zvirus Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Hi, Fender knows how to make sure new Classic Vibe Basses will not be better than MiM or USA basses (which WAS the case IMO): https://shop.fender.com/en-GB/squier-electric-basses/precision-bass/classic-vibe-60s-precision-bass/0374510505.html?rl=en_US https://shop.fender.com/en-GB/squier-electric-basses/jazz-bass/classic-vibe-60s-jazz-bass/0374530504.html Poplar body... seriously? Will this give you any sort of low end? Or maybe I`m totally wrong and they are still good? Cheers Tomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 What's wrong with poplar? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 The Classic Vibe series of both guitars and basses have always been very well regarded, I had the original Telecaster with the Pine body, that sounded fine, yes they are built to a budget but I do think they set a good benchmark for how good a guitar built to a lower budget can be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 https://support.fender.com/hc/en-us/articles/212775146-What-are-the-tonal-differences-on-solid-body-guitars-between-Alder-Ash-Poplar-Basswood-Mahogany-and-Maple- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Two lumps of wood, a pickup, bbot and some tuners, just like like any other P bass to me. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 3 minutes ago, stingrayPete1977 said: Two lumps of wood, a pickup, bbot and some tuners, just like like any other P bass to me. Agree, someone up on stage who switches from ash to poplar bodied bass, noone in the crowd will notice the difference. I was actually just looking at the Squier classic vibes at the moment. I wish they had some other colours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 My Vintage Tony Butler Precision is made of poplar and it’s a great sounding bass - sounds very similar to my US Fenders. Ok it has different pickups/hardware etc but it sounds more like the US ones than would be expected for the money, I don’t think the poplar body detracts from it much. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I suppose it depends on how much you think wood affects tone once you're plugged in. Personally I think pickup placement and pickup type affect plugged in tone far more than what wood the instrument is made of or what shape the body is. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spencer.b Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 (edited) I played an old one and it was great and really light, were the previous ones basswood? Edited March 24, 2019 by spencer.b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Music Man use poplar for some of their solid finishes IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 My Musicman USA SUB is made of Poplar. Sounds like a Musicman. 🤷 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 46 minutes ago, spencer.b said: I played an old one and it was great and really light, were the previous ones basswood? Yep. I certainly would not have an issue with a poplar bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr zed Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 So poplar is errrm....popular 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Certainly not bothered about Poplar, but Laurel just looks horrible, just looks super dry and cheap! Give me maple any day in the absence of proper rosewood. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moos3h Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 7 hours ago, Sibob said: Certainly not bothered about Poplar, but Laurel just looks horrible, just looks super dry and cheap! Give me maple any day in the absence of proper rosewood. Si I thought that but keep it fed and it looks great! I think they just let it get super dry on the basses its used on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 57 minutes ago, Moos3h said: I thought that but keep it fed and it looks great! I think they just let it get super dry on the basses its used on. You’re probably right, would be great to see some photos of Laurel in a healthier/properly oiled state. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Status09 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 They look and sound great! I tried the new 60's CV Precision in Olympic White with 3 ply tort scratch plate at Guitar Guitar in Camden - amazing build quality given it's £331 and sounded amazing - no complaints! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 GG in Glasgow have the sunburst Jazz with the maple neck. And very nice looking it is to. Didn`t plug it in as I had some cash and it might have been going home with me if it sounded as good as it looks. They are now made in Indonesia unlike the original ones which were Chinese. Don`t know if it makes a difference though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UglyDog Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 23 hours ago, Woodinblack said: Agree, someone up on stage who switches from ash to poplar bodied bass, noone in the crowd will notice the difference. I was actually just looking at the Squier classic vibes at the moment. I wish they had some other colours! Agreed on both counts. Nothing wrong with poplar, and dull colour choices. The daphne blue is quite nice, but needs a different pickguard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 21 hours ago, Sibob said: Certainly not bothered about Poplar, but Laurel just looks horrible, just looks super dry and cheap! Give me maple any day in the absence of proper rosewood. Si Two rosewood and one laurel fretboard right here. One of the rosewood boards has a slightly richer figure if you look VERY close and the laurel is slightly darker. I doubt I would have noticed if I hadn't read the spec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said: Two rosewood and one laurel fretboard right here. One of the rosewood boards has a slightly richer figure if you look VERY close and the laurel is slightly darker. I doubt I would have noticed if I hadn't read the spec. Ah that’s good then, must just be poor oiling or lighting in those stock photos then! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 (edited) On 24/03/2019 at 20:13, zvirus said: ... Poplar body... seriously? Will this give you any sort of low end? Or maybe I`m totally wrong and they are still good? Cheers Tomas I've played poplar-bodied basses ... ... and you know what, nobody ever said to me 'wow that bass has no sort of low end, is it poplar?' i'd expect them to be eminently playable and to sound great. Edited March 25, 2019 by EssentialTension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 What about the neck? My '64 has a fabulous slim "C" neck (back to front) - is this neck nice and slim? The only thing I don't like with modern Fenders is the light coloured rosewood. I'm spoilt obvs, but I do-likes-me a dark rosewood. Davo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 10 hours ago, Sibob said: Ah that’s good then, must just be poor oiling or lighting in those stock photos then! Si It may depend on the actual piece of wood - I may have got lucky! Old (~35years) rosewood left, young laurel (right). The laurel has similar but not quite as nice grain, but darker. Similar finish. The rosewood used to get treated with fast fret, but not for decades. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Maybe it's just me, but how many times can you reinvent the wheel? Also, the geometry on Squier headstocks always looks slightly off, an approximation rather than a straight copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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