MIK Squier Strat: Pics & First Impressions...and a clip, too.

[duhvoodooman***]

The Squier Strat I recently bought on eBay arrived yesterday, and so far, I'm very favorably impressed. The quality, condition and playability of the guitar all exceeded my expectations.

First, here are some pics, split up among two posts:

[duhvoodooman***]

[just strum]

DVM, that guitar is sweeter looking than when you posted it the other day - I just love that color.

[M29]

Man that is a nice looking nut

Sweet acquisition DVM, yes the color is awesome

M29

[duhvoodooman***]

Now for first impressions:

For an 11 year-old guitar, it's in remarkably good condition, and obviously wasn't played much. It's a dark wine-red finish, slightly transparent, so you can see wood grain if you look closely under good light. There's not a significant nick in the finish anywhere; the only marks at all that I can find are some light "pick rash", and a few minute surface scratches and a couple of tiny dents on the back. There is virtually no detectable fret wear, no rusting, and all parts are present and in good shape. It is missing one thing--the trem bar, but I can get one of those for a couple of bucks.

Quality-wise, it's great. It's definitely a "real" wood body, and not plywood. Alder? Agathis? I dunno--you tell me! The neck is straight and true, and the action is low, fast and free of any buzzing. And there's not a hint of the dreaded "fret sprout"! The tuners seem to work fine and hold tune nicely, though I really have to play it hard for a while to determine that. I haven't checked with a digital tuner yet, but the intonation sounds right on the money. I cleaned it up thoroughly last night (though it really didn't need much!) and put on a fresh set of D'Addario 10's. I also had a spare tusq nut and set of graphite string trees, so I installed them while I was at it. Plays like a dream!

The pots all work fine, but there's a small amount of scratchiness in the 5-way switch between positions, which some contact cleaner will probably clear up. The pickups were perhaps the biggest surprise. They may not compete with a set of Abby Ibarra's handwound CS '69's, but they have a very typical vintage Strat tone and aren't dull sounding at all, which is what I feared. Good treble definition and clarity, and the neck p'up has that round, bell-like quality I love. So while I may decide to upgrade down the road, these are more than adequate for the short-term. These p'ups can be enjoyed, not merely tolerated!

So that's where I am with the guitar so far. To say I'm pleased with my $86 guitar ($123, if you add in the shipping) would be a fairly collosal understatement. Maybe I can get a clip posted in the next day or two. But I may be too busy just enjoying playing this sucker to bother setting up the mic and recording stuff.... :

[just strum]

So that's where I am with the guitar so far. To say I'm pleased with my $86 guitar ($123, if you add in the shipping) would be a fairly collosal understatement. Maybe I can get a clip posted in the next day or two. But I may be too busy just enjoying playing this sucker to bother setting up the mic and recording stuff.... :

Just who is the thief on this forum?

I didn't know it was 11 years old - that makes it even more impressive in the looks department.

[tot_Ou_tard]

That's a beaut for sure Vood! Nice score!

[Katastrophe]

Wow. What a deal!!!! That is a beauty of a Strat, DVM. Congrats!


Now, plug that sucker into a ZYS and the Firefly and post a clip!

[duhvoodooman***]

I didn't know it was 11 years old - that makes it even more impressive in the looks department.

Yep, made in '97. I even checked the date in the neck pocket to confirm the serial number. Sure doesn't appear to have been used much in that time, though....

[Ironbird]

Hmm .. let me guess the string gauge ..11-50? (I try! lol) nice guitar man,those are my kind of tuners ..hope you enjoy playing her!

[warren0728]

now, plug that sucker into a ZYS and the Firefly and post a clip!

now that has to happen.....congrats on a great deal!

ww

[duhvoodooman***]

Now, plug that sucker into a ZYS and the Firefly and post a clip!

Well, almost. I decided that it would be more appropriate to plug it into my Fender Blues Junior, where the guitar's clean sounds could be shown to best advantage, and then include a bit of ZYS dirtiness at the end of that. Besides, that Firefly really wants humbuckers.

The clip at the following link contains four sections:

1. Bridge pickup, clean, just some quick noodling
2. Bridge/middle "quack", clean, a bit of old Ed King/Skynyrd
3. Neck, clean, more noodling
4. Middle, ZYS in TS-808 mode, riff a la SRV

http://www.box.net/shared/ixd618kcg4

Lemme know what you think....

[just strum]

sounds good. I don't know if you already mentioned this, but how was the action when it arrived?

I made contact with the second seller today and both of mine will be shipping tomorrow.

Five minutes left on the other Deluxe (Korean). at $82. Could there be three headed this way tomorrow?

[duhvoodooman***]

I don't know if you already mentioned this, but how was the action when it arrived?

Yes, I did. As stated above, "...the action is low, fast and free of any buzzing." The guitar was virtually perfectly set up when I received it. Whoever did it knew what they were doing.

[just strum]

Yes, I did. As stated above, "...the action is low, fast and free of any buzzing." The guitar was virtually perfectly set up when I received it. Whoever did it knew what they were doing.

Oopssss, I have to learn to read more closely.

Well it sounds really nice.

[SuperSwede]

Sounds good DVM, classic strat sounds!

[Bloozcat]

Ah, ha...

My oracle reputation remains intact, I see!

So, it is a cream puff, a sweet deal after all, eh DVM?...:

Cool...I'm glad it worked out well. Nothing like a deal to make you smile. Makes you feel like you got away with something, doesn't it?

[duhvoodooman***]

A cream puff, indeed! I just plain STOLE this one for $86! I'm half expecting the local gendarmerie to march into my office here at work this morning, slap the cuffs on me, and haul me off to the hooscow! Seriously--it feels, plays and sounds better than the last MIM Std. Strat I played at GC. (Of course, to be fair, that was a "wall hanger" and God knows how long it had been there and what it had been through!)

Yep, your status as resident FretNet oracle is secure! : : :

[Bloozcat]

A cream puff, indeed! I just plain STOLE this one for $86! I'm half expecting the local gendarmerie to march into my office here at work this morning, slap the cuffs on me, and haul me off to the hooscow! Seriously--it feels, plays and sounds better than the last MIM Std. Strat I played at GC. (Of course, to be fair, that was a "wall hanger" and God knows how long it had been there and what it had been through!)

Yep, your status as resident FretNet oracle is secure! : : :

Well, even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then....

Sounds like it was a great Father's Day weekend in Voodoo land! :