Jap Squier Strats

[Lu_B]

I've been a humbucker gal for many moons now but recently I've started to get a little curious about strats and single coils.

Not wanting to blow a load of cash on something I might not like I've pulled the plug on a maple necked, black Japanese, Fender Squier Strat off Ebay for £100 including a hardcase. I'm told its 80's and has a E538236 serial number.

What should I expect? I know you get what you pay for so its not going to be as good as a MIA but what will need upgrading on it?

Cheers

Lu_B

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Jap Squier Strats

You should expect a well made and potencially great guitar with crappy pickups. Replace them with Duncans and you should have a totally professional instrument. You might want to replace the pots and switch too. MIJ or Japanese is perhaps a better term, BTW. WWII is over...

Lew

 

[Lu_B]

Re: Jap Squier Strats

You should expect a well made and potencially great guitar with crappy pickups. Replace them with Duncans and you should have a totally professional instrument. You might want to replace the pots and switch too. MIJ or Japanese is perhaps a better term, BTW. WWII is over...

Lew

I stand corrected, no offence meant to anyone. I was quickly typing the post during my lunch.

 

[Artie]

Re: Japanese Squier Strats

Re: Japanese Squier Strats

From what I've learned since being a member of this forum, I think I'd actually seek out a MIJ Strat over a MIA one, just for the good value.

Like Lew said, with the right Duncans, it'ld be a killer axe.

btw - love your sig. My "band" on Soundclick, is called "All Three Chords". :laugh2:

 

[The JEM Ghost]

Re: Jap Squier Strats

I fully agree with Lew and Artie:Jap Strats are very fine material after some minor upgrades!!

 

[Lu_B]

Re: Jap Squier Strats

What Duncan's should I think of putting in?

Strat players I like and listen to include Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler and Hank Marvin

 

[bert123]

Re: Jap Squier Strats

THere is vault thread that may helpUltimate Strat Tone that has a lot of info on pickups/setup for strat and tone.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Jap Squier Strats

I just put together a strat for my singer using an 80s basswood MIJ Squier body and an 80s fernandes neck, and it's a killer guitar. My main gigging strat is an MIJ fender 57 ri. I think they do great work. As for pus, I reckon antiquity surfers, texas hots or Alnico pros are the way to go, especially for maple board strats.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Jap Squier Strats

What Duncan's should I think of putting in?

Strat players I like and listen to include Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler and Hank Marvin

In that case, all those guys used alnico 5 Strat pickups around 6K or a little stronger. I'd go for a calibrated set of the SSL-1's for vintage accurate tone OR: Antiquity Surfers with the Antiquity Surfer Custom bridge pickup for "vintage/better than vintage" tone. Leo should've been using the Ant Surfer Custom bridge pickup all along! :laugh2:

I love MIJ 80's Squires and own and have owned quite a few.

The SSL-1's and Surfers are my favorite pickups in those guitars for the tones you are describing.

Lew

 

[Lu_B]

Re: Jap Squier Strats

In that case, all those guys used alnico 5 Strat pickups around 6K or a little stronger. I'd go for a calibrated set of the SSL-1's for vintage accurate tone OR: Antiquity Surfers with the Antiquity Surfer Custom bridge pickup for "vintage/better than vintage" tone. Leo should've been using the Ant Surfer Custom bridge pickup all along! :laugh2:

I love MIJ 80's Squires and own and have owned quite a few.

The SSL-1's and Surfers are my favorite pickups in those guitars for the tones you are describing.

Lew

Lew

Any chance of answering a few questions for me.

How important is it to have a calibrated set of SSL-1's? (I'm just thinking I probably can't really afford to change them all at once)

If I change them one at a time what order should I do them in to notice most benefit/difference?

How much would a set of SSL-1's cost me shipped to the UK?

Cheers

Lu_B

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Jap Squier Strats

If you go for single SSL-1's they'll all be the same pickup as there is not bridge, mid or neck version...just a 6.4K SSL-1. Vintage Strats used three identical pickups and the result is ice pick thin tone from the bridge pickup in most vintage Strats.

I think a calibrated set with an overwound bridge pickup is a real plus. So much so that from time to time I've had hotter bridge pickups in my original '63 Strat...though now that I have more than one Strat my '63 is back to 100% stock again.

The SSL-1 can be purchased as singles or as a set. When you get a set, 6.4K is the bridge pickup and then the neck and middle are underwound from that. Or at least that's how Duncan has put together SSL-1 sets in the past. And the middle would be RW/RP for humcancelling when combined with the neck or bridge.

The Antiquity Surfers would be the way to go if you want to order singles. The bridge pickup is wound to 9.5K and the neck and middle are wound to about 6.4K or so.

I'd wait till I could afford a set of three as shipping to the UK with full insurance via Priority Air Mail is between $15 and $20. I only ship fully insured.

Lew