However, the Squier or Fender question is no longer so much a question. Although the analysis is about the great Stratocaster model, they can be extended to anyone, because in the end, it is an analysis of general qualities. It was pretty bet up. Since 1954, the Stratocaster has been a Holy Grail model that many guitarists aspire to own one day, taking their place beside Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson and John Frusciante. . Thus, it has included models such as Jazzmaster, Jaguar, Mustang, Toronado, Starcaster, Super-Sonic, Telecaster Thinline, and even exclusive and Signature models such as J Mascis, John 5 and others. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. In 1996/1997 Fender ordered Squier guitars from China for the first time. The head machines and the nut generally speak a lot about the quality of the instrument, and here it is no exception. All 90s MIM necks and bodies were CNC cut in the US. Condition: item is in Excellent condition (9 out of 10) and fully functional. But at such a high price-point, Made in America (MIA) Strats are out of reach for many guitarists. Both tonewoods behave similarly to mahogany according to general opinion, that is, they are woods with their predominant tonal frequencies in the mids. In addition, I owned more than a hundred guitars. The Fender Mexico, on the other hand, have many components that are the same as those used in the economic ranges of the United States. Don't get me wrong, it is a lovely guitar, but I uncovered a surprise when I took the neck off to make some adjustments. Before I'd played with this guitar, I hadn't suspected that it was anything other than a Fender Stratocaster. They're great. It was my only electric for a few years before I started building my very own guitars and bought a few broken ones to fix on eBay. with too much fat or too much sugar, you'll be glad to learn that we made them ourselves with fresh, organic and fair ingredients, I will say the Fender was given to me free of charge. As someone above stated learn to play really well and maybe you will be blessed with a sponsorship from Fender. Possibly USA too I seem to remember. Cheap tapered zinc block. Any guitar has a cost to maintain, and cheaper guitars usually require higher expenses. Claim - Squier Series MIM strats are really American Bodies and Necks with cheaper electronics. Player-friendly features like a 22-fret fingerboard and a slimmer neck make for smoother playing and. I have a question : do Telecaster Squier or other Fender type guitars exists who present the same caracteristics ? I recently picked up a Fender "Squier Series" Tele from 93 but mine was made in a Korea and the Fender logo is silver with black outline rather than black. of Frets: 21 Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm) Width @ Nut: 1.650" (42 mm) Hardware: Chrome Anyone can sell on Reverb. The Fender "Squier Series" of Stratocasters will not be familiar to many guitar fans, but in this piece, we'll take a look at this unique series and what marks them out from the usual budget range of Squier guitars. This is a Made in Mexico "Squier Series" Standard Stratocaster, not to be confused with a Player Series or Standard MIM Stratocaster. VintageGuitarz, do you know how the Korean Squier Series compares to the Japanese? The body on mine is extremely light. We will tear down all the hidden myths and secrets. I am surprised no doubt. Typically, the "Squier Series" Stratocaster is a Fender guitar, roughly on a par with the current Mexican Standard. Just had new tuners, trem and electronics and you get an incredible guitar. Next image. Strange that there is no mention of Fuji Gen plant or Fender Japan. Original Ping Style Tuners (Work Perfectly). It is not considered a wood with great resonance and sustain, it is light and cheap. $879.99 Or $37 /month^ with 24 month financing* Limited Time. There is an S stamped on the inside of the pickguard. It plays and sounds sweet. The necks are super nice, have excellent fretwork and rolled edges. This tonewood has received a bad review from many guitarists. Fits US/Mexico Standard Fender Strat or Squier Strat like Affinity series etc. Squier guitars are painted in Polyurethane both on the neck and on the body. The fit and finish of both guitars is usually very good. Thus the higher quality parts and construction of the Fender will allow the instrument to age better and allow one to be more selective about what to change and what to keep. Following my recent experiences with a Fender Stratocaster that I bought at eBay, I thought I would put together this page to help other potential buyers spot if they are getting a standard or "Squier Series" Stratocaster. The persone who gave it to him did not take great care of it I think - the pickup selector is kind of Finicky and volume pot was a little crackly. David Lloyd (author) from UK on October 07, 2011: I'm not sure, I don't know much about pricing - have you tried searching completed auctions on eBay? Can you sort out all of your reject wood that you haven't touched so we can come get back to work a little quicker?" Fender use magnets made of alnico, an alloy of Aluminum, Nickel and Cobalt, hence Al-Ni-Co. The price range of the series starts from $430, going up to $450, and the designs are based on the traditional Fender models of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. But I just don't buy the folklore that they were US bodies and necks near any stage of completion. Recently i bought a guitar. Body Material: Nato. I have a Squier Series stratocaster but the logo isn't solid black, it's black outlined silver and the pick guard is a 3ply.. Any info on this particular model? Now medium jumbo instead of vintage. The Squier series often use low-grade, generic hardware. Cheapo, small pots, cheap selector, horrible pickups. One of the most important cost adjustment variables in a guitar is the components, including the pickups. I never sanded off the small squier logo. "I recently purchased a Squire that was made in the Cail.plant when the Mex.plant was burned to the ground,all the numbers match,it is a E 9 series which means it was made in USA in 1989 and there were only a couple of thousand made in USA between that few months until they rebuilt the Mexican plant,from early 89 to to 90 and that model was a N90 made in USA,Mine was a closet find with all the case goodies a set of strings from 89 a leather strap that still looks brand new and the original". The rest of the Squier series, such as the Bullet and Affinity, feature ceramic magnetic bar singlecoil pickups. Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. Squier has done the same with its finishes. Everyone I've seen mention their own "Squier Series" at the various guitar forums I trawl are more than happy with these guitars. I only buy guitars according to how they play, action,sound etc. M serial. Thanks! I'd not heard of these sort of guitars before, so, at first, I was a bit worried I'd bought a dud. For the vintage fanatics out there they prefer the traditional 21 frets, but general guitarists will prefer the 22 frets. Do other MIM Squier Series Fenders have these as well? I have a guitar that says "Stratocaster" on the headstock. In fact, nato is sometimes referred to as oriental mahogany. A wood widely used in Japan for quality musical instruments. Details (1) Open Box: $563.19 Save 10% Fender JV Modified '60s Stratocaster Maple Fingerboard. The Deluxe and Boxer range are made in Japan, and the Squier by Fender guitars are built in Indonesia or China. No other serial numbers..or country of origin markings..the tuners are different than most of the Fenders or Squiers that ive seen..wavyand work great. That said, we can say that the Classic Vibe series with an Alder body has more in common with the Fender Mexico than with the other Squier guitars. I bought a Squier 98 made in Mexico - California edition. Yes, I replaced the pickups but the feel of the neck is awsome! People have a habit of buying one of these and immediately bastardize it before even playing it. So a considerable difference in price, again due to cheaper labour and manufacturing outside of the States. Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. Clean Soldering but cheap wire. On the Squier side, these are generally unbranded and often of unknown origin and quality. I swapped out the pups & it's 90% "American Standard." It is louder unplugged, rings better, and sustains as well as any of the 30 or so Strats I've been through in the last 30 years, regardless of where they were made. According to internet lore, these guitars were the same American bodies and necks the base Mexican Standards used, but with Japanese or Korean electronics. The last Squier made in N America 25 years ago before finally moving to Indonesia. The humbuckers used by Squier are also built with ceramic magnets, with more emphasis on output than tonal clarity. Learn More, "Squier Series" Standard Stratocaster with Maple Fretboard, London Vintage Guitars of Denmark Street, UK & Amsterdam, NL, Jagged Offset Electric Guitars - Guitar & Bass - Luthier Tools. It turns out that the one I bought was not a standard Fender Stratocaster despite being sold to me as one. Great article! Thanks this is the best info all in one place. I did change the pick ups and bridge, drilled the strings through the body. Replacing parts on a Squier or Fender can be a bit more complex task than you can imagine. That said, it should also be clarified that aesthetically it does not have a showy grain and its yellowish color does not give it an attractive appearance. Anyone knows if these are decent for $150. On the other hand, if you are sure of what you want and you are looking for a quality instrument with good long-term performance and at a relatively cheap price, the Fender Stratocaster Mexico of the new Player Series or also of the old Standard in the guitar market used are a great option. I just found one of these on eBay a week ago, just the neck. I have to say that this Strat "squier series" '94 is very pleasant to play. Squier Catalogs listed the Fender Squier series as Standards. In order to analyze this, you have to take each of the guitars and analyze and test them. See other items 1997 Squier stratocaster made in mexico 1 watched in the last 24 hours Condition: Used Price: US $359.00 $32.40 for 12 months with PayPal Credit* Buy It Now Add to cart Best Offer: Make offer I have, in fact, a 94 Squier series and I upgraded every single part, from the tuners to the nut to the pickguard, trem, etc. Bob replies. Per Dan Smith of Fender (see interview on reverb), the Squier brand wasn't originally introduced to be a budget brand but was introduced in 82 to differentiate branding between the Japanese and American production lines due to complaint of the lack of such by distributors and vendors. Squier by Fender Stratocaster Beginner Guitar Pack, Laurel Fingerboard, Brown Sunburst, with Gig Bag, Amp, Strap, Cable, Picks, and Online Lessons . Another feature to look out for is the plastic pick guard, as there is another noticeable difference that will help identification. We are likely to display advertisements from our own platform, from Google Advertising Products or from Adform. In line with what was discussed above, Fender has higher quality parts throughout. Guitar Pickup Configuration - S. String Material Type: Nickel Steel. It was a 1996 Fender Squier series. Regarding the pickups, although many choose to change them for better options, the reality is that you should not have problems with any of the brands. Is that why you obscured your serial number? Willkommen bei eBay Kleinanzeigen. I have played professionally and for enjoyment. Covered by our 12 Month Pre-Owned Guitar Warranty. After cleaning it up ..it s a really nice axeanyone else with info on this would be appreciated..can send picsthx dave. Instruments designed by Leo Fender are intended to be cheap and easy to build, replace, and maintain. Although you can find specific, special and limited editions with the correct or traditional tonewoods: Alder and Ash. On the other hand, Squier has been taking increasingly better ranges, reaching the point of manufacturing guitars with the same woods as Fender and Alnico 5 pickups instead of ceramic, as are some models of the Classic Vibe series. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Fender Stratocaster Squire Series Made in Mexico at the best online prices at eBay! As a user said before, I've found mine very very light and when I play it unplugged you can hear the sound resonating in the body. But as we said above, Squier has greatly improved its quality on top-of-the-range guitars such as the Classic Series, Vintage Modified, Deluxe or Standard. Old body, new neck is my precription. Hand Orientation: Right. I don't know if it is significant or not but another detail about the neck that I never see on othe squires is that it has the dark stripe along the back which I think is related to the truss rod. As you may already know, Fender has used many different Tonewoods for their bodies, but without a doubt the most used are the Alder and the Ash. Fender and Squier Stratocaster prices As expected, the price varies considerably for both brands, although over the years it has been markedly reduced. The name remained unused until 1981 and Fender abandoned the string operation within a year of buying it. So, already maybe the question of Fender or Squier, now it should be why not Fender and Squier. The guitar is in mint condition,has only been played three times and sounds great. The Fender Player Series from Mexico tends to have a thinner finish with fewer blemishes than Squier, especially in key areas like the neckpocket. reply #5. Cheap trem plate and saddles etc. 3rd - Fender CONTRACTED ESTABLISHED off-shore guitar companies that ALREADY had their own factories to make the guitars under the Squier or Fender brand. This seller has not set a shipping cost for United Kingdom. I will stack it up against ANY Strat on the Planet. On higher-end guitars, this really changes a lot. Get your info straightened out. Items must be returned in original, as-shipped condition with all original packaging.Learn More. However, it must be demystified and clarified that although there are many detractors of basswood, the reality is that it is a more prejudiced than objective position. I.E. Most of Squiers instruments are made from basswood, agathis, poplar, nato, pine, and other inexpensive woods. She's still all original from 1992 and is as "stratty" as it gets. I couldn't believe that this was actually a cheaper-built Squier; it felt too good! -the tuning machine holes weren't drilled to 25/64", -the bridge mounting isn't drilled for 2-point tremolo. I wonder if they were made for different export markets as is sometimes the case. I asked him about it. Most of the Squier series generally use lower quality pickups with ceramic magnets. Question: I ran my Stratocaster through the Fender Serial Number database and it said it was a 1984 Black PBass. 2001 Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar 6 String Made in Mexico Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster Electric Guitar RED TORTOISE! the 6 tremolo mounting screws are different spacing than american. E-Gitarre Fender Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster MN - Fiesta Red Gitarre ist neu. Electronic components are of the lowest quality as well as the bridge and tuners but it sound very good. Has anyone else ran across one of these? As well as these physical differences, further identification will be helped by the serial number, which would begin with one of the following: MN3, MN4, MN5, MN6, MN7 or MN8. Change of tuner machines, noisy potentiometers, selectors with false contact, etc. We are using Google Analytics in order to better understand the use that our visitors make of our website in an attempt to improve it. For this reason, it is not possible to speak of Squier generalizing, since each model are different from the others. It was my first guitar, and I will never get rid of it. Boss Katana 100 Mk . Of course, the most important thing is always that you try the instruments and choose the one you feel most comfortable with, that sounds better and make you keeping playing. By clicking Subscribe, I agree to receive exclusive offers & promotions, news & reviews, and personalized tips for buying and selling on Reverb. Been a solid guitar and played many a jams and gigs. I got this guitar in '97 for $100. I haven't confirmed that this is true of all "Squier Series" guitars, but it is in the examples that I have seen. If you get better and confidence is up, nothing wrong with upgrading. The fellow I bought it from actually also had a MIM 90s "Squier by Fender" Tele that he let me try out as well and it was a quite a different beast- the weight being the most noticeable difference, in that it was very light weight and felt much more like a modern Affinity Tele.