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MGR/Patrick Sullivan « Squier Strat »
Published on 02/09/04 at 15:00I bought the guitar and a Marshall 30 watt digital effects amp at a local music store (not a huge discounter)- around $200 for the guitar and $250 for the amp.
The Squire Strat is basic- a good beginner's guitar (my level). Despite other reviews here of Squire guitars, it plays well enough (and better than others I've tried) for what its designed to be. Don't expect it to be an $1,800 US made Strat, you're expecting the wrong thing. But, if you don't know whether you're ready to sink even $500 into a guitar, then you're quite well off with the Squire. It will teach you the basics of single coil sound and Strat feel, the fat frets notwithstanding. (leave the 10-guage strings at home- they're not for the Squire unless maybe you really are a Guitar God. Otherwise, the fretting will sound out of tune most of the time because there is too much bend in the string just to get it fretted. Also lock the bridge and lose the whammy bar- that will also help keep it in tune. You can add it back later if you want, but there is a lot you can do without it)
It's modifiable. When you're ready to spend some money, you can move up to a mid-level guitar or modify the Squire (which I intend to do). Since the basic difference between the Squires and the US strats is the quality of the electronics and hardware, change the electronics and hardware. You'll learn more about the instrument than you thought imaginable, and you'll end up with an amazing guitar. Good pickups, Alembic Strat Blaster, new pots/controls (maybe one with a midrange booster), new bridge construction and tuners- maybe a new neck, all for what you'd spend on a new guitar, but you end up with a custom built guitar that you would have coveted anyway.
The fat frets, but that's a matter of changing the strings for a heavier guage. The Squire Strat got me started, and I can experiment with it without tearing up an expensive guitar. I was less impressed with the Marhall, and traded up for a larger Fender. This wasn't a matter of the quality of the Marshall, but of the sound that I want (and it isn't solid state, no matter who makes the amp). As for one reviewer's comment on the lack of sustain- any single coil instrument needs more volume (and power in the amp) to drive it. A 15 watter is a basic learner's amp- nothing wrong there. Through the Fender Princeton I'm using, with the gain on and using the guitar to control volume, I get plenty of sustain. I also get plenty of sustain from the 40 watt Fender Deluxe (tubes again) at the local music store.
Basic, proletarian axe. No, it's not an Eric Clapton Signature Model, but it isn't supposed to be. For what it's supposed to be- good industrial strength beginner level instrument- it's great. And, as I said above, it's all modifiable (and you get to learn something in the process)
For the money, a more than decent guitar (Mom & Dad, keep that in mind when Junior discovers all your old Hendrix or Stevie Ray CDs and begs for a Strat). A few simple modifications (lock the bridge, take of the whammy, 11 guage or higher srings) and you're on your way. And yes, you really can hear differences in the pickup configurations. It will get you to the next level, and if you're that serious about playing you can trade up or customize.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
The Squire Strat is basic- a good beginner's guitar (my level). Despite other reviews here of Squire guitars, it plays well enough (and better than others I've tried) for what its designed to be. Don't expect it to be an $1,800 US made Strat, you're expecting the wrong thing. But, if you don't know whether you're ready to sink even $500 into a guitar, then you're quite well off with the Squire. It will teach you the basics of single coil sound and Strat feel, the fat frets notwithstanding. (leave the 10-guage strings at home- they're not for the Squire unless maybe you really are a Guitar God. Otherwise, the fretting will sound out of tune most of the time because there is too much bend in the string just to get it fretted. Also lock the bridge and lose the whammy bar- that will also help keep it in tune. You can add it back later if you want, but there is a lot you can do without it)
It's modifiable. When you're ready to spend some money, you can move up to a mid-level guitar or modify the Squire (which I intend to do). Since the basic difference between the Squires and the US strats is the quality of the electronics and hardware, change the electronics and hardware. You'll learn more about the instrument than you thought imaginable, and you'll end up with an amazing guitar. Good pickups, Alembic Strat Blaster, new pots/controls (maybe one with a midrange booster), new bridge construction and tuners- maybe a new neck, all for what you'd spend on a new guitar, but you end up with a custom built guitar that you would have coveted anyway.
The fat frets, but that's a matter of changing the strings for a heavier guage. The Squire Strat got me started, and I can experiment with it without tearing up an expensive guitar. I was less impressed with the Marhall, and traded up for a larger Fender. This wasn't a matter of the quality of the Marshall, but of the sound that I want (and it isn't solid state, no matter who makes the amp). As for one reviewer's comment on the lack of sustain- any single coil instrument needs more volume (and power in the amp) to drive it. A 15 watter is a basic learner's amp- nothing wrong there. Through the Fender Princeton I'm using, with the gain on and using the guitar to control volume, I get plenty of sustain. I also get plenty of sustain from the 40 watt Fender Deluxe (tubes again) at the local music store.
Basic, proletarian axe. No, it's not an Eric Clapton Signature Model, but it isn't supposed to be. For what it's supposed to be- good industrial strength beginner level instrument- it's great. And, as I said above, it's all modifiable (and you get to learn something in the process)
For the money, a more than decent guitar (Mom & Dad, keep that in mind when Junior discovers all your old Hendrix or Stevie Ray CDs and begs for a Strat). A few simple modifications (lock the bridge, take of the whammy, 11 guage or higher srings) and you're on your way. And yes, you really can hear differences in the pickup configurations. It will get you to the next level, and if you're that serious about playing you can trade up or customize.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com