I don't know much about them...
I don't know much about them...
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VC Squier was a string manufacturing company that Fender bought way back when.
Fender resurrected the brand name in the 80's for their line of imported guitars, designed to compete against the huge number of stratoclones from folks like ESP, Fernandes, Tokai and others. Initially they were from Japan, but they've moved further down the food chain.
Until that time, there were no guitars with the Squier name.
Squier is just a trademark owned by FMIC that they affix to guitars they sell as a second-tier line.
Just like Epiphone is a trademark owned by Gibson for their second-tier. The difference is that Epiphone really was a guitar company at one point. However, current Epiphone manufacturing is no more closely related to old Epiphones than it is to Gretsch or Fender. Probably more closely related to Fender, since I'm sure there's some overlap in manufacturing somewhere.
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
The early '80's Japanese Squiers were also a completely different animal than the current production Squiers. They were high quality instruments that were well respected in Japan, U.K., Canada, etc...
They are becoming rather collectible, especially the "JV" serial number models (they were 'Japanese Vintage' 50's or 60's style re-issue Strats and Teles.) The later "SQ" strat models transitioned into the '70's style with 3-bolt, big headstock designs.
My blonde tele, in my avatar, is an '83-'84 "SQ" MIJ Squier.
"If you're cool, you don't know nothin' about it. It just is...or you ain't." - Keith Richards
The Japanese E series Squiers made from 84-87 are also very nice. They came off the same production line at the Fuji Gen-Gakki factory as all other MIJ Fenders and Ibanez gutiars.
Knowledge is the small part of ignorance that we arrange and classify. -- Ambrose Bierce
I've had a mid '80s Squier Tele and Squier Strat, both black.
They were not tone machines but were very well made, nice playing and sounding guitars.
The Strat was '70s re-issue with big headstock, bullet trussrod and 3 bolt neck.
However, it was flawed in that it's build quality was really great!
A previous owner had brush painted tiger stripes on it and then spray painted black over the tiger stripes when they changed their mind.
The paint wiped off with fingernail polish remover (2 bottles and 3 old socks)exposing the original shiny paint.
I had a black Squier Strat, I bought in the summer of '83. It played OK, but I didn't think it sounded particulary Stratty, so I sold it.
It was, however, way better than my friend's Japanese "Fender" labeled Strat from the same period that had the pot-metal locking whammy found on Katanas.
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
What gets me is the differnce in quality from the early 80's to the modern.
example, the 80's squier bullet is a pretty decent guitar for the money. Compared to the new squier bullet i bought for a student the other day.. It was made with this weird waxy yellow wood, and it wasn't even painted. It was infact Vinyl. But he did get the amp and every thing for 100 bucks so no complaints there.
What about the "Protone" series? I have seen a few of these on Ebay (one very nice looking Thinline Tele) and they appear to have been made with decent wood and finishes. Were they any good? Electronics/pickups etc...?
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I had a Pro-Tone Strat that was very nice.
It was ash with a barely transparent finish and a slim (too slim for me) maple neck with a super thin finish. It weighed about 6-1/2 lbs.
The pickups were low powered with alnico magnets and were very sparkly sounding.
It came stock with full size 500k pots and a plastic bodied switch. Installing 250k pots improved the tone a lot.
Tonally, it was vastly superior to any '80s MIJ Squier that I have played.
For the grand prize: Where was VC Squier located?
A friend in need is a good reason to screen your calls.
So Cal or Mexico?Originally Posted by telecast
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
Great Britain?
Battle Creek, Michigan.
Knowledge is the small part of ignorance that we arrange and classify. -- Ambrose Bierce
That guitar rocks,Cooltone! I had a black one that I sold to a friend of mine---always wanted a blondie.
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Yep, refin...it's a great tele. I recently put some Custom Shop Texas Special tele pups in it and dulled the finish on the neck and fretboard (there goes the collectibility factor :lol ) but man, it plays great, feels great and sounds great. The original pots, switch and bridge plate are all top quality.
Look for those "SQ's" on Ebay, you can still find great bargains!
"If you're cool, you don't know nothin' about it. It just is...or you ain't." - Keith Richards
Findley OH
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MikeH wins! VC Squier was located just outside of Battle Creek, MI. when CBS took over, they moved them into a new facility in the city proper.
For those of you who don't care, Battle Creek is also the home of GHS, and is REALLY Close to Kalamazoo.
A friend in need is a good reason to screen your calls.
Having lived within virtual walking distance to B.C. at one point I had no choice but to recuse myself. :)
You can't buy strings anywhere in B.C. without seeing numerous GHS displays (supporting the local economy and all).
Pro Co. sound is in K-Zoo also, FWIW.
One of the best strats I've ever played was a 'lowly' MIJ Squier. No matter what I tried or offered, the owner wouldn't sell. Can't blame him, either. Some players used to actually prefer the MIJ Squiers to their MIA counterparts back then as well.
Of course, YMMV.
Tone is in the fingers, eh? Let's hear your Vox, Marshall and Fender fingerings then...
New Squiers are back to being quality instruments!
http://fp.jesterstear1.plus.com/Guit...erStrat_SB.htm
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Fender Stratocaster Gilmour tribute 2 - Candy Apple Red / Maple, EMG DG20 pickups
Fender Classic Player 50's Stratocaster in 2 tone sunburst / maple
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Very true. I bought a Squier Standard Tele for a project (I wanted the body) and was very impressed with the whole thing, including the cheap Pups. The bridge has been upgraded along with the tuners, neck, and everything else.
Unfortunately, I'm selling it off because I got back my old AS. I'll end up taking a beating because of the name.
A friend in need is a good reason to screen your calls.
I saw some of the recent Squier Standard teles and strats and thought they had a good neck with decent fretwork. The pups seemed nicer than the MIM counterparts.
I didn't know VCS was in Battle Creek. I knew GHS was there, though.
Didn't Ted McCarty put Bigsby in Kalmazoo, after he bought the company?
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
Strange enough, I'm very impress with that Squier Mini Strat I got for my son. It sounds great, and the workmanship is very good. It even has that plastic insert around the truss rod adjustment hole that I've only seen on the MiM guitars.
All my Squier's before just had the hole cut in the neck wood.
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I just picked up a Squier Standard Fat Tele and it is awesome. It's made in Indonesia *MII*. Very nice, a really big surprise. PUPs and especially the neck are really nice. I had a 5yo Squier Strat with a serial number that begin with CAE and it was not too hot.
I had a white MIJ Squire Strat back about '85 or so. It was a really nice guitar and seemed equal in quality to any other Fender I'd ever played (I'd been strictly a Gibson picker until I bought the Squire). A few years later I bought a MIJ Fender Strat and it was no where near as good a guitar as the Squire had been. The edge of the bridge plate was rough where it hadn't been finished properly before being chrome plated and the tremelo wouldn't return to the same position each time, so every time you used it the guitar would go waaay out of tune. The local guitar tech replaced the springs with some stronger ones so the tremelo returned to the stop each time and that cured the problem, but the point is, the Squire hadn't had the problem, the Fender-branded guitar did. The Squire had better tone, too.
Any of the 80's MIJ Squires are worth a play. I have had a few and all were solid with quality build. I still have an "SQ" strat model. It's a keeper.
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