Squier Telecaster (Made in Japan)

Squier Telecaster Japan 1986 (Series E) appears to be a reissue of a series of rare American Telecaster in the mid-70 equipped with a bridge (quite heavy and thick you it seems) "top load" (no strings traversing) with a jumper by rope, good news to set the intonation. Rosewood handle and otherwise in accordance with a standard Tele (2 single pickups, volume, tone, 3-position selector).

UTILIZATION

Channel excellent (relatively thin C shape quite similar to the sleeves of US Tele 70's) and very well done with mechanical origin of sufficient quality (Gotoh type quite common on Japanese 80s). The varnish vintage white poly is a bit thick for my taste (often the case on the Japanese), but still flawless and beautiful after 26 years. It's pretty hard to know what stuff is made the body, by removing the handle to discover the unvarnished parts I could identify what I believe to be of alder, but I could be wrong. In any case it sounds like it should do and is in the average weight issue (just a little heavier than a standard Tele recent US alder).

SOUNDS

Needless to describe the sound of a Telecaster, it is no exception to the norm.
While at the base, I thought that because of his humble origins, it would leave more to be desired that her cousins ​​USD. Especially because of its famous bridge "top load", which in my mind would not sustain as many as editing traditional through-string. This is not so! Question sustain, it's all the same! I also thought that the microphones would necessarily be worse than their US. Not at all! The bridge pickup is surprising bite and efficiency, it's a great mic Telecaster which is mounted on it! It bears comparison with a Fender Custom Shop '52 US is to say! In fact, I'd find another one like this. However the neck pickup does have a output level slightly lower than usual, but compensates for this weakness by its much more flattering and smooth over US versions (standard course) that often have an unfortunate tends to be a hint "muddy." But these differences in output level between the two microphones was a bit a problem, so much so that I spent some time to adjust properly the heights of the microphones for a proper balance in a central position. But now it is a pure delight.
Vox AC15 in a good year (with HP that go) is cantankerous, twang it, sings it with ease, it can even be pretty nasty ... In a Fender Deluxe 60 years, it becomes downright Steve Cropper!

OVERALL OPINION

Purchased $ 200 (shipping included) in 2001 to a seller on Ebay Japan, a pittance. It was clearly a guitar that was played very little, she was probably 15 years of stay in a closet in fact. So she needed a good makeover before being quite playable, the action was catastrophic, it was wrong, in short, it took just re-adjust ... But it was worth it! And have left absolutely and totally original.
Despite my well stocked collection of guitars (+ 30 !!!), I am not ashamed to say that this guitar, however, after a line in the low-end pedigree (I remember that in the years 80/90 , nobody wanted those shovels!), is now one of my favorites, although I also have a Tele US equally formidable but too young for my taste (I am among those who think that a scratch becomes mature after 10 or 20 years old, as the booze). But news travels fast and I'm not the only one on the vintage Japanese squint to see the price they can reach today. A model similar to mine can easily be exchanged against more than € 1000 following his state! But small clarification though, there is now a kind of snobbery that wants the Squier SQ series are better than the following series (the E and A), they are rubbish! The SQ is just the first series (82-85), series E and A (85-89) were manufactured by the same people in the same workshops with the same wood and the same components with the same finishes! Subsequently (after 89) is indeed different, the Squier Standard (Japanese of course) being lowered.
The value for money? Uh ... Fantastic, but not sure how to do the same today, considering the price of these things right now ...

Squier SQ Telecaster Made in Japan, 1983,
Saddle sleeve 21 frets,
Two simple
Bridge chrom six bridges,
Rglage classic tl: Tone that I use nothing, volume, same remark slecteur three positions, trs troubling because for twenty years I wonder what is the best of the three, which gets a bit boring force. In short, an unnecessarily complex guitar at the electronics.

UTILIZATION

The neck is normal, is that a little over some pais sleeves strat ultra-thin (and ultra-rare). It is usually enjoyable. It arsist 24 years of intensive work in all conditions, not to mention transportation, guitar wrapped in a blanket, storage cellar, what horror. The frets are sacrment uses, as the nut (brass, original). Access in acute is sufficient. Remember that a lot of guitar heros have a tl utiliss during their begins CF career! Ergonomics is worse than that of a stratum, at the body. Push it under the body.
The sound? I changed it against an old US strato SERIES limit "antigua" of 79, and I did not lose the changes (except financirement, although sr!). To easily get a good sound, just plug the cable into the jack that ingnieurs Fender had the trick to install in the body.

SOUNDS

This guitar should all styles of music, except perhaps to hard rock, and more ... In any case, it is a rock guitar trs, trs punck, trs blues too, and jazz, funky and also rev ... But it is primarily a rocker. Well, I think I made the rounds.
I used successively on vintage fender deluxe reverb, then sessionnette 75.
This gives the sound you want ... It is always good.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it since 1990, as I break or sells a stratocaster.
The particular feature I like most is the versatility, the vintage sound, power. The face she APRS 24 years of various adventures. The particular feature I like least is that my wife wants me dbar, because it is so full of holes it makes spot in the lounge. It can still run!
The ratio quality-price boom. With exprience, I would do this choice, but given the low rating, I would buy instead of change against a bad guitar trs CHRE like dernire time.

Of course, the overall opinion is excellent.

Squier Telecaster Japan 1985 "(Series E)
Channel 21 vintage frets maple,
Bridge "top-load" (no strings traversing) with six bridges: damage to the look but not sustain that is the appointment,
Black body with white cover plate 1 fold, 5 holes.
Telecaster standard settings.
I changed the mechanics for Shecter 20 years ago ...

UTILIZATION

The neck of the guitar is very nice, fast for a guitar of this age, the string height is low. The pea is 3.5 Kgs. The finish of the body is of quality. I would have preferred sunburst or cream in 85 but obviously, there were only black (other colors ever seen on the net).
The hardware and electricity has not changed in 20 years but this guitar has hardly been the stage and rehearsal (I bought it just before you stop!).

Otherwise, it's a Telecaster with its intrinsic qualities and faults.

SOUNDS

A super versatile enough guitar (blues / rock to pop to funk). Like any Telecaster, ideal for crunch or funky rhythms. Not so ridiculous that it's very saturated in even if it is not his favorite.
The neck pickup provides beautiful sounds warm and round (you can even delude the jazz, if not the look!), The micro acute is comfortable for the rhythmic funk and the rest, medium position in crunch provides the full range of sounds of British rock that I like!
I like the comparison with a standard and a Mexican American to see. I never had the chance.

OVERALL OPINION

I bought this guitar in 1989 1500F used a guy who told me it belonged to a beat-up guitar of the mouse. I was not in a U.S. music and ducks praised the quality / price Squier Japan that cost half the price of American. There was not much on the second hand market. I jumped on it.
Since I tried to sell it (once to buy a strato U.S. I have not kept it ...) but 10 years ago nobody wanted. Now it is rather sought!
I have no regrets, it's fate, it is attached to me and I her. So I keep for my future back on stage amateur rock!
Often hesitate to trade their pickups for fender U.S. but I'm afraid to spend a lot of money and not earn much! Must be compared carefully before.

Finally an excellent Telecaster for cheap, much better than it seems Mexican. Look carefully and with patience, we can find OCCAZ for € 300. Go for it!