SQUIER: Classic Vibe vs Vintage Modified!

[GarysBlues]

Well in my recent guitar upgrading and Strat searchs. I wound up buying BOTH of these. A Classic Vibe 60 Strat, and a Vintage Modified Strat.

 

BOTH are very good Strats and MUCH of what draws you to one or another will be STRICKLY personal choices.

 

Lets COMPARE:

 

NECK-

VM has a Gloss Finished modern C with No Tint. It also does NOT use Fender style tuners but GOTOH style and Stamed Fenders are NOT a dirrect fit. To upgrade the tuners youwill have to modify the TM placement holes. Not a Big Deal and I added Locking Schallers which cover the pre-existing holes NICELY! 9.5 radius with M-J frets and a decent sze neck, by NO means THIN, but rather on the THICK side. Frets are well done.

 

Classic Vibe necks are THIN also with a Gloss finish and nicely TINTED. These are REALLY nicely done necks. If they were NOT so thn I would have kept the neck. But as it s SO-THIN, I have no-use for it and sold it and for another $50. bucks bought a Top-Line All-Parst 60 Slab Board.

The Tuning Machines are Vintage Style Fender and about the same quality as Vintage Fenders. Split-Top non-sealed TMs. I like them though they are chrome not Nickle. To me that a Non-Issue. Radius is 9.5 with M-J frets. IF you enjoy Thin Neck, you might want to try these, they arecertainly the BEST QC'd neck have sen to date from Squire.

 

OF the TWO necks..............I use the VM and sold the CV. The Rosewood on the VM is NICE. I did a fret level and changed the TMs. The CV neck will need NOTHNG "IF" you could play thin necks

 

NECK- CV = +1

 

BODY-

 

VM has whats called a RED CEDAR solid body. Now I took this body COMPLETELY apart and their "IS" a cap on the body. There are TWO DIFFERENT woods used. Which is the Cedar? I don't know because the body I own has a Solid Finish so I can't really see it. The routes on the body are decent, not USA grade but certainly CLEAN and finished with shielding paint. The Finish on the body is EXCELLENT, very well applied Poly Finished Candy Apple Red. Average weight [Total 7-1/2 lbs]. resonate with EXCELLENT Bass Response.

CV body is without a doubt the NICEST wood I have EVER seen from Squier. I bought this guitar for the body. Its SOLID ALDER and very nicely grained. Its a TWO-PIECE body with a center seam joint. Though most of the CVs I seen are 3-piece. Again not a big deal though I prefer TWO o my Strats. You cannot see the seam in the body. The routes are as ncesly finished as any USA Standard Strat I've seen. The body is LIGHT and very resonate [total weight 6.5-lbs].

 

 

BODY-CV = +1

 

ELECTRONICS

 

 

VM s loaded with Duncan Designed SC-103 Alnico V pick-ups. These are on the SD websight actually built by Seymour and are VERY VERY good single coil Alnico V pups. I'm blown away by the quality and Tone of these pick-ups. The POTs are Full size audio taper 250K pots. They are very good quality as is the switch which is Exactly the same as Guitarfetish 5-way.

 

CV pick-ups are Fender built Alnico Vs and also very good quality. They say on the back STA[FENDER]CV3. The pick-ups are specifically wound for Squier by Fender and are very good quality pick-ups. The SDs in the VM have a little more Mid-Range to them while the CV Alnico Vs are a little more Jangly, Glassy and Vintage Fender sounding [a LITTLE]!!!!! The Pots on the CV are Korean Mini Pots and are {censored}. The Switch is the same as the VM and decent quality

 

 

Electronics- VM = +1

 

Hardware:

 

This here is pretty much a Toss-Up. Both Trems are the same and are JUNK. No steel here all Pot metal Zinc. Though they LOOK original. What I did here was Upgade BOTH guitarts with Guitarfetish MIM Vintage Steel Trems which are a drop in replacement.

Tuners I actually like the CV Vintage Split-Tops while I replaced the VMs immediatly. But only TIME will tell here which is actually BETTER?

 

 

Hardware-TOSS UP

 

After the breakdown I suppose the points go to the advantage of the Classic Vibe Strat basically because of the quality of the BODY which I am VERY VERY impressed with.

 

All in all either one of these guitars is a GREAT choice and will come down much to an individuals FEEL and personal taste. The CV-50 is also a much desired Strat?

 

Both SOUND GREAT and EASLY compare with Fenders pick-ups in the USA Production Line realm and if you pick a Great One in Feel also. The CV - new will be fine, BUT......you will need to upgrade the electronics. I did them from the Start. The VM I left alone in that area. From past experience with VM Thinline Tele's I know the electronics will hold up FINE!

[Burningleaves]

Cool review.

 

 

 

How much of an improvement was the block upgrade ?

[GarysBlues]

Cool review. How much of an improvement was the block upgrade ?

 

I'll tell you Bro, The Vintage Steel Block Trem and Bone Nuts [by WD] on both Strats are a VAST improvement in TONE and Quality. I'll tell you I had a BITCH of a time removing the stock strings from BOTH shit Trem Blocks. I had used a Steel Trem from Jay on a 99 MIM I have. So I already knew how good they are. And they fit NICE!

 

Honestly, I wouldn't even SELL those Stock Squier blocks on E-Bay for fear of recieving NEG Feedback. Funny thing is they LOOK GREAT, from the top they look just like a Vintage Fender Trem. Course as soon as you see the rear, you know what your getting into.:thu:

[Burningleaves]

on both Strats are a VAST improvement in TONE and Quality. I'll tell you I had a BITCH of a time removing the stock strings from BOTH shit Trem Blocks. I had used a Steel Trem from Jay on a 99 MIM I have. So I already knew how good they are. And they fit NICE! Honestly, I wouldn't even SELL those Stock Squier blocks on E-Bay for fear of recieving NEG Feedback. Funny thing is they LOOK GREAT, from the top they look just like a Vintage Fender Trem. Course as soon as you see the rear, you know what your getting into. :thu:

 

 

 

:cop:Sweet:cool:

[GuitarCrazy]

Cool review!

[allthumz]

I have a VM HSS coming my way. I like kind of thin necks so I hope it feels okay to me.

 

My VM Thinline Tele has the best feeling neck I've ever played. The width is 42mm but feels more narrow because the neck profile is perfect. My Fender Stratocaster Squier Series is the second best neck. It to is 42mm but the profile is a little deeper. Not much but enough to feel the difference.

 

Man, I hope the VM HSS is somewhere between the two. One of the problems when buying online.

 

Thanksgiving wishes to everyone!

 

Nice review. Thanks!

[Preacher]

Thanks for the thorough review, almost makes me want to pick one up...