a Squier IS a Fender....
In the late 1970s and early 1980s Fender was facing competition from lower priced Japanese made guitars. The higher priced Fender guitars were made in America and could not compete with the lower prices of Japanese made [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. In the early 1980s, Japanese labour and production costs were much lower than in America and to compete with the Japanese made guitars, Fender moved the lower priced Fender guitar production from America to Japan.
Fender was also losing sales in Japan to Japanese guitar brands such as
Tōkai,
Greco and
Fernandes and the establishment of
Fender Japan would benefit Fender sales in Japan as well as overseas. Fender began negotiations with several Japanese musical instrument distributors and reached an agreement with
Yamano Gakki and
Kanda Shokai to establish Fender Japan. Yamano Gakki is also known for once being part of
Epiphone Japan. Kanda Shokai owned the Greco brand name and one of the conditions of the Fender Japan agreement was that Kanda Shokai cease production of its own Greco Fender copies.
This arrangement benefited Fender because it removed the Greco Fender copies from the Japanese market which were selling in Japan at much lower prices than the American made Fenders and it also benefited Kanda Shokai because Kanda Shokai could then distribute Japanese made Fender branded guitars in Japan. Further negotiations between Fender and Japanese guitar factories took place. Tokai was seriously considered to start building the first Japanese made Fenders, but after a breakdown in negotiations,
FujiGenGakki was chosen instead.
[4]
The first
Squier series was launched on July/August 1982 and over time the Squier series has slowly evolved to include
original model designs and production has moved from Japan to various other Asian countries such as Korea and China.
As follows is an approximate method in which Squier dates the serial numbers of manufactured instruments.
Mexican Squiers[edit]
MN: M = Mexico, N = Nineties (1990s), the first number following the serial number prefix is the year.
MZ: M = Mexico, Z = 2000's, the first number following the serial number prefix is the year.
For example
- "MN8" indicates that it was made at Ensenada, Mexico in 1998-1999.
- "MZ1" indicates that it was made at Ensenada, Mexico in 2001-2002
USA Squiers[edit]
Some USA made Squiers have a serial number with an E = Eighties (1980s) prefix, and some have a serial number with a N = Nineties (1990s) prefix. Early USA made Squiers had a 00XXXX serial stamp on the neckplate with no letter prefix and no serial number on the headstock. The rarest early ones had a 4 digit decal on the headstock and vintage style tuners
Fender MIM was Squier Branded until, the early 2000's
. As soon as we started playing, it was obvious he was a great player and any misgivings were unfounded.
