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Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:18 am
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Fender wanted in on that action and created Squier to do the job.

Actually, Squier was a company that Fender bought and began guitar manufacturing with. They originally made strings or something.

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Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:53 am
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tony_man wrote:
My understanding is that, in the late 70s/early 80s... Fender wanted in on that action... When they first made these lovely instruments in Japan they were built using the same grade of components as used in USA Fenders. and often with USA made components.....


Yes, many of them are very good guitars. but I am almost certain that this story of Fender deliberately screwing up the Japanese guitars because they were too good is just an old guitar player's tale.

Besides, the really great Japanese guitar were not branded Squier, and not only did they remain great, they got better. Fender just stopped importing them. No need to make them worse. You just limit them to Japan, and improve your US production, as Fender did.


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Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:38 pm
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Darkly Dreaming wrote:
Quote:
Fender wanted in on that action and created Squier to do the job.

Actually, Squier was a company that Fender bought and began guitar manufacturing with. They originally made strings or something.


essentially as I said yeah.. :lol :lol:


Last edited by tony_man on Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:44 pm
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SlapChop wrote:

but I am almost certain that this story of Fender deliberately screwing up the Japanese guitars because they were too good is just an old guitar player's tale.

Besides, the really great Japanese guitar were not branded Squier, and not only did they remain great, they got better. Fender just stopped importing them. No need to make them worse. You just limit them to Japan, and improve your US production, as Fender did.


Who said they were "deliberately screwing up the Japanese guitars because they were too good" someone's been pulling your plonker matey. They just stopped making the things there with high quality components..

I think what really matters is that I've got a lovely Squier JV that was put together with American bits.. The manufacturing and quality of those JVs is as good if not better than a lot of what CBS Fender were throwing together at the time.


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Post subject: Made in Japan Strat
Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 3:04 am
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Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Hi from Canada all. New member first post.

Some history at the risk of boring some of you folks:

I've played guitar since I was 12 in 1965 (Beatles did it for me). All acoustic till 1985 when I bought my Squire. Have never really made it past amateur stage since I never practised enough! Have been in temporary bands that played the odd gig then played bass in a country rock band from 1988 to 1994 or so.

My first and only electric guitar (not including bass) is a 1985 made-in-Japan Squire Strat s/n A024902. It has a "Squire Stratocaster made in Japan by Fender" decal on the headstock. It's a black body with white 3-ply laminated pick guard (kinda looks like Eric Clapton's "Blackie"). Has a rosewood finger board with 71/4" radius. I'm gathering by reading the posts that this is a relatively high-quality and desirable Squire.

I don't consider myself a good judge of "classic strat tone" or whatever. I've never even had a decent amp until a few weeks ago when I bought a Fender Super Champ XD. What I can say is that with my new amp, my MIJ squire sounded real good!. This inspired me to actually try and set up this guitar properly which I had never done before.

I got the standard set up specs. from this Fender site and set up the action, intonation, pick up height, etc. according to their recommendations for a Strat. This resulted in my discovery that the neck has a "hump" in it (back bow) that I can't correct since the truss rod is already completely loosened. I have to set the action quite a bit higher at the bridge than recommended to get rid of the buzz at the first few frets from the nut.

So I have two questions:

Question 1: Is this quitar a good candidate for mods to make it even better? PS, I already decided to get some new "Solid Steel" saddles for it and a new nut to replace the original which cracked (probably plastic). My proposed upgrade would be to get better pick-ups, basically and a new neck if I have to.

Question 2: Is there any way to correct the neck? If not I'm thinking it would be worth buying a new neck (cost about 180.00 U.S)

Any comments or help would be much appreciated.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:51 am
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That's a tough call. If you are never and I mean :!: NEVER :!: going to sell it then mod away...neck and all. Changing parts and what not really affects the collectibility of any guitar. I would seek out a local guitar repair pro and get his advice, maybe all isn't lost.

I think I would rather retire a guitar than change the neck. I would just put it on display and get another guitar.


You might look around for someone parting out one from the same year, it will be very hard to find, but it wouldn't hurt to look.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 6:38 am
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I bought my '57 re-issue Squier Stratocaster brand new in the box way back in '83. I still have it. It's done a zillion gigs, travelled a zillion miles, and hasn't ever given me a lick of trouble....then again, I take care of my gear. The only hot rodding I did to it was replacing the stock pickups with a set of '69 original Fenders that I got out of a guy's axe that he was updating to Lace Sensors. In fact the guy gave me the whole harness!! Not that there was anything wrong with the stock stuff, it worked fine, but for my personal vibe it just wasn't quite fat enough. The '69 pickups are seriously over wound and deliver some decent punch. The body is very comfortable, and the neck feels awesome..still.

Point is, who gives a crap what's on the sticker...a good axe is a good axe, period. My only regret about these guitars is that I should've grabbed a '52 re-issue Tele at the same time...but being a young buck back then, I only had enough cash for one....bummer.


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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:34 pm
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Here's the real skinny. In the early eighties Japanese made Fender instruments exported into Europe(primarily, but elsewhere,) bore the Squire brand name.(This name was used after Fender bought up the string making company VC Squire.)Many of these guitars found their way into the north american market too.

Fender's policy was for the Squire brand to cater to lower price points. This was so they could maintain market growth in Asian, and European markets. combat the ever growing army of knockoffs, across all price points, without offereing direct branded Fenders in these lower brackets.

Fender had partners for its Japanese production models, rumor is they were originally the best of the counterfeiters. They were the distributors Kanda Shokai and Yamano Music. Fender japan made its first guitars solely at the Fujigen factory , in Matsumoto, for all its lines, fender and squire.(note my Ibanez form the mid 80's was made there,and apparently a few more highly considered Japanese brands.)

Fujigen made fenders Japanese Vintage (JV) series there as well as the early Europe only Squire models. These were pretty much the same guitar.

Of coarse production costs rose, so Fender, considering Squire as its 'budget' line made a move to cheaper manufacturing costs for the Squire.

Korean models started appearing in 85, and eventually even some from India in the late 80's.

Eventually the cheap labour of china became an option too.

These early Japanese squires (and I am not sure exactly when they completely stopped making them at Fujigen,) are extremely high quality, arguably as high as the Eighties Fender japan models, that are considered by many to be the best fenders available at that time.

There have been recent Japanese Squire production models of very high standards, that bely their status as the cheap brand. Definitely worth a look, as being a high value, especially for the money.

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 7:19 pm
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I've been trying to track down any info I can on my guitar, it's one of those earlier Japanese made Squiers. Plays nice, but I haven't played anything else other than a brand new Minarik. Doesn't seem to fit into most serial number ranges and I can't find much on it.

I appreciate any help.

Details:
Says Squire Stratocaster by Fender made in Japan
1985
Serial: A022182
Double Fat
No pickguard
jack is in the side, not on the front

some pics:

Image

Image


Image

higher resolution at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmatos/tags/fender/


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:53 pm
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Troublecall wrote:
The original Japanese Squiers were extremely high quality instruments. Jeff Healey played them (highly modded, of course) for years.

Sadly, that is no longer the case.


+1 :)


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 7:13 pm
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Location: Magnolia, Texas (just north of Houston)
I had a late 80's Squire and it was awesome (unfortunatley it is no longer among us). I just purchaced a Classic Vibe 60's and it is awesome. I do own a Fender Highway 1 Strat as well. Is the Vibe better, no. But compared to all the MIM Fenders I played in the store, it played and sounded better than any of them.

And to that one person who posted that they were in a band and knows more than God about Guitars...it is guitar snobs like you that make people self-conscious about their gear. You guys piss me off. You better do you research before spouting that there are not any "professional" guitarist that play Squires. Check out the Squire home page. They may not be your type of professionals, yet they are professionals.

I own a Fender and a Squire and both are excellant guitars. If it plays good and sounds good, I wouldn't care if it said Bender Crapocaster on it.

RK

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Post subject: 1986 squier bullet
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:07 am
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OK, I've had lots of guitars over the years. Had a few strats a tele, among others. But you know, back in 1986 I bought a squier bullet new. Looks like a strat w tele neck. I wish I knew for certain where it was made, but I can say it's very heavy, solid wood, and I just love the way it plays. I still have it, and always, I mean always go back to it for my 1st player, even over the strats I have. only thing I did to it is put in a lace sensor pup in the bridge. It doesn't say anywhere on it where it's made (short of taking off the neck) and some think it's a japan squier. Anyone know? Serial number is E611001. I can now afford any guitar I want, and have several, but this bullet is my go-to guitar and will always be my primary. The thing is like brand-new w/o a scratch on it. It doesnt compare to the squiers of today. I'm told these are gaining some sort-of collectable status, and I can see why. Black w white pickguard, maple neck.

So if anyone knows for certain where this one was made, please let me know.

thanx from Anchorage Alaska


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Post subject:
Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:17 am
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Jayrawk wrote:
:? Actually, Fender Stratocasters are the best because they are the actual Fender guitars. Squiers are pretty much imitation guitars. 8)
:? IM a Bass player for the most part and have some High end modle Basses. I also have a Squire fretless Bass and a Squire strat I would put up aganst any MIM strat. 8)


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:37 am
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Some strong opinions here, not sure it would be wise to revive the thread :wink:

I have a 2006 Am Std tele and 83 MIJ Squier. The fairest comparison of the two would have to be that they can't really be compared - it really is like comparing apples and oranges.

The Squire definitely is a lower spec'ed guitar, IMHO. Especially the elctronics, the body wood, etc. It is very light, however, and it has a very nice neck (if you like thin C necks, that is).

The Am Std tele is also a good guitar overall, I can't really fault it. But it sure isn't 6 times better than the squier (cost me that much more w/o counting inflation).


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:56 pm
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i got my 2005 usa standard strat as a investement as well as i know its the real deal a pukka usa strat,sure in the mim range there are some cracking ones like the roadhouse but for me personally and its taken me 12 years to get one the usa strat is spot on,but of course thats just my opion no ones else but then again its my opion that matters for me!! everyone is different,but i dont agree that some people think mim,s ect are better than usa strats if they were someone in coroparate land would cotton on and put the prices up.Mind i must say i dont know anything about the 80,s squires and i dont care as i dont take guitars too seriously,its fun and a hobby and it annoys my wife!! and iam 38 not a young kid that thinks he knows everything i know nowt! :lol: :)


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