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]

:o
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? :o

[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.