Squier Deluxe Stratocaster Club

[Platefire]

I'm starting this because I've been looking at this guitar for a long time and finally won a Pearl White on e-bay yesterday. I did several searches and couldn't find a tread for this ax already, so forgive me if there is one existing that I didn't locate.

I've been wanting a solid white strat/blond neck for years but hesitate to buy a American Standard because of the bucks. I'm an old Hendrix fan but at the same time always admired the look of those all white strats he seemed to use a lot. So my aim is to start at the bottom of the white strat chain and hopefully find a useful playable instrument before working up to an Am St.

I've read tons of reviews from it being top shelf wonderful to being a total dog! My SN is ICS09021013 that means it was made at the Cort Factory in Indonesia in 2009. I've been reading that the Quality Control had wavered sometimes leaving ragged fret edges, poor sanding/finishing and even mis-alligned bridges. I got to thinking maybe if I got an older deluxe that would be a time when the QC was more careful before production increased but last night I read when someone had found some 2009 models with some poor finishing on frets and body---so I may of missed it on that assumption and maybe the QC is better now? Anyway I'll just have to see what I got when it comes in

I would welcome you sharing your Deluxe experiences(good or bad) and pixs also. I'm hoping and praying mine turns out to be a good one. I'm a halfway decent guitar tech, so if it's not to far off, maybe I can bring it around. Platefire

 

[RevMike]

They're excellent guitars. A good set up and it'll be a dandy.

 

[Platefire]

Thanks RevMike! Never had a trem with 2 springs. I might have an extra spring around here somewhere if I need it. My Son uses two springs on his strats---so it may be alright.

Have you ever heard of the "DynaGuide" String tree??? I'm thinking about getting this to help the trem return to tune instead of lubing the old standard ones. If you have time, go to this link and watch the video on how it works--pretty smart I think! Except my Deluxe will have two trees instead of the normal one. Platefire

http://www.dynaguide.nl/

 

[Duffy]

Plate, I have a pearl white one of these with a maple board myself, bought new and still in mint condition.


It has great Duncan designed pickups and I'd call it a really nice strat, close or equal to my Classic Vibes.


I really dig this guitar. It looks and feels and plays great, plus sounds great. It is a class act in my opinion.


There are no quality control problems with mine and I don't remember hearing any complaints back then when I bought it several years ago.


I think you most probably got yourself a real nice strat that you will enjoy immensely. Played thru a good tube amp it should sound incredibly good, considering the price they sold for new. It is just a nice guitar in its own right. It is just one of those real nice guitars, regardless of the price.


There are some real nice guitars available that do not cost a lot these days.


Good luck and I'm sure you will have a lot of fun with that pearl white beauty.

 

[Platefire]

Duffy

Thanks very much for the good report! Most everything I've read has been good on the Deluxe. Of course there is always some bad reviews on just about anything but mostly good on this ax.

I build tube amps, so I've got the tube amps covered. I'm a pretty decent guitar tech, so unless the ax has some real problems, I should be able to tweak it just right for me.

I'm with you on finding nice axes at a reasonable price. With this Deluxe when it comes in, that will make 14 including my acoustics. I haven't spent a whole lot of money on them either. Just when a good deal raises it's head, jump on it. I've been waiting for a good used deluxe to pop up on e-bay and it finally did. According to the seller it is like new, never gigged and played only at home very little. Said it's basically as good of condition as it came from Musician Friend in Oct 2009. Platefire

 

[Platefire]

Gosh they finally shipped it. I was about to lose my cool. Paid for it Sunday night and it finally got in the mail today. Platefire

 

[Duffy]

Gosh they finally shipped it. I was about to lose my cool. Paid for it Sunday night and it finally got in the mail today. Platefire

I just got my pearl white metallic one out and polished it up. It is in really good condition. I'm going to look it over some more and put some new strings on and play it. I'm glad I got the pearl white metallic instead of the sonic blue one, especially now that I look back at it. The white pickguard on the white body looks very good. Those Duncan designed single coils sound real good as well.

 

[mudbelly]

I think this is a Deluxe

I think this is what I have. I believe serial number dates it 2005 with Duncan Designed pickups. I fixed it up into a kind of Cooder Caster with a new pick guard and knobs. It's tuned open E and I play slide. I have a 1976 strat I love but usually this is the one I take out for rough and tumble gigs. No one every asked me why I play Squier.

 

[Platefire]

Duffy

I'm also one that babies my ax with a good cleaning and waxing from time to time. I like to keep my axes in new condition. Haven't been into relecing. I've got three strat like axes---my 1997 CIJ 50's Reissue strat, a 1984 Electra/Westone Spectrum X189 and the Squire Deluxe thats on it's way.
I use to have a Peavey Predator International until I traded it even swap for the Spectrum. I'm also a big Tele and Les Paul fan. So get your cotton t-shirt out and the guitar wax---a lot of axes need a bath! BTW--why not post a pix of your deluxe?

mudbelly---Nice Ax! I see you left the Duncan Design PU's on there. You must like them pretty good. I'm wondering how I will get along with them. They are alnico 5, so thats a plus. I play a slide on some songs I do but I just do it with standard tuning/electric. I do have an old 50's Harmony Lap Steel I tune in E but I do mostly country type stuff on that and do the blues slide on the regular guitar.

Thanks, Platefire

 

[mcookoc]

i know of a guy in another thread that will have a squire neck for sale shortly.

 

[mudbelly]

I find that a good description of the Duncans would be "rock like." Fits with a band I'm in now for kind of southern blues rock. If you have some axes with vintage sounds you will probably hear the same thing I do.

 

[Platefire]

I have got a set of Hwy 1 strat pickups. If I decide I don't like the DD, I could try those. I just have a feeling the DD will be OK. Platefire

 

[Duffy]

Duffy

So get your cotton t-shirt out and the guitar wax---a lot of axes need a bath! BTW--why not post a pix of your deluxe?


Thanks, Platefire

Plate, I actually got my pearl white metallic Deluxe out last night and am playing it right now thru my Blackstar HT-5RH and cab. It sounds fabulous. Great pickups. Mine is in good shape and mostly cleaned up. I might polish it up a little and take some pictures today. I also have some other guitars that I should take pictures of, like my Tremonti SE Custom black/grey.


I noticed that my Deluxe feels a bit on the heavy side. I like heavy guitars, so that doesn't matter. I play either laying down or sitting. The HT-5 has a good clean channel and a beautiful overdrive channel, so the Deluxe is fun to play thru it. It scuffs up the drive sound and produces some good tones.


I would have to say that it is probably one of my favorite strats, and I like the two point trem. It goes to show that guitars don't have to be expensive to be very nice.

 

[Duffy]

I have got a set of Hwy 1 strat pickups. If I decide I don't like the DD, I could try those. I just have a feeling the DD will be OK. Platefire

Plate, I "especially" like the DD pickups on my metallic white pearl Deluxe strat. I will not be changing them. They have this cool character of their own. The Deluxe Squiers and the Classic Vibes seem to have very nice pickups in them.


I can't believe I have been letting the Deluxe Squier sit there without being played for so long. It really sounds good thru my HT-5RH head and Avatar two by twelve cab.


I highly recommend the Blackstar HT-5RH head and a cabinet to anyone looking for a real good "stay at home player" type amp. You can crank it up at low volumes (above conversational level) and the amp screams on the overdrive channel, and it sounds amazingly good on the clean channel that only has volume and tone knobs but sounds very three dimensional. The clean channel sounds very good as well, but it I not a Fender clean like you would find on a Blues Junior or DRRI. The overdrive channel is evidently based on the HT-x tube overdrive pedal that you see around now and then. It is a very good overdrive pre-amp with lots of controls and a wide range of sounds. The built in reverb is also really nice. It is a real nice amp for "stay at home" functions like practicing, jamming, and all the other things that happen at home.


I'm presently playing and digging my Squier Deluxe strat.

 

[Platefire]

Hay Duffy

Glad you have re-discovered your Deluxe. Basswood is suppose to be lighter than Alder. Is it neck heavy? Or do neck dives? I don't like that but I've found a good wide strap will fix that.

I've never played over a Blackstar. My Grandson has a 100 watt Blackstar. Biggest amp I got is a Mesa Boogie Rocket 440 and smallest is a Pignose G40V.
At home I've been playing over my Dukane PA head converted to 5F6A Bassman through my homemade 1-10 cab and at Church where I play with the praise band, I've been using my DIY Champ. I was big into tube amp building for about 10 years but kind of slowed down now. Here is a pix of the last amp I built and sold on e-bay plus my DIY Champ. Platefire

BTW--Tracking says my Deluxe was in Jersey City, New Jersey at 9:30 AM, no other tracking updates after that. Should be at about Atlanta GA by now

 

[Duffy]

Oh yeah, I've been digging playing the Deluxe. Definitely sounds great.


It is "not" light. Not light at all. The body looks like full Fender strat thickness too, nothing thin about it. It's a really nice guitar, great neck with a thin finish on the back. I think it is very well made.


Good luck with yours. I'm sure the anxiety is getting intense. I can only imagine the look on your face when you open the box. The metallic white pearl finish is beautiful.

 

[Platefire]

I think I may have got that backwards saying Basswood is lighter than Alder. Alder is harder(denser) and less prone to dings where basswood is softer. What gets me on tracking "USPS" is that I've noticed lately they will enter in the initial receiving/acceptance of the package and after that they don't update it. So all you got is it's on the road somewhere.

Regarding the color, I'm not crazy about aged knobs and parts. Are they very yellowed?

Thanks for sharing your Deluxe info. Platefire

 

[Platefire]

OK, got it in the mail this morning. Man Nice. The previous owner said they had got it from Musician Friend in Oct 2009 and had hardly played it at all and then only in the house. They were telling the truth. This is like brand new. No ding or flaw anywhere I can find. It came with a nice Fender Gig bag. When I tuned it up the strings stretched and stretched and finally stabilized. Either they de-tuned it before shipping or it's never been tuned up to standard tuning. Other things: the switch feels solid, so do the control knob travel action, tuning keys also feel solid/tight, the action is pretty near spot on for me, the tremolo seems to be set up correct to floating, the two springs feel good to me, the body feels well balanced with no neck diving, not heavy, pickups are sounding good so far as I'll be in the testing stage for a little while to see what needs tweaking. The only negative thing I found so far is I had problems a couple of times accomplishing some of my normal bends I think because the string tension seems a little tight on the e, b & g strings. I know on a floating strat tremolo you have to tighten the spring on the 1,2 & 3 strings more than the spring on the heavier 4,5 and 6th strings in order to balance the spring tension on the smaller strings. That may not have been done on initial set up?! I'll just will have to play it more and try to get acclimated to it before I make any set up decisions. All and all it's everything I had hoped for, so I'm really happy. Always wanted a solid white strat like this and I'm really pleased with its looks and cosmetics. Thank you Jesus and here is some pixs. Platefire

 

[Duffy]

I'm starting this because I've been looking at this guitar for a long time and finally won a Pearl White on e-bay yesterday. I did several searches and couldn't find a tread for this ax already, so forgive me if there is one existing that I didn't locate.

I've been wanting a solid white strat/blond neck for years but hesitate to buy a American Standard because of the bucks. I'm an old Hendrix fan but at the same time always admired the look of those all white strats he seemed to use a lot. So my aim is to start at the bottom of the white strat chain and hopefully find a useful playable instrument before working up to an Am St.

I've read tons of reviews from it being top shelf wonderful to being a total dog! My SN is ICS09021013 that means it was made at the Cort Factory in Indonesia in 2009. I've been reading that the Quality Control had wavered sometimes leaving ragged fret edges, poor sanding/finishing and even mis-alligned bridges. I got to thinking maybe if I got an older deluxe that would be a time when the QC was more careful before production increased but last night I read when someone had found some 2009 models with some poor finishing on frets and body---so I may of missed it on that assumption and maybe the QC is better now? Anyway I'll just have to see what I got when it comes in

I would welcome you sharing your Deluxe experiences(good or bad) and pixs also. I'm hoping and praying mine turns out to be a good one. I'm a halfway decent guitar tech, so if it's not to far off, maybe I can bring it around. Platefire

I think you lucked out here Plate, in a major way. No swirls in the finish of scratches? Wow. This guitar has been around for quite a while and is in almost new condition from the way you describe it.


It looks just like mine. Mine is in good shape too, but I play it and it is frequently leaning up against the wall or other guitars by my amp. It is rigfh here right now. I'm presently playing a Peavey Generation EXP vintage burst traditional tele (sounds good too). But I will be playing the Deluxe again soon and maybe even put new strings on it.


Congratulations. Mine does bends really well.

 

[Platefire]

Hi Duffy

Thanks! It's bad when you keep staring down your guitar. Thing looks lovely.
I told the wife, we're going to jam tonight. She plays piano with me on our Praise music. I use one of those Digitech JamMan Loppers into one channal of the PA system with all of our backup tracks recorded on it(about 40 tunes)--drums, bass, rhythm guitar--they work cheap

Yes the guitar is as good as if it was shipped straight from Musicians Friend--maybe even better--but $100 less. So as far as condition I'm really blessed it is even better than expected. So far it's not feeling as comfortable as my CIJ Fender strat, so I'm trying to figure what I may need to tweak to bring it around. May take a little getting use to, to figure it out. It's pretty close right now but not perfect. No guitar at first ever is just right for my taste. I'm pretty picky of what I like. Just usually takes some fine tuneing. The CIJ strat did and this one will too. Platefire