vic
My advice would be to get a real US Strat as you are going to upgrade the Squire anyway. Save a bit more...or better...make a loan from Dad ?...These can be bought for R8-9K....and then you're a happy chappie.
chris77
You can google it to be sure, but if I remember correctly these are their three base models. The Bullet, Affinity and Standard series. The Bullet series is made of basswood, has ceramic pickups and cheapish quality parts. The affinity has a multi-piece alder body, ceramic pups and cheapish parts. The standard has an alder body, alnico pups and better quality parts. If you're going to mod it anyway, the affinity is the better option imo. If you pick a good one, the upgrades will be worth it and you will have a guitar that plays well and sounds good. Thats what I did and I love her, I really do. My squier plays better (feel, not sound) than my u.s strat. BUT, even now if you place the two next to each other the different in quality is obvious. The squiers are great strat type guitars, but they are built to much lower specs than their big brothers. The finish, fit and overall feel is worlds apart. And when you open them up the difference in electronics is even more evident. In my opinion they are great starter strats, and if you get one that plays well you will never be sorry. No amount of upgrades will make it as well buit as a u.s. strat though. They start of too weak a base for that. Another option is the Classic vibe series. Haven't played one yet, bv though pricier than the others the quality seems to justify it.
Mr-M
If you want a great Strat on a budget, check out the Squier Classic Vibe 60's Strat. Great build quality, excellent stock pickups (they are said to be made by Tonerider - specifically the Classic Blues Set) and they really look the part. All the Classic Vibes play very well, feel and sound great. It is a bit of a cliche amongst guitarists, but in this case it's actually true...the Classic Vibes are as good as any Mexican or even American Highway 1 Fenders in sound and playability. There I said it... ?
Last I checked they were around R5500 retail, but with a bit of haggling you'll get it for less.
The great thing with all the Classic Vibes is that they're made with higher quality parts and better electronics than the regular Squires, so they don't really need any upgrades to be gig worthy or to sound great.
I'm lusting after the 50's Tele at the moment myself...
singemonkey
makepeace wrote:
definitely upgrade the electronics along the way, and possibly the neck and other hardware too.
Then you could upgrade the body once you've done all that. ?
chris77 wrote:
No amount of upgrades will make it as well buit as a u.s. strat though.
If he upgrades hardware, electronics, neck, and then takes my suggestion, he's there. All he'll need to do is upgrade the pick-guard and knobs, and Bob's your uncle.
Garth-S
You should also check out the Vintage Modified series Squiers, they are seriosly good. In the same price range as the Classic Vibes.
singemonkey
Listen, I'm in Hermanus on Saturday morning.
I've got a four-bolt neck-plate, antique-white (the creamy rather than the eye-hurting arctic white) Korean Squier with a maple neck, small headstock, white pickguard. You can have it for R500.
What's the catch? Glad you asked.
The catch is that the frets buzz like hell, and I can't be bothered to pay to have them sorted out. Even a dressing would mean that I wouldn't make any more than the above figure from a subsequent sale. And a refret? Fugeddaboudit.
But although it has this problem, it's a factory problem. This guitar is not heavily used and is in 7/10 condition cosmetically. It's actually really pretty.
If you want a fixer-upper for little money made to (vaguely) Fender specs, that's what I'll give it you for.
***afterthought***
Also if anyone else in CT and surrounds wants it, you can have it for that too.
chris77
Well Singe, if you put it like that.... ?
makepeace
Thanks for all the replies guys.. I've been looking at all of them online and I agree that the Classic Vibe and Vintage Modifieds look very good. R5000+ is a bit out of the range though. For that price I may as well save and go all the way.
The chances are once I am paying my way and have a job I'll go full hog and get a real Strat, but as far as I can see, that will be at least 4 years from now, and I'd like to get used to a the strat shape and feel within that time ?.
I have to tell you Singe that I am very keen on that!
Just a few more details and I'm sold;
Do you know what the body is made out of? What type of cosmetic wear are we talking? And about the buzz, is it unplayable? Or just bad here and there? Was it like that when you got it? How old is it?
Cool.
Oh also just to make sure, is it SSS?
Thanks!
MIKA-the-better-one
Squire Classic vibe is theonly squire I would ever consider truthfully (this may not surprise to many)
Really though take good advice and go with a Fender........ even id its more $$$ its worth it.... it pays off on the end, I spent years buying the cheaper stuff and trying to justify it, only to replace it later and have spent more money......
A Genuine Fender Mex, highway 1, standard, custom shop, vintage..... is something you will be proud of and make you happier.
I am not putting down guys who play squires, I used to play them, but it was always with the intention of moving toa fender.
especially if you are gonna upgrade parts of a squire why not just save and get the fender...
singemonkey
I got it from a friend whose squier was stolen and it was replaced with this one by the insurance company. So it was brand new. This must have been in 2003/2004. I gigged with it a little in... yes, it must have been 2003. It was ok-ish with lighter strings. But the buzz became really annoying with heavier strings. It also wouldn't stay in tune with the whammy bar - which was an issue. I got my Pacifica at the end of 2004 and basically never touched the squier again - although I took it to the guys at MusicFest SA for a clean up and to see if the could eliminate the buzz. No dice.
The buzz is really noticeable on the E and B strings and the problem - if I recall - seemed to be the 3rd or 4th fret. I suspect that if it were leveled and dressed the buzz would be eliminated. But I can't be 100% sure, since I've never asked someone to quote me on the job.
Cosmetically, the body and neck are in good nick with no obvious issues that I can recall. The knob on the whammy bar is missing (the little white plastic end). It is SSS with a five way switch. Last time I plugged in (loooong ago) all pickups were working.
Since the clean up it's sat around and is probably a lot dustier than when they finished with it in the shop, but it's probably been picked up about 10 times max since 2005. It's one of those items that I'm happy to simply get rid of, since I never play it.
Since I happen to be going to Hermanus anyway, it'll about pay for petrol ?. But you're under no obligation to buy, since we have to be there anyway - it's not a special trip just to sell the guitar. But be aware that I will not negotiate a red cent on the price.
I don't know what the body is made of. It's heavy, but I'd guess it's basswood or many-piece alder (or chip-board, who knows what they made these Squiers out of - but it feels a bit heavy for that).
I agree with Mika. Fenders are way better than Squiers except for odd exceptions. But at least mine is cheap as old boots ?
MIKA-the-better-one
imagine old boots made out of chipboard
Bob-Dubery
makepeace wrote:
I don't have a huge budget as I am a student, so I will be looking at something at the low end of the scale for the meantime, ie Squiers. I have looked at the other Strat shaped guitars (corts, sx's, etc, etc, etc.. there are innumerable copies) and they don't really fit the bill IMO. I would prefer to have a Strat copy that is at least authorized by Fender and built to the same specs in a similar way.
If it were built to the same specs and in a similar way it would say "Fender" on the headstock.
Even if you buy Fender you'll find that there is no single spec. Some they build up to a standard, and some they build down to a price.
There's no particular reason a Squier should be better built than any other copy. You might get more bang per buck elsewhere because you are not paying for the privilege of having the words "by Fender" on the headstock.
MIKA-the-better-one
true like a pacifica (yamaha)
ET-Phone-Home
I owned all 3 Strats: A Mexican Standard, a American Standard and a Squire Classic Vibe 50's Strat. Now yes I realize you can't make a judgment on
American Strats as a whole or Mexican Strats or Classic Vibes based on the one you owned, but I think after owning each I can give some
helpful advice, use it or leave it, it's up to you.
The American Standard, in my eye's, are very good instruments with excellent tone from the pickups and are built to a very high standard. All electronics
are very good and solid. That being said I do feel that they are still over priced and I would not buy one again for myself. I hear that the Custom Shop
Strats are on another level completely to the Standards but I have not owned one so would not be able to say for sure.
Now I've owned a few Mexican's and had a few shocking one's but have had one very good one which could easily hold it's own with an American Standard.
As a matter of fact the body resonated better on my Mexican. The pickups are also very good however the pickups on the American were a little better
but not a few grand better. The build quality I would say was the same level however the pickup selector and pots seemed a little better on the
American, but again not a few thousand rand better. I honestly think that if you can get a good Mexican which resonates well (signs of a good guitar),
and upgrade a few components you can have something which can hold it's own to any American Standard for a fraction of the price.
The Squire Classic Vibe 50's and 60's are amazing guitars for the price. Around 3 grand cheaper than a Mexican, the price may seem a little expensive, especially
since the Squire name is known for cheap guitars. But we must not compare these Squires to the older ones as they are 2 completely different beasts. The pickups
on the Classic Vibe are better than the Mexican I owned and on par with the American (almost better to my ears, but that might just be the maple neck). The build quality
was also excellent with the best finished frets that I have ever seen. The pots and pickup selector did feel a little cheap but were still solid. They were on par with my
Mexican. The body of the Squire didn't resonate as well as the American or the Mexican and felt a bit lighter to me as well. This Strat was definitely my favourite and
was just so much fun to play. Much more than the Mex or American.
One thing you must keep in mind though is the resell value. Your American's will loose less resale with your Mexican coming in second and your Classic Vibe coming
in last. That being said if you want a good playing guitar I would go for the Classic Vibe or the Mexican and just upgrade a few things to get a hell of a player.
But always remember tone is in the fingers. I've seen guys with R30 000.00 guitars that play like their asses and make the instrument sound kak, even if it is a good guitar.
chris77
I understand wanting a squier rather than a pacifica or a similar copy, even if they represent better value and are better guitars. When you start out it's as much about what your heart tells you than your head. Fender, Gibson, Vox, Marshall. They all represent much more than just the instruments in their ranges. Its a bit of history, reputation, image, magic and fantasy rolled into one. Nobody starts playing guitar because it is the logical, most value for money, sensible thing to do. We get caught up in the mojo and then we're hooked. And if a guitar with a brand name on the headstock is what gets your mojo glowing neon, then feed it. Plenty of time for rational actions once you get past the 'OMG, I'm actually playing guitar!' phase.
makepeace
Wise words Chris, very astute. You've explained my feelings about it better than I could've. ?
makepeace
singe, are you getting my PM's?
