Early 90's Japanese Squier Strat - quality and value?

Fuengi

I've got the opportunity to look at one of these, all original in decent condition. Any tips or price guide would be really handy.

It's a 1992 Japan, the Serial Prefix is O.

gusman2x

Dependent on colour, condition, probably £250-300 for a private sale. 

mark123

£250 great quality..pick ups cheap bar type so need replacing so add on £60...go for s/h classic vibe  for around £260 no need to upgrade anything

hassleham

I’ve had a couple for around £200-£250 depending on condition. Lovely necks!

munckee

Not as good as your mexican I wouldn't think. Especially with the work you've already done. 

Fuengi

Thnaks chaps, that's really useful. It's in the ballpark.

munckee said:

Not as good as your mexican I wouldn't think. Especially with the work you've already done. 

Since seeing Steve Rothery play his Squier I've always wanted one!  

munckee

Apparently (according to Dr Google) he plays an 82-84 JV Squier which I believe have Fender Squier on the headstock.  

I know Trevor has one in his collection but would take some money to shift it from him.  When I was lokoing at MIJ strats the general opinion was the mythical early squiers are similar quality to later MIJ fenders.

ICBM

I find all later Japanese Squiers very average to be honest, and not worth the hype that seems to surround them now. Only the JV and SQ series are equivalent quality to MIJ Fenders.

Just because they were made in Japan doesn't mean they weren't made deliberately downmarket.

Bidley

Yeah the 80's ones are the desirables. I've got an E-series and it's bloody awesome. The ones from the 90s aren't as good, and were made cheaper as ICBM says. I wouldn't pay more than £200.

Fuengi

Hmmm. Perhaps better gathering funds for a really nice Strat.

Thanks all.

lovestrat74

I read somewhere that serial no P... stood for ply so beware if it is rather heavy!

MLten80

excellent necks, ply wood bodies but average pickups & hardware

I had a few of these great fun
 I got 250 for my blue strat last year 

lovestrat74

Think the silver series were the better squiers of that period

Modellista

I’ve had a couple of these, the standard ones are functional, as already said, decent necks but ply bodies and average electronics. 

Silver Series indeed better. 

£200 tops. 

breakstuff

I had an early nineties Squier Strat an one day decided to strip the black paint off only to discover the body was made from what appeared to be MDF or suchlike.Gave it to my brother in law to practice painting on and replaces it with another Squier body. The hardware and pickups were also pants but the neck is quite nice. Pretty chunky too.

suspiciousminds

ICBM said:

I find all later Japanese Squiers very average to be honest, and not worth the hype that seems to surround them now. Only the JV and SQ series are equivalent quality to MIJ Fenders.

Just because they were made in Japan doesn't mean they weren't made deliberately downmarket.

Are the SQ squier bullets any good?

ICBM

suspiciousminds said:

Are the SQ squier bullets any good?

Not really, no. (In my opinion.)

impmann

90s Jap Squiers - not all are created equal. The early Silver Series ones (without Silver Series written on the headstock) do seem to have better necks imho. The later Silver Series one’s are nice but have a bigger neck and some appear to have quite heavy (and dead resonance) bodies - I’ve owned several meh ones now.
The standard Jap Squier stuff of that period is pretty crummy - MDf bodies, crap machine heads and dreadful pickups.

Is the early 90s stuff as good as the JV stuff - probably not but then it’s generally a fraction of the price. That said, my 92 Silver Series with Mojo pickups and a Kev Hurley trem block was a match for all the CS strats in Coda Music - I took it with me as a ‘datum’. Obviously, ymmv on that...

As for Steve Rothery - I built a replica of his main Marillion Strat, using all the correct parts. Believe me, that sound is in his fingers.