Squier Special Edition Strat

[Spudman***]

I purchased unseen and untried a Special Edition Squier Strat from Musicians Friend around the beginning of April 2006. For less than $200 I got a brand new Silverburst guitar delivered to my door. It is black with silver around the edges. I must say that I am pretty impressed. Not only is it good looking, but the guitar comes with alnico pickups with a vintage type low output (not sure of the ohms yet), a 3 or 5 piece solid Alder body (not plywood), 70's large headstock, 2 point tremolo, MOTO pick-guard and a 22 fret rosewood/maple neck.

Although the guitar is made in China it is well made. No fret sprout or high frets.

Initially I was unsure of the pickups. While the neck and middle sounded good the bridge had that 'icepick' brittleness to it. Very nice sounding quack at positions 2 & 4 though. The action, intonation and setup were very well done before I got it. It came with 9-42 Fender Bullets and I played them till they died before switching to my usual 10-46 nickel set. I had to adjust the tremolo claw tension a bit to compensate for the heavier strings but did not have to add another spring. It came with 3.
I merely stretched the strings a few times by pulling on them, re-tuned and off to the gig I went with my new, untested Strat in hand ( I did take a backup).

Another untested thing I did was to take my freshly re-tubed Peavey Classic 30 and Bad Monkey (also gig untested) along with my usual analog pedal board.

I ran the Monkey first after the guitar and then into the pedal board. I didn't use a power supply with the Monkey just the battery, and I left it on all night. I turned the amp to 4 on the clean channel and went to town. I haven't had a guitar and amp do exactly what I've wanted it to do for over 20 years, but this did. I achieved tones that I never have before and had supreme control over all the nuances I could imagine. Sweet singing sustain and feedback without effort. Fat tone and clarity like never before. I was impressed. It even stayed in tune.

Am I going to change anything about my Squier Special Edition Strat? Ya. I'm going to get it a lot sweatier.

[SuperSwede]

That finish is so nice! I wouldnt mind having one of those..
Great review Spudster.

[Nelskie]

Squier is really doing some great stuff with their Standard line, and their Ltd.
Edition models are certainly living proof of that. For anyone who has the jones for a great-sounding, great-looking Stratocaster, this is a great place to start. Sweat not included.

[ZoSo65]

That finish is cool looking, looks like it's glowing almost.
MF still has them for 199.

[Spudman***]

That finish is cool looking, looks like it's glowing almost.
MF still has them for 199.

It's a bargain if you ask me, which you didn't, but I still want to say that it's a bargain.

Also....the Cherry Sunburst is WAAAAYYY pretty and of the same quality. I have one of those too. I got it used and almost mint real cheap. I had to put some money into it and have it re-fretted. The previous owner had the frets leveled way too low to compensate for some other neck problems. I haven't yet tested it out a gig, but soon. I see no reason why it won't perform as well as the Silverburst.

[SuperSwede]

Spudman... is that your lawn behind the guitar? It looks like it needs some fretwork

[Spudman***]

Spudman... is that your lawn behind the guitar? It looks like it needs some fretwork

Yes (sigh) it is part of my yard. Just a little part though. The reason it looks like it does is because of hydrostatic pressure this spring the custom rock retaining wall to the right of the guitar collapsed. So I'm not regularly mowing it until the wall gets rebuilt and it is going to cost a lot. Now that you pointed it out I will take the trimmer to it if it makes you feel better. Just send me my purple jacket.
Oh, I cranked the guitar with the Tonebone and the Classic 30 and it totally wails. The frets feel great now.

[SuperSwede]

I told you Spud, I have to grow out of it first.

I think I heard something from the wife...that "we" should move the lawn today... *cough*. I know who "we" are.

That satin finish is so nice, I would like one with a maple neck. I wonder what a decent strat neck would go for these days.

[tremoloman***]

I saw that on MF also... that guitar is GOREGOUS!!!
Squier makes GAS almost impossible to tame.