Squier '51 Vintage Modified - Yeah!

[Tone2TheBone]

Have any of you Squire '51 players had any issues with the bridge? I read somewhere that some people were complaining that there wasn't enough angle on the bridge to keep the strings taut against the saddles?

 

[Spudman]

I found a pretty cool photo of a modded 51. Check it out!


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/johnnydeformed/Squier 51/May04182.jpg

 

[tremoloman]

Welcome guitartech!

Yes, my saddles kept buzzing. Some people recommended using loc-tite, but I opted to swap the neck & electrics to a spare MIM Strat body I had lying around so I could have a tremolo bar. Hey... I gotta live up to my name you know...

I'm really eager to pickup a used 25.5" Jagmaster to mod... if I could only find a cheap one used. All the new models use the 24" scale that I loathe.

Take care y'all!

 

[Matt]

hey all, noob to the forums but thought i would post some stuff on the old squier '51.

got it as a birthday present form my dad, and thought it was cool but frustrating with the lack of a tone knob. also, there was a large part of me which thought it was ugly as sin and so i favoured playing the Vintage VS6 i got for doing well in exams. but lately ive come to realise that the VS6 is sort of toneless, and not as nice to play. so i've returned to attentions to the '51 and seen it in a new light.

Pros: sounds great! it really does, it has so much more character than the VS6! the neck is also fantastic, and ive never had any of the rough fret problems that seem to mar these excellent guitars. Ive also come to love its unique look.

Cons: As i mentioned, the lack of tone knob can be a little frustrating. there are times where the bridge is just too bright. I know rolling off the volume a bit can solve this a bit, but there are times where i dont want to comprimise the output. also, mine seems to go out of tune quite easily, especially on the b-string, so new tuners are probably in order. Also, there is the odd time where i want a 22nd fret, but bending can solve that

I'm thinking about installing a tremelo system onto it (well, get someone to do it for me). anyone else doen this? just want to know of the results.

regards

Matt

 

[Justaguyin_nc]

I am also thinking about swapping out the tuners..Will the Fender Schaller-type fit right in place? would they work fine or opt for the locking tuners while I am at it? As for the bridge.. whats the easiest fix? String thru does not seem like an option for me.. what would be a good replacement that would fall in place without leaving a sign behind?

 

[Justaguyin_nc]

the Fender Schaller-type made in USA they sell all over E-Bay is not a replacement for the 51.. got them for a tele... checked it against the 51 seeing it was time to change strings... wow those USA tuners are tight.. the stock ones on my 51 had about shook themselves apart... I tightened them down before putting on the strings.. shook the shafts and they are so loose.. sloppy tuners for sure.. so.. whats the option for the tuners in drop-in swap and replace?

Something else I noticed.. I guess this happens to all guitars... going from 9's to 10's I assume has put more pressure on the bridge.. the rattles are gone.. ofcourse the action got higher with the new strings and adjustments had to be made for that and intonation but that didn't seem to be a problem and low action with no buzz is working fine, since then no rattles (crossing fingers)...

Tightening the tuners have made for longer spells between tuning but not that much longer.. sigh..

 

[marnold]

also, mine seems to go out of tune quite easily, especially on the b-string, so new tuners are probably in order.

Check the nut to make sure that the b string isn't binding up there. That can lead to all kinds of unpleasant tuning problems.

 

[Spudman]

I have had my 51 for 4 weeks now. It still has the factory strings on it and guess what? It never goes out of tune. I'm amazed! I guess I got lucky with the tuning issues on this one.

NEWS FLASH! Musicians Friend just sent me a flyer and they have Squier 51's in all colors at $129.99. Order item #519636. They might use a different item number for the flyer so that is why I included it.

I think I'm going to get another. Probably a sunburst.

SS. If you want one and the cost is right for you I can get you an International shipping rate from FedEx to see if it cheaper than getting one over there. I have a FedEx account.

 

[Matt]

Check the nut to make sure that the b string isn't binding up there. That can lead to all kinds of unpleasant tuning problems.

ok, I'm going to sound very silly here, but what exactly does the nut do? I've never understood! can anyone explain?

regards

Matt

 

[SuperSwede]

Spud, thanks but I am saving up for a alleykat.

 

[marnold]

ok, I'm going to sound very silly here, but what exactly does the nut do? I've never understood! can anyone explain?

Unless the guitar has a locking nut (like for a Floyd Rose whammy bar), the nut is there to keep the strings in place at the proper height off the fretboard. If you have a Floyd Rose or similar whammy bar, the locking nut holds the strings down tight so they can't go out of tune.

If the slot is not big enough for the string to slide through easily, the string will tend to bind up. In other words, it will get stuck. Then after a bit of playing, the string will work its way through and will then be out of tune. Or, after doing a bend, the string will stick and not go back into tune.

 

[left4dead]

Neck mod to my '51

I have a '51 in butterscotch that I bought used in like new cond. for $100 just so I could mod the heck out of it. I have already swapped the pickguard - I sent it to jeannie and they custom cut me a brown snakeskin guard! I have a Seymour Duncan JB4 ready to go in the humbucker slot. So I am now thinking about the neck, which could address any nut or tuner issues. The stock neck plays OK. The frets are good sized for bending and no sharp fret ends. The wood is really plain and I am thinking about going rosewood or a nice amber tint maple. Does anybody have experience with putting replacement necks on these? The pocket seems to be 2 3/16 in width. I am thinking Allparts, Mighty Mite or a used neck off a Strat or Tele. Any experience out there you can share?

Guitars: Gibson LP 30th Anniv. Goldtop, SG '61 RI, Carvin CT-66, Gretsch Tenneseean Jr., a Frankenstrat, Tele '52 RI and several others

Amps: Marshall TSL 100, Orange AD 30 + 4X12, Rivera Duo Hundred,
Soldano Astroverb 16, Fender Super Reverb, Vox AC 30 and several others

Effects: Modded Vox wah, Fulltone OCD, Barber Direct Drive, Xotic AC Booster, Boss Trem, Flange, Chorus and Tuner, Robt. Keeley Time Machine Boost and several others

 

[Matt]

Well I found this modded '51. It's a strat neck with 22 frets I think. It looks pretty damn sexy if you ask me


[edit] Nope, only 21 frets. But I'm sure you could put a 22 fret neck in it

 

[r_a_smith3530]

Well I found this modded '51. It's a strat neck with 22 frets I think. It looks pretty damn sexy if you ask me


[edit] Nope, only 21 frets. But I'm sure you could put a 22 fret neck in it

Hey Matt, how can that be a modded '51? It has a strat body, and the strat was not introduced until 1954!

 

[SuperSwede]

http://www.squierguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=0325100503

 

[r_a_smith3530]

ok, I'm going to sound very silly here, but what exactly does the nut do? I've never understood! can anyone explain?

regards

Matt

Matt, not to contradict Marnold here, because he was partly right, but the nut's main purpose is to set the scale length of the instrument in conjunction with the bridge.

Have you ever noticed that strats and teles usually are listed as having a 25.5" scale length, while Les Paul's are listed as having a 24.75" scale length? That number is the distance, in inches, between the guitar's nut and bridge. The same goes for bass guitars, usually found in either 34" or 35" scale lengths, although ocassionally found in short (30") scale as well. Newbie bass players will find the 34" scale length to be much more comfortable than the 35".

The scale length determines the distance between individual frets, so, the distance between the nut and the fifth fret will be greater on a tele or strat than it is on a Les Paul or SG. As the scale length increases, so does string tension as well, so all other things being equal, it's easier to bend note on a guitar with a shorter scale length. With less tension, the string bends easier.

The strings must be able to move over the nut freely without binding. You can tell if your strings are binding when you get that sort of "ping" as you tune up to pitch. That is an indication that the string slots in the nut need to be relieved. This binding can be a real problem on a tremolo-equipped guitar, as the instrument won't return to pitch properly when the wang bar is used. This was one of the reasons behind Floyd Rose's development of his tremolo system. As Marnold pointed out, it "locks" the string in place at the nut, so there is no movement there.

The second purpose for the nut, on both standard and Floyd Rose style guitars (sorry Marnold) is to set the string height in relation to the fretboard. If you look up setup specs for guitars, you will usually see a string height specification at the first fret. This is set through the depth of the slot in the nut. If you go to a lighter set of strings, this spec can change, causing string buzz, because the nut is cut too deeply for the lighter gauge strings. Proper string height has to be maintained, whether using a standard or Floyd Rose locking type nut.

 

[r_a_smith3530]

http://www.squierguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=0325100503

Hmm, FMIC is re-writing history I see, through the use of a tele-style neck (the original Broadcaster was introduced about 1950), a strat-style body (the Strat was introduced in '54), a strat-style pickup in the neck, mounted as it would be in the strat's lead position, and a humbucker (first patented by Seth Lover for Gibson in 1955), and finally with a pickguard and control plate sort of reminiscent of the original Precision Bass, introduced in, you guessed it, 1951!

Wow, a six-string guitar named because they used a part copied from a bass. That is COOL!

As they say, everyone follows the bass player! Thanks SuperSwede.

 

[Matt]

Cheers Rob, that clears things up. I'm suprised you've never heard of the '51s before, especially here where it seems half the members seem to have one because they are such good guitars for their price- indeed, go to Robert's website. There's loads of videos of him using his through various pedals and amps. Sounds fantastic in all.

http://www.dolphinstreet.com/guitars/squier_51

regards

Matt

 

[r_a_smith3530]

Yeah Matt, it sounds like a really cool, inexpensive guitar. I know that they've been mentioned, but I guess that I wasn't into the detail about them before now. I haven't been around here all that long, and my main focus these days is the bass.

I'm going to have a good look at Robert's site. Thanks.

 

[Katastrophe]

Rob, I'm here to help you!

If you keep typing that your main focus is the bass, your other guitars will get jealous. This jealousy will lead to feelings of abandonment, which could very well lead to all kinds of problems with the guitars, meaning they may not want to respond, sort of like the "cold shoulder" or "silent treatment."

So, as a way to help you out, you could send the G&L and the Les Paul to me. They'll have lots of friends to socialize with, and I live in a rural area with lots of clean air and good country livin'.

 

[r_a_smith3530]

I've got a couple of questions to ask those of you who own a Squier '51.

First, my daughter got a white Squier Affinity Series Strat a couple of years back. She was going to learn guitar (she already plays Clarinet in band). Anyway, once she discovered that learning guitar wasn't something that one does in a weekend (or a month for that matter), it began to collect dust. Being that she's a high honors student, a member of her high school's cheerleader squad, and as mentioned before, a Clarinetist in the school's band, I didn't give her too much grief. One day, I noticed that it had moved - into her brother's room. He too learned that there was no shortcut to the art of guitar. Back to basketball he went. A month or so ago, I come home one day, and there it is sitting, in my three guitar rack, next to my Epi acoustic.

One day, I began playing around with it. I noticed that one of the pots was really loose, and the strings were as dead as a doornail. I picked up a set of .009's. That's what it came with, and if the kids ever decide to pick it up again, I guess it would be easier for them to play these than heavier strings. Anyway, I pulled the strings completely off, removed the pickup plate, tightened up the pots, and gave it a good setup. It plays remarkably better now, but it still sounds quite "tinny" when played unplugged.

I realize that Squier guitars usually have cheaper hardware and are made from much lighter wood than what I'm used to. My Peavey's are of Poplar, my G&L and my Les Paul are made of Mahogany, and my Frankenbass is Ash.

So, my questions are, how is the feel of the '51, does it have that "tinny" kind of sound when played unplugged, and what do you think of the hardware? Also, is there a difference that you can note between Squier's made in China and those made in Indonesia, and if so, which are the best? For the record, my kid's guitar was made in China, bearing a CYxxxxxxxx serial number.

I also wonder about the humbucker that is used in the '51. Is it a standard HB that can be swapped for something like a Duncan JB or DiMarzio Tone Zone, or is it one of those "F" spaced pickups?

BTW, plugged in to my Peavey Classic 50/410, that little Squier Strat sounds OK. It doesn't have the fullness of either my modded out Reactor, or my S-500, but it's no slouch either. It is far better than what I would expect a $150 guitar to sound like.

 

[SuperSwede]

The affinity instruments are thinner than standard Squier strats & teles. The ´51 is full size, and at least when I hastily tried one it had a great tone. I think that Squier really produces nice quality instruments these days.

 

[Spudman]

R.A.

I'd say that the 51 is a real guitar. It's just different than what you may have ever tried before. It is unique and has it's own voice. In my opinion the stock pickups are very good and give it some of that uniqueness that I like. They can be changed out easily enough but then you'd have something different. It plays good but they usually need some work to make them feel better. Not much mind you.

I'm keeping my stock pickups in but may change the pickguard or pickup ring to chrome. I have a blonde. I'd put one of these way above an Affinity. They gots mojo.

 

[Justaguyin_nc]

I agree, the Squier_51 I got in sunburst is one nice guitar from the start. The bridge may give a bit of trouble on some from rattling the screws loose but the sound this guitar makes is just plain nice... the humbucker is used with the push/pull and you can get almost strat or almost tele but it is a unique sound that is very pleasant..I would not change the pickups for nothing.. the feel is full size although looking at my MIM 60's strat it looks slightly thinner but not by much... the neck on the other hand is not as wide..forget the nut size but it is smaller then both a MIM 60's strat or a Squier Tele.. Also there seems to be 2-3 different pickguard screw arrangements so I don't know if they keep tweaking it or if they just find a cheaper vendor for each batch... The power plug also gives troubles to most on loosing but I just tightened mine with a little force and it has not had that problem since... I think again Quality control when being made will determine if you like them or not... I love mine... and think at $150.00 it would be a great guitar for beginner or to beat around with and enjoy daily!

 

[r_a_smith3530]

Cool, I'll have to check this one out!

 

[Robert]

It's a great guitar for the money. It's the cat's nightgown!

 

[Tim]

It's a great guitar for the money. It's the cat's nightgown!

Nightgown! That's a good nickname for an all black guitar and pickguard. Blackie and Midnight are too common.

 

[r_a_smith3530]

This talk about the Squier '51 has given me an idea. How about a "deluxe" version of the '51, built using a Warmoth body (ash or walnut) and neck (flame maple w/rosewood board, or birdseye for maple board lovers), with Grover tuners, and a Schaller roller bridge.

Add your choice of pickups, CTS pots to control them, and a Chandler pickguard to cover it up.

This would be sweet!

 

[r_a_smith3530]

Hey guys, you've got to check this out. I just received an e-mail message from one of my local guitar shops, and their feature article concerned a guitar very much like the Vintage '51. It appears that ESP has gone and done something similar to what I discussed, namely, building a slightly "upscale" version of the '51. It's called the Hybrid 400 and has a street price of $500.00 according to my local shop.

The Black Cherry is especially nice, although I know some will prefer the black-on-black.

http://www.espguitars.com/guitars_hybrid.htm

 

[Spudman]

RA
Fender has done one too. I've seen a photo of it from the NAMM show. It is a quality version of the 51.
Check it out. http://www.gakkiya.jp/fender_new.html