Is the squier '51 a tele, strat, or what?

[iansmitchell]

Robin Ranger:

The Squier '51 was Fender's "payback"?

Mik

Pickguard is similar, but the humbucker and single coils are in the revrse place, and the '51 lacks a middle pickup.
Also, controls are different(5-way switch, opposite of what the '51 has, tone control and volume.)
Tele headstock and kind of tele-like hardtail bridge.
different pickguard size.
21 frets versus 22.

 

[Jack Wells]

It's a Stratele.

 

[Mik]

sure there are differences like pickups and pickups config and the switching that goes along with all that and the number of frets but the Squier 51 is based on the Robin Ranger. And of course Robin can't directly copy the Fender headstocks.

The Squier 51 is definitely not a Fender original.

Fender flat out lifted it but but the Robin company sourced various Fenders (Strat, Pbass) for the Ranger's amalgam/pastische design.

Mik

 

[John Lipfert]

It's not just a tele headstock, it's a whole tele neck. Neck pocket is tele, too.

Also, nobody has mentioned this, but the body is only 1 1/2" thick, whereas all the other models mentioned are 1 3/4".

Given all the amazing things modders have done with theirs, Fender could not only release the 51, but release as many different models as there are Tele or Strat. However, I'd love it to have some other wood than basswood.

 

[iansmitchell]

It's not just a tele headstock, it's a whole tele neck. Neck pocket is tele, too.

Also, nobody has mentioned this, but the body is only 1 1/2" thick, whereas all the other models mentioned are 1 3/4".

Given all the amazing things modders have done with theirs, Fender could not only release the 51, but release as many different models as there are Tele or Strat. However, I'd love it to have some other wood than basswood.

An ash Fender '51 with a seymour duncan P-rails in the bridge and normal neck pup would be a dream IMO.

I didn't know about the body thickness, that's cool.

 

[Jack Wells]

Also, nobody has mentioned this, but the body is only 1 1/2" thick, whereas all the other models mentioned are 1 3/4".

Well that's close but my two '51s measure 1.6 in. thick. I checked my '50s Classic Strat and it is 1.82 in. thick. Checked a couple of '50s Classic Telecasters and got 1.78 in on one and 1.85 on the other.

Hmmmmm........... maybe the differences are due to paint thickness.

The Squier 51 is definitely not a Fender original.

Fender flat out lifted it but but the Robin company sourced various Fenders (Strat, Pbass) for the Ranger's amalgam/pastische design.

That's a pretty strong statement. Had it not been for Fender, the Robin Ranger would never have been built.

......

 

[scoots]

this is kind of funny, so let me se if i have this right. the 51' is a copy of a robin ranger, and the robin ranger is pretty much a copy of a fender partscaster..?...?

 

[NEPATelecaster]

Check out this Robin ad...

 

[Mik]

The Squier 51 is definitely not a Fender original.



That's a pretty strong statement. Had it not been for Fender, the Robin Ranger would never have been built.

Yeah I stand by my "pretty strong statement". I'm a "pretty strong" guy-emphasis on "pretty"

In my post, I acknowledged Fender as the source for the Robin Ranger "partscaster"-which has been in production for around 20 years.

the Squier '51 is an unauthorized copy of an "unauthorized" pastichecaster of Fender parts the irony is very delicious...but the design concept is clearly Ranger not Fender.

The OP asked to "classify" the "budget" Squier '51, well there ya go it's a Robin Ranger.

And, the current Robin Ranger line is not "budget."

Mik

 

[Mik]

Check out this Robin ad...

Cool, thanks. Check out the Robin webpage, very nice...

http://robinguitars.com/

Mik

 

[NEPATelecaster]

Oooooo...Rawhide is nice too...

Robin..Since 1982

Squire...Since 1982

Coincidence...or something more?

 

[j_hunter_hkr]

Squier 51 with a thinline pickguard is so hot. I can't remember who owns the green 51 on this forum with a thinline guard but it's one of the best looking guitars I've EVER seen!

 

[iansmitchell]

Squier 51 with a thinline pickguard is so hot. I can't remember who owns the green 51 on this forum with a thinline guard but it's one of the best looking guitars I've EVER seen!

Hmm, i'll have to try that

 

[John Lipfert]

Squier 51 with a thinline pickguard is so hot. I can't remember who owns the green 51 on this forum with a thinline guard but it's one of the best looking guitars I've EVER seen!

I agree, it belongs to jwells393...

But there are others, like this one from the 51 modders' forum.

 

[j_hunter_hkr]

Those 2 are stunners! This is the one I meant though:

It's BootRoots', and I LOVE it!

 

[skydawg]

a what

 

[blueshawk1]

But there are others, like this one from the 51 modders' forum.

I saw that one on that forum, and it inspired me to redo a 51, but I haven't finished it yet. It's all apart, body is stripped and that's it so far, it's a back burner project, others are in line first.

 

[Rhomco]

It was revealed to me

in a dream that the '51 is a re-creation of one of the numerous hand drawn designs done by Fender in 1951 which later evolved into what we know today as the Telecaster. When Leo saw this design he said "thats butt ugly", the country western players would not be caught dead with one of those girlyman things hanging off thier shoulder. By the way, another unknown fact is that back then Leo rented a room to a guy named Seth Lover who hand sketched the big square looking pickup and said "looky here Leo!' watcha think?" Leo said, ain't no way a country........
I aint lyin.
Rob

(Seriously, I have two Squire 51's and love em both)

 

[iansmitchell]

^ that was one ridicolous post.