Rank: Newbie  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/5/2011(UTC) Posts: 9 Points: 27
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Does anyone have a Fender (black logo) Strat Squier Series MIM? I found one at the local pawn shop the other day. Felt really nice. Couldn't tell too much from the pickups on the crappy amps they had. Talked them down to $100, but didn't pull the trigger yet. Saw one on ebay go for 180 the other day. I'd never heard of these before. Any comments?
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Rank: Guitar God Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/5/2009(UTC) Posts: 1,312 Points: 3,960 Location: Northern Tier, EEUU
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Fender put out their "Squier Series" Strats back in 1982, MIJ. The "Fender" script logo is big, black-outline silver with the "Squier Series" in smaller script up on the knob. In 1983 they changed around, with "Squier" prominent & "by Fender" in smaller letters. The 1982 made a pretty big splash & was very commercially successful, proving that Fender could cut costs without diluting quality.
I've seen a few of the MIJs over the years & rather liked them. Well, they're Fuji-gen, after all.
Things get messy after that, & besides MIM I've heard that there's MIK "Squier Series" Fenders out there.
All in all, if someone brought a Fender Strat (even subheaded Squier) into my shop, I'd offer a bit more than for a standard Squier-branded Strat. (Though I do have a personal hankering for a black-head Squier Strat...) Barring any serious damage, $100 is IMO a good deal.
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Rank: Guitar Hero  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/8/2010(UTC) Posts: 223 Points: 681 Location: Oz
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Originally Posted by: Tony Raven  Fender put out their "Squier Series" Strats back in 1982, MIJ. The "Fender" script logo is big, black-outline silver with the "Squier Series" in smaller script up on the knob. In 1983 they changed around, with "Squier" prominent & "by Fender" in smaller letters. The 1982 made a pretty big splash & was very commercially successful, proving that Fender could cut costs without diluting quality.
I've seen a few of the MIJs over the years & rather liked them. Well, they're Fuji-gen, after all.
Things get messy after that, & besides MIM I've heard that there's MIK "Squier Series" Fenders out there.
All in all, if someone brought a Fender Strat (even subheaded Squier) into my shop, I'd offer a bit more than for a standard Squier-branded Strat. (Though I do have a personal hankering for a black-head Squier Strat...) Barring any serious damage, $100 is IMO a good deal. Yeah sounds good. I'd grab it for that price. I have a Fender MIK Strat! an 88 Standard! Has NO Squier's written anywhere on it but i bought it NEW for a Squier price!
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Rank: Rocker  Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/5/2010(UTC) Posts: 64 Points: 192 Location: Central Colorado Mountains
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I've got a '93 Fender (Silver Fender logo w/serial # and MIM under)Stratocaster with "Squier Series" where the "contoured body" usually goes. I guess first year MIM after Japan. Floyd Rose HSS. The HSS were taken out and replaced by a DiMarzio Evolution and two of the TR1s(cool rails type), 1V, 1 T. Very nice frets and the rosewood FB is a little thinner than the usual strat. I paid 250, rather than buy a new FR Strat MIM for 700.  Here is one on ebay, a '94 with photo flame (mine is black with black PUs on white PG); http://www.ebay.com/itm/...amp;hash=item43add42706
From further comments, I found that the "Squier Series" that moved from Japan kept up the high quality standards--at first. Then discontinued, and by '95 Mex strats were well below American quality. The Squier II by Fender was started in Korea, and also of lesser quality until the early 2000s when the Squier Standard was made better than the Mex Fenders (in Indonesia). Then the Mex Fenders went up in quality around 2004. The '95 Squier II went for $150 and the Mex strat went for 200. When the Squier Standard came out with decent frets finally, they were 200 and the Mex ones still had bad frets for 250. Then they improved them for 300,(while the USA Highway 1 came out at 500) then 350 (with the Hwy 1 up to 600). I don't see why people scratched off the Fender logo "Squier Series" when they were higher quality than the rest of the Mex strats. I suppose because Squier logo was the lower end for so long, especially with their Squier STRAT Affinity series and "Bullet" series (which have improved lately). | | Up the Irons! |
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Rank: Rocker  Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/30/2009(UTC) Posts: 51 Points: 153 Location: NYC
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Rank: Guitar God Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/5/2009(UTC) Posts: 1,312 Points: 3,960 Location: Northern Tier, EEUU
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I've seen that "scratch-out" trick done dozens of times; I figure they're trying to increase resale value. I wanna say "c'mon -- you're not foolin' anyone." It actually cuts the value a notch, as it's down-to-wood damage.
Yeah, at worst they offer an excellent platform for mods or upgrades, often far cheaper than a discount current Standard.
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Rank: Shredder  Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/8/2010(UTC) Posts: 125 Points: 378 Location: Menlo Park, CA
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I learn something every time I come here.
I have a '94 MIM Fender Strat - silver and black logo - but with no "Squier" markings. Serial number MN4xxxxx. It was my first non-American Strat, and I was *really* surprised by it. Still have it in excellent, original shape.
I had no idea that there was also a Squier Series that was MIM and carried the Fender logo at the same time. I'm assuming that there was a quality and price difference at that time. I'll keep a lookout for the distinctions in the future.
I've heard from numerous acquaintances that the early '80s MIJ Squiers punch way above their weight class, but have never heard commentary on the MIM's.
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Rank: Guitar Hero Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/8/2010(UTC) Posts: 223 Points: 681 Location: Oz
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Originally Posted by: Swamp Yankee I learn something every time I come here.
I have a '94 MIM Fender Strat - silver and black logo - but with no "Squier" markings. Serial number MN4xxxxx. It was my first non-American Strat, and I was *really* surprised by it. Still have it in excellent, original shape.
I had no idea that there was also a Squier Series that was MIM and carried the Fender logo at the same time. I'm assuming that there was a quality and price difference at that time. I'll keep a lookout for the distinctions in the future.
I've heard from numerous acquaintances that the early '80s MIJ Squiers punch way above their weight class, but have never heard commentary on the MIM's.
The old MIJ Squiers, were EVERY bit AS good as MIA Fenders. I had several guitar playing mates who had early 80s Squier Strats that were MIJ! They'd stand up to anythin made MIA or MIM! had great hardware and pickups as good as US made 1s! Sounded and played great!
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Rank: Rocker Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/30/2009(UTC) Posts: 51 Points: 153 Location: NYC
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i happen to have a 1983 MIJ Squier. From the SQ series.  it was pretty heavily modded by a previous owner. when i got it it had Sperzel locking tuners, EMG SA noiseless pickups, and Wilkinson tremolo. i kept it that way for about 15 years, but recently put some alnico pickups in it. a sweet Strat for sure. unfortunately, just today a part of one saddle broke off and the guitar is unuseable until i fix the problem. :(
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