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bleez
Ive got this squier strat from a mate, actually had it for a while stashed away in the house. Other than the pickup selector electrics needing fixed, its pretty much an awesome playing guitar. I remember playing some strats in the shop when I bought my tele and thinking that none of them really felt noticeably better than this squire.
I checked the serial number, its an 'S9' seems to denote its a 1989 model from the samick factory. They dont seem to be all the expensive to buy used either.
Im totally thinking about getting the electronics fixed and maybe some nice pickups installed. 'The internet' usually says its not worth putting decent pickups in a squier but I think the guitar is pretty awesome biggrin.gif
Do these 80's korean models have a good reputation as decent guitars? or maybe I just got a really good one cool.gif

Storm Linnebjerg
If the guitar feels good to you, then it's good to you, I'd say. Doesn't matter if it says this, that or something else on the headstock.

That said though, I've played a few different guitars by now, though probably not as many as some of you guys, but I can definitely feel a difference between my korean Hamer that I bought for close to nothing, and then my new way way way more expensive Ibanez.

Sorry for not really giving a concrete reply.
bleez
yes, maybe I dont play enough guitars either smile.gif
The neck on this feels great and the bridge saddles are double fender stamped, not sure if all squiers have that. I think its def worth getting the electronics fixed and setup. Its almost 30 years old, cant be too bad if its still playing well after 3 decades cool.gif
Mertay
We did that a few years ago to a new low-end squier tele my friend got. The guitar was super comfortable and was the guitar that made him a Tele guy.

That guitar is still his workhorse guitar, so the PU's we installed on were probably as much as the guitar but the guitar itself proved it was worth it. He also did this with 2 more guitars but that turned out to be money loss as there's definitly some luck factor/risk with such moves.

I'd say just repair the electronics for now and see how often and what you play with the guitar. If all is cool after say 2-3 months then you'll change the PU's accordingly. Like could be very vintage, noiseless or shredder type PU's depending on what the guitar calls to you.
bleez
QUOTE (Mertay @ Jun 18 2017, 04:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'd say just repair the electronics for now and see how often and what you play with the guitar. If all is cool after say 2-3 months then you'll change the PU's accordingly. Like could be very vintage, noiseless or shredder type PU's depending on what the guitar calls to you.

sounds like a plan smile.gif I think I'll do just that.
yoncopin
Buy a soldering iron and learn to fix the electronics yourself. Then you won't ever have to learn on a guitar you actually care about. Worst case you are just back where you started, taking it to a shop.
Gabriel Leopardi
I had a really good Korean Strat in the 90's and I've always regret having sold it... sad.gif

this is the guitar:

Click to view attachment
Darius Wave
It's always worth to try to "re-gear" the cheap guitars. Some of them have huge potential. Even if the wood class has been chosen proportionally to price range, wood is wood....you never know what will come out, until you put all things together. Fixing cheap guitars is my personal hobby smile.gif



Here's a squier I owned before. Korean made (Cort factory) in 96'.
klasaine
I have a 1987 Korean Squire just like Gabs.
I stripped the body and changed the elecs in around '96 or so. I also put a 'Fender Stratocaster' logo sticker on the headstock.
The pickups are a Seymour Duncan '59 custom in the bridge and stock Fender 'Robert Cray' pkups in the middle and neck positions.
The maple fingerboard is rare on that guitar.
Great all around rocker! I use it a lot.

Click to view attachment
bleez
QUOTE (yoncopin @ Jun 19 2017, 02:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Buy a soldering iron and learn to fix the electronics yourself. Then you won't ever have to learn on a guitar you actually care about. Worst case you are just back where you started, taking it to a shop.

Never thought about that! you're right, I totally should try to fix or replace the switch myself smile.gif

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ Jun 19 2017, 03:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I had a really good Korean Strat in the 90's and I've always regret having sold it... sad.gif

Awesome pic Gab! you had the guitar strap set a little higher in those days, I see cool.gif
That's the same style as my one, black with the rosewood board.

QUOTE (Darius Wave @ Jun 19 2017, 03:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It's always worth to try to "re-gear" the cheap guitars. Some of them have huge potential. Even if the wood class has been chosen proportionally to price range, wood is wood....you never know what will come out, until you put all things together. Fixing cheap guitars is my personal hobby smile.gif


Here's a squier I owned before. Korean made (Cort factory) in 96'.

Very cool video, I also watched your ssl-52 demo, it was most awesome. Your playing is always ridiculously good. Its great hearing guys like yourself getting cheap guitars sounding so good.

QUOTE (klasaine @ Jun 19 2017, 03:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I have a 1987 Korean Squire just like Gabs.
I also put a 'Fender Stratocaster' logo sticker on the headstock.

I actually thought about doing that as well..... Im not sure why! Its not as if my playing is above such a guitar, unlike your own playing which is custom shop material.
I did think to myself as I was reading about the late 80's squier's "If Ken has one, then there must be something a bit good about them" smile.gif
fzalfa
as i know, korean or indonesian squier strats are good as mexican one.......

Laurent
Sensible Jones
QUOTE (bleez @ Jun 19 2017, 06:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Never thought about that! you're right, I totally should try to fix or replace the switch myself smile.gif

Anything that came from the Samick Factory was always of good quality. Those Squiers were every bit as good, if not better, that the equivalent Mexi's at the time.

If you need any help/advice with doing the switch just ask mate!!
biggrin.gif
Gabriel Leopardi
QUOTE (bleez @ Jun 19 2017, 02:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Awesome pic Gab! you had the guitar strap set a little higher in those days, I see cool.gif
That's the same style as my one, black with the rosewood board.



haha yeah,! It's much easier to play with the guitar that high! Damn punk influences! laugh.gif

Mine was some kind of very dark red, don't know how to call it in English, we call it "bordó"



Phil66
QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ Jun 20 2017, 06:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
haha yeah,! It's much easier to play with the guitar that high! Damn punk influences! laugh.gif

Mine was some kind of very dark red, don't know how to call it in English, we call it "bordó"


I'm wondering if there is some "Lost in translation" thing going on. Bordó is board in English but, Burdeos in Spanish is Bordeaux (pronounced 'board-oh') which is a wine region in France that produces some mighty fine red wines. Give that yours looks like a deep wine red colour I'm hazarding a guess that it was maybe some Korean/Spanish mix up on the packaging. Just a thought.

Maybe you could enlighten us Gab? smile.gif
Mertay
QUOTE (Phil66 @ Jun 20 2017, 06:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Maybe you could enlighten us Gab? smile.gif


That color is also written "bordo" in Turkish, I always guessed it was a French word?
Sensible Jones
Colour #80 in the official Fender Colour Catalogue is "Midnight Wine":-
Gabriel Leopardi
QUOTE (Sensible Jones @ Jun 21 2017, 07:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Colour #80 in the official Fender Colour Catalogue is "Midnight Wine":-



Exactly!
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