Dont upgrade your Squier

[bobio]

This Vintage Blonde CV50 is a complete partscaster, none of the parts ever met before I assembled it

The body came from eBay and was a 2021 replacement body that was never used. The neck came from my BSB 2021 BSB CV50. I replaced the tuners with Gotoh vintage locking units.

I shielded all the cavities with copper foil and installed a grounding harness. The electronics came from Obsidian, one of their modern 4-way solder-less kits. I put in a set of Fender Texas Specials.

This is my primary practice guitar, love the feel and the tone of it

 

[CodyIsMyName]

I made it about 3 months before I started making changes to my CV.

I bought mine to keep, so making it look/ play/ feel/ sound like want it to is my goal.

 

[John Stephen]

@bobio, how was the installation of the Obsidian wireless harness? I've seen videos about these that show how easy it is to install, but I've also seen some reviews where people said they found it pretty difficult to install.

 

[Matthias]

Modding Squiers seems logical to me if people want to customise something. If it’s the theory it’ll improve it to the quality of an MiM or a USA, that’s a tall order when you’re working from a cheaper base. But, you might get one to play as nicely to your tastes, and most of the sound is in the pick-ups. So there are some mods with higher returns than others and some Squiers sound good as they are.

I’ve found build and materials of modern ones (last 15 years, VMs and upwards) to be roughly comparable with the 90s MiJ guitars, which have enough fans themselves. The only problem is I’ve seen a lot of Squiers with flaws on racks - expected for cheap guitars where the factory will let more flaws through QA than a premium model. The trick where practical is I think try-before-you-buy with a Squier and find a good one. If you bond with it, why not upgrade it? Value is how much it means to you as well as money. There’s a point where you could have just bought the model up, but depends on the type of mod and exactly how much you have to pay to get the same performance in a stock guitar. Most mods are reversible and parts can be sold separately. Who’s worried about a non-original solder joint in a Squier as long as it’s a tidy job?

 

[BatUtilityBelt]

Nah. I have several Classic Vibe 50's teles, but the one I like most is the one I gave the 4-way switch mod. It's your guitar, do with it whatever you like.

 

[Hoodster]

Bad advice!

 

[bobio]

@bobio, how was the installation of the Obsidian wireless harness? I've seen videos about these that show how easy it is to install, but I've also seen some reviews where people said they found it pretty difficult to install.

I have done multiple installs, simple plug and play

 

[John Stephen]

Good to know, thanks.

 

[Willie Johnson]

I don't know if this is my best guitar but it's my best upgrade/mod job:

 

[47adelynn47]

i buy and play inexpensive guitars but have never modded one...but to be concerned about resale value of a guitar that was cgeap to begin with dies'nt seem like a reason not to mod

 

[azureglo]

OP is really going to love this...

 

[Vognell]

If you are modding it to your own tastes to play it... why not? Since the upgrades typically don't add value*, keep the old parts and restore if/when you sell it.

* I would actually pay a little extra if I bought a modded guitar where I liked the mods, so long as the guitar played well enough. If it's something I would have done anyway, it can still be a fairly good deal.*

 

[NEPA Broadcaster]

As with anything, you bought it so it's yours to do as you like.....within reason, of course. My boys here, both Squiers, have been modded a bit. The Stratocaster much more so. I bought the Telecaster as you see it, but intend to put on a Bigsby-friendly bridge.

 

[bobio]

Forgot about this one, did this swap about 10 years ago.
Swapped Tele necks with my daughter.
She loved her CV60 but wanted a maple neck.
I wanted the rosewood neck for my BSB CV50.

The Vintage Blonde CV50 also has Toneshaper 4-Way electrics in it.
The CV50 Strat has had some upgrades to the Trem.
Come to think of it, of 7 Classic Vibes in the house, my son's CV Jazz Bass is the only one NOT modified.

 

[Raising Arizona]

If you like the bones of the Squier then it’s worth modding… if you don’t like it, leave it.

I was bored and nitrocellulose finished this, everything was replaced down to the raw vintage springs (a must have). Stays in tune all the time…

 

[mystichands]

I think most Squiers play pretty good out of the box. I’ve noticed that many new guitar players are more concerned with modding, getting the “right” tone, etc, than they are with learning the instrument and becoming a better musician. Don’t get me wrong, I get it. I am ashamed to admit that back in the seventies I ruined a 66 or 68 Mustang by routing a paf hb pickup between the single coils. I can’t remember why I did it, but it wasn’t worth it.

 

[Raising Arizona]

I think most Squiers play pretty good out of the box. I’ve noticed that many new guitar players are more concerned with modding, getting the “right” tone, etc, than they are with learning the instrument and becoming a better musician. Don’t get me wrong, I get it. I am ashamed to admit that back in the seventies I ruined a 66 or 68 Mustang by routing a paf hb pickup between the single coils. I can’t remember why I did it, but it wasn’t worth it.

I’ve seen worse… much!

60’s Les Paul with Floyd Rose comes to mind…. 64 strat with that and a HB… all kinda of horror… really at the end of the day, all vintage guitar enthusiasts should be praising Charvel for coming out with custom guitars with all those gizmos…. Think of how many guitars were spared!

 

[Wrighty]

I've read this now more than a few times recently... it will hurt the resale value.
While I consider several models to be superb, especially some Classic Vibes, I tend to think they are some of the best guitars to mod and learn setup, repair etc...and just a perfect platform to experiment with.
But some seem to think it's equivalent to putting an Ebay Floyd on a 50s Strat or a swirl dip paint on a original 60' Tele.
What's the polite way to inform these young gunslingers and not burst the bubble?

I’d happily replace some basics on a bullet or infinity, tuners, nut and the like if it made it more playable. As I use them mainly as a leave about the house ‘play for ten minutes at a time’ guitar, I’ve no need to get the sound or performance above ‘reasonable’. I’d never consider modding tge body to accept different pups or replacing the neck. I’d sooner save the time and effort and seek out an instrument closer to what I like off the shelf.

 

[JIMMY JAZZMAN]

The "term" just as good, has taken a whole other meaning.

 

[rxtech]

Update, if you want. But the idea that a Squier is not good enough unless you udpate it is lame.

I like this quote!