sunvalleylaw
Yep.
This (considering MIM vs. CV) was coming up in one of the Gibson threads and thought I would do a comparison of my own for what it is worth.
The contenda's: On the left, 2011 Squier CVC tele, modded by me. On the right, 2006 MIM Anniversary Standard Strat, stock other than the tort guard.
MIM, check out the satin neck. This is my first electric and first true love in the guitar world. And the satin neck, and the way the neck was built and finished is one of the main reasons. In fact, when I bought it, I could not tell a big difference between it and the American models. Though I was a beginner so maybe I missed something. But not in feel and finish, and the sound was just as good too.
CVC neck. Some discussion in the threads on the glossy finish. Not an issue on the fretboard of this one. This neck is very close to my MIM. If I am being really picky, the fret ends were finished just a bit better on the MIM, and the edge of the fretboard feels more nicely rolled. You can run your finger up and down the edge and it feels buttery. The CV has just the barest hint of fret ends. Not sharp mind you, but not quite as buttery. Nothing for me to worry about and I play this guitar all the time. If it bothered me I could fix it up quick, but I have never bothered.
You can see the gloss they use here.
The backs. Very definitely, the CVC is glossier. In truth, I prefer the look of the satin, but it does not really affect me to have the gloss. Again, if it bothered me, I could fix it up easily. But again I have not bothered.
I like the skunk stripe.
Glossy, plain, but plays just fine.
As far as neck size, they are almost the same. The MIM is a modern C with a 9.5 radius, and it is the neck I am most used to and have judged all other electric necks against. The CVC is very similar in shape in the rear. Nearly identical and not different enough to say there is a true difference. The fretboard radius is identical.
The body finish is maybe just a bit nicer on the MIM. The paint is just finished a bit more smoothly than the clear on the CVC. Not that I spend a bunch of time looking for paint faults.
I changed out the pickups in the CVC, as I found the bridge pickup too shrill, and the neck pickup sounded an awful lot like the neck pickup in my strat, which sound I already had covered. The BG P90 and rock wound tele bridge have transformed the guitar. (along with the vastly improved 4 way electrical harness. Works way more smoothly, and adds that excellent 4th position). I love it for rock sounds, and enjoy some clean-ish tele sounds too. Because I love the pickups and sounds so much, I have played this guitar a ton over the last year or so. The strat even got a little lonely for a while (though it is fully back in the mix. I do enjoy it quite a bit). I think that perhaps the CV pine caster with the A3 magnets might have been more to my liking as far as stock pickups, rather than the A5 magnets in this CVC. but I really liked the idea a an alder body and liked the rosewood fret board and double bound body of the CVC. So, if you like the sounds of a CV tele, and you found one that plays well, I am not sure why you would spend more for a MIM.
That said, the MIM is just a tad more refined in finish, both body and neck, and the stock electronics seemed better to me. As did the pickups. I have no real reason to change anything on this guitar other than cosmetics.
So that is my take on things, with pics. Discuss away regarding what you have found about comparing these instruments.
The contenda's: On the left, 2011 Squier CVC tele, modded by me. On the right, 2006 MIM Anniversary Standard Strat, stock other than the tort guard.
MIM, check out the satin neck. This is my first electric and first true love in the guitar world. And the satin neck, and the way the neck was built and finished is one of the main reasons. In fact, when I bought it, I could not tell a big difference between it and the American models. Though I was a beginner so maybe I missed something. But not in feel and finish, and the sound was just as good too.
CVC neck. Some discussion in the threads on the glossy finish. Not an issue on the fretboard of this one. This neck is very close to my MIM. If I am being really picky, the fret ends were finished just a bit better on the MIM, and the edge of the fretboard feels more nicely rolled. You can run your finger up and down the edge and it feels buttery. The CV has just the barest hint of fret ends. Not sharp mind you, but not quite as buttery. Nothing for me to worry about and I play this guitar all the time. If it bothered me I could fix it up quick, but I have never bothered.
You can see the gloss they use here.
The backs. Very definitely, the CVC is glossier. In truth, I prefer the look of the satin, but it does not really affect me to have the gloss. Again, if it bothered me, I could fix it up easily. But again I have not bothered.
I like the skunk stripe.
Glossy, plain, but plays just fine.
As far as neck size, they are almost the same. The MIM is a modern C with a 9.5 radius, and it is the neck I am most used to and have judged all other electric necks against. The CVC is very similar in shape in the rear. Nearly identical and not different enough to say there is a true difference. The fretboard radius is identical.
The body finish is maybe just a bit nicer on the MIM. The paint is just finished a bit more smoothly than the clear on the CVC. Not that I spend a bunch of time looking for paint faults.
I changed out the pickups in the CVC, as I found the bridge pickup too shrill, and the neck pickup sounded an awful lot like the neck pickup in my strat, which sound I already had covered. The BG P90 and rock wound tele bridge have transformed the guitar. (along with the vastly improved 4 way electrical harness. Works way more smoothly, and adds that excellent 4th position). I love it for rock sounds, and enjoy some clean-ish tele sounds too. Because I love the pickups and sounds so much, I have played this guitar a ton over the last year or so. The strat even got a little lonely for a while (though it is fully back in the mix. I do enjoy it quite a bit). I think that perhaps the CV pine caster with the A3 magnets might have been more to my liking as far as stock pickups, rather than the A5 magnets in this CVC. but I really liked the idea a an alder body and liked the rosewood fret board and double bound body of the CVC. So, if you like the sounds of a CV tele, and you found one that plays well, I am not sure why you would spend more for a MIM.
That said, the MIM is just a tad more refined in finish, both body and neck, and the stock electronics seemed better to me. As did the pickups. I have no real reason to change anything on this guitar other than cosmetics.
So that is my take on things, with pics. Discuss away regarding what you have found about comparing these instruments.
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