Squier guitars keep following me home! - Japanese Strat content

[DADGAD]

Last month, a Pro Tone Telecaster followed me home. This weekend I liberated this E series Japanese Strat from captivity in another pawn shop. All the praise you've heard about the quality of these old Squires is true. The sustain block is huge. Nice cast tuners, roller string trees and vintage style bridge. Beats my MIM Squier Strat all to pieces.

Anyone have experience with these?

[Doug Ferguson]

I'd love to get my hands on one of those MIJ Squires. Excellent guitars! Great find! (BTW, the pics aren't showing.)

[Vol. Knob]

'80s Squier Strats have had my attention since... well.. the '80s. Mind you, I was a teen back then and couldnt afford one. I had an Aria Pro II "Stray Cat" that was okay, but not a Squier Strat. I lusted after Squier Strats back then, all the dudes in the guitar stores used to carry on about how they were better than the Fender strats at the time.

This fine specimine, an '86, came to me in the mid '90s, I traded it to a friend and regretted it for years. Eventually it traded its way back to me, where it will stay.


Here we see an '83 that recently entered my stable.

A former guitarist in my band had been lusting after a black Epiphone Dot I traded my way into last year. He'd offered up his strat many times, but as I had an '86 already, I never considered it. After a disasterous outdoor gig where the black Dot and my black Strat kept suffering tuning issues due to sunlight, he offered up the Squier Strat again along with a Takamine Acoustic electric. Since I have more outdoor gigs coming, I need a white guitar to avoid simaler problems again. Then I got it home and checked the serial numbers and nearly passed out from shock.

I was in a band with this guy for a year and a half. He'd left this strat at my house for weeks at a time. I never once picked it up or looked it over. I just figured it was a mid '90s Squier. I'm so very glad he's happy with the Epiphone Dot, otherwise I'd feel guilty for the trade. He's still a good friend and we play songs he wrote still, with his permission and encouragement.

Whats to say? A strat, or any Fender, is a basic design. There's not a lot to it. Either the ax is good or it isnt. Squier or Fender (or Peavey, Tokai, Aria, etc) build some that work and some that don't. The Squiers I'm lucky enough to own right now are made of good wood and are shaped nice and comfortable. The finish on my black one is a little thick, but it works like a champ and is solid for a guitar old enough to drink. The '83 is a joy to play, a 25 year old budget guitar that demands to be played. Both have straight necks working parts and no weird buzzing.

Yup. I'm a fan.

[DADGAD]

Let me try those pix again.

[unzari]

I bought an E-series back in January and love it! A little heavy, but great rich tone, though can get a little muddy if the tone's rolled off too much. Amazing neck and playability.

Congrats!