Squier history?

[Trigger_Hare]

Hiya guys! My friend and I have been debating the date of his very old and very weathered Squier P Bass for a little while now, and after a few websearches and coming up with nothing, I figured I'd ask for your advice. When did Squier start making offshore guitars and basses? I know they've been made in Japan, Korea, Indonesia and China, but I can't find out when they were for each country... If you kind folk could send us in the direction of some information on the subject, or have some other helpful info for us, it would be great to settle this friendly debate.

Thanks!
Trigger

 

[Tim Armstrong]

Seems to me they started in the early 80s in Japan, then later 80s-early 90s in Korea, then briefly mid-90s in Mexico, then since late 90s in Indonesia and China.

Do you have a serial number?

Cheers, Tim

 

[Trigger_Hare]

Here it is!

S903615

My buddy claims that it's a '78 because he ran it through a "Date your US made Fender instrument" engine thing, but I'm 100% positive they didn't make Squier 'til at least '82...

help! lol

 

[Tim Armstrong]

Hmmmm....

S9XXXXX serial numbers on Fenders could mean anything from 1978 to 1981.

Maybe it's a Squier neck on a Fender body?

Where is the serial number?

Cheers, Tim

 

[Harvey]

Squier

Fender didn't make anything outside of America until '82 when they started making stuff in Japan. So your Squier is definately not from 1978 unless it is an American made bass.

 

[Tim Armstrong]

My buddy claims that it's a '78 because he ran it through a "Date your US made Fender instrument" engine thing, but I'm 100% positive they didn't make Squier 'til at least '82...

Key words: "US made Fender"!

I'm just about positive that Squiers weren't ever US made instruments. That serial number is for a Fender, not a Squier. That's why I suggested that perhaps someone put a Squier neck on a Fender bass...

Is the serial number located on the neck plate, or is it up on the headstock?

Cheers, Tim

 

[Trigger_Hare]

Sorry for taking so long to reply...

The headstock contains three things: Squier, Made in Korea, and the serial. This base had three owners and we know two of them personally. While they both said they didn't change anything on it, neither know the exact age of the bass or any other useful information...

[edited because I'm an idiot ]

 

[Tim Armstrong]

Well, that certainly simplifies things! Squiers were made in Korea in the late 80s and early 90s, so that's roughly when the bass was made. I did a Google search on MIK Squier serial numbers, and it seems they make no sense, aren't usable for dating an instrument...

Cheers, Tim

 

[martini]

According to Fenders own records, Squier by Fender commenced production in early '82.

I bought my own JV Jazz in feb/March of that year.

A general guide to the Japanese serial numbers is below:

JV ***** '82-'84 I ****** '89-'90
SQ ***** '83-'84 J ****** '89-'90
E ****** '84-'87 K ****** '90-'91
A ****** '85-'86 L ****** '91-'92
B ****** '85-'86 M ****** ' 92-
C ****** '85-'86
F ****** '86-'88
G ****** '87-'88
H ****** '88-'89

Fender Japan have mentioned that the prefixes A,C and G have been used beyond the official production lists so the need for caution when dating an instrument is paramount.

 

[ravindave_3600]

Jazz....

Not to steal your thread, but I played a new squier jazz bass at GC yesterday. I was pretty impressed! It's not a world-beater, but it's pretty darn good for $229!

I'm giving lessons to a friend, and he's thinking about buying it. If no one says otherwise, I'm going to tell him to go for it.

 

[martini]

If the Squier plays ok then go for it. It may be wise to set some money aside for a pickup upgrade though.

 

[telefreak]

I've just got a Korean Squier P bass, a bullet bass to be precise.
No idea about it's origins, headstock looks like this though
image removed[/img]

 

[weelie]

I think that bass looks like a japanese one... from around 1983-84.

And Squiers have been made in the States too, for a year or so. Around 1989-1995, don't remember the exact year.

For dating Squiers etc:
(link removed)

 

[Tim Armstrong]

I'm with weelie on this, pretty sure if it's a Squier Bullet Bass, it probably isn't Korean-made. Unless, of course, it says "Made in Korea" somewhere on it!

Bullet basses were originally USA-made, with a non-contoured Precision-like body, and leftover Mustang Bass pickups (Bullet guitars and basses were originally designed to use up leftover parts from the discontinued Tele Bass and Mustang lines, mating them with Tele, Strat and P-Bass bodies and necks).

The MIJ ones were pretty similar, but branded Squier instead of Fender.

Cheers, Tim

 

[telefreak]

It says made in korea on the headstock.
The pickups have ceramic magnets so it doesn't seem like a particularly high spec instrument, it's got a nice body and neck but cheap hardware

 

[Tim Armstrong]

It says made in korea on the headstock.

Glad I qualified myself, then!!!

I have to admit that I know nothing about it, then.

Cheers, Tim

 

[Dave W]

Re Trigger_Hare's original question, there's no way a US Fender dating chart has any relevance to any Korean-made Fenders.

I'm no expert but IIRC Squiers were made in Korea from about 1993-94 until about 1999-2000.

 

[telefreak]

Hmm, can you think of anyone/anywhere that would know? I'm quite curious about it.

 

[weelie]

Here it is!

S903615

My guess is S=Samick and 90=year (or 9=1989).

 

[telefreak]

I found the serial number for my bullet bass (I got the bass as a box of bits) it's on the neck plate
E731881
If it were Japanese it'd be 84-87, but I've no idea what it means for a Korean squier