Squier made in Japan models?

I`ve seen a Squier strat described as made in Japan. Is this known to be any better than other Squier strats- for example is this likely to have the same relationship to non-Japan Squiers as the made-in-Japan Fender strats have to non-Japan Fender strats? TIA for any info.

The Jap Squiers are damn fine guitars , better than a lot of the US Strats at the time well worth getting Ian

Japanese-made and based on vintage Strats, and they seriously kicked the butts of the American-made Strats for much less money.

headstock and it is listed as a "Squier Floyd Rose Strat". I`ll enquire further...

Well .. I?ve got a SQUIER STRAT and on the back of the stockhead it says she?s been CRAFTED IN CHINA ....whatever that may say about qualitiy ... I?m satisfied with it ....

Jap Squiers are the best by far

Squier Startocasters, and they are *very* nice guitars for the money. (I gave around $300-$350 (used) for mine in excellent condition w/ohsc.)
I still have my MIJ Fender Stratocaster (not Squier) from the 80`s, and at the time, it was better than the bottom line Strats that were being made in the USA. I still find it superior to the Mexican, and some of the USA Strats. In my opinion, the other Asian made (China, Indonesia, etc...) aren`t even worth consideration. I had a Squier "Affinity" Strat not too long ago, it was so bad I wouldn`t recommend it, even to a beginner.

as a second or spare. As ya probably know, the first ones with the serial numbers starting in "SQ" or "JV" are starting to fetch a fair buck these days. jumbo frets on and replaced the pickups (a Seymour Duncan L`il 59 in the bridge, and Dimarzio HS-2`s in the middle and neck). With the HS-2`s, it sounds a bit "darker" and "heavier" that a stock Strat, but it really does match up, or even blow away, a lotta stock USA Strats. I get offers for it all the time. That`s why a MIJ Squier would be so cool to have . . . you could set up the Squier as yer "bright Strat" (ala Dire Straits) and the other Strat as the "heavy Strat" (ala Robin Trower).
IMHO, the MIJ `57 and `61 reissues (Strats, not Squiers) are the best deal in guitars out ther right now. You can usually pick one up for about $400 USD, although the price on those seem to be climbing too. As long as you replace the electronics (the stock pots are tiny, tiny things, and the pickups aren`t all that great), you`ve got one fine axe!
Just MHO as always, of course

the electronics & the stock pups were terrible.. Once I replaced all that stuff, it was quite nice.. Funny, because at the time I was a kid, and all I could afford were the Japanese ones.. Who would have thought that they`d turn out to be so good...

own...i don`t know how old it is...SN is s938728 if this means anything...all i know is that it`s a very versatile guitar, good build, nice colour and great playability...still needs a bit of attention like (like 3 new screws at the nut) but otherwise a good bargain for me, i paid 90 pounds for it...check it out: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/helen.shaw4/guitar/MVC- 001S.JPG

I bought a Japanese Squire strat in 1983, it`s a black body, 57 copy.
At the time I was kind of a metalhead... and I remember reading an interview with Yngwie Malmsteen, in which he said the Squires were "better than the new US made ones..." probably got in trouble for that. I remember the album Metal Heart by Accept lists Squire Strats being used in the liner notes...
I first replaced the bridge and neck pickups in mine with Dimarzio HS-2 and HS-3s. Then I replaced the bridge with a Kahler tremolo, and had the frets replaced with jumbo ones. I`ve got two switches on it, one for series/parallel of the bridge pickup, and one to reverse the phase of the center pickup. With a certain combination of these, I get a real brittle-jangly Rickenbacker sound!
I think it sounds great, been playing it for 20 years and have recorded it on about 100 songs in my home studio. Was previously into metal, now kind of roots rocks, Beatles etc. Is a very versatile guitar.
One bad thing... did a bad routing job when I wanted to put a humbucker in it once... probably makes it a lot less valuable!

My parents bought me my first electric guitar out of the newspaper here in Melbourne when i was 14yrs old.. I'm now 36. It was an '83 Squier Stratocaster, serial SQ05982. 1972 replica. Cost AUS$500 It still has the sticker on the back of the headstock from the original US shop is was bought from. Ace Music, Santa Monica, CA. Its Cream and white. Apparently was originally owned by Kenny Rogers guitarist and he sold it during an Australian tour. Ill never sell it and I've only ever seen a few similar but never the same. Has anyone got an earlier serial number?

SeanOz, welcome to the forum

Please note this thread is of 2003(!)
It is perhaps better to open a new thread about this very interesting topic

I am in awe. A guitar sold by Kenny Rogers guitarist and you were lucky enough to become the owner (thanks to your dad). Fantastic!

hehe yer i know... it was my first post... i was tired...

HI,i have a 1985 squire.igot it in a guitar shop in suffolk,as i was buying they got one from the stock room+it was damaged-crack in the finish-jus the paint work,so i said how much? they knocked me off a blindin 50 % discount+i waddled off with 2 new squires fer less than 150 quid.
That black one the one with the paint finish cracked -is my pride +joy 23 years later it is the finest instrument i have ever owned-should point out i have had a usa strat(they are better 2 look at as many were abused,sadly)a les paul(which i still cannot see why people like,its awkward+just dont feel right).Today on ebay i saw a squier strat from germany £ 1:000 a grand! mine is original+i have a spare white scratchplate+usa pick ups for it(which cost more than the actual guitar lol)it has the odd ding.the crack in the finish which ive resisted t-cutting(i love malmsteens old strat+think the odd flaw tells a lot)i found that the one i kept has the best action ive ever seen-even on a flyin vee gibson.I bought several wesleys on ebay as they arent bad at all-they just need that bit of know how+better pick ups.but as for my strat+yours
Dependant on the obvious-i look at the neck 1st.then sound.the electrics+then the looks.
Even in bits the neck would be 50 quid on ebay ,body anywhere up to a ton plus.
the average price on ebay of true jap models was in the region of 250-275 sterling-i wouldnt sell mine for anythin less than £500+id still moan at that.its far 2 good to sell,it plays to well+guitarist to numbers made ratio doesnt quote highly-the price on these is increasing+in this day +age far from selling id be looking at investing+collecting.but i would start yours in an auction with either a healthy res,or start at 200 quid ,all the best

You'd be better to find a Jap fender Strat....they are superior to the Squiers...better wood and electronics...Squier used a lesser quality wood.....they didn't slack on the Fenders tho....Some of the Mexican fenders ...especially the vintage reissues...are far superior to USA made Fenders as well.......I would drop in a set of Seymour Duncan vintage pickups...to get that "back to the original 60s sound"...I did that with my Fender Precision and Jazz basses....and the sound is incredibly buttery and very warm and has that original vintage sound...a very balanced range too..that later Fenders seem to be lacking..