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Vintage modified Jaguar vs Affinity Jazz V
- Thread starter Bassmaticmatt
- Start date
No. Not that there's anything wrong with the Affinity Jazz V, but it's not light years better than the VM Jag. I guess if you were absolutely desperate for that fifth string, it might make sense, but you can do better than the Affinity on the pre-owned market for very little bucks these days.
I'm Not looking for light years better. I just have (now had) two Pj 4 strings and no 5 strings. I do regret not putting rounds back o.k. it and keeping the tape Sounds it had.
The Affinity V is an "ok" bass. I currently have one, and have had 2 others. I think the Affinity series is sort of hit-or-miss. Two of the three I owned, (one of which I own now) had something wacky going on with the neck.
The VM's are built with much better quality components.
Aside from the VMJV, the VM Jag V is bad-assed!
The VM's are built with much better quality components.
Aside from the VMJV, the VM Jag V is bad-assed!
If you've got the VM Jag with the stacked pots, I'd figure some way to keep it. It's not in production any more AFAIK and it won't lose value as a pretty nice sounding bass in the long run.
I have one on loan to a friend who wants to buy it most badly - but I won't sell it because of it's uniqueness.
If you really need a 5-er, the Affinity is a great bed on which to build a fine sounding bass - but it might take some investing to get it to that plateau.
I have an Affinity P with some Peavey Fury p'ups in it that I won't ever sell and I'm going to have a firm grasp on it in my death bed. Then again - I hardly ever sell one of my basses.
I DID delete an Ibanez SR500 because I have a Fender Deluxe Jazz that fills the same sound spectrum for me --- and wall space for hangers is getting scarce.
I have one on loan to a friend who wants to buy it most badly - but I won't sell it because of it's uniqueness.
If you really need a 5-er, the Affinity is a great bed on which to build a fine sounding bass - but it might take some investing to get it to that plateau.
I have an Affinity P with some Peavey Fury p'ups in it that I won't ever sell and I'm going to have a firm grasp on it in my death bed. Then again - I hardly ever sell one of my basses.
I DID delete an Ibanez SR500 because I have a Fender Deluxe Jazz that fills the same sound spectrum for me --- and wall space for hangers is getting scarce.
I split the difference. I found a pair of great deals on a used Affinity Jazz-V and a VM Jazz-V at the same time. I bought both and transplanted the VM neck onto the Affinity body. Plus, selling the unneeded parts will offset the total cost, which wasn't too much in the first place.
Now, I have a surprisingly-nice, low-guilt Jazz-V in a nice black finish with a very comfy, bound & blocked, maple neck. Once I attack the Affinity's boring white pickguard with some glossy black spray paint, all will be perfect. Plus, should I decide to get all "experimental" on it, it's so-not a big deal!
Now, I have a surprisingly-nice, low-guilt Jazz-V in a nice black finish with a very comfy, bound & blocked, maple neck. Once I attack the Affinity's boring white pickguard with some glossy black spray paint, all will be perfect. Plus, should I decide to get all "experimental" on it, it's so-not a big deal!
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I have both VM and Affinity V's as well. As I have written above, my Affinity has a slightly wacky neck and am considering finding a VMJV neck for it.
I attacked the Affinity pick guard with flat black spray paint (as well as the headstock)
Also happened to attack the bridge pickup route with a Dremel and made it fit an MM pickup...
I attacked the Affinity pick guard with flat black spray paint (as well as the headstock)
Also happened to attack the bridge pickup route with a Dremel and made it fit an MM pickup...
I saw that post and considered using some black semi-gloss I have lying around, but decided I'd rather it match the body as much as possible. You used something like four or five coats, right? How long did you wait between coats and did you do any sanding/scuffing between them?
As far as the fit goes, the VM-J dropped into the Affinity's body like a charm. The VM's pickguard? Meh, not so much.
I
I just took the pick guard off. I like the look even with the screw holes.
Currently, me too. Unfortunately, like a dope, I tried filling the holes with a set of black screws and a small piece of the finish came off.
I first scuffed up the PG with a scotch pad to allow the paint to "bite" the surface. Then I misted on the first two coats, where I basically shot the paint on from about 12" away in short bursts and did not apply it all that evenly. The 3rd - 6th coat were applied fully. I waited about 45 min to an hour between coats, then let the final product sit overnight before installing. It has held up great and still to this day has not chipped or flaked off.
With slapping and plucking, though, some of the paint would wind up on my fingernails, but I guess after so many coats I still don't see white under the paint. Maybe it's the nature of the flat black to come off like that, too. There's a now-glossy area where I pluck...Perhaps gloss would be better and not rub off like that...
I've never played one of the Jaguars, but...
A few years ago, I needed a platform for a Roland GK-3B interface to a MIDI converter. The mechanicals of the Roland pickup allow it to be adapted to some range of basses, but it is clearly designed around a Fender Jazz body as a baseline. I couldn't get it to fit gracefully on any of my "modern" basses, so I went out looking for a cheap-but-serviceable Jazz-bodied 5-string. Not necessarily new, not necessarily Fender. So of course I tried out various Squier configurations at area music stores, including the Affinity Jazz V. I only played one Affinity, but it was *definitely* of inferior component and build quality to the Squier VM Jazz V and Deluxe Active Jazz V. Not by a lot, but it was noticeable in a side-by-side comparison.
A few years ago, I needed a platform for a Roland GK-3B interface to a MIDI converter. The mechanicals of the Roland pickup allow it to be adapted to some range of basses, but it is clearly designed around a Fender Jazz body as a baseline. I couldn't get it to fit gracefully on any of my "modern" basses, so I went out looking for a cheap-but-serviceable Jazz-bodied 5-string. Not necessarily new, not necessarily Fender. So of course I tried out various Squier configurations at area music stores, including the Affinity Jazz V. I only played one Affinity, but it was *definitely* of inferior component and build quality to the Squier VM Jazz V and Deluxe Active Jazz V. Not by a lot, but it was noticeable in a side-by-side comparison.
I came across a steal of a deal on some fender noiseless jazz V pickups today. I have dropped the bass and pickups off at my favorite guitar tech for a full setup and new strings and of course to have the pickups installed. Should have a real player after all is said and done.
I impulse bought an Affinity V the other day. It was an open box and cheap, and I took it home. I plugged it in, and compared to the tones I was getting to the tones I was getting with the Elite Jazz V at the store, and I could easily hear the difference. Now, I thought to myself, I could upgrade this Affinity V to sound great, but I decided that would take money so I took it back the next morning. However, if you got a deal on some good pickups, that would change things. It's a great playing bass. I think the one I took home was about 9.5 pounds or so.