Quality Control: Fender vs. Squire

[alexlocurto]

Hi guys! So, I've been seeing lots of good stuff on here about Squires lately (specifically the Deluxe Active Jazz), and lots of mediocre stuff about Fender (build quality). I haven't seen the same complaints made about Squire. Are they better with their quality control? Or do people just not care because they're less expensive instruments? Or am I missing something?

[mjac28]

I think Fender is really trying to elevate it's Squire line and I give them kudos for investing in quality control for that line and I really haven't heard many negative things about any recent Fender line.

[Geroi Asfalta]

Hit and miss. Seems more hit though from what Ive tried.

[tastybasslines]

My opinion: Fender will become only MIA, And MIM will be phased out, replaced by Squire, which arguably has better instruments and QC already, and offer new products in the MIM price range.

[alexofc69]

Basically the Squiers - especially the Vintage Modern, Classic Vibe, Deluxe and Artist models are a great value in fit and finish, quality, feel and general tone. You get a lot of bang for the buck without having to break the bank. The Afffinity is fine for a beginner.

[mjac28]

I'm concerned for Fender the custom shop stuff is great but it can't compete with Fodera,Sadowsky,F bass with their advanced designs and electronics and there is only so much you can do with the P and J design.

[darkstorm]

The last time I compared both. A few yrs ago. Both failed freequently for fret sprout. Rest of instrument, the amercans had a little bit better fit for rest of the intrument except fretwork. Both had the typical low qaulity to me neck joint fender is famous for.

[wraub]

Say what you will about Squier QC, at least they can spell Squier correctly.


wraub

[soulman969]

Originally Posted by wraub

Say what you will about Squier QC, at least they can spell Squier correctly.


wraub

Yep. How long have they made them now? 30 years or so? If people can spell it Fender and not Fedner then why is Squier so hard to get down?

MIA, MIM, MIC, MII or MIK all have their good and worse products and good and bad days on the production line but some models seem consistently superior to others in comparison. So those are the ones we tout and most people buy.

For example I'd say the Squier CV line exceeds the MIM Standard line but the MIM Classic Player Guitars are superior to the CVs and even a lot of the MIA models and the Road Worn Basses get a lot of love too.

I don't believe there's anything wrong with the QC in Corona I just don't think a lot of that product is worth as much more as they ask for it based on the small differences in quality of some of their other lines. But that's me and I'm a "value buyer".

I don't care what name is on the headstock. That's not the part of the instrument I play. It's the rest I care about.

[dtripoli]

Originally Posted by soulman969

Yep. How long have they made them now? 30 years or so? If people can spell it Fender and not Fedner then why is Squier so hard to get down?

Simple, the common language spelling is 'squire' as in knight, lord, prince, etc.
Also, spellcheck corrects 'squier' to the "correct" English spelling of 'squire', even here on TB. I know the correct spelling but misspell it all the time or forget to override spellcheck

[Bert Slide]

Them Skwires is gettin' better n better wit QC everday. I mean sure once in a while you find a small finger in a pickup or control cavity but it's no big deal, if you just leave it there it helps with shielding.

[soulman969]

Originally Posted by dtripoli

Simple, the common language spelling is 'squire' as in knight, lord, prince, etc.
Also, spellcheck corrects 'squier' to the "correct" English spelling of 'squire', even here on TB. I know the correct spelling but misspell it all the time or forget to override spellcheck

Agreed to completely but can't the word Squier (with that spelling) also be put into a Spell Check Dictionary? It is in mine and I never have to override it. Just wondering why it's done so often is all. Inquiring minds and all that.

[SolarMan]

The Squier line is pretty amazing for the money.

The 2012 American Standards are simply superb. I would argue that they are the best Fender Basses ever made. I don't think I've seen anyone with issues on a 2012 yet (though I sure some have).

The 2008-2011 are also very nice, but I am convinced that the quality is better and much more consistent than ever before in Fender history with the 2012s.

Try one.

[SoVeryTired]

It's all about what you get for your money. For most people, expectations are lowered when they spend 1/5 of the price. I bought a Squier P Special for £90, used. I think it's a fantastic bass. Would I tolerate the slightly scratchy pots, noisy J pickup and flimsy-feeling tuners in a new MIA Fender? Not a chance. But I know that I got good value for money with the Squier.

[Labi]

Originally Posted by soulman969

Agreed to completely but can't the word Squier (with that spelling) also be put into a Spell Check Dictionary? It is in mine and I never have to override it. Just wondering why it's done so often is all. Inquiring minds and all that.

If you can't fight them, join them

[alexlocurto]

When I typed in Squier, it got hit by spellcheck. :P

[tdub0199]

Originally Posted by soulman969

Agreed to completely but can't the word Squier (with that spelling) also be put into a Spell Check Dictionary? It is in mine and I never have to override it. Just wondering why it's done so often is all. Inquiring minds and all that.

just highlight the word and right click and then click on add to dictionary....

[Wallace320]

Originally Posted by dtripoli

Simple, the common language spelling is 'squire' as in knight, lord, prince, etc.
Also, spellcheck corrects 'squier' to the "correct" English spelling of 'squire', even here on TB. I know the correct spelling but misspell it all the time or forget to override spellcheck

+1

Plus, Squier mispelled the word Squire, fittin' perfectly with its meaning, compared to Fender. So, with the latter standin' for
"knight", "nobleman", the other one is the "squire", the civilian.

Anyway
Fender/Squier is improvin' its QC all over its range of products
If American made are nearly flawless
So Classic Vibes are nearly flawless...
MIM standards and Classic aren't, but still they're very good...
Vintage Modified aren't flawless at all, yet they're very good...

Cheers,
Wallace

[C.Linton]

Originally Posted by Wallace320

+1

So, with the latter standin' for
"knight", "nobleman", the other one is the "squire", the civilian.
Plus, Squier mispelled the word Squire, fittin' perfectly with its meaning, compared to Fender.
Anyway
Fender/Squier is improvin' its QC all over its range of products
If American made are nearly flawless
So Classic Vibes are nearly flawless...
MIM standards and Classic aren't, but still they're very good...
Vintage Modified aren't flawless at all, yet they're very good...

Cheers,
Wallace

Nope, Fender/Squier didn't misspell anything, that's how the guy who used to own the company before Fender bought it spelled his name, one Mr. V.C. Squier.

[GBassNorth]

Originally Posted by SoVeryTired

It's all about what you get for your money. For most people, expectations are lowered when they spend 1/5 of the price. I bought a Squier P Special for £90, used. I think it's a fantastic bass. Would I tolerate the slightly scratchy pots, noisy J pickup and flimsy-feeling tuners in a new MIA Fender? Not a chance. But I know that I got good value for money with the Squier.

Let's see.... I have a Squier Jazz 5 Affinity bass I bought new a little over a year ago for $220. No scratchy pots, no noisy J pickup, no flimsy feeling tuners. Fit and finish (including neck and pocket fit) and fretwork are all perfect, and no problem with any electronics or hardware.
I also have a MIA Jazz 5 Deluxe I bought new in 2005 for $1200. Had to replace the noisy and anemic pickups and the ineffective preamp (for an additional $600) and wanted to replace the cheap sheetmetal bridge (for another $100) but never did. So now I have a really cool $1800 MIA Jazz 5 that looks and plays just as good as my $250 Squier. Yep, I'd say I got good value for the money on at least one of my purchases.
Flash forward to 2012 - the MIA basses I've tried recently do seem to have a much better QC than the ones from just a few years ago. I think both Squier and Fender have drastically increased their build quality and unit to unit consistancy. I wouldn't hesitate too much to buy either one brand new via mail order these days. The MIM line still seems to have more variation in build quality than the others.