I got myself a CV Squier....!

[cameltoe]

I've been trying to sell my Fret King bass on here for the last couple weeks to fund another bass. As good as the Fret King was, I couldn't get on with it. On a trip to London this weekend I headed to The Gallery to see if I could trade it. After trying a load of basses and hanging out in the shop for about 2 hours, I narrowed it down to just a few basses including a CV '50's Precision and a Vintage Modified Jazz.

The Jazz was staggeringly heavy compared to the CV, and after having balance and comfort issues with the fret king this was a major drawback to me. It sounded GREAT with those duncan pickups, but I easily prefer the sound of a Precision over a Jazz, so that didn't really help me. Another thing that put me off were the block inlays on the neck. These seem to have been drawn on in felt tip, as well as two lines running the length of the neck on the top and bottom respectively. Wasn't a great job, and the unfinished neck felt just that, unfinished. It should have been much smoother to the touch and didn't look half as good as the quality of wood on the CV. The body looked well finished though, and the grain of wood looked attractive through the laquer.

The action was very well set up on the VM Jazz, and for a while this put me off. Although the 'made in Indonesia' tag on the back of the headstock didn't sit as comfy with me as the 'crafted in China' on the back of the CV headstock!

I also tried a Cort (very nice) a SoundGear by Ibanez, a G&L L2000, and a Fernandes musicman copy.

The Cort and the Ibanez were great but both had very narrow necks. Ibanez had HUGE gaps around the neck pocket. I'm not sure of the model, but it had Bartollini's and Hipshot tuners with a natural finish.

The Cort looked and sounded great, very well put together with MightyMite Pickups, block inlay neck, and matching headstock. But the neck was too narrow for me.

The G&L had an absolute baseball bat of a neck! Seemed identical to the Fret King I just traded in, and considering they have the exact same headstock I wonder if there's been some buying up of old G&L parts by the people who make Fret Kings? Also quite heavy, and actually felt so much like my fret king I didn't pursue it further. An awesome feeling of quality from the instrument though, it really stood out amongst the rest. It had a really low, lazy action with no fret noise, but I could see myself having the same comfort issues with this one. The amount of switches was putting me off too. I don't want to be faffing around with my sound.

Fernandes sounded great, very growly and musicman like, but not for me. I wasn't impressed by the quality of the neck wood either.

So, enter the CV Precision. I hadn't tried a 50's CV Precision before and the first thing I noticed was how light it was. The quality and finish of the neck was also very impressive, and although the action could have been better, it sat very comfy on me and the neck felt great to play. The fit around the neck pocket was the best of all the basses I had tried that day, and considering some of them were £600, this was good news. Had a great sound, if not as tight and punchy as some of the basses I had tried that day (G&L and Ibanez especially) it did have a lovely tone to it, and considering it was half the price AND I would change the p'up anyway, this wasn't a huge concern.

In the end, it felt the only instrument that I tried that day that could match the G&L in terms of quality. It feels very well put together with a lot of attention paid to it. I also had lurking in the back of my mind that I have a Road Worn Precision on the way soon, and this not only felt a very similar weight, it also felt like the same profile neck. Considering I may have to swap them around at times, it felt like a good move to go for a similar playing bass with a similar neck profile. If I had to suddenly switch to an insanely narrow neck like the Ibanez had, it might cause me a bit of grief.

I've always loved the look of the '50's CV Precision, and I made sure I wasn't just convincing myself to go for it without giving the others a chance. In the end, considering as well the price, it was a no-brainer for me. I'm sure Jazz bass fans or guys who prefer narrower necks could have got on very well with the Cort or the Ibanez, but these were also much more expensive.

I was also impressed by the quality of the CV in a direct comparison to the Vintage Modified Jazz. I'm sure the VMJ basses have their fans, but for me the CV felt miles ahead in terms of quality. Yes, the CV's may be made from much cheaper materials than the other basses I tried that day, but they've been put together and finished so well it's no wonder people have been raving about them!

Now I just need to do two things- Change the pickup (Suggestions welcome! Although I see Wizard don't do a single coil Precision p'up) and move the thumb rest from underneath the strings, to above the pickup as I badly need a thumb anchor. (why oh why do they put them underneath the strings? what's the point?)

Anyway, no pics no bass, so here you go:

[Huge Hands]

I'm no expert by any means, but I think your rest in that postion was designed for fingers, for those players that plucked with the thumb.

I could be wrong of course....nice looking bass by the way.

[Grand Wazoo]

1) Pickups: Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound I believe is the best match for this bass [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/basslines/progressive-1/scpb3_quarterpo/"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bass...cpb3_quarterpo/[/url]





2) Wirings & Pots: change the Volume and Tone pots for a set of original Fender CST 250 K and high quality Fender waxed cloth covered wiring together with the correct Sprague capacitor and a Switchcraft input jack all of which are available as a complete kit for £14.99 on this link: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WIRING-KIT-FENDER-PRECISION-BASS-HIGH-QUALITY-/270578014080?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item3effb4d780"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WIRING-KIT-FENDER-PR...=item3effb4d780[/url]






I've tried the other Seymour Duncan vintage pickup but the Quarter Pound gave it the necessary presence and punch that I was looking for whereas the other one felt thin in comparison.

[cameltoe]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='839190' date='May 16 2010, 08:13 PM']1) Pickups: Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound I believe is the best match for this bass [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/basslines/progressive-1/scpb3_quarterpo/"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bass...cpb3_quarterpo/[/url]





2) Wirings & Pots: change the Volume and Tone pots for a set of original Fender CST 250 K and high quality Fender waxed cloth covered wiring together with the correct Sprague capacitor and a Switchcraft input jack all of which are available as a complete kit for £14.99 on this link: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WIRING-KIT-FENDER-PRECISION-BASS-HIGH-QUALITY-/270578014080?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item3effb4d780"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WIRING-KIT-FENDER-PR...=item3effb4d780[/url]






I've tried the other Seymour Duncan vintage pickup but the Quarter Pound gave it the necessary presence and punch that I was looking for whereas the other one felt thin in comparison.[/quote]


Marvellous advice as always Grand Wazoo!

I told you I'd get one didn't I?

I have spotted a Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickup for the single coil Precision in the For Sale section. These are around £75 new, wondered if that would be a good match? I don't know too much about them though, the only thing I can find is that they are a sort-of reissue of the original Telebass pickup, a sort of 'original vintage' so to speak.

[cameltoe]

That wiring kit will be going in as well!

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='cameltoe' post='839168' date='May 16 2010, 07:54 PM']... move the thumb rest from underneath the strings, to above the pickup as I badly need a thumb anchor. (why oh why do they put them underneath the strings? what's the point?)[/quote]
... the heel of the palm sat on the pickup cover, the fingers pulled against the tugbar (as it was known), and you plucked the strings with your thumb - that was the plan. It stayed that way until the early 1970s. Classic Vibes and other reissues usually recreate how it used to be.

BTW, nice bass.

Edited May 16, 2010 by EssentialTension

[cameltoe]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='839197' date='May 16 2010, 08:22 PM']... the heel of the palm sat on the pickup cover, the fingers pulled against the tugbar (as it was known), and you plucked the strings with your thumb - that was the plan. It stayed that way until the early 1970s. Classic Vibes and other reissues usually recreate how it used to be.[/quote]

That makes sense!

Well I still need a Thumb anchor as the single coil has no casing around the sides for my thumb to rest on. I'm OK for the A D G strings as I use the string above as an anchor, but for the E string I usually use the Pickup as an anchor.

[Clarky]

[quote name='cameltoe' post='839195' date='May 16 2010, 08:21 PM']I have spotted a Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickup for the single coil Precision in the For Sale section. These are around £75 new, wondered if that would be a good match? I don't know too much about them though, the only thing I can find is that they are a sort-of reissue of the original Telebass pickup, a sort of 'original vintage' so to speak.[/quote]
There was a SD Antiquity in the 51P I sold last week. Really good pickup with lots of depth, I'm guessing not as much punch as the one Grand Wazoo has suggested but probably more authentic sounding/looking. When I did some research on this the one most websites were raving over was the single coil p/u made by Jason Lollar. However they are around £90-odd from a German website which is a bit rich IMHO

[Ou7shined]

It all depends upon what sound you are after but without doubt the best pup on the planet for this kind of bass is a Lollar - believe me I have tried a few different makes. You can't buy them new over here, you have to get them sent over fron the States.

[Clarky]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='839202' date='May 16 2010, 08:27 PM']It all depends upon what sound you are after but without doubt the best pup on the planet for this kind of bass is a Lollar - believe me I have tried a few different makes. You can't buy them new over here, you have to get them sent over fron the States.[/quote]
There is one German supplier, station music (sells for Euro 99, so about £90) - here's the link [url="http://www.station-music.de/gitarre/gitarre_amps/lollar_pu.html"]http://www.station-music.de/gitarre/gitarr.../lollar_pu.html[/url]

[cameltoe]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='839202' date='May 16 2010, 08:27 PM']It all depends upon what sound you are after but without doubt the best pup on the planet for this kind of bass is a Lollar - believe me I have tried a few different makes. You can't buy them new over here, you have to get them sent over fron the States.[/quote]

I guess a great amount of thump but with a bit more tone than a standard Precision. I loved the sound of the Fret King, which had a P/J pickup combo. All the punch of a Precision but with a bit more warmth and a bit more tone clarity.

[cameltoe]

[quote name='Clarky' post='839206' date='May 16 2010, 08:29 PM']There is one German supplier, station music (sells for Euro 99, so about £90) - here's the link [url="http://www.station-music.de/gitarre/gitarre_amps/lollar_pu.html"]http://www.station-music.de/gitarre/gitarr.../lollar_pu.html[/url][/quote]


Cheers, I'll look into it at least. The SD QP is almost half the price though, so I'll do my research. Shame the £ is so crap at the moment.

[daz]

I think this is a UK site for Lollar pups. Very expensive, I'd love to hear a test and see if they're worth it.
[url="http://guitar-xperience.com/onlinestore/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=158&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=38"]charlie chandlers guitar xperience[/url]

They do some nice looking 50s P bass pickups. (dont you just hate it when you see a thumbnail image with 'View of full sized image' then when you click it you get the same tiny thumbnail in a huge box!)

Edited May 16, 2010 by daz

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='Clarky' post='839206' date='May 16 2010, 08:29 PM']There is one German supplier, station music (sells for Euro 99, so about £90) - here's the link [url="http://www.station-music.de/gitarre/gitarre_amps/lollar_pu.html"]http://www.station-music.de/gitarre/gitarr.../lollar_pu.html[/url][/quote]
I need to find my receipts but I'm pretty sure mine came cheaper direct from Lollar including shipping.

[cameltoe]

[quote name='daz' post='839219' date='May 16 2010, 08:36 PM']I think this is a UK site for Lollar pups. Very expensive, I'd love to hear a test and see if they're worth it.
[url="http://guitar-xperience.com/onlinestore/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=158&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=38"]charlie chandlers guitar xperience[/url][/quote]


£64.99 for the Pickup these guys have been recommending? Miles cheaper than they've been suggesting- I take it it's the same one?

[Clarky]

[quote name='daz' post='839219' date='May 16 2010, 08:36 PM']I think this is a UK site for Lollar pups. Very expensive, I'd love to hear a test and see if they're worth it.
[url="http://guitar-xperience.com/onlinestore/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=158&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=38"]charlie chandlers guitar xperience[/url]

They do some nice looking 50s P bass pickups[/quote]
£65 is already a £30 saving on the German company - good spot!

[cameltoe]

[quote name='Clarky' post='839228' date='May 16 2010, 08:39 PM']£65 is already a £30 saving on the German company - good spot![/quote]

Within Seymour Duncan territory so if they are as good as you guys have been saying it's a no-brainer. Guess I really need to hear both for myself, but that's going to be hard. I'll have to trust whatever reviews I can find.

Even then I'm not going to really know til I've got the whole band behind me.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='cameltoe' post='839214' date='May 16 2010, 08:31 PM']I guess a great amount of thump but with a bit more tone than a standard Precision. I loved the sound of the Fret King, which had a P/J pickup combo. All the punch of a Precision but with a bit more warmth and a bit more tone clarity.[/quote]
Definitely the Lollar then. The SD's are ok but are kind of flat and definitely more modern sounding than the Lollar.
I played my Shuker (with Lollar) at the Moffat bash and guys were stunned by it's powerful and clear P tone - and this is from guys with an ear for significantly more complex and hi-fi sounding basses.
This might sound odd seeing as these are more often than not replace by SD's but a close second for me was the original Fender '51 RI pup. It is way louder and a bit more clankier than the SD's but that's easily be tamed with a decent set of flats - you can pick up a good one for under £30 - a bad one could be full of sweat or had the top piece ripped off by an inexperienced thumb or even be afflicted by the dreaded quiet E pole syndrome.

[cameltoe]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='839242' date='May 16 2010, 08:52 PM']Definitely the Lollar then. The SD's are ok but are kind of flat and definitely more modern sounding than the Lollar.
I played my Shuker (with Lollar) at the Moffat bash and guys were stunned by it's powerful and clear P tone - and this is from guys with an ear for significantly more complex and hi-fi sounding basses.
This might sound odd seeing as these are more often than not replace by SD's but a close second for me was the original Fender '51 RI pup. It is way louder and a bit more clankier than the SD's but that's easily be tamed with a decent set of flats - you can pick up a good one for under £30 - a bad one could be full of sweat or had the top piece ripped off by an inexperienced thumb or even be afflicted by the dreaded quiet E pole syndrome.[/quote]


I'm strictly nickel roundwounds....!

I've heard some great, great things about the SD quarter pounders, but I really don't want a 'Flat' tone. I prefer the sound of new strings, for instance, than old strings.

What do you mean by 'Modern' anyway? A Hi-Fi sound ? I usually shy away from anything too clean sounding. I'm not the cleanest player and I love the Black Keys.......

[Grand Wazoo]

[quote name='cameltoe' post='839195' date='May 16 2010, 08:21 PM']Marvellous advice as always Grand Wazoo!

I told you I'd get one didn't I?

I have spotted a Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickup for the single coil Precision in the For Sale section. These are around £75 new, wondered if that would be a good match? I don't know too much about them though, the only thing I can find is that they are a sort-of reissue of the original Telebass pickup, a sort of 'original vintage' so to speak.[/quote]


I have no experience with the lollar, but you must bear this in mind, which is the advice I have received from experts on the subject: the original 50's precision is made of ash this one is made of basswood, a vintage pickup will work better with ash but not with basswood, so the antiquity and the lollar might be the perfect match for those but not the Squier CV, and money was not an issue in my case when my friend say to me, go for the quarter pound which is what this bass need to shine and cut through. He was right, I didn't take his word for it and tried the antiquity first and felt very thin, after I put the quarter pound I regretted buying the antiquity and I was lucky to be able to sell it on ebay for a fiver less.

Edited May 16, 2010 by Grand Wazoo

[cameltoe]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='839252' date='May 16 2010, 09:04 PM']I have no experience with the lollar, but you must bear this in mind, which is the advice I have received from experts on the subject: the original 50's precision is made of ash this one is made of basswood, a vintage pickup will work better with ash but not with basswood, so the antiquity and the lollar might be the perfect match for those but not the Squier CV, and money was not an issue in my case when my friend say to me, go for the quarter pound which is what this bass need to shine and cut through. He was right, I didn't take his word for it and tried the antiquity first and felt very thin, after I put the quarter pound I regretted buying the antiquity and I was lucky to be able to sell it on ebay for a fiver less.[/quote]

I will explore all options and considering you have the very bass I'm referring too I do take your recommendation in high regard. Plus they are fairly well priced.

[Ou7shined]

A modern sound to me would be flat nondescript sound but could fit into most genres of music without particularly blowing anyones fringe back. The Lollar captures the old school P sound but delivers in buckets.
Hi-fi is just a clear top end kit with an open sound scape usually aided with expensive pre-amps.
I presume you aren't too close to Aberdeen. I could let you hear the Lollar up against the SCPB-1 and SCPB-3 that I have in my parts box. There's no contest.

[cameltoe]

Cornwall!!!

So no

[slapthatbass]

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='839174' date='May 16 2010, 08:59 PM']I'm no expert by any means, but I think your rest in that postion was designed for fingers, for those players that plucked with the thumb.

I could be wrong of course....nice looking bass by the way.[/quote]

I have always wondered about that, but then why is it called a thumb rest, in that position shouldn't it be called a fingers rest, or a useless rest, or a Get in the way of slapping rest?

I had an old Fender Jazz bass with the thumb rest in the correct position above the E string.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='839197' date='May 16 2010, 08:22 PM']... the heel of the palm sat on the pickup cover, the fingers pulled against the tugbar (as it was known), and you plucked the strings with your thumb - that was the plan. It stayed that way until the early 1970s. Classic Vibes and other reissues usually recreate how it used to be.

BTW, nice bass.[/quote]

[quote name='slapthatbass' post='839288' date='May 16 2010, 09:33 PM']I have always wondered about that, but then why is it called a thumb rest, in that position shouldn't it be called a fingers rest, or a useless rest, or a Get in the way of slapping rest?

I had an old Fender Jazz bass with the thumb rest in the correct position above the E string.[/quote]

As I said above, it was commonly known as a tugbar. It wasn't known as a thumb rest until it actually became a thumb rest. Fender moved it above the E string in the 1970s.

Personally, I'd rather have it in the tugbar position where it's completely out of the way and doesn't interfere with my playing.