis

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1996 Fender Precision '51 RI, Blond
2004 Fender Precision Std, Black-as-yer-'at
2007 Squier VM Precision TB, sunburst
Markbass CMD121H and ext cab


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 2:45 pm
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^ Nice honest review, thanx. I think I remember your thread on the FDP board. I'd heard rumor that the 55' P was going to retire from the Custom Shop stable this year, I've been hoping that interest in this bass would take off. Maybe then we'd see a Time Machine version of the original.


D

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2012 Fender Custom Shop 55 Precision Bass
2012 Fender American Vintage 57 Precision Bass RI
2014 Fender Super Bassman and Bassman 100T/410 Neo


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:02 am
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i like the look of it but what dose it sould like


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:43 pm
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Very fat and beefy! As the review said, if you use traditional amps, maybe too muddy. However, if you lean toward a Gibson EB3 sort of sound but like the scale and feel of a Fender, here's your answer!

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1996 Fender Precision '51 RI, Blond
2004 Fender Precision Std, Black-as-yer-'at
2007 Squier VM Precision TB, sunburst
Markbass CMD121H and ext cab


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 10:16 am
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thxs i was thinking about geting one


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:24 am
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Looks nice, i might need to get one and mod it up a bit


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:46 pm
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Hey,

I just got one of these basses. Everything sounds and looks amazing. My one and only problem...the volume/tone knobs fell off when I pulled the guitar out of the box. They don't just pop back on and stay on either. Can anybody help me out with this? Is there something I'm missing?

Let me know!

Thanks,
Outerson


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:02 pm
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Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2007 3:43 am
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Location: North East England
Outerson wrote:
Hey,

I just got one of these basses. Everything sounds and looks amazing. My one and only problem...the volume/tone knobs fell off when I pulled the guitar out of the box. They don't just pop back on and stay on either. Can anybody help me out with this? Is there something I'm missing?

Let me know!

Thanks,
Outerson


Do they have little allen wrench bolts that need tightening when you put it on?


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:19 am
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Hellrazor wrote:
Outerson wrote:
Hey,

I just got one of these basses. Everything sounds and looks amazing. My one and only problem...the volume/tone knobs fell off when I pulled the guitar out of the box. They don't just pop back on and stay on either. Can anybody help me out with this? Is there something I'm missing?

Let me know!

Thanks,
Outerson


Do they have little allen wrench bolts that need tightening when you put it on?


Nope, no little bolts. Turns out there's a slot that you just spread apart, then slide the knob on (making sure there's some resistance so it stays on).

This bass is wonderful! A lot of great sounds coming out of it. Very nice to play and I've already received a ton of compliments on the looks. Highly recommended!


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:49 pm
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Well.....I just used my holiday GAS money to order one of these babies.

I wanted to play one first, but, nobody in my area had one in stock including GC (two different locations) and Sam Ash.

My local music store (where my kids take music lessons) has a good Fender relationship so I asked them for a quote. They were happy I asked. Normally I order through the web because of pricing but they negotiated. So, based on all the extremely positive reviews I read and this bass' great looks, I ordered it. Ended up paying about $10.00 more, but, they'll check out the bass and do a complete setup.

FYI, Fender had the bass in stock, but, my music store friend told me that many of them were "spoken for." I'm not sure why they are so hard to find unless there are many online backorders out there.

Waiting with eager anticipation! :P Should make a nice companion for my VM Jazz bass.

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