MIM P-Bass vs CV P-Bass '60s

I now have a bass amp (SWR Super Redhead) but no bass, yet. I'm thinking of getting either the Squier Classic Vibe Precision Bass '60s or the Fender MIM Precision.

Anybody have experience with both? I'd love to hear your opinions on this.

I've played nice examples of both, I think I'd just play a bunch and take home the one that says "Hi there, big boy!"

Tim

^Always best way to know, good hunting.

Such a flair for the obvious. ; )

I'd like to hear from players with perhaps long term experience with both models.

I agree with Tim. I've had an MIM for about eight years and you can gig with it all day long. It also records really well. I've also played a bunch of Classic Vibe basses and if I didn't already own the MIM I'd snap one up if it was a good one...great-feeling neck, nice workmanship and it sounds great. The only thing is that they seem a little inconsistent--I played one that didn't do it for me, a few that were fine and a few that just felt wonderful. I think some of that had to do with how they were set up...or not set up, I should say.

I'm a bass player and can vouch for the classic vibe series. I would stack a new CV up against a new MIM all day. I've got a CV 50's that I play just as much as my American Precision Plus. At the price point of the Classic Vibe you can't beat it out of the box. If you really feel you need or want to upgrade pups or hardware, you'll quickly jump over a MIM.

I'm a bass player and can vouch for the classic vibe series. I would stack a new CV up against a new MIM all day. I've got a CV 50's that I play just as much as my American Precision Plus. At the price point of the Classic Vibe you can't beat it out of the box. If you really feel you need or want to upgrade pups or hardware, you'll quickly jump over a MIM.

First post. Welcome!

Does anyone know what type of pups are used in the CV series?

I started playing bass 20 odd years ago and have had dozens of basses. I had a USA Anniversary Jazz bass that I sold after getting a couple of Squier's! The CV P bass was excellent, better in terms of build than my MIM P bass and sounded just as good. In the end I sold the MIM and the CV on as well as I very quickly grew to love the Squier VM Jaguar, nice thin neck, great sounding pickups and very versatile having both P/J pickups.

I don't regret selling my USA Jazz one bit, obviously the Squier isn't quite up to that standard of finish but I enjoyed playing it more, the action and finish on both Squier's was equal to anything I've owned and the recordings I've had were fantastic. It's very easy to get a great tone out of these things. YMMV and I know some friends of mine thought I was mad in selling my other basses off, but I'm one of those people that doesn't care how much it cost or what the label on the headstock is (I did close to 500 gigs with an unbranded 70's Japanese P bass copy I bought for £10 at a boot sale!), if it feels right and sounds right, that's all I need.

I'm now a one bass man...

I started playing bass 20 odd years ago and have had dozens of basses. I had a USA Anniversary Jazz bass that I sold after getting a couple of Squier's! The CV P bass was excellent, better in terms of build than my MIM P bass and sounded just as good. In the end I sold the MIM and the CV on as well as I very quickly grew to love the Squier VM Jaguar, nice thin neck, great sounding pickups and very versatile having both P/J pickups.

I don't regret selling my USA Jazz one bit, obviously the Squier isn't quite up to that standard of finish but I enjoyed playing it more, the action and finish on both Squier's was equal to anything I've owned and the recordings I've had were fantastic. It's very easy to get a great tone out of these things. YMMV and I know some friends of mine thought I was mad in selling my other basses off, but I'm one of those people that doesn't care how much it cost or what the label on the headstock is (I did close to 500 gigs with an unbranded 70's Japanese P bass copy I bought for £10 at a boot sale!), if it feels right and sounds right, that's all I need.

I'm now a one bass man...

I don't know you from Adam, but I don't doubt your testimony at all. Thanks.
That's awesome that you have had such luck with your bass playing.

I have had the good fortune to own a number of basses in my time, Fender Ps and Js mostly but certainly others as well. I bought my first P bass in '69 and my first Jazz in '73, played Precision mostly till my first Stingray in '79. There has never been a time since the '60s that I was not playing, buying, selling/working on Fenders. My experience with mim Fender dates to their introduction and though they have not all been keepers, some have stayed in house as good players at a bargain price. Though I do not own any Classic Vibe players, I have worked set ups on a number of them and like others here, I believe Squiers in general have come a long way. It was not my intent to include obvious comment, only to offer that as with all instruments, you have to play them in order to make any real comparison YMMV. I currently own seven Fender basses, four of them are Ps though only one is mim. Lord willing, I will be 64 very soon, not sure just how much more long term experience you had in mind. The fun comes with the quest, you will find at very least one you will keep and at today's import pricing, grab one in each color!:wink:

I'm only looking for one bass right now, thank you very much. ;)
And the only reason I'm looking for even that is because I've come into possession of a bass amp, and I like bass, so... .

The CV '60s P looked intriguing, but the local stores have some VMs, but not the CV '60s P, so I wanted to ask some bass players before calling a couple of Atlanta stores (or even GC, as a last resort). Is the CV built to a higher quality standard than the VM, or are they roughly equal in that regard?

MIMs are everywhere, and I could find one cheap on Craiglist, as well. Except for individual wear and tear condition, are MIM P basses the same, regardless of year of manufacture?

My recent experience was that I traded a Squier 50's P for a Squier VM Jaguar.
You might want to try various models out before you decide.

I know that the VM models usually carry Duncan Designed pups. I am not sure what comes stock in the CV series.

I'm only looking for one bass right now, thank you very much. ;)
And the only reason I'm looking for even that is because I've come into possession of a bass amp, and I like bass, so... .

The CV '60s P looked intriguing, but the local stores have some VMs, but not the CV '60s P, so I wanted to ask some bass players before calling a couple of Atlanta stores (or even GC, as a last resort). Is the CV built to a higher quality standard than the VM, or are they roughly equal in that regard?

MIMs are everywhere, and I could find one cheap on Craiglist, as well. Except for individual wear and tear condition, are MIM P basses the same, regardless of year of manufacture?

VM and CV are both top of the range products for Squier and fairly equal in terms of build but I would say the CV leaves the factory with a better setup as standard. They are both fairly consistent in terms of quality. I've found MIM's (and i've had a few) to be variable to say the least. I've had a fantastic one but I've also had them with gaping neck pocket gaps, wonky bridges etc.. although the hardware (switches, pots etc..) are always of a higher quality.

The Ducan designed pickups in the jag are nice but they're not proper SD's, from what I understand, they just licensed the name but I could be wrong.

I don't know you from Adam, but I don't doubt your testimony at all. Thanks.
That's awesome that you have had such luck with your bass playing.

Thanks, although I wouldn't call it luck, I've just played lots of gigs without ever getting signed or reaching any level of success! I never made any real money out of it but I did have a lot of fun. I'm knocking on the door of 40 now and my gigging days are long behind me (I started gigging at 14!)

I'm a bass player and can vouch for the classic vibe series. I would stack a new CV up against a new MIM all day. I've got a CV 50's that I play just as much as my American Precision Plus. At the price point of the Classic Vibe you can't beat it out of the box. If you really feel you need or want to upgrade pups or hardware, you'll quickly jump over a MIM.

ditto, tho in my case it's a '60's cv. the cv '60's is a great bass, a sleeper classic.

CV all day. They just seem to be better basses than the MIM.

The CV's are incredible buys - I'm not a fan of the vintage frets though. I'd go MIM.

YMMV.

First post. Welcome!

Does anyone know what type of pups are used in the CV series?

Both the PBass and the JBass use Alnico V's similar in tonality to the pickups used on those same basses in the early 60's. The stock pickups are really quite good if it's a more vintage tonality the player is after.

I've listened to the stock CV pickups compared to CS 62 Jazz Bass pickups and there is very little difference in them tonally. In a band mix you'd never be able to even tell them apart. If someone wants to upgrade any aftermarket pickup which will fit a MIA Standard Jazz Bass will fit a CV.

Such a flair for the obvious. ; )

I'd like to hear from players with perhaps long term experience with both models.

Although I've never owned an MIM I've have many years of experience playing MIA Precision and Jazz Basses dating back to a 1966 Jazz and a 1963 Precision and I would put the Squier CV Jazz I have now up against any of them save my MIA Deluxe. That was a very nice piece of work but not worth 6x the cost of a CV 60's Jazz.

I've been so encouraged by the CV Jazz that later this year I plan to buy a CV PBass as well. The only change I've made to the Jazz was a string replacement and a new pickguard. Other than that it's 100% stock and I have no intention of upgrading anything else at the moment.

I've looked at and played MIM's but never owned one so I can't personally relate the differences to you but those here who have owned both seem to prefer the Squier CV's by a large margin.