NEW!! Squier VM Tele Bass Special

[gearHed289]

If they use the same length neck, they'd have to fret it at different places to accommodate the different scale - right?

Exactly.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

^ Of course. But still the 32" Tele neck has the same number of frets as a standard 34" scale P neck. If it were a standard long scale neck there would have been 2-3 more frets there.

It's easy enough to recut fret slots for the shorter scale. I'm just saying that they used the same sized neck, rather than different size neck blanks.  The last three frets on the 32" Squier are basically inaccesible because of this.

[Pilgrim]

It's easy enough to recut fret slots for the shorter scale. I'm just saying that they used the same sized neck, rather than different size neck blanks.  The last three frets on the 32" Squier are basically inaccesible because of this.

Trust me, that is no impediment to me at all. I'm not even on speaking terms with those frets.

[Dave W]

It's easy enough to recut fret slots for the shorter scale. I'm just saying that they used the same sized neck, rather than different size neck blanks.  The last three frets on the 32" Squier are basically inaccesible because of this.

They didn't use the same sized neck in this case. It's a 32" scale bass and the pic shows it has 20 frets. If it were made from the same sized neck as a 34" scale, you would see about 2" of unfretted wood past the 20th fret.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

The skeptic in me says "Squier" and maybe they didn't care about intonation. That neck just looks WAYY to set into the body. I'll have to go see if there are any at the local Guitar Satan.

[dadagoboi]

The skeptic in me says "Squier" and maybe they didn't care about intonation. That neck just looks WAYY to set into the body. I'll have to go see if there are any at the local Guitar Satan.

Squiers are the Fenders offering the most value IMO.  I'd bet my house (true it ain't worth much) the VMT intonates.  On a 32" Fender style neck, the heel normally attaches at about the 15th fret.  Nothing has looked wrong to me as I've been watching this thread, except for the entire concept .  Still doesn't.

On my 32" Stratobaster, there's about a 1 inch shorter neck pocket than what I'd consider normal because I followed the existing smaller guitar pocket to be able to use an unmodded strat P/G.  Fender used a full size bass pocket on the VMT is my guess.  All the frets look to have decent access compared to, say, a Reverse TBird.


The sloppy back, note original neck hole.

[Dave W]

The skeptic in me says "Squier" and maybe they didn't care about intonation. That neck just looks WAYY to set into the body. I'll have to go see if there are any at the local Guitar Satan.

I think it is set further into the body, at least it looks that way to me. But that doesn't mean it's the same neck blank as their 34" scale models. It can't be in this case.

[drbassman]

I think the presence argument falls down in my mind as I find the greatest influences over presence are the gain and EQ controls on my Mesa rig, IMHO of course.   

[Dave W]

You can exercise a lot of control through your rig. Still, different scale lengths sound different, there's no way around it.

[uwe]

Have fun getting a piano rrring tone from a non-long scale E string. Impossible on a shortie - the harmonics just aren't there - and close to impossible on a 32" except maybe for the first two hours with a set of new strings.

[Chris P.]

I played the one pickup version for a couple of minutes. It has three bass sounds, which are something like double bass, bass and tictac bass(?). The fattest position is great and usable. The middle one is nice to. More clarity and punch. The third one is too thin.

The body is bigger than a Tele guitar and in real life it looks quite nice.