Squeir Strat.

[Bluesnote]

I'm over in Canada for a couple of months and looking for a cheapo guitar to keep me in practice til I get back home again. I was looking at a Squeir that is fairly within the budget. Its made in basswood. Can anyone tell me what basswood as opposed to alder would sound like? I'm not looking for (that sound) obviously for a lower priced instrument, its never going to get gigged, just home use. I'll be playing it through a DA 5 which I purchased on a previous visit here, I had a loan of a guitar at the time, but I dont want to push my luck asking for a loan of it for two months this time.
Hugh.

[Stratpicker]

Hugh
Basswood is a good all-rounder and is softer than alder. "In Theory" it makes the tone more "middly" and softer. The harder the wood, the harder the tone and more resonant. For what you want it for and using a home amp like a DA5, I doubt that you would tell the difference.
cheers
ian

[ernie1958]

Hi Hugh,
My advice...get yourself a "Classic Vibe" Strat m8...they sound really great,good playability,and is more than just a "practice" guitar imo.
And most of all...they are not really expensive either..don't know how many GBP it would cost but over here in Holland they are around
300 Euro's...

Cheers,
Ernie

[Bluesnote]

Thanks guys for the advice. There's a store not far from here that has a massive selection of Squeirs and normal Strats, so I'll go check out a few in the next couple of days. I just want something to keep my hand in while I'm here and leave it here for my future visits. As long as its playable and sounds not too bad thats all that matters.
The price for the basswood was $132 Canadian and the classic vibe alder wood $385, quite a price difference I thought hence the reason for my post. Theres one advertised on their website thats fiesta red,the cheap one. Now should I concider that one for pose value as well?
Kiddin honest
All I know is that I need to take the minimum amount of cash with me and leave the credit card at my lodgings going by my past exploits

[Bluesnote]

Well I got one of these Squier Strats last night in a store in Canada. It's a Squier Bullet fiesta red Strat with trem. I had the choice of black or the fiesta, It was a bit of a decision as to which one as I like both of these colours. The fiesta won in the end, it looks bloody great for a cheapo.
I just decided on the cheapest of the range they had (which was pretty extensive in price range and models) as its only, as I said to keep my hand in whilst away from home.
I would'nt advise anyone who does'nt have knowledge of how to set up an instrument to purchase one ,or unless they know a man who does'.
I've fixed my own guitars for years so it was no problem getting it playable. The way you get it straight out the box, like mine was, needs a fair bit of work doing on it.
I sanded the frets and the fretboard to a smooth finish, fine polished the back of the neck(which was as rough as could be) to a really smooth feel. Set up the trem to suit heavier strings, which was a bitch to sort out. I've been playing it in for a couple of hours now and its coming on great. I cant get away with how good it sounds through the DA5. As its a low volume, I cant complain about the tone I'm getting, and the playability of the instrument, the intonation is just fine too. It's great for what it is. It'd never do for live playing but what I'm using it for is just fine. I think in Mr Hendrix's hands, it would last all of five minutes, but in my gentle big shovel-like grip, it'll be just fine.
Its price in Canada would equate to around 70 quid in Britain, so it hardly bursts the bank.

[Stratpicker]

That is a Good Deal - as is the "Bullet" Squier generally.
You get what you pay for so an hour or two setting it up nice and finishing off the bits and pieces will be time well spent.
If I remember right - The Bullet has a thinner body than a "normal" Squier or Strat, which doesnt matter until you try to upgrade the spec.
For instance you cant fit a Callaham steel trem block because they are for full depth bodies and I believe (but not sure) that the pickup router cavities are too shallow to allow for upgrades to go in without re-routering.
However as a practise guitar or something to cuddle when away from home, they are excellent value.
With a bit of knob twiddling on the amp EQ you may well get some decent Shads tones too.
I remember seeing and hearing Dan Martin at our Club playing a sunburst Squeir - it was awesome. Often its not what you got that counts - its how you use it!!
cheers
ian

[Bluesnote]

This one is the thicker body Ian. I once had a real Strat with the thinner body so I noticed the difference right away. I'm liking it more and more as I play it.
One thing I found strange with the Squier lines was that the Tele's were much more expensive than the Strat's. I always thought Tele's were much cheaper instruments. As to the tone, I'm getting a far better Shads tone than I do with my guitar at home, which is more Gibson sounding.
I was going to leave it here in Canada but now I'm having second thoughts. I may take it home and buy another one next time I'm here
I could then get the nine gauge strings on my Ibanez which much more suits its playability. Then I can do my own heavy metal FBI

[cockroach]

Hi Hugh,

I'm over in another part of the Commonwealth, in South Australia.

I owned and used a red Squier Bullet Strat (Chinese built)for about 2-3 years , until I sold it to another chap in our small local Shads club group a few months ago, as he wanted an electric solidbody.

I used it regularly for gigs and rehearsals, jamming , parties etc. - playing rock, country, Shads and Ventures material, and I even did a JAZZ gig with it- great jazz tone from the neck pickup! I paid AUS $169 for it (about 85 pounds sterling) new, then used it for the first time at a New Year's Eve gig the same evening!

Excellent neck, good tone, used with 11-49 strings with a wound .20 third string. New ones are still only about AUS$199 here in a choice of colours.

A very good affordable guitar- OK, you could replace pickups, bridge, tuners etc- but they work very well in stock standard form.

For my main guitar, I currently use a Squier Affinity Telecaster(also Chinese built) used with 10-48 strings with a plain third- which is astoundingly good and true to the classic Tele tones- but it certainly did cost more than the Squier Bullet Strat at the time- I paid AUS $275 a couple of years ago, but they are AUS$399 nowadays. Once again, I bought it on a Saturday afternoon, and gigged with it at a cafe the next day!

Retail prices are probably just a function of economies of scale I think- the Strat types are far more numerous/popular, although theTelecaster style appears to be more trendy at the moment...

[Bluesnote]

Thanks John for the info. I'm pleased to hear that it can actually be played at a live gig also. I was'nt sure if it'd have the output or the tone when cranked up.
I had a Japanese Strat once and it was terrible at our gigs. It sounded really cheap til I upgraded the pickups.
This Squier is also Chinese made, as I said, it needed a fair bit of finishing to make it a good guitar, but its great now, just needs the frets worked on a wee bit to my liking and thats it sorted. I've got ten gauge strings on it at the moment, dont know if I'll go up the the elevens though. I dont want to upset the playability its got.
As you say about the neck pickup, it is really jazzy when you tinker with the amp

[cockroach]

Hi Hugh,

Sorry, I couldn't get a reply to work as a private message- but no problem!

You asked about 11 gauge strings on the Squier Bullett Strat- I would say that as well as adjusting the bridge saddles etc, you may also need to adjust the trussrod and/or shim the neck pocket as the heavier strings do exert a lot more tension on the neck, which can cause the neck to bow a little.

You will notice a fair bit more finger effort is necessary to bend the strings, especially the wound third, even if you use a lighter wound third (say .20) but stick with it!

Another advantage of using a heavier gauge with a wound third is that once the neck and bridge are set up, you can set a lower action with less or no rattling, and a good clean solid rhythm sound.