Squier Classic Vibe 70's Jazz Bass V VS. Squier Affinity Jazz Bass V

[@LowEndLobster]

The CV definitely has more grit/growl in the pickups. That thing sounds sick! Can't wait to get my claws on it :)

[@billyhoward9643]

Instablaster.

[@LowEndLobster]

WOO! Thanks for the shout out my friend!

[@RumblinMan]

LowEndLobster my pleasure broseph!

[@aarondavis4341]

I'm glad this happened,for years I've stood my ground,been a Squier fan. The affinities are diamonds in the rough for sure they sound so go for as cheap as they are. I've had both a 70s vintage modified and an affinity P bass for a few years now. The CVs are gorgeous. I've had a few affinities,their awesome basses

[@RumblinMan]

Aaron Davis nice!!

[@ethanlancaster76]

Just snagged a CV 70’s J Bass from Sweetwater and I have to say that I’m digging so much more than I expected. I honestly think it’s just as good, if not even even better than my Fender Player Series Jazz Bass that costs almost twice as much. I also have a Fender Vintera Precision and it’s my favorite bass, other than my ‘63 Jazz Bass and the next bass purchase will definitely be the Fender Vintera Jazz Bass. After three decades of playing Fender basses I’ve come to the realization that the name on the headstock is NOT a determining factor in the quality of the instrument. Don’t be fooled by the price tag and if you give the Squire an unbiased review solely on the build quality and sound quality you will definitely have a hard time justifying shelling out the extra cash for the Fender logo.

[@keithbutler2222]

Used to have a 1979 USA Jazz that I sold back in 96 when I swapped from bass to keys. Have recently purchased a classic vibe and it feels pretty similar to the bass I used to have as well as looking identical apart from the black inlays instead of pearl

[@taijeeshavers4733]

Right now I'm deciding between these two as I get back into playing, and then I popped up with this video. I'm kinda rolling with the Affinity because of price but I'm still investigating. Thank you so much for the demo!

[@RumblinMan]

Taijee Shavers the Affinity could be a great bass if you upgrade the pickups!

[@itbedatboi5580]

I just got my jazz bass V and seriously couldn't put it down for a while the thing was just so nice to play and sounded great

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Great review, contemplating getting the Classic Vibe, finally getting more into 5 strings.

[@BlackuLaLa]

That groove @1:16 🥶 ice cold baby! Very nice!

[@RumblinMan]

Thank you!!

[@martin.ilek_bassplayer]

Thanks for the great video. I have been playing Affinity for a long time and I am extremely satisfied. The sound suits me perfectly.

[@samcrandall3094]

The affinity is definitely a lot more mid-range heavy, CV for sure has more highs and lows. Sounds so much more crispy

[@jorsutton7373]

Thank you! very helpful!!! I'm a lifetime drummer and have been loving playing bass lately!!!

[@RumblinMan]

Awesome!! Congrats man.

[@ConstantineBassCovers]

Great review. Thanks for sharing them with us. Cheers

[@RumblinMan]

Constantine Isslamow thank you my friend!

[@lashawnburse4078]

Very informative! I’m ballin’ on a budget so I think I’ll go with the Affinity. Subscribing for the great content :-)

[@RumblinMan]

Thank you!!!

[@DavidGonzalez-sw5ex]

Heyyy thanks rumbling man, appreciate this sooo much. I´ve been thinking about these two basses for quite a while to see which should I buy. Greetings from Mexico!

[@RumblinMan]

David Gonzalez wonderful! Víva Mexico! Great country. 🇲🇽

[@shardnz]

Great review again RM! Love the Classic Vibe but you've given me a new respect for the Affinity. Peace and Safety Brother.

[@RumblinMan]

shardnz always great to hear from you brother!

[@kiryumecho861]

It seems to me that the difference is greater because of the maple and rosewood fingerboard! I prefer Affinity 😉

[@TheBeardofDOOM]

No joke man. The weather is insane on the east coast too. I really like the inline 5 tuners. Every 5 string I see that has 4+1 drives my need for symmetry crazy. The retro 70's sounds much brighter. More my speed.

[@RumblinMan]

Kevin Toole yeah man!! Heard about a hurricane possibility this weekend. Hope not! The Classic Vibe sounds way better. It’s a great bass!

[@pauldavis6356]

I own 21 basses - Fender American standard, American professional, Rickenbacker, Warwick, Ibanez, Reverend, MusicMan, OLP. Cort, Sterling and 1 Squire. A combination of 4 & 5 strings. The Squire is a modified 5 string Jazz in white ( not sure what year they're modifying ) For the money, the sound, the appointments, the build and parts quality - the Squire is a great choice.

[@jasonschmidt1460]

Alright last Thursday I played my 1st Jazz Bass. Whoah I was impressed. The range of tone and feel of the neck. I fell in Love. I tried both Basses you are showing. I like the looks and sound of the 70's CV better. I opened up my local adds and found this today. 2016 Fender Squier Affinity Jazz Bass in Slick Silver made in China. Already thinking of putting some EMG RIP Tides in it. By chance has anyone used these pickups? They are in the $200.00 range.

[@helmutversino5274]

I'm in search of a five string bass. I have a 2018 MiM Precision and as secondo bass a Epiphone Embassy Pro that sounds very good for the price. It's a surprising well made budget bass. About your review: the Classic Vibe sounds brighter and has tons of harmonics, but after your review i think i will buy the Affinity. That’s because i've never played a five strings before and i'm not so sure to fall in love with it, so i'd rather prefer to spend money in a cheaper bass. In that price range i think is a best buy. Good construction, good neck. Difficult to find a better 5 string at that price... So... I'm always in time for upgrades! And... I really love the five-in-a-row tuners!

[@RumblinMan]

Yeah man! It’s an excellent starter five string.

[@Six3rdy]

Thanks for the review on this. Ill keep it in my notes. Personal experience: I've been playing the Affinity Jazz V for awhile now, and I've never touched the classic vibe. I do hear the "muddy" nature of the Affinity......and that's actually kinda what I like about it if I'm being honest. Lol. It dampens things just enough imo. You keep the punch and limit some harshness (especially with slap).

[@crtl5911]

If you're like me and you play with with the tone rolled off just clean low bass sound affinity is for your, but I gotta say the 70's is so bright and crisp I bet If you play chrords in the high register it sounds so delicious.

[@ryanslauderdale]

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm a fan of the warmth that you get out of the Affinity. The CV has a metallic, clanky sound that I'm just not a fan of. However, I say that having cut my teeth as a P-Bass player, so take it with a grain of salt. I'm just venturing out into the possibilities of what a Jazz Bass can do.

[@thomasbarker7735]

Great demo Rumblin man really like the classic vibe bass both are good but the classic vibe sounds more sharp with more punch

[@mark52111]

Great video and comments too! I gather the CV is heavier in weight…? How light is the affinity? and is the affinity a poplar wood body?

[@dpm4298]

I have the same Affinity bass (mine's a little different since I changed the pickguard for a dark one) although I like the spankyness of the CV, I kinda prefer the sound of the Affinity bass, I feel like it has more contour, and the B string just straight up sounds better tbh.

[@RumblinMan]

It’s definitely hard to beat in the price range.

[@rear5118]

I also thought the B string sounded better on the Affinity, but this can have several reasons. I recently tried both of these basses and the Classic Vibe bass felt 10 times better to play. Also I'm really not a fan of the fretbord wood that they use on the Affinity, it didn't feel good to play at all.

[@michaelhinton6239]

I had a squier affinity jazz laurel sunburst brown, that boy had a great tone, I miss that bass now I'm debating to get the squier contemporary pricision bass or the classic vibe 70s jazz, can't really decide which but I've always thought about trying the contemporary series tho just cause it's active, fender makes some good squier basses that alot of people sleep on fasho

[@stevengato]

Great information. Thanks

[@ChrisDavis1975]

The thunder is from yo playing, brother! 👍🏻

[@RumblinMan]

Chris Davis thanks my friend!

[@MrBryn1979]

Has the Affinity got upgraded pups? And what strings, sounds much warmer than the CV which I prefer tbh! Great review 🤘🏻

[@RumblinMan]

Thanks man. Stock pickups. I think I had MJC Ironworks strings on it.

[@ClaudioBrogliato]

Ok. So the main difference is pickups, which in your specific test of the CV 70 you said you would still upgrade. I'd say it'd be better to buy the affinity and invest the difference in price in better pickups.

[@RumblinMan]

For some, yes. I personally would go with the CV because I like the neck better. But, either way, it’s hard to go wrong. They’re a great modding platform.

[@RDB11B]

I currently have a Squier 4 string jazz and a Squier 4 string PJ. I’m looking to get a 5 string next. What are your thoughts on 5 string Classic Vibe Jazz vs 5 string Sterling Stingray

[@RumblinMan]

The classic vibe is great, but have you considered the Sire V3??

[@RDB11B]

I’ve never heard of the Sire V3? What is that???

[@matthewlunsford4351]

This was a good demo! For my ears/taste the 70s classic vibe had better tones. I have hand problems and have to ask, "Are they neck heavy?"

[@RumblinMan]

Matthew Lunsford thanks man! The CV is a fairly heavy bass in general. It sports a lot of mass. I didn’t notice a neck dive, but it could have one.

[@brandon2893]

People like the CV for the clarity of the highs / lows, but I like the affinity because it simply thumps. And for the price I can have a very solid jazz bass

[@RumblinMan]

It’s really an excellent bass for the price. I just got new pickups in mine.

[@jmwreck]

@@RumblinMan what pickups do you have for your affinity?

[@RumblinMan]

@@jmwreck Sonic Pickups, eventually.

[@caljerm]

I just got done watching a video of that very Affinity V getting torn apart by a crazy lobster man! LOL

[@RumblinMan]

Indeed!!! Hahaha

[@Six3rdy]

He's not just A crazy lobster man.....he's THE crazy lobster man. Lol. But point taken. The rumbling man did indeed cook with this one. We having shrimp for dinner. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Jkjk

[@jondumas7025]

Waiting for the cv in black to come in at sweetwater. I'm a guitar player and it will serve as my studio bass. Do you think duncan quarter pound will fit an improve the sound? Or will the stock pups suffice? Death metal/ doom metal applications. And great demo bro!

[@viacheslavdenisov7237]

Great! What do you think about dimarzio ultra jazz bass 5 pickups set: do they fit the size and do they improove the sound of cv 70?

[@RumblinMan]

Viacheslav Denisov Dimarzios would definitely be an improvement. As far as I know, they should fit just fine!

[@peepsieD]

Alnico magnet pickups vs. ceramic magnet pickups is a big difference in sound. The ceramic pickups in the Affinity sound dull compared to the Alnico in the CV. So the Affinity can be vastly improved with some basic (NOT overwound) Alnico V pickups, a 30$ set on eBay would be a great improvement (there's some advertised as "vintage sound" or something, out of China, seriously they sound great!). Pickup spacing is unique, however, the CV has 70's spacing. That, plus maple fingerboard, you can really nail funk bass (Marcus Miller sound) with the CV. Affinity with basic Alnico pickups is going to be a little more universal sounding than the CV, but it's probably something most people wouldn't notice. Personally I dig the Affinity (with upgraded pickups) more for those reasons plus I prefer the 5 in-line tuners vs. the 4+1 style headstock.

[@r0cket_penguin]

My Affinity Jazz V has the 4 + 1 style. I guess that was a change for 2021.

[@stevencollier5857]

@Rumblin Man Looking at either this Classic Vibe V or the Contemporary Active V. Have you reviewed the Active V for comparison? I can't find any decent reviews on the Active V.

[@brunoraffo6726]

Isn't it soft maple body on the vintage modified?

[@gupta__g]

Need some help on selecting a bass. Squire CV 70s or Sire v5 .. Im trying to get into slap bass territory and would like to know which bass would do justice. Thanks in advance.

[@RumblinMan]

Can’t go wrong either way. They’re about the same.

[@ismalunabass4686]

The clasic vibe sounds great!! the Fender Jazz bass player series sounds better wats You tink? Man. I don't no which one to Buy. tanks.

[@RumblinMan]

The Player Series is superior IMO!

[@joselbajistabassbmx1124]

Excellent video my friend, I had a Squier affinity 5 , with which I felt happy, very comfortable and lightweight, I sold it to buy the new Squier VM, well the reality is the Squier VM for $ 450 visually it is more attractive but it has a great tone for ash, maple, maple. but otherwise it was a total disappointment a horror, a nightmare the nut was badly cut which creates problems in the string spacing, the electronics were a disaster of cut cables and, disaster welds, also the bridge pickup potentiometer did not work and the worst of Everything is that it weighs more than block of cement, very heavy, nooo Terribly heavy, I took it to change for an equal one, to a surprise it was even worse, the action in the other Squier VM to hi and there was noise in all the frets. I tried another and it was another nightmare, 3 Squier VM 3 Squier VM with bigs problems. when I realize there was a Squier Affinity left, i say, give me this Affinity, and I just lowered the action in the neck and on the bridge a bit,, wooowww, and it seemed like Roger Sadowsky had calibrated it. Without thinking I changed it, I can't believe it, for $ 250 you have a better construction. Conclusion, maybe not all Squier VM are that bad built , just only the 90% . if you are lucky you can buy a good one, the final conclusion is Fender China quality control is excellent, Fender Indonesia has the worst bad quality control. I am a user Sadowsky NYC, and I give you some advice, the AFFINITY is better. I recommend them. If you buy a Squier VM, give it a try, check check the VM, open it up and check the electronics, the nut cut, the union in the pocket, the frets, the action, and if you don't know much about bass, try it with a friend who is quite experienced, Better go accompanied by a luthier.

[@samcurry1104]

The affinity sounds so much different than the classic vibe

[@dans_place]

Love the natural wood finish

[@RumblinMan]

Yeah man. I was surprised by how bad the Affinity sounds compared to the Classic Vibe!

[@RumblinMan]

Dan Hilts you need one!

[@dans_place]

The ibanez will get the job done for now .... 😎

[@samcurry1104]

I have the Vintage modified 5 string and I love it

[@bignatec1000]

I had just bought the black one, then I immediately took it back and exchanged it for the brown one after watching this. Thankfully my guitar center had both.

[@RumblinMan]

NICE!!!!

[@stephenhookings1985]

The CV is certainly a good quality bass - good and fair comparison. No name on the Affinity? Or did it get washed off in the storm? Ah it was sanded off :-) The SX JB75 is IMHO better than a CV. Harley Benton do a decent MN75 too. I recently for a J & D 75 bass in surf green for £125 shipped (got it for the colour). Didn't rate the pickups - YMMV but a set of EMG J bass is only another £125. Alas all 4 string. Having said that so many people play a 5 string like the B is a thumb rest :-( I made a YT on why I think 5 string is most natural and logical bass to learn. Maps out Circle of 4ths and can make fretboard seem more logical when learning.

[@RumblinMan]

I’ve never had the chance to try out the SX 5 string but would like to.

[@stephenhookings1985]

@@RumblinMan www.muziker.co.uk/sx-vintage-jazz-bass-62-5-black -- they have some 20% off certain products. I am tempted - have way too many basses / guitars.

[@willistaylor4077]

I got the Yamaha BB-705 5-string Bass for myself. I found I preferred the feel of the Yamaha over the Squier. The rest of my Basses are Fender and Squier. I'm actually really enjoying my CV 70's Precision Bass, which I modified with a Fender Pure Vintage 64 precision bass pickup, and Flatwound strings. 👍👍💕💕🎸🎸🎵🎵

[@reinaldoestevez]

nice job

[@kriko8790]

Siempre me pregunto porque no usan bajos de la misma madera para comparar, o será que terminan sonando igual...

[@RumblinMan]

no comprende

[@robertyoung7027]

I thought the affinity sounded fantastic, just not a pretty as the CV

[@timkbt]

The problem with doing upgrades it’s harder to resell and you usually lose most of the money you put in it. That being said if you plan to keep the bass for many years then go with the upgrades. I like the classic vibes better than the Mexican or American models

[@TheMDistortion]

That's why you keep the parts you replace.

[@Bass.Player]

That Classic Vibe weights as much as a truck!

[@RumblinMan]

Bass Player truth! Haha.

[@danielreiter3063]

you have forget the position from the pickups... the bridge pickups are in differently positions. Classics Vibe 70's sounds much better, it have more funky sound :)

[@papachung6639]

He mentioned that