For those starting out I would definitely go with the classic vibe and put the money left over into a good amp and effects. Years ago I focused way to much on the guitar and not enough on my signal chain --A good amp will make even an average guitar sound great. On the other hand the best guitar thru a cheap amp will sound... cheap!
@@commodore6430 I love my Squire HT Strat. I also have a MIM Strat that is definitely a better guitar, but I have trouble putting the little Squire down.
i did the same thing when i first started. i started with a cheap THR 5 Yamaha amp and a Squier affinity strat. first upgrade was moving up to a Marshall Origin 20C and it helped the sound so much. now about to upgrade to an Am Pro ii Strat about a year later
The Squier doesn't require upgrades, is crazy to buy a Fender neck to replace the existing one, they probably need a good setup, keep the original pickups, upgrade electronics, probably a better tremolo or a brass block for sustain, steel inserts, shield the cavity and the back of the pickguard, aging the plastic covers and knobs with the old trick of coffee and tea, all for less than 200 bucks
I agree. I like the Squier neck and pickups and am not willing to pay $800 extra for _upgrades_ that aren't needed. The conclusion of the video seemed to be focused on how much it would cost to turn a Squier into a Fender rather than if the Fender is actually worth $800 more than the Squier. He did give us enough info to judge for ourselves though. 👍
When you're starting out, the Squire is a really good guitar. I own 17 guitars and still have and play my 1985 MIJ Fender Squire Strat, that was purchased for $100.00. The body is Alder. I have upgraded the pickups & electronics, re-fretted X2 with jumbo frets, rolled the edges on the 2nd re-fret, replaced the nut with bone. I did all of this over 37years. I have, literally been offered a $1000.00 for this guitar. It looks like it's been in 2 world wars, but plays and sounds AWESOME! The Squire is the most "bang for the buck" in a solid body electric guitar for the person who wants to a reliable guitar starting out.👍
I have that Squire ( 6 months) and I love it. For a beginners electric guitar it is outstanding. I took fine steel wool to the frets to smooth the edges and put 10 gauge strings on it. Normally I play nylon but I've fallen in love with the Squire and its getting more attention. Plugged into a Yamaha THR II 30 W amp and you're set. If you can make the Squire sound sweet, you're way ahead of the game.
I have a squire, professional, Stratocaster. I am replacing the machine heads. And I am also replacing the bridge. And the neck plate. But I do like the pick ups. They don’t sound too bad. I like gold hardware on my guitars . I have a GT 427 Graach, of course gold trim. It looks great. I am going to dress my Squier Strat all up in gold hardware. It’ll look beautiful with a walnut body and the neck has kind of a gold yellow tint to it it’s really beautiful I really love my Squier guitar. I’m going to love it even more, after all the work is done. For the money there squire professional is a beautiful guitar. I would recommend it to anybody. I’ve been playing guitar for almost 50 years. I really love music. I appreciate good videos on UA-cam. I get well educated from everybody. Thanks for all of your videos. Have a great day👍🏼😎😁🎸❤️☮️
I have always been a fan of Fender Strats. I have a 2011 American Standard in Olympic White as well as a Squire 50s CV Strat in Fiesta Red. Honestly, I love them both.
I own both an American Pro II strat and a CV 60s thin line tele. and I play both. Being a buy American consumer I owned the Am Pro II first. It is a superior instrument in every way and that’s how it should be. My CV tele is what it is and I love playing it as well. I wouldn’t own a Squier if I didn’t already own several American made guitars. Being a gear junkie I just love buying and playing guitars
I work d at a custom shop for years. My best suggestion for gloss necks is not sandpaper but instead use a fine steel wool like #0000 and some pledge and spray that on the steel wool and rub it down for a very nice satin feel.
@@MrMusicgenius it depends on your level of skill and the exact circumstances. Is the fretboard truly a satin topcoat finish or, is it just oiled? If it is satin then the suggestion to buff it to a glossy finish would potentially work but, be careful not to burn through the finish. If it is just oiled then you will need to seal it and that is where your level of skill matters to recommend a product. Have you ever sanded, sprayed, and buffed out a finish before? If not then get it to someone who can do it for you because as a first time project you will likely ruin the board and neck.
I bought a Squier Strat and put an American Pro 1 loaded pickguard in there. Replaced the tuners and nut and it plays like a dream. The sound quality of the pickups was a huge difference, but the Squier felt just as good to me. Saved me a ton of cash.
From 01:44, it's already hands down for the US, neck and frets are way better ; I've got this exact finished AmPro2 Strat, i just love it. Use it in a band, and the feeling will be totally different from any Squier ( that i love too ). TreebleBleed is so usefull, V-Mod2 are the way some perfect single pickup are supposed to be, they work perfect with anything, clean, overdrive, saturation....everything.
I have the 50's vibe strat in white blond. I price matched it and brought it down to about 380. I have previously owned a strat bullet hard tail, and that felt like a 150 dollar guitar. For the 50's classic vibe, I might have orange caps put into it. That is about it. We will see over time. But it does not look, feel or sound like 380. It is amazing. Get one while you can. Mine was just purchased made in Indonesia and it feels, looks and sounds amazing. Nice hand full of neck. The only con? It is pretty heavy and I had order it as the stores did not have a few for me to select. It may not be a 50's purely replica, but it is one hell of a strat and that it is a Squier truly does not matter to me. If they made a hard tale in the vibe series - I would be on that like white on rice! Definitely check it out.
I wish my mom could've got me a $450 guitar for my first guitar lol. I ended up with a starter pack (amp, gig bag, strings etc.) For around $160. The guitar is essentially a rebranded Squier Bullet. It has a neat finish that I really like though!
i’ve been playing guitar my whole life, picked up a 2010 classic vibe strat for 150 bucks the other day. after cleaning and setting it up it’s one of the best guitars i’ve ever had. i still want to upgrade the nut, tremolo block and saddles but that’s it. the older classic vibes are made of alder and would be preferable to the newer ones.
I changed tuners, nut, pickups, pick guard, pots and switches. And did the frett ends and rolled the fretboard edges. I lightly used Scotch-Brite on the neck Graph tek saddles.floating trem .
I own this guitar in the hss format. Was disappointed in the cheap wiring and dime pots along with the cheap import switch. Pulled everything out and replace with quality parts. It only had a 250 pot on the volume for a humbucker. Plus I added tone control to the bridge setting. Plays well and sounds much better now
I have both. I got the Squire at a pawn shop and use it as a "Frankenstrat" of sorts. It's a really nice guitar considering what I paid for it, and I've got it set up about as best as it can be. I enjoy playing it and currently have a couple of Duncan humbuckers in it for a crunchy, metal sound. My Pro II is stock and is definitely the best Strat I've ever played (I've never played the Ultra). Everyone raves about the neck and I can see why. The difference between it and what you'll find on a Squire, Mexican, or standard American is instantly noticeable. Is it worth the price difference? For me, yes. Considering what basic Gibson's cost (I shelled out $1600 for a LP Studio, and Standards cost $2k+), the price of a top-of-the-line Fender like the Pro II is pretty reasonable.
I owned an AP-II Strat for about a year. Had to sell it some months ago due to the economy and needing the money for a career change. Guitar was absolutely amazing. The neck was perfect. I would like to have one again but I'm not sure if I could justify buying another as I've come to prefer Les Pauls and super strat style guitars. The classic vibe might be the one for me though. Just to have a Strat in the arsenal.
Not long ago, I was able to pick-up a Squire Strat, and after a good setup, it sounds just fine. For the past 30 yrs, I have owned a Mexican Strat, and it sound great as well. Neither have any issues and are well kept safe from damage. Even after 30 yrs of playing, my Mecian Strat looks like brand new, like it just came off the production line. The Squire had a few scratches on the back from what I suspect as a belt buckle when I bought it, but otherwise is in real decent condition. Me buy and American Strat, I don't think so. The two I now have play perfectly and have great sound, so unless I can get an American real cheap used, I'll not be getting one. There's no need as these two, work quite well for my needs. Thanks for the video.
Many upgrades can be done to the Squire with simple hand tools to make it play even better. With the American it's all done for you. The Squire is a good knock around guitar that you won't feel bad if you scratch it.
I have a Squier Classic Vibe 60's in Lake Placid Blue. Looks beautiful and sounds great! That being said, I am saving up for a Fender American Professional II. As you mentioned the neck is a big selling point. Although, I do find the Squier neck comfortable to play.
I have one of those Squiers also in Lake Placid blue and it’s probably my favorite guitar. I really love the light weight. Also, I’m probably not a good enough player to justify the Fender and I used the “savings” to buy an Epi 59 LP Outfit (because I’m also not a good enough player to justify a Gibson LP). The Squiers are just fantastic for people at my level but if I were a pro, as you note, I would definitely get the Fender. The push push feature alone is probably worth a few hundred dollars. Great review all around!
The squier is definately a good deal. $429, + $15 for a good Tusq nut, do a setup on your own, wiring harness $90, pickups $200. So, for about $750, you can have a really nice Strat. Add another $100 bucks if you can't do the setup on your own. The only other problem is the thick polyurethane finish they slather all over the neck and body on the Squier's. There's a guy on youtube who scraped off all the polyurethane on his Squier and weighed it. It was literally 8 oz of poly.
Excellent review, suh! Clear and concise and fair. I don't own a Pro2-too pricey and too fancy, for me-but I do own American and Mexican Strats, and two partscasters. I bought a Squier CV '50s-style Strat and was so overwhelmed with it that I bought two more. Then a '70s-style one just because I didn't have a Strat with that large headstock. For my strictly at-home playing, I find them on par with American and Mexican. Easily the best bang-per-buck going, IMO. Anyhoo, again, excellent review.
Thanks J.D. I appreciate the compliment. I'm a CV believer too. It's always great when you can find a guitar that you really love and it's affordable. And like you said, then you can buy 2 or 3 and an amp for less than the expensive guitar! Crazy! If you haven't already, please subscribe. Thanks!
I have a cv 70 and i don't unfortunately. I don't mean it's bad by any means, but when i pick up a performer series it's like, there it is: effortlessly clean chords and the "plays itself" and "sounds like on the records" cliches. Whereas i have to wrestle the cv70 a bit. For a main, long term guitar? The american one is easily worth it. I've seen more expensive really mediocre, generic asian made ones.
I bought an MIM Strat last year after being an ESP guy for 20+ years, and it inspired me to buy a Pro II, and it' was great, but then I sent it out to get scalloped now it's a frickin' shred monster
I just traded a Korean Epiphone Les Paul for a Classic Vibe 50's Telecaster in Butterscotch and I am totally happy, I think I will keep thw pick ups and eventually replace the tone pot's and cap but I'm still thinking about that because it has Korean Mini pot's ao I'm going to see if I can see if they arw close in quality to CTS. i upgraded the input jack to a Switchcraft but that's it so far. I like the heavy weight it has as well.
You're comparing apples to oranges with those tremolo blocks. The tremolo blocks are not made from the same material. The Pro 2 has a steel block, the CV is Zinc. The Pro 2 has a tapered bottom edge to allow for a greater range of travel.
Hi Joybuzzer, thanks for the comment, good information! I was just comparing weight and mass but you're right and the larger block only allows for decending tremolo action. The newer 2 point trem allows for stretching and loosing the strings and needs to be narrower. And yes the Squier trem block is zinc and not the same quality as the Am Pro 2. I have said it several times but the Am Pro 2 is a great guitar and IMHO is the best guitar for the money in the Fender line.
To be really honest about it, I have 1 of each. Squire Classic Vibe 50s Strat, Fender MiM 75th Sea Foam Green with a Fender block inlay neck (pearloid inlays, from Fender MIM) it has a Mojotone solderless harness with Fender 57/62 Pickups (matching case too). I also have the 75th Fender American Professional ii Dark Night Strat. I can say this, the Fender MIM plays and sounds better than both the Squire and the American but it doesn't have a couple of the features that the American has. I paid out the arce to get it that way. Right comparable to the cost of the American. It was worth it. That's my #1. Now, playing the Squire against the American, both stock, the Squire will hold it's own against the American but they both are different tone wise. The Squire has a very warm stratty tone due to it's low output pickups. The American is more versatile and more suited for a variety of genres due to the Vmod pickups. The craftsmanship on the American is perfect, the MiM I built as well. If the Squire had a satin neck instead of the gloss, it would be perfect as well. I went thru a ton of guitars to get the 6 that I have. I wouldn't consider getting rid of anyone of the trio. All are excellent.
Both nice guitars, however no real comparison in over all quality, features, sound and playability....the Fender takes it hands down. I own custom shop guitars, several classic Vibes, and a hand full of guitars assembled from parts. Where the classic Vibe shines is if you know you will be using the guitar to swap pickups to suite your personal taste. I would never consider modifying a $1,500 Fender, but the Squire, hell yes. My moded squires are really kick ass too. So that's my take.
I can say from experience, and being a big fan of Squier, that the Pro ii is definitly a huge upgrade. I love my Squiers, and they are a great bang for your buck. You won't be dissapointed. But I have the say, if you got the coin, the Pro ii is definitly worth the extra. It's just better quality and feel top to bottom.
In both cases, you are getting what you paid for. It's apparent right off the bat the the USA neck has had a lot more time put into it. On my last Squire Strat, the fingerboard looked great, whatever the wood was, but the first time I oiled it, the brown tint came off on my cleaning rag. What was left looked very pale, almost yellowish. Fortunately I was able to get a replacement from GC. I went with a maple neck American Standard that time. And I still have that one.
In europe, the problem is, you cant really find a pro II strat under 1900$.. new or used... but I just bought a CV thinline tele for 240$ barely used.. ( with a fender modest bag)
I bought a 2019 Squier classic vibe 60's and I'm very happy with the playability but I wish I would've got a humbucker because I only play the neck pickup but I can always buy another pickup and put it in. Good video that proves there's not a lot of difference for the price.
Thank you Douglas for commenting and the compliment. Glad you enjoyed the review. Please subscribe if you haven't already. It will show you links to my other reviews and It helps promote my channel. Thank you!
@Brooks Reid I agree with your assessment 100% Your comment a guitar is the sum of it and all its part's is spot on!! I have two squire guitars that I upgraded because they are full body squiers meaning every oem fender part will fit which isn't possible with any other squire i.e., tuning peg holes will be too small, pickguard holes won't line up, tremolo block will stick out the back because of thinner body etc etc etc Also these two squires have amazing birds eye flame maple on the back of the neck that you'd only find on a custom shop stratocaster. Also the necks have a 12" fretboard radius which is very unheard of. I upgraded the tuners to Graphtech ratio locking tuners, bone nut, fender custom shop 69 preloaded pickguard, and super-v-bladerunner tremelo All together less money than a fender player series and equivalent to a custom shop guitar you'd pay thousands for. Real guitarist are basically neck and pickup players they don't care what it says on the headstock.
Hey Nick, thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed the review! I also have an older Squier Custom Tele with Rosewood fingerboard and it's a great guitar. I've upgrade parts on that guitar too including the pickups. We are lucky to have so many really good affordable guitars to choose from! All the best and please subscribe if you haven't already. Thanks!
Great video, but the tremolo blocks are not the same material. The Pro 2 has a tapered steel block, the CV and the Standard series block is zinc. Also the replacement block may not fit the Pro 2's bridge plate due to the string spacing, tremolo and screw placement.
My CV60s is a great guitar at the price point. The block started to keyhole after about 5 years, the material is zinc I believe. Replaced it with a genuine Fender block and she's smokin' again 😍👌🏻
My CV50s tele is awesome. I hear people complaining about the pots and tuners but they all are great on mine. The only thing I don't like are the 'tall narrow' frets. But that's not a Squier thing: it's a weird virus that seems to be spreading to a lot of Fender guitars. What the hell was wrong with medium jumbos?! The perfect fret-size for me :( Mind you, I'm only complaining about the fret size. The finishing on those frets is 100% up to par with my American Fenders. Squier has been delivering some top-notch work the last decade. On another note, Brooks mentions that Alder is harde than Poplar or Pine. Won't argue with that. Pine dents when you look at it funny. But hardness =/= accoustic resonance in any way whatsoever. Kind of a weird suggestion. Most pine guitars I picked up are VERY resonant. Alder ones not so much. When I plug them in though, it can be a whole different ballgame. Then again, I'm not a believer in tone woods when it comes to solid bodies so whatever/ymmv.
I got a classic vibe Jazzmaster and while it took some work getting the setup right it feels pretty comparable to my American Pro II. I just need to upgrade the pickups and it will be perfect.
Does the CV really have narrow tall frets, they felt small when I played in store?. I didn’t A and B to an American like you have. FYI the original CV did have the aged knobs and pickup covers and Tone Rider pickups.
People who say the American guitars are worth the price are the ones who are trying to convince themselves they didn't waste money. It's the player skill and the amp that matter. I have heard great players that make cheap guitars sound great.
I bought an USA Deluxe fender- I then went on to build my own. it went like this Body £90 neck £90 loaded pickguard £100 bridge locking tuners strap buttons string trees £50. It was so good I sold my fender. neck and body was from ebay. pick ups from irongear, bridge was wilkinson as they are better than fender bridges. vintage locking tuners from ebay- they work! way better guitar than many £1500 fenders.
My ‘70 Squire Strat hits my marks and won’t upgrade it or trade it nor sell it for any reason ... Now I have a 3/4 size Fender Strat and I’ll be replacing guitar pickups with Alnico V pickups ( it’s in the mail ). Soo is my $140 Fender Strat better or equal to the full size Fender American Strat ? Time will tell ...
My girlfriend likes my black 1983 Ibanez Roadstar better. I like the Squire Strat better. Both saw a LOT of jam night action, and got damaged. NO Regrets. Strats are meant to be played and enjoyed. The Reseda California jam nights around 2013 were off the hook with lots of great Zeppelin, Ac'dc and other faves echoing all night long.
In a presentation of his Samick Royale, Greg Bennett says a smaller headstock provides less energy loss and results in a more "punchy" sound. I'm probably absolutely unable to hear the difference but maybe others do?
Wow! I never heard that one! But I have heard a difference changing the neck on Fenders. I've done it and there is a pretty significant difference in the sound of the guitar when you change the neck.
@@airtimedesign Interesting! By the way, here is the video where Greg Benett explains that (be careful, you'll want a Samick Royale after watching 😉) ua-cam.com/video/KZuW5EMzQZk/v-deo.html
So many beginners assume it's the gear. But they don't play enough. You can't buy a signature Stevie Ray Vaughan guitar and play like SRV just because you have a guitar just like he had. But because Stevie Ray Vaughan can play guitar. He could make your guitar ,"sound like him !"
Thank you Kenneth and I'm glad you enjoyed the review. I've also got the SSH version and I think the Am Pro II is the best guitar for the money that Fender makes. Please subscribe!
Brooks my American Pro ll is also the HSS version as it is versatile and with the split feature on the humbucker pickup gives you the best of both worlds.
I cant believe how much better my Classic Vibe was compared to my Fenders! I literally returned TWO Fenders this year. Horrible fretwork. There WAS one dead spot on my Classic Vibe but you can switch out a neck on a $429 guitar without stress haha. Why would someone buy a $1000 (or more) guitar that comes with unleveled frets??? 😮
You did it again. Great video. I agree about the pro 2 neck. Best I ever felt. Fender really is a fantastic company when it comes to offering GREAT guitars at pretty much every price point. You can’t go wrong with either one of these. I’m a huge fan of the CV series and I have the 50s Tele and had the Jazzmaster. But the Pro is just on another level of feel and tone. Thanks again for this video. I really enjoy them.
@@airtimedesign I did. I played a Fender Custom Shop 60s NOS Stratocaster and fell head over heals in love with it. The feel, the tone, the lightweight and the fact that it resembled my favorite guitarists (Mike Mcready) famous 1960 Stratocaster. I sold everything I haven’t played in a while and some things I can easily get again in the future if I wanted. Got a ridiculous deal on the NOS Strat so I couldn’t say no. I liked that Jazzmaster but I don’t miss it. I got more then I paid for it.
@@mikepj1025 I would like to check out that Custom Shop but I better not. I always keep my distance from those Custom Shop guitars cause I'm scared I'll have to sell all my guitars too just to own one!
@@airtimedesign I get that brother. The Custom Shop guitar cost me less than this American Pro 2 your talking about. That’s why I had to jump on it. It weighs 7.6 lbs, sustain for days and the pickups are unlike any other single coils I’ve ever played.
Squires are really nice guitars matter of fact I’ve been playing for 47 years and I’m thinking about buying a Squier Johnny fortune had a squire and loved it I had a no he was my best friend for 30 years but that’s beside the point the point is I think Squires are great guitars and so are fenders so I enjoyed your video that you did a great job with that keep up the good work have a good night❤👍🏼👍🏼🎸🎼🎶✌🏻
I think the squire is great if you just want a strat for the studio or as a second guitar if you like Gibson and need a strat . I think every guitar play should own a les paul m tele and a strat.
I recently purchased a Fender Telecaster American Original neck for my Squier CV Telecaster. It fit extremely well. Really snug and solid, no play. I would guess the Strats are the same. Glad you liked the review. Please subscribe, thanks!
If you look carefully at the neck pocket, the softer wood like Poplar or Agathis (like a mahogany) can't handle tight tolerances and the gaps on top and bottom at the neck heel protect the polycarbonate finish from cracking. (I learned the hard way.) The Indonesian tremolo bridge has a 'foot' at the trem bar socket that decks the trem, preventing pulling up, only allowinng 'dive bombing.' I have a 'Standard' Squier that is more American/MIM spec, but the bridge Humbucker was too bright and hot, so I replaced the pots and went with two capacitors and the bridge now has better range with its own tone control. Oh, and I found an Elite ebony neck with staggered locking tuners and a bone nut, at a very cheap price (a tech had over-filed the nut slots) and except for the body, the guitar ($450 total spent) specs out pretty close to a $1400 Strat.
squire 70s vibe is worth it. A good set up a decent amp and you should be good really. if your feeling adventurous maybe upgrade the pick ups. other than that its a pretty good guitar for 500 bucks
So basically Fender is charging a lot extra for an overpriced hard case and a rosewood board… I don’t want the case and while Indian laurel will never look as nice as a good rosewood board a little Dunlop 65 really makes it look pretty darn good, better than pau ferro at least.
The Pro II was terrible i sold that shit i thought there was something wrong with my guitar. But they just went in a different direction with it. Love the Pro I and the Standard which are in my arsenal, also classic vibe is on my radar too
I had a jmascis jazzmaster made by squier,and it was the most fun and most enjoyable guitar I've ever owned. And I've had an American pro 2 strat,les Paul,G&L tele and now a reverend. The £499 jmascis beat them all.i should never have sold it.
Or if you want a really cheap guitar that sounds as good as the more expensive Squier , but a Jet Strat copy , they are very good and have a roasted maple neck and play like much more expensive instruments.
I have a Jet JS, and am saving up for some mods. Busked the Jet JS all summer, and it sounds better than the current Squier strat videos I've watched. It is a busking guitar, though. I'll have me a genuine American Strat one day also.
@@themaelstromnotebook I had a 2007 Standard USA Strat years back quality was great but pickups were awful had to bin those Alnico pickups very bad tone , put some SRV Texas Special pickups instead and it sang 🎸
It's so easy to Luthier a guitar. This is why I love the modularity of the Stratocaster. I just sold my American Professional II Olympic white body in favor of the Squier Affinity Body in the same color. Why? 2 reasons: a) it's thinner and lighter (some of the APII guitars were whittled from the trunk of the tree and are heavier than 7 lbs) It's cheaper and I don't mind taking this guitar out of the house and banging it up. Also, Tone Wood on an electronic guitar is meaningless (this has been proven ad nauseum, but not so with acoustic guitars, tone wood is everything). Also, the contoured heel, why Fender does not make this a standard feature on all of their guitars is beyond me. So easy to do, just sand it down and replace the neck plate (though the Squier Affinity bodies are thin enough so you may not want to do that). It makes it more playable. The other thing I like to do is spray a satin polyurethane finish on the back of the neck (especially those glossy ones), then with 1000-2000 grit wet sand the finish to an even smoother texture. It makes all the difference. I don't play Squier necks, so I'd be more likely to buy an after market neck and make it the way I like. Doing fret work also improves the playability, replacing the cheap nut to a bone or Tusq. These things are easy to do. Locking tuners probably a must if you use the tremolo arm a lot, adding a better sustain block really does improve the sound (some are made in brass). So the sky is the limit and it depends on your budget. I haven't even touched on electronics, LOL.
For those starting out I would definitely go with the classic vibe and put the money left over into a good amp and effects. Years ago I focused way to much on the guitar and not enough on my signal chain --A good amp will make even an average guitar sound great. On the other hand the best guitar thru a cheap amp will sound... cheap!
I still recommend heavily considering a good Squier to a professional. I think they're great no matter the skill level.
@@commodore6430 I love my Squire HT Strat. I also have a MIM Strat that is definitely a better guitar, but I have trouble putting the little Squire down.
10 000% agreed.
You comparing Bentley and Opel. Both cars but for different customers 😉
i did the same thing when i first started. i started with a cheap THR 5 Yamaha amp and a Squier affinity strat. first upgrade was moving up to a Marshall Origin 20C and it helped the sound so much. now about to upgrade to an Am Pro ii Strat about a year later
The Squier doesn't require upgrades, is crazy to buy a Fender neck to replace the existing one, they probably need a good setup, keep the original pickups, upgrade electronics, probably a better tremolo or a brass block for sustain, steel inserts, shield the cavity and the back of the pickguard, aging the plastic covers and knobs with the old trick of coffee and tea, all for less than 200 bucks
I agree. I like the Squier neck and pickups and am not willing to pay $800 extra for _upgrades_ that aren't needed.
The conclusion of the video seemed to be focused on how much it would cost to turn a Squier into a Fender rather than if the Fender is actually worth $800 more than the Squier. He did give us enough info to judge for ourselves though. 👍
Bingo
I own a Squier and Fender. The (upgraded) Squier is just as nice as the real Fender.
When you're starting out, the Squire is a really good guitar. I own 17 guitars and still have and play my 1985 MIJ Fender Squire Strat, that was purchased for $100.00. The body is Alder. I have upgraded the pickups & electronics, re-fretted X2 with jumbo frets, rolled the edges on the 2nd re-fret, replaced the nut with bone. I did all of this over 37years. I have, literally been offered a $1000.00 for this guitar. It looks like it's been in 2 world wars, but plays and sounds AWESOME! The Squire is the most "bang for the buck" in a solid body electric guitar for the person who wants to a reliable guitar starting out.👍
I owned a MIJ Squier bass, sorry the current squiers are not as good as the MIJ.
I've been eyeballing the classic vibe 70s strat in this color for a while now. Gonna have to get one now! Thanks for the video man!
I have that Squire ( 6 months) and I love it. For a beginners electric guitar it is outstanding. I took fine steel wool to the frets to smooth the edges and put 10 gauge strings on it. Normally I play nylon but I've fallen in love with the Squire and its getting more attention. Plugged into a Yamaha THR II 30 W amp and you're set. If you can make the Squire sound sweet, you're way ahead of the game.
Fantastic analysis very in depth indeed. thanks for this much informatic video.
We have a borrowed 2002 Squire Strat in grey mist with pearl pickguard. Stock.
With ernie ball greens. Jammed it out 100 times at jam nights. A fave!!
I have a squire, professional, Stratocaster. I am replacing the machine heads. And I am also replacing the bridge. And the neck plate. But I do like the pick ups. They don’t sound too bad. I like gold hardware on my guitars . I have a GT 427 Graach, of course gold trim. It looks great. I am going to dress my Squier Strat all up in gold hardware. It’ll look beautiful with a walnut body and the neck has kind of a gold yellow tint to it it’s really beautiful I really love my Squier guitar. I’m going to love it even more, after all the work is done. For the money there squire professional is a beautiful guitar. I would recommend it to anybody. I’ve been playing guitar for almost 50 years. I really love music. I appreciate good videos on UA-cam. I get well educated from everybody. Thanks for all of your videos. Have a great day👍🏼😎😁🎸❤️☮️
I have always been a fan of Fender Strats. I have a 2011 American Standard in Olympic White as well as a Squire 50s CV Strat in Fiesta Red. Honestly, I love them both.
I own both an American Pro II strat and a CV 60s thin line tele. and I play both. Being a buy American consumer I owned the Am Pro II first. It is a superior instrument in every way and that’s how it should be. My CV tele is what it is and I love playing it as well. I wouldn’t own a Squier if I didn’t already own several American made guitars. Being a gear junkie I just love buying and playing guitars
I have a classic vibe 70,s, one of the best I have played.
I work d at a custom shop for years. My best suggestion for gloss necks is not sandpaper but instead use a fine steel wool like #0000 and some pledge and spray that on the steel wool and rub it down for a very nice satin feel.
Totally agree with this
What’s the best way to turn a maple satin fretboard into gloss fretboard?
@@MrMusicgenius Add more polish and then buff it.
@@MrMusicgenius it depends on your level of skill and the exact circumstances. Is the fretboard truly a satin topcoat finish or, is it just oiled? If it is satin then the suggestion to buff it to a glossy finish would potentially work but, be careful not to burn through the finish. If it is just oiled then you will need to seal it and that is where your level of skill matters to recommend a product. Have you ever sanded, sprayed, and buffed out a finish before? If not then get it to someone who can do it for you because as a first time project you will likely ruin the board and neck.
I bought a Squier Strat and put an American Pro 1 loaded pickguard in there. Replaced the tuners and nut and it plays like a dream. The sound quality of the pickups was a huge difference, but the Squier felt just as good to me. Saved me a ton of cash.
From 01:44, it's already hands down for the US, neck and frets are way better ;
I've got this exact finished AmPro2 Strat, i just love it.
Use it in a band, and the feeling will be totally different from any Squier ( that i love too ).
TreebleBleed is so usefull, V-Mod2 are the way some perfect single pickup are supposed to be, they work perfect with anything, clean, overdrive, saturation....everything.
I have the 50's vibe strat in white blond.
I price matched it and brought it down to about 380.
I have previously owned a strat bullet hard tail, and that felt like a 150 dollar guitar.
For the 50's classic vibe, I might have orange caps put into it. That is about it.
We will see over time. But it does not look, feel or sound like 380. It is amazing. Get one while you can. Mine was just purchased made in Indonesia and it feels, looks and sounds amazing. Nice hand full of neck. The only con? It is pretty heavy and I had order it as the stores did not have a few for me to select. It may not be a 50's purely replica, but it is one hell of a strat and that it is a Squier truly does not matter to me. If they made a hard tale in the vibe series - I would be on that like white on rice! Definitely check it out.
I wish my mom could've got me a $450 guitar for my first guitar lol. I ended up with a starter pack (amp, gig bag, strings etc.) For around $160. The guitar is essentially a rebranded Squier Bullet. It has a neat finish that I really like though!
keep jamming!
i’ve been playing guitar my whole life, picked up a 2010 classic vibe strat for 150 bucks the other day. after cleaning and setting it up it’s one of the best guitars i’ve ever had. i still want to upgrade the nut, tremolo block and saddles but that’s it. the older classic vibes are made of alder and would be preferable to the newer ones.
I changed tuners, nut, pickups, pick guard, pots and switches. And did the frett ends and rolled the fretboard edges. I lightly used Scotch-Brite on the neck Graph tek saddles.floating trem .
I just bought the Squier 50's Vintage Stratocaster / Super Excellent guitar - $539.98 in Canada
Brooks needs more subs for sure…..this is great content and production value! Kudos
Thank you! I appreciate it!
Great job, Brooks! The Squier plus a Tonemaster (or VCR) amp would be a fantastic rig for not just a beginner but an intermediate player as well.
Thanks Michael! Glad you enjoyed the reveiw!
I own this guitar in the hss format. Was disappointed in the cheap wiring and dime pots along with the cheap import switch. Pulled everything out and replace with quality parts. It only had a 250 pot on the volume for a humbucker. Plus I added tone control to the bridge setting. Plays well and sounds much better now
I have both. I got the Squire at a pawn shop and use it as a "Frankenstrat" of sorts. It's a really nice guitar considering what I paid for it, and I've got it set up about as best as it can be. I enjoy playing it and currently have a couple of Duncan humbuckers in it for a crunchy, metal sound. My Pro II is stock and is definitely the best Strat I've ever played (I've never played the Ultra). Everyone raves about the neck and I can see why. The difference between it and what you'll find on a Squire, Mexican, or standard American is instantly noticeable. Is it worth the price difference? For me, yes. Considering what basic Gibson's cost (I shelled out $1600 for a LP Studio, and Standards cost $2k+), the price of a top-of-the-line Fender like the Pro II is pretty reasonable.
I owned an AP-II Strat for about a year. Had to sell it some months ago due to the economy and needing the money for a career change. Guitar was absolutely amazing. The neck was perfect. I would like to have one again but I'm not sure if I could justify buying another as I've come to prefer Les Pauls and super strat style guitars. The classic vibe might be the one for me though. Just to have a Strat in the arsenal.
AmProII heel used to be on Deluxe (later Elite and new Ultra) quite a lot of time ago.
Not long ago, I was able to pick-up a Squire Strat, and after a good setup, it sounds just fine. For the past 30 yrs, I have owned a Mexican Strat, and it sound great as well. Neither have any issues and are well kept safe from damage. Even after 30 yrs of playing, my Mecian Strat looks like brand new, like it just came off the production line. The Squire had a few scratches on the back from what I suspect as a belt buckle when I bought it, but otherwise is in real decent condition. Me buy and American Strat, I don't think so. The two I now have play perfectly and have great sound, so unless I can get an American real cheap used, I'll not be getting one. There's no need as these two, work quite well for my needs. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the comment Wayne!
Many upgrades can be done to the Squire with simple hand tools to make it play even better. With the American it's all done for you. The Squire is a good knock around guitar that you won't feel bad if you scratch it.
Loved the comparison video. I keep coming back to the pro II vs the Player, Plus, Performer and Ultra. Definitely on my short-list.
Glad you enjoyed the review Jack! Please subscribe to see more reviews, Thanks!
I have a Squier Classic Vibe 60's in Lake Placid Blue. Looks beautiful and sounds great! That being said, I am saving up for a Fender American Professional II. As you mentioned the neck is a big selling point. Although, I do find the Squier neck comfortable to play.
Thanks for the comment Don. I have both the Squier and the AM PRO II and I love them both. Please subscribe!
@@airtimedesign I just subscribed. 😁
@@doneriksen5599 Thanks Don!
I have one of those Squiers also in Lake Placid blue and it’s probably my favorite guitar. I really love the light weight. Also, I’m probably not a good enough player to justify the Fender and I used the “savings” to buy an Epi 59 LP Outfit (because I’m also not a good enough player to justify a Gibson LP). The Squiers are just fantastic for people at my level but if I were a pro, as you note, I would definitely get the Fender. The push push feature alone is probably worth a few hundred dollars. Great review all around!
@@ckallaher Thank you Chris!
It's why I own a MIA Jazz bass. It just plays and sounds right. It's aged really well, had it since 1997. It leaves me when I die!
The squier is definately a good deal. $429, + $15 for a good Tusq nut, do a setup on your own, wiring harness $90, pickups $200. So, for about $750, you can have a really nice Strat. Add another $100 bucks if you can't do the setup on your own. The only other problem is the thick polyurethane finish they slather all over the neck and body on the Squier's.
There's a guy on youtube who scraped off all the polyurethane on his Squier and weighed it. It was literally 8 oz of poly.
Hi Brooks,
Well said! I completely agree with what this video expressed.
Excellent review, suh! Clear and concise and fair. I don't own a Pro2-too pricey and too fancy, for me-but I do own American and Mexican Strats, and two partscasters. I bought a Squier CV '50s-style Strat and was so overwhelmed with it that I bought two more. Then a '70s-style one just because I didn't have a Strat with that large headstock. For my strictly at-home playing, I find them on par with American and Mexican. Easily the best bang-per-buck going, IMO. Anyhoo, again, excellent review.
Thanks J.D. I appreciate the compliment. I'm a CV believer too. It's always great when you can find a guitar that you really love and it's affordable. And like you said, then you can buy 2 or 3 and an amp for less than the expensive guitar! Crazy! If you haven't already, please subscribe. Thanks!
I have a cv 70 and i don't unfortunately. I don't mean it's bad by any means, but when i pick up a performer series it's like, there it is: effortlessly clean chords and the "plays itself" and "sounds like on the records" cliches. Whereas i have to wrestle the cv70 a bit. For a main, long term guitar? The american one is easily worth it. I've seen more expensive really mediocre, generic asian made ones.
Dude, that was a awesome video, keep on working Sir!
I actually prefer the sound of the Squier CV to that of the Pro ll. It definitely sounds more natural, less "synthetic".
I own a pro2, AND it rocks but that Squier rocks too 🔥🔥🔥
I bought an MIM Strat last year after being an ESP guy for 20+ years, and it inspired me to buy a Pro II, and it' was great, but then I sent it out to get scalloped now it's a frickin' shred monster
How did the scalloped changed the playability?
I just traded a Korean Epiphone Les Paul for a Classic Vibe 50's Telecaster in Butterscotch and I am totally happy, I think I will keep thw pick ups and eventually replace the tone pot's and cap but I'm still thinking about that because it has Korean Mini pot's ao I'm going to see if I can see if they arw close in quality to CTS. i upgraded the input jack to a Switchcraft but that's it so far. I like the heavy weight it has as well.
You're comparing apples to oranges with those tremolo blocks. The tremolo blocks are not made from the same material. The Pro 2 has a steel block, the CV is Zinc. The Pro 2 has a tapered bottom edge to allow for a greater range of travel.
Hi Joybuzzer, thanks for the comment, good information! I was just comparing weight and mass but you're right and the larger block only allows for decending tremolo action. The newer 2 point trem allows for stretching and loosing the strings and needs to be narrower. And yes the Squier trem block is zinc and not the same quality as the Am Pro 2. I have said it several times but the Am Pro 2 is a great guitar and IMHO is the best guitar for the money in the Fender line.
To be really honest about it, I have 1 of each. Squire Classic Vibe 50s Strat, Fender MiM 75th Sea Foam Green with a Fender block inlay neck (pearloid inlays, from Fender MIM) it has a Mojotone solderless harness with Fender 57/62 Pickups (matching case too). I also have the 75th Fender American Professional ii Dark Night Strat. I can say this, the Fender MIM plays and sounds better than both the Squire and the American but it doesn't have a couple of the features that the American has. I paid out the arce to get it that way. Right comparable to the cost of the American. It was worth it. That's my #1. Now, playing the Squire against the American, both stock, the Squire will hold it's own against the American but they both are different tone wise. The Squire has a very warm stratty tone due to it's low output pickups. The American is more versatile and more suited for a variety of genres due to the Vmod pickups. The craftsmanship on the American is perfect, the MiM I built as well. If the Squire had a satin neck instead of the gloss, it would be perfect as well. I went thru a ton of guitars to get the 6 that I have. I wouldn't consider getting rid of anyone of the trio. All are excellent.
hey its squier classic vibe not bulletstrat
hey its squier classic vibe not bulletstrat
Why can’t you compare apples to oranges....they’re both fruit
Both nice guitars, however no real comparison in over all quality, features, sound and playability....the Fender takes it hands down. I own custom shop guitars, several classic Vibes, and a hand full of guitars assembled from parts. Where the classic Vibe shines is if you know you will be using the guitar to swap pickups to suite your personal taste. I would never consider modifying a $1,500 Fender, but the Squire, hell yes. My moded squires are really kick ass too. So that's my take.
I can say from experience, and being a big fan of Squier, that the Pro ii is definitly a huge upgrade. I love my Squiers, and they are a great bang for your buck. You won't be dissapointed. But I have the say, if you got the coin, the Pro ii is definitly worth the extra. It's just better quality and feel top to bottom.
I love the finish on the maple squier classic vibes. What is it? I’d love that on my Mexican Strat
I own both. The 60s classic vibe Squier is solid. I just wish it had 22 frets.
In both cases, you are getting what you paid for. It's apparent right off the bat the the USA neck has had a lot more time put into it. On my last Squire Strat, the fingerboard looked great, whatever the wood was, but the first time I oiled it, the brown tint came off on my cleaning rag. What was left looked very pale, almost yellowish. Fortunately I was able to get a replacement from GC. I went with a maple neck American Standard that time. And I still have that one.
In europe, the problem is, you cant really find a pro II strat under 1900$.. new or used... but I just bought a CV thinline tele for 240$ barely used.. ( with a fender modest bag)
Went to 15 guitar shops to buy an Am Pro 2, came back home with a Squier CV
I bought a 2019 Squier classic vibe 60's and I'm very happy with the playability but I wish I would've got a humbucker because I only play the neck pickup but I can always buy another pickup and put it in. Good video that proves there's not a lot of difference for the price.
Thank you Douglas for commenting and the compliment. Glad you enjoyed the review. Please subscribe if you haven't already. It will show you links to my other reviews and It helps promote my channel. Thank you!
@Philthy Casual Both were the stock wiring. I did not check if the 2nd tone pot was wired to bridge but I assume all pots are common grounded.
they were doing the carved heal on American Deluxe guitars for years, not just custom shop
Thank you for the comment!
@Brooks Reid I agree with your assessment 100%
Your comment a guitar is the sum of it and all its part's is spot on!!
I have two squire guitars that I upgraded because they are full body squiers meaning every oem fender part will fit which isn't possible with any other squire i.e., tuning peg holes will be too small, pickguard holes won't line up, tremolo block will stick out the back because of thinner body etc etc etc
Also these two squires have amazing birds eye flame maple on the back of the neck that you'd only find on a custom shop stratocaster. Also the necks have a 12" fretboard radius which is very unheard of.
I upgraded the tuners to Graphtech ratio locking tuners, bone nut, fender custom shop 69 preloaded pickguard, and super-v-bladerunner tremelo
All together less money than a fender player series and equivalent to a custom shop guitar you'd pay thousands for.
Real guitarist are basically neck and pickup players they don't care what it says on the headstock.
Hey Nick, thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed the review! I also have an older Squier Custom Tele with Rosewood fingerboard and it's a great guitar. I've upgrade parts on that guitar too including the pickups. We are lucky to have so many really good affordable guitars to choose from! All the best and please subscribe if you haven't already. Thanks!
Great video, but the tremolo blocks are not the same material. The Pro 2 has a tapered steel block, the CV and the Standard series block is zinc. Also the replacement block may not fit the Pro 2's bridge plate due to the string spacing, tremolo and screw placement.
fantastic detailed review. thank you so much.
It was silly and his comparison was nonsense. He tried to build one to be the other. Why bother buying the CV just build your own.
@@bluwng that's your personal opinion. if you don't like it move on. many found it quite useful.
My CV60s is a great guitar at the price point.
The block started to keyhole after about 5 years, the material is zinc I believe. Replaced it with a genuine Fender block and she's smokin' again 😍👌🏻
My CV50s tele is awesome. I hear people complaining about the pots and tuners but they all are great on mine. The only thing I don't like are the 'tall narrow' frets. But that's not a Squier thing: it's a weird virus that seems to be spreading to a lot of Fender guitars. What the hell was wrong with medium jumbos?! The perfect fret-size for me :(
Mind you, I'm only complaining about the fret size. The finishing on those frets is 100% up to par with my American Fenders. Squier has been delivering some top-notch work the last decade.
On another note, Brooks mentions that Alder is harde than Poplar or Pine. Won't argue with that. Pine dents when you look at it funny. But hardness =/= accoustic resonance in any way whatsoever. Kind of a weird suggestion. Most pine guitars I picked up are VERY resonant. Alder ones not so much. When I plug them in though, it can be a whole different ballgame. Then again, I'm not a believer in tone woods when it comes to solid bodies so whatever/ymmv.
I’m really with you on those frets. Medium jumbo is the only way to go. Fender, why the tall skinny?
+++ what a cool honest Comparison, i like that a lot+++
I'm surprised the American body isn't shielded.
Excellent video and presentation.
I got a classic vibe Jazzmaster and while it took some work getting the setup right it feels pretty comparable to my American Pro II. I just need to upgrade the pickups and it will be perfect.
A well done video. Really enjoyed it. Thanks! Incidentally, I would go for the American Professional over the Squier.
Thank you Buffalo Lodge.
Perfect video very informative you taught me something thank you my friend.
Thank you Mark! You made my day!
@Philthy Casual Thank you!
Very good comparison!
Thank you LP Tribute!
Does the CV really have narrow tall frets, they felt small when I played in store?. I didn’t A and B to an American like you have. FYI the original CV did have the aged knobs and pickup covers and Tone Rider pickups.
People who say the American guitars are worth the price are the ones who are trying to convince themselves they didn't waste money. It's the player skill and the amp that matter. I have heard great players that make cheap guitars sound great.
If you’re going to spend money on gear, spend it on the amp.
I bought an USA Deluxe fender- I then went on to build my own. it went like this Body £90 neck £90 loaded pickguard £100 bridge locking tuners strap buttons string trees £50. It was so good I sold my fender. neck and body was from ebay. pick ups from irongear, bridge was wilkinson as they are better than fender bridges. vintage locking tuners from ebay- they work! way better guitar than many £1500 fenders.
I came across a 2005 Squire Satin Strat,,,,never played and in mint condition. Paid $200. Put in some Texas Specials and now everyone wants to buy it.
My ‘70 Squire Strat hits my marks and won’t upgrade it or trade it nor sell it for any reason ... Now I have a 3/4 size Fender Strat and I’ll be replacing guitar pickups with Alnico V pickups ( it’s in the mail ). Soo is my $140 Fender Strat better or equal to the full size Fender American Strat ? Time will tell ...
My girlfriend likes my black 1983 Ibanez Roadstar better. I like the Squire Strat better.
Both saw a LOT of jam night action, and got damaged. NO Regrets. Strats are meant to be played and enjoyed. The Reseda California jam nights around 2013 were off the hook with lots of great Zeppelin, Ac'dc and other faves echoing all night long.
In a presentation of his Samick Royale, Greg Bennett says a smaller headstock provides less energy loss and results in a more "punchy" sound. I'm probably absolutely unable to hear the difference but maybe others do?
Wow! I never heard that one! But I have heard a difference changing the neck on Fenders. I've done it and there is a pretty significant difference in the sound of the guitar when you change the neck.
@@airtimedesign Interesting! By the way, here is the video where Greg Benett explains that (be careful, you'll want a Samick Royale after watching 😉) ua-cam.com/video/KZuW5EMzQZk/v-deo.html
@@surfinjim Thank you Jean-Marie! I'll check it out.
So many beginners assume it's the gear. But they don't play enough.
You can't buy a signature Stevie Ray Vaughan guitar and play like SRV just because you have a guitar just like he had.
But because Stevie Ray Vaughan can play guitar. He could make your guitar ,"sound like him !"
A really informative video. I bought the Fender Professional ll and l am very happy that l did. It’s a phenomenal guitar.
Thank you Kenneth and I'm glad you enjoyed the review. I've also got the SSH version and I think the Am Pro II is the best guitar for the money that Fender makes. Please subscribe!
Brooks my American Pro ll is also the HSS version as it is versatile and with the split feature on the humbucker pickup gives you the best of both worlds.
Very helpful and informative video.
Thanks Bo Sheep I'm glad you enjoyed the review. Please subscribe and take a look at some of my other reviews!
Really well made video! Thank you
Thank you DUK 703 for the compliment and I'm glad you enjoyed the review. Please subscribe to see my other reviews. Thanks!
great vid, you should check out the vintage v6 for comparison , they're just amazing
Thank you Ond Mon for the compliment! I appreciate it. I don't know what the Vintage V6 is.
thanks mate,, what a great and very detailed vid
Glad you enjoyed the review Vr Gaming. Please subscribe to see more reviews, Thanks!
I cant believe how much better my Classic Vibe was compared to my Fenders! I literally returned TWO Fenders this year. Horrible fretwork. There WAS one dead spot on my Classic Vibe but you can switch out a neck on a $429 guitar without stress haha.
Why would someone buy a $1000 (or more) guitar that comes with unleveled frets??? 😮
You did it again. Great video. I agree about the pro 2 neck. Best I ever felt. Fender really is a fantastic company when it comes to offering GREAT guitars at pretty much every price point. You can’t go wrong with either one of these. I’m a huge fan of the CV series and I have the 50s Tele and had the Jazzmaster. But the Pro is just on another level of feel and tone. Thanks again for this video. I really enjoy them.
Thanks Mike! Did you sell the Jazzmaster?
@@airtimedesign I did. I played a Fender Custom Shop 60s NOS Stratocaster and fell head over heals in love with it. The feel, the tone, the lightweight and the fact that it resembled my favorite guitarists (Mike Mcready) famous 1960 Stratocaster. I sold everything I haven’t played in a while and some things I can easily get again in the future if I wanted. Got a ridiculous deal on the NOS Strat so I couldn’t say no. I liked that Jazzmaster but I don’t miss it. I got more then I paid for it.
@@mikepj1025 I would like to check out that Custom Shop but I better not. I always keep my distance from those Custom Shop guitars cause I'm scared I'll have to sell all my guitars too just to own one!
@@airtimedesign I get that brother. The Custom Shop guitar cost me less than this American Pro 2 your talking about. That’s why I had to jump on it. It weighs 7.6 lbs, sustain for days and the pickups are unlike any other single coils I’ve ever played.
@@mikepj1025 Nice!
Squires are really nice guitars matter of fact I’ve been playing for 47 years and I’m thinking about buying a Squier Johnny fortune had a squire and loved it I had a no he was my best friend for 30 years but that’s beside the point the point is I think Squires are great guitars and so are fenders so I enjoyed your video that you did a great job with that keep up the good work have a good night❤👍🏼👍🏼🎸🎼🎶✌🏻
Thank you Mark. I'm glad you enjoyed the review. Please subscribe!
I wish I had a Fender but I do have a CV. Both are good guitars.
I think the squire is great if you just want a strat for the studio or as a second guitar if you like Gibson and need a strat . I think every guitar play should own a les paul m tele and a strat.
Excellent video
I own a squire contemporary and it is a very good axx I have no problems with it
What a great review ✊New subscriber 🇺🇸
Man , do I ever get the fat finger issue! Nice job on the review, thanks much
Got to laugh at the robot, that pop-ular wood makes a difference.
I just got a new 50s classic vibe tobacco burst strat that's not only beautiful but sound and plays better than my mim player ! Fact !
Basically, we love ALL Strats!
Do you know if Fender spec'd Stratocaster necks fit Squier Classic Vibe Stratocasters?
Thanks! Great detailed videos.
I recently purchased a Fender Telecaster American Original neck for my Squier CV Telecaster. It fit extremely well. Really snug and solid, no play. I would guess the Strats are the same. Glad you liked the review. Please subscribe, thanks!
If you look carefully at the neck pocket, the softer wood like Poplar or Agathis (like a mahogany) can't handle tight tolerances and the gaps on top and bottom at the neck heel protect the polycarbonate finish from cracking. (I learned the hard way.) The Indonesian tremolo bridge has a 'foot' at the trem bar socket that decks the trem, preventing pulling up, only allowinng 'dive bombing.'
I have a 'Standard' Squier that is more American/MIM spec, but the bridge Humbucker was too bright and hot, so I replaced the pots and went with two capacitors and the bridge now has better range with its own tone control.
Oh, and I found an Elite ebony neck with staggered locking tuners and a bone nut, at a very cheap price (a tech had over-filed the nut slots) and except for the body, the guitar ($450 total spent) specs out pretty close to a $1400 Strat.
Squier CV plus MIM bridge (£20) and Tex Mex pickups (£90) = as good if not better than Am Pro II. I’ve owned both
I couldn’t play an ebony neck after playing a rosewood neck.
God bless...awesome review
squire 70s vibe is worth it. A good set up a decent amp and you should be good really. if your feeling adventurous maybe upgrade the pick ups. other than that its a pretty good guitar for 500 bucks
The squier and replacement blocks are zinc, not steel
So basically Fender is charging a lot extra for an overpriced hard case and a rosewood board…
I don’t want the case and while Indian laurel will never look as nice as a good rosewood board a little Dunlop 65 really makes it look pretty darn good, better than pau ferro at least.
The Pro II was terrible i sold that shit i thought there was something wrong with my guitar. But they just went in a different direction with it. Love the Pro I and the Standard which are in my arsenal, also classic vibe is on my radar too
I had a jmascis jazzmaster made by squier,and it was the most fun and most enjoyable guitar I've ever owned.
And I've had an American pro 2 strat,les Paul,G&L tele and now a reverend.
The £499 jmascis beat them all.i should never have sold it.
The rolled frets alone are worth all the extra money that I paid for my pro 2.
“Opinions are like assholes, everybody’s got one” Harry Callahan.
I miss when the Classic Vibe series used Alder instead poplar or Nato
Come on man! The block on the professional tappers into a thicker block the one on the Squier is thin throughout the whole block.
Squires are for kids.. i feel you
Or if you want a really cheap guitar that sounds as good as the more expensive Squier , but a Jet Strat copy , they are very good and have a roasted maple neck and play like much more expensive instruments.
I have a Jet JS, and am saving up for some mods. Busked the Jet JS all summer, and it sounds better than the current Squier strat videos I've watched. It is a busking guitar, though. I'll have me a genuine American Strat one day also.
@@themaelstromnotebook I had a 2007 Standard USA Strat years back quality was great but pickups were awful had to bin those Alnico pickups very bad tone , put some SRV Texas Special pickups instead and it sang 🎸
It's so easy to Luthier a guitar. This is why I love the modularity of the Stratocaster. I just sold my American Professional II Olympic white body in favor of the Squier Affinity Body in the same color. Why? 2 reasons: a) it's thinner and lighter (some of the APII guitars were whittled from the trunk of the tree and are heavier than 7 lbs) It's cheaper and I don't mind taking this guitar out of the house and banging it up. Also, Tone Wood on an electronic guitar is meaningless (this has been proven ad nauseum, but not so with acoustic guitars, tone wood is everything). Also, the contoured heel, why Fender does not make this a standard feature on all of their guitars is beyond me. So easy to do, just sand it down and replace the neck plate (though the Squier Affinity bodies are thin enough so you may not want to do that). It makes it more playable. The other thing I like to do is spray a satin polyurethane finish on the back of the neck (especially those glossy ones), then with 1000-2000 grit wet sand the finish to an even smoother texture. It makes all the difference. I don't play Squier necks, so I'd be more likely to buy an after market neck and make it the way I like. Doing fret work also improves the playability, replacing the cheap nut to a bone or Tusq. These things are easy to do. Locking tuners probably a must if you use the tremolo arm a lot, adding a better sustain block really does improve the sound (some are made in brass). So the sky is the limit and it depends on your budget. I haven't even touched on electronics, LOL.