Squier Classic Vibe 50s

[Tone2TheBone]

Is your Tele like this?

No mine is not as dramatic as yours but you can tell it's been sawn that way when you look at the back of the neck along the edges. The neck on yours looks choice and I've seen other CV 50s Strats like that too.

 

[Spudman]

Some insight - PHOTOS

I just had the neck pickup die in my CV 50s Strat.

I played it for 2 days around the house and no Blackmore or Yngwie moves either. I set it down and got other guitars ready for gigs this weekend and went to pick it up tonight and - nothing - no neck pickup at all. I opened it up and checked the solder joints and wires and switch and everything is good. I then put a meter on the coil and ZIP! Nothing there. Somehow a winding broke.

I noticed from the very first time I plugged it in that it had hum and more static than I figured it was supposed to have. Everyone else that has them says how quiet they are. Not mine. I was actually thinking that it was just part of the vintage charm. Nope I was wrong - bad pickup.

I just emailed my friendly Sweetwater rep and since it's after hours we'll have to wait to see what happens tomorrow. Bummer. I was hoping to take this to the gigs this weekend.

Dead baby.

The middle pickup is good at 6 ohms.

Alpha mini pots. I have no idea what value.

 

[ShortBuSX]

Ive seen reports of pickups that died only after a few uses...whats the plan now?

FWIW, those pickups look nice!
And none of my other Strats came shielded like that.

 

[Spudman]

Ive seen reports of pickups that died only after a few uses...whats the plan now?

FWIW, those pickups look nice!
And none of my other Strats came shielded like that.

The retailer is running it through tech support right now. I told them under no circumstances am I letting the guitar be returned. I only want a working pickup.

They did a real nice job shielding and finishing. I've seen expensive American made Fender finishing that looks like crap compared to this. Nice job Squier.

The pickups actually say 'Fender' on them.:AOK:

 

[ZMAN]

Hey Spudman: You will have to do another evaluation on the output of the guitar when you get the replacement pickup. I have had no problems getting real big tone from my CV. I have several 40 watt tube amps and with my pedals I can get killer tones from it. Of course I rarely play without pedals so I will have to try a comparo with my American Strat with the SCNs, and see how they perform straight up.

 

[Guitar Gal]

Resistence is futile. You will be assimilated.

I have been assimilated.....resistance was futile :thwap:

After seeing and hearing the new CV tele, I just had to get one. All I can say is WOW :dude:

It looks great and sounds just like a tele is supposed to sound....at least to my ears. The fit and finish are flawless. The pine body is very resonant. The finish on the body is transparent so the grain of the pine shows through...very cool :AOK: The neck has the same grain pattern as Spud's CV strat but my pics are not as clear. And speaking of pics....

Happy Birthday to me....Happy Birthday to me.....:bravo:

GG

 

[warren0728]

congrats gg....looks great.... :beer: ancake:

ww

 

[Spudman]

I guess we can't say pics or it didn't happen. Congrats on your new pet.

 

[Gil Janus]

Congrats on your new Tele. :AOK:

This is still at the top of my GAS list. :thwap:

Gil

 

[Spudman]

This is still at the top of my GAS list. :thwap:

Gil

Then you'd better get one amigo.oke:

 

[Spudman]

I've had my Classic Vibe Tele for a couple of days and I'm sending it back.
Seems the bridge plate doesn't completely cover the pickup cavity. Anyone else have this issue?
I think if I'm going to keep a guitar for the rest of my life it's got to be better than this. According to Fender it is within specs.:thwap:

 

[markb]

I've had my Classic Vibe Tele for a couple of days and I'm sending it back.
Seems the bridge plate doesn't completely cover the pickup cavity. Anyone else have this issue?
I think if I'm going to keep a guitar for the rest of my life it's got to be better than this. According to Fender it is within specs.:thwap:

This is not unusual on teles. Even vintage ones. I'll agree that it looks bad but you do see it sometimes.

 

[Duff]

Tele bridge not covering route for pup.

Spud,

I checked all of my tele type guitars: Squire walnut standard, perfect bridge alignment; Peavey Triple Single, perfect bridge alignment over rout; Peavey Gen Ex classics (2) perfect bridge alignment over rout; G & L Tribute ASAT Classic semi hollow body tele type, perfect bridge alignment over rout for pup.

I think it is mainly a quality control issue regarding the final decision to market that guitar. Possibly it is a quick once over type of thing and they missed it or thought it was within the tolerances that they feel is appropriate for this particular guitar.

I would doubt a second one would come thru the same way and I doubt we will see a lot of others reporting the same flaw.

I wonder how those Classic Vibe "60s stratocasters sound? Supposed to be hot with those alnico V pups.

With all the raves over the CV tele I think it would be worth trying another one on the return, unless you have other observations that you are taking into consideration.

Those Peavey Generation EX Tele types sound so great, I hope people aren't forgetting about them because they are disappearing rapidly and will be gone, probably forever. That triple single is especially an outstanding tele type guitar. The classic is super great sounding and the Vintage with the neck humbucker is great too. The Custom is a neat guitar but strays away from the classic tele territory with the twin hbuckers and the hybrid modelling acoustic bridge pups, but for 200 you get a stereo guitar that's built great and sounds versitile. The Custom, by the way splits the hbucker coils on the five way switch and allows you to blend in the acoustic modelling from the piezo bridge saddle pups into any of the five switch hbucker sounds or use either the hbuckers alone or the piezo acoustic alone.

I would like to get a classic vibe myself, but I'm just reminding tele lovers to think about the impending disappearance of those great Peavey Generation EX'es. You can get a Triple Single tele for 149 and it sounds ridiculously great. Ask anyone who has one.

I might get a CV '60s strat or a CV Jazz bass or a VM '70s Jazz bass with the maple neck with black block inlays and the maple body. Maple is such a great wood. A solid maple body just sounds good to me. Should resonate that bass thump really well.

Good luck with whatever decision you make Spud. It is better that you checked that guitar over real good now before you got too attached to it. That minor flaw could be something that one could easily live with, if the big picture looked especially beautiful. You know, the feeling you get when it's "the one".

Duffy

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Oh heck yes GG that's the way to do it that's awesome!!! Congrats on a beautiful Tele!

Spud - you asked about that bridge gap and I checked mine today and yeah it DOES have a very slight gap but hell it ain't all that noticeable. Mark is right I've seen the same thing on some older Teles too. Saw some black air at the right side of the bridge on a 60s Tele I played in a shop today. I never did notice it until YOU told me about yours though! Just keep it man.

 

[Spudman]

I never did notice it until YOU told me about yours though! Just keep it man.

It's going back...but...I'm working a deal on something else that's pretty groovyancake: with a CV Tele to follow.

 

[Duff]

Mystery

You are a mysterious guy Spud.


Now I'm trying to figure out what you might be planning. Groovy . . . . could it be a bass?

Duff

 

[markb]

Something groovy? Vinyl LPs?

 

[Ro3b]

I read something about this recently on the Telecaster forum. On actual 50s teles, it was apparently pretty common for the bridge pickup cavity to peek around the edges of the bridge plate -- some people call it the "butt crack." If you really want to split hairs, it's really less authentic for modern copies of 50s teles not to have it. I have no idea if it's intentional or not on the Squier CV, but at least if it's a flaw, it's an authentic flaw.

 

[ShortBuSX]

It's going back...but...I'm working a deal on something else that's pretty groovyancake: with a CV Tele to follow.

Oh wow! I can only imagine....when I called to return mine they(MF) offered me a deeper discount, I declined, and then they offered me additional instore credit upon that discount, I declined again and then told them I just wanted a new guitar that was of new quality.
So how far did they go with you and what was it that made you bite???
[edit]Duh...you didnt keep it:thwap: NM

BTW Ive seen several Teles with similar bridges that had that gap under the bridge plate...but the ones that Ive seen were visible on the upper side(left side) of the bridge...I reckon thatd get annoying to look at while strumming, but also figured it was standard fare.
I wasnt happy with mine either...if that makes you feel better.
Atleast you took pics.
I wrote down the serial number of mine...was thinking about posting it, but hadnt decided.

I sent mine back on Monday(4pm-ish), they received it on Thursday morning...should have a replacement Thursday or Friday...damn this mail order business!:thwap: ...and the waiting!

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I sent mine back on Monday(4pm-ish), they received it on Thursday morning...should have a replacement Thursday or Friday...damn this mail order business!:thwap: ...and the waiting!

Yeah, I was thinking last night as I read about Spud's that this is the one occasion I would actually like to go to GC, so I could get them to match the best price, and actually see the guitar I was going to buy and carry it out of the store. For that matter, Old Boise Guitar Co. http://obgco.qwestoffice.net/ has adjusted its prices to reflect internet commerce and is selling the Gretsch Electromactics for example, for the same price as the internet sellers. I think I would rather go there. But when I was there last thursday, they did not have any CV guitars. (they are a Fender dealer, so I bet they can get them in). I did not make it over to GC to see if they did.

 

[ShortBuSX]

Yeah, I was thinking last night as I read about Spud's that this is the one occasion I would actually like to go to GC, so I could get them to match the best price, and actually see the guitar I was going to buy and carry it out of the store.

But you gotta love not having to pay tax...just think of all that beer :beer:

 

[ShortBuSX]

Got the emails yesterday...my replacement Tele should be here Friday!:bravo:
You know, that seems soon enough...but the anticipation is only going to get worse.:thwap:

 

[Spudman]

Great! Waiting is a bit*h.

I still plan on getting a Tele too but I want to pay less and make sure it doesn't have the gap that I experienced. Very nice guitar.

 

[ShortBuSX]

Ah yeaaaaah! This IS the one!
Shes a beaut...like all the hot looking ones Ive seen online.
The neck is sooo much nicer than the other, it appears to be quarter sawn, the fretboard has some nice flames and the headstock looks birdseyed...the body appears to be one piece, although I should know better I cant see the seam.
And this one even came with a quality control hand tag...and I kinda think that is the difference between the two Ive had.

Pics soon to follow.

BTW, no butt crack on my bridge:bootyshake:

I still havent hooked it up or even played it...I gotta tune it first and lunch is the current priority.

 

[warren0728]

woo hoo....glad you got it....sounds like a keeper....can't wait for the pics! :beer:

 

[ShortBuSX]

sounds like a keeper....can't wait for the pics! :beer:

Eh, shes goin back!:thwap:
I wont mail order another new guitar.
Shes very beautiful, I wanna keep her...but I dont think I can live with it after all.
Its got 2 low frets, they were obviously driven in a lil crooked, so theyre a lil lifted off the fret board as well...I dont get how these could be low and lifting but they are.
The neck pocket is so tight, coupled with a lil paint drip-age in the neck pocket, equals a nice neck pocket crack.
I could probably live with all the above if it really sounded like a Tele, Im not saying it sounds bad...Im just not hearing Tele tones Im familiar with, Id have to install other pups and Id be fine with that...but for a guitar with a cracked neck pocket? I know a cracked neck pocket doesnt affect ANYTHING but it would still be nagging me...just knowing it was there.

But like I said, I think Im done mail ordering new guitars...I think I need to hand pick them from here on out. Lesson learned :thwap:

 

[Spudman]

I gigged the whole night with my 50CV Strat and everyone commented how they liked the sound. Keeper for me.:AOK: I do have to say that I don't think the gloss neck plays as fast as a satin finish or rosewood. I struggled a bit with it but then I haven't done anything to the action since I got it.

 

[warren0728]

I think Im done mail ordering new guitars...I think I need to hand pick them from here on out. Lesson learned :thwap:

i've never bought a guitar sight unseen....don't think i will....unless it is from someone i trust....

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Me either. I never buy guitars that way. I have to get my grubby hands on the stuff and luckily my own CV 50s Tele is so spot on I'm beside myself.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Me either. I never buy guitars that way. I have to get my grubby hands on the stuff and luckily my own CV 50s Tele is so spot on I'm beside myself.

Yeah, I guess sometimes a guy gets lucky. My Hagstrom was a good one. But I prefer to pick them out, even if I have to pay sales tax. If I was going to get one of the CV guitars, I am sure that is how I would do it.