Any Love for the Vintage Mod Series?

Gwiz729 · 05-26-2010, 12:56 AM

Let me tell you a story about a little boy that bought the SSH vintage mod squier in olympic white. I had wanted a tele badly for quite a number of years, but I also wanted something I could experiment with, and learn about swapping pickups and soldering, etc. I bought a used one that had a ding in it for under $200 on flea bay. I was very impressed initially. I had always wanted a lipstick tube pickup so I put seymour's lipstick in the middle and SD Nashville 5-2 in the bridge. The mid/bridge position is awesome and unique sounding. The relative ouput of all three pickups was a lot more even now. I was feeling pretty good about this guitar.

Then the music store where I taught lessons got the CV 50's tele. It looked so cool! I plugged it in and my heart sank. Now THAT is what a tele was supposed to sound like. I even played an American Standard (steel bridge) but it didn't have THAT sound. I suffered third degree buyer's remorse over most of my heart.

However, for modding, the VM has been fun, which is initially why I got it. Here are the main drawbacks of the VM as I see it.

1. The mini hum in the neck is SUPER LOUD compared to the weak stacked singles. I tried raising and lowering but it is just not a well matched set.

2. That bridge seems to be dull and lifeless where as he CV has the brass saddles which I suspect help tone.

3. The color is scheme is a little boring. (CV is my favorite color ever)

4. Indian Red Cedar vs. Pine? Anyone feel strongly about this?

I can see why the CV is so popular. If I bought one I would probably leave it stock.

Tonight I ordered a Wilkinson bridge with brass saddles in hopes it can get me closer to that traditional tele tone. I liked the DD mini hum and the neck well enough that I am going to leave them stock. The tuners seem pretty darn good enough too. It is a good guitar and inspires me to play and write differently when I pick it up. Anyone else have a VM? What do you think?

adamjn · 05-26-2010, 01:03 AM

My first Squier was a VM Thinline that I ended up selling to one of my guitar students--mostly because he really needed a decent guitar! That model's kind of a story in itself, since it's 24 3/4 scale. I thought the bridge on that guitar was iffy also, but I've played the CV Custom and Thinline, neither of which has brass saddles, and they really have that classic Tele tone. Lastly, I can honestly say I'm really not impressed with any of the DD pickups I've heard, except for the P-90s in the Custom II.

Telepicker · 05-26-2010, 10:54 AM

One day I had nothing to do so I went to Long and McQuade and tried every single solitary Tele and Strat on the wall, one after another (I'm sure they LOVE me there!). The SSH VM Squier was one of the winners, imho, feel-wise. The CV 50's was definitely a winner, feel-wise and sound-wise. I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss the VM SSH. I think you're on the right track with your mods. Maybe get a used CV 50's later on and have two. :-)

Gwiz729 · 05-29-2010, 10:33 PM

I installed the Wilkinson bridge with brass saddles tonight. It has what I would describe as that tele "bark" when you hit a string hard. Esp. on the bridge pickup. Straight bridge position is more usable now. Close to ice pick without quite getting there. I did A/B recordings so I can be more objective. I also have a Bill Lawrence (http://www.wildepickups.com/) L-48T I am going to try soon. If I decide to sell this guitar, I will have a lot of undoing to do. Thanks for the comments.

jbmando · 05-29-2010, 10:38 PM

I have a VM Custom II P90. Great guitar for rock. Overdriven tube amps really like this guitar.

Gwiz729 · 05-29-2010, 10:52 PM

After listening to the recordings I am really digging the DD Mini Humbucker. It can rock and sound thick. it can do jazz, it sound like that really warm pedal steel. I am sure a real Duncan would sound even better. Anyone tried out the GFS Mini-hum?