Squier VM Jazz

[sam_]

I've been playting about 6 months now, mainly on this crappy wesley bass (not realy touching the 5 string til i feel i can utilise it to it's fullest, still a nice bass.) looking to get a new bass beggining of march, got about £200 - £250 to spend, and the VM jazz looks very nice, the wesley currently has a J pickup setup so i'm used to it, just wondering if i'd be better off trying a pector performer 4 and schecter stilletto extreme 4 first, i'm starting to get set on the jazz.

not been able to try any of them yet, gotta wait til i can get to SC in bristol.

[Hit&Run]

I've got a VM Jazz and it's awesome; nice looking and nice playing.

[RayFW]

They are an absolute bargain. Out of the box I only needed to tweak the intonation a tad to make it a very playable and fine sounding instrument. Both pickups on full with full tone gives a great slap sound. Bridge pickup only with tone rolled off gives a lovely Jaco like tone. It also looks absolutely mint.
Add new pickups (Wizards are highly recommended) and a Badass II bridge at a later date like I have and you'll have an absolute monster for not a lot of money.
Highly recommended.

[neptunehealer]

[quote name='rayfw' post='139215' date='Feb 13 2008, 12:53 AM']They are an absolute bargain. Out of the box I only needed to tweak the intonation a tad to make it a very playable and fine sounding instrument. Both pickups on full with full tone gives a great slap sound. Bridge pickup only with tone rolled off gives a lovely Jaco like tone. It also looks absolutely mint.
Add new pickups (Wizards are highly recommended) and a Badass II bridge at a later date like I have and you'll have an absolute monster for not a lot of money.
Highly recommended.[/quote]

Well if this truly is the case then why should i get a Fender. This seems to be an amazing buy if you can get them kind of tones from it. Is this bass lightweight also can you get a distinctive tone regardless of what rig your using.
Also do you fit the wizard pickups and badass yourself or do you get a guitar shop to do it?
Also what wizards did you get?

I am eyeing the natural colour one.

[RichardH]

I think their weight varies. I tried one in our local music shop and it was a real boat anchor - but someone was selling one on another forum (not for sale any more) and that sounded like a much lighter one.

[RayFW]

[quote name='neptunehealer' post='139317' date='Feb 13 2008, 10:02 AM']Well if this truly is the case then why should i get a Fender. This seems to be an amazing buy if you can get them kind of tones from it. Is this bass lightweight also can you get a distinctive tone regardless of what rig your using.
Also do you fit the wizard pickups and badass yourself or do you get a guitar shop to do it?
Also what wizards did you get?

I am eyeing the natural colour one.[/quote]
Not sure how much it weighs but it's certainly lighter than my Warwick which weighs approx 10 pounds. I've not tried it through anybody else's rig so I can't really answer that question.
I fitted the badass myself but got a techy friend to put the wizards in as soldering is not my strong point. If you're confident with a soldering iron you should be able to fit them yourself. I got the 64s.
I'll try and put some sound clips up later.

[Hit&Run]

Mine weighs quite a bit, but a nice wide strap sorts that out!
I swapped the pups for dimarzios, put a badassII on, and then went mad and got a j-retro and fender headstock decal just to complete the pimping.

Mine's got a figured maple neck (I think). It looks sweeter than a bog standard maple neck. Maybe I should photo it?
I took my VMJ with me when I bought an ashdown amp from steve-soar (on this forum). He thought it was the real deal.
'Nuff said.

[Linus27]

I think they are superb basses. I was looking at getting one and would had if I did not already have an awsome ESp 400 Series Jazz bass which is now about 20 years old. So instead, I bought the Squire Vintage modified Jazz Fretless and it is a superb bass. I have owned a Musicman, a 77 Precision, a 72 Telecaster bass and this Squire fretless is amazing.

i don't think your go wrong with the VM Jazz. In fact, your love it. just buy it.

[Paul Cooke]

mine tips the scales at 10lb

[Jono Bolton]

I'd like a Squier VM but I can't decide which to get. I like the look of both the Precisions and both the Jazzes. Don't think it matters anyway because I always swap the bridges for BadAsses and pickups for Duncans. But they look awesome and I've not heard any bad reviews of them and you an get them for really reasonable prices. If only there were a 5 string version.

[Buzz]

[quote name='jono b' post='139854' date='Feb 13 2008, 08:55 PM']I'd like a Squier VM but I can't decide which to get. I like the look of both the Precisions and both the Jazzes. Don't think it matters anyway because I always swap the bridges for BadAsses and pickups for Duncans. But they look awesome and I've not heard any bad reviews of them and you an get them for really reasonable prices. If only there were a 5 string version.[/quote]

Apparently the Squire Deluxe has that covered:
[url="http://www.squierguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=0300575500"]http://www.squierguitars.com/products/sear...rtno=0300575500[/url]

There's a very favourable review in the reviews section for it as well.



Back on topic, I own a VMJ.

While I was at home with both it and my Fender Aerodyne (Jap non-export), the VMJ got picked up all the time and played more. For the £219ish I paid, cracking bass.

[Jono Bolton]

Goddammit! I'd want the white one, but it has a matching headstock and reminds me of the white P Duff McKagan plays I don't know if I like it without a scratchplate either. A Precision would be nicer.

[nash]

the squier vm stuff is simply amazing

[RayFW]

Here's a couple of sound clips as promised.

Recorded with a Yamaha NE1 for a bit of eq but otherwise direct - no compression etc.
[attachment=5651:Both_pickups_slap.mp3]
[attachment=5652:Bridge_o..._rolloff.mp3]

[sam_]

just reading all the rage about the SX series from rondomusic i'm very inclined to order an [url="http://www.rondomusic.com/product1579.html"]"SX SJB-62QMD BUS"[/url] instead of getting the VM jazz and just modding it, it'll probably work out cheaper

[Hamster]

[quote name='sam_' post='142116' date='Feb 17 2008, 08:46 PM']just reading all the rage about the SX series from rondomusic i'm very inclined to order an [url="http://www.rondomusic.com/product1579.html"]"SX SJB-62QMD BUS"[/url] instead of getting the VM jazz and just modding it, it'll probably work out cheaper [/quote]

Do your math first. Also the woodwork on the SX basses is a very deep amber/orange if you can live with that.

Hamster

[nash]

id go for a VMJ over a sx. i'm gonna try and buy my house mates off him.

[sam_]

[quote name='Hamster' post='142145' date='Feb 17 2008, 09:28 PM']Do your math first. Also the woodwork on the SX basses is a very deep amber/orange if you can live with that.

Hamster[/quote]
i'm fine with the orangey woodwork.

it looks like it'll come to £110ish + whatever they charge me on import tax, then possibly a replacement bridge, but i'll tackle that when i get to it.

[Buzz]

Just a note, you'll probably lose less money on the VMJ if you keep it in good nick and come to sell it on, due to it being a top of the line Squier and all that.