Squier

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Squier is a second-line brand of the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. It produces models mostly derived from the Fender line of products but at lower cost, and are marketed similarly in providing high quality instruments at affordable prices for novice players. Squier guitars are now also sold in stores that do not specialise in musical instruments.

Contents 1 History 2 Initial Squier JV series 3 Original models 4 Current models 4.1 Electric guitars 4.1.1 Affinity Series 4.1.2 California Series 4.1.3 Deluxe Series 4.1.4 Hello Kitty Series 4.1.5 Master Series 4.1.6 Obey Graphics Series 4.1.7 Standard Series 4.1.8 Vintage Modified Series 4.2 Discontinued models 4.2.1 Vista Series 4.3 Electric basses 4.3.1 Affinity Series 4.3.2 Hello Kitty Series 4.3.3 Modern Bass Series 4.3.4 Standard Series 4.3.5 Vintage Modified Series 5 External links

[edit] History

Fender, under the ownership of CBS, acquired the Squier brand name in the mid to late-1960s when it bought a USA based string-making firm, but it lay dormant for many years.

In the early 1980s, several events were pushing Fender to produce a second-line brand. Firstly, CBS had sold out to new management without the factories in California. This meant there would be a drop in production before new manufacturing plants could be constructed and commissioned. Also, there was a demand for an inexpensive range of guitars that could not be manufactured in the USA at a low enough cost due to the cost of manpower and raw materials. Furthermore, companies were producing Strat copies at affordable prices to cater to a large market of novice guitarists, and this trend was eroding Fender's share of the market, especially in Europe and Asia.

As a solution to the aforementioned problems, the Squier brand name was resurrected in the early 1980s to distinguish a series of classic reproductions called the known as the Squier JV series. These were slavish reproductions of classic 1950s and 1960s Fender guitar models. Soon, a second series followed and these were called the SQ series as seen from the prefix to their serial numbers. They were generally reproductions of 1970s models, the main difference being that they were completely made out of parts made in Japan, whereas the initial JV series used USA-manufactured pickups.

Over time, Squier slowly evolved to be positioned as the budget brand of Fender and the attention to reproduction of classic designs was dropped, Fender instead taking up that area of the market through with new series, such as the Classic series and Custom Shop series. However, out-of-production Fender series like the Esprit and old Guild models have also been available under the Squier brand at some point in time, alongside several original models.

[edit] Initial Squier JV series

When initially launched in Europe in the early 1980s the Squier range offered classic reproductions of Fender's most popular models: '57 and '62 Stratocasters, '57 and '62 Precision Basses, '52 Telecasters and '62 Jazz Bass. These were made in the Fuji Gen Gakki factory in Japan - then also used by Ibanez - using original factory blueprints. These early Squiers are referred to as "JV Squiers" due to those two letters being the prefix on the serial number stamped on the neck plate that stand for "Japanese Vintage". Initial shipments to Europe had Fender's logo in large script on the headstock with a small "Squier Series" decal but quickly this gave way to a large Squier logo with a small "by Fender" decal. These early JVs are extremely accurate reproductions of the classic models and are highly sought by guitar collectors, especially in Europe.

[edit] Original models

There have been a few Squier models that have been distinct enough in specification from standard Fender models to be notable, such as the Super-Sonic, the Squier '51 (a design that hybridizes elements of the Stratocaster, Telecaster, and 1951 Fender Precision Bass), and the Jagmaster (partially derived from the Fender Jazzmaster).

There are also original and distinct editions of exisiting Fender guitar designs like the Fender Stratocaster and Fender Telecaster, such editions being the Hello Kitty Stratocaster with pink finish and fingerboard inlays and the Hello Kitty logo, or the OBEY Graphics series of Stratocasters and Telecasters with custom hand-painted bodies.

[edit] Current models

As of 2005, Fender seems to be positioning Squier as both a budget brand (with the Bullet, Affinity and Standard series of guitars and basses) and an alternate moniker, with some original models in the Squier lineup that are not found in Fender's own catalogue. Special editions of standard production models are not listed below.

Famous users include: Piran Treen,
Josh Clark (who prefers strat's and Gibsons),
Jack White,
Freddy Stardust (Lead Guitar of Ink Pad),
Ranulph Hazard,
Dora Chance,
James Paige.

[edit] Electric guitars

[edit] Affinity Series

• Squier Duo-Sonic (Discontinued)
• Squier Fat Strat
• Squier Bullet
• Squier Mini
• Squier Stratocaster
• Squier Telecaster

[edit] California Series

• Squier Stratocaster (California Series)
• Squier Telecaster (California Series)
• Squier Fat Stratocaster (California Series)

[edit] Deluxe Series

• Squier Satin Trans Fat Stratocaster HH
• Squier Satin Trans Fat Stratocaster HSS
• Squier Satin Trans Stratocaster
• Squier Satin Trans Telecaster

[edit] Hello Kitty Series

• Hello Kitty Mini
• Hello Kitty Stratocaster

[edit] Master Series

• Squier Espirit
• Squier M80

[edit] Obey Graphics Series

• OBEY Graphic Stratocaster HSS Collage/Dissent
• OBEY Graphic Telecaster HSS Collage/Dissent

[edit] Standard Series

• Squier Deluxe Stratocaster FMT
• Squier Deluxe Stratocaster QMT
• Squier Standard Double Fat Stratocaster
• Squier Standard Stratocaster
• Squier Standard Telecaster
• Squier Telecaster Special

[edit] Vintage Modified Series

• Squier Cyclone
• Jagmaster II
• Squier '51

[edit] Discontinued models

• Squier Bullet (original, early to mid-1980s model — distinct from the current Stratocaster-based budget model)
• Duo-Sonic
• Katana
• Sub-Sonic
• Silver Series (higher spec/priced (early 90s?), Japanese made, alternative to the standard level Korean Squire of the time)

[edit] Vista Series

• Jagmaster
• Musicmaster
• Musicmaster Bass
• Super-Sonic
• Venus
• Venus XII

[edit] Electric basses

[edit] Affinity Series

• Squier Bronco Bass
• Squier Jazz Bass
• Squier P Bass

[edit] Hello Kitty Series

• Badtz-Maru Bronco Bass

[edit] Modern Bass Series

• Squier MB-4

[edit] Standard Series

• Squier Jazz Bass
• Squier P Bass

[edit] Vintage Modified Series

• Vintage Modified Precision bass
• Vintage Modified Jazz Bass
• Vintage Modified Jazz Bass Fretless

[edit] External links

• Squier Guitars official website
• Fender Guitars official website
• Squier JV Pages Early European Squier collectors website
• shortscale.org Squier short scale forum