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Other Squier VMs also becoming Classic Vibe?

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 1:00 am
by Ceylon
So the Squier Classic Vice Jaguar made big splashes on here but has anyone noticed the other Squier models seem to be getting the same treatment? I've been looking into getting one of the VM Tele Thinlines with WRHBs for some time and these are now advertised on Thomann as "CV 70's" with Fender-designed pickups and available for pre-order. All the other VM offerings seem to be the same story.

Re: Other Squier VMs also becoming Classic Vibe?

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 11:33 am
by TeenageShutdown!
Right. The VM line will be discontinued & replaced with a CV line, presumably to expand on the CV hype. Not sure if it’s the right route, but with the VM sales dwindling they need to regain new interest/ money. Looks like they’re pretty successful at that, so far, with the Jag. Now if only they gave other new CV’s the same asthetic attention.

Re: Other Squier VMs also becoming Classic Vibe?

Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 7:28 am
by prospect
TeenageShutdown! wrote:
Thu Feb 28, 2019 11:33 am
Right. The VM line will be discontinued & replaced with a CV line, presumably to expand on the CV hype. Not sure if it’s the right route, but with the VM sales dwindling they need to regain new interest/ money. Looks like they’re pretty successful at that, so far, with the Jag. Now if only they gave other new CV’s the same asthetic attention.
VM sales are dwindling? Where did you get this info? Not being facetious, genuinely interested.

Re: Other Squier VMs also becoming Classic Vibe?

Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 10:19 am
by Embenny
prospect wrote:
Wed Mar 13, 2019 7:28 am
TeenageShutdown! wrote:
Thu Feb 28, 2019 11:33 am
Right. The VM line will be discontinued & replaced with a CV line, presumably to expand on the CV hype. Not sure if it’s the right route, but with the VM sales dwindling they need to regain new interest/ money. Looks like they’re pretty successful at that, so far, with the Jag. Now if only they gave other new CV’s the same asthetic attention.
VM sales are dwindling? Where did you get this info? Not being facetious, genuinely interested.
I don't have any information that you don't, but historically, companies don't tend to suddenly discontinue an entire line of guitars if they're performing well in terms of sales.

Re: Other Squier VMs also becoming Classic Vibe?

Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 10:58 am
by prospect
mbene085 wrote:
Wed Mar 13, 2019 10:19 am
prospect wrote:
Wed Mar 13, 2019 7:28 am
TeenageShutdown! wrote:
Thu Feb 28, 2019 11:33 am
Right. The VM line will be discontinued & replaced with a CV line, presumably to expand on the CV hype. Not sure if it’s the right route, but with the VM sales dwindling they need to regain new interest/ money. Looks like they’re pretty successful at that, so far, with the Jag. Now if only they gave other new CV’s the same asthetic attention.
VM sales are dwindling? Where did you get this info? Not being facetious, genuinely interested.
I don't have any information that you don't, but historically, companies don't tend to suddenly discontinue an entire line of guitars if they're performing well in terms of sales.
Re-branding the line doesn't mean they are being discontinued. Evolving and refreshing the line is indicative of how successful these have been. The dealers I've talked to have told me that these (VM) are hard to keep in stock across the line. Hence why I was surprised to hear someone say that sales are dwindling.

Re: Other Squier VMs also becoming Classic Vibe?

Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 4:30 pm
by Futuron
If you are REACTIVE, then you freshen things up when a successful line dwindles. If you are PROACTIVE, then you freshen things up before that successful line dwindles.

You know, that whole "pre-emptive strike" thing, except slightly less controversial

Re: Other Squier VMs also becoming Classic Vibe?

Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2019 8:14 pm
by Embenny
Futuron wrote:
Wed Mar 13, 2019 4:30 pm
If you are REACTIVE, then you freshen things up when a successful line dwindles. If you are PROACTIVE, then you freshen things up before that successful line dwindles.

You know, that whole "pre-emptive strike" thing, except slightly less controversial
Yeah but this is Fender we're talking about here. Both they and Gibson have spent the last 30-40 years primarily reissuing old models in minor variations.

To use Epiphone as a comparable line to Squier, they have been selling many of the same models under the same name for decades now. The Epiphone Les Paul Standard and Les Paul Special II, for example, have been in production at least as long as I have been playing guitar. In that time, they've moved factories, changed which woods they make them from, changed pickups, but never rebranded the model or line name.

I have to assume that Fender just wanted to keep their next line of Indonesian (VM) guitars at the same factory, but capitalize on the goodwill of the Classic Vibe name, which are universally hailed as the best-built Squiers since the MIJ Vista days. Sure they tweaked a couple of specs, but nothing drastic, and are even making them where they made the VMs.

It's smart from a business standpoint. I guess I just assume Fender would never be proactive rather than reactive, because that seems to have been their MO for a while.

Re: Other Squier VMs also becoming Classic Vibe?

Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 12:52 am
by mgeek
I was just having a look at the classic vibes and thinking how expensive they are compared to when I bought my Japanese Silver Series for £200 back in 1994, but I checked the measuring worth calculator, and they are almost exactly the same price in real terms. ;D

£200 in todays money is £378.10 and the sixties CV strat is £379.32 on Thomann, I've been spoiled by all the cool vintage weirdos I've had for like, £83 on ebay ;)