New Strat Experience-- Amber Satin Trans Standard Squier

[Sblack]

This guitar was $149.99 at Sam Ash.com. I bought it with the purpose of swapping the neck and keeping the rest stock. The 24- hour outcome was as follows:

• I loved the playability and tone of the guitar.
  
• It played smoothly, the neck profile was perfect for me.
  
• The pickups sounded full and Stratty.
  
• The trem was smooth and kept the guitar in tune with minor use.
  
• However, the Satin Amber Trans color was horrendous. It was more of an electric yellow that highlighted the flaws of the five-piece sandwich body wood.
  
• Every time I looked at the color, it made me feel uncomfortable and was intolerable.

So I decided to exchange it for an Antique Burst Squier Standard.

The Standard Squier Strat (Indonesia) really is an excellent value guitar and every bit a Strat. Even the 70's fat headstock wasn't as much of an issue as I previously thought. The tone of the Alnico pickups oozed Strat and the neck was so smooth, thin, and natural in my hand that I had to upgrade the price ($50.00) and get the Antique Burst, which is beautiful. I will keep the neck on the next one -- it was that good.

I'll post pics when I get the new one.

 

[Robert]

Yeah, the Squiers are great value. It's nice to have a few cheaper guitars - then it's not a heart attack happening if something happens to it. If I actually had a nice Suhr guitar (2-3 grand), I'd be paranoid about taking it to bar gigs! Once I had a drunken biker chick fall on the mike stand, which in turn slammed right on top of my guitar neck. I have a nice "neck dent memory" from that gig...

 

[Sblack]

Yeah, the Squiers are great value. It's nice to have a few cheaper guitars - then it's not a heart attack happening if something happens to it. If I actually had a nice Suhr guitar (2-3 grand), I'd be paranoid about taking it to bar gigs! Once I had a drunken biker chick fall on the mike stand, which in turn slammed right on top of my guitar neck. I have a nice "neck dent memory" from that gig...

I actually laughed out loud when I read this. The drunk biker chick is a classic bar gig tale, Robert. Kudos!

I am all about cheap guitars that play and sound great -- so many bargains out there as you have flawlessly demonstrated many times on your site.

Back to the Squier Strat . . . I am actually debating on keeping the ugly yellow-colored guitar due to its awesome playability and tone. I just can't get it out of my hands. I can always spray paint the body a tolerable color, right?

 

[jasongins]

I am surprised your Amber Satin Strat seems so "yellow." Mine doesn't give me that impression. The neck was fairly bowed when I received it, but tightening the truss rod resolved it and I have since been very happy with it.

 

[Spudman]

Yeah, the Squiers are great value. It's nice to have a few cheaper guitars - then it's not a heart attack happening if something happens to it. If I actually had a nice Suhr guitar (2-3 grand), I'd be paranoid about taking it to bar gigs! Once I had a drunken biker chick fall on the mike stand, which in turn slammed right on top of my guitar neck. I have a nice "neck dent memory" from that gig...

I had the same sort of thing happen when playing for the end of the year employee party in Yellowstone Park, except it was a 260 lb drunk dude. He hit the mic stand which then hit my finger and then onto the guitar neck popping out one end of a fret and leaving a huge ding in the neck of my Ibanez RG450. Ted Kellison of Kellison Guitars in Billings Montana fixed it for me. I still have a mic stand that is permanently bent sort of like there was a goose neck on the top. That was one big mass of drunk man flying through the air. I just wish it would have been me that tossed him.

Not in the price range of a Suhr but it hurts nonetheless.