Squier Strat birthday

It has been remiss of me to miss this auspicious occasion!

On 8th Aug this year my Squier Strat has been a member of my family for 30 years.

When I bought it it was harking back on a golden age of guitars i.e. It was modelled on a 1962 Strat and was part of the leave the awful 70s behind us movement of the early 80s. Now you see people paying daft money for 70s Strats many were awful and this Japanese new comer blew them away.  Just cos a guitar is old don't make it good!! It itself is now much older than the age it echoed when new. However still Fender make many classic guitars on a similar theme to this day - the latest from Mexico have period correct finishes which this didn't being a modern more robust type.

I'd have to be desperate in some way now for this to ever leave me.  It is such a part of me even if now I use a PRS more.

Comments

  1. Exile on Pain Street17 August 2013 at 21:27

    You never forget your first Squier. Or your first...awww never mind. I'm not going there.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Twisted Scottish Bastard18 August 2013 at 00:42

    Is there that much of a difference?

    I thought it was the electronics that made most of the noise, sorry, music.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Furtheron18 August 2013 at 11:52

      No no NO TSB! There'd be no reason to have 14 guitars then wouldn't there!! ;-)

      Whilst true the amp and effects have and ... er... effect ;-) the heart of the sound comes from the guitar itself the wood, pickups, construction method - of course plus the players talent, skill and fingers. Hendrix sounds Hendrix on a Strat or a Flying V - however there is a difference, you listen to Voodoo Chile Slight Return - you know it is a Strat but Red House - the Vee.

      A Strat is (normally) Ash or Alder body and a maple bolt on neck with single coil pickups - a Vee (like many Gibsons a la Les Paul, SG etc.) is a mahogany body with a mahogany neck that is "set in" (i.e. glued solidly through a mortice like joint) and the pickups are humbuckers.

      A friend new to guitar once asked me to set up his Fender Tele - and asked me how he could sound like Gary Moore..."What on Still got the Blues?" "Yes" he said. "Buy a Les Paul!" - you'll never get anywhere close with the wrong guitar...

      Now I mostly play a PRS CE22 - mahogany body with maple cap (like a Gibson Les Paul) Humbuckers - like a Gibson but with clever wiring to give some great single coil sounds similar to a Strat and a maple bolt on neck - very odd - they no longer make them, shame a great hybrid and very versatile guitar.

      Delete
    2. Twisted Scottish Bastard20 August 2013 at 19:32

      Thanks for the education.

      Admit it.

      You made up the word humbucker, didn't you?

      Delete
    3. Furtheron20 August 2013 at 19:44

      Ha ha - No I didn't. It is a twin coil pickup where the windings are set up to negate the 60Hz/50Hz hum you can get around main supply. Invented by Seth Lover when working for Gibson in the 1950s... true check it out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humbucker

      Delete
  3. Liz Hinds19 August 2013 at 21:33

    Happy birthday to Mr Strat!

    ReplyDelete

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