Squier CV Jazz vs Fender Am.Std.Jazz

[dave_bass5]

Can anyone confirm the stock strings are XL's? I know they look like them but there is a lot fo talk about this on TB and the general feeling is they are Fenders.
To my fingers they didnt feel like XLs but there are also a gauge down from what im used to so maybe that was it.

For what its worth my MIA jazz should be here tomorrow and im really looking forward to comparing it to my CVJ.

[funkle]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='898067' date='Jul 18 2010, 02:11 PM']Any update on this?[/quote]

Sorry, haven't spoken to the person 'in the know' for a while.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Not sure on this particular info, but the last two I've seen come into the local dealer have had the most glorious flamed maple on the necks. They're just getting better. Buy one before the powers that be at Corona put a stop this madness!

Edited July 19, 2010 by OutToPlayJazz

[gjones]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='899393' date='Jul 19 2010, 08:49 PM']Not sure on this particular info, but the last two I've seen come into the local dealer have had the most glorious flamed maple on the necks. They're just getting better. Buy one before the powers that be at Corona put a stop this madness! [/quote]

But I have 4 Jazzes already!

Not much of an excuse around here I know.....

[Linus27]

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='622714' date='Oct 10 2009, 09:36 PM']My brother spake the truth!

Nice comparitive review there mate - I fully agree with you, being an owner of both the CV Jazz and 50's Precision. In fact, I'm off to Birmingham tomorrow and if I find one, will probably purchase the CV 60's Precision in daphne blue! Then they will be sealed in my time pod and sold off (as you say!) 25 years from now for a small fortune!

Nick[/quote]

As a serious question, do you really think that will be the case with these basses? If you buy new now, say for £250 they would probably sell for £150 - £175 now secondhand. Do you really think that if you held onto them for say 20 years, you would be able to sell them for more than what they are new now?

[Linus27]

[quote name='funkle' post='758818' date='Feb 27 2010, 04:10 AM']Definite truth. The person whom I know is next week visiting the factory in China where the Squier CV's were made, before production was shifted to Indonesia. I spoke again to them today - to paraphrase: if the Squier CV has 'Crafted in China' on it, it was made in this (very good) factory, and it will be alder. Some of the 09's may be alder too, but only if they say they were 'Crafted in China'. Otherwise, they're made in Indonesia, and hence are basswood.[/quote]

Thats interesting, I have a Squire Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz which I believe came out before the Squire CV range but says Made in Indonesia. Are we saying that they were made in Indonesia, then shifted production to China for the CV range and then back to Indonesia?

Anyone have a Squire VM model that says Crafted in China on the headstock?

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Linus27' post='899605' date='Jul 19 2010, 11:50 PM']Thats interesting, I have a Squire Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz which I believe came out before the Squire CV range but says Made in Indonesia. Are we saying that they were made in Indonesia, then shifted production to China for the CV range and then back to Indonesia?[/quote]
The CVs have China and a Chinese serial number (unless some of the newest ones don't), but that CV production has moved to Indonesia doesn't seem to have benn established, as far as I can see.

[AndyTravis]

re indonesia/china...

Grand Reward (Farida) are still making the CV series.

If i hear owt different i'll let you know...but for now, all is the same as it was before.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='899244' date='Jul 19 2010, 06:39 PM']Can anyone confirm the stock strings are XL's? I know they look like them but there is a lot fo talk about this on TB and the general feeling is they are Fenders.
To my fingers they didnt feel like XLs but there are also a gauge down from what im used to so maybe that was it.

For what its worth my MIA jazz should be here tomorrow and im really looking forward to comparing it to my CVJ.[/quote]
You mean D'Addario XLs?

I thought mine were D'Addario XLs but I've read that D'Addario are now making Fender's strings which might completely explain why they are D'Addarios on a Squier.

[AndyTravis]

Farida use d'addario.

The new Fender strings are made by D'addario.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='899613' date='Jul 20 2010, 12:01 AM']I thought mine were D'Addario XLs but I've read that D'Addario are now making Fender's strings which might completely explain why they are D'Addarios on a Squier.[/quote]

Yeah, thats what i read. I think in the beginning it wasn't clear and people were basing it on the coloured ball ends.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='899719' date='Jul 20 2010, 09:09 AM']Yeah, thats what i read. I think in the beginning it wasn't clear and people were basing it on the coloured ball ends.[/quote]
All the evidence says D'Addario now.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='899723' date='Jul 20 2010, 09:17 AM']All the evidence says D'Addario now.[/quote]

Yeah, but not XLs though. This is where the confusion crept in.

[lanark]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='744630' date='Feb 14 2010, 12:00 PM']Mine is still wearing Pyramid Black Nylons but now also sports a pair of Wizard 64s - it's sounding good - and a white pearl pickguard.

I've been considering some Hipshot Lollipop tuners.[/quote]

I'd love to see a photo of the guitar with the black strings over the white body? Could you post one?

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='lanark' post='940442' date='Aug 30 2010, 10:01 PM']I'd love to see a photo of the guitar with the black strings over the white body? Could you post one?[/quote]
I'll try to sort a pic tomorrow. The Pyramid black nylons have been replaced by La Bella black nylons but the effect is the same. Looks good. If I forget to do it, feel free to PM to remind me.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='lanark' post='940442' date='Aug 30 2010, 10:01 PM']I'd love to see a photo of the guitar with the black strings over the white body? Could you post one?[/quote]
Here we go. You might notice a bit of a gap between the scratchplate and the control plate. I bought the scratchplate (from Cygnus x-1 on BC) on the offchance it would fit, which it nearly did, all the screw holes lined up although I lost one of the screws under the bed. I don't know whether I can be bothered to get one made to the tort original as a template so that it will fit perfectly. The black white combo looks better in person than in my poor pics.

[redstriper]

Looking good - how do the Labella blacks compare to the Rotosounds in sound and feel ?
And how do the Wizards compare to the original pups ?

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='redstriper' post='941310' date='Aug 31 2010, 07:59 PM']Looking good - how do the Labella blacks compare to the Rotosounds in sound and feel ?
And how do the Wizards compare to the original pups ?[/quote]

I have Wizard 74's in my CV Jazz.
They are haflway between the 64's and 84's. They have a lot of punch and low end but more high end than the 84's. I found the 84's a bit too dark sounding. Ive not tried the 64's yet (might put some in my HW-one though).
I found the stock CV Jazz pups to be nice but slightly scooped compared tot he Wizards.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='redstriper' post='941310' date='Aug 31 2010, 07:59 PM']Looking good - how do the Labella blacks compare to the Rotosounds in sound and feel ?
And how do the Wizards compare to the original pups ?[/quote]
The Wizards are thicker sounding in the bass and crisper in the highs than the original pickups - although I would say the originals are quite usable.

I haven't tried Roto black nylons on this bass. Before the La Bellas it was Pyramid Gold black nylons. I'm undecided about which I like more and may put the Pyramids back on. I'm finding the La Bellas somewhat brighter and clankier than I expected, whereas the Pyramids sound worn in straight out of the packet. I might even try some Rotos.

[lanark]

Love the contrast between the black strings and white body and scratchplate. Very nice indeed. Has anyone tried fitting bridge and pup covers to this thing?

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='lanark' post='941557' date='Aug 31 2010, 11:24 PM']Love the contrast between the black strings and white body and scratchplate. Very nice indeed. Has anyone tried fitting bridge and pup covers to this thing?[/quote]
I don't think a bridge cover fits over the high mass bridge.

[daz]

[quote name='funkle' post='899252' date='Jul 19 2010, 06:44 PM']Sorry, haven't spoken to the person 'in the know' for a while.[/quote]

Any update yet? Just out of interest i'd like to know if i have an alder or basswood bass?
PS: I bought my CV jazz in Spring this year, it had an CGS09***** crafted in china serial number.

Edited September 4, 2010 by daz

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='daz' post='945138' date='Sep 4 2010, 03:33 AM']Any update yet? Just out of interest i'd like to know if i have an alder or basswood bass?
PS: I bought my CV jazz in Spring this year, it had an CGS09***** crafted in china serial number.[/quote]
Every time I see one of the CVs in a shop I check were it was made and I haven't yet come across one not crafted in China.

[dan670844]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='622686' date='Oct 10 2009, 08:10 PM'][font="Tahoma"]There have been so many threads about the Classic Vibe jazz now that I decided to do a straight comparison with my 09 American Standard Jazz to see how it shaped up...

Firstly, I'm going to make a very bold statement. [/font]

[i][b][font="Tahoma"]The Classic Vibe Jazz is probably the most consistently high quality product to come out of the Fender corporation for years...[/font][/b][/i]

[font="Tahoma"]Here're the two basses. My American Standard Jazz at full RRP would cost not far off £1200 new. The Squier Classic Vibe at full retail at the moment is around £370. What I was most interested to find out was where the extra £800 goes on an American Standard.[/font]



[font="Tahoma"]The Am.Std body is made from the usual Alder with a thinner undercoat in order to let more of the vibration through, apparently. The upside is that you can see the grain of the wood through some of the finishes. The CV is made from cheaper basswood (and is none less resonant for it!) and is painted/glossed with a poly finish. Bridges are both new "high mass" designs. The new Fender unit is a little smaller (in the vintage style), has the ceramic saddle parts & of course caters for through body stringing. The larger CV bridge is adorned with hard-wearing looking brass saddles & seems to work very well in execution, with equally great sustain & tuning stability.




Both basses' necks are maple, the Am.Std's being flawlessly finished in a satin lacquer with a gentle ageing tint & the CV's being further tinted and gloss finished. I for one don't mind glossed necks at all. All of my Status basses have glossed graphite necks & my ACG is also glossed. In a way this finish always makes a bass feel more expensive. Grains in the maple are visible on both instruments & the Fender's glossed maple fingerboard is especially fetching. The Fender sports the usual medium-jumbo frets, while the CV has much narrower vintage frets. Both fretting jobs are of suitably high quality.[/font]



[font="Tahoma"]The only other real difference is in the tuners. The Fender's are the new lightened Hipshot tuners (apparently 30% lighter than their predecessors on the S1 model) and have a real quality feel to the chrome finishing. The Squier tuners also have upgraded chrome and feel suitably expensive, but obviously not quite in the same quality league.
[/font]



[font="Tahoma"]Neck pocket fit on the Fender is excellent & the Squier even keeps up in this respect, too. This is what constantly impresses with the Squier. It just doesn't feel like a cheap bass.
[/font]



[font="Tahoma"]Sound-wise, the Fender has all the typical Jazz "growl" you're ever going to want. The same goes for the Squier. It has that classic Jazz sound that some seem to search for endlessly in other instruments. Both are silent and hum free & both have an excellent "scopped" style sound with plenty of bright and low to go around. If I'm to get really clinical, the American Jazz (in the case of these two particular instruments) is a little smoother and sophisticated sounding, but that could be down to the 40-100 DR Fatbeams it's running on at the moment. The Squier is on 40-100 Rotosounds for the time being and sounds huge, bright & punchy.

Both instruments sound amazing through the Sadowsky preamp as well. Instant "super-jazz" results from both.

So at the end of the day we all know that some of the materials on the American instrument are going to be superior, but the whole point of this exercise is to show that the Squier CV Jazz feels and sounds so good & by no means does it feel £800 cheaper than it's US cousin. Just goes to show how much goes on the American workers' healthcare plans and pensions

If you haven't played one of these yet, make sure you do. The powers that be at Corona aren't going to let this young upstart be this good for too long. Perhaps in twenty-thirty years we'll all be talking of these instruments in the same breath as the much fabled JV model Squiers of the early 80's.

Incidentally, the Squier CV Jazz bass in the pictures here is the fifth example I've tried around the country. The quality control on these Chinese instruments is very, very good and consistently even across different batches.

So perhaps my earlier quote at the top of this post is quite apt...
[/font]

[/quote]


Being From the land of hope and glory England I will use the English word for Basswood ! i.e. Lime. I agree with you totally about the Squier, they are great instruments in their own right, and plenty good enough for gigging. I guess £370 allows them to spend a fair bit of time fettling it before it leaves the factory. Thats the problem with US instruments the fettling i guess costs an arm and a leg! I fancy a 50's P, 60's Jazz, and the VM Jazz its very difficult to resist!!!