Re: new old Squier

Well Keith - I only have 3 guitars - and one of them is a MIA Fender Strat hardtail.
So I already have a hard tail and it sustains forever even without the
compressor pedal on. (the amp also helps - it is old fashion hand wired ptp).
There is definitely more sustain on the hard tail strat than the squier
strat with trem blocked. But the bone nut and the new saddles helped a lot
along with the trem block. You can definitely get more sustain on a regular
trem strat this way and it stays in tune forever too.

The thing is the difference in tone between a trem blocked (or any strat
with a trem) and a hard tail strat. Even if you get the trem blocked and
new bone nut (or anything other than the original plastic) and nice saddles, etc,
you can get the longer sustain and tuning stability - you might even get
the sustain to nearly a hard tail sustain - but it will always sound different
even with the same pickups (in this case apples to apples - Dimarzio Virtual Vintage 2.1 pups
on both the Strat hard tail and the Squier strat w/trem blocked).
I like the basswood body on it because it gives me a little different
sound than the hard tail. So the two (squier MIJ trem strat and USA
hard tail strat) work well together so each can compliment one another
and sound different enough for different things. I can actually get to
crunch levels with the Squier. And can do all sorts of spank and chime
and country cleans to slight overdrive and grit with the hard tail.

I always figure once I have a neck that I really like to play,
then I'll dial the rest in or have the guitar let me know the best
way it can sound. If it has a great neck - I'll flow with wherever
the guitar wants to take me tonally. I have learned one thing about
guitars - you gotta let them tell you how they want to play - you can't
force a perfect twang or chimey guitar into some metal cruncher if it
doesn't want to go there. In a way the guitar is the driver and I'm
just along for the ride holdin' onto the neck as I go.

As I said before in another thread - I am really starting to play the hard tail more and more
and am enjoying it a lot. Besides long sustain - once the strings get
their initial stretch and set - it stays in tune forever even with
lots of note bending and hard chord strumming. No need to constantly
tweak the tuning between songs or even after a long practice.
I let my ear tell me about tuning - but even when I use the boss tuner
as a second opinion - the tuning stays dead on.

I'm lucky to have both a nice playing trem strat and a nice playing hard tail.
Each of them has earned a spot with me.. or maybe I earned a spot with them.

Now as for the Ibanez Roadstar.. that's another story for another day.
It is resting quietly in its case. I played the frets (literally) off that.
Another 'best neck' you'll ever feel or play type of guitar.
Not so great with the tones - but definitely passable (or better) for rock stuff.



Keith Adams <keithadams@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Good hardware and neck Sqier. Now you just need to put that stuff on a
guitar body. Peter mentions Tusq. I have limited experience with it but what
I do have isnt favorable. It made a new Taylor that I worked on into the
deadest most toneless guitar I've ever heard. Never used Graph Tech.
hardware but have my doubts about it.
The graphite may work well for trem use but you both block them. That right
theres a weak link for sustain and tone. Dont contradict me unless you've
tried a hardtail on the same guitar. Why? Because you're only presuming to
know something.

"Squier" <squier@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:230420071646235579%squier@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
In article <462d0bd4$0$185$edfadb0f@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Peter Madsen
<suzi550@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I bought a 86/87 E series MIJ Squier Strat on ebay, and it arrived today.
very nice guitar. It got shipped from Florida to Denmark, and
guess what, it played like butter, no need to adjust anything at all.
Anyway, i have quite a few MIJ Squiers, so the quality doesn´t
surprise me, but for my own curiosity, i took it apart to check
up on the specs.
The pickups are the standard ceramics with flush poles, and the
5 way lever switch is the YM50 variety, which doesnt last as long
as the US or Schaller versions.
To my surprise the body was made of ash (or Sen ash as it´s called),
and i haven´t seen that on E series squiers before. I thought all of them
was made of basswood, except for the SQ series and possibly a few JV.

The neck is perfect, and the rosewood fretboard looks almost like
brazilian. BTW it has 21 frets, radius 12" and comes with the Schaller
manufactured Fender system 1 trem. Stays in tune, even with heavy
divebombs. There´s no lock nut (thank god). The trem is good, but i
think i block it, as i never uses it.
It´s black with rosewood fretboard, and in good shape for a 20 year old
guitar, possibly would make a good candidate for a "Dave Murray"
tribute strat, with a set of dimarzio humbuckers. Don´t know about that
yet....

Peter



That's what I have. E series MIJ Squier. (although it is basswood).
One of the best playing necks on any guitar ever.
I have it mod'd so all that is left is the original wood and blocked
bridge.
Graphtech string trees and saddles. Dimarzio Virtual Vintage 2.1 pickups.
All electrics done too. 250k CTS pots, rewired so that middle tone
now also controls both the middle and bridge pup. (New 5 way pup switch
too)
And new jack (switchcraft). Also had a nice bone nut cut for it. (this
actually made a big difference from the original plastic one)
Also had it star grounded so it is very quiet and put the copper foil
as a pickguard shield. No noise - even under flourescent or neon lights.

I had a refret done but played it so much that now it will probably
need a little more than just a dressing done on several frets.
Another refret might be in the works. Anyways - this is one of my
all time favorite playing guitars. These MIJ Squiers are as good as
anything else out there and prolly better (at least the necks and bodies
are).
That's why bolt-ons are cool. Just replace anything else when you get a
chance.
And the tuners on it are Gotohs which still work perfectly. (never changed
them).

Good to hear someone else out there is enjoying these MIJ E series
Squiers.
They are a bargain. As good as any Fender MIA done today (once you
replace
some of the parts) and much better
necks and 'feel' than MIM Strats.


.

Relevant Pages

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