"Made in Mexico" Squiers from the 90s

[blingdogg]

Anyone have any info/experience with the Squiers that were made in Mexico during the 1990s? I heard these were close to, or the same as Fender Standard MIMs from that time.

What's the quality and playability like?

[SennaF1]

From what i remember they weren't, especially the early early 90's mim's they had a coated neck. My friend had one, and one day i gave him a ride and he was needed to make a stop and it was to sell it. I was like wtf why didn't you ask me before you sold it and he was like i didn't think you liked it so much. err.

[TwoMartinMan]

My 1998 MIM Squier Strat is excellent. It's a full thickness body, 3 ply w/b/w pickguard, maple/maple neck/fretboard, and it sings. I first got it planning to just use the neck for another project, but it turned out to be so nice I didn't dare take the neck off. I have 2 MIM Fender Strats (an '01 and an '06) and it stands up very well with both of them. I'd say equal in quality.

[peskypesky]

i bought a 1994 MIM Fender Squier Series (maple fretboard) and although it's a real "road-worn" guitar, i am very happy with it. from what i can tell it's all stock, but there is a chunk of wood missing under the pickguard. not sure what caused that. in any case, i'm replacing the stock ceramic pickups with Toneriders and have to get a trem arm for it. when that's done, it will probably be my #1 guitar. i like.

[AllroyPA]

Early ones were alder, then went to polplar. Full size pots, ceramic pickups. Import spaced bridge and neck (42mm at the nut). Alloy block (thin). Squiers had single ply guards. Good beaters, vintage sized frets ... aka small. Rosewood and maple boards available; also a lefty version.

[crumbum]

I saw one of these last week. I was intrigued by it and it was available for such steal that I got it. The neck feels great! The frets are TINY.

I just got off the phone with Fender and this is what they sent me:
**************************************************
Model Name: Traditional Stratocaster®
Model Number: 013-3600-(Color#) and 013-3602-(Color#)
Series: Traditional Series
Body: Poplar
Neck: Maple (Std. Truss Rod)
Fingerboard: Rosewood pn# (013-3600) or
Maple pn# (013-3602), (9.5” Radius/241 mm)
No. of Frets: 21
Scale Length: 25.5” (648 mm)
Width @ Nut: 1.650” (42 mm)
Hardware: Chrome
Machine Heads: Standard (Stamped Covered)
Bridge: Standard Strat Tremolo (Cast Saddles)
Pickguard: 1-Ply White
Pickups: 3 Single Coils (Ceramic Magnets)
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade
Controls: Master Volume, Tone (Neck), Tone (Mid)
Colors: (306) Black,
(35 Torino Red,
(380) Arctic White,
(Polyester Finish)
Strings: Fender Super 250L’s (.009 to .042) Nickel Plated Steel pn# 073-0250-003
Unique Features: Black Fender Logo
Source: Mexico
Accessories: None
U.S. MSRP: $299.99
Specs: Prices and Specifications Subject to Change Without Notice
INTRODUCED: 1997
DISCONTINUED: 1/1998

[peskypesky]

Originally Posted by AllroyPA

Early ones were alder, then went to polplar. Full size pots, ceramic pickups. Import spaced bridge and neck (42mm at the nut). Alloy block (thin). Squiers had single ply guards. Good beaters, vintage sized frets ... aka small. Rosewood and maple boards available; also a lefty version.

you the man!

[AllroyPA]

Originally Posted by peskypesky

you the man!

Almost ... looks like only rosewood on the Squiers according to those specs. But the Fender label had maple in MIM at the time.

[Teleblooz]

Don't know about the Strats, but I picked up a "Squier Series" Tele neck on the bay a couple years ago to build my partscaster. Plays like a dream. It looks a little odd from behind (to me anyway) 'cause it has no skunk stripe, but in terms of playability it's even slightly superior to my 2002 MIM.

[AllroyPA]

Thanks for the info on the tele teleblooz; what is the serial on your tele MIM neck?

[blingdogg]

Thanks for the info everyone. I knew about the Squiers made in Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia, etc... but not in Mexico. Now I've learned something.

[blingdogg]

Originally Posted by TwoMartinMan

My 1998 MIM Squier Strat is excellent. It's a full thickness body, 3 ply w/b/w pickguard, maple/maple neck/fretboard, and it sings. I first got it planning to just use the neck for another project, but it turned out to be so nice I didn't dare take the neck off. I have 2 MIM Fender Strats (an '01 and an '06) and it stands up very well with both of them. I'd say equal in quality.

Do you have a picture of yours? I realize now that the ones I'm interested in are those that say "Squier Stratocaster" in gold letters, and in smaller writing "by Fender" on the headstock. On the back they say "Made in Mexico". Not the black label "Squier Series" ones.

Is that what you have? If the neck plays as nicely as a MIM Fender Strat, that would be awesome.

[AllroyPA]

That happened closer to the end of the 90's the serial to the back with the color gold letters. I think it was the MN8*** serials where that started '08-'09 dated

Originally Posted by blingdogg

Do you have a picture of yours? I realize now that the ones I'm interested in are those that say "Squier Stratocaster" in gold letters, and in smaller writing "by Fender" on the headstock. On the back they say "Made in Mexico". Not the black label "Squier Series" ones.

Is that what you have? If the neck plays as nicely as a MIM Fender Strat, that would be awesome.

[blingdogg]

So you think the MIM Squiers and the Fender "Squier Series" are the same guitars, just different logo styles?

Originally Posted by AllroyPA

That happened closer to the end of the 90's the serial to the back with the color gold letters. I think it was the MN8*** serials where that started '08-'09 dated

[AllroyPA]

Originally Posted by blingdogg

So you think the MIM Squiers and the Fender "Squier Series" are the same guitars, just different logo styles?

Yea... same. Maybe the later ones used the mock-gotoh style tuners. Look at ebay, there should be examples of both out there.

[AllroyPA]

Maybe they had the Squier go that way ? Here's a MN9 in Fender MIM

Here's a Squier
http://cgi.ebay.com/FENDER-SQUIER-FA...item2303bd6eb1

[blingdogg]

Originally Posted by AllroyPA

Maybe they had the Squier go that way ? Here's a MN9 in Fender MIM

Here's a Squier
FENDER SQUIER FAT STRAT MIM SERIAL NO. MN8105955 - eBay (item 150386601649 end time Nov-12-09 17:27:54 PST)

My MIM Fender Strat has the same headstock logo as that one in the pic. As for the Squier, the one in that Ebay ad has the exact logo style I was curious about.

The reason I'm asking about these Mexican Squiers is that I decided to buy a new neck for my Squier Bullet, and got a decent price for a neck like the one in that ebay ad you posted. Figured it would be better than a Mighty Mite neck at the same price. I bought it, it's on its way in the mail, but I got second thoughts about the quality and wanted some opinions.

Thanks.

[AllroyPA]

Ahh ... mines from 96-97 but has a real nice quality to it. I think you'll be satisfied.

[blingdogg]

Originally Posted by AllroyPA

Ahh ... mines from 96-97 but has a real nice quality to it. I think you'll be satisfied.

From what I heard they seem like nice guitars, with nice necks too. I think I'll like mine when I get it. I'll post a little review of the neck once it arrives and I put it on the Bullet.

Thanks.

[AllroyPA]

I have a rosewood board and the grain is super tight and nice color swirl It's a happy board.

[blingdogg]

Originally Posted by AllroyPA

I have a rosewood board and the grain is super tight and nice color swirl It's a happy board.

Sounds sweet! The neck I ordered is a rosewood too, and it looks nice in the pics.