Pow_22 Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 Righty oh then. Ive just sold my Epiphone Rivoli bass and that now leaves me with one (albeit the greatest bass i ever did play) bass in my arsenal. I dont really NEED a back up but id like to have one - plus my 2 year old has a fasination with "tars" and i dont want him getting to facinated with my '76 "tar". This leads me to start looking around with around half the proceeds from the rivoli at my disposal. My immediate thought was the Squier VM Telebass i had years ago, one cropped up in the local crack converters for £150 - well within budget and i did love my last one. Then a took a trip to PMT Manchester to see what they had and theres this bass - nothing like mny usual style, a bit 'quirky' looking, lovely glossy neck and around £270 - The Squier Cabronita bass. They let me play it through their usual Ampeg combo and it sounded great (well as good as you can with roundwounds anyway). Nicely set up, felt well made, a bit different to a lot of things out there and a maple neck (that i havent has for a while). So now im stuck - shell out a bit moire for the Cabronita, whack some flats on it and have fun or play 'safe' as it were and go for the VM Telebass (less versatile but fun all the same) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 May this is not what you want to hear, but I've tried the cabronita bass, and found it really rather poor for the money. Cheaply finished, plasticky to the touch and underwhelming in tone. That's with stock roundwounds through a hartke rig. You would be paying too much money for the name on the headstock IMO. There are another gazillion options out there, check them out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 (edited) For what it's worth (owning a Fender Cabronita P and having tried a Fender Modern Player Telecaster) my preference is for the Cabronita. When you consider that the Squier VM Telebass and the Squier Cabronita P are very similar in functional terms (4 string, single pickup, volume, tone) the difference is chiefly in the pickup. You couldn't have two much more different pickups, the Fideli'tron vs. the Wide Range Humbucker! Low output vs. high output balanced output with a sweeter high end vs. HEAVY BASS It's really down to the sound you want. Wide Range Humbucker plus flats might just be too lacking in treble, even for a flatwound fan. Fideli'tron plus flats might still be too bright for your liking. But at least there's a tone knob. It's much easier to remove treble response than it is to add it. The Fideli'tron is probably the lowest output pickup I've ever worked with, but that's what your preamp gain is for. Edited September 27, 2013 by neepheid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pow_22 Posted September 27, 2013 Author Share Posted September 27, 2013 Thanks neepheid, certainly food for thought. I wasnt aware of the low output on the Cabronita, i was actually expecting a 'p bass on steroid' type sound, dunno why. They have one in my local Dawsons so i should really try one plugged in. On the telebass, ive seen several mods where the tone pot is push/pull that selects a single coild from the pup thus lessening the 'mud' as it were. Will need to have a shop around and ignore the burning sensation in my pocket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pow_22 Posted September 29, 2013 Author Share Posted September 29, 2013 Well - spent an hour noodling on it today at PMT. First impressions were its really nicely set up. Now normally I HATE roundwounds but this sounded really warm with them which really surprised me given the above comments. I played it through an Orange Terror combo (the isobaric effort) and it was really punch which I love. Long and short of it is....its now sat in my front room and sounds even better through my valve combo and quietly tested through my big valve rig it sounds great. Normally id just whip the rounds off and get flats on it straight away but with this im not sure, I recon a set of D'addario Halfs would sound mean on this thing! Will be taking it to rehearsal tomorrow for a proper blast so will report back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr.harry Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Hi Pow 22 How are you getting on with the Cabronita? Have you put flat wounds on? Do you still play it, or does the '76 P rule the roost too much? Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storky Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 I really like the Squire Cabronita. I think it stacks up well against the Fender version; its got a slimmer neck, body contours, modern (non reverse) tuners and a better looking bridge which is more in proportion with the pick up and the minimal look of the guitar (which i really like). I think its the same pick-up, And its half the price of the Fender! I would be interested to know if it has the same CNC rout under the scratch plate, or if it could go naked? I'm tempted to find one 2nd hand and have it refinished in "Fiesta Red" which would be in keeping with the fiery Mexican theme suggested by the Cabronita name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immo Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 We're talking about which actually Squier Tele Bass? Tele Bass, Tele Bass Special or 70's TB? I have the latter (modded with Sting Bass neck and some minor tweaks) and it's my favourite. The Wide Range Humbucker (a.k.a. Mudbucker, if in neck position) on this baby is a really great and versatile PU if you know how to handle it. It's in an utmost position, so it does two amazing things at one time: [b]1[/b]. It gives a loads of mud and output, but [b]2[/b]. It sound changes A LOT depending on the picking place; picking above the pickup is mud and low end, picking near the bridge - that's a whole another story! Combined with a proper set of strings (Roto 88 TruBass in my case) it's a really versatile (in terms of musical genre application, not the universality of sound) and unique sounding bass. The Wide Range Humbucker can be, as you mentioned, there are many mods that can be done, as all four output wires are separate until they reach the pot cavity. So you can do a lot of mods - S/P switch, coil tap, phase reversal... You can combine those ideas using Push/Pull pots and do [url="http://cdn.seymourduncan.com/images/support/schematics/series_spl_parallel-w-phase.jpg"]this trick[/url]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskit_case Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 (edited) [quote name='Storky' timestamp='1386935492' post='2306554'] I really like the Squire Cabronita. I'm tempted to find one 2nd hand and have it refinished in "Fiesta Red" which would be in keeping with the fiery Mexican theme suggested by the Cabronita name. [/quote] What a stroke of [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/224535-fs-squier-cabronita-bass-l175/"]luck[/url] I will check under the scratch plate when home from work Edited December 13, 2013 by basskit_case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immo Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 [quote name='Storky' timestamp='1386935492' post='2306554'] (...)I'm tempted to find one 2nd hand and have it refinished in "Fiesta Red" which would be in keeping with the fiery Mexican theme suggested by the Cabronita name. [/quote] I'd use a pickguard with some Mexican motives like Santa Muerte, Cavaleras or other things like that. Would fit nicely my custom effect I ordered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storky Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 [quote name='basskit_case' timestamp='1386953667' post='2306796'] What a stroke of [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/224535-fs-squier-cabronita-bass-l175/"]luck[/url] I will check under the scratch plate when home from work [/quote] OMG - Don't do this to me! I was looking for one of these two weeks ago, missed one and couldn't find another so brought two other basses this week instead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskit_case Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 [quote name='Storky' timestamp='1386958000' post='2306882'] OMG - Don't do this to me! I was looking for one of these two weeks ago, missed one and couldn't find another so brought two other basses this week instead! [/quote] Just checked under the scratch plate and can confirm there is no CNC route under there. Go on Storky, its Christmas, treat yourself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storky Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 How can i refuse? PM'd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr.harry Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Me and my big mouth. I'll keep looking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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