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Post subject: Squier Vintage Modified Fretless
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 2:19 pm
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Well, where do I begin!

After a long day on my feet in town a few days back I decided I'd treat myself to a quick trip to a couple of my favourite music stores to see if any of them had the fabled Squire VM fretless in stock.

I had been wanting a go of one of these since I first saw them and after a short search I found one perched next to the Rickenbackers and the US Fenders in Guitar Guitar - says a lot about the reputation of these instruments!

After having a toodle on it I decided almost straight away that this would be my next bass. So much so, in fact, I put a deposit down on it right away and took it home 3 days later. :D

I have to say well done to Fender and Squier for making this wonderful guitar. It sounds absolutely fantastic and looks as good too. The only few small complaints would be that the tuners and bridge feel a little cheap and are ripe for upgrade, but to be quite honest for 200 quid it's a steal - and if you don't expect a few cheaper components at that price then you need your head checked! :p

Oh and maybe selling them strung with flatties would help too, I've only had mine for 2 days and the rounds are already eating the ebanol (oidiumsarcosimparafas or w/e they used :p)!

Tone-wise I wouldn't say it sounds as good as my USA Jazz bass it certainly is comparable, even favourable to many Mexican standards in my humble opinion.

I dare you to pickup this bass and not want it!

[edit - I'll post some pics of mine soon! :)]


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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:14 pm
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Congrats. I've played around with the fretless VM. I like it, fretless not my style tho. Not bad for $280. I have a VM 70's JB and like u I have the same complaint, the bridge (solved BadAss II) and the tuners. Waiting to see how much it will cost to replace on a later date.

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:02 pm
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I'm thinking about replacing the tuners with some nice vintage style reverse geared Fender ones and a nice Fender bridge with grooved saddles. Might add a Tortie Pickguard too and replace the knobs with plastic 70s style ones. I'd quite like to make it my own :) (but atm it still looks the bomb :D)


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Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:33 am
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I agree!!! My VM has the BadAss II's on 'em now. Also, I've replaced the knobs with Fender black Top Hat knobs from my '87. I have to start looking for new tuners, nothing wrong but it does feel cheap compared to my Fender. I have black strap lock screws and button with chrome strap attachement too...multi colored lol.

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'89 Power Jazz Bass Special-BadAssIII, EMG P/J
Project PBass-EMG PX, Schaller BM Light Tuner
'05 Aerodyne JBass
'06 Spector Legend Custom Neck Through
VT Bass
Hartke TA5000 w/XL Cabs(210, 410, 115)


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 4:40 pm
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As promised, two brothers from other mothers:

Image

:p


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:23 pm
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I like it. Ally, I saw a beat up JBass MIM the other day for $195, you think it'd be worth it to Frankenstein my VM with that neck? Wadya think? The neck is straight, the body is really beat, the paint off, pick guard scratch to sh*t. It look liked someone let a dog gnawed on it. I want it for the neck only.

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'89 Power Jazz Bass Special-BadAssIII, EMG P/J
Project PBass-EMG PX, Schaller BM Light Tuner
'05 Aerodyne JBass
'06 Spector Legend Custom Neck Through
VT Bass
Hartke TA5000 w/XL Cabs(210, 410, 115)


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:32 pm
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195 is a bit steep if you're just gonna use it for the neck though dont ya think?

I dunno, I guess you could flog the rest on ebay I guess.

Do you not like the Squier neck?


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:41 pm
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I like it, I like the way it looks, the way it plays, and the maple fret board. I just been looking for a Fender neck - I know it's the same. $195 gets me the whole bass too tho, so I do have spare parts it need be.

On Ebay they've been selling for crazy $$$, some aren't even Fender necks, and they want over $200. We don't use the Queen's money here either in the States... :D ,

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Rez(# 30916)
'89 Power Jazz Bass Special-BadAssIII, EMG P/J
Project PBass-EMG PX, Schaller BM Light Tuner
'05 Aerodyne JBass
'06 Spector Legend Custom Neck Through
VT Bass
Hartke TA5000 w/XL Cabs(210, 410, 115)


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:41 pm
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Thanks for your input man, I appreciate it :)

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'89 Power Jazz Bass Special-BadAssIII, EMG P/J
Project PBass-EMG PX, Schaller BM Light Tuner
'05 Aerodyne JBass
'06 Spector Legend Custom Neck Through
VT Bass
Hartke TA5000 w/XL Cabs(210, 410, 115)


Last edited by PowerJazzBass on Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:48 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:46 pm
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Yeah, suppose so, if you got the cash, why not! :)


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Post subject: Love It but have a question or 2
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:14 am
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I've had mine for about two weeks now and it's a great joy to play. Reading a few other web sites, that have message boards, I am seeing other people do not like the pick ups on these. I think they sound great, but then I haven't jumped into that area yet. Does anyone here have information or advice to share, or is this just something for someone else to gripe about ?

Thanks, Jeff


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:12 am
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I was loving the PUPs on mine until literally just ten minutes ago I picked up my American J bass and it just wiped the floor with the squier IMO

They just don't have that growl from what I can tell :(

Still they're excellent for 200 odd quid and although I may consider upgrading in the future, they still give a nice classic fretless Mwah tone all the same. No reason to not buy this or any other squier VM guitars at all!


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:38 pm
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ally wrote:
I'm thinking about replacing the tuners with some nice vintage style reverse geared Fender ones and a nice Fender bridge with grooved saddles. Might add a Tortie Pickguard too and replace the knobs with plastic 70s style ones. I'd quite like to make it my own :) (but atm it still looks the bomb :D)


Hey Ally, did you ever (or anyone) try adding a pickguard to the VM fretless? I have one but i'm not sure if the standard J-Bass pickguard would fit, I'd like to add a tortoise one as well.

Just got it today and it sounds pretty decent (once i changed to TI flats), i'm defeinitely not mad!


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:57 am
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johndough247 wrote:
ally wrote:
I'm thinking about replacing the tuners with some nice vintage style reverse geared Fender ones and a nice Fender bridge with grooved saddles. Might add a Tortie Pickguard too and replace the knobs with plastic 70s style ones. I'd quite like to make it my own :) (but atm it still looks the bomb :D)


Hey Ally, did you ever (or anyone) try adding a pickguard to the VM fretless? I have one but i'm not sure if the standard J-Bass pickguard would fit, I'd like to add a tortoise one as well.

Just got it today and it sounds pretty decent (once i changed to TI flats), i'm defeinitely not mad!


I was looking for a replacement pick guard for my VM, nothing off the Fender fits properly. The holes for the screws won't line up. The thing with the fretless is that it has never been drilled for a pickguard. If you have it already, test fit it, w/o drilling off course, then tell us if it fits... :)

_________________
Rez(# 30916)
'89 Power Jazz Bass Special-BadAssIII, EMG P/J
Project PBass-EMG PX, Schaller BM Light Tuner
'05 Aerodyne JBass
'06 Spector Legend Custom Neck Through
VT Bass
Hartke TA5000 w/XL Cabs(210, 410, 115)


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:15 am
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PowerJazzBass wrote:
I was looking for a replacement pick guard for my VM, nothing off the Fender fits properly. The holes for the screws won't line up. The thing with the fretless is that it has never been drilled for a pickguard. If you have it already, test fit it, w/o drilling off course, then tell us if it fits... :)


Well I actually have a geddy lee jazz bass that i've changed pickguards on with a fender pickguard, so I took the original pickguard from that and tried putting it on the VM fretless, but the pickguard extends a little bit over the control plate. Based on that i'm afraid to order anything online.

Warmoth has pickguards for a body size they call a "dinky J"...i'm wondering if that would fit...how hard is it to adjust the pickguard to the bass (cutting it)?


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