Critical Look Fender Squier Stratocaster Review. Designed back in 1. Leo Fender, the stratocaster has become ubiquitous among all electric guitar players across the world. Almost everybody is familiar with the look of the Fender Squier Stratocaster and it has been played by some of the best guitarist in the world. Because the design of the Fender Squier Stratocaster is so popular, it has also become one of the most copied guitar looks over the past half a century. In my travels around the world I have seen strat look a likes in China, the Philippines and in Africa. The problem is that for most beginners, a Fender Squier Stratocaster costs a bit more than they are willing to pay. Enter the Squier Fender Series. Is Squier a Fender In short, despite what you may read elsewhere, the answer to this question is YES. Back in 1. 96. 5 Fender bought a US based string maker named Squier. Fender had produced entry level electric guitars before but had never modeled them after their popular line of Stratocasters and Telecasters. Gallery/1988_Fender_Stratocaster_57_Reissue_Custom_Shop_V030623_head.jpg' alt='Fender Guitar Serial Numbers Search' title='Fender Guitar Serial Numbers Search' />The Stratocaster was Leo Fenders second guitar design after the Telecaster around 1953, with actual production beginning in early 1954. How Much Is My Guitar Worth This is one of the most frequent questions to hit the GNW editors mailbox every week. Some of you tell me youve bought a guitar and. The Fender Stratocaster is a model of electric guitar designed in 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical. All of that changed in 1. Fender introduced the Fender Squier series of guitars. Fender produces their Squiers overseas mostly in Asia and use cost efficient materials, which is why they are much cheaper than your average Fender. A Fender Squier Stratocaster Review. For those searching for a beginner electric guitar, its not uncommon for that search to begin with the Stratocaster. It may not end here, but it should definitely start here. Gretsch Guitars Understanding Gretsch guitar serial numbers. Gretsch used several different serial number schemes through the years. Each of them can be used to. Vintage Fender Guitars, we offer a huge range of vintage and used Fender guitars. This is a 1984 gibson flying v guitar serial 82754531. Chinese Taiwanese Squiers YN Y Yako Taiwan, N Nineties 1990s, the first number following the serial number prefix is the year. For example. Ver. The Gibson Serial Number Decoder currently supports 6 formats from 4 Factories. For guitars made prior to 1977 use the extended search function. Whats Great about the Squier Strat. For starters, thing people love most about the Squier Strat guitar is the famous contoured body. It feels exactly the same as the pricier Fender Strats. The contoured body is just the start. Everything from the classic headstock of the Squier Stratocaster to the placement of the 3 single coil pickups is identical to its older brother. Youll have the opportunity to enjoy the 5 way switch which switches between different combinations of pickups and the sweet tremolo. If youre a fan of how the Fender Squier Stratocaster looks, theres no doubt that youll be pleased with the Squier Stratocaster. Thankfully its also not bad to play either. Theres a lot that plays into the tone of an electric guitar from the onboard electronics to the amplifier, but out of the box the Squier Stratocaster guitars have a good sound. Its easy on the fingers and the maple neck is smooth to travel the fretboard. Differences Squier Strat vs the Fender Strat. Of course, when youre looking to mimic a Fender Strat with a budget under 2. Whether you plan to use the Squier Strat as a beginner guitar or as a backup guitar, its good to know the differences between the Fender and the Squier. The biggest difference between the two, other than the fact that Squier is manufactured in Asia while Fender is made in the U. S. A., is materials. Both use Alder wood for the body of the guitar but Squier relies on a cheaper, lower quality Alder. The pickups on a Squier, as you would expect, dont compare with those on the Fender. You can say the same thing most of the hardware including tuners, bridge hardware, etc. Most of this can be replaced, of course, but that will take a bit of technical know how on your part. Fender Guitar Serial Numbers Search' title='Fender Guitar Serial Numbers Search' />When it comes to construction, the only glaring problem with the Squier Strat is the neck. If youre a beginner guitarist you wont notice and you should probably just skip this paragraph. For the experienced player, however, youll notice a lack of precision in the neck of the Squier Strat, especially if you want to make any sort of adjustment. With a Fender Strat you have the option of making minor adjustments via the Micro Tilt at the neck attachment. No such adjustment exists with the Squier Stratocaster. If youre a beginner guitarist, the Squier Strat is an excellent option. For those more experienced guitarists looking to purchase a backup guitar, make sure the guitar has been set up properly and be prepared to invest money in better pickups. Squier Options for Beginner Guitarist. So heres the best part about considering a Fender Squier Stratocaster as your first beginner guitar excellent options. Other than the typical color options that youll get with most any guitars, there are also some other specs that might interest you The Traditional Squier Affinity Strat. The most popular of the Squier series by far is the Affinity Strat. Its a proven guitar that is well priced, even though there are both cheaper and more expensive options as youll see below. Check Pricing Availability on For the Super Budget Conscious. Squier offers the Squier Bullet Stratocaster, which uses basswood instead of alder and ceramic pickups to save you money. For less than 1. Squier Bullet Stratocaster bundle. This includes a case, strings, winder, tuner and other items that a beginner guitarist would find helpful. This is your best option if youre strapped for cash. Check Pricing Availability on For the Younger GuitaristTraveling Guitarist. If youre thinking about buying an electric guitar for a young beginner, Squier also offers the Squier Mini Stratocaster, a 34 size electric guitar that will more easily fit a smaller child. Its also not a bad option if you want a smaller travel electric guitar. Personally I prefer to travel with an acoustic guitar, but if the electric is your preference, the mini will suit you just fine. Check Pricing Availability on For the Quality Conscious. If youre on a budget but youre still willing to pay just a few more dollars to squeeze out the best quality guitar you can get, theres also the Squier Standard Stratocaster. Its a step above the affinity series which means youll get An agathis body. Better Alnico pickups which out perform the Affinity pickups by farA slimmer neck for easier playabilityCheck Pricing Availability on Final Thoughts on the Squier Stratocaster. For a beginner guitarist who wants to learn on the electric, you cant go wrong with a Squier Stratocaster. My guess is that after a year or two, youll probably want to upgrade your equipment. But, at least with a Squier Strat, youll be able to sell it used for more than 2. It carries the name Fender and that will serve you well later on. More advanced players will notice that the amplified sound of a Squier Strat doesnt quite compare to that of a true Fender. But with a little investment and a few modifications you can fix that easily. The Squier series does it exactly what it aims to do. It provides the look and feel of a Fender electric guitar at a price that allows most beginners to thoroughly enjoy. Guitars Buying a new guitar is a considerable investment for most of us. To get the best possible experience, it is therefore important that youve done some research and decided on what kind of model youre looking for. In this feature well look at a handful of models with David Gilmours tones in mind. An instrument is all about inspiration. You are the musician and the guitar is the tool you use to express your feelings and music. It may sound like a clich but you need to be at one with the guitar for the inspiration to flow. This has nothing to do with what models you choose or how much they cost. You could very well build the guitar yourself from scrap metal but whats important is that youre comfortable with holding the guitar in your hands, playing it and the sound it creates. Some basic knowledge about the different wood types, neck and body profiles, pickups etc will help you in making the best choice. Fender US, CIJ or MIM
Theres little doubt that US Fenders are better than Mexicans. Thats kind of the point too, considering that MIM models are Fenders budget brand above Squier. However, over the last decade or so, the MIMs has gotten a considerable face lift and the overall quality is very high. In fact, the reason why they are cheaper, ha sless to do with quality but rather lower labour costs, cheaper type of laquer and apply methods etc. Japanese Fenders are considered to be above the Mexicans and perhaps even just as good as the US. In the 8. 0s and early 9. Japanese Fenders were well known for being superior to any other models and the quality is still top notch. Maple or rosewood necks
Neck wood and contour plays an important role in how the guitar sounds and how it feels to play. Some like thick necks and some prefer a thinner contour. Some like the vintage glossy nitro finish and some prefer the more modern satin finish. Depending on the radius, thickness and contour of the neck, maples are generally brighter sounding with a bit more top and less mid range. Rosewood necks or rosewood fretboard has a slightly warmer tone with more mid range and perhaps an overall more balanced character. Alder, ash or basswood bodies
Like the neck, the wood used for the body, and its quality, plays a role in how the guitar sound. Alder is used in most Fender Strats mainly because of its light weight and its easy to finish due to minimal grain lines. Alder is also the most neutral sounding of the commonly used wood types with a full tone, well balanced lower end a hint of mid range. Swamp ash, or southern ash, is considered as the most musical wood and its often preferred by the more demanding players. Its high density makes it a bright sounding wood with a strong punch and rich sustain. Basswood was often used for Japanese Fenders in the 8. Although a soft wood, it has a rich and warm tone with a smooth sustain. Basswood has long been favoured by jazz musicians and it can also help to balance a bright punchy maple neck. Setups. A good tip when youre trying out new guitars is to focus on how the guitar plays and sound acoustically. Dont start by plugging it into a loud amp and lots of pedals but listen to the acoustics, the natural resonance and sustain. If this sound and feels right, then its a guitar well worth considering. Pickups can easily be replaced for a more desired tone but you cant fix a dead resonance. Consider it a bonus if the stock pickups are to your liking. The string and pickup height and the tremolo action is often set to a so called factory standardized setup. This can easily be adjusted later on, so dont dismiss a perfectly good guitar just because the setup isnt how you normally prefer it. Keep in mind though that theres a difference between a setup that you dont like and a bad setup caused by poor assembly and parts. Squier
Squier is Fenders budget range. Over the last decade, Squire has regained much of its old reputation of producing high quality instruments for even the tightest budgets. Squier Classic Vibe
The Classic Vibe series captures the essence of the 5. These are very good beginners instruments thatll give you a good start and a classic Strat tone. Body alder. Neck modern C shape maple 5. Pickups vintage style single coils based on respectively 5. Pros light weight and easy to play, classic looks and tone
Cons hardware and electronics are more or less just for show and should be replaced. Considering the Classic VibeThe stock tremolo system can be hard to keep in tune and it may also lack some sustain and resonance. Replace it with a Callaham Vintage S system for better stability and more sustain. To take the guitar up to a pro level, replace the pickups with some Fender Custom Shop 6. Fat 5. 0s. Fender Mexico MIM
The Mexican models are Fenders mid range line. From being the black sheep of the catalogue, the MIMs has gotten a thorough face lift and are now great alternatives to the much more expensive US counterparts. Fender MIM Standard. The budget version of the legendary American Standard. This model has gone through many changes during the last decade and the result is a very good guitar with a great tone and feel that suits a wide range of genres and styles. Body alder. Neck modern thin C shape maple and rosewood fingerboard. Pickups Fender Standard hotPros an overall good entry level guitar with a versatile tone and easy to play neck
Cons the tremolo system is very unstable and should be replaced. Fender MIM Classic Series
The Classic Series was originally introduced in Japan as the Collectable Series but the production was moved to Mexico and renamed when Fender in the late 9. Japanese models. The Classic series includes faithful reissues of the original 5. All in all some very fine instruments thatll give you lots of value for the buck. Papillon Henri Charriere on this page. With a few upgrades, such as better hardware and pickups, youll get a guitar that will stand up to any US model. Body alder, ash 7. Neck soft V shape vintage tinted glossy maple 5. C shape rosewood fretboard 6. U shape maple and rosewood fretboard 7. Pickups vintage style single coils based on respectively 5. Pros classic looks, feel and tone, very easy to play
Cons the tremolo system is very unstable and should be replaced. Fender MIM Road Worn. The Road Worn series are Fenders budget versions of their popular US Custom Shop Relic models. The aging process looks very authentic and gives the guitar a warm and balanced tone not least due to the nitro lacquer finish. The black 5. 0s model in particular makes a great basis for your David Gilmour Black Strat project. The only real drawback of these guitars are the necks, which due to the very little finish, can dry out and leave some nasty fret edges. Body alder
Neck soft V shape maple 5. C shape rosewood fretboard 6. Pickups Fender TexMex. Pros light weight and easy to play, nitro finish for warmer tone and cool relic look. Cons dry necks and the tremolo system is very unstable and should be replaced. Considering the Road Worns The necks have very little lacquer and the wood can dry out easily. Buy a loaded body off e. Bay and order a custom neck from Warmoth for the best setup. The bridge system can also be replaced by something a bit more reliable, like the Callaham Vintage S system. Fender Japan MIJCIJ
Japanese Fenders is a bit tricky to get but its well worth the effort. Considered superior to the US Fenders in the 8. Japanese instruments still holds a very high quality. Fender CIJ ST series.