Fender Squire Stratocaster Standard Series Reviews 
5 / 5 based on 1 reviewsI first saw this guitar in the Fender 2003 Frontline magazine. A limited edition guitar. The headstock reads Squire Stratocaster By Fender Standard Series. Vintage White with a Tortoise Shell pickguard. A blast from the past! After calling every store within 200 miles I fanally found one at a Guitar Center in Miami. I paid $199 + tax. When the guitar department manager said " Oh, wait a minute, my computer shows that I do have one upstairs. I'll go look, hold on." Needless to say I filled my gas tank and drove for more than two hours. On a mission from God. (the Blues Brothers) When he took it out of the Fender box, he and the other sales people said "COOOOL". Now I'm 54 years old and to hear a bunch of guys my son's age comlpliment my choice, is a nice feeling.
I like everything about this guitar.
I don't have one negetave thing to say about this guitar. I feel fortunate that Guitar Center had only one to choose from, and this one fit perfectly. Like a favorite pair of jeans, or a new suit that needs no alterations. I do recommend putting a guitar in your hands before buying it. Whatever price your paying, it's an awfull feeling to buy something that doesn't fit. I bought two shiny silk suites from a slick salesman from Honkong about 30 years ago. He measured me up, took my money and, I waited for the package in the mail. Yea, they fit. Like two potatoe sacks. I looked like Humpty Dumpty in them. Kick the tires! Feel it. My age and flexability of my left hand left me picking up countless Fender Strats that felt like 2x4's. This guitar feels teriffic. Fender/Squire has upgraded the quality of components and workmanship of the Squire line. Do some research. Ed Roman Guitars has a nice, positive article about the Japanese made Fender guitars verses Mexican made.. Ok, spec time on this guitar that I'm prasing....
#032-1603-580 (580 is the color) Standard Series Stratocaster SLE (Special Limited Edition) Alder wood body, M C-shape, ply neck (ply=polyurathane finish) Rosewood finger board, 22 medium jumbo frets, standard die cast tuners, (they hold) Sinchronized Twin-Pivot Tremolo, the tremolo bar feels nice and meaty not thin and cheap,a nice adjustable bridge, (the real thing) satin vinished adjustable saddles, (not junk) 3ply pickguard, 3 Vintage style Alnico Single Coil pickups, (not noisy) Chrome Hardware. The chrome neck plate reads Squire/Fender. It has the big 70's headstock which I'm fond of, and a smooth satin finish neck. A NICE PACKAGE! I'm sure that a custom guitar builder could find plenty of fault in this guitar. Hey it's not a $1300.00 or more, hand made piece. But I can honestly say It feels better than any of the other Fender Strat (2x4's) that I've picked up that costs 2 to 4 times as much. Now I look at it this way...... If some hotdog comes up to me on my gig and says....
" Yea, but it's not a Fender Strat"
I say "Yea but me and my Squire Stratocaster by Fender are workin and you're not"! I have a 72 Tele Custom with two humbuckers, that's a funk, biting, warm, country pickin screamer, with the big headstock I love, that's been on every gig with me for the past 30 years. A 64 candy apple red Jazzmaster with a matching headstock and a variety of tones. Guess what I'm goin on the gig with now.
The pickguard is actually red not brown. It is an eight hole pickguard as was the original brown, which I can purchase and switch for about $30.00. Keep in mind that Squire is upgrading hardware and accessories to match and interchange with the Fender line. Also the tremolo bar felt a bit high in my hand ( high off the strings) something a little careful heat and bending rectified. If that's something you think you can do yourself, just be careful not to discolor the chrome. Otherwise let a guitar tech do it. I must say that the plastic on the end of the tremolo bar matches the color of the paint on the guitar perfectly!
I gave you all of the specs. It's not made in Mexico. It's supposed to be made at the Carona plant. There's this issue of sustain, regarding how tightly the neck fits into the body. The tighter the fit the more sustain.
The neck of this guitar doesn't fit any tighter into the body than the neck of my 64 Jazzmaster or 72 Tele. so.....?
You and I aren't guitar craftsmen. Either is Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, or was Stevie Ray Vaughn. They didn't walk around with micrometers measuring the space between the neck and body when they went to buy a guitar. If it felt good, they made it sing!
This guitar is made has well as or BETTER that any of the hundreds of higher priced Fender Strats (those 2X4's) that I've had in my hands. This guitar will sing! This guitar will sing better in the hands of a Jeff Beck or SRV. I lucked out, I love my Squire Stratocaster Standard Series By Fender! This is a nice, well made guitar.
Why pay up to $800. or more.
Do your leg work, and touching. Squire is cool. Hey, Chevy, Cadillac, you can get both with cloth or leather interior.
Fender is the godfather of electronic guitars and amps. As was Harley to the motorcycle, and GM, Ford, and Chrysler to the automobile. They also hit a quality slump because they thought the American buying public was stupid. There's enough compitition out there to choose from. So they worked at it and they came back stronger than ever. I think (hope) that Fender has seen the light. The Fender guitar is the most copied look in the industry. Gota love that Leo!
I'm also interested in purchasing a Fender Mustang Bass (64 reissue) on back order. Vintage white with a Tortoise shell pickguard. Made in Japan. That's a good thing. I can order it but, I want to touch it. Maybe I'll get as lucky as I did with my Squire Stratocaster Standard Series By FENDER.
Richardo D\'Amato rated this unit
on
2003-11-16.
