type of guitar

eoin1981

Is it just a myth that squire guitars are of lesser quality. I can get a really nice one for 400. its really nice to play and it looks good. But when i say its a squire to people they seem to be less enthusiastic about it. Any thoughts?

TravelJunkie

Don't know about Squire but I have an acoustic Epiphone and it is lovely.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

They're basically Fender's entry level, bottom of the range models

Ger the man

A squire will be more than adequate for a beginner or someone who justs wants to jam in the bedroom and will last if its cared for. The parts and labour are cheaper than the more expensive counterparts hence the cheaper price.

eoin1981

This one isn't exactly bottom line. its a limited edition. Looks nice and plays nice. Thanks for replies.

Eoin

Ger the man

Best of luck - enjoy!

It wasn't me!

Personally I'd be very reluctant to splash out 400 bills on a Squier, but if you feel it's worth it, and it's the guitar for you, go for it. I've never personally played this magic Squier of which you speak.

Tebbi

I have a westfield electric, westfield = beginners guitar. im not that much of a beginner but the guitar is beautiful to play. And that is simply the reason i bought it. If a guitar feels comfortable in your hands then it is the guitar for you. Beginners guitar or not. My westfield is my greatest possesion and well worth the money.:D

Patricide

westfields can be lovely, guiutars like that you can get a really bad one or a really cool one.

Kenny_D

For not much more you can get a MIM fender lite ash from thomann. Reckon it'd be a lot better than the squire

Malice

I have a Fender American Series Strat from 2000 and my brother has a Squier from around the same time. I've noticed the following about the Squier whenever I play it: It feels very light in my hands. I don't beat up my guitars but when I'm doing a pitch bend, I don't want to have a worry in the back of my mind that the guitar is going to fall apart. The neck doesn't feel great, there's quite a lot of friction generated on songs requiring a lot of hand movement or solos. The tone from it isn't great, it is very nasally and the tone controls do very little to rectify the situation.
Now having said that, it cost something like £120 at the time and in my opinion was fine as a starter guitar. Nobody in their right mind should spend thousands on something they may never get the value out of. Also if/when you upgrade to a higher quality instrument, you will be able to feel the difference straight away.

Royale with Cheese

I have an oakman acoustic, cost €100 and was the cheapest guitar in Waltons a few years back. Plays very nice, better than many other far more expensive guitars I've tried. All my friends who've played it say the same thing. Cheap guitars aren't always rubbish.

Also since it was so cheap I don't feel the need to take such good care of it like with my bass. I've been dragging it around the world with me over the past few years and it's great not to have to worry about it getting scratched or marked when it's being used in a drunken sing song or played by randomers at parties.

bombidol

I think its depends on the brand really some companys HAVE to make a decent guitar on the cheap or no one will buy em. Look at Schecter, their guitars are in the lower midrange price brackets but shape up to a gibson for 4 times the price

Malice

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned already but, just like cars, don't forget about the second hand market. You can pick up some real bargains if you look around. Your €400 could go a long way towards something really nice.

Karl Hungus

eoin1981 wrote:

Is it just a myth that squire guitars are of lesser quality. I can get a really nice one for 400. its really nice to play and it looks good. But when i say its a squire to people they seem to be less enthusiastic about it. Any thoughts?

No, it's not a myth. They are of lesser quality.

I don't doubt you can get a nice one, that plays nice and looks good, because these days, you can get some very good entry level instruments for the money, and it's not like the old days when you can get a cheap guitar with frets that'll cut you, and necks that aren't even properly aligned. I've played a few Yamaha Pacificas, and I thought to myself "Wow, that's a really good guitar for the price" but the key phrase here is; for the price.

Entry level guitars just don't compare to the real deal, as it were. I'm sure if you owned a Squier aswell as an American or Japanese Fender, you'd be able to tell the different in quality and sound. Just the other day, I was playing an Indonesian made Ibanez, and compared to my Japanese made Ibanezes, it just felt crummy. It was good for the price, but there was absolutely no comparison to a UV777 worth €2k

So, hope that helps.

Mars Bar

Patricide wrote:

westfields can be lovely, guiutars like that you can get a really bad one or a really cool one.

i have a westfield acoustic, it looks and sounds great...

Doctor J

Karl Hungus wrote:

No, it's not a myth. They are of lesser quality.

I beg to differ.

It really depends on when and where it was made. For example, some of the Squiers made in Japan during the 80s were, at one point, rebadged as real Fenders such was their quality. If you can get an 80's Japanese Squier, then buy it, because chances are there won't be much to differentiate it from the "real thing" which would probably cost two or three times as much and I, for one, would have no issue at all paying €400 for one.

I bought a beater Indonesian made Squier P bass a few years back for a recording project a few years back. It wasn't the best when I bought it but after a good setup it played pretty well, not as good as the ESP J, but damn good for €150 and there was nothing wrong with the tone.

I think Squiers get a bum rap. Granted they are entry level, but they are generally no worse than the rest of their peers and comparing them with €2000 guitars isn't entirely relevant, in the same way you wouldn't compare a Ford Fiesta with BMW 5 Series if he was asking if €4000 is a good price for a Fiesta. You get what you pay for and you buy what you can afford. They're designed to compete in a perticular market, a different market to J Customs and the likes. OP, for €400, there are other avenues I'd explore before comitting to buying one but if you try other guitars and you prefer the Squier then go for it, don't worry about what's written on the headstock, trust your hands and ears.

Just make sure you search around a bit first to make sure it's the right price for the guitar. Special editions don't mean a thing, get a good guitar first and a limeted edition second, if you know what I mean

Karl Hungus

Doctor J wrote:

I beg to differ.

It really depends on when and where it was made. For example, some of the Squiers made in Japan during the 80s were, at one point, rebadged as real Fenders such was their quality. If you can get an 80's Japanese Squier, then buy it, because chances are there won't be much to differentiate it from the "real thing" which would probably cost two or three times as much and I, for one, would have no issue at all paying €400 for one.

In fairness though, when people say 'Squier' they generally aren't refering to the 80's Japanese ones, so it's a fairly moot point. Don't get me wrong, certainly nab one if you can get one, but I'm assuming the OP isn't on about those ones.

Doctor J wrote:

I think Squiers get a bum rap. Granted they are entry level, but they are generally no worse than the rest of their peers and comparing them with €2000 guitars isn't entirely relevant

The guy asked if it was a myth if the entry level guitars were lesser quality. How is me comparing an Indonesian made Ibanez to the Japanese made real deal not relevant?

Doctor J

I read the question as are they lesser quality relative to similar level guitars. I don't think the OP believes he's getting a PRS in disguise, or asking if a €400 Squier compares to a €2000 guitar.

fourmations

i found the latest squiers pretty poor
and would personally not spend 400 on one

i would definately look at second hands

what exact model are you looking at?

i have an 89 squier HM3
and a 91 squier silver series tele
both are excellent guitars without doubt

rgds

4

Karl Hungus

Fair enough Doc, the OP was rather unclear about what Squiers were lesser quality than, so I went the other way on that one.

Doctor J

No problemo There is a myth that Squiers are substandard compared to their contemporaries, but I would consider it to be just that, a myth. I've played some seriously good Squiers tbh.

Voodu Child

Specific to this question, i wouldnt spend e400 on a squier. Being 'limited edition' or whatever doesnt mean squat. HOWEVER, i'd say the e400 is overpriced anyway, check the web and you'll probably find the same guitar for less. If you can find it for e300 it might be an alright guitar for the money.

In relation to Squiers in general, personally i think the Fender connection leads them to be overpriced. I'd put a e200 Pacifica up against a e300 squier and consider the Pacifica to be the better instrument. That's my opinion and in relation to the OPs 'myth' question you can see where i'd stand.

Nothing wrong with them for the money, but people buying in that end of the market usually can't afford to sniff at 50 or 100 quid. IMO better instruments than squiers can be had for 50 or 100 quid less...so i don't see any reason to buy one.