Squier vs Fender

sketchers356 · 12-31-2006, 11:43 PM

What is the real difference between a Fender and a Squier guitar? Everywhere that I look says that Squier is a low cost replacement but wont give me the details. Thanks!

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

I've owned a Squier Strat for years and it's been fine. Unless you're a professional musician or a collector, I don't see the difference. Bought mine about 15 years ago for about $250 brand new and transplanted in some humbucker pickups, etc. FWIW you can get so many variations in the sound and the tone as a result of pickup selection, amp and effects processor selection to a certain extent the guitar matters less than ever before. It certainly still matters, but let's face it - you can make a Strat practically sound like a Les Paul and vice-versa nowadays by simply running the signal through a processor that's set up properly.

I like the feel of the Squier and although it "isn't a real Strat" I really don't care. I bought it to play around on, not hang on a wall or to impress a bunch of guitar snobs with. The kinds of people that would give grief about it being "not a real Strat" are the same types that drive 911s and look down their noses at 944 owners like myself - it's immensely satisfying to whip their asses in my "gussied up VW". Usually that shuts them up. In the same manner, if you're a good player and practice a lot and have good chops, people will pay attention to that more than whether your instrument says "Squier" or "Fender" on it. At the end of the day, who cares?

FWIW I think that most of the Strats don't really have the build quality of the older vintage Fenders anyway, so why pay 4X the price just for the name when the build quality is going to be only marginally better, if at all?

Aurel · Aurel's Garage

I thought you hit a squirrel with your fender. Nevermind.

Aurel

hardflex · 01-01-2007, 04:50 AM

I was in the Gibson factory in Memphis over the summer, and they market the Epiphone line of guitars, which are basically Japanese made Gibson copies. I suspect the Squires are the same, a Japanese copy of a Fender and sold at lower cost.

rouxroux · 01-01-2007, 05:26 AM

"I'm not a Linclon, I'm a Ford"...

...both will get you there just fine

Rick V · 01-01-2007, 05:38 AM

I found a Peavey "Raptor" That I really liked. It looks like a strat. the neck is thin like a Gibson SG. It unfortanatly had that classic Peavey/Jed Clampet sound. I replaced the pickups with some fender units. I like it. Total cost was between the Squire and Fender.
I grab this one most of the time before any other of my Axes.

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Porsche-O-Phile
I've owned a Squier Strat for years and it's been fine. Unless you're a professional musician or a collector, I don't see the difference. Bought mine about 15 years ago for about $250 brand new and transplanted in some humbucker pickups, etc. FWIW you can get so many variations in the sound and the tone as a result of pickup selection, amp and effects processor selection to a certain extent the guitar matters less than ever before. It certainly still matters, but let's face it - you can make a Strat practically sound like a Les Paul and vice-versa nowadays by simply running the signal through a processor that's set up properly.

I like the feel of the Squier and although it "isn't a real Strat" I really don't care. I bought it to play around on, not hang on a wall or to impress a bunch of guitar snobs with. The kinds of people that would give grief about it being "not a real Strat" are the same types that drive 911s and look down their noses at 944 owners like myself - it's immensely satisfying to whip their asses in my "gussied up VW". Usually that shuts them up. In the same manner, if you're a good player and practice a lot and have good chops, people will pay attention to that more than whether your instrument says "Squier" or "Fender" on it. At the end of the day, who cares?

FWIW I think that most of the Strats don't really have the build quality of the older vintage Fenders anyway, so why pay 4X the price just for the name when the build quality is going to be only marginally better, if at all?

You drive a 944???

Just kidding...

I got my Squire Strat back in 1984, and although I really rarely play it, it's been a good guitar. I think I paid about $200 or $250 for it back then...a lot less than what I paid for my Ibanez Destroyer (bass) that I really enjoy playing.

Randy

R Wilco · 01-01-2007, 07:00 AM

I don't think Epiphones are made in Japan anymore. Maybe a long time ago. They are probably from Taiwan or Korea, same as the Squires.

There is an old saying about guitars that goes something like this. Eric Clapton could play 99% of the guitars out there and he is still going to sound like Clapton or insert your favorite guitar guru. It's the player most times not the guitar.

The real guitar players of the world don't care if you have a PRS or a Wallyworld special. There are plenty of snobs out there but the majority of them aren't in bands, don't gig etc.

on2wheels52 · on2wheels52's Garage

I don't play myself but have sold a hundred Squires @ $100 (used). I consider it a quality matter. The Sq is 90% or so as good as the Strat but it costs 400% more to get that 10% extra quality. You have to decide how important that extra quality vs price equation plays out.
Jim

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I have a Mexican Strat that I bought new in 1996 for about $300. I sanded the neck down and put EMG's in it and it's a super guitar now. My first guitar was a $150 Hondo, which I cut up and customized into an also nice guitar. Unless you really know what you're doing, you won't be able to tell the difference between an expensive and cheapo axe. I think Eddie Van Halen has about $250 into his famous red, white and black Frankenstrat guitar and no one ever said he didn't get a decent sound out of it. It's all in the hands first, amp next, effects next and guitar last.

Shuie · 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hardflex
I was in the Gibson factory in Memphis over the summer, and they market the Epiphone line of guitars, which are basically Japanese made Gibson copies. I suspect the Squires are the same, a Japanese copy of a Fender and sold at lower cost.

Epiphones were only made in Japan for one year in the late '90s and were NEVER imported into the United States. 99% of the Epiphones that anyone in this country has ever seen were made in Korea, or more recently, China. Do not confuse the Korean guitars with the Japanese guitars. They are made to a completely different level of quality.

The Squire stuff is Korean, IIRC. FWIW, I'd rather buy a Mexican Fender over an American standard Fender and certainly over than anything they made in Korea. Either way, you're going to replace all of the hardware and electronics in these guitars if you play them through an amp for any length of time.

Jim Richards · 01-01-2007, 05:09 PM

Indonesia, too.

VINMAN · 01-01-2007, 05:30 PM

From what I remember the squires use a totally different wood in the bodies. Alot of the harware is the same though.
Totally agree with Rick, a good guitarist can make the biggest piece of crap sound like gold.

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

I've seen 2 Squires recently that won't stay in tune for any length of time.

R Wilco · 06:16 PM

http://www.rondomusic.net/product698.html I got my son one of these jewells for Christmas. The fit and finish is impecable. The pickups sound great, out of the box really really nice. This is his 3rd agile and he could destroy an anvil and they are all holding up well, so they are built tough.

sketchers356 · 01-01-2007, 07:31 PM

WTF does this have to do with anything?

R Wilco · 01-01-2007, 08:12 PM

WTF are you talking about. It is a viable alternative to Squire or whatever.

nota · 01-01-2007, 09:39 PM

I got my kid a fernandes strat copy used 15 years ago
later bought a real 74 strat for him
he traded the real strat for a huge amp and speakers set up
and still plays the fernandes copy

WolfeMacleod · 01-02-2007, 12:47 AM

Squier is the low-end of the Fender line. Mostly made in Korea, but some in China and/.or Indonesia.
In the 80's they were made in Japan, and were a fairly high quality guitar. I have an '87 Squier Strat who's built quality is better than most of the USA Fenders I've seen.

Most of the Ephiphone line is made in Korea, and if I recall correctly, some by Samick, in Japan. Or at least, they used to be.

If anyone wants to know the particular names of the actual companies that are doing the Squier and Epiphone lines, I'll be able to find out in a couple weeks when I go to NAMM.

Quote:

Originally posted by nota
I got my kid a fernandes strat copy used 15 years ago
later bought a real 74 strat for him
he traded the real strat for a huge amp and speakers set up
and still plays the fernandes copy

The Fernandes guitars are pretty good. Especially thier higher end guitars, like the Ravelle.
And Fernandes happens to my my Japanese distributor, too.

island_dude · 01-02-2007, 03:46 AM

I have a Squire 51 made in Indonesia. I had some major issues with intonation and tuning. For a long time I assumed that it was just the fact that I sucked. My instructor messed around with it and decided it was the instrument. His tech played with it and got it better, but it still had major issues with certain notes. I ended up buying a Goden and put it aside for a while. I was traveling and took it with me on a business trip. While their a friend from work pointed me to a guy who was a fantastic tech. He figured out that some of the frets were too high (in places). After sanding them down and doing a full set up, it plays as well or better than my good guitar. I paid $150 for it plus about $100 in setup costs. List is about $250.

It has done everything I could have asked for of a guitar at the time. I am sure that s real strat would have better build quality out of the factory. Now that its fixed, it is a viable alternative to my much more expensive guitar. Besides the name, what you get with the real thing is generally more consistent manufacturing and better all around quality. This formula breaks down after a point. When you start taking about factory customs you might as well get something hand built for you for less.
I am not a collector or very serious about this, so I can afford to not be jaded by the name plate.