Mexican Telecasters versus Squire Telecasters

philpro68

New member
I would like to hear any comments between the two like what are the main differences etc. I hear hear rha affinity squire teles are pretty good. I guess my question is, is there enough difference in the sound and quality of the Mexican Tele to warrant the price difference of it and the squire affinity. Musicians friends has a butterscotch squire for $169.00 Versus $349-$389 that I can't tell any comparable difference in, price wise anyway.
 
I personally don't know the difference since I've never really cared for those models. But I will say one thing... every MIM Strat or Tele I see selling on eBay whether it's new or used always seems to say something in the description about something being cracked, paint coming off or the owner has replaced as many of the parts as they possibly could "to make it sound better".
 
mexican and squire telecasters

Thanks, all I have had to go on is the ratings on the musicians friend web site. All which have been pretty decent for the price, but I can't find the difference in the mex and squires.
 
I would suggest that there is no way to make an accurate statement about Squire Telecasters as a whole except to say they are wildly inconsistant. If you play 20, you'll probably find one that's as good as most MIMs you'll find. You'll also find a bunch that really suck.

Same as any other guitar, really...

Chris
 
Mexican Telecasters

So you think for the most part that the Mexican Telecasters are a grade better than the squires? The pickups on the mexican standard teles versus the pickups on the american standard teles are what I'm most concerned about. Thanks for any information that can be provided.
 
I think it's a generally agreed rule that as you go up the chain (squire to MIM to American) everything gets generally better (electronics, craftmanship, general quality, etc.). I've just found personally that guitars in general are so inconsistant and there are so many exceptions that the rule almost becomes irrelevent.

Then there's of course the matter of personal taste. What's "better" to me might not be better to you. You just gotta play a bunch of em.:)

Cheers,
Chris (happy owner of a Squire Tele)
 
Personally, I have never played a Chinese Tele that didn't suck. In fact, I've never played any Chinese guitar that didn't suck. Some Jap guitars are OK, Some Korean guitars are excellent, and even some Indonesian guitars aren't that bad, but the Chinese haven't got it yet. Some MIM teles are OK, but they are the exception, not the rule. I finally broke the bank a little and got a Highway one, which has parts in it from the USA, Mexico, and Japan, with final assembly in the U.S.A. I like it a lot. There are some pretty good cheap strat knockoffs (Yamaha Pacifica for one), but a good tele knockoff is hard to find for cheap. The Japanese build some really good ones, but they are, by and large, more expensive than a MIM tele. Good luck.-Richie
 
Mexican Tele

Thanks for the input. I'll just have to play em all I guess :D might be kinda fun. By the way, does anyone know the kinda tele and equipment Danny Groah (Alan Jackson's lead guitarist) uses? Love that sound!
 
But I will say one thing... every MIM Strat or Tele I see selling on eBay whether it's new or used always seems to say something in the description about something being cracked, paint coming off or the owner has replaced as many of the parts as they possibly could "to make it sound better".

I think a lot of that has to do with people buying them specifically to tinker, not necessarily a function of the guitar itself. That's their reputation, a base to modify from without spending a bunch of money.

I owned a Mexican Strat for a few years unmodified. I used it as much as my American one. It was a little noisier, but it certainly was worth the $200 or so that I bought it for (used).
 
tele

I recently bought a squire tele. I was at the shop and compared it to the MIM and the American. And for the the price and playability I got the squire. Like the other guy said, guitars are so individual. Years ago a got a P bass copy that has been the envy of many higher end basses. I love that bass. I don't know if I love this tele yet and would like to have a hotter bridge pickup allready. :eek: Any recomendations for that. Thanks
 
Mexican Tele Vs Squire

Does anyone know the difference in the standard pickups that come on the squire and mexican teles. I don't know the difference in standard or vintage, or what have you. I need to know what pickups give that country clean crunch like in the double stopping, chicken picken styles. Any input would help since I know little about pickups. Thanks
 
I have owned and played nothing but Fenders for over 17yrs. I have found the quality of the squires in particular to have decreased dramatically in the last 10 or so years. Not only in craftmanship but also in selection of materials. I would opt for the Mex before a Squire. If anything for the choice in configuration ( ex. strat w/ humbucker). Either way the quality of both are such that a really good sounding one with excellent playability would still be like looking for a needle in a haystack................
 
I have owned and played nothing but Fenders for over 17yrs. I have found the quality of the squires in particular to have decreased dramatically in the last 10 or so years. Not only in craftmanship but also in selection of materials. I would opt for the Mex before a Squire. If anything for the choice in configuration ( ex. strat w/ humbucker). Either way the quality of both are such that a really good sounding one with excellent playability would still be like looking for a needle in a haystack................
 
I have owned and played nothing but Fenders for over 17yrs. I have found the quality of the squires in particular to have decreased dramatically in the last 10 or so years. Not only in craftmanship but also in selection of materials. I would opt for the Mex before a Squire. If anything for the choice in configuration ( ex. strat w/ humbucker). Either way the quality of both are such that a really good sounding one with excellent playability would still be like looking for a needle in a haystack................
 
I play in a working oldies band and play a white mex stat that i got last year new from musicians friend and the thing was great right out of the box. Don't get a squire you'll be sorry thats the word on the street bro. My Fender twin and Hot Rod deluxe amp setup helps too.
 
mexi reissues

the affinity squiers are definitely not the way to go. They dont play too bad but they're not dried properly & the frets tend to bust out of the sides of the neck making for an uncomfortable playing experience. the pickups are pretty squirelly too.

the mexi standards on the other hand represent excellent value for money & have improved dramatically since their introduction. dont let anyone tell you catagorically that they suck, its just not true. personally i think the mexi's ceramic-magnet pickups sound much smoother than the american standards alnico-magnet pickups which seem too brittle for my taste.

the 50s-70s reissues are great sounding & playing guitars. the 50s model is virtually the american 52 reissue for about half the money & sounds awsome.

hope this helps

small
 
It should cost more than $169, in any currency, to play rock 'n' roll - or $389 for that matter.

I have a friend who has a great collection of cheap guitars - Mex strat, Epi Les Paul etc..

He's not a happy man and still yearns for "the real thing" - keep saving is my advice... get the real thing. :cool:
 
i don't want to add to the confusion, but you could also try tele copies that have received better rap than the squiers and mex teles. they're usually less than a similar quality fender.
i for one have a korean-made g & l tele that i got for $300, and it rocks the big fat hairy one. plays and sounds better than any mexican tele and most american teles i've played and heard.
 
groucho said:
I would suggest that there is no way to make an accurate statement about Squire Telecasters as a whole except to say they are wildly inconsistant. If you play 20, you'll probably find one that's as good as most MIMs you'll find. You'll also find a bunch that really suck.

Same as any other guitar, really...

Chris

This guy nailed it on Squires. Now, I am not all that familar with the Affinity Squires, but in general, Squires are all over the place. My guess is that over the years fender has jobbed out the manufacture of squires to a number of different places all over the world. The results have also been all over the world.

I have a MIM toronado that is simply a fantastic guitar with the exception of the electronics, which, while passable, are not even close to my Seymour Duncan Strat, Noiseless Strat, EMG Tele, G&L ASAT (and on and on,) But the action, finish, wood, fret job and hardware are all great.

I have played MIM strats and teles that were very nice with nicer electronics.

If you are going to buy over the internet, having never held it in your hands, I would strongly suggest the MIM model. Worst case, sometime down the road you put in some new pickups and wiring.

With a Squire, I would fear that the worst case is that you have a guitar that cannot be right-ed.

I think most of the upgrades people do to MIM fenders is due to personal taste or a misconception that the hardware or paint is inferior.

Just my opinion, thought.

Jim
 
My 2 cents...

I spent several hrs. at GuitCen last weekend playing every guitar in my price range ($500). I was trying for a Strat. In the end I didn't buy the best guitar I could find in my range (Epiphone), but with a lot of close listening, I was able to bring home a MIM Stratocaster that is pretty damn sweet. The first thing I did on getting it home was install 2 more springs for the tremolo, and re-string it. The machine keys will need to be replaced and I'll be bringing it in to a good shop for proper set-up(strobe intonation), But I did get the sound and feel I was looking for, though I settled for a maple neck 'cause I couldn't find a good one with rosewood. I musta played 50 strats,teles, squires, whatever first though. It's starting to come to me now...very nice sound and of course...feel. Best of luck!
 
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