hey gang I have a squier strat..


Dirty Bill
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Dirty Bill
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04/09/2013 5:13 pm
The guitar is nice enough,seems to be decently made and sounds,well,just ok. I was wondering if it would be worthwhile to change the pickups on it for a better sound.

The music i want to play on this guitar is primarily blues,which i am a beginner at.

it seems to me i read some where about using humbuckers,but i can't remember where or what they said about them. Has anyone gone with a setup like the one described?

Always capitalize "BLUES"

# 1
cabledoctor
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cabledoctor
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04/09/2013 8:11 pm
If you are just starting out you dont need to be swapping your pickups out for humbuckers, just focus on learning and getting it to sound good with what you have.

Then when you have gotten to a better level treat yourself to a new guitar and amp possibly.

Don't buy into all the hype of you need this or need that, blues come's from inside and you can play them on any guitar with 6 strings, getting custom shop pickups or switching to humbuckers, you are still going to sound exactly like you do now, tone is from the fingers. I cannot say that enough, take it from me. I have spent thousand's on modding guitars and getting this and getting that, chasing tone is fun but very exspensive sometimes.
# 2
compart1
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compart1
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04/09/2013 8:36 pm
Hey Bill,


Maybe you can pick up some info here.. AS one person remarked about the different style of blues.

http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-15479.html

You did not mention the PU configuration on your Squire. or anything about your amp.
Try a test with guitar set on neck PU, middle tone setting.
Amp setting Volume 5
Treble 6
Bass 4
if you have Reverb 2
There are a massive amount of setting you could use. And as many different sound taste.
Also there is a difference with how you play and the phrasing you use.
I think I would hold off on making changes until you have explored the possiblities of you rig.
You may check out this video {rig roudown with Kenny Wayne Shepard). this was the first video I knew to be a blues player.
http://www.premierguitar.com/Video/20120223/1846/Rig_Rundown_Kenny_Wayne_Shepherd.aspx

Good Luck. Hope you find some useful info
# 3
hunter1801
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hunter1801
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04/10/2013 12:23 am
I wouldn't bother changing out pickups on a Squire. A Squire is basically your beginner gear. Just save up to swap out the Squire itself with something better down the road.
# 4
Razbo
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04/10/2013 2:50 am
Depends. There is value in doing a swap just for the sake of learning what makes your guitar go (provided you do it yourself).

I wouldn't discount your Squier just because it's a Squier. Some of them play great. A label is just a label. I presume is it has 3 single coils; that is a primary weapon for Blues.

As has been already said, if you are new to playing, I'd just stick with what you have for now. More comes from within than without.

Probably a decent amp is what to look at first. If you have one that came with a guitar package, it may leave something to be desired. I'd recommend a Fender Vibro Champ XD or Super Champ XD. I just can't say enough about those amps for the price.
...so ever since then, I always hang on to the buckle.
# 5
Dirty Bill
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Dirty Bill
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04/11/2013 4:35 pm
Thanks for all the replies. I have a marshall mg 10 that i got at a pawn shop. I probably just don't know how to set it up. It has clean volume knob,overdrive with gain knob,volume knob and the next knob says contour...what ever that is.

yes the squier has 3 pickups,and a select switch and the tone and volume knobs. I would use this guitar for playing leads of songs mostly i guess. I'm just a hobby guitar player.
Thanks again for the input....no pun intended... :cool:

Always capitalize "BLUES"

# 6
irishsnout
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irishsnout
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05/01/2013 3:29 am
just would like to add my opinion.
Tone starts at the fingers then goes from the strings to the pickups, down the cable, into effects, then the amp and finally out the speaker. there are so many factors that can easily destroy the tone you are looking for.
First, you need to have a solid playing foundation. then think about your guitar and how well it plays. Next take a look at your amp. a 10 watt solid state practice amp will probably not sound as good as a custom marshall stack. finally, what effects are you going to run. chorus, flanger, reverb? this is a whole can of worms that is well beyond my knowledge base.

Now back to the squire. I have heard some people love them while others hate them. Personally, I think they are really cool guitars. If it is setup properly and you really enjoy how it plays, then go for a pickup swap. just keep in mind that so many things affect tone and that $100 bucks for pickups could have been better spent elswhere.
# 7
Razbo
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05/11/2013 12:18 pm
Originally Posted by: irishsnout
Now back to the squire. I have heard some people love them while others hate them. Personally, I think they are really cool guitars. If it is setup properly and you really enjoy how it plays, then go for a pickup swap. just keep in mind that so many things affect tone and that $100 bucks for pickups could have been better spent elswhere.

Yup! My dad is 75, and has been gigging all his life. I am 50, and I was in the womb dancing to his tunes onstage lol!) I gave him a Squier I'd moderately upgraded, and he uses it all the time (STILL gigging!). He's certainly had enough experience to tell poop from gold. 'Nough said. :)
...so ever since then, I always hang on to the buckle.
# 8
JeffS65
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05/12/2013 3:47 am
Originally Posted by: RazboYup! My dad is 75, and has been gigging all his life. I am 50, and I was in the womb dancing to his tunes onstage lol!)


Your dad has a womb?!?!?!?!?!

:eek:
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Elliott Jeffries
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Elliott Jeffries
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05/12/2013 2:35 pm
Can someone explain how you get tone from your fingers? I understand tremolo, legato and bends. Playing a song with feeling, that would be playing the notes and chords in a way that communicates. My understanding of tone was the type of guitar and amp being used.
# 10
JeffS65
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JeffS65
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05/13/2013 1:07 pm
Originally Posted by: Elliott JeffriesCan someone explain how you get tone from your fingers? I understand tremolo, legato and bends. Playing a song with feeling, that would be playing the notes and chords in a way that communicates. My understanding of tone was the type of guitar and amp being used.


No matter how much equipment you have and not matter how good that equipment is, if you are not playing with conviction at your fingertips, you will never have good tone.

I remember a few guys in the day when refrigerator sized racks of stuff were the rage and these few guys with all the gear and money sounded just kinda blah.

Play it like you mean and the tone will follow.

You've heard, probably, that a great player can play through anything and sound great. This is why. Play it like ya mean it and tone will follow. All the cool equipment, once you play it like you mean it, will enhance your sound.

The same goes for technique. No matter the scale or technique used, if the conviction ain't there, it falls flat.

Make sense?
# 11
Razbo
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05/13/2013 8:20 pm
Originally Posted by: JeffS65Your dad has a womb?!?!?!?!?!

:eek:[/QUOTE]
My MOM's womb sheesh ;)

[QUOTE=JeffS65]No matter how much equipment you have and not matter how good that equipment is, if you are not playing with conviction at your fingertips, you will never have good tone.


I'm not a fan of Gene Simmons' ego, but he has it right about attitude. Play it like you own it. I think mine's still on loan, but getting there is fun.
...so ever since then, I always hang on to the buckle.
# 12
maggior
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maggior
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05/14/2013 1:45 pm
Originally Posted by: Elliott JeffriesCan someone explain how you get tone from your fingers? I understand tremolo, legato and bends. Playing a song with feeling, that would be playing the notes and chords in a way that communicates. My understanding of tone was the type of guitar and amp being used.


The type of guitar and amp certainly are factors in a player's tone. However, the player makes choices on the settings to use. There are the tone controls on the amp, there are the pickups on the guitar, and there are tone controls on the guitar itself.

Beyond that, the player can impact the tone by how and where they strike the strings with their pick. The "how they strike the string" involves things like pick attack, pinch harmonics, and palm muting. The "where they strike the string" involves how close to the bridge the player strikes the string. Striking closer to the bridge gives a more tebbly sound, where has further away give a more robust full sound.

Even the choice of pick has an impact on the sound produced - a flimsy vs. firm one, plastic vs. nylon.

Think of all of the different combinations that are possible with just these few things and you'll understand the wide variety of tone options that are available.

These are all fun things you can play around with and experiment. You will find different techniques that appeal to you they will work their way into your style.

Palm muting was something that I never really understood until Chris Schlaegal explained it very simply in one of his lessons. Being able to so that easily has opened a whole new dimension to my sound. And that's just one technique!
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cardmnal
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cardmnal
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05/24/2013 10:06 pm
Okay, I'm pretty new around these parts but I'll jump in anyway.

I also have a have a squier and have only been playing for a little while. After spending several hours in a music store and trying out many guitars I settled on this one. The biggest difference in it and the other squiers is that it has single coil pickups on the neck and middle and a humbucker on the bridge. In short it is very versatile tone-wise and made sense financially since I was just getting started.

As I said I am in the early stages of learning/mastering playing the guitar and it seems to work very well. I plan on continuing with it for some time and although I would like to upgrade now, I will wait until I have evolved in my technique and realized my style. At that point I can tailor my equipment to create the sound I am looking for.
# 14
GreggRich1
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05/25/2013 11:22 pm
My first electric was a Squier. I spent less than $200 to find out if I really wanted to pursue this. What's cool about the strat style setup, which is the same even on the cheap strats like a Squier, is you have so much control on setup at the bridge. You can micro adjust each string for height and intonation and it isn't very difficult. Having that string positioning ability is great when you have a neck that is maybe of a B grade quality. I liked my Squier, but ultimately sold it and got a Gibson ES-335. When you step all the way up to a 335 from a Chinese made strat, you do really see, hear, and feel the difference...quite a bit but as I said, you can play that Squier silly, it'll work fine.
# 15
wa1ufo
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wa1ufo
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06/05/2013 1:28 am
I was a working bassist for many years and played in 2 US Navy bands but I do play a little guitar but only basic stuff. I bought a Squier Tele Custom to practice on and have a blast with it. In any case, a friend of mine who owns many American made guitars including an American made Tele. He played it and loved it! When I told him what I paid for it, his jaw dropped! I still think he beleives I was lying to him. It is drop dead gorgeous and finely crafted. He asked me who set it up for me. I said it arrived in the box with the factory setup like that. He was shocked a second time. All that for 250 clams and it sounds far better to me than my friend's American made Les Paul-I kid you not. Now everyone will think I'm crazy!
# 16
GreggRich1
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06/05/2013 3:35 am
Those chineeeze made guitars have come a VERY long way. They are punched out by precision machines. In the department of accuracy, they are every bit as finely made as many stateside guitars. They use cheaper electronics, (including pickups), cheaper wood, and sometimes cheaper machined parts like tuning assemblies, bridges and other parts all over the guitar. That fretboard however is laser aligned just like a Gibson custom shop Les Paul.

So with cheaper materials all over the guitar, what will be affected? Playability? No. Longevity? Yes. Tone...?? Yes, but tone can be altered all the way up the path to the speaker, AND I have an expensive Gibby; I alter it on the way to the amp. For a hundred bucks, you can buy an effects box that'll make it sound like anything from a Martin acoustic to a $45,000 Clapton signature model.

So fall in love with your Squier. It'll do the job for you...for a long time. Just keep good, fresh strings on her and play away!
# 17
aschleman
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aschleman
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07/01/2013 7:19 pm
Originally Posted by: GreggRich1My first electric was a Squier. I spent less than $200 to find out if I really wanted to pursue this. What's cool about the strat style setup, which is the same even on the cheap strats like a Squier, is you have so much control on setup at the bridge. You can micro adjust each string for height and intonation and it isn't very difficult. Having that string positioning ability is great when you have a neck that is maybe of a B grade quality. I liked my Squier, but ultimately sold it and got a Gibson ES-335. When you step all the way up to a 335 from a Chinese made strat, you do really see, hear, and feel the difference...quite a bit but as I said, you can play that Squier silly, it'll work fine.


Your 335 should have the same adjustability as your Squire had... It's just a different style of bridge. the 335 should have a Tune-O-Matic style bridge on it where the height adjustment is at the 2 mounting posts and the intonation adjustments are set screws on each of the saddles...

I have a junk Strat copy that was my first electric guitar... Been lit on fire several times and had several different pickups, pickguards, and electrical components in it... It sounds like absolute gargage clean but supply a little dirt and it sounds like a monster.
# 18
ahmadyuzamir
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ahmadyuzamir
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05/25/2015 9:49 am
I have had a Squier for about 20 years. It was my learner guitar when I first started out. Fell in love with it and up till now I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to own another Strat, be it an original American made Fender or whatever. No offense Fender purists, but I just love my Squier. I have modded it to have an SD Hot Rails in the neck and bridge, whilst maintaining the stock mid pup.

I have also added a 5 way super switch and a push push 500k pot. The tones that I am able to achieve are really good and covers most genres. No qualms there. I do however also own a 1965 Vox SuperAce guitar i inherited from my dad, that is basically a real vintage Strat copy for classic strat sounds. And recently made my first forray into semi hollows by purchasing an Ibanez ArtCore guitar. Really happy with my "clones".

All the best to you!
# 19
Timpraetor
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Timpraetor
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09/20/2015 7:06 pm
I love my little Red Squier.

I just posted the story of how it's taken a front seat over my '76 American Standard:

https://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44491

My total investment in the Squier is around $240 plus an evening of setup and pup swap.
# 20

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