NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

[Blille]

Fellow Duncanites,

You’ve heard how I was impressed by Squiers recently and that I bought a Deluxe Strat. Well, here it is! It’s a great modding platform.

I wanted a guitar with what I always end up using: two pickups, three positions (bridge splits in the middle position) and a volume knob.

I chose of course my (currently) favorite two pickups: SD SSL-2 for the neck and a SD Hybrid for the bridge. I went with a 500k pot and it’s not too bright for me.

I also added Hipshot locking tuners (super easy) and strap locks. The jury is still out on the bridge. I have it blocked now but I may go with new saddles or a Wilkinson. Soon I’ll add the competition stripe, it’s in the mail [emoji4]

I am really impressed with the guitar. The craftsmanship is great. The neck has an unfinished feel and plays great. For you tonewood enthusiasts, I'm loving the basswood [emoji6]

Not the best pictures but you get the idea.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

Looks more Sonic Blue to me, but that's fine too Love mint HS. Still don't like the Squier unfinished-feeling neck but everyone else does; great guitars.

 

[Blille]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

Looks more Sonic Blue to me, but that's fine too Love mint HS. Still don't like the Squier unfinished-feeling neck but everyone else does; great guitars.

You're absolutely right. Like I said, not the best pics. I need to take a better one tomorrow with sunlight. It's daphne blue, trust me on this one

Thanks! I like how the mint worked out. Between white, aged white, cream, mint, it doesn't always work.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

My daphne blue strat yellowed to a seafoam green

 

[Mincer]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

WOW! Very nice, indeed!

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

The OP's guitar is called Daphne Blue...but it isn't the classic Fender Daphne Blue. Fender/Squier have at times moved famous old color names around to the "wrong" color. For instance, my '94 MIJ Strat, which I bought brand new, is called Sonic Blue. But it is most certainly Daphne Blue.

This is a high quality pic of the OP's guitar model (from Sweetwater):



That is most certainly closer to classic Sonic Blue than it is to classic Daphne Blue. Sonic is a pastel color – a powder/baby blue, i.e. lots of white in it.

Here is what a more classic Daphne Blue looks like (and this is also called Daphne Blue). Daphne is a more saturated color, closer to what most people would call "sky blue." This color is still more pastel than a classic Daphne Blue, but it's the current Fender offering that is the closest.



So, don't be surprised if people say, "That's not Daphne Blue." It is called Daphne Blue, but that's just Fender playing fast and loose with their color naming conventions. It's actually closer to what a classic Sonic Blue looks like.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

i had one of those and it was the least resonant strat I've personally owned, and I was disappointed by the half-finished satin feel of the neck (I ended up sanding mine and spraying clear nitro and working that to satin feel), at the time I was expecting the Fender satin feel like on MIM stuff which is a lot smoother. The 2pt trem felt kinda cheap, felt cheaper to me than the Squier 6pt trem and didn't work much better stock. The nut needed work and the knife edge of the trem is duller and less finished than an american, it just isn't as smooth or stable. Good design, only ok execution.
got it cuz i liked the look, and agree on Squier's "wrong" daphne blue being closer to sonic blue which I also was kinda disappointed there as well when i got mine. Same with the supposedly sonic blue jazzmaster I got, it has a grey-green tinge to it that makes it look washed out and dirty to me. Fender knows that if they nail those colors at that price point it would probably cannibalize sales of "correct" blue fender guitars, they know anyone who wants a classic blue guitar is vain and they want to charge you for that luxury of daphne and sonic blue.

Mine was a dog though, got it from sweetwater so it's my fault for not playing it before committing. Glad yours is working out. I reallly wanted to like the one I had. It was just so dead and metallic sounding even with duncan alnico ii pro pickups.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

No need to point out things ya'll don't like. The OP said it's a good modding platform, which means he knows some things need to be upgraded, and he likes the feel of the neck. Squire has made some positive steps in recent years and plenty of guys around here pimp them out and they're great for what you pay.

Billie, it's great to hear that you found a guitar you like. I think it looks great and I love the mint green with the Daphne or Sonic Blue, whichever it actually is. It all works well together. It sounds like with an upgraded bridge you'll have yourself a great guitar. Make sure to post pics when you get the stripe on. Which way did you decide to put the stripe on?

Congrats!!

 

[shupe13]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

Congrats!

Sent from my REVVLPLUS C3701A using Tapatalk

 

[Blille]

NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

The OP's guitar is called Daphne Blue...but it isn't the classic Fender Daphne Blue. Fender/Squier have at times moved famous old color names around to the "wrong" color.
[...]
So, don't be surprised if people say, "That's not Daphne Blue." It is called Daphne Blue, but that's just Fender playing fast and loose with their color naming conventions. It's actually closer to what a classic Sonic Blue looks like.

Yep, color has moved through the years and models. FTR, this is still more blue than the current sonic blue on an American special for example.

Frankly I liked it better than the white one aaaaaaand that was it [emoji4]

Mine was a dog though, got it from sweetwater so it's my fault for not playing it before committing. Glad yours is working out.

Thanks man, you either got a dog like you said (which is common with cheap guitars) or you were expecting a Suhr lol. There’s definitely less consistency in cheaper guitars.

No need to point out things ya'll don't like. The OP said it's a good modding platform, which means he knows some things need to be upgraded, and he likes the feel of the neck. Squire has made some positive steps in recent years and plenty of guys around here pimp them out and they're great for what you pay.

Billie, it's great to hear that you found a guitar you like. I think it looks great and I love the mint green with the Daphne or Sonic Blue, whichever it actually is. It all works well together. It sounds like with an upgraded bridge you'll have yourself a great guitar. Make sure to post pics when you get the stripe on. Which way did you decide to put the stripe on?

Congrats!!

Thanks man [emoji4]

Frankly I think the bridge is usable but for $50 a Wilkie is a no brainer.

Will do. I’m still torn between putting the stripe the John Mayer way and the classic forearm one. So I bought two decals and if I don’t like the first I’ll try the other lol

 

[Adieu]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

Looks cool, dare say doesn't need a stripe though

How'd you wire it? 3p straight mix in middle, 3p with splitting, or a complex mix of splits and phases on 5p / 7p?

 

[Blille]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

Looks cool, dare say doesn't need a stripe though

How'd you wire it? 3p straight mix in middle, 3p with splitting, or a complex mix of splits and phases on 5p / 7p?

Thanks! We’ll see how it looks like with the stripe. It’s just a decal so it’s easy to remove

3p with splitting.

 

[RorySquier]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

That's a great looking guitar and the body colour is very vintage. I also like the creme pick guard and maple neck. Great score on your axe...Squier guitars really rock.



;>)/

 

[Blille]

NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

And with the competition stripe and the Wilkinson bridge I think I'm done modding for a while. I'll finish the setup and we'll be good to go!

 

[Artie]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

Wow. Nice job. I'm really getting into blue guitars lately. Enjoy.

 

[Mincer]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

All of the mods here are great...and an improvement over stock. A perfect modding platform.

 

[Blille]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

Wow. Nice job. I'm really getting into blue guitars lately. Enjoy.

Thanks! The reason why I started was because I couldn't find a cheap light blue strat with maple neck.

All of the mods here are great...and an improvement over stock. A perfect modding platform.

Thanks! Apart from the stripe, I've tried to focus on the stuff I really use and that makes a difference to me, keeping it simple.

 

[RorySquier]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

It looks real good with the racing stripes and the Wilkinson bridge which is an upgrade. But one thing...the vibrato arm seems to be bent backwards?



;>)/

 

[Blille]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

It looks real good with the racing stripes and the Wilkinson bridge which is an upgrade. But one thing...the vibrato arm seems to be bent backwards?



;>)/

Thanks and good eye! Lol I need to get one

 

[LonePhantom]

Re: NGD: Daphne Blue Squier Deluxe Stratocaster (modded with love)

That is a brilliant looking guitar, and I love the pickup config. Good stuff!