Squier Guitars: Worth Supercharging?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ben Logan
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If I put the same pickups as an American Standard Strat into this little Squier, how close will it sound to the American Standard on a recording? I know it's going to have crappy action and all, but considering the intonation and tuners hold up for "the single take" on a recorded track (which is all I'm using this guitar for), how close will this get me to the real thing? 80 percent? 90 percent?
 
Ben Logan said:
If I put the same pickups as an American Standard Strat into this little Squier, how close will it sound to the American Standard on a recording? I know it's going to have crappy action and all, but considering the intonation and tuners hold up for "the single take" on a recorded track (which is all I'm using this guitar for), how close will this get me to the real thing? 80 percent? 90 percent?
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Oh, depending on the bridge (is it a whammy?) I would say :

Fixed bridge = 100%
Whammy = 80%
 
I used to have a Squier and sold it to my best friend who loved the guitar more than I did (it freaked me out) but I hot-rodded the thing to the hilt. alot of the basics were already done pick-ups, pots, knobs, tuners, bridge, and even the neck. I had the neck sent out for custom fret work and had the body sanded down and painted a custom finish. I also junked the pick-ups for some custom wound one's. I added some switches to control mid boost and cut, a pick-up booster, and some for a lil surprise live. A little over-kill but when you find a guitar you love you tend to go all out. As far as the Comment about putting a V8 in a Volkswagon... Done it. the thing is freakin mean. We have also put a big block in a Geo Metro for GP's. I think those came out of drinking too much, but if anyone wants to know exactlly how it's done drop me an e-mail and I'll share it.
 
Here's some very interesting Strat mods; scroll down to the stuff about the Fat-o-caster.
 
GraveDigger said:
I added some switches to control mid boost and cut, a pick-up booster, and some for a lil surprise live. A little over-kill but when you find a guitar you love you tend to go all out. As far as the Comment about putting a V8 in a Volkswagon... Done it. the thing is freakin mean. We have also put a big block in a Geo Metro for GP's.
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Awesome. Really funny stuff. I especially like the line "for a lil surprise live." I can just picture you throwing the switch on the "lil surprise" and putting a fantastic Eddie Van Halen "I can't believe the sound coming out of this thing" look on your face. :p
 
Ben Logan said:
Awesome. Really funny stuff. I especially like the line "for a lil surprise live." I can just picture you throwing the switch on the "lil surprise" and putting a fantastic Eddie Van Halen "I can't believe the sound coming out of this thing" look on your face. :p
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Actually I had two of the switches control some Led lights on the guitar for the eyes of the Skull and the end of it's cig. but hitting the pick-up booster live with the Custom Wound pick-ups was a show stopper. I have some pics of it and as soon as I can find em. I'll post them
 
The pro studio and touring guys I know say they (and the name artists they support) tend to use MIA Fenders and Gibsons in the studio and hotrodded imported Fenders and Epis on tour.

Sometimes they want humbuckers in a Strat and other mods that would destroy the value of a MIA model, for example. Or they don't want to worry about the guitar being knocked over onstage or stolen in transit.

They or their techs can make a cheap guitar sound any way the player wants.

If you have time and patience, check with local repair shops to find a Squier that has the mods you're considering, and see if you can play it. If you like it, balance the total cost against a new Fender that has the same sound. Of course if you do achieve a great sound t's always fun to blow away a "label queen" with your "$99" Squier!
 
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