Fender Squier 51

lee_UK · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:07 pm Post subject: Fender Squier 51

Got one last week, blond with the black scratch plate, it plays nice, had to lower the action a bit, the neck is Tele style and unfinished which i like,
It has a SC on the neck with pole pieces like a Strat, but has a Humbucker on the bridge which can be coil tapped using the pull up volume knob, to be honest i don't like the pups, and im definatly going to change the HB for a Gibson PAF or a pearly gates but still keep the original wiring, maybe make the strings go through the body too, the HB isn't potted so im assuming it's going to squeel like a piggy at volume.
Body is solid Alder, neck is Maple, hardware looks good even though i managed to pull the volume knob off, nicely finished, tight neck pocket and made in Indonesia, i paid £115 for it.

glw · Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:43 am Post subject:

I always thought this guitar looked quite interesting, but couldn't really justify buying one.

Sounds like you chose the best finish. I don't like the look of the black or sunburst ones.

1bassleft · Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 7:59 pm Post subject:

Oh, a ´51 has to be blonde (I think guitars are female...). Nice to know there is a good one. I have to say that most Indonesian Squiers have failed to inspire me in the shop. A genuine Gibson PAF on a Tele? Interesting and, surely, pricey. I´ve often tried to buy a Tele Bass bucker but they go for massive amounts. I noticed these Squier Custom pups are wax potted (and cheap):
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Squier-Custom-Telecaster-humbucker-pickups_W0QQitemZ250151578302QQihZ015QQcategoryZ42455QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

lee_UK · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:19 am Post subject:

I don't mean proper PAF's!! as if i could afford them? i mean lookie likies, Seymour copies, those squier Humbuckers look cheap, but what will they sound like?? why don't all manufacturers wax their pickups? i might have a go at those squiers..

1bassleft · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:47 pm Post subject:

Ah, that makes more sense. PAFs on an IndoSquier remind me of those times when I see a twenty-grand plate like "BOB 5" on a three grand old Bimmer. Did you know that Larry Dimarzio owns the trademark for PAF pickups? Gibson never trademarked "Patent Applied For" as a brand name so Dimarzio swooped in and, irony of ironies, Gibson cannot describe their own pups as PAFs. You can guess how well they get on when meeting up at trade fairs.

I can only guess that those potted Squiers are earlier models from China or Korea? Fender do have an annoying habit of downgrading hardware when moving production to a new country (eg, the early Mex Jazz basses).

I had a look at Fleeb and Dunkmore Semens and Dimarzio PAFs can be had singly for 25 to 30 quid. Perhaps a better bet than risking eighteen quid and time on the Squiers.

lee_UK · Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:40 pm Post subject:

I think i will only put one in, i also have a Seymour hotrails on one of my guitars, may put that on the neck and coil tap that as well, those hotrails have an incredible output.

1bassleft · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:58 pm Post subject:

Pardon my ignorance, but are you thinking of a stacked ´bucker at the neck or routing out the SC into something bigger? Right swine of a job, pup routing.

lee_UK · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 8:28 am Post subject:

Phonically Rail-ting (Routing) is easier than Rooting (Routing), but of course it depends on which side of the Atlantic you live, and if you are an IT engineer or a Guitar dabbler.

Hotrails is a single coil sized humbucker designed to replace a Strat pup or a Tele, i have one on my Maya 1979 Jap Tele copy.

Routing wouldn't be a problem, although trying to get the router between the strings is a bit of a git !!! iv'e done a bit of that before, and i think the Squire 51 is the guitar to do it on. Laughing

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