NBD: wide spacing 5-string: Squier Jazz V DeLuxe

[mcnach]

I have two very nice 5 string basses. A MM SUB5 and a G&L L2500 Tribute series.
But you know how sometimes you play an instrument and you know "oh yes, this is it"? Well, it's never quite that way with these.

It comes down to string spacing for me.

I can get used to it. I am sure. But if I don't play them for a while, going back to them it's always a bit too prone to errors for my liking. I mean, I already make enough mistakes when I'm 100% comfortable!

I want a wide-space (19-20mm at the bridge) Stingray. Non existent. For now anyway (see another thread).

Maybe a Lakland 55-02 will be a good substitute?
I have yet to try one 'though.

And while looking at the available options, I kept reading good things about the Squier Jazz V DeLuxe, active 3-band EQ, which has been around for a few years now.

And then I found one, used, good price... and took it home:




And I really really like it.

Well, it could be better.
Actually, it could be a lot better.
The whole thing works, as is, sure, but... there's a "politeness" about it that is a bit unsettling.

The pickups seem a bit "polite", as I said. The sound is decent. But... come on, I've heard cheaper jazzes sounding growlier and more "jazzy".
Ah, maybe that's the issue: it does not sound like a Jazz. Well, a bit.
Perhaps the preamp has a lot to do with it. It's an ok preamp. It works. Mids are a bit restricted, but it does the job. But perhaps it colours too much the sound. Perhaps.

But the bass itself feels great. It's not light, but the G&L is definitely heavier. It balances well. The strange "ebanol" fingerboard gets fingrprints easily, but it looks and feels good. The bass had very low action and it buzzed a tiny bit when I got it home. A slight truss rod tweak is all it took.

It just feels really familiar and easy to play. It's a wide neck, as you can see. But the flattish fingerboard and shallow profile makes it quite easy to play even when I don't exactly have the hands of a giant.

Wide-spacing 5-string for not much money? Try this!

I started having visions of it with a MM pickup at the bridge and a John East preamp...

[stingrayPete1977]

I knew it! I love fretboards without markers, Looks cool

[fender73]

Looks nice - the low 'B' nice and clear?

[Darkstrike]

I have one of these, but never got on too well with it.

Killer, killer looks, but the neck is just too huge for me, once I carried it to a long jam and ended up in a lot of pain.

The B on mine was pretty weak too, I've hacked it to bits swapping out all kinds of pickups to test things. Eventually I need to fix it up. Heh.


That said, they do look great, and sound it too, plus most don't seem to have the issues I've had with mine, so good luck with it!

[mcnach]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1279126' date='Jun 22 2011, 10:06 PM']I knew it! I love fretboards without markers, Looks cool [/quote]




yes, but today I had the first rehearsal with it... playing it was great, the spacing really makes a big difference for my own comfort/confidence. But the sound is not quite there.

It will work live, but I find the preamp a bit limited and not enough punch. It does not sound like a Jazz.

So in the next few months one of two things will happen:

1) I try it passively. If it starts being a bit Jazzy, I might just get some good pickups and keep it passive (well, at least initially)

or

2) I go the whole hog and put a Seymour Duncan SMB5A at the bridge and a John East preamp

[mcnach]

[quote name='fender73' post='1279139' date='Jun 22 2011, 10:17 PM']Looks nice - the low 'B' nice and clear?[/quote]


not bad at all. It still has the strings it came with, not sure what they are (bought it used).

during rehearsal today, playing songs that I normally play on a 4-string, I threw in a low B as last note of a coupe of songs that happened to end on a B. It was mighty
But it really needs better pickups and/or preamp (I'm a little picky, the truth is you can gig with this and it'll do the job as it is. I am positive of it after tonight's rehearsal). Build-wise, however, I think it's great.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Darkstrike' post='1279171' date='Jun 22 2011, 10:41 PM']I have one of these, but never got on too well with it.

Killer, killer looks, but the neck is just too huge for me, once I carried it to a long jam and ended up in a lot of pain.

The B on mine was pretty weak too, I've hacked it to bits swapping out all kinds of pickups to test things. Eventually I need to fix it up. Heh.


That said, they do look great, and sound it too, plus most don't seem to have the issues I've had with mine, so good luck with it! [/quote]


Neck: yes, that sems to be the thing that makes people love it or hate it. That neck is the reason I bought it!

I think the B is ok, but pickups/preamp are not going to help much... the other strings don't sound much better (in that respect you can say it has a very balanced sound )

[Darkstrike]

[quote name='mcnach' post='1280347' date='Jun 23 2011, 11:34 PM']Neck: yes, that sems to be the thing that makes people love it or hate it. That neck is the reason I bought it!

I think the B is ok, but pickups/preamp are not going to help much... the other strings don't sound much better (in that respect you can say it has a very balanced sound )[/quote]
Nothing wrong with that, personal taste and all that!

It may just be a snafu at the factory on my one, as Fender had to replace the pickups and electronics due to a battery issue, maybe they dropped in some four strings by mistake, heh.