Over a decade ago I picked up a Squier Standard Stratocaster for $229. Sunburst, rosewood fingerboard. The frets are perfect, the action is great, the satin finished neck feels great, and the sound was also great. A few years ago I changed the entire pickguard assembly to one with the Fender noiseless pickups and the S1 configuration that provides additional switching/sounds. That was $200. So for $429 total I have the equal of a $1800 American Professional Stratocaster.
@@s.u.i.r the American is ash. Mine is alder. Not a huge difference. Mine sustains just fine… and they are solidbody electric guitars. Sustain aside, the wood is essentially irrelevant to the sound
@@Gk2003m I highly disagree. There is a huge quality difference even if the type of wood is the same. You can compare it to food: frozen pizza vs one from a very good restaurant. Both are pizza but they taste totally different. American made Fenders get well sorted woods , Squier guitars simply get whatever they could get cheapest. It might get nerdy but tone wood makes a huge difference. You are also underestimating the impact the wood has to your electric sound. A Les Paul with Strat electronics sounds nothing like a Strat. People with trained ears here the difference between a maple neck vs a rosewood neck Strat. People with trained ears even hear differences between guitars that are from the same run. Go to a guitar store and try 3 different guitars from the same series : all of them will sound different which is because wood is a nature material that differs. It might not make a difference to you personally and I am not saying that your Squier is a bad guitar but saying that "wood is essentially irrelevant to the sound" is a false statement. People who have a lot of experience , especially the ones selling guitars laugh about statements like that. As said customers in guitar shops sometimes complain that the guitar they bought sounds different than the one they tried in the store, which is because their Tele basically is a little bit different.
@@s.u.i.r of course the folks who sell guitars laugh at that kind of statement. Their commission is dependent upon convincing people that a slab of ash is the crucial component, and well worth paying an additional $1500 for essentially the same guitar.
@denis1wanic the wood is just a talking point. The vast majority of people wouldn't be able to tell the difference in tone or resonance. Where it really makes a difference is weight or burst/natural finishes where wood grain blemishes would make an aesthetic difference.
I'm a new guitarist, as my first guitar I made the rookie mistake and splurged on a relativity expensive Fender Player Series(thinking better guitar means ill play better boy was I wrong..). I really do love it, it play amazingly, looks great, and does what a guitar does. Recently I wanted a change of pace and a 70's vibe squier tele caught my eye and the deal was too good to pass up. The difference in quality is apparent when looking at it under a microscope but its plays just as good as my Fender. You're really not getting twice the guitar for twice the price of a fender, a squire gets you 90-95% there.
I've been playing for 40 years and I now know - 'tone' 'tone wood' 'scatter wound' etc etc etc are all BS. US made means nothing, nitro is stupid, it breaks and falls off, a cheaper guitar well set up is much better than a badly set up expensive one, a guitar so expensive that it can't be used isn't an instrument , it's an ornament , Gibsons are stupid, they're badly designed, fragile, ridiculously expensive and won't stay in tune. get a telecaster
@DJ_PACIFICO or a harley benton - with a good setup, they play and sound great - if you're new to set ups, get a real cheapo and learn how to use the truss rod and set the action and any guitar can be made to play well.
@DJ_PACIFICO the amp is the thing IMHO, I use a small watt fender tube amp cos I'm old but modellers are obvs now better than amps - my friend has a bugera amp that is in every way the equal of my Fenders - expensive gear is for mugs rather than music makers
@DJ_PACIFICO in reality, pickups sound much the same - SCs sound different to HBs but most SCs or HBs of similar output aren't much different. A p/up is just a magnet with a load of thin wire wrapped around it, the preamp isa much more complex thing and creates the sound - plug a tele into a princeton, a marshall and high gain metal amp, it'll sound like a completely different instrument in eac amp
I played one these new Squires last weekend at my local Guitar Center. I own several American Fenders and also a 2020 Classic Vibe Squire Strat. I was quite impressed with the feel and build quality of this green Squire. Love the satin matte finish on the body, and the satin neck surprisingly felt of the same texture and quality as my American Fenders. Much prefer it to the heavy gloss on the Classic Vibe Squire neck. Squire is really stepping up!
I have a Squire catalog on my shelf, and it's hard to deny they went from "budget" guitar, to *really* good guitars that sometimes might be considered budget. I love how much experimentation goes into them that the Fender line wouldn't really get away with.
@KarstenJohansson Remember, this is a higher end squier, not really comparable to something like a bullet or sonic that will literally feel like a toy compared. Better electronics, a fret dressing/leveling and a good setup will most likely put the sonic on par. I recently bought a Squier stagemaster neck thru and quality wise, it feels better than any Jackson I’ve ever played.
@@watersnortmoment3734 I bought a squire when I was working in the middle east for 8 months. I was really lonely without my guitar haha. Anyway, this guitar had crap frets (I filed them so they'd stop chewing up my fingers) and crap pups, but it got me through. Also came with a small practice amp, but its power source was weird, and I left it behind. The guitar also has a super-crap paint job - you can actually tell what direction it was hanging to dry because there are obvious drip lines! When I got home with it, I scalloped the neck, put in some gifted Charvelle pickups, and now it's a permanent part of my arsenal. It sounds and feels amazing now. It's really touch-and-go with Squires. BTW: I left the crap paint job because I think it adds character. 😋
I've got the Squier 40th Anniversary Vintage Tele. Mine needed a wee bit of set up and fret work, but now that's done its a fantastic guitar. Eventually I'll upgrade the neck pickup (bit muddy), but very happy with it.
I bought a squire classic vibe 50s tele a couple of months ago needed a slight set up and it is pretty darn good. for 350 bucks (it was a black friday sale. 100 bucks off) it is suprisingly good gutiar. i play that thing everyday, oh also it has a pine body. bit heavy, but doable
First time watching your channel and impressed at how thoughtful and methodical this video is. About the anodized pick guard being noisy, there's a video on Puisheen's channel where he compares two otherwise identical offsets, if i recall, and the one with the anodized guard is quieter so i dont think them being noisier is a rule. The Squier is probably noisier for some other reason, such as the wiring or electronic parts, not the least of which might be the pickups. The fact that the Squier has less highs is the dead giveaway, and the solution, as someone noted here in the comments, is probably rewiring it to old specs, if that's not already done, experimenting with other wiring configurations, replacing pots, trying different capacitors, or if youre really lazy, buying vintage soundng pickups. Even If you buy new pickups, it'll still be a better deal than the Mexican Fender, due to the vintage spec'd hardware, in my opinion. I suppose if you're acounting oriented, you'd have to consider how much a trio of vintaged voirced pickups and install will set you back, and tack that onto the price of the Squier to see if thats cheaper than buying the Fender, if you think you'll be happy and not mod it. And even if moding the Squire elevates it to the same price as the Fender, does the moded Squier have more value than the stock Fender? Id argue that it does, and does so even if its more expensive. Just how much more expensive still offers more value than the Fender is debatable, and only each individual can answer that.
I already regret not buying 2 of the jazzmasters when they were going for$300. Crazy value and I rarely order guitars online and took a gamble and it’s great.
Got a super deal on a Sonic Blue with the adonized guard, roasted neck. Gorgeous. Key point on the 40th is the tone control on the bridge. No need to mod.
As an older player (but not quite a boomer!) I have a mix of US, Japan and Mexican Fenders and love them all. My main stage guitar was put together with a boxed Fender neck and body and the quality it great. Where Squire really score for me is for the more esoteric models. I have always fancied a Jazzmaster and could be tempted by a Squire to see if it works for me.
@@VisionismLol, it’s interesting. I’ve played LPs most of my adult life, but I’ve recently fallen in love with an inexpensive Squier Strat. I guess it doesn’t hurt to switch things up once in a while.👍 Well, unless you’re BB King.
I recommend the J. Mascis jazzmaster. I'm a luthier with 30+ guitars at any given moment, and that is by far my favorite and most played. Most of the "issues" in the video are things that a basic setup with a reputable luthier will resolve. I can set those up so that the average player wouldn't know the difference in sound quality or playability. Which isn't a brag, its what any half decent luthier can do. Their age and wear differences would be the biggest tell between them. It's not easy to accurately wear a new guitar down to match that of a guitar that has been well played and cared for over 4 years.
@@Visionism I'm an offset player through and through, but my first Fender was a pine body telecaster, and I don't think I've ever completed a song without it. My JMJM is my favorite and most played, but that tele is home.
i bought the 40th anniversary vintage edition jazzamaster i was blown away by how good it was but sold it (which i regret) the only thing i didn't like on it was the mustang bridge which i found to be problematic even after being set up. I didn't want to shell out for a mastery bridge or any thing like that. the j mascis squier jazzmaster i bought the other day which i like allot more but the pick ups are not true jazzmaster pick ups they are like a hybrid between p90s and jazzmaster i think the build quality fit and finish is amazing for the money and it has a Adjusto-Matic bridge which i much perfer. I can guess i will have to change the tuning pegs in the future as allot of squiers i have bought all seem to need this.
I keep hearing people talking about tonewoods, and it is hilarious because this has been proven time again that it makes essentially 0 difference. Get some good pickups and call it a day. I GUARANTEE you, that if you switched the pickguard from the fender to the Squier it would sound identical. About 95% pickups and the rest are the tone and volume controls
@@-TheOddityYes it doesn't actually makes sense, probably what I'm about to say has nothing to do with the topic, but you see red special was made with no tonal woods
I got a squier CV60 strat. £350 and its great. Neck profile is the best I've ever played. Sunburst finish is immaculate. Alnico 5 pick-ups give the classic strat, bright tone. I did change the tuners for locking ones, and pickguard for a black one.over all, it sounds just as good as a player strat at half the price.
Last year I bought an Indonesian-Built Squier Strat CV50 for $379. The newest iterations are very high quality. Didn’t need to adjust anything out of the box. Nut slot was good and the set up was excellent, no buzzing. It plays as easily as any Strat I’ve ever touched. The pickups are patterned after the Vintage 50’s era type and sound great. I like the Amber tint. Mine is Fiesta Red…I love it!
I bought a Squier CV 60s last year. Tri-color sunburst with laurel fretboard. Only thing I’ve found wrong is a buzz on the 3rd string originating from the nut. I’ll be calling my repair guy soon.
it's hard for me to process this because while my fender strat is pristine, every squier I've ever owned is classed as a mod platform. they all get 3rd party locking tuners, pickups, bridges, pots and switches changed, without exception. I think they turn out better than many fenders, and it's much cheaper to do it that way.
Yep! That’s exactly what I’m doing to mine. Got it a year ago and only started seriously playing when I got it, but with the growth and love I’ve had for guitar I’ve already put a fender rosewood neck on it, Vintera 60s pickups, and vintage tuning machines. I’ve never played a fender that felt as good as my squire so I wanted to mod it myself
To be honest, I really like the Squier teles more, especially in the CV range, because you don't have to do as much modding to get them playable. Locking tuners become less important without a fiddly trem system knocking everything out of tune, and the vintage style tuners on most of the squiers come massively in handy for quick string changes. I bought a CV baritone tele, and the only mod I did to it was I swapped the regular three-barrel saddles for compensated brass ones because I wasnt happy with the in-between intonation, and... That's it. The next time I change strings I might pull the pickguard off to add some shielding, but that's it. Apart from the saddles (which are really a tele problem in general, not limited to squiers alone), there's really not much else they need
The Amber stain on The Squire neck is to give it the appearance of a 60-year-old piece of maple. I'd like to have it done to my Squier Starcaster but the job is like $250. I recently got the 40th anniversary Lake Placid blue Stratocaster with square fret markers and gold hardware. The work done on my neck was surprising. It's truly a fine finish. It is quite a fancy thing.
Great comparison! I have to say though that I have a 40th Anniversary Squier Strat (Sonic Blue!) and absolutely love it. For me, the pickups have a certain airy quality that is perfect for my bedroom noodling, but I certainly get where you’re coming from. You nailed it with your vibe assessment - I love the aged hardware, satin finish, aluminum pickguard, and tinted neck. The guitar is fun to look at and even better to pick up and play. On the negative side, mine has a lot of sharp fret ends (thankfully no buzzes), and the knobs feel quite cheap. I’ll fix the fret ends eventually, but I accept the knobs as just part of the guitar’s charm. They work fine. The finish around the neck pocket on mine is perfect, so no complaints there. Again, great job on the review.👍
I totally get it. I have an American Player Tele, a 1999 Mex Tele, and a new Squier Sonic Strat that I bought for $300 and spent another $300 on getting professionally converted to look like a Fender Custom Shop relic model. Adding a bone nut made a big difference, but I honestly prefer the feel and balance of the Squier to the more expensive Fenders
@@themancuniancandidate2744 Wow, you went all in on Sonic conversion. Very cool. Have you posted photos or video of it anywhere? I might grab a Sonic Mustang if a see a good deal deal on one.
I have that Squier as a Jazzmaster. Not my first thought when I went to the guitar store, but it found me! I love it. No fret issues. Awesome tremolo. Probably sounds better than the Strat equivalent.
Thank you for the video, but I have to say that this comparison is pretty opinionated. This is my opinion, but I do not consider the new MIM guitars a good value at all, not close to a 7. Also, the build quality sounded pretty comparable. I have this exact same 40th Anniversary, and the fret work is much better than my MIM, and the overall feel of this neck is amazing! The frets feel more rolled on my squire than my MIM. Also, I get absolutely no buzz on the in-between positions, so you might want to check your wiring on yours. My only complaint is the Trem system, but other than that, My Squier is my go to guitar, and here in the states you can get them for $300, while the MIM Strats are going for $850. That's just not in the ballpark.
About 2 years ago i bought a Squier Classic Vibe 70s Tele Deluxe and a Mexican Fender Players Series Strat. The Fender was twice the price. I know they are not both identical but the Squier was every bit as good as the Fender. Played and felt just as good.. sounded amazing.
Around €350 one can buy pretty ok guitars (Ibanez AZES, Sire S3/T3 as Yamaha Pacifica, Gretsch starts around €400 Electromatic series (hb or p90). Just buy what talkes to you and be advised by somebody with experience in terms of gear and set up.
I just bought a used Squier SE CXS serial’d strat for $100. It was in FANTASTIC condition. I spent hours on the neck leveling, recrowning, polishing, and massaging it. New strings and a good setup and it feels better than any Fender I’ve picked up off the rack. Putting a bone nut, saddles and locking tuners on it next string change. Might swap out all of the electronics on it also. I know it’s not “cool” to put $500 in upgrades on a $100 guitar, but if that $100 guitar feels like a $3000 guitar I don’t see the problem.
In the last 12 months I have bought a near new (but 3 years old) almost unplayed player Strat for £375 on eBay with local pickup as the seller did not want to post (less competition) and a Vinterra 50s modified Telecaster, also in new condition for £575 as well as that, a brand new PRS 245 for £399 (when Andertons was selling them off) which is in fact the best finished guitar of the lot of them. I think to buy the better quality guitars second hand rather than new and cheaper quality is the way to go and it will always hold its value. In the meantime I sold off my Vintage V6 and a Harley Benton LP style, neither of which I liked much in comparison. I have found that being patient while waiting for the right guitar (or any other item) at the right price is the key to it.
I also own the exact same Squier 40th Anniversary Stratocaster Vintage Edition in Satin Seafoam Green. All things considered, it is my personal favorite Strat out of all the Fender and Squier models that I have had playing experience with over the years. A Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster Electric Guitar in Seafoam Green currently retails for $2200 while the Squier Indonesian equivalent retails for only $300! I was however surprised to find the bridge on the Squier to be non-functioning out of the box. This was the email response I received from Fender: "By default, our Vintage-Style 6 Saddle Trem Bridges are set up in a "non-floating" configuration. Meaning, that when trying to pull up on the tremolo- the bridge will run into the body, preventing you from bending upwards in pitch with the tremolo bar. This setup can be changed by an experienced tech, though it often slightly compromises the tuning stability of the instrument. Please be sure that your guitar doesn't have a tremolo "blocker" installed, this is a piece in the cavity that prevents the tremolo from hinging on its screws."
I think that all Fender's bridges are non-floating, included the 2-saddles ones. You can set it higher to have a slighly up-pitching tremolo, that will end as the bridge hits the body: guitars with full floating tremolos have a "recessed" carved body to let the tremolo being fully pulled
'Made in USA' (or even Mexico) and Fender on the headstock adds huge amounts to the price for no real gain. Same for all USA made guitars. When I wanted an acoustic guitar I really wanted a Taylor, but when I compared materials, build quality and tone to other makes, I bought a Faith. It mirrored the Taylor in materials, all solid, and really fine build quality but made in Indonesia. It was a quarter of the price of the cheapest all solid Taylor.
The 'gain' for having Fender (or for that matter Gibson, Taylor, PRS etc) on the headstock is that it costs more to make them in the US. Someone in the US is paid more than someone in China or Mexico purely due to each countries economy and standard of living.
Here in Greece, a Squier Classic VIbe is 400€ , and the Fender Player is 759€ , almost double the price! So what i did is, i got a Squier CV that plays really well (tried it in the shop), and put in some Fender Pure Vintage 65s (found a set for 150€at a local retailer) , and with 550€, i have a guitar that smokes most Fenders, especially sound-wise.
It is worth to check out Squier's offers because they often have instruments that have nice features that Fenders don't have. For example: A few years ago they had the contemporary strat with 12" fretboard radius (which was rare on Fenders at that time), with a very comfortable modern-C neck, HSS pickups with only 2 knobs so the volume knob was better placed than on the Fenders. Still I had to fix some issues like bad tuning stability due to the nut and the cheap string trees and snapping e-strings because of a burr in the bridge baseplate.
I feel like they try things out on squier lines and if it sells well they make a more premium fender version of it. I also think some of the cooler new squiers are inspired by Japanese specific fenders
I bought a contemporary strat with SSS pickups this year. Tuning stability was perfect out of box, the thing has a graphite nut (unlike my Ibanez RG). My only complaint about the guitar is massive amounts of hum. Switch positions that don't have pickups in parallel or series are nearly unusable even on clean. Planning to apply some copper foil to try to fix the issue. The guitar is otherwise great though. Would still be great value even if I had to throw out the pickguard along with everything attached to it.
Fender use multiple pieces of scrap wood glued together with ply on the front and back on painted guitars. Fender told me in an email they only do 2 or 3 piece bodies on custom shop and high end models. I found this out when I refinished my USA standard strat. Very disheartening when you pay AU$2000 + for a guitar.
I've been to the factory in Fullerton on Fender Ave, it's like the Fender factory was in the early 60's. Low volume handmade guitars, no robots.@@iamanovercomer3253
Jules, this is an excellent way to compare these two guitars. Love the clean graphics and the point system you devised. Great demo of each guitar - many UA-camrs who do side-by-side comparisons, for some reason, DON'T play the same or even similar things when comparing the two guitars. You do it right! Thanks for the comparison on pricing and the fine details that show how the guitars differ in build, too. The production and editing of this video is top-notch. I have a Player Strat and a couple of Squier Strats too. I find that the Fender Player just barely edges out my Affinity Strat. Both have a lot going for them, and, of course, the price -SquierAffinity Strat ($299), and Fender Player Series (now on sale new at $699) are difference-makers for may of us! BRAVO!
To me the most important part of a guitar is the neck. I can easily replace pickups and hardware if necessary. Fixing fret/neck issues is a lot more complicated.
The fretwork (along with its elite-looking inlays) on my 40th Anniversary GOLD Edition wasn't just good - it was immaculate. Also, although I had planned before purchase to upgrade the pickups, I found that doing so would be unnecessary once played. Fender specs show both Gold & Vintage Editions having Alnico single coils, but without stating whether they use the same specific models of pups. You may find the tones from a Gold Edition Strat to be more to your liking than your Vintage Edition. The downsides I experienced upon unboxing mine, shipped directly from Fender: a faulty nut (a frequently-heard complaint about this model), the neck just loose enough to have the high E out of spec and slipping off the fret edges when pulled, and the vibrato being shipped locked without any notice in the box of it being intentionally disabled. Once those faults were remedied, it has become my go-to guitar. While a local luthier was doing that warranty work, he couldn't stop talking about how smooth, well-shaped, and comfortable its neck was - one of the best he's felt on a Strat in the 20+ years he's been working on them. Notwithstanding either the mentioned faults or price difference with the Player model, I suspect the Squier 40th Anniversary Gold Edition would beat both the Fender Player and the Squier 40th Anniversary Vintage Edition in a head-to-head comparison like the one in your video.
@@gruffydddavies7464 - As pleased as I am with my Strat, and as many accolades I heard & read about it and the Gold Edition's Teles, the raves about the Jazzmasters of that series have been off the charts; and now your voice is added to that buzz about them. Enjoy!
The answer is no. My current Squier 7-String rebuild is one of the good examples that proves that. Even little professional one man freelancer Luthiers outclass fender these days. Not just in terms of quality, but the price and value you get as well. When brands open a store to present products like in an apple store that already says alot, because when you do that you have lots of thoughts going how you can sell your product. When the product itself isn't enough to speak for itself anymore.
Last year I finished my Squier partscaster and I started with the Squier Contemporary RH Tele. The neck is satin finish roasted maple. It's flawless. It's as good as the neck on my Gibson Les Paul. No hyperbole. I wanted a cheap electronic drum kit and was at Guitar Center this week and while I waited for them to bring the kit out I messed around on the J. Mascis signature Jazzmaster and that guitar felt every bit as good as a Fender Jazzmaster too. Pickups were more P-90 like, but the build quality was superb for 200-300 cheaper than a Fender.
For the sound, the wiring of the 2 guitars is not the same, before changing pickups, test 50', 60' or modern wiring. It's just one wire to be unsoldered and re-soldered on another. These alnico 5 pickups are not bad
It comes down to what you want from the guitar, and if a cheaper guitar does that and makes you happy, cool. I make sure I am not settling with a guitar, but balance that out with my budget. The cheapest guitar I own is one I play the most. That may change over time, but it spoke to me. So try different guitars and see what speaks to you. As for resale value, I understand that is important to some people, and that’s okay. But it doesn’t matter to me.
Great video. I own 3 Squires (amongst various US models). They all look and feel great, although the electronics is where the Squires suffer and lack the mojo. Indecently, yesterday I actually compared these 2 models in their respective P-bass versions and can totally vouch to your conclusions. The player felt and sounded noticeably better. But the Squire just looked so damm sexy!
I’ve had lots of Squiers but they always had a thinner sound than Fender. Playability not as good either. Strings feel tighter for some reason and the necks are a bit too slim. I sold them all. The Squires in the 80s were just like Fenders in feel and tone. I’ve a good few fenders and I think MIM are exceptional but new prices are getting a little silly, so I’d buy a used USA over a new MIM now. So for the price, Squier are fantastic but if you’ve good MIM and USA guitars, trust me it’s hard to play the Squier and leave the others gathering dust! I’ve only one Squier now, (the stunning CV 60s Esquire in LPB) after going through a good few in the last 5 years but they always have that something that turns me off and no I can’t say that they’re better than MIM and definitely not better than USA! Maybe with a MIM neck a Squire CV may cut it for me. I prefer the sound of the MIM in this video. It’s cleaner and more accurate to a Strat.
Can you do this again after having them both professionally setup by the same luthier? Your Fender is 4 years old and well played. It has been setup, wouldn't still be playing that well after 4 years if it hadn't had a few setups. That Squier does not seem to have been setup at all since coming out of the box. The pot tightness is most often caused by the nuts being tightened too much. If you open them up, they may have the same brand of pots. The lower-end Squiers would likely have cheaper ones than the Mexican Fender, but that one should have the same or better. Just a spritz of contact cleaner and adjustment of the nut tightness will take care of that. Though that tightness is subjective. I have people complaining that they aren't tight enough just as often as too tight. Any bend in the post, depending on the severity, can be straightened out. If not, replacing the pot isn't a big deal. Even the high-end pots are less than $10, and soldering is insanely easy to do. With the Mexican Fenders and higher-end Squiers, the frequency of this type of damage to them is growing smaller every year. Squier's trajectory has them looking to come with less out of the box issues than any Fender in the next few years. I'm hopeful this will push Fender to up their game. Maybe the two of them, along with Epiphone, can get Gibson to keeping upping their game too. I absolutely love this video. You've put so much thought and sincerity into it, it is hard not to love. Subscribed and notifications turned on. Looking forward to what you put out next.
No buzz in the 2 and 4 position is due to a reverse wound middle pickup creating a humbucker when the two are combined. The original vintage Fenders were not reverse wound, and many feel they sound better despite the buzz, so the Squier could be better or worse depending on what you desire.
My now favorite Bass, is a modified Squier 40th Anniversary P Bass. Modified with an American Original P Bass pickup, Thomastiks Flatwound strings, and Graphtech string tuners. An absolutely lovely instrument, with a beautiful neck. Next full-scale bass, I might look at the Fender Japan instruments. ❤
Ive always been partial to Japan fenders since my early 80's squier strat. THE BEST GUITAR I EVER OWNED!!!or PLAYED. The neck only has 2 notes not in near perfect tune .the low A&E strings,, 17th&18th frets. THATS IT!!!!! Every other note is near perfect.i think these might even have the nitrocellulose finish! A VERY GOOD! Guitar. Oh it was 125$ in about 90---92. It is that famous red color.i'd rather have different color but wouldnt trade it for anything else!
Fender Standard Mexic 2001 with Noiseless singles - there is just one piece of alder deck much better than American Special Edition with 16 pieces of broad deck - and very big explanation about the sound and of course price 1000$ just for American Logo 500$Still im thacful for your Guitar - teaching! My Lord Bless you!
Not being a "gear expert" where guitars are concerned, I was looking at getting one of those Squier Classic Vibes, because i liked some of the visual designs on them. I actually ended up getting a fender very similar to Jules's here, only with two pickups at the bridge for about £400. Only a home player myself but very pleased indeed with it.
same thing is going on with Gibson vs Epiphone as well. Epiphone's Inspired By Gibson line is SO GOOD that not even Gibson luthiers can tell the difference in a blind test.
I've been playing since 1975, and the Squier Classic Vibe '70's Strat (HSS) I bought 3 years ago for $500, brand new, is as good or better than any Fender Strat I've ever owned. It's my favorite guitar, now.
I got a squire affinity strat during lockdown, just adjusted the neck, intonation, and graphited the nut its is a superb guitar never goes out of tune even using the whammy bar for good measure. The only thing I am going to replace is the pickups maybe get alnico ones
I got a cheapo squier tele in lockdown, not changed anything cos it's great. I changed the p/ups in my yank and it sounds exactly the same as the stock ones
@@forfpartyforfparty6459 bare knuckles , I got them used from my local tech and paid to have them installed cos I can't solder, complete waste of time and money - I think the EQ on a decent amp has much more effect than new p/ups
Proud owner of 6 Squiers and 1 MIJ 1998 Strat and have to say that the MIJ is in a league of its own, my only rub is I don't care about the 7.5 radius and that's not for everyone. Squiers are a great mod vehicle for those who love to tinker. I still look for used Squiers between 1999- 2011 as the quality is very good and you will get real rosewood when it's being applied. There was a brief period recently when they used Indian Laurel which I found horrible and dry
If you prefer a more modern iteration of the Strat, then the Player Series is for you. In many ways, the Player Series has gained more features in common with the American Professional II....but of course they had to strip ot down a bit to avoid canibalizing itself. You might be better off shopping for a used American Standard or American Series.
Bought a 400 dollar squier classic vibe 70s style p bass and slapped some 140 dollar fender custom shop 1962 pickups and a new pickguard on it totaling around $560 dollars and it looks, and sounds wayyyy better than my fender ash deluxe jazz bass that costed around 700 dollars
In USA...the Fender Player is $850....Squier is about half that. Love my Tele CV50 with Fralins...on par in terms of tone (not feel) to my USA Pro II. Heard CV pups are same as on Player. TIP: Apply Virtuoso guitar polish and the satin finish will look almost glossy....yes, magic. Another excellent vid Jules....fair comparison.
Squier classic vibe over Fender player any day of the week. And if you want to stay with a Leo Fender designed and built guitar, A G&L Tribute over a Fender Player any day as well. I would even take a G&L Fullerton Deluxe over a Fender American even with the price being comparable.
I have a G&L strat built in 1981 and another from 2004. Also have a Fender American Standard tele from 2005, I like the G&L guitars better. My next tele will be a G&L ASAT.
I own both MIM strat and Squier Strat 40th anniversary. They sound differently: the MIM is brighter. But in my opinion, they both sound really good and are very good guitare. If you can't afford a MIM, do not hesitate to get a Squier. You won't be disappointed at all!
i think the reason the player series sells so well is because of trust. as a new player, you never know what the problem is.... you or your gear. if you get a player series you have some trust there that the gear is solid, and if you are muting strings or whatever, it is just something you need to work on and not the guitar. that is so super important.
I have bought and sold a fair few guitars over the years and have owned the top models of each brand at one time or another. In 1983 I bought one of the first Squire guitars - a JV 57 Strat. I still have it. Nuff said.
For me its down to how the guitar feels and plays not so much the name on the headstock. . Quality control on both MIM Strats and Squiers varies more so on the Squiers . I do tend to prefer mexican strats but squiers are generally well made and produce some nice guitars especially the classic vibe series
Is that a classic vibe Squier? I have a CV tele and it seems great to me. Much prefer it to my casino it was setup better out the box. Im just a novice so i wouldn't know anything other than playability and my squier is my favourite its easiest to play. The neck feels good. I want a strat but i might go for the cheapest swuier snd hope im luckyit says made in Indonesia on the 149 pound squier now.
Nice video and I love how in depth you went. I tried various Player II Fenders and none of them actually felt right for me and I was wondering if I should just look at Squiers for a budget friendly alternative. But as you found out, even the high end squiers, while they do get close, just fall short of a real Fender. Nonetheless, they are amazing guitars for their price and as a beginner I would be incredibly happy with a decent Squier
I bought a 40th anniversary strat, blue with a gold anodized pickguard. Then a Fishman Fluence loaded pickguard, which was three quarters the price of the strat. It sounds and plays remarkably well. The original pickups are fine, as you can hear, but the the fluence are next level. Total investment is about as much as a mexican strat. I doubt that the mexican strat sounds as good, the pickups in them are good but not great, as near as I can tell.
I think it depends on how much you play and if you get paid for playing. If you get paid to play often then Fender is for you if your gigs is gonna pay you back for it. The Squier i would use as a gigging guitar as well because it would be a smaller investment. If you just learning, I wouldn’t suggest either one of these. Buy a used Bullet to learn on. If you playing out consistently buy one of these.
Honestly, as someone that has owned both, I'd say unless you are stepping up to a USA Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster, etc I would 100% go with a Squier Classic Vibe. The Mexican Fender's just aren't worth the price difference. Modern Squier Classic Vibe's are amazing instruments.
I ended up buying the Jazzmaster version of the Squier; sure, the frets were scratchier and had some sharp ends, and the nut was cut a little shallow, but fixing that with a $50 setup (that I'd probably have to do anyway) is still better value than spending an additional $700 for the equivalent Fender. If you're buying it as a collector's piece, the Fender name has the cachet, but for a player's guitar the Squier wins for me easily.
Yup, you have to put a bit of work into them. Part of the money savings is in you having to smooth the fret ends, etc. But it is totally worth it. Even if you don't like the pickups, $40 more will change that, and you can make some awesome tones.
As long as you're happy the way a guitar plays in terms of setup and feel, then everything else really comes down to pick-up configuration and choice. It's easy to do. I've got squirrels I've modded and just as good as my Fender Strat. Less obsessing over gear and more playing. The instrument doesn't play itself now does it?
I've had 2 mim strats and 2 mim teles both plus series . Both strats and 1 tele had terrible fret work , you could cut bread with the necks . I've also had several clasic vibe Squiers and all had nicely finished frets , I also prefered the feel of the Squier necks , but that's just me , everyone has their own opinion. As far as sound and tone goes , again I prefer the slightly softer tone of the Squier . The issues you found with the Squier I have had with the mim fenders and they are all easy fixes . Almost every new guitar needs a good setup and that should include dressing the frets .
The problem I keep having with Squiers is the fretwork, which messes with the playability. I'm not a gear snob - I mostly play cheap Indonesian-made Epiphones and a home-made one-off that my late father made from scratch - but I just kept having problems with those Squier necks when I wanted a Jaguar. I wound up buying a Fender neck and pairing it with a variety of parts, some Squier and some aftermarket.
I currently own a classic vibe mustang and a fender duo sonic made in mexico. They are about the same build quality. The stock pickups om the duo sonic are better. The tuners on the classic vibe are better. Both great little rockers and I play them a lot! If I had to buy them new I would pick the classic vibe, because of the price difference 🤘
As someone who owns a bunch of fenders along with some squiers for my boys , i think it mostly comes down to personal preference because the cost of upgrading the cheap squier parts is negligible compared to the price difference for a top of the line guitar from both brands . If you like funky experimental guitar setups and shapes then get a squier and upgrade it a bit . If you like premium upgrades like exotic woods , cooler designs / color options or the option to sleep in the same room as your new guitar when your partner sends you to the couch after they see reciept then go with a high end fender ! 😂
I've got a yank tele and cheapo squier one I picked up for 100 quid to mess with during the lockdown - bizarrely, I prefer the squier, the neck is more suited to my hands and they sound pretty much the same
Squires have come a long way for sure. What a great time to be a guitarist! I think the American Fenders are worth the money for the fit and finish on the neck. The Squire stuff doesn't come close in my experience. That said, if you want to work for it, you can make a Squire play as good as a Mexican Fender. I liked the sound of the Squire Strat better, and looks wayyy cooler!
Great video! Still conflicted about buying one of these 40th Ann. Squiers. Strangely I thought the Squier sounded better overall. Bridge pups sounded identical. But from there I hear a push around 1-2k in the Squier that adds gives some openness to the tone - which seemed to feed the reverb nicely. Maybe it's just a volume difference? Those unlevelled frets though - scary!
I have a buddy who buys only cheap, but gorgeous guitars. Upgrades them then sands down the Squier or Epiphone logo and replaces em with Fender or Gibson. He’s 100% honest when selling or trading. It always adds value.
My first electric was a late 90s Chinese Squier Strat. Whilst just about passable for a beginner, it really was a low point for the brand, considering the Japanese and even Korean made models that had come before. The nut grooves were really badly cut (I reverted to blu-tack and tinfoil stuffed into the grooves to stop the buzz) the pickups were ridiculously weedy, the tone controls went from no effect to full on at the last turn, and the tremolo sent the tuning off with the mildest of pressure. Haven't owned a Squier since, but it seems they've come a long way since that low point, to the point they're almost hitting the level of their 80s heyday.
I do wonder about Fender’s brand strategy sometimes - keeping Squier distinct as its ‘budget’ brand while others like PRS for example make their cheaper guitars in similar places like Indonesia but still brand them as PRS (albeit with the added SE moniker). I have both a Squier and a PRS SE (as well as a more expensive Gibson) and unless one is a snob about where their instruments are made, have to say these so-called ‘budget’ models are just so excellent these days.
You just have to try them in person and see which sounds best to you. Everyone has different preferences and requirements - neck shape, neck finish, guitar weight, string height, pickup height, price etc etc. Getting a good setup on a new guitar for your personal liking is really important. The out of the box setup is a generic setup for the everyday player. Don’t let that hold back your guitar! It’s also important to remember that two IDENTICAL guitars can sounds completely different. My uncles 2018 Epiphone les Paul sounds amazing where mine sounds like 💩. Same model, same year, same pickups 🤷
While Squier actually is Fender it will never mean the end of Fender. Already in the mid to late 90's Fender decided to launch a bunch of "non standard strat or tele stuff" models as Squiers. I own some of the Squier Vista Series (MiJ) guitar and I can confirm they are very well crafted and reliable. Fender did some weird marketing stunts during the past but none of them broke their neck … unlike Gibson Corp. in 2018
Good fair review. My issue when i compare multiple models of the two at my local guitar center is i find the squire finish attention to detail is a little behind the player series. My biggest knock on the squires is the rougher feeling frets where my hands get poked going up and down the neck. But i do like the vintage split post tuners better, easier string up. Staying in tune is not an issue with me especially because i do not use the tremolo arm.
I'd like to know the process the wood goes through because I know it can be important especially for acoustic guitars if it isn't kept at the proper humidity and stuff... Maybe the fender guitar is more quality in the wood they use? I've heard of cheap guitars warping because the wood wasn't processed properly or something idk...
I own a Squier Contemporary Jaguar HH and although it has a cool vibe and plays great, I'm quite underwhelmed by the muddy pups and the fretwire, which is really soft and dents like crazy. It's obvious where Squier cuts costs. The sum of its price + upgrades of all the parts that are noticeably low grade would eventually be the same as a new Fender Player.
You said the squire has a thicker sound, possibly down to the body wood.....but,you didn't mention the pickup construction,the player series has alnico 5 magnets (I know because I've got one)....the squire may have ceramic magnets,hence the darker tone ???
Personally, I buy guitar for looks, regardless of major or minor brands. I actually prefer buying the minor brand, since I prefer Seymour Duncan pickups, and will most likely change the pickups anyways. Plus, I won't feel bad if I get scratches on a cheaper one, lol
I really enjoyed your video. One thing you might consider is lowering your pickups on the squier. It should give you more of what you are hearing on your Fender. I will say that it sounded fine over the video but you mentioned around 13:30 or thereabouts that you felt it wasn't as good as the fender. Just tinker with the heights and it should clean right up.
Its not about only sound quality. I noticed that stratocasters has diamond mixed frets. Squier frets can be obliterated after years. I saw this problem on older guitars but no idea is it suqier or other
The ambassador for Fender Squier is a certain Mr Jack Pearson. The guy is amazing - and humble. He seems to have mastered EVERY style of guitar - blues, jazz, country, Django, Duaune, Eric.........the lot. Please do yourselves a favour and look him up.
This could be sacrilege but beyond feel, it has to feel right(!), can’t everything else be cheaply tweaked? A “good” Squier seems like a great platform at a minimum, especially say a used CV. Start out with a good neck, swap out the pick ups, & get your tone outta your amp or pedals.🤯. I have a 40th anniversary Tele. Swapped pickups to Fralin Blues Specials. it looks, feels(!), & sounds incredible. I am floored at how great it is for the cost. My whole notion of guitar buying has been stood on its head. I think, though, we are living in some kinda dream cheap guitar era! Squires, Epiphones, Gretsch (electromatic) all incredible quality guitars. And if you don’t bog down on labels, you could save lots of money & have a Fender/Gibson quality sounding guitar. Cause what is sound beyond taste? And ultimately it’s about the sound, right?
I have some very nice American made guitars but my son’s Squiers are just as playable and musical. The only difference are the finished feel cheaper and they don’t have some of the fit and finish features like a well rolled fretboard or fret ends. But with a little diy and tlc, they are more than worthy players. I don’t know if I’ll buy a full-fat fender/gibson/prs when all three companies have excellent guitars coming from their import lines. At this point it feels like it’s all prestige name brand collecting, like Gucci or Prada purses.
Over a decade ago I picked up a Squier Standard Stratocaster for $229. Sunburst, rosewood fingerboard. The frets are perfect, the action is great, the satin finished neck feels great, and the sound was also great. A few years ago I changed the entire pickguard assembly to one with the Fender noiseless pickups and the S1 configuration that provides additional switching/sounds. That was $200. So for $429 total I have the equal of a $1800 American Professional Stratocaster.
@@denislechretien A slab of Ash for a body runs $75 at StewMac. Alder costs the same. Fender uses both. My Squier is alder.
@@s.u.i.r the American is ash. Mine is alder. Not a huge difference. Mine sustains just fine… and they are solidbody electric guitars. Sustain aside, the wood is essentially irrelevant to the sound
@@Gk2003m I highly disagree. There is a huge quality difference even if the type of wood is the same. You can compare it to food: frozen pizza vs one from a very good restaurant. Both are pizza but they taste totally different. American made Fenders get well sorted woods , Squier guitars simply get whatever they could get cheapest. It might get nerdy but tone wood makes a huge difference. You are also underestimating the impact the wood has to your electric sound. A Les Paul with Strat electronics sounds nothing like a Strat. People with trained ears here the difference between a maple neck vs a rosewood neck Strat. People with trained ears even hear differences between guitars that are from the same run. Go to a guitar store and try 3 different guitars from the same series : all of them will sound different which is because wood is a nature material that differs. It might not make a difference to you personally and I am not saying that your Squier is a bad guitar but saying that "wood is essentially irrelevant to the sound" is a false statement. People who have a lot of experience , especially the ones selling guitars laugh about statements like that. As said customers in guitar shops sometimes complain that the guitar they bought sounds different than the one they tried in the store, which is because their Tele basically is a little bit different.
@@s.u.i.r of course the folks who sell guitars laugh at that kind of statement. Their commission is dependent upon convincing people that a slab of ash is the crucial component, and well worth paying an additional $1500 for essentially the same guitar.
@denis1wanic the wood is just a talking point. The vast majority of people wouldn't be able to tell the difference in tone or resonance. Where it really makes a difference is weight or burst/natural finishes where wood grain blemishes would make an aesthetic difference.
I'm a new guitarist, as my first guitar I made the rookie mistake and splurged on a relativity expensive Fender Player Series(thinking better guitar means ill play better boy was I wrong..). I really do love it, it play amazingly, looks great, and does what a guitar does. Recently I wanted a change of pace and a 70's vibe squier tele caught my eye and the deal was too good to pass up. The difference in quality is apparent when looking at it under a microscope but its plays just as good as my Fender. You're really not getting twice the guitar for twice the price of a fender, a squire gets you 90-95% there.
I've been playing for 40 years and I now know - 'tone' 'tone wood' 'scatter wound' etc etc etc are all BS. US made means nothing, nitro is stupid, it breaks and falls off, a cheaper guitar well set up is much better than a badly set up expensive one, a guitar so expensive that it can't be used isn't an instrument , it's an ornament , Gibsons are stupid, they're badly designed, fragile, ridiculously expensive and won't stay in tune. get a telecaster
@DJ_PACIFICO or a harley benton - with a good setup, they play and sound great - if you're new to set ups, get a real cheapo and learn how to use the truss rod and set the action and any guitar can be made to play well.
@DJ_PACIFICO the amp is the thing IMHO, I use a small watt fender tube amp cos I'm old but modellers are obvs now better than amps - my friend has a bugera amp that is in every way the equal of my Fenders - expensive gear is for mugs rather than music makers
@DJ_PACIFICO in reality, pickups sound much the same - SCs sound different to HBs but most SCs or HBs of similar output aren't much different. A p/up is just a magnet with a load of thin wire wrapped around it, the preamp isa much more complex thing and creates the sound - plug a tele into a princeton, a marshall and high gain metal amp, it'll sound like a completely different instrument in eac amp
@DJ_PACIFICO that's cos one's a humbucker. my point is that all HBs and all SCs sound similar
I played one these new Squires last weekend at my local Guitar Center. I own several American Fenders and also a 2020 Classic Vibe Squire Strat. I was quite impressed with the feel and build quality of this green Squire. Love the satin matte finish on the body, and the satin neck surprisingly felt of the same texture and quality as my American Fenders. Much prefer it to the heavy gloss on the Classic Vibe Squire neck. Squire is really stepping up!
I have a Squire catalog on my shelf, and it's hard to deny they went from "budget" guitar, to *really* good guitars that sometimes might be considered budget. I love how much experimentation goes into them that the Fender line wouldn't really get away with.
@KarstenJohansson Remember, this is a higher end squier, not really comparable to something like a bullet or sonic that will literally feel like a toy compared. Better electronics, a fret dressing/leveling and a good setup will most likely put the sonic on par. I recently bought a Squier stagemaster neck thru and quality wise, it feels better than any Jackson I’ve ever played.
@@watersnortmoment3734 I bought a squire when I was working in the middle east for 8 months. I was really lonely without my guitar haha. Anyway, this guitar had crap frets (I filed them so they'd stop chewing up my fingers) and crap pups, but it got me through. Also came with a small practice amp, but its power source was weird, and I left it behind. The guitar also has a super-crap paint job - you can actually tell what direction it was hanging to dry because there are obvious drip lines! When I got home with it, I scalloped the neck, put in some gifted Charvelle pickups, and now it's a permanent part of my arsenal. It sounds and feels amazing now. It's really touch-and-go with Squires. BTW: I left the crap paint job because I think it adds character. 😋
Squier not Squire ;) .
@@ernie12man lol yes. But having bought it in the middle east, it could have been Squire. They also sold PolyStation 5 gaming systems. ;D
I've got the Squier 40th Anniversary Vintage Tele. Mine needed a wee bit of set up and fret work, but now that's done its a fantastic guitar. Eventually I'll upgrade the neck pickup (bit muddy), but very happy with it.
Did you get the mocha one ?
I bought a squire classic vibe 50s tele a couple of months ago needed a slight set up and it is pretty darn good. for 350 bucks (it was a black friday sale. 100 bucks off) it is suprisingly good gutiar. i play that thing everyday, oh also it has a pine body. bit heavy, but doable
First time watching your channel and impressed at how thoughtful and methodical this video is.
About the anodized pick guard being noisy, there's a video on Puisheen's channel where he compares two otherwise identical offsets, if i recall, and the one with the anodized guard is quieter so i dont think them being noisier is a rule.
The Squier is probably noisier for some other reason, such as the wiring or electronic parts, not the least of which might be the pickups. The fact that the Squier has less highs is the dead giveaway, and the solution, as someone noted here in the comments, is probably rewiring it to old specs, if that's not already done, experimenting with other wiring configurations, replacing pots, trying different capacitors, or if youre really lazy, buying vintage soundng pickups.
Even If you buy new pickups, it'll still be a better deal than the Mexican Fender, due to the vintage spec'd hardware, in my opinion.
I suppose if you're acounting oriented, you'd have to consider how much a trio of vintaged voirced pickups and install will set you back, and tack that onto the price of the Squier to see if thats cheaper than buying the Fender, if you think you'll be happy and not mod it.
And even if moding the Squire elevates it to the same price as the Fender, does the moded Squier have more value than the stock Fender? Id argue that it does, and does so even if its more expensive. Just how much more expensive still offers more value than the Fender is debatable, and only each individual can answer that.
Those 40th VEs are no joke. People will long talk about these guitars and the days they were selling for 250 bucks.
I already regret not buying 2 of the jazzmasters when they were going for$300. Crazy value and I rarely order guitars online and took a gamble and it’s great.
Got a super deal on a Sonic Blue with the adonized guard, roasted neck. Gorgeous.
Key point on the 40th is the tone control on the bridge. No need to mod.
As an older player (but not quite a boomer!) I have a mix of US, Japan and Mexican Fenders and love them all. My main stage guitar was put together with a boxed Fender neck and body and the quality it great.
Where Squire really score for me is for the more esoteric models. I have always fancied a Jazzmaster and could be tempted by a Squire to see if it works for me.
Careful. I've always been a Strat guy but I bought a Squier last year and discovered at the age of 52 that I've been a Tele guy this whole time.
@@VisionismLol, it’s interesting. I’ve played LPs most of my adult life, but I’ve recently fallen in love with an inexpensive Squier Strat. I guess it doesn’t hurt to switch things up once in a while.👍 Well, unless you’re BB King.
I recommend the J. Mascis jazzmaster.
I'm a luthier with 30+ guitars at any given moment, and that is by far my favorite and most played.
Most of the "issues" in the video are things that a basic setup with a reputable luthier will resolve. I can set those up so that the average player wouldn't know the difference in sound quality or playability. Which isn't a brag, its what any half decent luthier can do.
Their age and wear differences would be the biggest tell between them. It's not easy to accurately wear a new guitar down to match that of a guitar that has been well played and cared for over 4 years.
@@Visionism I'm an offset player through and through, but my first Fender was a pine body telecaster, and I don't think I've ever completed a song without it. My JMJM is my favorite and most played, but that tele is home.
i bought the 40th anniversary vintage edition jazzamaster i was blown away by how good it was but sold it (which i regret) the only thing i didn't like on it was the mustang bridge which i found to be problematic even after being set up. I didn't want to shell out for a mastery bridge or any thing like that. the j mascis squier jazzmaster i bought the other day which i like allot more but the pick ups are not true jazzmaster pick ups they are like a hybrid between p90s and jazzmaster i think the build quality fit and finish is amazing for the money and it has a Adjusto-Matic bridge which i much perfer. I can guess i will have to change the tuning pegs in the future as allot of squiers i have bought all seem to need this.
I keep hearing people talking about tonewoods, and it is hilarious because this has been proven time again that it makes essentially 0 difference. Get some good pickups and call it a day. I GUARANTEE you, that if you switched the pickguard from the fender to the Squier it would sound identical. About 95% pickups and the rest are the tone and volume controls
Also many Squiers are made of Alder (same as most Fenders).
Tonewood matters for acoustics but yeah....electric guitars not so much 🤷
@@joeladams2540 yeah I was referring to electrics in particular. But yet acoustics it actually makes quite the difference
@@-TheOddityYes it doesn't actually makes sense, probably what I'm about to say has nothing to do with the topic, but you see red special was made with no tonal woods
Actually more important is your amp that creates tone and your sound
I got a squier CV60 strat. £350 and its great. Neck profile is the best I've ever played. Sunburst finish is immaculate. Alnico 5 pick-ups give the classic strat, bright tone. I did change the tuners for locking ones, and pickguard for a black one.over all, it sounds just as good as a player strat at half the price.
when did you buy it?
2 years ago@@volvo9051
Last year I bought an Indonesian-Built Squier Strat CV50 for $379. The newest iterations are very high quality.
Didn’t need to adjust anything out of the box. Nut slot was good and the set up was excellent, no buzzing. It plays as easily as any Strat I’ve ever touched. The pickups are patterned after the Vintage 50’s era type and sound great. I like the Amber tint. Mine is Fiesta Red…I love it!
I bought a Squier CV 60s last year. Tri-color sunburst with laurel fretboard. Only thing I’ve found wrong is a buzz on the 3rd string originating from the nut. I’ll be calling my repair guy soon.
I recently picked up a CV 50 myself. Plays as good as any guitar I’ve ever had.
it's hard for me to process this because while my fender strat is pristine, every squier I've ever owned is classed as a mod platform. they all get 3rd party locking tuners, pickups, bridges, pots and switches changed, without exception. I think they turn out better than many fenders, and it's much cheaper to do it that way.
Yep! That’s exactly what I’m doing to mine. Got it a year ago and only started seriously playing when I got it, but with the growth and love I’ve had for guitar I’ve already put a fender rosewood neck on it, Vintera 60s pickups, and vintage tuning machines. I’ve never played a fender that felt as good as my squire so I wanted to mod it myself
To be honest, I really like the Squier teles more, especially in the CV range, because you don't have to do as much modding to get them playable. Locking tuners become less important without a fiddly trem system knocking everything out of tune, and the vintage style tuners on most of the squiers come massively in handy for quick string changes. I bought a CV baritone tele, and the only mod I did to it was I swapped the regular three-barrel saddles for compensated brass ones because I wasnt happy with the in-between intonation, and... That's it. The next time I change strings I might pull the pickguard off to add some shielding, but that's it. Apart from the saddles (which are really a tele problem in general, not limited to squiers alone), there's really not much else they need
Very technical - very thorough - very easily presented - thank you greatly!
The Amber stain on The Squire neck is to give it the appearance of a 60-year-old piece of maple. I'd like to have it done to my Squier Starcaster but the job is like $250. I recently got the 40th anniversary Lake Placid blue Stratocaster with square fret markers and gold hardware. The work done on my neck was surprising. It's truly a fine finish. It is quite a fancy thing.
Why do you still have the plastic on the Squier pickups?
Great comparison! I have to say though that I have a 40th Anniversary Squier Strat (Sonic Blue!) and absolutely love it. For me, the pickups have a certain airy quality that is perfect for my bedroom noodling, but I certainly get where you’re coming from. You nailed it with your vibe assessment - I love the aged hardware, satin finish, aluminum pickguard, and tinted neck. The guitar is fun to look at and even better to pick up and play. On the negative side, mine has a lot of sharp fret ends (thankfully no buzzes), and the knobs feel quite cheap. I’ll fix the fret ends eventually, but I accept the knobs as just part of the guitar’s charm. They work fine. The finish around the neck pocket on mine is perfect, so no complaints there. Again, great job on the review.👍
I totally get it. I have an American Player Tele, a 1999 Mex Tele, and a new Squier Sonic Strat that I bought for $300 and spent another $300 on getting professionally converted to look like a Fender Custom Shop relic model. Adding a bone nut made a big difference, but I honestly prefer the feel and balance of the Squier to the more expensive Fenders
@@themancuniancandidate2744 Wow, you went all in on Sonic conversion. Very cool. Have you posted photos or video of it anywhere? I might grab a Sonic Mustang if a see a good deal deal on one.
I have that Squier as a Jazzmaster. Not my first thought when I went to the guitar store, but it found me! I love it. No fret issues. Awesome tremolo. Probably sounds better than the Strat equivalent.
Thank you for the video, but I have to say that this comparison is pretty opinionated. This is my opinion, but I do not consider the new MIM guitars a good value at all, not close to a 7. Also, the build quality sounded pretty comparable. I have this exact same 40th Anniversary, and the fret work is much better than my MIM, and the overall feel of this neck is amazing! The frets feel more rolled on my squire than my MIM. Also, I get absolutely no buzz on the in-between positions, so you might want to check your wiring on yours. My only complaint is the Trem system, but other than that, My Squier is my go to guitar, and here in the states you can get them for $300, while the MIM Strats are going for $850. That's just not in the ballpark.
About 2 years ago i bought a Squier Classic Vibe 70s Tele Deluxe and a Mexican Fender Players Series Strat. The Fender was twice the price. I know they are not both identical but the Squier was every bit as good as the Fender. Played and felt just as good.. sounded amazing.
I just bought one brand new for $269 US and the guitar came in almost flawless. Super impressed. Squier is the real deal.
Mod it out man. That what fender was really all @bout.
@@geneevans7885I did the same, and no problem with the frets. Going to upgrade it with EMG Gilmour's pick up set.
@@Sushi_Overdose nice.👍
Around €350 one can buy pretty ok guitars (Ibanez AZES, Sire S3/T3 as Yamaha Pacifica, Gretsch starts around €400 Electromatic series (hb or p90).
Just buy what talkes to you and be advised by somebody with experience in terms of gear and set up.
I just bought a used Squier SE CXS serial’d strat for $100. It was in FANTASTIC condition. I spent hours on the neck leveling, recrowning, polishing, and massaging it. New strings and a good setup and it feels better than any Fender I’ve picked up off the rack. Putting a bone nut, saddles and locking tuners on it next string change. Might swap out all of the electronics on it also. I know it’s not “cool” to put $500 in upgrades on a $100 guitar, but if that $100 guitar feels like a $3000 guitar I don’t see the problem.
In the last 12 months I have bought a near new (but 3 years old) almost unplayed player Strat for £375 on eBay with local pickup as the seller did not want to post (less competition) and a Vinterra 50s modified Telecaster, also in new condition for £575 as well as that, a brand new PRS 245 for £399 (when Andertons was selling them off) which is in fact the best finished guitar of the lot of them. I think to buy the better quality guitars second hand rather than new and cheaper quality is the way to go and it will always hold its value. In the meantime I sold off my Vintage V6 and a Harley Benton LP style, neither of which I liked much in comparison. I have found that being patient while waiting for the right guitar (or any other item) at the right price is the key to it.
I also own the exact same Squier 40th Anniversary Stratocaster Vintage Edition in Satin Seafoam Green. All things considered, it is my personal favorite Strat out of all the Fender and Squier models that I have had playing experience with over the years. A Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster Electric Guitar in Seafoam Green currently retails for $2200 while the Squier Indonesian equivalent retails for only $300! I was however surprised to find the bridge on the Squier to be non-functioning out of the box. This was the email response I received from Fender: "By default, our Vintage-Style 6 Saddle Trem Bridges are set up in a "non-floating" configuration. Meaning, that when trying to pull up on the tremolo- the bridge will run into the body, preventing you from bending upwards in pitch with the tremolo bar. This setup can be changed by an experienced tech, though it often slightly compromises the tuning stability of the instrument. Please be sure that your guitar doesn't have a tremolo "blocker" installed, this is a piece in the cavity that prevents the tremolo from hinging on its screws."
I think that all Fender's bridges are non-floating, included the 2-saddles ones. You can set it higher to have a slighly up-pitching tremolo, that will end as the bridge hits the body: guitars with full floating tremolos have a "recessed" carved body to let the tremolo being fully pulled
'Made in USA' (or even Mexico) and Fender on the headstock adds huge amounts to the price for no real gain. Same for all USA made guitars.
When I wanted an acoustic guitar I really wanted a Taylor, but when I compared materials, build quality and tone to other makes, I bought a Faith. It mirrored the Taylor in materials, all solid, and really fine build quality but made in Indonesia. It was a quarter of the price of the cheapest all solid Taylor.
The 'gain' for having Fender (or for that matter Gibson, Taylor, PRS etc) on the headstock is that it costs more to make them in the US. Someone in the US is paid more than someone in China or Mexico purely due to each countries economy and standard of living.
Here in Greece, a Squier Classic VIbe is 400€ , and the Fender Player is 759€ , almost double the price!
So what i did is, i got a Squier CV that plays really well (tried it in the shop), and put in some Fender Pure Vintage 65s (found a set for 150€at a local retailer) , and with 550€, i have a guitar that smokes most Fenders, especially sound-wise.
It is worth to check out Squier's offers because they often have instruments that have nice features that Fenders don't have. For example: A few years ago they had the contemporary strat with 12" fretboard radius (which was rare on Fenders at that time), with a very comfortable modern-C neck, HSS pickups with only 2 knobs so the volume knob was better placed than on the Fenders. Still I had to fix some issues like bad tuning stability due to the nut and the cheap string trees and snapping e-strings because of a burr in the bridge baseplate.
I feel like they try things out on squier lines and if it sells well they make a more premium fender version of it. I also think some of the cooler new squiers are inspired by Japanese specific fenders
I bought a contemporary strat with SSS pickups this year. Tuning stability was perfect out of box, the thing has a graphite nut (unlike my Ibanez RG). My only complaint about the guitar is massive amounts of hum. Switch positions that don't have pickups in parallel or series are nearly unusable even on clean. Planning to apply some copper foil to try to fix the issue.
The guitar is otherwise great though. Would still be great value even if I had to throw out the pickguard along with everything attached to it.
@@aozora7 It is good to hear that they are using better nuts now. Copper foile worked well for me in my tele.
Fender use multiple pieces of scrap wood glued together with ply on the front and back on painted guitars. Fender told me in an email they only do 2 or 3 piece bodies on custom shop and high end models. I found this out when I refinished my USA standard strat. Very disheartening when you pay AU$2000 + for a guitar.
Check out G&L guitars ( Leo Fender's last work )
@@iamanovercomer3253Have an Indonesian Fallout that sounds really good. Bridge pickup screams. Only fault is the high fret access.
I've been to the factory in Fullerton on Fender Ave, it's like the Fender factory was in the early 60's. Low volume handmade guitars, no robots.@@iamanovercomer3253
Jules, this is an excellent way to compare these two guitars. Love the clean graphics and the point system you devised. Great demo of each guitar - many UA-camrs who do side-by-side comparisons, for some reason, DON'T play the same or even similar things when comparing the two guitars. You do it right! Thanks for the comparison on pricing and the fine details that show how the guitars differ in build, too. The production and editing of this video is top-notch. I have a Player Strat and a couple of Squier Strats too. I find that the Fender Player just barely edges out my Affinity Strat. Both have a lot going for them, and, of course, the price -SquierAffinity Strat ($299), and Fender Player Series (now on sale new at $699) are difference-makers for may of us! BRAVO!
To me the most important part of a guitar is the neck. I can easily replace pickups and hardware if necessary. Fixing fret/neck issues is a lot more complicated.
The fretwork (along with its elite-looking inlays) on my 40th Anniversary GOLD Edition wasn't just good - it was immaculate.
Also, although I had planned before purchase to upgrade the pickups, I found that doing so would be unnecessary once played. Fender specs show both Gold & Vintage Editions having Alnico single coils, but without stating whether they use the same specific models of pups. You may find the tones from a Gold Edition Strat to be more to your liking than your Vintage Edition.
The downsides I experienced upon unboxing mine, shipped directly from Fender: a faulty nut (a frequently-heard complaint about this model), the neck just loose enough to have the high E out of spec and slipping off the fret edges when pulled, and the vibrato being shipped locked without any notice in the box of it being intentionally disabled.
Once those faults were remedied, it has become my go-to guitar. While a local luthier was doing that warranty work, he couldn't stop talking about how smooth, well-shaped, and comfortable its neck was - one of the best he's felt on a Strat in the 20+ years he's been working on them.
Notwithstanding either the mentioned faults or price difference with the Player model, I suspect the Squier 40th Anniversary Gold Edition would beat both the Fender Player and the Squier 40th Anniversary Vintage Edition in a head-to-head comparison like the one in your video.
Fretwork on my 40th anniversary jazzmaster is exceptional, so much better than the horrific work on the player strat I had last year
@@gruffydddavies7464 - As pleased as I am with my Strat, and as many accolades I heard & read about it and the Gold Edition's Teles, the raves about the Jazzmasters of that series have been off the charts; and now your voice is added to that buzz about them. Enjoy!
The answer is no. My current Squier 7-String rebuild is one of the good examples that proves that.
Even little professional one man freelancer Luthiers outclass fender these days.
Not just in terms of quality, but the price and value you get as well.
When brands open a store to present products like in an apple store that already says alot, because when you do that you have lots of thoughts going how you can sell your product.
When the product itself isn't enough to speak for itself anymore.
Last year I finished my Squier partscaster and I started with the Squier Contemporary RH Tele. The neck is satin finish roasted maple. It's flawless. It's as good as the neck on my Gibson Les Paul. No hyperbole.
I wanted a cheap electronic drum kit and was at Guitar Center this week and while I waited for them to bring the kit out I messed around on the J. Mascis signature Jazzmaster and that guitar felt every bit as good as a Fender Jazzmaster too. Pickups were more P-90 like, but the build quality was superb for 200-300 cheaper than a Fender.
For the sound, the wiring of the 2 guitars is not the same, before changing pickups, test 50', 60' or modern wiring. It's just one wire to be unsoldered and re-soldered on another. These alnico 5 pickups are not bad
It comes down to what you want from the guitar, and if a cheaper guitar does that and makes you happy, cool.
I make sure I am not settling with a guitar, but balance that out with my budget.
The cheapest guitar I own is one I play the most.
That may change over time, but it spoke to me.
So try different guitars and see what speaks to you.
As for resale value, I understand that is important to some people, and that’s okay.
But it doesn’t matter to me.
The squier is absolutely beautiful
Great video. I own 3 Squires (amongst various US models). They all look and feel great, although the electronics is where the Squires suffer and lack the mojo. Indecently, yesterday I actually compared these 2 models in their respective P-bass versions and can totally vouch to your conclusions. The player felt and sounded noticeably better. But the Squire just looked so damm sexy!
I’ve had lots of Squiers but they always had a thinner sound than Fender. Playability not as good either. Strings feel tighter for some reason and the necks are a bit too slim.
I sold them all. The Squires in the 80s were just like Fenders in feel and tone.
I’ve a good few fenders and I think MIM are exceptional but new prices are getting a little silly, so I’d buy a used USA over a new MIM now. So for the price, Squier are fantastic but if you’ve good MIM and USA guitars, trust me it’s hard to play the Squier and leave the others gathering dust!
I’ve only one Squier now, (the stunning CV 60s Esquire in LPB) after going through a good few in the last 5 years but they always have that something that turns me off and no I can’t say that they’re better than MIM and definitely not better than USA! Maybe with a MIM neck a Squire CV may cut it for me.
I prefer the sound of the MIM in this video. It’s cleaner and more accurate to a Strat.
Can you do this again after having them both professionally setup by the same luthier? Your Fender is 4 years old and well played. It has been setup, wouldn't still be playing that well after 4 years if it hadn't had a few setups. That Squier does not seem to have been setup at all since coming out of the box.
The pot tightness is most often caused by the nuts being tightened too much. If you open them up, they may have the same brand of pots. The lower-end Squiers would likely have cheaper ones than the Mexican Fender, but that one should have the same or better. Just a spritz of contact cleaner and adjustment of the nut tightness will take care of that. Though that tightness is subjective. I have people complaining that they aren't tight enough just as often as too tight. Any bend in the post, depending on the severity, can be straightened out. If not, replacing the pot isn't a big deal. Even the high-end pots are less than $10, and soldering is insanely easy to do.
With the Mexican Fenders and higher-end Squiers, the frequency of this type of damage to them is growing smaller every year. Squier's trajectory has them looking to come with less out of the box issues than any Fender in the next few years. I'm hopeful this will push Fender to up their game. Maybe the two of them, along with Epiphone, can get Gibson to keeping upping their game too.
I absolutely love this video. You've put so much thought and sincerity into it, it is hard not to love. Subscribed and notifications turned on. Looking forward to what you put out next.
No buzz in the 2 and 4 position is due to a reverse wound middle pickup creating a humbucker when the two are combined. The original vintage Fenders were not reverse wound, and many feel they sound better despite the buzz, so the Squier could be better or worse depending on what you desire.
My now favorite Bass, is a modified Squier 40th Anniversary P Bass.
Modified with an American Original P Bass pickup, Thomastiks Flatwound strings, and Graphtech string tuners. An absolutely lovely instrument, with a beautiful neck.
Next full-scale bass, I might look at the Fender Japan instruments. ❤
Ive always been partial to Japan fenders since my early 80's squier strat. THE BEST GUITAR I EVER OWNED!!!or PLAYED. The neck only has 2 notes not in near perfect tune .the low A&E strings,, 17th&18th frets. THATS IT!!!!! Every other note is near perfect.i think these might even have the nitrocellulose finish! A VERY GOOD! Guitar. Oh it was 125$ in about 90---92. It is that famous red color.i'd rather have different color but wouldnt trade it for anything else!
Oh maybe fiesta red? Idk but it it like darker red than firetruck red
Fender Standard Mexic 2001 with Noiseless singles - there is just one piece of alder deck much better than American Special Edition with 16 pieces of broad deck - and very big explanation about the sound and of course price 1000$ just for American Logo 500$Still im thacful for your Guitar - teaching! My Lord Bless you!
Not being a "gear expert" where guitars are concerned, I was looking at getting one of those Squier Classic Vibes, because i liked some of the visual designs on them. I actually ended up getting a fender very similar to Jules's here, only with two pickups at the bridge for about £400. Only a home player myself but very pleased indeed with it.
same thing is going on with Gibson vs Epiphone as well. Epiphone's Inspired By Gibson line is SO GOOD that not even Gibson luthiers can tell the difference in a blind test.
crowd in a smoky pub wouldn't care about name on the headstock, just about tunes, and that squier sounds just as strat should, cheers
👍
I've been playing since 1975, and the Squier Classic Vibe '70's Strat (HSS) I bought 3 years ago for $500, brand new, is as good or better than any Fender Strat I've ever owned.
It's my favorite guitar, now.
I got a squire affinity strat during lockdown, just adjusted the neck, intonation, and graphited the nut its is a superb guitar never goes out of tune even using the whammy bar for good measure. The only thing I am going to replace is the pickups maybe get alnico ones
I got a cheapo squier tele in lockdown, not changed anything cos it's great. I changed the p/ups in my yank and it sounds exactly the same as the stock ones
@@frankcarter6427wow,,,, i had a jb humbucker in the 90s & it seemed alit better than stock. Could i ask what brand of pups you orderedqqq
@@forfpartyforfparty6459 bare knuckles , I got them used from my local tech and paid to have them installed cos I can't solder, complete waste of time and money - I think the EQ on a decent amp has much more effect than new p/ups
@@frankcarter6427 i think your right.
Proud owner of 6 Squiers and 1 MIJ 1998 Strat and have to say that the MIJ is in a league of its own, my only rub is I don't care about the 7.5 radius and that's not for everyone. Squiers are a great mod vehicle for those who love to tinker. I still look for used Squiers between 1999- 2011 as the quality is very good and you will get real rosewood when it's being applied. There was a brief period recently when they used Indian Laurel which I found horrible and dry
If you prefer a more modern iteration of the Strat, then the Player Series is for you. In many ways, the Player Series has gained more features in common with the American Professional II....but of course they had to strip ot down a bit to avoid canibalizing itself. You might be better off shopping for a used American Standard or American Series.
Bought a 400 dollar squier classic vibe 70s style p bass and slapped some 140 dollar fender custom shop 1962 pickups and a new pickguard on it totaling around $560 dollars and it looks, and sounds wayyyy better than my fender ash deluxe jazz bass that costed around 700 dollars
I have a Classic Vibe 60’s Thinline Telecaster. Great right out of the box, and I love the tinted next, it looks like roasted maple.
The Chinese made Classic Vibe's were way more consistently good than the Indonesian ones. They have rebadged Tone Rider pickups too.
The china made CV is as good as any MIM and better than the majority of the MIM guitars.
They're on par with the preformer series.
@10:50 can you tab that please mate🤞🏾
In USA...the Fender Player is $850....Squier is about half that. Love my Tele CV50 with Fralins...on par in terms of tone (not feel) to my USA Pro II. Heard CV pups are same as on Player. TIP: Apply Virtuoso guitar polish and the satin finish will look almost glossy....yes, magic. Another excellent vid Jules....fair comparison.
Squier classic vibe over Fender player any day of the week. And if you want to stay with a Leo Fender designed and built guitar, A G&L Tribute over a Fender Player any day as well. I would even take a G&L Fullerton Deluxe over a Fender American even with the price being comparable.
I have a G&L strat built in 1981 and another from 2004. Also have a Fender American Standard tele from 2005, I like the G&L guitars better. My next tele will be a G&L ASAT.
I own both MIM strat and Squier Strat 40th anniversary. They sound differently: the MIM is brighter. But in my opinion, they both sound really good and are very good guitare. If you can't afford a MIM, do not hesitate to get a Squier. You won't be disappointed at all!
I think as a general rule, MiM Stratocasters use brighter pickups. It seems apropos for surf music, etc.
i think the reason the player series sells so well is because of trust. as a new player, you never know what the problem is.... you or your gear. if you get a player series you have some trust there that the gear is solid, and if you are muting strings or whatever, it is just something you need to work on and not the guitar. that is so super important.
0:19 the Squiers out of Indonesia have always been great. I have never bought a Fender.
I have bought and sold a fair few guitars over the years and have owned the top models of each brand at one time or another. In 1983 I bought one of the first Squire guitars - a JV 57 Strat. I still have it. Nuff said.
Amen man, Me2. GREATEST GUITAR i ever played!!!!! 83 JAPAN squier strat. Fiesta red?
Rosewood figerboard
For me its down to how the guitar feels and plays not so much the name on the headstock. . Quality control on both MIM Strats and Squiers varies more so on the Squiers . I do tend to prefer mexican strats but squiers are generally well made and produce some nice guitars especially the classic vibe series
Is that a classic vibe Squier? I have a CV tele and it seems great to me. Much prefer it to my casino it was setup better out the box. Im just a novice so i wouldn't know anything other than playability and my squier is my favourite its easiest to play. The neck feels good. I want a strat but i might go for the cheapest swuier snd hope im luckyit says made in Indonesia on the 149 pound squier now.
Nice video and I love how in depth you went. I tried various Player II Fenders and none of them actually felt right for me and I was wondering if I should just look at Squiers for a budget friendly alternative. But as you found out, even the high end squiers, while they do get close, just fall short of a real Fender.
Nonetheless, they are amazing guitars for their price and as a beginner I would be incredibly happy with a decent Squier
I bought a 40th anniversary strat, blue with a gold anodized pickguard. Then a Fishman Fluence loaded pickguard, which was three quarters the price of the strat.
It sounds and plays remarkably well. The original pickups are fine, as you can hear, but the the fluence are next level.
Total investment is about as much as a mexican strat.
I doubt that the mexican strat sounds as good, the pickups in them are good but not great, as near as I can tell.
I think it depends on how much you play and if you get paid for playing. If you get paid to play often then Fender is for you if your gigs is gonna pay you back for it. The Squier i would use as a gigging guitar as well because it would be a smaller investment. If you just learning, I wouldn’t suggest either one of these. Buy a used Bullet to learn on. If you playing out consistently buy one of these.
Honestly, as someone that has owned both, I'd say unless you are stepping up to a USA Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster, etc I would 100% go with a Squier Classic Vibe. The Mexican Fender's just aren't worth the price difference. Modern Squier Classic Vibe's are amazing instruments.
I ended up buying the Jazzmaster version of the Squier; sure, the frets were scratchier and had some sharp ends, and the nut was cut a little shallow, but fixing that with a $50 setup (that I'd probably have to do anyway) is still better value than spending an additional $700 for the equivalent Fender. If you're buying it as a collector's piece, the Fender name has the cachet, but for a player's guitar the Squier wins for me easily.
Yup, you have to put a bit of work into them. Part of the money savings is in you having to smooth the fret ends, etc. But it is totally worth it. Even if you don't like the pickups, $40 more will change that, and you can make some awesome tones.
As long as you're happy the way a guitar plays in terms of setup and feel, then everything else really comes down to pick-up configuration and choice. It's easy to do. I've got squirrels I've modded and just as good as my Fender Strat. Less obsessing over gear and more playing. The instrument doesn't play itself now does it?
I've had 2 mim strats and 2 mim teles both plus series . Both strats and 1 tele had terrible fret work , you could cut bread with the necks . I've also had several clasic vibe Squiers and all had nicely finished frets , I also prefered the feel of the Squier necks , but that's just me , everyone has their own opinion. As far as sound and tone goes , again I prefer the slightly softer tone of the Squier . The issues you found with the Squier I have had with the mim fenders and they are all easy fixes . Almost every new guitar needs a good setup and that should include dressing the frets .
The problem I keep having with Squiers is the fretwork, which messes with the playability. I'm not a gear snob - I mostly play cheap Indonesian-made Epiphones and a home-made one-off that my late father made from scratch - but I just kept having problems with those Squier necks when I wanted a Jaguar. I wound up buying a Fender neck and pairing it with a variety of parts, some Squier and some aftermarket.
I have a classic vibe 50's squier and a fender 60's vintera. The neck and pickups of thw fender are better, but soundwise the squier is very good too
I picked up a squire strat, amp, cable, bag, for 270$ and I am very happy with the set up!
Nyatoh is a trade name for wood of a number of hardwood species of the genera Palaquium and Payena, growing in SE Asia.
Has It got the same size or Is It tinner than the Fender? Thanks
I currently own a classic vibe mustang and a fender duo sonic made in mexico. They are about the same build quality. The stock pickups om the duo sonic are better. The tuners on the classic vibe are better. Both great little rockers and I play them a lot! If I had to buy them new I would pick the classic vibe, because of the price difference 🤘
As someone who owns a bunch of fenders along with some squiers for my boys , i think it mostly comes down to personal preference because the cost of upgrading the cheap squier parts is negligible compared to the price difference for a top of the line guitar from both brands . If you like funky experimental guitar setups and shapes then get a squier and upgrade it a bit . If you like premium upgrades like exotic woods , cooler designs / color options or the option to sleep in the same room as your new guitar when your partner sends you to the couch after they see reciept then go with a high end fender ! 😂
Oh and MiM are good too but theyre kind of the bland option imo
I've got a yank tele and cheapo squier one I picked up for 100 quid to mess with during the lockdown - bizarrely, I prefer the squier, the neck is more suited to my hands and they sound pretty much the same
Squires have come a long way for sure. What a great time to be a guitarist! I think the American Fenders are worth the money for the fit and finish on the neck. The Squire stuff doesn't come close in my experience. That said, if you want to work for it, you can make a Squire play as good as a Mexican Fender. I liked the sound of the Squire Strat better, and looks wayyy cooler!
Great video! Still conflicted about buying one of these 40th Ann. Squiers. Strangely I thought the Squier sounded better overall. Bridge pups sounded identical. But from there I hear a push around 1-2k in the Squier that adds gives some openness to the tone - which seemed to feed the reverb nicely. Maybe it's just a volume difference? Those unlevelled frets though - scary!
I have a buddy who buys only cheap, but gorgeous guitars. Upgrades them then sands down the Squier or Epiphone logo and replaces em with Fender or Gibson.
He’s 100% honest when selling or trading. It always adds value.
My first electric was a late 90s Chinese Squier Strat. Whilst just about passable for a beginner, it really was a low point for the brand, considering the Japanese and even Korean made models that had come before. The nut grooves were really badly cut (I reverted to blu-tack and tinfoil stuffed into the grooves to stop the buzz) the pickups were ridiculously weedy, the tone controls went from no effect to full on at the last turn, and the tremolo sent the tuning off with the mildest of pressure.
Haven't owned a Squier since, but it seems they've come a long way since that low point, to the point they're almost hitting the level of their 80s heyday.
Hold up I can loosen the trem beyond spring/string adjustments? My vintage vibe Squire is crazy tight
I do wonder about Fender’s brand strategy sometimes - keeping Squier distinct as its ‘budget’ brand while others like PRS for example make their cheaper guitars in similar places like Indonesia but still brand them as PRS (albeit with the added SE moniker). I have both a Squier and a PRS SE (as well as a more expensive Gibson) and unless one is a snob about where their instruments are made, have to say these so-called ‘budget’ models are just so excellent these days.
You just have to try them in person and see which sounds best to you. Everyone has different preferences and requirements - neck shape, neck finish, guitar weight, string height, pickup height, price etc etc. Getting a good setup on a new guitar for your personal liking is really important. The out of the box setup is a generic setup for the everyday player. Don’t let that hold back your guitar!
It’s also important to remember that two IDENTICAL guitars can sounds completely different. My uncles 2018 Epiphone les Paul sounds amazing where mine sounds like 💩. Same model, same year, same pickups 🤷
While Squier actually is Fender it will never mean the end of Fender. Already in the mid to late 90's Fender decided to launch a bunch of "non standard strat or tele stuff" models as Squiers. I own some of the Squier Vista Series (MiJ) guitar and I can confirm they are very well crafted and reliable.
Fender did some weird marketing stunts during the past but none of them broke their neck … unlike Gibson Corp. in 2018
Fender sounds brighter with more clarity. This is an easy upgrade still under the Fender price point.
Good fair review. My issue when i compare multiple models of the two at my local guitar center is i find the squire finish attention to detail is a little behind the player series.
My biggest knock on the squires is the rougher feeling frets where my hands get poked going up and down the neck. But i do like the vintage split post tuners better, easier string up. Staying in tune is not an issue with me especially because i do not use the tremolo arm.
I'd like to know the process the wood goes through because I know it can be important especially for acoustic guitars if it isn't kept at the proper humidity and stuff... Maybe the fender guitar is more quality in the wood they use? I've heard of cheap guitars warping because the wood wasn't processed properly or something idk...
I own a Squier Contemporary Jaguar HH and although it has a cool vibe and plays great, I'm quite underwhelmed by the muddy pups and the fretwire, which is really soft and dents like crazy. It's obvious where Squier cuts costs. The sum of its price + upgrades of all the parts that are noticeably low grade would eventually be the same as a new Fender Player.
As far as the sounds goes, do you think just an upgrade on the pick-ups could do the trick?
Would be nice to see a lesson on those chord progressions and how you create them :)
You said the squire has a thicker sound, possibly down to the body wood.....but,you didn't mention the pickup construction,the player series has alnico 5 magnets (I know because I've got one)....the squire may have ceramic magnets,hence the darker tone ???
The specs describe the Squier’s pickups as “Fender Designed alnico single-coil pickups” so there’s got to be another reason. 🤔
Alnico 5 for the Squire to.
Is it a fair sound comparison when one neck is jumbo frets against the other's non-jumbo ?
Personally, I buy guitar for looks, regardless of major or minor brands. I actually prefer buying the minor brand, since I prefer Seymour Duncan pickups, and will most likely change the pickups anyways. Plus, I won't feel bad if I get scratches on a cheaper one, lol
to compare sound fairly, the squire pickups need a proper adjustment ?!!!
I really enjoyed your video. One thing you might consider is lowering your pickups on the squier. It should give you more of what you are hearing on your Fender. I will say that it sounded fine over the video but you mentioned around 13:30 or thereabouts that you felt it wasn't as good as the fender. Just tinker with the heights and it should clean right up.
I own MIM and several Squiers, to me the main difference is the pickups, which in the Squiers sound muddy.
I think Squiers are great guitars. I wish you could get them with rosewood fretboards.
Its not about only sound quality. I noticed that stratocasters has diamond mixed frets. Squier frets can be obliterated after years. I saw this problem on older guitars but no idea is it suqier or other
The ambassador for Fender Squier is a certain Mr Jack Pearson. The guy is amazing - and humble. He seems to have mastered EVERY style of guitar - blues, jazz, country, Django, Duaune, Eric.........the lot. Please do yourselves a favour and look him up.
This could be sacrilege but beyond feel, it has to feel right(!), can’t everything else be cheaply tweaked? A “good” Squier seems like a great platform at a minimum, especially say a used CV. Start out with a good neck, swap out the pick ups, & get your tone outta your amp or pedals.🤯. I have a 40th anniversary Tele. Swapped pickups to Fralin Blues Specials. it looks, feels(!), & sounds incredible. I am floored at how great it is for the cost. My whole notion of guitar buying has been stood on its head. I think, though, we are living in some kinda dream cheap guitar era! Squires, Epiphones, Gretsch (electromatic) all incredible quality guitars. And if you don’t bog down on labels, you could save lots of money & have a Fender/Gibson quality sounding guitar. Cause what is sound beyond taste? And ultimately it’s about the sound, right?
I have some very nice American made guitars but my son’s Squiers are just as playable and musical. The only difference are the finished feel cheaper and they don’t have some of the fit and finish features like a well rolled fretboard or fret ends. But with a little diy and tlc, they are more than worthy players. I don’t know if I’ll buy a full-fat fender/gibson/prs when all three companies have excellent guitars coming from their import lines. At this point it feels like it’s all prestige name brand collecting, like Gucci or Prada purses.