Squier satin HH

[Spudman***]

Here is a short backing track clip that I did with the Squier HH satin.
http://www.box.net/public/ph74x0svx6
All guitar sounds Squier HH>Behringer Vamp Pro>(clean Black Twin model)(dirty British high gain model)

So far this guitar is quite impressive. Although there is a tiny bit of fret sprout everything else is very nice. As was posted in the Satin SSH thread, the finish is smooth and soft to the touch. Color on the body is very even and the headstock closely matches. It is a matched 3 piece body that is so well done it is virtually impossible to see the seams from the top. I can only find the seams on the cutouts.

This model comes with Duncan Designed chrome covered humbuckers. This is my second guitar with those particular pickups and I have to say that I like them a lot. They are very versatile, quiet and articulate. They can be bright, they can be dark, but no matter which coloration you use the notes and their character come out very cleanly. I highly recommend this model pickup. They are also 4 conductor wired to a 3 position switch. Maybe a 5 position could be installed for more options. I may do this later.

The body is slightly thinner than a standard Strat. That doesn't matter to me because: (a) the guitar is lighter and easier to wear for long periods (b) still sounds great (c) still looks great.

The neck has that Korean feel to it, even though this guitar was made in Indonesia. I have found that I prefer the smaller neck dimensions. It is narrower than most American necks and possibly thinner as well. Still rounded, but not flat like an Ibanez or Jackson, just not as chunky as some American necks. It isn't cramped by any means. There is plenty of room for wide vibratos. It just isn't a baseball bat style neck. Frets are medium and plenty high. If the fretboard is rosewood then it is a very light, highly grained and pretty rosewood.

I got this on a whim sight unseen after hearing another player posting clips of his elsewhere on the web. It sounded great, and yes I got it for next to nothing, about the price the 51's currently go for. I haven't used the vibrato yet so I don't know how it holds a tune after using the bar, but otherwise it stays tuned after all the bending I've been doing. So the tuners aren't terrible.

I don't think I'll change anything about this axe except for strings and maybe install a 5 position switch. If it was a movie I'd give it 2 thumbs up even if I had paid $50 more.

[Tim]

Spuds – Good looking guitar and very nice pickin’ on the track. I think it has a great tone. But then the player has the magic in the fingers, plus the talent. I am going to try an emulate the sound through my Vamp 2 using clean Black Twin model and then the dirty British high gain model.

[Spudman***]

Here is a sound demo of the Satin HH.
http://www.box.net/public/6h9rxo7m2b

Part 1: neck
Part 2: neck + bridge
Part 3: bridge

The second part of the demo is the same order for pickup selection.

[r_a_smith3530]

Congrats! Wow Spud, it just amazes me what Squier is putting out for six string enthusiasts these days. I saw this axe at Sam Ash last week and it appeared quite impressive. Now, especially hearing what you can do with it, coupled with your recommendation, I wouldn't hesitate to point anyone in its direction.

I just wish they would do the same for bass. Although they are putting out some nice looking stuff, it falls short on sound. I got a chance to spend a fair amount of time playing a number of instruments at a local guitar shop last week, and among them, I played the new Squier '75 style Jazz, the one with the natural body and block inlay on the fingerboard. I really like the look of this bass and so wanted to fall in love with it, but alas it wasn't to be. At the same time, I also got to play the Squier "Jaco," a Jazz bass that is a lined fretless with no pickguard, a burst finish, and Duncan designed pickups. In addition to these I also played a silver American Standard Jazz, and a pretty Highway One Jazz in blonde finish. The S-1 switching circuitry gave the American Standard a slight edge in versatility, but it would have been the Highway One that would have gone home with me. It sounded great and it felt great. I can't tell you what made the difference, but when A-B'd like that, the Squiers just were not up to task next to their American bretheren.

In the end though, it wasn't even a Fender that caught my heart, but that is posted elsewhere. When I came home, just for giggles, I picked up my el cheapo SX fretless jazz, and I have to say, with its mods, I still feel real good about it. I might start looking for alternative pickups though!

[warren0728]

hey spud nice looking guitar and nice playing to. I am surprised at how close that knob is to the pickup though....

ww

[SuperSwede]

Nice guitar Spud! It looks really sophisticated and sounds great!
I have nothing but positive things to say about SD design pickups, they are very good and SD says that they are 95% similar to the "real" SD pups.

[ShortBuSX]

Ive got virtually the same guitar, but with the HSS combo instead of the HHs.
I didnt notice any fret sprout like the others have, but mine did have a minor wiring flaw that was easily fixed.
The tremolo works great...Ive got no complaints there, even with it floating.

Now that youve got yours, could you possibly give me some suggestions as to what to use on the finish? I keep getting recommendations to use "Danish Finishing Oil", but Im kinda fearful of using it...so for the time being Im stuck with finger prints and oils

You got any plans to mod this? I guess youre pretty satisfied with the humbuckers...but any wiring/switch mods?

[Spudman***]

Ive got virtually the same guitar, but with the HSS combo instead of the HHs.
I didnt notice any fret sprout like the others have, but mine did have a minor wiring flaw that was easily fixed.
The tremolo works great...Ive got no complaints there, even with it floating.

Now that youve got yours, could you possibly give me some suggestions as to what to use on the finish? I keep getting recommendations to use "Danish Finishing Oil", but Im kinda fearful of using it...so for the time being Im stuck with finger prints and oils

You got any plans to mod this? I guess youre pretty satisfied with the humbuckers...but any wiring/switch mods?

I like it just the way it is...except I'll eventually put in a 5 way switch. The humbucking pickups have a very bluesy sound to me. I'll keep them stock.
I don't plan on doing anything with the finish on this or my HSS. I figure a little body oil, some beer, slobber and hair tonic is going to make it look like it's been lovingly played for many years. If it gets too grungy then a damp cloth with some mild soap and water should do the trick.

[Spudman***]

So...I got a little curious and opened up the control cavity.

As on the Satin HSS this one too had the wiring reversed. Even though I thought the guitar sounded fine as it was I just knew that the buckers should be a little hotter. Sure enough, I soldered green lead to the switch, black to ground, red+white together and now my little Benjamin baby has extra balls. There is a lot more fullness on the bottom end, more output and yet the top end clarity is still there. Lovely!

My guess is that the workers at the Indonesian plant don't understand wiring diagrams. So if you try one out in a store and the sound doesn't grab you then it is possible that it is mis-wired, and you might be able to use that as a bargaining chip to buy it for less if you like everything else.

[ShortBuSX]

I soldered green lead to the switch, black to ground, red+white together and now my little Benjamin baby has extra balls. There is a lot more fullness on the bottom end, more output and yet the top end clarity is still there. Lovely!

Yeah...I thought you might have missed that grounding shield on that green wire...once you seperate that and then ground it to the back of the pot with the black wire...then youll be "stylin"

My guess is that the workers at the Indonesian plant don't understand wiring diagrams.

My guess is that Squier hasnt updated thier schematics...I mean the solders look great and they are solid, so its not like a total amature did it.

[Earful]

Wow....the wiring was reversed? just Wow.....I would have never thought of this....glad I read these threads...!