CV strat vs Jimmie Vaughan

Anyone own both of these? I'm the proud owner of a JV, but I'm thinking of selling it to finance a tele purchase. I would then get a used CV 50s strat, in addition to the tele.

So I'd be down one JV, and up a tele (with OV pickups) and a CV 50s.

I like the JV a lot as a strat, but since I got bitten by the tele bug two years ago, I've hardly touched it. But I figure you always need a strat, and I like Squiers.

Comparisons, anyone?

Keep the JV. You'll kick yourself later if you sell it.
Look around and you should be able to find a decent Tele to buy at a reasonable$$.

I'd NEVER trade mine, particularly for a CV -- look for a used CV and keep both!!

The JV stock has all the same hardware as a USA AV Strat steel full sized tremelo bock CTS pots Gotoh tuners all top notch stuff.

Can't speak for the JV, but my CV 50's strat plays and feels much better than any MIM strat I have ever touched. I would recommend atleast playing one and let your hands and ears be the judge.

Keep the JV, it's far exceeds the CV strats. I had a CV 50s strat, and it felt like a toy, imho.

So what is the Tele with OVs you are looking to get? A AVRI52?

The JV is a big step above the CV Strat. JV has a steel bridge block, the CV a very thin zinc block, not as good as on a MIM Standard.

A good arguement can be made for a CV50's Tele but I don't think the CV Strats are nearly as good as the teles, because of the really cheap bridge they have.

Thanks to everyone for chiming in. Most seem to think it'd be crazy to trade down. Today I got a chance to play a CV 50s strat at GC. Guess what? No comparison.

The CV felt light and flimsy, I really didn't like the neck and also didn't like finish on the neck. At all. Pickups sounded pretty good, though, and it played pretty nicely. I'm not an anti-Squier guy. I own two, but going from the JV to this guitar just doesn't make sense.

Soo.... Guess I probably won't be selling the JV. Either I find some other source of cash or pass the tele up. It's a parts caster with the OVs. I'm checking it out later this week. We'll see.

Thanks again for the valuable feedback. I'll post as things progress.

Bob

I'm glad you came to your senses. Keep your eyes open and try to save some cash in the mean time. That Tele, or a better one, will be yours before you know it

I personally think there are many great actual (read: non partscaster) teles around if you keep your eyes open when you're ready and have the cash. Fender has made a tele stock with just about any combo possible, unless you're looking for some exotic woods or finishes or something.
Don't get rid of your strat just because you aren't playing it right now, unless you absolutely have to for $$$ reasons. I've traded guitars because I wanted a new thrill, and more often than not I've regretted it ;) it sounds like you've bonded with that guitar and it doesn't make sense to trade down to a lesser guitar for a chance to buy a partscaster. Just my opinion!

Update ...

I played the parts caster yesterday. Nicely put together, but not sure I need it ATM. I liked the way the OV pickups sounded though. I didn't leave feeling I had to have that guitar. I'm sure you all know that feeling...

On the plus side, the owner (a really good harp player) is interested in playing some blues together with me. Cool! And my friend bought a nice old silvertone amp from him. All in all a fun road trip. But I've still got my Jimmie Vaughan.

Hope you check this thread again b/c I believe I have a lot of pertinent info. I have owned a JV strat since 2003 (olympic white, but switched to fender vintage noiseless pickups). However, I bought a CV 50s tele BSB tele this past xmas and just bought a CV 50s (fiesta red) the other day.

I completely agree with the other posters on the JV strat - it definitely "feels" like an american strat (I also have a Billy Corgan strat). The parts are all solid on it and the neck is great. However, I will say that my CV 50s strat is extremely nice (especially for the money). I think I might actually prefer the neck shape on the CV 50s (personal preference for the C shape instead of the V shape), but I don't care for the gloss maple neck - a bit sticky. My recommendation - get a CV60s with a rosewood fingerboard because there isn't gloss on the rosewood so you don't notice it as much. The pickups on the CV50s are awfully nice though (I didn't really test a 60s b/c I wanted a fiesta red strat).

My 2 cents for you: sounds like you really like your JV strat, so keep it. Grab whatever tele you want or, scope out a the CV teles if you want a cost effective option. More specifically, since you didn't like the gloss neck on the CV strat (same "finish/gloss" necks on the teles), check out a CV 50s CUSTOM cause that has a rosewood neck - which as I said before, feels better. The "custom" is alder body as opposed to my "regular" 50s which is pine. Anyway, I don't think there are too many other differences (I think my 50s has brass saddles and the other models don't). I like the pickups in mine for the most part. I think the neck is actually really good, but the bridge lacks a little punch. I have been looking at different pickups for it lately. Sounds like you would replace them anyway.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for posting and for your insights. I hadn't considered the CV 60s with the rosewood fretboard. I actually have a Squier strat with a RW fretboard, and I love how it plays.

Considering that I'm buying a Rick Kelly telecaster, I just might have to let the JV go after all. He just raised his prices.

Again, many thanks for the post!

I would keep the JV. But those CV's are great for the coin.