A (thorough) Squier and Epiphone census

shae · Post by **shae** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:50 am

Hey guys,

I was recently trying to come up with ideas for a future purchase. I currently only have the one geet (it just needs pickups and a bridge which will be sorted out in a week) so I thought I'd ask you guyz for your ideas on both Squier and Epiphone model geetars.

Why? Because they're two accessible companies to all and it'd be interesting to see what we have as a whole from these guys. Plus like I said, I'm on the prowl for a new addition.

So all you basically need to do is list what you have, and write a little about your thoughts on the geet. Pre and post modification reviews would be ace too just so everyones aware of the difference. Heck, poast pics too while you're at it. I'll also go back and count up models and reference them to users/page numbers and quote it in this post. I hope this is something that when it comes to an end we can put in the guitar resource or something

Anyway, go guyzzz!!1

Justin J · Post by **Justin J** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:00 am

my first guitar was a squier affinity telecaster. it's a great guitar. i still use it on a regular basis. though it has been modified a fair deal.

Wilbur · Post by **Wilbur** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:06 am

Thanks for the thread, shae, I'm in the same boat.

Mo Law-ka · Post by **Mo Law-ka** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:06 am

squiers are great...you can upgrade them with fender parts, and they are usually great players. i cant say anything about epiphones, but i hear that if you upgrade the tuners, pickups and change the name on the headstock, theyre the same quality as gibson. i could be horribly horribly wrong though.

light rail coyote · Post by **light rail coyote** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:08 am

Epiphone sheratons are immencely great guitars

Justin J · Post by **Justin J** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:14 am

i sometimes dream of the es-295.

Wilbur · Post by **Wilbur** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:16 am

Fucks sake--that is awesome

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:34 am

if you want a gibson style guitar without the high price, I would go with epiphone every time (exception being maybe vintage greco or tokai). a lot of the newer epiphones around $300 and up have really good alnico pickups and as we've discussed in the goth sg thread, they come with nice grover tuners as well.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:52 am

My first guitar was a 2005 Jagmaster II (the 24" scale) My guitar teacher loved playing it @ lessons and thought it was a great little guitar. Admittedly, it doesn't feel like a $1000+ AVRI Fender, but it still feels solid nonetheless. I've gigged with it without any problems. With that being said, it's been modified somewhat from stock. Don't get me wrong, it was alright out of the box (with a good setup), but as its been said, Squiers are excellent starting platforms for serious modding. It's got the 70's thing going on with a black pickguard and black pickups on sunburst.

My main guitar is actually a 2006 Squier Affinity Telecaster. You'd never know it by looking at it. It's been completely modded and abused as my old #1 gigging guitar (Haven't played out since last summer). Again, it was perfectly fine stock, but it was a perfect canvas for modding. You've seen it in other threads, so I won't go into detail here.

I just wanted to agree that Squiers can be good guitars stock, but with a little modding, whether it be electronics or whatever, they can really hold their own.

esteban · Post by **esteban** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:48 am

i have a squier affinity tele. as was said, the nice thing with squiers is that they are easily upgradeable. i have a MIM tele neck, no-name kluson style tuners, benny trevillion (or something like that) custom wound pickups, but all the electronics are stock.

feels great, sounds great, maintains great.

i'm really, really, really jonesing for the new squier duo-sonic, but with a strat "project" right now, another guitar just isn't justifiable at the moment.

Jagermeister · Post by **Jagermeister** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:27 am

Squiers. No shame in it.

In most cases realistically close to Fender territory if you're willing to put a few bucks more work and money into em... Ceramic pickups, indifferent setups and sharp fret ends (the typical array of issues in these guitars) are easy enough to overcome, Squier seems to have a MUCH higher percentage of decent guitars as compared to duds than most budget axe brands, honestly their good wood/bad ratio in my experience equals Fenders.

You even get a headstock that doesn't look like someone was trying to make a lacy doily out of it which is always a plus.

...Speaking of which, forgetting for a moment the Gibson hate and actually being unbiased, Epiphone has made nearly all of the worst guitars I've ever played. And for some reason I'm not even talking about their cheapest models... Set neck Epis that cost nearly $500 (Bringing me to the point of price; while Epi is supposed to be Gibsons budget brand, many of them REALLY aren't deals in an absolute perspective, or even compared to Gibson anyway).

Every time I've played one, it's been alarmingly bad, and not just because of the format... Dead feeling, cheap hardware etc... It's probably true that you can find an Epi every bit as good as a Gibson if you search far enough, and I know people have found them... But were I MFing it and in the market I wouldn't feel as comfortable with one as I would with a sight unseen Squier at all.

I had a 51 and an EB0 bass; the EB0 liked to fall/chip apart at random (though it looked cooler than), the 51 was just a great axe.

Chrismo · Post by **Chrismo** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 7:41 pm

I think with some upgrading, both lines can make a great guitar. I own an Epi G-400 and I love it to death, I've kept it stock and I've had quite a few people comment on how awesome it sounds...they are great buys for the money. I also have an Epi Les Paul Classic, and although I am selling it soon, I dig it. Plays very well and the pickups aren't half bad, but I originally planned to put in some GFS Vintage 59s or Mean 90s in it. As far as Squier goes, I used to have an Affinity and a Standard strat, both were very playable when I was first learning, and now with the introduction of the Vintage Modified and Classic Vibe series, it really doesn't take a whole lot of mods to have a great guitar.

James · Post by **James** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 7:53 pm

bubbles_horwitz wrote:i sometimes dream of the es-295.

If I had seen one of these before I bought an archtop, I would have done my upmost t play one and most likely have bought one. Damn that's nice.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:53 pm

Squier Stagemaster

Okay, its not kool & the gang or quirky but its a MIK quality players guitar. If you love Fender necks but want some Floyd Rose action with the benefits of set-neck sustain this is unrivalled... even by the parent company... Fender.
After talking to Ekwatts at the weekend he pointed out the early models had bolt-on necks and scratchplates, so watch out for that.

Pacafeliz · Post by **Pacafeliz** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:54 am

my main guitars are definitely old 80s Squier Strats (sorry guys). 2 of 'em are the 3-bolt (kinda 72RI) big-head strats.
no mods needed whatsoever. WAY underrated, they take the beatings, sound and feel great, and you don't have to be afraid of them getting stolen ("oh it's only a squier"...)

i believe i have 4 or 5 MIJ squier strats, and planning on getting some more. addictive. and they can STILL be found for cheap, but ebay's slowly been "hyping" them up. so you better hurry.

i hear the new squiers are of great quality again (them early affinity series were only good for smashing!) but i like older and dinged up babies... heh heh

good luck!

Pat.

ps: OF COURSE i'm bias'd!

btw, the red one is a rare '89 Made in USA Squier, but that's another story...

Pacafeliz · Post by **Pacafeliz** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:00 am

oh here's a pic of them all...

btw, my first guitar is a '92 (?) Epi Les Paul my dad gave me. i haven't sold it cuz of the sentimental stuff... but they were build REALLY cheap back then. the pickups and electronics are worthless, as well as the tuners and all. i've only got the wood of it... that seems ok. maybe someday i'll build it together again. or not.

Pat.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:21 am

pat man, I love your guitars. I've been looking at 80s MIJ squiers on ebay a lot recently. maybe you are right, maybe I should snatch one up before they get too expensive. that or late 70s-early 80s greco, tokai or 80s domestic fender japan.

tribi9 · Post by **tribi9** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:05 am

mage wrote:pat man, I love your guitars. I've been looking at 80s MIJ squiers on ebay a lot recently. maybe you are right, maybe I should snatch one up before they get too expensive. that or late 70s-early 80s greco, tokai or 80s domestic fender japan.

I sold a super hot red (Not the gay CAR) but a fucking awesome shade of red Squier Strat MIJ with a killer neck for like $260, I can't kick myself in the ass enough for being such a moron.

Sublimedo · Post by **Sublimedo** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:49 am

Pacafeliz wrote: btw, the red one is a rare '89 Made in USA Squier, but that's another story...

elaborate plz! I have one that looks just like that one with truss rod adjustment at the heel but with rosewood. I'm very certain its late 80's and has no "made in ____" anywhere around it. it looks like my pickguard on it has shrunk a bit.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:56 am

Pacafeliz wrote:my main guitars are definitely old 80s Squier Strats (sorry guys). 2 of 'em are the 3-bolt (kinda 72RI) big-head strats.
no mods needed whatsoever. WAY underrated, they take the beatings, sound and feel great, and you don't have to be afraid of them getting stolen ("oh it's only a squier"...)

Indeed. The 'Silver Series' Jap Squiers were excellent quality, and the MIK protone series. I've owned both over the years and they were as good as the Fenders i've played.