How about a squire vm jazz bass?

[F&NSARSI]

Previous thread was about an OLP.

Now a Squire.

Talkbass ppl had did some mods like BAII bridge, tuners, J-Retro preamp, pups switch.

And claimed after these mods, the Squire actually sounds better than a Mij Jazz bass.

So can i check out the total cost of the bass and all these mods?
Cus im not really with the prices of these things?

Thanks.

 

[konicashoes]

funkygeos is selling a squire vm jazz bass. think he's selling around 500 negotiable..do check it out.

 

[b33r]

the Squier VM Jazz should already be good enough. if you don't like the sound of the pickups, change them. BAII is a ridiculously overpriced bridge, totally not worth it. if you want to change the bridge, get a Gotoh 201. if your bass isn't going out of tune every 10 mins, the tuners are fine. the J-retro will probably cost about half the bass itself. need an onboard preamp for tone shaping? up to you.

if i were to get a Squier VM to face off with an MIJ, i would probably swap out the pickups and electronics for better quality ones. that's all.

 

[F&NSARSI]

thats good to hear. So the Squire VM Jazz bass isn't that bad huh?

A BAII isn't value for money? Or it isnt value for money on this bass?

How much would a Gotoh 201 be?

 

[F&NSARSI]

funkygeos is selling a squire vm jazz bass. think he's selling around 500 negotiable..do check it out.

funkygeos's Squier VM Jazz Bass, is sorta of orangish, compared to a natural wood colour?

 

[konicashoes]

it's best you sms him for more details.

 

[Hickey_]

AFAIK the squire vm jazz bass is awesome. Totally worth the $$.

 

[F&NSARSI]

Besides a 2nd hand one, where else can i get the Squier VM Jazz?

 

[b33r]

swee lee probably brings it in.

the BAII is what, close to $100? i don't really know the price. anyway, you're paying that much for something that doesn't really do much to your tone or sustain. the whole "upgrading your bridge makes good bass" is more or less a myth, no one has been able to properly prove that the old bent-metal Fender style bridge lacks tone or sustain or whatever, and that the aftermarket bridges are way better. also, i heard that some people complained that the BAII prevented them from getting their action low enough.

as for the Gotoh, try asking Maestro, they bring in Gotoh stuff. otherwise, i think you'll have to ship in from somewhere like guitarpartsresource.com.

instead of changing the bridge, why not consider replacing the cheap plastic nut with a bone one? now that will make an improvement in tone. better get a professional to do it though.

and yeah...funkygeos's one looks kinda orangey...:?

 

[F&NSARSI]

So if i were to really get that bass, and made changers to the following...

1. Tuners. Most likely getting Hipshots. Are they all the same or are there specifically better ones? And where can i get Hipshots in SG?

2. Changing the nut to a bone one. Following b33r's advice. Where can i buy/get this done?

3. Pups. Definitely to Nordstrand Nj4, Emgs J/JX/JV or Barts. Or maybe something else?

4. A J-Retro Preamp. Where can i buy/install it? And how much would it be?

5. A Gotoh 201 bridge. At Maestro, like what b33r said.

Plus sending it for a full set up with intonation checks and lowering the action(most said they come with high action from the factory), and shielding it properly to avoid unwanted noises.

How much would it be?

 

[drumandbass]

You might wanna consider Lindy Fralin Jazz pickups. They sound pretty good.

 

[konicashoes]

i think you should get a used one since you have plans to mod. sweelee is selling it around $800-900 if i not wrong.

 

[funkygeos]

I'm not here to hard sell my bass but it is not orangish and the grains are obvious. It in very good condition. See to believe, why not give it a try at my place? Furthermore i'm selling at this price.

funkygeos's Squier VM Jazz Bass, is sorta of orangish, compared to a natural wood colour?

 

[b33r]

lol the orangeyness is probably because of the camera and lighting.

as for where to get Hipshot tuners and a bone nut, i have no idea actually. there are a few kinds of Hipshot tuners, the most popular (but also more expensive) ones would be the Ultralites. they're light, obviously, and should give your bass better balance.
Nordstrand pickups would definitely be a good choice, cherns at Red Dot Music brings them in. Lindy Fralins would be good too, TYMC should have them. both the Nordstrands and Fralins should give you a vintage 60s jazz bass tone.
i think cherns brings in the J-retro too. did i mention they cost about $400? that's almost the cost of the bass itself. is it worth it? up to you. you can check out the Audere onboard preamp, it's cheaper than the J-retro. i don't know how either perform, though.

depending on where you go, a full setup may cost about $45, excluding new strings. as for shielding (don't forget grounding) and installation of a new nut, you'll have to enquire. i'd also like to know hah.


btw, about the tuners, you need to find one that fits the Squier. shaft size, screw placement etc. don't ask me cuz i've never seen a need to replace tuners.

also, i forgot: there's the Gotoh 201 and the 203. the 201 should be a retrofit for most fender 5-hole(screw) bridges, whereas the 203 needs you to drill two extra screws at the top of the bridge, for "better tone transfer" according to them. the 203 is cheaper though.

 

[rubberduck]

I've had two squiers, no problems with the tuners. As for the pickups, the stock ones on my classic pbass was good so no need to change them too. Of course if yours have problems and you're not happy with them then its your freedom to change. Hmm but if you already have these plans to change this and that and that's going to cost as much as the bass itself then maybe you should save up and get something else? I would. Aiya but that's me lah.

Good luck with the bass shopping!

ps. the vintage modified is really worth the price!

 

[shinobi]

what b33r said is true, but not specifically for BA bridges, but most bridge mods.

but even among bridge mods, the BA is not good value for money. there are enough options out there that will do just as good a job for a fraction of the cost. Gotoh has already been mentioned.

personally, i felt that there was a strong need to mod my jazz bass because i find that stock fender bridges are very, very poor, with the exception of the bridges installed on certain fender USA models.

it is obvious that when a bridge can't even hold a saddle in place properly, tone will be greatly compromised.

 

[F&NSARSI]

Whats the difference between a Jretro Standard and a Jretro Deluxe? Cus cherns offered two different ones on his website.

How much are the Hipshot tuners gona cost me if i change all 4 of them?

Thanks for all the information ppl! Appreciate it loads.

 

[shinobi]

another thing- talkbass is often slightly exaggerated. the point that they are trying to make is that the squier vm series are built to specs that are comparable to fenders.

it goes against the notion that squire is built to inferior specs. in this case, quality is comparable, with the difference only being in the name. however, when you buy a squier vm you are paying a premium compared to other squires.

on a side note, you may want to consider the effects of making major zhngs to a bass. it's not as simple as making a bass sound 'better'. changing pups and electronics (effectively turning it from a passive into an active) will change the tone tremendously. consider the fact that many people love guitars such as fenders for their distinctive tone - which is something you could colour greatly with mods.

 

[shinobi]

you can ask cherns for a quote on hipshot. i don't think the prices are fixed, they depend on factors such as exchange rates. cherns can check it all out for you