Відео

Shhh! Don't tell anyone or the prices will rocket!

What makes it the best?

@@LegsON It's very well built, it's loud, but more than anything else it has a nut width of 48mm which suits me down to the ground.

@@kingstumble So you're saying an apple is better than a pear, I see. :)

Good shout, I'll take a look at those 👍🏻

Hi, no I haven't noticed that. I have three guitars to hand with them on and they look consistent to me

@@AlansGuitarShack Great. Thank you.

@@nimblybimbly4002 there's close ups and installation of Classic Gears in one of my other videos "Pimp my Tele" is you want to see more. All the best, Alan

Thanks Derek! Think I might do a Partscasters special, documenting them all

@@AlansGuitarShack Nice! 🙂👍

Yeah good idea and I thought about it. But the double bound sunburst is one of my bucket list teles, so I'm keeping that one as is!

Thank you!

I did think Northwest, and axesrus is a good shout👍🏻. Decent body either way. And agree on partscasters - I can't seem to stop building them! I think five at the moment, and at least two more in parts😂

Thanks Derek. That's cool detective work on your part. I'm sure we'll figure it out!😂

Thanks very much, glad you enjoy them! I have looked at the Candy Tangerine ones, but I'm not convinced TBH - from the pics I have seen they are a bit more orange in colour and (I think) have a metallic flake in the paint, whereas this one is a solid colour. Possibility though!

Does that neck have a walnut plug in the truss rod nut hole? Thought it was only American necks that have that feature. Interesting guitar though, thanks for your videos.

@@paulrowlett171 yes, that's what I thought too! They are really impressive guitars, I can see why some people rate them over MIMs

It was - it sold pretty fast!

They do respond well to a good setup and fret clean. I will be interested to see your mods, sounds like a fun project!

That’s interesting, I didn’t know that!

I agree, it’s a lovely neck on this one

I bought the Epiphone 339 over the Gibson because I liked the feel and sound

They are indeed. I have one in the neck of a Tele and it rocks!

Very true!

Good work! Pickups are personal taste and there are plenty of options, but I fully agree that in my experience a good fret job and set up are the key to making huge improvements to any Epiphone

If it had actually been what it sounded like, the soldering would have been a dangerous exercise!😂😂😂

Been there, done that

I have a Gibson ES335 '63 Reissue and it has the block inlays. Despite it having had a headstock break and repair when I bought it, it is much better than any Epiphone semi I've played (i.e. non-USA Epiphones). However, they are a lot more money. You can buy all top quality pickups, electronics and hardware to upgrade the Epiphone to make those items at least equal to the Gibson and still have lots of cash left over compared to buying a Gibson. It will likely make it a better guitar, so still well worth the upgrade in my opinion.

@@asw7696 Sounds like you have a lovely guitar! I've never been afraid of headstock repairs - done well they can be stronger than new. I have had both Gibsons and their Epiphone equivalents. I too can definitely hear and feel the difference, but a well set up Epiphone with decent components gets pretty close for much less cash. I think it's easy to make the case for either.

Thanks! I’ll look into those FLEOR pickups👍🏻. And fair point about doing the wiring alone first. I prefer a 2v 2t layout on Epis but doing one with 1 meg pots and the original pups would be interesting.

Thank you very much! It is a lovely guitar and I very enjoyed bringing her back to her best!

Great that you are giving it a new lease of life!

You have an American neck and body

@tideslider664 Well, the wood came from America. What Mexico got were blanks shipped from the American plant. Most of the shaping was done in Mexico. That whole deal with the fire was unrelated. Fender was already going to make these to compete with the cheaper imports that were coming out at the time.

@@indiedavecomix3882all I know is my black label feels better than many strata I’ve played

You know you have room for one more…🤣🤣🤣

Thanks Derek! Certainly what I was aiming for at any rate

Thanks very much!

Sounds like your opinion has no need to be humble! I'm no expert on Strats though I've had a few, but I agree - even with some miles on it this one is the nicest playing one I've had.

Mate, yours was the big hair I was thinking of! 😄😄😄

I've got an '85 MIJ Strat with an S1 trem. Candy apple red, just like yours. It's a great guitar and I'm never selling it (I bought it new back when I was in college).

@@mitchellnathanson2739 they are indeed lovely guitars and that is so cool that you still have it!

Likewise Neil, great to meet you and glad the 335 is fitting in with your awesome collection - it's gone to a good home!

Thanks very much James! I don't have a video and I've despatched that guitar now, but it couldn't be easier - you simply solder the wire on one side of the resistor to the same lug on the switch where the bridge pickup attaches (usually the one nearest the volume pot) and ground the other side on the back of the volume pot. There's a better explanation and wiring diagram on the Fralin site here: www.fralinpickups.com/2018/10/17/using-resistors-in-guitars-101/ I'll do a video of he next one! All the best, Alan

Indeed it is!

Thank you very much! My wife calls it "sad and obsessed." I prefer your description!🤣🤣🤣

Ha ha, yes. Although then I usually find they will slip off my pliers then nearly take my eye out! The little blighters will get me either way... 🤣🤣🤣

😅@@AlansGuitarShack

Thank you very much, same to you!

I agree, they are great guitars and amazing value!

Thank you very much! The wax is called Axe Wax and it's a UK product so it might not be available Stateside. It does it good job and smells nice! But in truth it came in a gift set rather than being a considered choice, I am sure there are many similar products just as good

thanks Derek!

That red Strat….❤

Hello there, and likewise thank you for taking the time to do such a thorough response, I appreciate it! it is wonderful that you still have the bass as a life long companion and I wish I too had kept a few guitars from my early years. My longest serving is an acoustic my wife bought me when we got engaged - she got a ring I got a guitar, which seemed quite rock'n'roll at the time - and (I hope!) we are both planning keeping them! I agree with pretty much everything you say, I think you just put it more eloquently and succinctly than my on -camera ramblings. My issue with some tellings of the legend is the idea that the US origins of the bodies make these better than other Mexican products, when in fact they are simply exactly the same as they all came from US made wood blanks at the time, and the differences between Black Labels and Standards were just some lower spec components. I think a lot of the debate arises out of the point you made about assembly vs manufacturing. I spent the early years of my career working in a car factory in the UK, and we assembled and finished subassemblies made elsewhere - chassis and axles from the UK, engines from Japan and Germany, dashboards from Belgium, etc. The only thing we made from raw materials was body panels stamped from rolls of steel in our press shop. We then robot welded those together on our body shop to create a "body-in-white", and we then painted those, and assembled every component into them on a just-in-time basis until we drove the car off the end of the line. In legislative terms, that was considered a British car, though only just! My (limited) understanding is that what we are talking about in the Fender case is the "body-in-white" equivalent where guitar necks and bodies were CNC milled from wood, and then those were sent either to Corona or Ensenada for all other work to be done. If all other spec's are the same, it is really the differences in finishing and components that distinguish US and Mexican production, and whilst I am firmly of the camp that Mexican guitars easily win the value argument (95% of the value for 40% of the cost), I do see that on the side by side comparison that US models are just that little bit nicer - wood grains, paint, rolled neck edges, better fretwork etc - but those are finishing choices in the assembly plant. I think where it was final assembled is still the determining factor in whether a guitar should be considered US made or Mexican made. And I should point out it makes no difference to me as a Brit - I have no political or emotional allegiance to either country and I like and admire both. But I do fully take your point that once Ensenada had it's own CNC facility up and running and building bodies and necks from raw wood there was no more room for debate. From that perspective I can see your argument that these are the last US made budget guitars. Either way I do agree they are they are excellent guitars, and the update on this video is that I have now sold on the 2006 MIM Standard to a happy customer and the Black Label has pride of place in my one Strat policy. Everything else is upgraded, but that neck and body are indeed sublime. Except - this week I have picked up a 2001 American Deluxe and also an extremely rare 1987 MIJ, complete with very dubious '80s big hair Kahler Trem. The MIJ is a real barn find, original but filthy, but I can see already that that Japanese neck might actually be the nicest of all! I see a sequel video coming soon with a US, Mexican and Japanese comparison - "Strat-Off, the international edition" Thanks again for your interest and reply, and all the best, Alan.

@@AlansGuitarShackYou may be correct, I should probably refine my definition to last budget guitar line with origins in America. And you're spot on about the value/cost ratio of these. The thing that surprised me the most about these guitars is the stories and love for them that came about when I posted a video on my channel talking about this quote I shared with you. I still get occasional comments well over a year later from people who share their experiences and how important the Black Labels are in their stable of guitars. For a lot of us, they are our daily drivers. It's been special to be able to share that with folks all over the globe. I'd love to see that Strat comparison with the MIJ, etc. What I've been longing to see is a Black Label versus mid-90s American comparison, because I whole-heartedly agree these were two different lines for two-different price points and not the "hey, we gotta fill this order so grab whatever expensive piece of wood you can and use it" that some folks infer. Most Squier Series, including my bass have poplar bodies. The video of yours did appear to be alder, so there's evidence for both. I've also seen a wide array of quality in the necks, my bass have almost no curl and a very visible brown knot around the 12 th fret, to some exemplary curled pieces you'd expect on a Custom shop. Also, it's a bit personal because my second guitar was a '95 American strat with custom Burgundy Mist Metallic and matching headstock and rosewood fingerboard. I thought in was stepping up my game, but that was one of the worst built guitars I've seen. The neck wouldn't go straight, I stripped the truss rod nut and that stupid walnut plug wouldn't let me do a simple replacement 'cause the nut was trapped. The rare custom finish had pock marks in the back, and it was a swimming pool rout. Btw, that one did have a CNC registration hole in the neck pocket and one hole under the pickguard. I loved that guitar right up to the point I realized it didn't really work well. Thanks for the content and the conversation. All the best to you.

@@AlansGuitarShack I forgot to mention, if you weren't aware, there is a Squier Series Tele model. It has a maple neck and top loaded 6 barrel saddle bridge. They tend to be pretty rare and command the highest prices of the 4 Squier Series models.

@@IntoTheImpossible321 i am indeed, i was negotiating a deal in on a few weeks back but we could not reach an agreement on price. Nice guitar though!

Oh, and I should add that I have subscribed to your channel and realised yours was one of the first videos I watched about these guitars! So thank you for that and your other great content!

Cheers Frazer. A winner indeed!

It’s belts and braces. As long as you have a metal base plate in your bridge pickup, and it is connected the ground wire of the pickup, then yes your mounting screws through the bridge plate should provide a ground. But that’s not a solid connection, and your springs or rubber tubes are what is holding it tight, so I always add a separate ground wire for the five minutes it takes. NB the same is true of the Player series method of adding a lug, but that’s a wider and more positive connection in my view so I go with it if it there in the first place. Key thing is check for continuity with a multimeter - if it is grounded it is grounded!

@@AlansGuitarShack Thanks for that, Alan! 🙏👍🙂