Hello everyone. Im new to this forum and i need expert information. I was just going to buy a standard mexican strat, but i need something more me. What i plan on doing is taking a squier guitar and completely redo it. I might get a squier affinity series......What i want to do is take it apart, sand the body down so i can add my own finish. Then i want to get a real fender neck and tuners bridge etc......HERES MY QUESTIONS! If i get a fender neck off ebay will it fit the squier body or will i have to get a specified size...plus do i have to get certain size bridges, pickguards neckplates etc? Please HELP!

+1, good questions!

I have similar questions.

I'm thinking about putting a USA Fender 22 fret neck or another Squier neck (22-frets too) on a Squier CV 50's strat.

Maybe we can kill a few turds with one stone here!

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"The individual is handicapped by coming face to face with a Conspiracy so monstrous he cannot believe it exists. The American mind simply has not come to a realization of the evil which has been introduced into our midst." J. Edgar Hoover

I took my Hwy 1 body, Clapton Neck and 50th Anniversary Electronics to make 1 great guitar. It turned out perfectly. I no issues.

Hope this helps.

I personally would not mix Squier bodies with Fender parts.
They use cheap wood of lesser quality. That's why they're cheaper in price.
The lower wages in far east lower the price additionally.

The cheaper Squiers even have plywood bodies.

A good neck is as expensive as a whole Squier guitar.

If I were you, I would save for high quality parts (not necessarily Fender), even if that takes twice as long to get all parts together.

But that's just me!

A mexican would be the minimum I'd start with!

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Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!

I disagree completely with smoking frets, the necks in the Squier Affinity Series are quality, the maple is fine, it is not AAA grade maple but is good quality. I have redone three of these at this point and OP if you go to my build threads links below you should find some answers or just ask me.
You can also go to The Nutter's build thread compilation, there you will find multiple build threads from various Forum members.

On an affinity neck, it is a C neck so if you are looking for a vintage V boat neck you are not going to get it in this line...
That being said, you will have to redress the neck completely to bring it up to specs of an MIA or MIM. That means recontouring the neck then refinishing, I suggest using a Polycrylic finish, it takes longer to cure but is not toxic like urethane or lacquer and is water cleanup.

Bear in mind there is quite a bit of reading in these threads but do go over them before you decide on which way to go...It's really up to you to choose the best way.
Hopefully these threads will save you some aggravation and keep it fun...

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=51950

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=65048

I found the link to The Nutters Build's thread....
( had to edit as I copied the wrong link, just upgraded the Mac to the latest Op system and I feel like I need a GPS to reacquaint myself...)

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=43152&hilit=build+thread

_________________
"C'est parti mon Kiki "

He wants to keep the body, not the neck.
So I was talking 'bout the body woods

_________________
Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!

OK let's rebut here, the bodies of Squier's are not all plywood, if they are a semi transparent finish they are more than likely a three piece body, could be basswood or poplar, but I have not yet run across a plywood body..

And to rehash an argument Squier's are real Fender's, they are a budget oriented line but they are specced by Fender, built by a Fender conglomerate, thus are Fender.
MIA or MIM they are not but that does not make the line inferior.
It is at a certain price point and thus you will not get the same attention to finish as you would with a line costing 2 to 4 times more...
I would have been ecstatic if the Squier Series was available back in the 70's, sadly they weren't but the Japanese copies were beginning to emerge stateside and fill the demand...
But this is a story about how Squier emerged and Fender cleverly adapting to the reality...
Research and read up on Squier and Fender history, it is quite interesting.

As far as a standard neck or body fitting on a Squier Neck or body, Yes and No, meaning that there is going to be compromises since Squier bodies are thinner than MIA's and MIM's.
Also the neck holes need to be plugged and redrilled...
( For this see my posts about using wood inserts instead of the traditional screw method in the latter part of Build II and III )
Again there may not be a need to spend hundred's of dollars for a neck from a outside supplier and if it is going to be attached to a Squier body, it is overkill.
But read my threads and you will understand my standpoint.

_________________
"C'est parti mon Kiki "

Yes, I know and I didn't say that but the cheaper Squier models mostly have plywood bodies.
Others have Basswood bodies.
I'm not sure about the top line of Squier but I think(!) they're also made from basswood
I can't remember having read alder or ash ever but then again, Squier is not interesting for me so I don't read ALL specs.

_________________
Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!

I don't think any of the current Squier bodies are made from plywood. Plywood is a pain to use compared to basswood and probably more expensive in the long run. Plywood splinters, has voids and doesn't finish as well as basswood. Even the Affinity Squiers I have looked at appear to be made from solid wood. Plywood is no bargain to work with and all of the guitars edges would have to be treated with filler to make them smooth enough to finish.

As a life-long woodworker, I have used a fair amount of basswood in interior carcasses of desks and dressers, along with soft maple. Both woods are astounding CHEAP, even today. I can still buy enough basswood to make a nice guitar body for a few dollars and given the volume Fender purchases, they'd have almost no money invested in the raw materials for basswood guitar bodies, hence no need to mess with plywood.

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

Check out the Squier Vintage Series, you will be quite surprised.
Were I to be gigging night after night or even a weekend warrior, I would leave my CS, MIM and my builds at home and use a Squier Vintage .
Albeit a bit of tweaking in the electronics dept but other than that they are ready to go and well up to a pro's use....
Sure for bling effect they are not that but if a guitarists aim is to impress by what he's playing rather than How... Than I venture to say that exit visas are imminent for the audience.

To a Blues Jam I would not take my CS 56 NOS or even my MIM, the 1st Stratopartster builds... definitely... as replacing them would only cost a fraction of the others albeit the sentiments of having built them would count.

I think the only ones using plywood are the Wal Mart garbage products but plywood is a great underlayment, I use it for building face framed cabinetry but it islousy at anything which demands an exposed finished edge, even with refilling it is next to impossible to get a satisfactory finish.

Now If you meant Laminates whereas 2 or more layers are sandwiched, well you get that with a PRS where you have a figured or flame top, it is not a two piece flame maple baulk unless it is a top of the marque custom order. that also goes for Fender, Gibson and just about everyone else.
Except us on this forum who just love to painstakingly mill out figured bodies out of two book matched baulk pieces. Will I recoup the time and effort in dollar amounts....No...It was never the intention....

_________________
"C'est parti mon Kiki "

hmmm...let me re-phrase my question:

Which 22-fret Fender Standard, USA, or Custom Shop necks fit, in my case, a Squier CV 50's strat?

GuitarPersonGuy, which Squier body are you working with or planning on working with?

FYI, the CV 50's strat body I am working with has *at least* 4 pieces, top and bottom and side to side sandwiched together badly, but the body is quite loud and clear and resonant and light -- go figure.

The neck is another story. Though made well, it's got that icky sticky, shiny crud on it that and is not usable. So, I'm hoping to find a 22-fret satin maple or satin rosewood replacement for it, either Squier or USA, etc. The owner is not using it. If I can find a neck for it that is as good as the body, I might buy the guitar and a replacement neck! If I can't find a replacement neck, I'll look into getting the neck professionally refinished for about the same price as buying another neck.

Yeah, I can get a CV 60's rosewood neck (around $150.00), but if that much money is being spent, might as well go for the gusto and either get it refinished or just get a better neck that will fit!

I'm surprised there isn't much readily available info on this.

Thanks for all the replies thus far, all good info -- keep um commin'!

A a spec sheet or a cross reference size chart from Fender would be helpful -- call it...The Clapton Experiment Cross Reference Size Chart -- for the curious experimenter.

_________________
"The individual is handicapped by coming face to face with a Conspiracy so monstrous he cannot believe it exists. The American mind simply has not come to a realization of the evil which has been introduced into our midst." J. Edgar Hoover

I stand corrected!
I found alder bodies in Squier production.

_________________
Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!