Yesterday I went to "the big city" to check the pawn shops for gear. Saw lots of junk frankly... but a few things caught my eye...

A bright yellow start with a matching headstock, gold hardware, gold single coil pickup covers, a gold humbucker and pearloid guard. It was one of the ugliest things I've ever seen (sorry if you own one ) I can't help but wondering if it was a production strat or someone's really bad nightmare come to fruition.

Also saw a Squire Strat, kinda beat up, aged oly white, Rosewood board, large headstock... only $85 bucks. I'm kinda tempted... might be a fun project. Had one question, does MIM hardware work (like a bridge) on these or are the Squires their own animal? It had the blocky kind of saddles like the 70's strats had, not bent steel. I might go back later this week and see if it's still hanging aroung... maybe try it out and see if it's worth rescuing. Wonder if they'd take $75? It would be hard to resist at that price...

hey buddy,
I'm not too sure about the "ugly" strat, but to answer your second question, yes, the hardware is interchangeable (thank you metric system). I traded a $@!&#* bass for a squier bullet strat, and put a mexican bridge on it and swapped out the squier neck for a mexican fender. I updated the tremolo block with a high mass brass block from GFS (with a little bit of removing wood in the trem cavity) and man this thing sings now!

have a blast with g.a.s.,
bob-o

E x a c t l y !!! The last thing I need is another strat... I'd really like to have found a tele for $85! I was thinking it would be fun to re-fin the headstock and apply the extra '65 headstock decal I have (I know it's not the same as the late 65-68 large headstock strats but close enough...just missing a few serial numbers) Maybe some vintage style tuners, an MIM bridge w/ GFS block, and some GFS pickups... I have a bunch of the parts kicking around so wouldn't be much $$$ to sort it all out.

Are these (roughly the same specs as a "regular" strat or do they have different body dimensions?

I need to go play the thing and check the truss rod and the neck pocket for cracks before I get too excited...

What type of Squier is it? If it's a Bullet, it's not worth it at all. If it's an Affinity it's an fairly good deal (I got mine for $100). If it's a Standard then that's a good deal.

If it's a Bullet or Affinity MIM hardware (particularly the bridge) will not work. Trust me, I've been trying to find a better quality bridge for mine for years with no luck. The thing about them is that the body is thinner than anything from a Squier Standard up. The block won't fit and the only way you can make it fit is with heavy modifications.

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True, the Affinity and Bullet series Squiers have a much thinner body than a standard MIM or Squier Standard. Therefore if you put a MIM bridge on a affinity or bullet squier, the tremolo block will hang out the rear of the guitar, wont hold the springs, won't move freely and you can't put the rear cover on! Affinity Squiers only make good projects if you plan on swapping pickups and tuners, or trying a Yngwie Malmsteen style scalloped fretboard

how bout just replacing the saddles...are they the same spacing as mim's?

I think it's an Affinity...don't remember seeing "bullet" on the headstock anywhere. It's a large headstock, to be honest, I'd have to see it again... don't remember if it says Squire "strat" or "stratocaster".

On the Affinities, anyone know what the body wood is? Poplar, basswood, plywood?

I have built up/modified 3 bullets in the last 2 years. Using GFS hardware, an all steel bridge, big fat steel trem bars and stainless saddles. The bar does stick out a little and no you cannot put the cover back on but its no problem for me. I think on one I had to widen the trem/ bridge hole just a little. Otherwise they work great. To me the bullet is the best deal for the money if your tinkering. I am not saying its the best squier, just the best deal for the experimentor. Cheap.

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I remember when we were free!

Stopped by the pawn shop on my way home from work... the white one I saw was an Affinity but had two huge cracks stemming from the neck pocket...no way those were finish cracks!

I did spot (and try out) a black/rosewood Affinity... a little dinged up but no cracks, some electronics issues but not too serious. (it would all get swapped out anyway) Only asking $75...and the guy working said make an offer. I actually managed to leave the shop without it but may go back some time later this week and offer $60 and see what they say. Funny thing, it actually felt really nice (though it sounded pretty bad!) Needs a set up as there's a little fret buzz and it just looked like the saddles needed to be raised...the frets themselves seemed well seated. All in all it looked to be in decent shape.