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post.aux.fader
New member
Would it sound better to take a Squire strat and pimp it out with Seymour Duncan Pickups, or something of the like, or just to buy a Fender?
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wiresix
New member
you are better off going with another brand name. when you buy a fender, a lot of what you pay for is the brand name. the same with gibson...
I'm not a bolt on guy, so I dont know who makes good bolt on style guitars, but it'd be a good bet to say carvin would be a great choice, and its almost guaranteed to play better than a new strat no matter how much money you pay for it... none of those things are ever set up right... ibanez is another great company. there are a lot of companies that make guitars that are IMO better than top of the line fender and gibson guitars but a lot less ($500-800 price range). you might even want to shop around the used market, and fix up a used guitar... at least thats what I like to do, I picked up my 81 artist (absolutally sweet double cut away) used for $125 cause it was in bad shape. I took it home, sanded the stupid blue latex spray paint someone put on it, had the neck plained and refretted by the best tech in my state, and rewired it. over all it took a little labor of love on my part, and about $650 but it out plays, and sounds as good a $3000 guitar.
I would just urge you to do some research, and if you absolutally insist on paying loads of $ to have a sticker on your guitar that says "fender" I would strongly encourage you not to get a squire, I've heard very bad things about them.
best of luck with things!
I'm not a bolt on guy, so I dont know who makes good bolt on style guitars, but it'd be a good bet to say carvin would be a great choice, and its almost guaranteed to play better than a new strat no matter how much money you pay for it... none of those things are ever set up right... ibanez is another great company. there are a lot of companies that make guitars that are IMO better than top of the line fender and gibson guitars but a lot less ($500-800 price range). you might even want to shop around the used market, and fix up a used guitar... at least thats what I like to do, I picked up my 81 artist (absolutally sweet double cut away) used for $125 cause it was in bad shape. I took it home, sanded the stupid blue latex spray paint someone put on it, had the neck plained and refretted by the best tech in my state, and rewired it. over all it took a little labor of love on my part, and about $650 but it out plays, and sounds as good a $3000 guitar.
I would just urge you to do some research, and if you absolutally insist on paying loads of $ to have a sticker on your guitar that says "fender" I would strongly encourage you not to get a squire, I've heard very bad things about them.
best of luck with things!
Farview
Well-known member
Even if you replaced the cheap hardware and put new pickups in the squire, it would still be made out of plywood and the neck would still suck. There is no point in putting $300 of stuff on a $150 guitar.
lbanks
Banned
Don't polish a... well, you know.
ibanezrocks
New member
Everyone on this forum seems to be pretty positive about the Carvin Bolt-on, which you can get as a kit or get them to build you one, with a lot of custom options. Personally, I'm an Ibanez man, and you may want to look at the SA series for a strat like guitar. Either of those should suit you just fine.
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Rickson Gracie
New member
look into the mexican fenders. theyre very nice. i play my mexican more than my american made one that cost almost three times more.
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fretwire3d
New member
Actually, look into 90's Japanese Fenders. I am one of the believers that they are just as good as American, if not better. They should be about $300-$500
I have a ’94 60’s reissue. The only better strat I’ve played was a Eric Clapton sig for $2,000.
I have a ’94 60’s reissue. The only better strat I’ve played was a Eric Clapton sig for $2,000.
groucho
Member
I'd encourage you to go to a store, play a bunch, and make your own decision. If I'd listened to all the folks saying Squires were no good I wouldn't have the guitar I have today (a Squire Tele) which (after I swapped out the pickups) I played side by side with an American standard and could not tell one iota of qualitative difference. Seriously.
AND I'd be out several hundred dollars... and for what? I've said it before but there are crappy Americans and really good Squires (to be fair, there are also some seriously crappy Squires
).
But I'd be wary of anyone categorically dismissing (or advocating) either.
Chris
AND I'd be out several hundred dollars... and for what? I've said it before but there are crappy Americans and really good Squires (to be fair, there are also some seriously crappy Squires
). But I'd be wary of anyone categorically dismissing (or advocating) either.
Chris
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post.aux.fader
New member
Thanks so much guys! Which Squires are of quality? That would help me alot.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
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AlfredB
New member
dont forget resale value!!!
apl
Stand Up Comity
I'm in the middle of redoing a $90 Squier Bullet. Here's the story. I looked at several and tried to find the best neck. And I might replace the neck, too.
But the Carvin Bolt kit is the best $350 guitar in the world.
But the Carvin Bolt kit is the best $350 guitar in the world.
Farview
Well-known member
That is just it. The quality is an accident when it happens. It is the luck of the draw. You have to try out a bunch and pick the best one.post.aux.fader said:
distortedrumble
all up in yo grill!
lol i have a squire...i just pimped it. i woulda rather have bought the fender straight out.
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WayneSMT
New member
My Ax
I took a Squier that I got at a pawn shop for $70 bucks, had a decent neck. I dropped in the Fender Texas Special PUs and different pickguard and this thing screams. I play it through a Tech21 and run it to the board and it really has the sound that I was looking for. So guitar at $70, PUs for about 90 some and I'm happy, could care less about the resale value. Everyone who has played this thing just loves it.
I took a Squier that I got at a pawn shop for $70 bucks, had a decent neck. I dropped in the Fender Texas Special PUs and different pickguard and this thing screams. I play it through a Tech21 and run it to the board and it really has the sound that I was looking for. So guitar at $70, PUs for about 90 some and I'm happy, could care less about the resale value. Everyone who has played this thing just loves it.
A Reel Person
It's Too Funky in Here!!!
I have the $90 Squier Bullet too, and I'm very happy with it,...
but it came out of the factory box basically raw, un-set-up. I spent hours doing the setup, and revisited it a couple times over, but after all is said & done, it's just fine now. That was a setup job that might have cost me $50-$100 by a guitar tech, but it was flat as could be right out of the box, and absolutely required proper setup, otherwise would be nearly unplayable.
but it came out of the factory box basically raw, un-set-up. I spent hours doing the setup, and revisited it a couple times over, but after all is said & done, it's just fine now. That was a setup job that might have cost me $50-$100 by a guitar tech, but it was flat as could be right out of the box, and absolutely required proper setup, otherwise would be nearly unplayable.
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wiresix
New member
seriously man... they're made out of plywood..... I hate to say it, but brand names basically mean nothing! if your going to get something in the squire price range, at least do your self the favior and look into ibanez. ibanez is a great company, but I think your best bet would be a carvin. you will not be dissapointed with carvin, they have great customer suport, you can get a guitar pretty much anyway you want it, and they are simply quality instruments. carvins are so cheap because the same company that makes the product sells it. check them out @ www.carvin.com IMO they are better than fender no question about it!
groucho
Member
Could someone explain to me where this "plywood" thing is coming from?
The body on mine is Agathis, which is a kind of mahogany. I haven't gone through the specs of every Squire on the website, but I'm pretty sure Agathis is the standard material for the body. Some of the MIMs are made of this too. The Affinity series has an Alder body.
What am I missing here? I'm not a carpenter, so maybe I don't know what the definition of "plywood" is?
Chris
The body on mine is Agathis, which is a kind of mahogany. I haven't gone through the specs of every Squire on the website, but I'm pretty sure Agathis is the standard material for the body. Some of the MIMs are made of this too. The Affinity series has an Alder body.
What am I missing here? I'm not a carpenter, so maybe I don't know what the definition of "plywood" is?
Chris
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post.aux.fader
New member
Wow, thanks for the input.... maybe I should spend the money on a Gibson Melody Maker and just not get another amp....
apl
Stand Up Comity
groucho said:
My Squier is plywood. I know; I've been drilling on it.
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tac5
New member
Laminated wood bodies can be found on most imports, but I would not equate that with "plywood". "Plywood" is technically different than "laminate" no matter how many layers you may drill through. But then again, I don't care what wood the body's made of if the guitar plays and sounds great. Call me stupid, but I don't believe a particular wood has "that" much to do with an amplified guitar's sound. The amp, pickups, strings, and technique could probably make a pine board sound great.