Can A Squier Play As Well As A £4k Fender Custom Shop?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 พ.ย. 2022
- In today's video James and Paul are down in Bonners Music Shop In not so sunny Eastbourne on the south coast of the UK.
We wanted to see if we can take a cheap guitar and make it sound and play like a Fender Custom Shop.
The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs. - เพลง
Us & our customers are very lucky to have Simon, it's amazing what can be done.
Cheers Paul & James, trust you're both well.
Bonners are my local store; they always do a check over and set up when you buy a guitar from them and its great to see Simon in his tech cave doing his usual excellent thing :)
Thank you for making this video…I’ve been saying this for years…as long as the wood is good and the neck isn’t twisted, you can make these things play like butter…great stuff gents!!!!
Good setup makes a huge difference. I have a Player series Tele and an American made Roadhouse Strat (over 30 years old now) and I can honestly say the Tele plays just as well as the Strat. The Tele was setup in Music Street guitar shop in Huntingdon, so thanks to the guys there. Great service. Support your local stores people or they’ll be gone. Second thing is to not be afraid to make slight adjustments yourself. As the seasons change you may need to make a tiny truss rod tweak (very tiny - 1/6 th of a turn maybe) to cure a bit of buzz, but simple to do.
This video is a perfect illustration of how critical it is to do business with a pro shop. Great stuff!
Great video, learnt a lot there!
The fret dress and nut slots need an experienced eye and make a huge difference. Everything else can easily be done at home and is well worth learning. Great vid!
Excellent video guys, Simon is a master & skilful Luthier . It shows what you can achieve if you have the knowledge.
Great video guys!
Great video. Taking my classic vibe Strat in for a professional setup tomorrow.
With the exception of 1 x Hofner bass, all my guitars and my bass are Squier. Over the last 6 years, i've sold my US Strat & US Tele as they just didn't feel right. These new Squiers, with a good set up and a few improvements (locking tuners & nut) are beautiful instruments. I'm a bedroom guitarist so i don't need to upgrade the electronics, they sound fine for my use.
I will bookmark Bonners guitars. Thanks for this great video
This video is very interesting. Good job.
Late to the party but had to come and comment. I've been doing exactly what you just did to guitars for years. I am 64, had to go to a library and read a book to learn how to do what you're Luthier just did back when I was 15. I personally feel that the prices of Fender Custom shop, Suhr, Ernie Ball and PRS, to mention a few, are way too high. If the guitar feels right in your hands and is a good fit to your body and sounds decent when you try it, that's all that matters. Many argue these less expensive guitars aren't worth the TLC and some upgrades they may require because of resell value, but I beg to differ. With a minimal investment in the tools to do so, I maintain, setup, and upgrade my guitars as well as bring life in to what some felt was a lost cause. Great post, keep them coming.
This is true. I recently bought a black rosewood board hardtail squire bullet stratocaster as something to customize and learn wiring and set ups ect. It played great out of the box and it's lighter than all the other strats I have. I now have it with a single P90 volume pot and single tone pot and custom tortoiseshell scratch plate, all hardware changed for gold higher quality items. It's a great well set up guitar and is as good as any other strat I have and still comes in cheaper than the Squire in your film.
Nice one.
I bought a Squier vintage modified PJ base and I thought I was going to have to change the pickups but I watched the video of a guy with the same base who he was thinking of changing the pickups until he adjusted the height and then that base came alive, so I went ahead and tried it and sure enough I've stuck with the stock pickups because they sound really good
Squier has been the best bang for the buck on the market for a few decades now. Currently own a 2014 HH Affinity Jazzmaster and a VM HB Jaguar bass.
Both are amazing players!
Very interesting video! This is kind of what I have thought for a while, although I haven't played any custom shop priced guitar. I had come to the conclusion that a well setup cheap guitar can play as great as any other guitar. It's the details/last percents that differs.
No problem. Except for the tremolo, my $200 Affinity Strat plays incredibly well. It's my favorite day to day guitar. And I actually really like the pickups. No setup when new in my case. Just put on new strings and lubed the key areas and it's fantastic.
Amazing!
I upgraded my CV 70’s Jag. Custom ‘65 vintage pickups, 920D custom harness with 1meg pots, shimmed the neck back 1°, Fender mustang bridge, AVRI Fender tremolo, added a Fender mute, Gotoh vintage split top locking tuners, shielded the cavities. Full fret job and setup. All work done by a pro luthier. It is literally my favorite guitar now. Luthier had a custom shop Jag in the shop and he compared mine with the CS and he said mine was a better playing and sounding guitar. Even with all the upgrades and labor it cost me less than a custom shop build.
It surprises me that it needed so much work. I’ve got 2 CV Strats, a CVC Tele and a Deluxe Strat and they were all pretty much perfect from the factory. I usually have to adjust relief and intonation on new guitars but the frets are normally fine. EDIT: Oh and the nut slots - they normally need a little work whether it’s a £300 guitar or a £1,000 guitar.
Very honest video!! In the early days it mattered to me what name was on the headstock. Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, made in USA....it must have been good because you pay a lot of money for them right? Wrong! In 30 years of playing I teached myself how to set up a guitar properly because I didn't have the money to go to a Luthier and I wanted to know more of the instrument then just play it. Now I have all the tools to set up instruments for myself , friends and pro-players. It became a hobby inside a hobby and it is no rocket science, with a little patience everbody can learn this. The last decade I noticed that the QC on Made in USA guitars is terrible . Hight frets, poorly cut nuts, bad laquer jobs, etc, you name it. Now I own 25 guitars from different brands and the Asian ones play as good as my Suhr Classic ( best USA guitar I own ), Fender/Gibson custom shop ones after a good setup at a fraction of the cost of a USA guitar. The Asian ones need a little bit more TLC and maybe an electronics upgrade like pots, input jacks, better tuners but that's not a super expensive upgrade. My personal opinion is that made in USA guitars are way overpriced.
Cost of labor.
I've got a strat in almost every price range. A MiM, a prof. II (aka the standard strat) and a custom shop. I had a bone nut custom made for the MiM by a luthier and did the setup myself based on the setup of the custom shop and what I've learned from multiple luthiers here on youtube. Now, the MiM is my best playing guitar. The custom shop just has more vibe and mojo to it.
Nice one!
Interesting video - I wanted to add that I had a little bit of a poor customer experience at Bonners when I went there earlier in the year - they seemed to open up a little after I’d spent some money, which is a shame as I’d consider myself a ‘high-end’ buyer
First thing I have always done when buying a new guitar regardless of the brand is rip the strings of, Check the frets. Level crown and polish if needed. I set the height of the action to the gauge of strings. On a stratocaster style I like 10-46 and on Telecaster style I go for a 9-42, I'll adjust the pick up height and then intonate the guitar and I'm off. Always take a little time with a new guitar doing the basics and you'll realise it's worth it.
just subscribed....good shit Maynard......
I just ordered my second Squire Classic Vibe 50’s strat. I have two Fender Custom Shop strats and the necks on the Squires are just great. I have a set of custom shop 69 strat pickups in need of a guitar and thought what the heck. They are great guitars. The finishes are awesome.
Nice one!
I have a 2020 China Affinity Tele black! It’s actually 2 mm thicker than my fender Tele Performer. And it weighs exactly the same as the Performer Tele 7.1 to 7.2 Ibs. I picked up a new Affinity Tele at the store today and it felt a 1/4 inch thinner! And the neck was thinner!
sounds great
If only I could find someone I could trust like Simon. :)
Lets hope so...I just bought a squire telecaster thinline...and im upgrading the tuning heads and the bridge,...hoping this thing becomes a big boy
I rolled the edges and cleaned up the frets on a bullet Squire and it played fine, I bought a 2018 player series, rolled the edges, dressed the frets, cut the nut a little better, lubed up the saddles, nut, and string tree and it’s fantastic! I do hardtail them though, I don’t fully block them, I run the claw all the way down and run 5 springs, all I have left to do is put vintage string in tuning machines and I’d put it up against any higher end strat out there, as far as the feel and the pickup stagger. It’s alot easier if you don’t use the trem, wich I don’t, but even if you do it’s still an easy mod, if you are comfortable doing it, if you pay someone it’s still very cheap.
Nice video bro!
I actually like the Epiphone over Gibson. Both in build quality and tone. But, I have a $200 Firefly that is amazing. I could never tell the difference between cheap and expensive guitars. Sometimes cheap guitars feel cheap, but same goes for expensive guitars. I get crap about putting expensive tuners on cheap guitars. I think they are worth the investment for playability.
I was a fresh, brand-new beginner when I bought my Squier Strat. It was not perfect. Intonation was nowhere near correct, action needed adjusting at both the saddles and the truss rod, frets were gritty, it had pretty bad fret sprout, etc. It was uncomfortable and difficult to play, so what'd I do? I went online and learned how to correct it all, and now I know how to do so whenever I get a new guitar that needs attention. So, while my first Squier was a pain out of the box, I know how to do a setup and work on my guitar *because* it was a pain out of the box. And with a little work, these Squiers are great value for money. I chose to keep my Squier 50s Classic Vibe Strat over my Fender 50s Vintera Strat because the Squier was just a better guitar all around (after a setup & all that).
Funny seeing this because my favorite is a pawn shop Squier that already had a bone nut installed I put a proper bridge w full tone block and replaced input jack... selector switch...pots Love the ceramic pups unless the previous owner did a swap But it's my go to and I have vintage and CS Strats I guess I got lucky Love the neck It's pink though LoL but still love it and could easily be my only guitar So selling my custom shop 4K guitar
I would have liked to watch & listen him as he was setti g yp the Squier strat. This should be 2 videos in my humble opinion.
Great video! Pro setup can really transform a cheap guitar. Then it’s the owner’s responsibility to maintain the playability by periodic, basic maintenance and small adjustments. That said, I would not compare Custom Shop to Squier. Each guitar despite its origins is a unique instrument. Generalizations like „only CS is good enough” or „Squier CV is the best there is” are a bit useless. Take care of what you have, and make sure you make it the best playing instrument it can be.
I went looking for that Strat to buy it but it was already gone.
Great video.
Will it stay that well?
Same question for an expensive guitar.
One should apply regular maintenance how often? What are maintenance costs?
One should learn to setup a guitar for maintenance and unless you play it like crazy and damage the frets, it will stay that well, yes.
@@frantisca Thanks for replying. Good answer.
Nice video! It was really fun having you chaps for the day, but it hasn't stop raining since you left, so you need to come back with the sunshine! 🤣
Do you recall what your pickup height settings were on that guitar? My 2000 Squier Special Edition Strat ceramic pickups sure would like to know... 😉
@@Apeshoot13 yes all pick ups were 3/32nd to top of poles on Top e and and 4/32nd on bottom E fretted 21st and under string. Using rabone steel rule.
@@stratman808 Thanks, Simon.
@@stratman808 It's crazy what a difference that adjustment made. I had them about 3/64ths lower.
Simon is one of very, very few people who I would trust to set up or work on any of my guitars.
It's not rocket science.
I Just slapped some Lollar imperials in a $99 usd Bullet Mustang and its killer!!!!!!!!! sike it was horrible until I made the following changes. Moved the bridge back to 25.5 scale replaced saddles(cutting strings) chucked the old neck in fire pit, added a MusikCraft roasted strat neck with Sprezel tuners, replaced all wiring and pots and jack. NOW its amazing but cost me 650 in addons . so for 750 total would I buy it.! heck no but it was fun to build and all parts were spare stuff I had around for years.
Would you normally start leveling the frets THEN make a truss rod adjustment??? Seems like that's a bit out of order.
anyone know the riff he is playing post-setup?
My 2022 squier affinity telecaster china plays darn good pretty surprise really super crips and responsive
Yes
What guitar shop is this
Please let me know if you are willing to sell that, I am in need of a good stratocaster for the studio but don't have funds for a expensive guitar..
That looked like a great guitar in the pic lol.
Would you guys be interested in a pickup upgrade/demo for the squier? I make '54, '59, '64 or custom strat pickups. I'd be happy to sell you a set for cost price if you mention me on the channel.
Hi Murray, yes we would although the guitar was owned by a shop called Bonners music we don’t actually own that guitar.
I'd love to get my (relatively inexpensive) guitar set up by a pro. I've always been hesitant to trust someone I find locally to do it though (I live in a small town, options are limited). I don't feel I have the knowledge to tell a tech exactly what I'm looking for, so I'd need some level of expertise to suggest a good basic setup.
A tech will help you with decisions, although even asking for a setup should get you the results you want.
A good luthier will intuitively know what a good setup is for any given guitar. Really the only thing to decide is what guage of strings you prefer.
So, what did you think of that LANEY LA STUDIO 3? If your guitar is not properly setup, your fighting it.
To be honest, It’s ok, although it came to life with pedals in front of it.
@@TheStudioRats That's what I figured. It is interesting for a virtual plug-in Amp, but they are $1150 over here.
@@HandWiredAmps go and get a rev d20
@@TheStudioRats Agreed!
Squier! and yes it can
Did I miss the costs of total set up & fret work?
It was a new guitar, it’s set up for free by Bonners.
@@TheStudioRats never seen that amount of fret work done as part of store set up… for free. That’s a very good deal if true.
..Sound and wood? Check out Jim Lill's vid about a strat, and just playing the hardware without the wood. Real eye opener.
I think Simon's about to get a lot more busy.
Answer: Yes.
A lot of the fit and finish work that effects playability can be done, by an experienced tech, even on a completed guitar.
New stainless steel frets. Floyd rose locking staggered machine heads with a roller nut. Emg loaded pick guard. $850 playes & sounds better than a $5000 surh
Of course....
Ive been doing that for over 30 years.
Paul, buy the Squire. Now that it’s set up. 👍🏼
I was tempted.
I've been trying to tell you Paul! 😄
I really like this video, because more people need to know that you don't need to be rich or work your fingers to the bone to save up enough to get a playable guitar.
It's just a perpetual shame that the people cheap guitars like that are aimed at - mostly beginners - don't know how to do any of that, and may not know what a setup is or who to take it to to have one done.
But for a pretty low price, you can get a cheap guitar, get a setup done, and swap out for better pickups even if it's warranted, for a fraction of the high end prices.
Obviously if you want a hand made work of art, that's a different situation, and anyone who wants that should absolutely get it (I'd love to have a couple, and maybe some day I will lol)! I just wish there wasn't such a huge push for guitar players to spend more and more to get a guitar that sounds good, when you can make almost any guitar sound good.
Cheers
Also, a good guitar guy like Simon is worth their weight in gold!
The second that sqiure is in my hands I can tell the difference
Where are the wine glasses? Can you find them for me?
You might need to explain that one.
@@TheStudioRats the venue in which the video was filmed looked like a wine glass
@@lyinking1998 ahh I see.
@@TheStudioRats I'm kidding I was drunk when I wrote that initial comment
Good man!
Action adjustments are one area where Imperial/SAE measurements shine. 64ths of an inch are the way to go. A millimetre is too big of an increment.
We use decimal, so in theory you can go to 100ths of a millimetre. So gibson neck pickup starts 2.4mm away from string, but if your eyes are good enough 2.41mm😁
@@stratman808 Can you read 100ths of a millimetre on a rule with your naked eye? No. 64ths are superior for the visible scale at which action adjustments are made. 128th of an inch is still more visible than 100th of a millimetre, but for most applications 64ths are plenty fine. I’m sure there are places where metric shines. Guitar setups, in my professional opinion, isn’t one of them.
Agree to disagree.
@@stratman808 I simply don’t believe that you can accurately read 2.41mm on a ruler with your naked eye. That’s just nonsense. Do you even know how small 1/100th of a millimetre is? I prefer to not have to use a digital caliper to measure something that is easily handled with my eyeballs and a $12 ruler.
@@TheMasonator777 the 100th was a joke, I'm not splitting an atom. in UK our rulers do have 0.5mm though. We get by.
I also use imperial
There are 1000's of Squier lovers out here...some take them on tour...Just ask Jack Pearson and Mike Rutherford
It’s not the squire, it’s the amp that sounds great.
👀
What is a Millimeter?
I measure in 64's.
5/64ths is 2mm for measurement purposes
Of course it does, if it's been setuped properly! Then there is no difference
SQUIER dammit
I know if I played a CS strat and Guthrie a Squire with only 3 strings, he would still sound a million times better than me.
What's a "Squire"? Never heard of it.
Dude, it's literally written on the headstock. It's a similar guitar to those played by David Gilmore, Jimmy Hendricks, and Erik Claptone.
Haven’t watched tho video but I’d say No , but it can get pretty close if the frets are levelled/crowned/polished and nut slots cut to sub 0.5mm over the first fret . A bone or Tusq nut would be better but even a plastic my one can play ok if you rub some pencil in the slots once filed lower. Add neck relief via truss Rod if you want it
Some cheap guitars have decent necks on them that feel good.
A good setup and a good set of pickups can significantly change how goods guitar sounds and plays , it’s quite surprising
You should watch the video. 🤷🏻♂
@@ransombaggins9301 was on the bus with the kids (one a 3 year old) at the time 🙂
I’m sure it’s excellent . I love these type of vids. Sam Deeks of reloved guitars is excellent. I’ve just been buying and making my own tools to do these kind of setups . Last attempt was a major fail tho with fret levelling 😵💫
tonewood ??? seems to have been debunked but im still not sure
I did it better. Joined a Squier standard stratocaster neck to a Fender stratocaster body. I can't tell the difference after my mods. Of course I polish, round, roll, adjust, add wiring add tone bleed and play! Trust me, moat Fender strats don't feel as good. The time is the key.
No, but maybe a Squier can.
The real question is, "Can a guitar tech spell better than a 4th grader when the word is printed right on the headstock?"
Sorry you lost me on that one.
🤦♂️
The tech is just talking and working, the tech didn't spell anything. The tech knows how to spell Squier? The tech probably noticed the spelling error quicker than you. The tech doesn't have access to editing the video. Lol😂😂
You can polish a turd and have a shiny turd. Or, buy something decent and hop it up a bit. Most people aren't into battling a guitar endlessly trying to keep it playable. If your gonna spend time and money on a guitar you plan on keeping, start with something in the $500-600 range at least.
It’s the player, not the guitar
*Squier. c'mon guys
The reality is most people are headstock snobs whether they know it or not.
A cheap guitar is a cheap guitar.pickup, bridge and frets are horrible...a setup don t change triste parts.