Squier Vintage Modified Strat HSS [2007-2011]

The Squier Vintage Modified Fat Strat is another design that is based on a "modified" guitar. For many years people took their Fender Strats and put humbuckers in the bridge position to fatten up the tone for rock music. This guitar pays homage to that in a modern and affordable format. It's got an Indian Cedro body, a maple neck with rosewood fretboard and 21 frets, standard chrome tuners, a 6 screw fulcrum tremolo unit and three Duncan Designed pickups. Two are single coils, and in the bridge there is a hotter humbucker, reminiscent of the hotter pickups that were installed in many Strats in the seventies and eighties. It's basically like a typical Strat that's had a high output humbucker installed in the bridge position for some real raunch, much like was done back in the day.

UTILIZATION

The design of this guitar is reasonably ergonomic. I found this model to be a bit heavier weight wise than I would've liked or expected in a Strat, so it might not be my first choice for a live guitar. That being said the contouring is a nice thing to have, and the neck has a good satin finish. The fret ends could use a little work, but they weren't as bad as some of the other Squiers I've tried. The upper fret access is as good as it's going to get for an unaltered 4 bolt neck joint.



SOUNDS

The tones out of this guitar were pretty cool. The pickups Squier are getting from Duncan seem to be hit or miss, but this guitar makes good use of them. The single coils are nice and jangly sounding as a Fender should be. The neck pickup in particular has a nice bell-like chime to it that I found really excelled through a clean amplifier. The stock humbucker is definitely hotter than the other pickups and works best when used with a bit of drive for classic or hard rock tones. It has a nice bite to it and is surprising given the price. Overall I think the guitar is great sounding but leans towards sounding better for drive tones just because of the humbucker that is used here.

OVERALL OPINION

All in all I think the Squier Vintage Modified Fat Strat is a great deal for someone looking for a reasonably priced fat strat that can really rock for not a lot of cash. The gun metal finish is really cool, the feel is nice and slick, and the tones have a lot of punch to them. The quality control isn't 100% up to par, but with a bit of minor work setup wise, you could have yourself a truly cool tricked out Strat that would really scream.

- Made in Indonesia
- Basswood Body
- Bolt-on maple. Form "C"
- 21 medium jumbo frets
- Vintage-style synchronized tremolo
- 3 knobs: 1 volume and 2 tone for single coil
- Bridge Pickup Duncan Designed humbucking HB102B
- Micro central Duncan Designed SC-101 single-coil
- Neck Pickup Duncan Designed SC-101 single-coil
- Vintage Mechanical

UTILIZATION

The handle is in good overall. Fast, but acute cases are not easy to access because it is screwed.

SOUNDS

I often play in clean with a Fender Mustang II, the sound is provided by the strings (9/42). We must move to a higher pulling. 10/46 for example.

OVERALL OPINION

It's been almost a year since I played with this guitar is my first electric. When I put it in the hands of my teacher, I noted that the tone knobs did not work and she roared. I returned to the store where I bought it. The seller-opens between the plate and make a phone blower in the knobs. And then a cloud of dust and filings escapes. Later, when changing strings, I open the pickguard. And then, horror vision. The welds were made like a marmoset. The insulation of the son was, in places, burnt at least 1cm. In addition, they were oxidized. As I am good handyman and electrician as I was editor among other things, I redid all the wiring for a more efficient. Changed the knobs for better (to 24mm), the selector for a Super-switch, pickguard for another 3-ply black-pearl, mechanical for oil bath (because they are struggling to keep the agreement) with addition of 2-string guide because after passing through the hands of a luthier to adjust the mechanical action were higher than the saddle. I screened all the copper sticker. The bridges sheet origin is not supporting the upper pulling starting to slouch, I caused myself to change for other thicker graphite. And as this was not enough, I had to put a contact washer to prevent the jack from unscrewing.

Total: + or - € 200 to pay for parts in addition to the purchase.

Now she walks the "Fire of God". She is unrecognizable and can compete with other skyscrapers brand higher price.

I hope I'm wrong fell as if all production is of the same quality it promises!