Squire By Fender Stratocaster Made in U.S.A. ...Yeah but when ?

I've got a white Squire Strat with the Serial Number 237930 on a chrome "F" neck plate...Nothing stamped on neck...I can't make out markings on neck bracket except for the last numbers which look like 1084 or 1064 or 1984 or 1964? Were Squires first made in the '80s ? Any advice would be great...I'll see if I can post pictures...Also have what looks like '69 Jazzmaster parts...All kinds of Hardware...I'll post for viewing pleasure...

rodney8486, welcome to the forum

You might find THIS (please click here) informative. It says there for instance that the American made Squires were only produced between 1989 and 1990....

Thanks Slash...Took a look at Squier (Wilkpedia) and found that, as you'd said, Squiers were made in USA for a few months because of Mexican plant burning down...This tells me that my Squier Strat is from between
'89 - '90 but the Serial Number doesn't make sense...Mine is just Numbers with no Letter in front...The USA Squier s/n have a letter in front (ie. "E" for Eighties)which mine don't have...It is stated that USA made ones are Rare...Wonder what Rare means for this particular axe ? I've also got a Jagmaster that I was able to date (2007) by using the site you'd suggested...My Jagmaster is a great sounding guitar...I'm actually amazed that for $210.00 (CDN) how great the action is...Can anyone describe to me the biggest difference between a $500 and $5000 Fender ? I've never had privledge of playing an expensive guitar...Peace Out...

Yes. The lack of the letter before the serial number indeed is a big mystery. I wonder if they keep track at Fender of models with serial numbers they produced. I think someone appointed to such job would be very busy each day (since so many people have questions about the origins etc. of their axe).

I think the difference between a $500 and $5000 Fender mainly lies between the ears Like in 'knowing' one paid a lot of money make the sound seem 'better'.

I hadn't purchased any Guitars, Amps, Effects for a period of about 20 years...Kids ya' know...So, When I went out shopping for New Gear, I was blown away by the quality of new gear for the prices in shops...For a bit under
$ 600 I was able to buy a Great sounding Jagmaster($ 210)& a Line 6 Spider III 30 Watt Amp ($ 225)...I am playing to my cats and dogs mainly but 20 years ago you had to pay a lot more coin for a guitar with half decent playability...I mean, I bought a Zoom H4 4 Track recorder for $ 300 and cannot believe how great the sound is...So...In my mind, spending anywhere from $ 2k - $ 5K for a new guitar...I wondered how much better can you get, in what I consider the 1st and foremost quality, the Action and Tone...I'm now a Danelectro and Squire fan...Sure does the trick for me and I think it would even if I was onstage a couple of times a week...Serial Number ?. I'm just going to fix it up and enjoy it...Thanks Slash...

Yes, you're right. I also found a major improvement in the relation between price and quality since 'days gone by'. But I suppose it's like with cars. One can drive perfect in a car that looks terrific and cost a lot less than driving in a car that has the same qualities but just is supposed to be 'better' because it costs more. "Prestige" kinda, I think

I bet your cats and dogs enjoy your music

Yeah...My audience don't mind guitars...Drums are different story...They love the acoustics of their chow hitting the metal dish...













...

They don't 'sing along'?

What's funny is...When they (3 Dogs) think no one is at home, they proceed into "Singing"...All 3 of them...Howlin' the Blues...Crazy buggers... I'm taking the Squire Strat in for maintainance...Doesn't need any parts except I think the Nut might have to be replaced...Just want best Action possible from it...I've never "experimented" with different strings, but, Do you any recommendations for, best overall type of strings ? I'd like to get that Clean Twang first off...Thanks Slash...have a good one, eh...

Eh eh he They sound like a lovely crazy bunch (those 3 dogs (any photos of them by PM would be appreciated - I'm dog"nut"

Well, now experienced advise for this one, Rodney I haven't experimented with that either. However I can ask around my friends here who are into those things

Yah...Strings and Technology...I read guitar magazines and have to do research on some of the terminology that are used for guitars...Speaking of guitar magazines...I buy a couple 2 or 3 British guitar magazines at a book store and they're very good...Guitar Technique is one of them and Total Guitar...I've tried to upload pictures (I'm going to try again) and haven't been able to get them uploaded...Yeah...My house is full of dogs, cats and guitars...Wouldn't have it any other way...

.My house is full of dogs, cats and guitars...Wouldn't have it any other way...

And that's a great home to live in

Guitar Technique is one of them and Total Guitar...I've tried to upload pictures

Perhaps they're too large? Photos can be uploaded only until a max. size of 500 pixels (unless you upload at the photoalbum).

Hey Slash...That's probably what it is with pictures...I'll try the photo album thing...I took my Squier in for set-up...I saw a set of strings in a package with the "Axis: Bold As Love" album cover, so, went with those...They are Dean Markley 0.10's (I think that's what they'd said) so should work fine...

I'm looking forward to those photos, Rodney Let me know when you place them at the photo album because I think I know how to copy them over here if appearing there.

Let me know how those set of strings are working!

Hey Slash...Tried Uploading pic's with no luck...I'm trying again though...Hope to have my Guitar back tomorrow...

Hey! That's great. Bet you can't wait until it is tomorrow

If you have any troubles uploading photos, please let me know and I will try to help out

Good Day...I got the Squier Strat back from shop...Regular strings on it aren't to bad...Bit stiffer than Medium or Medium Lite...Axe looks real good with nice lower Action, so, easier to play...I'd plugged the Squier Strat into my Crate GX-15 Practice Amp and then the Line 6 Spider III, hammered away at it for a bit, then, plugged in my '59 Dano DC-Pro, wailed on that then my '63 Dano...The Squier Strat sounded kind of, uhmm, tinny with some "crunch" like distortion...Strat is a lot louder with the 3 Pick-Ups...I set all 3 guitars at comparable settings...Both Dano's sounded a lot better...Cleaner, more sustain...Dano Notes and Chords a great tone...I love distortion but Strat is kind of over the top...Too much going on all at once...Strat is great for full-out garage grunge...Definitely an edge to it...My '63 Dano though has same edge only cleaner sounding...I'd got the pictures to the point of where they were being uploaded but uploading just kept going on and on so had to stop...I'll try it again...What kind of Gear you using Slash ?

Wow, that sounds like your Dano is better? (Sounding). Thanks for the detailed 'report' about the comparison. Good to know I think your photo is too large, Rodney. That's usually the problem when not succeeding in uploading. Is it under 500 pixels?

Hi folks, 57 yr old newbie here..back to the USA Squiers...I know a bit about these-
First, they were not made after or because of the fire in Mexico which was in Feb 94 and production restarted there in just 100 days. Best info I can find is that it had to do with a number of changes to Squier production. Around 87/88 Squier production (at least for export) was in a transition from Japan to Korea. There are a few produced in India around that time as well but Korea seems to have won out. Guitars built in Korea during this transition are just like the Japanese versions with roller trees, true sealed back tuners, full block trem and solid wood bodies. I'm fairly convinced they had Japan made parts and supervision at first. Very quickly (by 89) things changed and ply bodies, thin blocks, the classic crappy Korean tuner (still used today!), real weak sealed ceramic pickups became standard. Now we have Fender US, Japan, Korea (India), and Mexico. Again, best infi I have found is that there new contracts to be arranged and while it was sorted out we had a few months of USA Squiers. Note that this is late 89. As far as I know Mexican production started in 91 (Squiers-93).
There seemed to be a bit of a competition going on in 93 between Japan-Kor-Mex. Both Kor&Mex produced a "Squier Series" Fender (a la the first ever Japan Squiers) with a Fender logo while Japan trumped them with the high quality SilverSeries which came in modified 57 or 62 style. Which came first or why I don't know.
Back to the USA Squiers- there are some variations on these( I know of)..prototypes maybe?
ver 1 serial# on the neckplate
ver 2 N9 or N0 serial decal on stock
ver 3 same
The first version had unnamed single screw sealed tuners, the second were Fender branded and the third had screwless American Standards.
The first had a really thin block with 6 thin but full USA length screws that look like Tele pickup screws. The third used a 2-point trem. From what I've seen the latter models used American Standard bodies with full rout.
The first model had a 6 digit serial on the neckplate. The lowest I have seen is 000206. The one I have is 000609. The most significant difference is the body size. This one is 3/16 smaller from strap pin to pin across the top edge and the contour extends from inline with the bridge to about 2" past the strap pin. Makes for a very light and cozy guitar.
This one has a replaced p/g and a new Mexican full block trem. The original pickups are identical to those in my 93 Mex Duo Sonic. Similar to current Mex St but with US spacing.

Thanks Stratman...Great info...Answers my questions...The Serial # on my White Squier Strat, located on the "F" Chrome Neck-Plate is 237930...So, my guitar was built in 1989 in Fullerton, CA...Cool...Interesting you should emphasize the quality of the pick-ups...I seem to be getting a bit of distortion where it sounds "fuzzy"...As noted previously, I'd compared the Strat with 2 other guitars, Actually 3 if you include an Acoustic, run through 2 different Amps...Other guitars don't have any of this "fuzz" going on...Could this be as a result of the pick-ups ? One more thing...I've got a 1969 Fender Jazzmaster neck, Whammy-Bar with plate, pick-ups and other chit from Jazzmaster...Do you think there is a market for the Neck, Whammy-Bar.?.If so, I'd trade those items for something else if it's worth it...Shanti...

Ya that's an interesting serial all right. How do the other parts I mentioned match? ie which kind of tuners and bridge?
Note when you look at mine how the bottom of the upper horn (inner)curve is ovalish. A regular body is more rounded in the corner like the lower horn. It's just a little tighter in there.
69 Jazzm neck?-- on Ebay anywhere from 250 to 800+ depending on condition and who's bidding. Pickups 75-150 ea. Pretty valuable but the 70ish stuff is going a lot cheaper in the last few months.
Your buzz could be string buzz, dirty/worn vol pot or 5 way sw.,input jack or less likely a bad solder joint on one of those components. The stock pickups work ok, they just don't have "good" tone IMHO
By the way, I forgot to mention that aside from some cheap hardware, this is a great playing guitar with a killer 62ish style neck.

Interesting, I started to look up my old white american made squire to see what year it was made and it led me here, to you guys talking about them my serial # is E902826 so I quess it was made in the late 80's I just started playing it after moving to a new house and digging it out of the closet were it sat for 10-12 yrs my finger are sore and arthur as set up in my finger but I can still cord! I like playing the old songs of the my era 60's make me feel young again

Hey Ya'll...I find it interesting that us owners, of these Squiers, are "Products of the 70's"...Cool...Stratmaster...The Chrome Neck Plate from or should I say on, my Squier, has the "F" engraved just below the S/N 237930...I noticed yours didn't have the Fender "F"...I'm wondering if that is even the original Neck Plate on my Squier ? Very confusing...Neck logo does say "Made in USA" but different Plate ? By the way, It is the strings that were giving me that "Fuzz"...Sounds very Cool after getting rid of that...Action too low...Damn Repair guy...It is an amazing sounding guitar...I'd read a review on, I guess 2008, new Squier Strats, Teles and Jazz Bass in a British guitar magazine, Guitar Player ?, and the review says that these Squiers are amazing and that Musicians doing Road Gigs are taking these Squiers instead of valuable Vintage type guitars with them...I like them a lot...My 2 year old Jagmaster is a real nice guitar...The money I've saved by buying Squiers and Danelectros, is going to be put into my long awaited Ludwig (Maple) Kit...Slash...I will get some Photos on one way or another...Any suggestions on whatI need to do to upload ?.Shanti.!.

Hi Rodney,
I could be very interrested by your 69 jazzmaster neck and parts depending of their condition.
Do you have good pictures of them?

Hello JN...Pictures are not a problem but I've had problems loading photos onto this website...Too many pixels and not enough computer savy...Would it be easier to send pic's to your E-Mail address ? Let me know andf I can send you all I've got for show...Thanks JN...RS....

here's my email

jean.nicolas.raymond

@

gmail

.com

Hello J-N...I'll put together photo's and descriptions for you and send by E-Mail...I noticed that the neck just turned 40 years old on March 19th (2009)...Stamping is very visible...Should be able to get 'Report" to you in next couple of days...Shante...RS...

I can't wait to see it.

Hey J-N...Pardon my procrasting..Actually did pic's once only to discover they didn't upload very well to my laptop...By tomorrow my friend...RS...

Don't forget me