How does a Squier Tele stand up to a Fender telecaster?

[FattMusiek]

I've played many Fender Telecasters and I love how they play. I've also played many Squire guitars and know they aren't very good. My question is how does Squire Tele stand up to a Fender Telecaster? I posted this thread in the clinic accidentally, so I'm reposting it here.

Thanks for your time!

[astoebe]

have to say that back in my beginning years a unfortunately bought a squier and had a bad experience.....didn't play well, didn't sound good, neck warped.....but hey, that might just be that one guitar, so don't write them off totally i guess

[noodles2k5]

You claim to have played many of both. And you "know they aren't good".

You answered your own question.

[dedicatedlist]

I just bought an Agile guitar for my beginner piece, I looked at the squires but this thing blows it out of the water and most of the time is cheaper. I know this doesn't answer your question at all, just my input.

[Richard Monroe]

I have never played a guitar that sucked more than a Chinese tele.-Richie

[gibsonguy09]

Well their will always be a BIG difference in electronics. THe fender will sound nicer and its made from better wood. All of hardware would be better to. Its all according to how much you want to pay. You get what you pay for.

[Rufer]

Squires can vary greatly in quality from guitar to guitar. With enough searching for the best squire you can find and a good setup, you can find a decent guitar.

[scottboyher]

Originally Posted by Richard Monroe

I have never played a guitar that sucked more than a Chinese tele.-Richie

Did you just play one?

I have 2 American Tele's. One is standard the other is a custom shop. I also have a Mexican tele that is still stock.. I also bought a Squire Tele for my son..

The Squire Tele is made in China
It sounds better than the Mexican.. I don't just mean a little better but WAY better.

I play my American Standard 90% of the time but if it wasn't for the pride aspect of things I could NEVER justify paying the price for an American Tele when a Squire could do the EXACT same thing..

[astoebe]

Originally Posted by scottboyher

Did you just play one?

I have 2 American Tele's. One is standard the other is a custom shop. I also have a Mexican tele that is still stock.. I also bought a Squire Tele for my son..

The Squire Tele is made in China
It sounds better than the Mexican.. I don't just mean a little better but WAY better.

I play my American Standard 90% of the time but if it wasn't for the pride aspect of things I could NEVER justify paying the price for an American Tele when a Squire could do the EXACT same thing..

can't help but think your american standard has a problem if a squire sounds and plays as good....i guess it's possible.....but i doubt it if it's a good american fender instrument

[scottboyher]

Originally Posted by astoebe

can't help but think your american standard has a problem if a squire sounds and plays as good....i guess it's possible.....but i doubt it if it's a good american fender instrument

I didn't say the Squire sounded or played better than my American Standard.. READ.

I said the Squire sounds better than the Mexican.. IT has a hell of alot more twang..

[Hard2Hear]

The thing about the Telecaster is that is was designed to be a cheap, easy to build, cheap guitar. It's a flat slab of wood with a neck on it. There's not a whole lot you can really screw up on one of them. Leo had cheapness and mass production in mind when it was first built, that was the point. I'd say he would be pretty proud of the mass produced cheap Squires.

To me, every Tele, from the $150 Squires to the $1500 Custom Shops sound and play pretty much the same. The nicer ones have better setups and neck jobs. But take your squire and have it Pleked and it will play just as nice.

I've owned 5 Fender Teles and a Squire, but I don't like Teles a whole lot as a guitar. By the way, the Pro Tone Squire Tele I owned was better looking and playing than any of the Fenders, MIM or MIA, that I have had.

H2H

[astoebe]

Originally Posted by scottboyher

I play my American Standard 90% of the time but if it wasn't for the pride aspect of things I could NEVER justify paying the price for an American Tele when a Squire could do the EXACT same thing..

you said the squire can do the exact same thing as the american....i thought you were saying it played/sounded just as good

[vintagetobes]

Why is it that chinese guitars vary so much in quality. Mass produced things made in Asia are known for being very consistant. Why not so for guitars?

[Ed Dixon]

Fender Squire products vary considerably based on the year made. Early Squire products were very different than the Squire products made today. They also vary by model. They come from at least three countries.

I have both a Squire Stratocaster and an American Telecastor. Both sound and play well and are of similar quality. The tele is a 67 and the Squire strat purchased in the early 80s.

My grandson has a Squire P-Bass purchased last year. It both plays and sounds good.

With any guitar, try it out first. If it plays and sounds good, do it matter much where it was constructed...

Ed

[Richard Monroe]

Yeah, I've got a Squire P-Bass I bought last year. New from GC for $129. It's really not a bad axe for a bottom feeder. The Chinese teles I've played, however, are, without a doubt, the worst guitars I have ever played, and I'm a Tele player. -Richie

[Ben Logan]

I bought an Indonesian made Squier Stratocaster recently - mainly because I wanted a guitar with vibrato to use on recordings. I've got two Mustangs: one 60's and one 70's. The Squier plays nicer than both of them - really. I know, someone's going to say "well the mustang was originally an entry level guitar, and it's short scale." You'd be right.

Here's my point: this thing is a two hundred dollar guitar. The hardware is pretty cheap (especially the switches). The tuners are marginal. The pickups are tinny (bridge) and muddy (neck). But - the thing plays really nicely - better than my "collectables." I've got to give Sweetwater props for the setup. I didn't even need to take it to my local guy in town. I'll save that for when I go for a pickup change. Or, maybe I'll learn to solder - finally.