Amazing value - and food for thought

[noelford]

According to Anderton's, their best selling guitars at the moment are, by a mile, the Squier Modified Vintage range. I've just checked my nearest guitar shops (both of whom are small Fender stockists), and neither have any of them. And then the small shops complain that the Internet is taking all their sales!

[scmitche]

Hi David,
I also remember my mum buying me an Ambassador German Jazz Guitar (Hoyer I think) about 1960, beautiful carved top, full size cutaway body with solid woods etc. but the neck was so big my 13 year old hands couldn't cope with it and it was 21 guineas 2nd hand. I've still got it and it sounds very nice but still a bit difficult to play for my hands.

Indirectly you turned another guitar of mine into a wonderful instrument. I have a straight through neck strat type guitar sold under the Japanese Double Eagle trademark in the 1980s but I think manufactured by Matsomoku and it was always a little dull. Then I heard a demo of you playing Ironstone Alnico V pickups so I thought nothing to lose at that price I'll give them a go. After setting heights and tilt carefully and modding the switching and treble bleed capacitor network this guitar has turned into something else especially through the eTap2hw echoes, I just love it. So thanks for the indirect help, it's amazing how many good guitars other than Fender there are out there as well.
Look after yourself.

Regards,
Steve Mitchell

[Iain Purdon]

An enjoyable day at Warwick Club today and great to see our old mate Dave Moore making the trip from Lincs. He played some lovely stuff on his Squier Classic Vibe Strat. Colour looked spot on as well!

[negninegaw]

I seem to recall theat David prefers the sixties' pickups over the 50's for Shadows style?

[apache]

Was not intending to buy any more guitars having sold a few recently.
Now have a nice new Bose PA
However, order put in with my thoughtful wife for my birthday in July, Fingers crossed.
Harry

[RUSSET]

I have ben banging on about the Squier Classic Vibe series for several years now. I bought my first one about 3 years back; the Biffy Clyro 'Simon Neil' Signature Strat, which is a '60s Strat copy in F.Red with Rosewood board. I did change the cheap trem. block to a steel one, mainly because the original one is a soft thin metal that quickly works the trem arm loose. I can't fault it for the price, which was about £280 at that time, I think.
I then bought the '50s P.Bass in Butterscotch Blonde & was amazed at the versatility & comfort of it. It has quite a tonal range, considering it only has that one single-coil pickup, & the neck action is superb.
Next I bought the '50s Tele in Vintage Blonde with black scratchplate (now changed to White). The neck & action are again superb, & the only thing to say about the pickups is that the bridge one is a little harsh, but it overall sounds realy good.
Last year I bought the Vintage Modified series Jazzmaster in 3 tone Sunburst, which was a new experience. Again a really well-made guitar, with a great variety of tones. The only criticism is the push-in trem arm doesn't stay in place very well, & tends to swing downwards, & I'm not used to the pivoting bridge structure.
I see that Squier has just issued some new colours in the Classic Vibe range, & one that caught my eye is the new '50s Strat in White Blonde with Gold hardware. You may as well call it the 'Mary Kaye' model. Fender USA issued one about 3 years ago for about £1,400, & this version is on sale for £383. Can't be bad, can it ?

[Hank2k]

I'd been after a jaguar for a few years but couldn't justify £700 ish for a jap one so when I saw these come out I had to have a look. I currently own a biffy Clyro classic vibe and have been very impressed with that so I went to peaches yesterday and tried out the 3 jaguars they had, white with tortoishell pickguard, candy red with white guard and then sunburst with tortoishell guard, priced at £255 I couldn't fault them either so I bit the bullet and brought the white one, cannot fault it at all and there are some great tones in it once you can get your head around the switches etc

[RUSSET]

I have to confess that I have just gone ahead & ordered a new Squier CV '50s Strat in White Blonde (Gold Hardware) from Anderton's. Yes, I know I should really be selling some guitars rather than buying one, but I guess I don't care anymore. We've all been in the situation in our youth where we could hardly afford the repayments on a cheap Hofner, so I'm making up for all that in my twilight years. I guess the kids will have to Ebay some stuff when I finally go to the great audience in the sky ..... ha,ha. Silly old sod, still rockin' & rollin' at his age, eh !

Tony.

[RUSSET]

I received my Squier CV White Blonde 50s Strat today. It's very nice, & as well made as the rest of the Classic Vibe series.
The only bad thing, as usual, is the extra long trem arm. The '9s' gauge strings make it rather twangy, but you do get the right Fendery sound, distinctively from each pickup position. I'm not to worried about the thin trem block, as I mainly play Rhythm in my band, so it doesn't get much wanging anyway.

Tony.