Vintage Modified or Deluxe?

[TS808]

I haven't owned a Squier strat in a long time, but lately some of the threads on here about the vintage modified and deluxe strats have grabbed my attention.

I was looking at the Deluxe and really like the Blue, and I got a Fender catalog this week that shows the vintage modified Squiers...the red with the red pickguard looks pretty cool.

Can anyone tell me a bit about both of these Squiers? How are the pickups and the hardware?

 

[t_ross33]

The reviews I've heard on both are very favorable. One of the best bang-for-buck deals out there.

You may want to try before you buy to ensure you get a good one, but it sounds like the build quality is pretty consistant with these models.

The Duncan Designed p'ups in my VM Tele weren't bad, but I opted for some mods/upgrades anyway - and at this price point I think I'm still making out OK.

With a good set up, and maybe a couple of affordable upgrades, these are player's guitars for sure.

Trev

 

[Spudman]

That's a tough call. Do you want 22 or 21 frets? Maple or rosewood fretboard? That's really the decision. The white Deluxe is really beautiful. The necks are awesome on either but I just love the bare maple.

Best of luck. You can always toss or coin...or get both.

 

[TS808]

That's a tough call. Do you want 22 or 21 frets? Maple or rosewood fretboard? That's really the decision. The white Deluxe is really beautiful. The necks are awesome on either but I just love the bare maple.

Best of luck. You can always toss or coin...or get both.

Both of my American strats are maple fretboards, which I tend to prefer over rosewood, and the difference between 22 and 21 frets is not a major issue for me, so the deluxe may be inching ahead a bit in the race.

 

[ZMAN]

I have looked at the Vintage modified, and as you know I own both ot the Deluxes, the Pearl White and the Daphne Blue.
The electronics and basically everything else is the same. Both of these are being made at the Cort Factory in Indonesia. They are a very highly respected company that has been making top flight guitars for over 25 years. What attracted me to the VMs was the Cherry Sunburst. When I saw them in real life the colors just seemed too bright and edgy. The blend on the paint did not blend well. I have several burst strats so I was looking for a solid color. The white was nice but I didn't like the Tort Guard. The necks on the other hand on the VMs was very nicely done. Small headstock, and the fretboard and back of the neck had a very nice quality close to American and not less than MIM Strats.
I have not looked under the hood yet but I have been told by others who have that they are top quality pots, switches, and the SC101 Duncan Design pickups are close to noiseless and very expressive. No need of an upgrade there.
Vintage style 2 point trem and cast saddles. BTW they are the same style as the ones on my 50th Ann Deluxe Strat, in fact I measured the 50th against my Squier Deluxes with a dial indicator and all of the measurements including the neck and body are identical. The neck on the Deluxes has a nice rolled edge and a satin finish similar to the 50th.
I would say over all you have a couple of choices to make, Color, neck type.
other than that they are as T ross said probably the best bang for the buck out there in a Strat.
Spudman, Duff, and myself are very happy with ours and I personally can't believe they are selling for under 250 in the US.
Mine took an extra couple of months to finally arrive after the original scheduled release date but it was worth every minute.

 

[Katastrophe]

Vote for the Deluxe here... I really liked the tones I was getting from the one I played recently. I think they are a great value, and even a better value than my MIM, which I love playing.

I don't think you'll go wrong with either one, but if you like the maple FBs, go with the Deluxe.

 

[just strum]

I would say Deluxe, but that is only based on what I've read on ZMAN's thread.

 

[ZMAN]

I think I am going to change my name to Deluxeman!
Really, I have so many other facets!

 

[ted s]

I saw/felt a new VM I guess it was, the other day. SSH ? Is that the difference between it and the deluxe ? The neck felt really nice. Might have to take the jump. $299 at the local L & M.

 

[Duff]

VM Strat with three singles

I have the White metallic Deluxe Squire, new style, with duncan designed single coils and it is awesome.

However, I saw a VM in crimson red with the tortise pickguard and the duncan designed three single coils and it looked like a very sweet guitar. I should have played it.

Tonight I saw a VM Squire tele with a duncan designed humbucker in the bridge and two duncan designed single coils in the mid and neck. It looked sweet. Didn't play it.

Played a Peavey Generation Ex Vintage tele with a nickel covered bucker in the neck and a single coil in the bridge and it was hot on both pickups.

I played the Peavey Custom with the acoustic modelling piezo bridge and two covered humbuckers and found the buckers to be vintage non-hot and the acoustic to be mediocre compared to my Schecter C1 E/A hybrid heavey metal with acoustic bridge.

I bought a Peavey Generation Ex triple single in black with the maple fingerboard laminated on to the maple neck. It is really neat. Five way switch with lots of tonal variation. I had them put tens on it but may go back to nines. I heard tens were good on teles. The black guitar with black pickguard and chrome hardware looks great. It also feels and plays great.

Back to playing it now.

Duffy
Winfield, Pa.

The neck on the Deluxe is really awesome. Almost no finish. It's like a super light satin or nothing, I'm not sure but it feels smooth and great, silky. Fits my hand really well too. It just looks like a classy, quality guitar; you know what I mean? Not flashy or anything, just solid looking and pure strat.