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Post subject: Squire Strat bodies
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 10:00 pm
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Hello. Are all Squire Strat bodies :solid wood,alder or basswood or another tone wood, fitted with a 2 3/16 neck socket width? I'm looking at bodies on eBay to put mim neck on with using the squier electronics but maybe the bridge. Any thoughts and suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.


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Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 9:21 pm
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Most pockets you'll find are 2 and 3/16" or 55.5mm however there are a few that are 2 and 1/4" or 57mm. One example I can think of are Squiers made in Japan. This is no problem if the neck heel is 2 and 3/16" but a 2 and 1/4" neck can't be easily forced into a standard pocket.

One issue you also need to watch is the distance between the neck screws and the nut. Some Squier bodies made in China and Taiwan the late ‘90s (YN and CY serial numbers) were made with a neck that fractionally shorter in this measurement but with the nominal 25.5” scale made up in the body with the bridge mounting screws slightly further back from the neck to compensate.

This means that if you put a ‘standard’ neck on one of these bodies you will not be able to adjust the saddles for proper intonation as the saddles will need to moved closer towards the nut and foul the bridge mounting screws.

As far as the bridge is concerned there are two or perhaps three 'standards' for the bridge mouting hole spacings. Put simply an MIM bridge will fit most Squier bodies but a lot of USA bridges will not. This is a whole topic on it's own.

With auction sites you really have to do your homework.


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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 2:59 pm
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I just want to expand a little more on what kiwi has already added...

First, no...not all Squier bodies are "solid wood". Unless they had a burst finish for example, most Squier Bullets have laminate/plywood bodies as do some of the imports...I have an early 90's Korean Squier body for example that is a laminate (and a rather poor one at that). Basswood was certainly used -a lot-...my '85 MIJ is basswood (sounds great too!). I don't know about Squiers but my '96 MIM is actually Poplar. Alder and Agathis are both used on most of the newer Affinities and Squier Standards.

Another thing to be aware of is that some Squier bodies such as Bullets and Affinities are actually thinner than an MIM Standard. If the neck pocket is the right size this won't affect that at all however if you use an MIM bridge...particularly one with a full size trem block, the block could stick out from the back of the guitar just a bit...enough that you couldn't use the back plate (or at least so I've been told). Personally this wouldn't bother me at all but I'm sure some people could get fussy about it.

Another thing to be aware of in regards to bridges is that the newer Squier "Standards" do use a 2 point trem. If you try to use an MIM "vintage style" (let alone genuine vintage) you will likely need to do a plug and re-drill...not exactly for the faint of heart. And no...the American Standard 2 point trem does NOT fit (again not without plugging and redrilling).

In other words as kiwi said; do your homework and make sure you match the parts your are buying. If you're going with an MIM neck (good choice IMHO) then to be on the safe side, get a body with the 2 3/16 neck pocket and make sure you decide on a bridge before buying the body so you'll know what to get.

Good Luck,
Jim


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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 4:33 pm
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I can confirm comments by lomitus on the Squier Affinity body depth. Older Affinites had full thickness 44mm (1.75") bodies and will fit the typically 40mm deep USA block and the shorter MIM/GFS/Wilkinson blocks. However a bunch of Squires are around with the 38mm (1.5") bodies and the more desirable steel blocks will hang out the back. Mind you if you were going to spend the money on a decent trem then you'd probably want to start off with a better body in the first place. In my experience the sunburst Squier bodies from the late '90 are superb value for money. Even in New Zealand they can be had for $50 or so on auction sites. However sometimes the pickguard hole placement and the neck mounting holes I mentioned in my earlier posts can be a problem.

There is a heap of such information available on the Squier forum here:
http://www.strat-talk.com/forum/squier-strat-forum/


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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:36 pm
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Thanks for the info. I had no idea that there so many squire afficianados. I thank you for the help and will keep you posted on my project. Again thanks


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